The Ultimate 2025 Opening Night Recap: Vado Speedway Park, April 5, 2025

Hey race fans! It’s Thursday, April 10, 2025, and we’re still buzzing from the electrifying season opener at Vado Speedway Park last Saturday night, April 5th. The first race night of the 2025 season delivered a spectacle of speed, strategy, and sheer determination across five thrilling classes: the SH Automotive Pure Stocks, Johnstone Supply Super Trucks, Hulsey Racing Legends, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods, and White Sands Federal Credit Union POWRi 305 Wing Sprint Cars. From nail-biting overtakes to masterful drives through muddy chaos, here’s your definitive recap of a night that set the tone for a season of beyond-exponential excitement! SH Automotive Pure Stocks: David Males Masters the Mud The night kicked off with the SH Automotive Pure Stocks tearing up the track in a 20-lap A Main that was equal parts chaos and brilliance. With a heavy, tacky surface favoring front-wheel drives, the stage was set for a battle of patience and precision. ● Race Highlights : Jimmy Skoog roared from the pole in his Honda Civic, averaging 22.3 seconds per lap early on, with Kristen Denman hot on his tail. But it was David Males, starting third, who turned the race into his chessboard. Lap traffic became a game-changer around the halfway mark when a collision involving the #13 car (Evan Bennett) and Jimmy Marta triggered a caution, bunching up the field. Males seized the moment, muscling past Skoog on the high line with eight laps to go. Skoog fought back briefly, but a late-race falter—possibly mechanical—dropped him to 12th, handing Males the lead. Carlos Irvin charged from 15th to snag second with a daring outside move, while Robert Eddy rounded out the podium from 10th. ● Winner’s Words : “I ran out of tear-offs before I caught the lap traffic,” Males chuckled in Victory Lane. “I was scraping mud, trying to see, and hit a couple guys, but the car held up. Thanks to my family for keeping me going!” Despite the win, Males remained coy about a championship run, citing the long haul from Roswell. ● Key Moment : The caution reshuffle and Males’ methodical navigation of lap traffic showcased his veteran savvy, turning a potential pile-up into his path to victory. A Main Results (Top 5):

1. David Males (Roswell, NM) – Started 3rd 2. Carlos Irvin (Glencoe, NM) – Started 15th 3. Robert Eddy (Las Cruces, NM) – Started 10th 4. Jayden Collins (Roswell, NM) – Started 19th 5. Sharrii Minks (El Paso, TX) – Started 7th Johnstone Supply Super Trucks: Christy Barnett’s Dominant Dance Next up, the Johnstone Supply Super Trucks roared into a 15-lap feature where Christy Barnett reminded everyone why she’s the “Fastest Woman on Dirt.” ● Race Highlights : Starting on the pole, Barnett wasted no time, clocking an average lap of 18.4 seconds and gapping the field by a second within the first lap. Scott Sullivan and Luis Esquivel scrapped for position behind her, but Barnett was untouchable, slicing through lap traffic with surgical precision. Billy Roy Harris and Sherman Barnett (her 89-year-old husband!) held steady for second and third, but no one could challenge her lead. By the checkered flag, she’d nearly lapped the field. ● Winner’s Words : “Starting on the front row doesn’t happen often, but it helped on this one-line track,” Barnett grinned. “Thanks to my crew, Sherm, and sponsors like Barnett Harley-Davidson and Out West Trucking!” ● Key Moment : Barnett’s early clearance of lap traffic around lap 10 turned a competitive race into a solo showcase of her skill and experience. A Main Results (Top 5): 1. Christy Barnett (El Paso, TX) – Started 1st 2. Billy Roy Harris (Deming, NM) – Started 2nd 3. Sherman Barnett (El Paso, TX) – Started 4th 4. Scott Sullivan (Truth or Consequences, NM) – Started 3rd 5. Luis Esquivel (El Paso, TX) – Started 6th Hulsey Racing Legends: Allen Gutierrez Steals the Show The Hulsey Racing Legends brought 20 laps of tight, tactical racing, with late arrivals shaking up the grid and setting the stage for a dramatic climb.

● Race Highlights : Eric LaCroix led early from the pole, fending off Kyle Burnett and a charging Allen Gutierrez, who started fifth. A lap 1 tangle between Josh Jackson and Cale Riggs sent both to the back, but they weren’t done yet. Gutierrez pounced on a restart with nine laps to go, slipping past LaCroix in turn two with a bold inside move. RJ Garay surged from seventh to third, while Jackson and Riggs clawed back to sixth and fifth, respectively. A late smoking exit for Angel Garcia tightened the field, but Gutierrez held firm. ● Winner’s Words : “I had to set Eric up just right—there’s no room on the bottom,” Gutierrez said. “Thanks to Strictly Services, my crew, and Rob Mosley for coaching me. First win after 12 years off feels unreal!” ● Key Moment : Gutierrez’s turn-two pass on the restart was the race-defining move, turning pressure into triumph on a track with little passing room. A Main Results (Top 5): 1. Allen Gutierrez (Albuquerque, NM) – Started 5th 2. Eric LaCroix (El Paso, TX) – Started 1st 3. RJ Garay (Garfield, NM) – Started 7th 4. Kyle Burnett (El Paso, TX) – Started 3rd 5. Cale Riggs (Hatch, NM) – Started 4th Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods: Hunter Sandy’s Epic Charge The USRA B-Mods delivered a 25-lap thriller where Hunter Sandy proved he’s a force to be reckoned with, hunting down the field from 13th. ● Race Highlights : Mike Rosales grabbed the lead from Cameron Martin on lap one, averaging 17.6 seconds per lap, but chaos loomed with early cautions for turn-four pile-ups. Sandy methodically picked off cars, reaching fourth by lap 10. With 14 laps left, he dueled Rosales door-to-door, finally edging ahead on the backstretch with eight to go after a slight contact. Donavon Flores slipped into second late, but Sandy’s lead was unassailable. Deuce Teague’s climb from 24th to 7th was a sleeper story of the night. ● Winner’s Words : “It was too muddy—I used all 22 tear-offs!” Sandy laughed. “Mike never messed up, but I got him on the outside. Thanks to my crew, family, and Las Cruces Auto Pros!” ● Key Moment : Sandy’s drag-race pass on Rosales with eight laps remaining flipped the script, showcasing his blend of aggression and finesse. A Main Results (Top 5):

1. Hunter Sandy (Albuquerque, NM) – Started 13th 2. Mike Rosales (Las Cruces, NM) – Started 2nd 3. Donavon Flores (Las Cruces, NM) – Started 3rd 4. Chris Hooper (Albuquerque, NM) – Started 8th 5. Cameron Martin (Bosque Farms, NM) – Started 1st White Sands Federal Credit Union POWRi 305 Wing Sprint Cars: Lorne Wofford’s Veteran Victory The night closed with a 25-lap sprint car showdown that saw Lorne Wofford flex his experience on a tight, fast track. ● Race Highlights : Jett Carney led off the pole, but a restart shuffle put Daniel Blaeser up front, only for Wofford to take over by lap two, averaging 15.1 seconds per lap. A wild restart flip by Art Quijano brought an open red, but Wofford stayed cool. Aydan Saunders stormed from seventh to third, briefly snagging second from Cesar Fuentes on the final lap, while Fuentes fought back to reclaim it. Lap traffic tested everyone, but Wofford’s smooth line prevailed. ● Winner’s Words : “Starting up front on a one-line track was huge,” Wofford said. “Lappers were fast, so I stayed smooth. Thanks to my crew, Freedom Flight, and the fans for braving the cold!” ● Key Moment : Wofford’s early pass on Blaeser and flawless lap-traffic management turned a potential dogfight into a masterclass. A Main Results (Top 5): 1. Lorne Wofford (Alamogordo, NM) – Started 2nd 2. Cesar Fuentes (Juarez, MX) – Started 4th 3. Aydan Saunders (El Paso, TX) – Started 7th 4. Daniel Blaeser (La Mesa, NM) – Started 3rd 5. Jett Carney (El Paso, TX) – Started 1st The Night in Review: A Season Ignited April 5, 2025, at Vado Speedway Park was a muddy, magnificent mess of motorsport magic. From Males’ patient triumph to Barnett’s dominance, Gutierrez’s breakout, Sandy’s heroic charge, and Wofford’s veteran poise, every class delivered stories that’ll echo through the

season. The heavy track tested drivers’ skills and nerves, rewarding those who blended strategy with speed. ● Standout Performers : Hunter Sandy (13th to 1st in B-Mods) and Carlos Irvin (15th to 2nd in Pure Stocks) were the night’s hard chargers, while Christy Barnett and Lorne Wofford showed why experience still reigns supreme. ● What’s Next : This opener hints at a 2025 season packed with rivalries—Sandy vs. Rosales, Saunders vs. Wofford—and breakout stars like Gutierrez and Males. Stay tuned, race fans, because Vado’s just getting started! So, grab your gear, support these wheelmen and women, and get ready for more dirt-flinging drama. The 2025 season is off to a roaring start—here’s to chasing that beyond-exponential success all year long!