LasVegasMotorSpeedway Archives

Thornton, DeVilbiss deal Saturday IMCA Duel wins

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 13) – There was a time when Ricky Thornton Jr. and Zane DeVilbiss went to Las Vegas and wondered where their good luck went. Now they’ve both repeated as winners of rich IMCA main events Saturday night at the 24th annual Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert. Thornton took home $10,000 after taking the IMCA Modified checkers while Devilbiss’ latest IMCA Sunoco Stock Car win at the half-mile Dirt Track paid $5,000. “It’s nuts. I had struggled there for a while and now I’ve won the Duel two years in a row,” said Thornton, who had started from the pole and chased Cody Laney most of the 25-lapper, getting the lead back with five circuits left. “It’s definitely special to win here. This is just five hours from where I grew up and my whole family gets to come.” Laney had climbed from the sixth position to take the lead at the conclusion of the sixth lap. Thornton kept pace with Laney until six laps remained. Thornton attempted a slide job at that [Read More]

Anderson, Forster earn Friday IMCA Duel wins

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 12) – The first two IMCA champions at the 24th annual Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert were crowned Friday at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as Logan Anderson and Zack Forster took home titles. Anderson won the Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod title and $5,000 while Forster won the first-ever STARS Mod Lite championship and $1,500. Jorddon Braaten joined Anderson on the front row of the Northern SportMod grid. Anderson built a four second lead in the first 11 laps of the race but his advantage was erased by the first caution of the main event. A multi-car tangle on the restart sidelined several contenders including Chase Alves and Brett Berry. Alves had climbed from 10th to fourth place. Anderson remained unchallenged in the final 10 laps of the race, leading wire-to-wire for the victory. Dylan VanWyk, Matt Sanders, Braaten and Danny Concelman completed the top five. Forster and Randy Bryan led the field to the green in the 20-lap STARS Mod Lite championship feature. Following a caution on [Read More]

Two more drivers punch tickets to Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert championship features

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 11) – Two more drivers are locked into Saturday’s IMCA Modified championship feature following qualifying feature victories on Night 3 of the 24th annual Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Winners of qualifying features receive automatic bids into Friday and Saturday night’s championship features in four divisions at the Duel in the Desert: IMCA Modified, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and IMCA STARS Mod Lite. Based on points, the top 15 starters for championship features are now set for each of the four classes. Each championship feature will carry up to 24 cars; the remaining spots will be filled on Friday and Saturday during their respective heat races and last chance qualifying races. For a full breakdown of Thursday night’s results, click here for the Box Score. For final qualifying points, click HERE. In IMCA Modified action on Thursday night, Jacob Hobscheidt of Plattsmouth, Neb., took the lead for good on lap seven and continued on to victory over Bricen James. [Read More]

Day is lights out in drive to Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod national crown

FARMERSVILLE, Texas – A driver who left prom early to go racing will be wearing a tuxedo again at the IMCA national awards banquet. Matthew Day, 18 years old and a senior at Farmersville, Texas, High School, collected a division-best 14 feature victories in winning the 2021 Smiley’s Racing Products Southern SportMod national championship “It’s definitely a big accomplishment,” said Day, who had earned top rookie of the year honors in the class last year. “All the work we put in on the car was definitely worth it.” ‘The car’ is the same 2020 Harris that Dean Abbey had driven to the 2020 national crown. “We chased Dean a lot of last year and decided to upgrade,” explained Day, who also enjoyed the expertise that car owner Chris Bragg provided with the purchase. “I wanted to be more consistent and get more wins this year. Our realistic goal was 10 wins.” “It took a little bit of getting used to but the car definitely fit my driving style,” he added. “We didn’t have the experience [Read More]

Seven drivers lock into weekend main events of Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 10) – Seven new drivers locked themselves into Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert championship features by way of qualifying feature victories on Wednesday night at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Winners of qualifying features receive automatic bids into Friday and Saturday night’s main events in four classes at the Duel in the Desert: IMCA Modified, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod, IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and IMCA STARS Mod Lite. Chase Alves (SportMod), Dylan Van Wyk (SportMod), Arie Schouten (SportMod), Bubba Stafford Jr. (Stock Car), Zane DeVilbiss (Modified), Zack VanderBeek (Modified) and Ricky Alvarado (Modified) all earned places into their respective main events on Qualifying Night 2. The three repeat winners – who earned victories on both Tuesday and Wednesday – were Dallon Murty (Stock Car), Ricky Thornton Jr. (Modified) and Zack Forster (Mod Lite). To see a full breakdown of Wednesday night’s results, click here to see the Box Score. To see the event points standings, click HERE. Alves of Casa Grande, Ariz., took the lead on the second lap [Read More]

Eleven drivers cash in on Night One of 24th annual Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 9) – The opening night of the 24th annual Karl Chevrolet Duel in the Desert is in the books with 11 drivers punching their tickets to Friday and Saturday night championship features. Four classes got started on Qualifying Night One as IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars, Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods, IMCA STARS Mod Lites and IMCA Modifieds ran heat races and qualifying features at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. To see a full breakdown of Tuesday night’s results, click here to see the Box Score. The first feature of the night was in the Stock Car division, with Dallon Murty of Chelsea, Iowa, and Zane DeVilbiss of Farmington, N.M., fighting for the win. Following multiple exchanges of the top spot, Murty took the victory off the final corner by .014 seconds with the two side-by-side. The Stock Car division was dominated by the Murty family in feature No. 2, as Damon Murty, Dallon’s father, commanded the race for an easy win in the second of two features in the class. [Read More]

Early entry deadline nears for IMCA Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Drivers in four IMCA divisions have until 11:59 p.m. tonight (Wednesday) to pre-enter for the biggest event of the 2021 season in the Shaw Race Cars Western Region. The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the 24th annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 8-13. IMCA Modifieds race for $10,000 to win their Saturday night main event on the half-mile oval while IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both run for $5,000 top checks. IMCA STARS Mod Lites make their Duel debut in a $1,500 to win main event. Entry fees paid online at racexr.com or through the lvms.com website before midnight are $150 for Modifieds, $75 for both Stock Cars and Northern SportMods, and $50 for STARS Mod Lites. Entry fees paid at the track are $200 for Modifieds, $150 for Stock Cars and for Northern SportMods, and $100 for Mod Lites. Early arrivals in Las Vegas can park beginning at noon on Monday. Nov. 8. Grandstands open at 2 p.m. that afternoon and an open practice runs from 6-10 p.m. [Read More]

Four IMCA divisions primed for 24th annual Duel In The Desert

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Four IMCA divisions are on the week-long card as The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway hosts the 24th annual Duel In The Desert Nov. 8-13. IMCA Modifieds race for $10,000 to win their Saturday night main event on the half-mile oval and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMods both for $5,000. IMCA STARS Mod Lites make their Duel debut in a $1,500 to win event. The Modified winner becomes eligible to qualify for the 2022 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational; the Stock Car winner earns a starting spot on the B & B Racing Chassis All-Star Invitational grid. Practice is from 4-9 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 8. All four IMCA divisions will run heats and qualifying features Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 9-11, with feature winners locking into the main event but having the option to race all week to continue accumulating points for starting position. Qualifying features will be paid out each night and available at the pit shack after the races. Duel In The Desert lineups [Read More]

Spring Break special canceled

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions by the State of Nevada, the Duel in the Desert Spring Break set for Feb. 10-13 has been canceled and will not be run. The restrictions, imposed shortly after the November 2020 Duel in the Desert, limit crowd gatherings and have recently been extended to Feb. 15, 2021. Every effort was exhausted for event approval that was unfortunately not granted. All online sales will be automatically refunded.

Thornton, DeVilbiss, Becerra capture first IMCA Duel In The Desert crowns

By Steven Young LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 14) – Three already accomplished IMCA drivers raced to career first championships Saturday night at the 23rd annual Duel In The Desert. Ricky Thornton Jr. topped the $10,000 to win main event for IMCA Modifieds while Zane DeVilbiss and Austen Becerra left the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track with $5,000 each after winning IMCA Sunoco Stock Car and Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod features, respectively. Jason Wolla led the opening lap. Thornton used the cushion to perfection to move around Wolla and into the top spot in the running order at the end of lap two. Cody Laney took over second on lap three. With a dozen laps in the books, Thornton had caught up to the rear of the field but a cushion saved him from having to work lapped traffic. Wolla moved back to second, bringing five-time Duel winner Jeremy Payne with him. Laney regained the second spot following a lap 11 restart, as Collen Winebarger moved into third. Ethan Dotson was the next driver to occupy [Read More]