Vado Speedway Park opened Memorial Day Weekend with the kind of Friday night that makes Saturday feel even bigger.

Night 1 had everything: a packed Memorial Day Weekend atmosphere, heavy hearts across the racing world, a national spotlight on the Desert Series 360 Wing Sprint Cars, first-time and breakthrough-style moments, and enough late-race drama to keep fans talking all the way into Night 2.

The night carried extra weight before the first green flag ever dropped. Memorial Day Weekend already brings meaning to the speedway, and this year the motorsports family was also racing with the Busch family in its thoughts. The 360 sprint car field carried that emotion into one of the most anticipated features Vado has seen this season.

Then the racing took over.

Aydan Saunders Still Owns the Memorial Day Spotlight

Last year, Aydan Saunders made Memorial Day Weekend his own at Vado Speedway Park.

On Friday night, he reminded everyone that the story is not finished.

The 360 Wing Sprint Cars were fast from the moment they hit the clay. Jesse Baker opened the sprint heats with a hammer-down statement. Royal Jones followed by lighting up the building with blistering speed in Heat 2. Then Saunders answered in Heat 3 with the kind of lap times that made the whole facility lean forward.

When feature time came, Saunders started on the pole and drove like the car belonged in clean air.

He was smooth early, aggressive in traffic, and strong enough on restarts to survive the one moment everyone was waiting for: Wyatt Miller in striking distance late.

Miller, grandson of Dale Earnhardt, started 10th in the 11J and gave the crowd exactly the kind of run that builds a fanbase. He stayed patient, picked his way through traffic, and by the closing laps, the whole crowd could feel the story building.

A late caution gave fans the moment:

Aydan Saunders out front. Wyatt Miller right there. Three laps to settle it.

Saunders held the point. Miller finished second after charging from 10th. Daniel Blaeser completed the podium, followed by Caleb Saiz and Jesse Baker.

That was not just a sprint car feature.

That was a Memorial Day Weekend moment.

Jerod Candelaria Measures the Measuring Stick

The Hulsey Racing Legends opened feature racing with one of the biggest statements of the night.

All season, Cale Riggs has been the measuring stick in the Legends division.

On Friday night, Jerod Candelaria measured him.

Candelaria won the heat race first. Then he backed it up when the feature got real. He took the lead, survived the restarts, and had Riggs breathing down his neck in the closing laps.

The story was simple:

The 96 was coming.

The 33 did not blink.

Candelaria held off Riggs for the win, with Kyle Burnette completing the podium.

That was not stealing one.

That was earning one.

Devan Smith Turns the Super Truck Feature Into a Thriller

The Vado Speedway Super Trucks brought the traffic, the personality, and the chaos.

Cliff Evrage controlled the early part of the feature, but once the race opened up, Devan Smith came alive.

Smith started eighth and worked his way to the front while Shane McNutt charged from 10th and turned the closing laps into a chase. Lap traffic played a huge role late, and McNutt kept finding ways to close the gap.

But Smith used every break the race gave him.

When it mattered, he kept the 6T in front and closed the deal.

Smith won from eighth. McNutt finished second after an eight-position charge. Evrage rounded out the podium.

It was exactly what Super Trucks are supposed to be at Vado: one lap calm, the next lap traffic, bumpers, elbows, and drivers trying to decide how much room is enough room.

Brandon Cruse Steals the Late Model Night

The Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models delivered one of the wildest features of the night.

Early, the emotional story was Luke Solis.

Solis led the race and looked like he might finally shake the monkey off his back for a first Late Model feature win. Keko Perez pressured him. The restarts got physical. The door opened.

And Brandon Cruse drove straight through it.

Cruse started seventh and took command when the race turned chaotic. Solis gathered it back up and kept fighting, but Cruse had already changed the race.

Cruse won from seventh. Solis finished second. Keko Perez completed the podium, followed by Luke Vargas and Sam Alonso.

The Late Model feature was not clean.

It was memorable.

It was horsepower, pressure, hot tires, survival, and one driver taking full advantage when the race gave him a lane.

Devon Jobin Closes Night 1 by Checking Off Another Class

The Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods closed Night 1 with a deep field and a long-race feel.

The heat races already set the table. Fito Gallardo looked strong on the top. Mike Rosales controlled his heat. Aasa Flores, Israel Ortega, Donavon Flores, and Devon Jobin made Heat 3 one of the best B-Mod storylines of the night.

When the feature settled down, Jobin took control.

He found the rhythm, managed traffic, and kept building the gap while the field fought behind him. The live tower call had Jobin closing the night with a first B-Mod/X-Mod feature win at Vado after recently checking off a Modified win as well.

That is the kind of year Jobin is putting together:

One class at a time.

One box checked after another.

Note for posting: verify official B-Mod A Feature order once MyRacePass posts the final page.

Night 2 Is Set Up Perfectly

Friday did exactly what Night 1 is supposed to do.

It gave Vado a sprint car headline.
It gave the weekly classes their own moments.
It gave first-time fans a reason to come back.
It gave Saturday night a reason to feel even bigger.

Aydan Saunders has the first 360 Wing Sprint Car win of the weekend.

Wyatt Miller has momentum after charging from 10th to second.

Royal Jones showed serious speed.

Jesse Baker had heat-race fire.

Caleb Saiz, Daniel Blaeser, Don Grable, Lorne Wofford, and the rest of the sprint field all have one more night to answer.

Candelaria changed the Legends conversation.

Devan Smith and Shane McNutt gave the Super Trucks a storyline.

Brandon Cruse turned the Late Model points board into a bigger deal.

Devon Jobin kept stacking momentum.

Now the whole thing comes back Saturday.

Memorial Day Weekend Night 2 is not a replay.

It is the answer.

SOCIAL POST

Memorial Day Weekend Night 1 at Vado delivered. 🔥

Aydan Saunders reminded everybody why last Memorial Day Weekend belonged to the 8 car, winning the Desert Series 360 Wing Sprint Car feature after Wyatt Miller charged from 10th to 2nd in front of a locked-in crowd.

Jerod Candelaria measured the measuring stick in Legends, holding off Cale Riggs for a huge win.

Devan Smith came from 8th to win a wild Super Truck feature, with Shane McNutt charging from 10th to 2nd.

Brandon Cruse stole the Late Model night from 7th after Luke Solis led early and nearly shook the monkey off his back.

And Devon Jobin closed the night by checking another class off the list in the B-Mods. (Final B-Mod order pending official MyRacePass confirmation.)

That was Night 1.

Night 2 is tomorrow.

Bring the kids.
Bring the camera.
Bring the Sharpie.

After the races, fans can head into the pits for free to meet drivers, see the cars up close, get pictures, and make the memory.

Memorial Day Weekend at Vado is just getting started.

🎟️ Buy Night 2 Tickets
📍 Vado Speedway Park
⏰ Racing starts at 7:30 PM Saturday

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