
Belec, Phillips top Thursday Duel In The Desert IMCA Modified qualifying features
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 9) – Eddie Belec and Terry Phillips were IMCA Modified qualifying feature winners on Thursday, opening night of the 20th annual Duel In The Desert at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Belec outran a charging Cody Laney to top the first qualifier on the LVMS half-mile Dirt Track while Phillips, a three-time Duel winner, pulled away from Ricky Thornton Jr. over the final circuits in the nightcap. Both qualifiers paid $777 to win and sent the top four to Saturday’s $7,777 to win main event. Justin O’Brien and Rob Sanders also advanced from the first qualifier, Ricky Alvarado and Jason Noll from the second. Belec mastered lapped traffic and Laney found the speed he needed late in the first 25-lapper. While Belec kept an iron fist on the front spot, Laney got under Sanders and then O’Brien to take over second with five circuits to go. Belec took the checkers four car lengths ahead of Laney. Alvarado led through the first 10 circuits of the nightcap before Phillips motored by and began [Read More]