NM Motor Sports Report Champions Edition 2022

MEET THE TOP DRIVERS IN THE WORLD.

CONE HUNTER

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ALBUQUERQU STACKING TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

By David Swope Photos by Cherry Bomb Photoworks Drag racing is meant to be a challenge between drivers but ultimately it is a battle with the clock. Points Championships are won by the combination of accumulated rounds and consistency. The Points Champion of the Pro Division for 2022 has been there before. Ron Rios has won 2 - Southwest Drag Racing Association (SWDRA) Pro Championships, 5 - Albuquerque Dragway Pro Championships, 4 - Albuquerque Dragway Sportsman Championships and over 25 Wally’s. A very decorated 19 years in racing.

The 2021 Pro Champion was Mike Stewart. “Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Mike took up drag racing at the age of 57, as a bucket list item to check off. 10 years later he has 2 championships to show for it. Winning in 2019 and 2021. His wife Lisa helps him with his 68 Camaro.

The 2022 season for the Pro Division at Albuquerque Dragway had 13 races scheduled but the weather had other ideas and cancelled 3 of them. Ron Rios won another Pro Championship with 4,937 total points. Tyler Brush had 4,025 and Wayne Mathews had 3,987 for second and third in points.

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There was a total of 73 different competitors who scored at least 100 points.

Rios’ Orange 1968 Camaro is hard to miss. With a stout 434 small-block, Powerglide tranny and 9-inch rear-end, the beast runs mid 10.5s. Just in case something breaks, Rios has another Camaro waiting. “It’s just a foot pedal car with no trans brake or anything. I’ve been running that for about six to seven years and then I have a few other cars that I race at the track. I try to kind of rotate them, but I don’t wear them out too quickly,” Rios said with a smile during an interview on the NM Motor Sports Report on ESPN Radio.

“I used to run in Sportsman a couple times probably 4 to 5 years ago and then I started running a 69 Chevelle that I have with a procharger and a 67 Chevelle that I also ran in Sportsman,” said Rios.

Clearly a Bowtie guy. “Well actually, when I was a kid, I had a brother, he’s no longer with us, he’s gone home (referring to heaven), his name was Enrico Anthony Rios. When he came back from Vietnam, he always had a muscle car. I just love muscle cars. At that point, they all had Roadrunners and Cudas, with four-speeds, six packs and it was a big Mopar following back then,” Rios clarified. “We blew-up a bunch of Mopars and it just got too expensive to fix them and Chevy blocks and parts were cheaper.”

UE DRAGWAY Congratulations to the 2022 Champion in the Real Outlaw Door Slammers (RODS) Division, Mike Keenan. McKinney Motor Company Super-Pro Champion James Gonzales. Seductions Sportsman Champion Reyes Romero. Torco Race Fuel Jr Dragster Champion, Mason Tuck. Law Tigers Outlaw 2-Wheeled Champion, Dominic Flores.

Complete Season Points Available at ABQDragway.com

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Moriarty MX would like to congratulate all of our 2022 Lucky

13 Race Series winners. After a season of hard work and dedication, these riders attended 7 out of 13 races, and were the highest point earners, in their individual classes. The award ceremony will take place on February 19, 2023, in honor of these participants.

Moriarty MX runs a full race series every March - October. We are also proud to be the head coordinators of the New Mexico State Championship and are honored to host the AMA Monster Energy Loretta Lynn Southwest Area Qualifier, each year. Our riders put their hearts into their skill, and it shows with every passing season. We are so proud of the progress that we see each year. The upcoming season will consist of two series within 2023. The Southwest “7” shootout will begin in March and continue through July. Then, we will begin the Fast “5” Best of the West Series, August - October. We are excited to try something new in the 2023 season and we think our riders are excited too.

We appreciate the support given from New Mexico riders, and beyond. This is what makes our track such a success, and pushes our riders to strive to reach and beat their goals. We plan to premiere a brand new track design for all of the riders to enjoy, in February of 2023. At Moriarty MX, we believe that change is good. Every time we present riders with a new track design, it challenges them in so many different ways. We have consistently changed the track for the past 8 years and counting. A warm up race weekend will be held, to introduce the riders to the new track and to also prepare them, for the first series race of the season.

Moriarty MX would like to thank all of our EMS, Tower, Flag, Gate, Score, and Administrative staff, for all of their hard work throughout the season. We would also like to thank the Twisted Throttle Cafe for keeping our riders and their families full of delicious food, for each MMX event. We look forward to seeing you all in the new year. From all of us at MMX, thank you for your continued support of the track and support of this amazing sport.

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2022 Lucky 13 Race Series Points 125 1st - Matthew Berry #12 2nd - Jaydon Romero #629 3rd - Christopher Segura #611

50 Open Mini 1st - Alijah Horne #277 2nd - Tyler Forsberg #27 3rd - Theodore Temple #139

250B Cody Lucky #14

50 PW Shaft 1st - Theodore Temple #139 2nd - Brayden Hale #12 3rd - Hayden Beck #469 4th - Tate Diaz #181

250 Beginner 1st - Brandon Griffin #45 2nd - Jordan Ramirez #120 3rd - Mystik Skeet #369 250C 1st - Jaydon Romero #629 2nd - Ezekiel Rodriguez #22 3rd - Carlos Quintana #11 250 Open 1st - Steven Copeland #97 2nd - Matthew Berry #12 3rd - Mathew Gonzales #34 450B 1st - Riley Evans #52 2nd - Seth Mitchell #28 3rd - Cody Lucky #14 450 Beginner 1st - Drew Miller #83 2nd - Gerard Martinez #331 3rd - Jarod CDeBaca #94 450C 1st - Carlos Quintana #11 2nd - Dylan Mitchell #530 3rd - Ezekiel Rosriguez #22 450 Open 1st - Joe Rodriguez #761 50 4-6 Main 1st - Wyatt Adams #12 50 4-6 Mini 1st - Wyatt Adams #12

College 1st - Seth Mitchell #28 Girls 11 and Under 1st - Jordyn Marrs #21 2nd - Mercedes Wagner #8 3rd - Nina Holmes #207 Junior 25+ 1st - Mathew Gonzales #34

65 10-11 Masters 50+ 1st - Uriah Lahair #37 1st - David Lucero #269 2nd - Garrett Leavengood #419 2nd - Leonard Feit #369 3rd - Damien Aplin #17 Mini Quad Open 65 7-9 1st - Own Chavez #899 1st - Victor Alba #521 2nd - Colton Adams #99 Open Beginner 3rd - Milo Schooley #007 1st - Brandon Griffin #45 4th =- Mercedes Wganer #8 2nd - Jordan Ramirez #120 5th - Caleb Wright #118 3rd - Gerard Martinez #331 65 Beginner 1st - Mason Hale #89 65 Open 1st - Victor Alba #521 2nd - Colton Adams #99 3rd - Uriah LaHair #37 4th - Garrett Leavengood #419 5th - Milo Schooley #007 85 12-16 1st - Aiden Leavengood #40 2nd - William Berry #99h 3rd - Culbert Hoskevek #3 4th - Jordan Ball #997 5th - Joseph Filip #541 85 9-11 1st - Cobee Serak #38 2nd - Victor Alba #521 3rd - Uriah LaHair #37 4th - Jordyn Marrs #21 5th - Daniel Wagner #45

50 7-8 Main 1st - Domenic Dominguez #656 85 Beginner 2nd - Tyler Forsberg #27 1st - Cobee Serak #38 2nd - Culbert Hoskevek #3 50 7-8 Mini 3rd - Adam Candelario #21 1st - Tyler Forsberg #27 4th - Hunter Kelly #31 5th - Monica Griffin #39 50 Beginner Mini 4-6 1st - Hayden Beck #469 85 Open 2nd - Oliver Chavez #11 1st - William Berry #99h 2nd - Victor Alba #521 50 Beginner Mini 7-8 3rd - Cobee Serak #38 1st - Logan Dickson #188 4th - Daniel Wagner #45 5th - Joseph Filip #541 50 Open Main 1st - Domenic Dominguez #656 2nd - Tyler Forsberg #27

Open Pro 1st - Peter Dulkerian #484 2nd - Tim prawitz #397 Patriot 1st - Gilbert Garcia #88 2nd - Blake Youngs #906 Schoolboy 1st - Steven Copeland #97 2nd - Matthew Berry #12 3rd - Carlos Quintana #11 Senior 40+ 1st - Adolph Candelario #477 2nd - Gilbert Garcia #88 3rd - Lee Cole #259 STACYC 16e 1st - Chase Tays #100 2nd - BaileyJo Franzoy #28 Supermini 1st - Aiden Leavengood #40 2nd - William Berry 3rd - Jordan Ball #997 Vet 30+ A/B 1st - Joe Rodriguez #761 2nd - Riley Evans #52 3rd - Chris Payne #66 Vet 30+ C 1st - Josh Rodriguez #277 2nd - Josh Lott #561

CHECK OUT MORE 2-WHEEL ACTION!

Womens 12+ 1st - Alana Canales #767 2nd - Mystik Skeet #369 3rd - Montana Garcia #506

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INSIDE OUTLAW DESERT RACING WITH UTV PRO DRIVER: CHAD DRUMMOND Chad Drummond, a 38 year old who is married with one child and two dogs. He grew up in Litttleon, Colorado where he graduated from high school in 2002. There cross town rival was Columbine HS, and they came to Chad’s school to finish out the school year after the mass shooting.

Chad moved to Arizona shortly after he graduated high-school to pursue an education in automotive repair and welding. Once he graduated tech school he moved back to Colorado and decided to move up to summit county to be a ski bum.

He landed a job with Ford where that really set him on the path he’s currently on. After about 8 years of working at Ford he truly learned that being a mechanic was more of a hobby than a profession. His career was on a downward spiral, he hated what he did and he didn’t care about the quality of work he did any longer.

By Don Tyler

He was hit by a golf cart in a parking lot at motocross race late at night. That accident left him with two broken fingers in his left hand-being a Mechanic, he couldn’t work and he lost his job.

That’s exactly what he needed. He got involved with a community college to start a career in the fire service. After years of trying he landed a job in New Mexico where he has been in the fire service for just over 10 years.

Over the last ten years he has achieved 5 college degrees. Three Associates, one Bachelors and one Masters degree.

During Chad’s free time he works a small repair/welding shop. He also runs a pro sxs racing team that runs in a pro circuit in southern Texas with Chad as the driver.

Chad feels lucky and thankful to be where he is today. Outlaw Desert Racing is involved with his racing and provides pit support for this awesome first responder. Next race is the revenge 200 in Texas December 2nd-4th.

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Rio Rancho Offroad is an off roading club that was started to support local offroading and the local offroad community. The club leads 4x4 runs throughout the year, supports local non-profit events and has a goal of fun with everything they do. Runs are always family oriented, having events that provide something for every skill level from the first timer to the experienced off-roader.

Check out Rio Rancho Offroad on Facebook.

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2022 FINAL POINTS STANDINGS Photos by James Adams, Vado Speedway Park Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models

Hulsey Racing Legends

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#004 Devan Smith #5m Eric McNutt #5J Jeremy Stamper #29 Mercedes Abercrombie #5 Shane McNutt

Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM Deming, NM Las Cruces, NM

1064 Pts -6 -47 -92 -159

#48z #01 #65 #96 #0

Zach Rodriguez Dusty Riggs Mike Money Cale Riggs Jacob Masterson

Las Cruces, NM Hatch, NM Duncan, AZ Hatch, NM Las Cruces, NM

2088 Pts -267 -286 -404 -412

Devan Smith: 2 Wins, 10 Top-5s, 11 Top-10s, 13 Starts

Zach Rodriguez: 3 Wins, 21 Top-5s, 23 Top-10s, 24 Starts

Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods

Johnstone Supply Super Trucks

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#12 Justin Allen #11 Lucas Ward #07 Donavon Flores #23H Hector Barraza #44 Christy Barnett

Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX El Paso, TX

1576 Pts -36 -186 -272 -293

#44 #14 #82 #98 #004

Christy Barnett Dawson Manicki Sherman Barnett Rusty Bowen Devan Smith

El Paso, TX Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM

1797 Pts -215 -234 -256 -290

Justin Allen: 1 Win, 15 Top-5s, 18 Top-10s, 20 Starts

Christy Barnett: 10 Wins, 17 Top-5s, 18 Top-10s, 20 Starts

Hobby Stocks

S.H. Automotive Pure Stocks

1.

2.

3.

4.

#B52 #28x #52 #21

Michael Hartman Jaden Manick Gallivan Jimmy Skoog Robert Dominguez

Las Cruces, NM 100 Pts Las Cruces, NM -5 Alamogordo, NM -9 El Paso, TX -55

Michael Hartman: 1 Win, 1 Top-5, 1 Top-10, 1 Start

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#9 Jeremy DuBois #B52 Michael Hartman #8811 Diego Alvarado #67 Sharrii Minks #48 Kristen Denman

Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX El Paso, TX Las Cruces, NM

1646 Pts -10 -16 -142 -222

Jeremy DuBois: 7 Wins, 15 Top-5s, 17 Top-10s, 21 Starts

POWRi 360 Wing Sprint Car Desert Series

Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#1HA Caleb Saiz #18 Lorne Wofford #22B Jesse Baker #45x Don Grable #2B Brett Becker

Albuquerque, NM Alamogordo, NM Grants, NM El Paso, TX Odessa, TX

537 Pts -14 -48 -53 -67

Caleb Saiz: 1 Win, 3 Top-5s, 4 Top-10s, 4 Starts

#G17 Fito Gallardo #J17 Jake Gallardo #131 Royal Jones #9 Jimmy Ray #44 Christy Barnett

Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX

1712 Pts -6 -126 -232 -347

Fito Gallardo: 6 Wins, 14 Top-5s, 15 Top-10s, 20 Starts

POWRi Sunset Grill 360 Non-Wing Sprints S&J Automotive USRA Stock Cars 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#21 Caleb Stelzig #1HA Caleb Saiz #20z Rick Ziehl #2 Michael Fanelli #7x Troy Treharn

Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque, NM Las Cruces, NM Rio Rancho, NM Peralta, NM

1017 Pts -83 -93 -156 -179

Caleb Stelzig: 5 Wins, 7 Top-5s, 7 Top-10s, 8 Starts

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#M17 Rob Moseley #00 Jonathan Burton #10 Bryan Bennett #37 Fred Gibson #82 Sherman Barnett

Los Lunas, NM Las Cruces, NM Tularosa, NM El Paso, TX El Paso, TX

1781 Pts -47 -118 -412 -433

Rob Moseley: 5 Wins, 18 Top-5s, 19 Top-10s, 20 Starts

POWRi Jackson Compaction 305 Winged 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#131 #77 #1 #8 #20z

Royal Jones CJ Hulsey Dylan Harris Aydan Saunders Rick Ziehl

Las Cruces, NM El Paso, TX El Paso, TX El Paso, TX Las Cruces, NM

1559 Pts -37 -145 -216 -223

Royal Jones: 1 Win, 9 Top-5s, 13 Top-10s, 13 Starts

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2022 FINAL POINTS STANDINGS Street Stocks 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#5x #77 #66 #2x #51

Rick Boelter Raynie Hughes David Hand Ken Curts Bobby Sandy

X-Modifieds Los Lunas, NM 1687 Pts Albuquerque, NM -16 Los Alamos, NM -232 Rio Rancho, NM -635 Edgewood, NM -875

Stock Cars 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#53 #6R #5x #5T #96x

RC Combs Rick Combs Rick Boelter Trevor Combs Herman Garcia

#98 #27 #33 #28 #4

Burton Fisher Jacob Pape Tracy Harris Ronnie Leathem Jr Chris Hooper

Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque, NM Los Lunas, NM Rio Rancho, NM Espanola, NM

1492 Pts -99 -109 -154 -504

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#26 Randy Smith #7 Lorne Wofford #4 David Dykes #619JR Claudia Saenz #72D Derrick Black

Hunter Sandy Burton Fisher William Lynch Jacob Pape Chris Hooper

Albuquerque, NM 1680 Pts Albuquerque, NM -122 Albuquerque, NM -312 Bosque Farms, NM -154 Albuquerque, NM -581

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#19s Samantha Hanes #23L Lilly Genson #1st Bob Harrington #72D Derrick Black #667 Arnie Donner

Albuquerque, NM 1460 Pts Bosque Farms, NM -68 Albuquerque, NM -134 Albuquerque, NM -381 Albuquerque, NM -504

Cruiser/Hornet Albuquerque, NM 1279 Pts Bosque Farms, NM -40 Albuquerque, NM -73 Albuquerque, NM -310 Albuquerque, NM -485

Winged 360 Sprint Cars 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#7s #98 #33 #27 #4

Non-Wing Micro Sprints

A-Modifieds 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Peralta, NM Alamogordo, NM Los Lunas, NM Pena Blanca, NM Albuquerque, NM

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1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#33 #28 #44 #21R #19

Dennis Cosens Aiden Frazier Arthur Hurley III Riella LaRae Fanning Leo Chavez

Mentmore, NM Bosque Farms, NM Rio Rancho, NM Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque, NM

3272 Pts -204 -382 -505 -583

305 Winged Sprint Cars 1710 Pts -94 -269 -271 -456

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#23z Zach Hanes #11 Jerry Mosher #619JR Claudia Sigala #18 Lorne Wofford #99 Chuck Jackson

Albuquerque, NM 1442 Pts Corrales, NM -100 Santa Fe, NM -265 Alamogordo, NM -537 Albuquerque, NM -616

Open Vintage Flat Track Motorcycle 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#69 #28Y #21 #58 #240

James Hosier Vic Yarbrough Crystal Simpson Mark Sutton Thaisen Garcia

Albuquerque, NM Tijeras, NM Rio Rancho, NM Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque, NM

Open Twin Flat Track Motorcycle 1776 Pts -174 -401 -1077 -1103

#69 James Hosier #47G JR Dowell #29 Shawn Benavidez #10 Marcel Hersh #313 Hunter Lang

Albuquerque, NM Rio Rancho, NM Albuquerque, NM Edgewood, NM Albuquerque, NM

1780 Pts -457 -895 -1157 -1425

Knobby Open CC Flat Track Motorcycle 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#242 Paul Campos #117 Jordan Smith #242x Jesse Silos #X Nevil Bernard #188 Anthony Dickson

Rio Rancho, NM Rio Rancho, NM Rio Rancho, NM Tijeras, NM Albuquerque, NM

Rio Rancho, NM 1110 Pts Albuquerque, NM -457

Powder Puff Flat Track Motorcycle 1. #21 Crystal Simpson 2. #333 Rachael Peterson 3. #23R Aurora Simpson

Open Modern Flat Track Motorcycle 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1. #47G JR Dowell 2. #240 Thaisen Garcia

Rio Rancho, NM 1452 Pts Albuquerque, NM -290 Rio Rancho, NM -897

Pee Wee Flat Track Motorcycle 1. #7 Connor Crosby 2. #188 Logan Dixon 3. #16 Reece Apodaca

Tijeras, NM 270 Pts Albuquerque, NM -85 Albuquerque, NM -95

360 Pts -139 -140 -175 -175

Open Vintage 40+ Flat Track Motorcycle 1.

2.

3.

4.

#28Y #44 #411 #70+

Vic Yarbrough Jerry Schenamsgruber Alan Reed Harry Hammer

Tijeras, NM 1780 Pts Mesa, AZ -10 Roswell, NM -18 Apache Junction, AZ -1157

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2022 FINAL POINTS STANDINGS IMCA Sport Compact 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#K8T Katie Barthel #7 Mylee JoAnn #77 Jenna Wilson #22 Randa Bentsen #5 Tess Greenwood

IMCA Stock Car Ignacio, CO Farmington, NM Cortez, CO Mancos, CO Aztec, NM

296 Pts -5 -11 -52 -65

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#26 #25L #16 #07 #03

Allen Bradley Nathan Lemons Aaron Spangler Mark Rogers Darell Cordary

Farmington, NM Aztec, NM Dove Creek, CO Farmington, NM Hesperus, CO

Katie Barthel: 2 Wins, 8 Top-5s, 8 Top-10s, 8 Starts

Allen Bradley: 0 Wins, 6 Top-5s, 8 Top-10s, 8 Starts

IMCA Northern SportMod

IMCA Hobby Stock

1.

2.

3.

4.

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#97 Julie Keeler #22k Joey Klemish #46 Jackson Harpole #43 Waylon Hale #AK47 Rex Higgins

Farmington, NM Farmington, NM Farmington, NM Mancos, CO Bloomfield, NM

306 Pts -2 -14 -44 -84

Julie Keeler: 1 Win, 8 Top-5s, 8 Top-10s, 8 Starts

#787 #18 #10c #117 #9c

Tyler Wilson Cauy Ludwig Joe Esquibel Rafe O’Brien Nina Esquibel

Cortez, CO Bayfield, CO Monte Vista, CO Cortez, CO Monte Vista, CO

Tyler Wilson: 2 Wins, 5 Top-5s, 6 Top-10s, 7 Starts

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#6 #33 #1 #06 #93

Ryan Greenwood Jason Duggins Hunter Ferrell Kaison Zufelt Leon Shim

Aztec, NM Farmington, NM Bayfield, CO Hesperus, CO Kirtland, NM

255 Pts -41 -52 -124 -157

Ryan Greenwood: 0 Wins, 5 Top-5s, 8 Top-10s, 8 Starts

Dwarf Car / Mod Lite 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

284 Pts -8 -58 -70 -74

255 Pts -14 -16 -16 -19

2022 FINAL POINTS STANDINGS Hobby Stock 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#69 #XX #01 #038 #33

George Baisden Clyde Boardwine Ariel Bonesteel Leo Antonio Dennis Cousins

A-Mods Milan, NM 206 Pts Grants, NM -23 Albuquerque, NM -92 Grants, NM -126 Kirtland, NM -132

#42D Donny Carey #42 Andy Goodenough #95 Aaron Wheeler #96x Herman Garcia #27N Nathaniel Cruz

#81J Jay Niver #7s Hunter Sandy #M17 Rob Moseley #27 Jacob Pape #90 Trevor Steed

Show Low, AZ Albuquerque, NM Los Lunas, NM Bosque Farms, NM Eagar, AZ

138 Pts -41 -65 -78 -90

Gallup, NM Gallup, NM Farmington, NM Albuquerque, NM Albuquerque, NM

87 Pts -13 -24 -43 -51

NOW 600 Micro Sprint

Stock Car 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Gallup, NM Gallup, NM Grants, NM Espanola, NM Grants, NM

169 Pts -3 -57 -85 -106

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#11T #11 #51 #21 #22T

Jerry Campbell Brandon Martin Joshua Huish Caleb Stelzig Robert Turner

X-Mods 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

#25c #24 #17 #7s #5

Cory Polen Scott Morlang Chris Morlang Hunter Sandy Jake Darby

Grants, NM Grants, NM Grants, NM Albuquerque, NM Grants, NM

198 Pts -46 -77 -98 -118

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Zoom Zoom Southwest Motorsport (SWMS), New Mexico’s oldest and largest sports car road racing series, ended their seven-race weekend series on October 22-23 with an event featuring the Spec Miata division. The SWMS Miata Mayhem event was held on the road course at Sandia Speedway in Albuquerque. On any given race weekend, SWMS has four race groups racing including Contemporary and Vintage sports cars, Shifter Karts, and the fun, affordable, and growing Spec Miata division. Spec Miata cars are production vehicles, modified for safety, with very limited modifications to the Mazda production engines.

The racing was fast and furious at the 2022 Miata Mayhem event. Sponsored by University Mazda, Car Crafters, and Travers Mechanical, the main event race was won by road course ace Mike Travers, followed closely by John Colbert in second, and Bryan Grandin, a new Spec Miata racer, in third. Colbert, in his fifth year racing with SWMS, took home the 2022 SWMS Spec Miata season championship on the strength of consistent race finishes including one main event victory, and a total of ten topthree finished in the thirteen races held during the 2022 season.

SWMS Ends 2022 Season with Miata Mayhem Race

The SWMS Spec Miata race group, which typically had ten drivers participating during the 2021 season, saw the addition of two full-time racers joining the group during 2022. Four additional racers bought cars at the end of the 2022 season. SWMS now expects over fifteen Spec Miata cars and drivers competing for the championship in the upcoming 2023 season.

The other SWMS champions in 2022 were Andrew Sanford in the Contemporary division, Gordon Self in the Vintage division, and young Gabe Cahan in the Shifter Kart division.

For more info on Spec Miata or other SWMS divisions, visit www.SWMS.org........Zoom, Zoom!

u o Y k n Tha ! s n a F Race University Volkswagen 16

5150 Ellison NW, Albuquerque, NM 1-505-761-1900

NMMOTORSPORTSREPORT.COM

Simple. Fair. Easy.

s n o i t a l u t Congra ! s r e c a r to all University Mazda

5150 Ellison NW, Albuquerque, NM 1-505-761-1900

Simple. Fair. Easy.

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Life in the Fast Lane Story and Photos By Scott Welch, ScottWelchPhoto.com

D

rag racing on nitro is a big game changer in the sport of drag racing itself. No other type of racing requires maintaining control of the extreme violent attitude towards the American drag race. Just the nitromethane (nitro) fuel itself has the potential to create nearly a 3 times multiplication in the power made by the specifically designed nitro burning power plant. Competing and maintaining safety in this extreme genre of drag racing requires devout dedication to a scientific approach that includes acquiring technical data down to the fraction of a second on every pass.

Local drag racing guru, Lyle Greenberg, has been drag racing cars for most of his life. Lyle has graduated to his current Hot Rod version of the somewhat now famed “Cone Hunter” name to the “Nitro Cone Hunter”.

Lyle has put together an extremely competitive nitro racing team on what some may call a limited amount of resource. Just about five short years ago Lyle made the decision to enter the super competitive, Nitro Nostalgia, AA fuel, Funny Car (F/C) racing competition. And in the 2022 season has won two of the most iconic and competitive Nitro Nostalgia F/C events in the world!

When Lyle decided to go nitro racing he made the decision to do it in such a manner that he would concentrate on not hurting as much equipment as most nitro teams do in the nostalgia F/C genre. When he and the Cone Hunter team headed west to the hugely famed “March Meet” event, Lyle chose the Nitro Pro Comp, 5.90 second index class, for the 1/4 mile race. This ended up a smart choice as Lyle and the team nailed the combination to win the iconic event with a series of high 5.00 and low 6.00 second passes.

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FUNNY CAR Story & Photos From Pg. 19 by Scott Welch, ScottWelchPhoto.com After traveling back to the Cone Hunter shop here in Albuquerque, the team had two short weeks off to prepare the car for a totally different combination and set up. The following week was the big time 1/8th mile “run what you brung” mentality of the ever popular “Funny Car Chaos” event in Ennis Texas, at the famed Texas Motorplex.

58 Funny Cars from all over the country came to compete in this all out, virtually unlimited Funny Car event. Lyle and the team once again found themselves in the final with Dexter Tuttle’s “Nitro Bandit” contemporary “Big Show” F/C, but the “Nitro Bandit” team could not get the car ready in time and Lyle won the event with a bye-run. Lyle’s best run in the event was a 3.72 ET @ 202 MPH for in the eighth mile.

It’s been a wild and successful season for our awesome nitro home team! I am personally thankful for being able to make the final couple of races for the Cone Hunter this year. “The Night of Fire and Thunder” in Denver at the incredibly awesome Bandimere Speedway, (thanks Ronnie Kohrt!) where Lyle set the quickest ET of the meet at 5.83 seconds and his personal best MPH of 246!

That’s right! I said the quickest car at the event..period! Then it was back home here in Albuquerque, to our vintage home track “Albuquerque Dragway” where Lyle set the ET ever ET National Dragway” where Lylequickest set the quickest recorded by a nitro car atcar theatfacility, at 6.46 ever recorded by a nitro the facility, at seconds!!

6.46 seconds!!

A big congratulations goes out from all of us here at the NM Motorsports Report to the whole Cone Hunter team for an incredible 2022 season!

AR PHENOM

WORLD OF OUTLAWS CROWNS 3 CHAMPIONS IN CHARLOTTE

By Spencer Hill

Photos by World of Outlaws / WHM Photography

A

NOS ENERGY DRINK SPRINT CAR SERIES

Brad Sweet and his Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 team entered the final weekend of the season just 16 points above David Gravel in one of the closest championship title races that the series has seen in some time. With points being so close, it made for cutthroat action every time cars hit the track. For Sweet, the clinch scenario was as simple as staying ahead of the No. 2 car all weekend long, which he was Grass Valley, California’s Brad Sweet was able to capture his successfully able to do all three nights by finishing third on fourth straight World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Thursday and Friday and fifth on Saturday.

Car Series title (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), while Matt Sheppard secured his second straight and ninth Super Dirtcar Although it wasn’t the season he had hoped for in the wins Series title (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, column, Sweet’s team showed that perseverance pays off in 2022). Perhaps the highlight of the year would come from a season with nearly 100 races. Sweet ended the year +48 Carpentersville, IL native, Dennis Erb Jr. who was able to to Gravel with 5 wins (1st season victory coming at Vado earn his first career World of Outlaws CASE Construction Speedway Park), 41 top fives and 59 top tens.

Late Model Series championship.

“It’s pretty surreal honestly,” Sweet said. “To grow up around this sport… to get one… it feels like it’s flashed by really quick. I don’t know why that is because it’s been a lot of hard work out here on the road. But every year it just goes by quick and is a lot of work. To sit back and think four in a row, I just would have never imagined to really string something like that together. But this team is pretty unreal because we didn’t even have that good of a year and we’re still champions. I think that says a lot about the resilience of my race team.” s fireworks erupted over the skies of Concord, North Carolina above The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway, three champions elevated their resumes and etched their names deeper into the history books of the greatest show on dirt.

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CASE CONSTRUCTION LATE MODEL SERIES

SUPER DIRTCAR SERIES

Dennis Erb Jr’s previous best finish in the season standings was fourth, which he collected twice in his career. The 50-year-old wouldn’t be denied in 2022, however, as he won his first career championship in dominating fashion in a career-best performance. Mathematically, Erb had nothing to freight as he entered the gates of Charlotte as he had already clinched the title prior to World Finals. For Erb though, there was nothing better than finally standing tall on the stage hoisting the championship trophy after a season-high four wins, 21 top fives and 33 top tens.

Much like Erb, Waterloo, New York native, Matt Sheppard, entered the weekend with his second-straight championship already secured after winning the illustrious 50th annual Super DIRT Week Big Block Modified title earlier this season.

Another highlight behind the story of Erb’s season was that he was able to also bring his one and only crew member, crew chief Heather Lyne her first ever series title. Lyne also officially became the first ever female crew chief to win a national motorsports championship in North America.

Although Sheppard’s No. 9s suffered mechanical issues during World Finals weekend, he was still able to collect 7 series wins, 13 top fives, and 15 top 10s in the 2022 season.

“It’s a testament to this team and how good we were all season long,” said Sheppard who got to take home the $60,000 championship check. “When you’re having as good of a year as we’ve had, get some big wins, that ninth championship is definitely special.”

“It feels really good,” Erb said. “It’s great actually. All the hard work and running up and down the road. A great season this year. Just running good and running up front, being able to win this now and being able to knock a check list of things I want to do, it’s a great feeling.”

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Force, Capps Capture Nitro Titles On Final Day Of 2022 NHRA Season

By Susan Wade

Photos Courtesy NHRA

I

mprobable finishes in the NHRA’s Camping World Drag Racing Series gave Brittany Force and Ron Capps come-frombehind championships at the 2022 Finals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Calif.

The Nov. 13 finale ended Steve Torrence’s four-year Top Fuel reign and dealt a disappointing blow to Robert Hight and his bid for a fourth Funny Car title. Pro Stock’s Erica Enders already had clinched her fifth championship, and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Matt Smith claimed his sixth. It marked the first time in the sport’s history that two women shared the champions’ podium.

Five years ago, Torrence was beyond perturbed when he watched the Top Fuel championship slip

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rooting for her. I hope she’s the champ. We shot ourselves in the foot a long time ago. We didn’t peak at the right time of the year. I thought we dug ourselves out of the hole, but we jumped right back in it at Dallas.”

Force had dug herself in a hole by Dallas, too, starting the Countdown with four straight second-round defeats. She rebounded with a victory at Las Vegas to regain the lead.

At the Finals, first-round losses by closest challengers Justin Ashley and Mike Salinas sealed the deal for her. She became the second woman (behind Shirley Muldowney) through his grasp and go to Force, to earn more than one Top Fuel who benefited from the sanctioning championship. Force joined Enders body’s points manipulation. This and Angelle Sampey (Pro Stock time, his iron grip loosened gradu- Motorcycle) as the fourth woman ally as he spent the regular season to win multiple titles. experimenting for the Countdown to the Championship. On the eve Capps capitalized on eight-time of eliminations, Torrence surpriswinner Hight’s tire-smoking secingly declared, “Brittany Force has ond-round loss to ensure his third kicked our butts all year long. I’m series championship, first as a team

owner, and second in a row. Hight fell short by three points. It was the first time in 20 years a Funny Car racer has scored back-to-back titles, since John Force won in 2001-2002.

Enders secured her fifth Pro Stock championship at the previous race, at Las Vegas, capping her “No More Nice Erica” campaign. But in the final round at Pomona, nemesis Greg Anderson beat her for his class-record 101st victory. He hit the 100-victory plateau in September at the U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis.

Smith led the bike standings throughout the final four races for his third consecutive title.

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By John Haverlin Photos Courtesy Formula 1 It’s been Max Verstappen’s world, and we’re all just living in it.

ship for eight straight seasons, Mercedes took an unexpected step back and finished third in the standings.

In his first season with the team, George Russell won his first race at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix but finished behind both Red Bull drivers and Leclerc in points.

The 25-year-old Dutchman repeated as Formula 1 world champion in 2022 after winning his maiden title last season. He and the Red Bull Racing team swept the Driver’s and Constructor’s Championships with the help of Mexican veteran Sergio Perez, who finished third in the standings.

Lewis Hamilton finished sixth in the standings and failed to win a race during the season for the first time in his 16-year career. Statistically, it was the worst season he’s ever had, as he never secured a pole, finished outside the top five in points for the first time, and led a career-low 46 laps throughout the year.

It marked the first time since 2013 that Red Bull and one of its drivers took both titles on the F1 grid. It was last done when Sebastian Vettel clinched his fourth consecutive championship with the team in his penultimate season with it before his move to Ferrari.

Looking ahead to 2023, the grid will have a drastically different appearance. Vettel has announced his retirement from F1, and Fernando Alonso will take his place at Aston Martin. Pierre Gasly will take over Alonso’s seat at Alpine, and Daniel Ricciardo will reunite with Red Bull to be the team’s reserve driver.

Verstappen won 15 of the 22 Grands Prix and finished McLaren will replace Ricciardo with incoming rookie 146 points ahead of runner-up Ferrari driver Charles Oscar Piastri, who won the 2021 Formula 2 title.

Leclerc. After winning the Constructor’s Champion-

Nico Hulkenberg will return to full-time competition as he pairs with Kevin Magnussen at Haas. Mick Schumacher and Nicholas Latifi will not be on the grid, and for the first time since Alexander Rossi’s brief stint in 2015, the United States will have representation in motorsports’ top series as Logan Sargeant joins the Williams team.

F1 set TV viewership records again this season in the U.S., as ratings were up 28% from 2021. Next year, the series will have three races in the States: Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas.

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Through Chaotic IndyCar Silly Season, Alex Palou Resolves His Career’s Future

By John Haverlin, TheCircuitJournal.com Team Penske continued its winning ways in 2022. Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, and championship victor Will Power won nine of the series’ 17 races and occupied three of the top-four places in the standings when all was said and done.

Six-time champion Scott Dixon was the lone non-Penske driver to finish in the top four. The Chip Ganassi Racing veteran won two races and one pole award, while his teammate Marcus Ericsson won his first Indianapolis 500.

Sounds like a typical IndyCar season, right? Statistically, it was nothing out of the ordinary. But away from the track, there was much controversy surrounding Ganassi, Arrow McLaren SP, and 2021 IndyCar champion Alex Palou.

It started with a statement on July 12 from Ganassi which said Palou would return to the team in 2023.

About three hours later, Palou denied the statement and said the quotes used in the team press release were inaccurate. Shortly after, McLaren announced Palou to a deal that would begin in 2023.

Gentlemen, start your lawsuits.

Ganassi opened a civil lawsuit against Palou and his management 28

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team. The complaint said Palou was signed with Ganassi through 2023, but Palou wanted to pursue a different opportunity with McLaren, thinking it could lead to a seat in F1.

si signed with AMSP for 2023, and Patricio O’Ward would be retained to continue his IndyCar career.

Felix Rosenqvist’s future became uncertain. He wanted to remain with AMSP, but it was looking less likely as Palou’s potential entrance Palou continued to race with Gato the team would make the Swednassi, despite being sued by his em- ish driver the odd man out. ployer. Meanwhile, Alexander Ros-

AMSP knew it would expand to three full-time cars in 2023. With two seats taken, who would get the third? The idea of Rosenqvist departing IndyCar and returning for a second stint in Formula E seemed plausible as McLaren was acquiring Mercedes’ team in the electric racing series.

Palou won the finale at Laguna Seca for Ganassi and embraced his team owner in Victory Lane.

The Spanish driver announced that he would race for Ganassi in 2023 after all but does plan to join

McLaren eventually. He ran a practice session for McLaren’s F1 team at the United States Grand Prix in October, and he is expected to join McLaren’s IndyCar team in 2024.

Rosenqvist will stay with AMSP in 2023. All-in-all, nothing around Palou’s situation changed during the twomonth legal saga. A whole unusual bunch of nothing, wasn’t it?

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SEASO RE

Joey Logano Becomes 17th Multi-time NASCAR Cup Champion

By Dominic Aragon, TheRacingExperts.com Photos By The Racing Experts, NASCAR

J

oey Logano’s victory in the Cup Series Championship race Sunday (Nov. 6) at Phoenix Raceway secured the Team Penske driver his second championship in NASCAR’s premier series.

Logano, driver of the No. 22 Ford Mustang, became the first driver since Kyle Busch to earn more than one title (2015 and 2019).

Logano previously won the championship in 2018.

“Man, I can’t say enough about this race team,” Logano said. “They just grind it out. They’re so amazing, Paul Wolfe, everybody that puts so much time and effort into the last few weeks.

“And not just this 22 team, this goes so much deeper when you think of Roush Yates Engines and the motor that’s in this bad boy. You think of everyone at Ford, all the employees at Shell and Pennzoil, everyone that’s supported me. It’s been 10 years with Shell, and to get a couple championships and 31 wins is special.”

Logano posted four points-awarding wins in 2022 (Darlington, Gateway, Las Vegas and Phoenix).

The title was team owner Roger Penske’s third in NASCAR Cup Series competition. Team Penske won the title in 2018 with Logano and Brad Keselowski in 2012.

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Logano’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe, earned his second title as a Cup Series crew chief, winning the 2012 title with Keselowski.

“A lot has happened in those 10 years for sure,” Wolfe said.

“A lot has changed. Different driver, totally different car.

The racing is totally different in my eyes from what it was back then.

“It’s almost like that happened in my second year in Cup racing; it’s almost like I didn’t know better, didn’t understand how difficult it really was to compete for a championship in this series with the best teams and drivers.”

Herb Thomas was the first driver in NASCAR history to become a multi-champion, winning titles in 1951 and 1953.

ON REVIEW

Ty Gibbs Becomes 32nd Xfinity Series Champion

By Dominic Aragon, TheRacingExperts.com Photos By The Racing Experts

B

y winning the Xfinity Series Championship Race Saturday, Ty Gibbs became the 32nd champion of the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Gibbs led the field on seven occasions for 125 of the 200 laps, besting the trio of JR Motorsports drivers.

“We made some good moves,” Gibbs said “Me and the 7 (Justin Allgaier) were racing really hard.

“Hopefully we put on a good show for you fans, thank you for all of what you guys do.”

Gibbs is the fourth different champion in the last four years. The last driver to win back-to-back titles was Tyler Reddick (2018 and 2019).

The other Championship 4 drivers — Noah Gragson, Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry — finished second, third, and 13th respectively.

Since the series’ inception in 1982, nine drivers have won the Xfinity Series title twice, the most all time.

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SEASON RE

Zane Smith Earns Truck Title in Third Championship 4 Appearance

By Jonathan Fjeld, TheRacingExperts.com Photos By The Racing Experts

I

n both 2020 and 2021, Zane Smith left Phoenix Raceway with a runner-up finish in the NASCAR Truck Series championship and no plans set up for the following year.

This year, Smith leaves Phoenix with a championship to defend and some Cup and Xfinity starts in 2023, as he finally broke through Friday night to claim his first NASCAR Truck Series championship.

Smith bested Chandler Smith, Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski for the championship. He led the championship for 119 of 154 laps in the overtime-extended Lucas Oil 150 finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Zane Smith won both stages, led a race-high 77 laps and comfortably led with 15 laps to go in regulation. Then, a caution fell for Hailie Deegan blowing a tire and hitting the

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wall in turn 3.

Pit stops put Zane in 11th, behind championship competitor Ben Rhodes who put on two tires, as well as Ty Majeski and Chandler Smith who put on four, for the restart with 10 to go.

On the restart, in turn 3, Zane made a four-wide move on Chandler Smith that vaulted him toward a run for the front that put him in second. Majeski battled Zane for the position but didn’t survive, as he spun and hit the wall with two to go.

Zane took the lead from 3rd on the overtime restart with a quick move on Ben Rhodes. On the final lap, Rhodes tried a last-ditch move on the final lap but came up in second as Zane Smith cruised to his first Truck championship with Chandler Smith in third and Ty Majeski in fourth for the championship.

Zane Smith is the 20th different champion in NASCAR’s Truck Series. He’s also the 12th and final Camping World/ Gander Outdoors Truck champion.

After his runner-up championship finish, Chandler Smith will move up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and race the Kaulig Racing No. 16 Chevrolet in 2023.

No official plans have been announced for Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski in 2023.

ON REVIEW

Wrapping Up the WIld 2022 NASCAR Season

By Jonathan Fjeld, TheRacingExperts.com Photos By The Racing Experts The 2022 NASCAR season is over and three champions have been crowned.

Bell was one of four Cup drivers to earn their first top-10 points finish, in 3rd. The other three – Chastain (2nd), Chase Briscoe (9th) and Daniel Suarez (10th) – all earned their first win in 2022 and were among five first-time winners that also included Tyler Reddick and Austin Cindric.

Joey Logano fulfilled his 13-year ascension from fiery freshman at age 19 to full-fledged veteran with his second Cup championship at age 32.

Overall, the Cup Series had a record-tying 19 different winners, not including Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., and Ryan Blaney who failed to win for the first time since 2010, 2014 and 2016, respectively.

At just one year older than Logano was as a Cup rookie, Ty Gibbs used a Logano-esque brand of tact to harness his overflowing, competitive fire into a farewell Xfinity title.

The new Gen 7 car elevated Trackhouse’s Chastain and Suarez, Richard Childress Racing’s Reddick and Austin Dillon, RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch.

Zane Smith bid farewell to uncertainty with the 2022 Truck title and Cup, Xfinity and Truck plans for 2023 – in contrast to 2021 when he faced unemployment after his second narrow title loss.

Kurt and Kyle Busch are among the biggest silly-season moves as Reddick will replace Kurt at 23XI while Kyle will replace Reddick at RCR.

Late model ace Josh Berry lost out on the 2022 Xfinity title but not his future. He’s locked in for his 2023 JRM ride after a strong title attempt that included a Round of 8 win at Las Vegas.

Midwest short track phenom Ty Majeski clinched a Championship 4 spot in his first full-time NASCAR season that came after five part-time years. Majeski secured that with his first two NASCAR wins in the threerace Round of 8.

No one stole a spot – or the show – better than off-season watermelon farmer Ross Chastain. Chastain’s now-coined “Hail Melon” move snagged a Championship 4 spot from Denny Hamlin at the Martinsville cutoff race.

As Ty Gibbs replaces Kyle Busch in 2023, he’ll be embraced with open arms after unexpectedly losing his father, Coy, the night after winning the Xfinity title. Grace will be more than adequate for Ty as his life has changed since his last race.

Some grace may also be in order for NASCAR as they aim for a safer Gen 7 car that races better on short tracks and road courses amid driver feedback on the safety and fan feedback on the racing.

Joining the competition in 2023 will be rookies Gibbs and Gragson, as well as second-chance drivers A.J. Allmendinger and Ryan Preece.

Although none of three drivers wrapped up the title in 2022, they joined series mainstays Chase Elliott (Cup), Justin Allgaier (Xfinity) and Ben Rhodes (Trucks) and young drivers Christopher Bell, Noah Gragson and Chandler Smith in representing how competitive NASCAR is, especially in Cup.

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USAC CROWNS THREE CALIFORNIA CHAMPS

By Spencer Hill

Photos By WHMphotography WHMphotography

The United States Auto Club recently crowned their newest

become a championship caliber team,” Grant explained. “Hiring champions across its premier divisions for 2022. Justin Grant was (crew chief) “Paul Bunyan” Dylan Cook was huge, and we didn’t able to claim his first career USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National have a single DNF all year. I went to work pretty hard on myself trying to keep myself mentally sharp and keep my head in the game Championship while Buddy Kofoid and Kody Swanson each and in the right spot. (TOPP Motorsports owner) Kevin Birchmeier collected another title to add to their impressive careers in the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget Series and USAC Silver Crown gives us everything we need go out and compete every night. We have plenty of fast cars and plenty of spares and there’s so many who division. contribute to this operation to make it possible for us to be prepared and ready to race as we are.”

AMSOIL Sprint Car National Champion: Justin Grant After cover a decade of trying, Ione, California’s Justin Grant finally captured his first USAC National Sprint Car Championship in 2022 while becoming just the 14th driver in history to earn both a USAC National Sprint Car and Silver Crown title in their career (2020).

The 31-year-old had quite the season in route to his title run as Grant was also secured the 2022 Indiana Sprint Week title, arguable the most prestigious accomplishment in non-wing sprint car racing.

The 2010 rookie of the year was also able to get Rochester, Indiana’s TOPP Motorsports their first career championship for the longest-tenured pairing of team and driver currently on the USAC tour, being together since the 2018 season. Together, they have won 26 times and rank the 5th highest team/driver pairing in series history.

“We’ve spent the last couple of years working really hard trying to

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Grant finished the season with 6 victories, 37 top tens, and zero DNFs in 39 starts. Grant also joined Logan Seavey as the only driver to compete in every event across the three national series.

NOS ENERGY DRINK MIDGET NATIONAL CHAMPION: BUDDY KOFOID As Penngrove, California’s Michael “Buddy” Kofoid busted off for the feature at Merced Speedway, he officially clinched his second consecutive USAC National Midget Championship for his Keith Kunz-Curb-Agajanian No. 67 team.

In true Kofoid fashion, he wasn’t content without ending the season on a high note although the title was already wrapped up as he capped things off with his 13th win of the season at Merced Speedway and nearly winning the season-ending Turkey Night Grand Prix at Ventura Raceway before getting upside down on the back straightaway.

“It was kind of fun,” Kofoid admitted after his win at Merced. “I don’t want to say falling back is fun but having to dig your way out and finding something is kind of satisfying. I’d love to win it 10 times out of 10 running the cushion like that.”

With his win at Merced, Kofoid also notched his 22nd career USAC National Midget victory, which ties him with series champions Tom Bigelow, Bobby East and Shorty Templeman for 27th on the all-time win list for the series.

SILVER CROWN NATIONAL CHAMPION: KODY SWANSON Kody Swanson of Kingburg, California was able to capture his seventh career USAC Silver Crown National Championship in 2022, making him just the third driver in USAC history to have that many titles in a single division along with A.J. Foyt between 1960-1979 and Mel Kenyon between 1964-1985.

Swanson is also the first driver in series history to wheel the No. 1 car to this accomplishment. Swanson competed for Doran Racing as well as Chris Dyson Racing in his 2021 title run, and this year, the two teams combined for an effort with Swanson to form Doran-Dyson Racing with one goal in mind: share the glory of a series title together. In a combination effort unheard of in prior years, they also did so out of two different race shops as Doran provided the pavement car while Dyson led the dirt track efforts.

Unlike years prior, Swanson came into the final 100-lap race of the season at Indianapolis Raceway Park at a deficit of -3 to Logan Seavey. After a dominating race for Swanson and a broken oil pump belt for Seavey, the checkered flag waved with Swanson winning the title by 41 points over Seavey.

“We struggled at the beginning of the year; it was just kind of the way it went,” Swanson recalled. “We didn’t have the dirt race finishes that we wanted, and it was the same with the pavement. We struggled at Madison, but we got hot there in that stretch of summer to resurrect it, but I hate that I made an error at Eldora and almost gave it all away.”

In all, Swanson finished the year off with 3 wins, 8 top fives and 10 top tens in 12 starts.

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THE FUTURE OF SECURITY

IS HERE. A Q&A WITH OWNER, GIL CHAVEZ QUESTIONS BY DAVID SWOPE

Dave - Would give us a short synopsis of how much the private security business has changed in the last couple years? I always think of security guards when I think of private security.

Dave – It also sounds like you might be limited on per-

Gil - I am retired law enforcement from the Albuquerque

Gil - Here with AOP Security, we have gone beyond an

Police Department and over the last 25 -30 years private security has in high demand for a couple of reasons. The manning levels of the police department have stayed the same with no increase of officers on the streets and being able to handle all the calls.

The volume of citizen’s calls that come from alarm companies, calls from citizens who are requesting police response for things like a trespasser or something suspicious in the area have not changed. Those type of calls which the police department labeled a priority three call. They didn’t have a great response to them before but it’s almost non-existent now. It could take hours before the police will respond to those priority three calls. They’ve kind of had to shift their response to higher priority calls like the priority zero calls where life-threatening situations need a police response. So, that’s where private security has changed, and the need is now greater from the public in Albuquerque. I am not putting down the police department, they are spread too thin. We are here to fill in the areas that they can’t get to.

sonnel, especially trained and experienced personnel. How do you staff your business to handle all the calls?

on-site standing security guard and security guard patrols by also offering high-tech security surveillance equipment that creates a perimeter around a commercial building. It alerts our 24/7 dispatch center for a potential break in or a trespass situation. The system has an intercom system that allows our dispatchers to give out a verbal notice and let the person who’s trespassing, letting them know that they are being watched and recorded. Depending on what the

to use cameras to use after the fact to try and catch a criminal versus the ability of you to stop something before it happens, Is that accurate?

Gil - Right, basically that’s

individual or individual do then create a response from our Patrol Team to that location. We can surveil a property with technology, watching multiple locations with stateof-the-art perimeter alerts that give us a notice only when they have been penetrated. This allows us to dispatch an appropriate response.

Dave - So, Albuquerque crime has continued to go up,

like that. We try to be proactive in preventing crime.

We’re trying to catch the events before they break into the building so that we can start a response. A lot of surveillance companies will install the equipment, alarm systems and surveillance cameras. If you already know you have a trespassing problem or have a breaking problem and you put the cameras up there, all you’re doing is seeing it.

There’s nothing there to try to prevent that break-in. A lot of surveillance companies, that’s what they do. They’re going to put a camera system up and you’re going to be able to watch the event and hopefully you collect enough evidence to be able to give to the police. Now, you have a good surveillance system that has a high-end quality video, that’s it.

AOP Security provided security services for the Hooter’s Halloween Spooktacular Car Show and is the on-going alarm monitoring company for the Hooter’s locations in Albuquerque & Rio Rancho.

property crime, specifically for businesses. You can see somebody outside the property that you know trying to break in? You just described the ability to have a speaker and communicate with that person, different than surveil- AOP Security and Gil Chavez can be reached at 505-897lance cameras capturing a crime for future litigation should 1307. 3636 Meanul Blvd. NE, Bldg. C Ste. 321, Albuquerthe perpetrator be caught. Other security companies seem que, NM 87110. AdvanceOSPS.com.

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Teaching Automotive

By David Swope Photos Courtesy CNM Community College We talk many times in this magazine and on the radio show about racing but not enough about mechanics. Some of us, talking specifically about me, are not gifted in the mechanical sciences (and magic arts) of getting a car to go fast. “You can’t go fast in a slow car,” said Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Ford Mustang for Stewart Hass Racing (SHR) in the NASCAR Cup Series.

The engineers, mechanics and crew members are vital to a winning team. “The unfair advantage” described by Mark Donohue in his book by the same title provides insight into his journey in auto racing from amateur to professional including an Indy 500 victory for Roger Penske. Basically, Donohue described how superior preparation, engineering and mechanical precision can elevate an average team to a great team.

Greatness does not start overnight for most of us. Whether it is a class, a friend or in today’s world – YouTube – learning how to do something is taught, shared or by trial and error. The trades are so important and keep the world moving including the world of transportation.

“The Central New Mexico (CNM) Community College Automotive Program is based on six core values which are be caring, be connected, be courageous, be ethical, be exceptional and be inspiring. Those are our goals as far as a career in the automotive field,” said Curtis Garand, Transportation Chair.

do. We take the students with very little experience, some experience or whatever the case may be. We take them pretty much bumper to bumper through a car. By the time they graduate, we hopefully get them employed into the automotive career field. We are an ASE Automotive Service Excellence accredited training program. We also work with Snap-On through NC3 training, and the students will go “That includes students that may have or may have not ever through various courses.” worked on a car, give them the opportunity to come in and do things to cars that they never thought that they could “In first term, they’re able to get a certificate in what we call Automotive Fundamentals which is an introduction to automotive basics including brakes, steering, suspension and electrical. In the second term, they will go into engine repair, automatic transmissions, manual transmissions and electronics. In third term, the term, they’ll graduate to engine performance, air conditioning and heating,” explains Garand. “Anybody familiar with ASE sees those are the eight areas in which that your certified as a technician when you get out in the field.”

Curtis Garand, AAS. Transportation Chair & Lead Automotive Instructor, ASE Master Technician, L3 Hybrid.

CNM Community College. cgarand@cnm.edu.

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Business Print Fine letterhead, envelopes, and notecards enhance your corporate image. Don’t forget about custom forms.

Promotional Products

Return to direct mail to make a memorable impression. It is affordable and conveys value to your customers.

Corporate gifts and fun giveaways get your company name and logo in front of the people you want to reach.

Call Today 505.888.3500 RUSH SERVICE aVaIlaBlE! www.PrintExpressABQ.com Team@PrintExpressABQ.com 7201 Jefferson St. NE | Albuquerque, NM 87109

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