29 410s, national TV on FS1, and a packed Tuesday night crowd launch the 2026 Roto‑Rooter Midweek Series at Vado Speedway Park.
🏟️ A National Stage in the Desert
On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Vado Speedway Park became the center of the sprint car universe as the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing series rolled into town for its first-ever Vado appearance, the only New Mexico stop of 2026, and round one of the Roto‑Rooter Midweek Series.
With 29 winged 410 sprint cars in the pits – the largest 410 field in track history – and FS1 cameras broadcasting coast‑to‑coast alongside FloRacing, the 3/8‑mile “diamond in the desert” came alive under the lights.
⚙️ Qualifying & Heats – Reutzel Sets the Tone
The night opened with Dirt Draft Hot Laps and Capital Custom Trailers & Coaches Qualifying, where Aaron Reutzel (87) set quick time at 12.659 seconds, topping Logan Seavey (12.699) and Brent Marks (12.746) to grab the pole in time trials.
Three TJ Forged / DMI / BR Motorsports heat races each transferred the top six directly to the A‑Main, with the heat winners punching early:
- Heat 1 (TJ Forged): Sye Lynch (42) wired it from the pole and checked out by over four seconds, with Chase Randall and Aaron Reutzel in his wake.
- Heat 2 (DMI): “Florida Man” Danny Sams III (24D) held off Justin Peck and Ryan Timms to notch a statement win on his mom’s birthday.
- Heat 3 (BR Motorsports): Tyler Courtney (7BC) led home Tanner Thorson, Giovanni Scelzi, and a hard‑charging defending series champ Rico Abreu.
Behind them, transfer spots were anything but calm: slide‑jobs, wheel‑to‑wheel battles, and two close calls for Jason Pursley, who survived a big Central Arizona crash last week only to find himself in another scrap for position at Vado.
🎰 FK Rod Ends Dash – Marks to the Pole
The FK Rod Ends Dash roulette redraw brought six heavy hitters to center stage: Sye Lynch, Danny Sams, Tyler Courtney, Aaron Reutzel, Logan Seavey, and Brent Marks.
- Sye Lynch ripped the double‑zero on the wheel to lock in the inside of row 1 for the dash.
- When the green finally flew, Brent Marks (19) made the most of it, driving to the dash win and earning the A‑Main pole, with Logan Seavey alongside for the 30‑lap finale.
❗ Winners Performance B‑Main – Pulkrabek & Saiz Punch Through
The Winters Performance B‑Main was the last lifeline – 10 laps, 6 spots into the show. Gage Pulkrabek (G5) took control out front and never blinked, but the drama stacked up behind him:
- Transfers: Gage Pulkrabek, Hank Davis, J.J. Hickle, Hunter Schuerenberg, Austyn Gossel, and local favorite Caleb Saiz (42X).
- The loudest cheer of the night came when Caleb Saiz – a multi‑time winner in local sprint competition making his High Limit and 410 debut – secured the final transfer spot and put New Mexico in the feature.
There were scary moments too: Rodney Huband and later Austyn Gossel went for wild rides, but both drivers climbed out, drawing strong applause from the Vado faithful.
🏆 30‑Lap Interstate Batteries High Limit A‑Main – Reutzel Rules Vado
When the HendrickCars.com pace truck pulled in and the field formed up two‑by‑two behind Brent Marks and Logan Seavey, the question was simple:
Could High Limit go 7 for 7 with different winners… or would someone become the first to double up in 2026?
On the very first lap, Aaron Reutzel (87) answered.
From row two, Reutzel hammered the bottom in turns 1–2, threaded traffic between Marks and Seavey, and rocketed out of turn 4 as the leader by the time the first completed lap hit the board. He’d never officially surrender the top spot again.
A red for a front‑stretch flip by Austyn Gossel reset the field early, but Reutzel nailed the restart and began carving through lapped traffic. FS1 cameras followed as he:
- Used the bottom, middle, and even the slick entry lane in 3–4 to clear traffic
- Survived a couple of hairy three‑wide moments with slower cars
- Kept the pack at bay while the track continually changed underneath him at 3,900 feet of elevation
Behind him, the show constantly shifted:
- Logan Seavey fought his way into second mid‑race, showing serious winged pace for a non‑wing ace.
- Tyler Courtney (7BC) worked the bottom and middle, eventually clearing into the runner‑up spot in the closing laps.
- Ryan Timms (10) put on a late‑race clinic around the cushion, storming from 10th to 3rd and making the last few laps some of the wildest of the season so far.
When the Allgaier Performance white flag flew, Reutzel had built over a three‑second lead and was untouchable. He took the checkered to become the first two‑time winner of 2026, stopping the “different winner every night” streak at six.
Final Top 10 (30 Laps – 15:06.769):
- Aaron Reutzel (87) – Clute, TX (+2)
- Tyler Courtney (7BC) – Indianapolis, IN (+3)
- Ryan Timms (10) – Oklahoma City, OK (+7, hard‑charging)
- Brent Marks (19) – Myerstown, PA (-3)
- Chase Randall (9R) – Waco, TX (+2)
- Logan Seavey (87X) – Sutter, CA (-4)
- Tanner Thorson (88) – Broken Arrow, OK (+2)
- Sye Lynch (42) – Cowansville, PA (-4)
- Kerry Madsen (55) – Knoxville, IA (+4)
- Giovanni Scelzi (77) – Fresno, CA (+1)
📊 By the Numbers
- 29 – 410 sprint cars entered
- 30 – A‑Main laps (no scheduled fuel stop)
- 15:06.769 – A‑Main time
- 12.659 sec – Quick time in qualifying (Aaron Reutzel)
- 6 – FK Rod Ends Dash starters
- 6 – B‑Main transfers to the A
- 1 – First‑ever High Limit event at Vado Speedway Park
🙏 Thank You, Fans & Partners
From Royal Jones and the entire Vado Speedway Park team:
- Thank you to Interstate Batteries, High Limit Racing, Roto‑Rooter, FK Rod Ends, Winters Performance, Dirt Draft, Capital Custom Trailers & Coaches, and all the series partners.
- Thank you to our local and regional sponsors who continue to fuel dirt racing in the Southwest.
- Most of all, thank YOU – the fans who packed the grandstands on a Tuesday night, hit the pits for Fan Fest, emptied the merch trailers, and showed a national TV audience what Vado is all about.
Keep an eye on VadoSpeedwayPark.com and our social channels for upcoming events, weekly racing schedules, and more special nights like this one.
Under the desert lights, with the clay hooked up and the FS1 cameras rolling, Vado Speedway Park just proved once again:
this place isn’t just a track – it’s a show.
