Meet the Drivers Night #1 Recap – July 19, 2025
Race fans, what an electrifying night at Vado Speedway Park! Meet the Drivers Night #1 on July 19, 2025, was a high-octane celebration of dirt track racing, community, and unforgettable fan-driver connections. The 3/8-mile clay oval, tacky from early moisture, set the stage for five classes—Johnstone Supply Super Trucks, S.H. Automotive Pure Stocks, White Sands Federal Credit Union POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Extreme Landscaping USRA Stock Cars, and Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods—delivering slide jobs, three-wide battles, and a stock car feature that was an absolute barn burner. Fans packed the stands, stormed the track during intermission to meet their racing heroes, and made memories with selfies, hero cards, and even a muddy splash for free shirts! With heavy hearts, we honored Deputy Antonio Aleman and flood victims, but the Las Cruces spirit shone bright, fueled by our incredible sponsors and the Vado faithful. Relive the action on RacinDirt and join us next week for Meet the Drivers Night #2!
Johnstone Supply Super Trucks: Scott Kinney’s Lap-Traffic Triumph
The night roared to life with the Johnstone Supply Super Trucks, where eight drivers battled for 10 laps of full-contact chaos. Scott Kinney (#13, Las Cruces, NM) stole the show, starting third and using lap traffic to his advantage to overtake Cliff Evrage (#11, Las Cruces, NM) on the final lap for his first win of 2025. Billy Roy Harris (#57, Deming, NM) charged from sixth to second, while Evrage settled for third. Points leader Christy Barnett (#44, El Paso, TX) fought from seventh to fifth, but a late-race tangle with lap traffic cost her a podium. Luis Esquivel (#7, El Paso, TX) and Sherman Barnett (#82, El Paso, TX) rounded out the top five, keeping the family feud alive. Johnstone Supply powered this high-horsepower showdown!
Key Moment: Kinney’s daring dive under Evrage in lap traffic on the final lap, sealing a thrilling victory.
Top 5:
1. Scott Kinney (#13, +2)
2. Billy Roy Harris (#57, +4)
3. Cliff Evrage (#11, -1)
4. Luis Esquivel (#7, +1)
5. Christy Barnett (#44, +2)
S.H. Automotive Pure Stocks: Patrick Beach’s Wire-to-Wire Mastery
The S.H. Automotive Pure Stocks brought 22 entries for a 20-lap grassroots spectacle. Patrick Beach (#X1, Las Cruces, NM) dominated wire-to-wire from the pole, navigating lap traffic with precision to claim the victory. Caleb Smith (#02C, Las Cruces, NM) surged from 18th to second, showcasing his rising star power, while Drew Cassidy (#3C, Las Cruces, NM) climbed from 13th to third. Sharrii Minks (#8M, El Paso, TX) and Sterling Patterson (#88, Las Cruces, NM) rounded out the top five, with Minks battling through cautions to keep her points chase alive. The wet track sparked intense battles, with Jimmy Skoog’s (#51) Honda Civic shining in seventh. S.H. Automotive fueled this family-driven fight!
Key Moment: Beach’s flawless navigation of lap traffic, holding off McCoy and Stamper’s early pressure.
Top 5:
1. Patrick Beach (#X1, +1)
2. Caleb Smith (#02C, +16)
3. Drew Cassidy (#3C, +10)
4. Sharrii Minks (#8M, +11)
5. Sterling Patterson (#88, +11)
White Sands Federal Credit Union POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars: DeMartino’s Back-to-Back Blitz
The White Sands Federal Credit Union POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars saw 14 drivers unleash 20 laps of high-speed fury. Derek DeMartino (#97, Los Alamos, NM) went back-to-back, leading wire-to-wire from the pole with a masterful performance. John Carney II (#27, El Paso, TX) charged from fourth to second, while Jett Carney (#40X, El Paso, TX) held third for a family podium push. Royal Jones (#131, Las Cruces, NM) and Robert Herrera
(#9, Las Cruces, NM) completed the top five. Points leader Lorne Wofford (#18, Alamogordo, NM) suffered a DNF after a wall ride in lap traffic, opening the door for Aydan Saunders (absent, racing west coast) to close the points gap. White Sands Federal Credit Union banked on this blistering speed!
Key Moment: DeMartino’s clean run through lap traffic, fending off Wofford’s early charge before his crash.
Top 5:
1. Derek DeMartino (#97, 0)
2. John Carney II (#27, +2)
3. Jett Carney (#40X, 0)
4. Royal Jones (#131, +3)
5. Robert Herrera (#9, +1)
Extreme Landscaping USRA Stock Cars: Josh Cain’s Epic Comeback
The Extreme Landscaping USRA Stock Cars delivered a 25-lap thriller that’s a candidate for Race of the Year. Josh Cain (#3J, Rio Rancho, NM) staged a jaw-dropping comeback, charging from 16th to first, capitalizing on multiple cautions to overtake Craig Walker (#562, Roswell, NM) and Rob Moseley (#M17, Los Lunas, NM) in a frenetic final five laps. Moseley settled for second, while points leader Hunter Sandy (#777S, Albuquerque, NM) fought from 11th to third. RC Combs (#53, Albuquerque, NM) and Devin Jobin (#81, Alamogordo, NM) rounded out the top five. The slick track fueled three-wide battles and slide jobs, with Zach McCoy (#1M, Las Cruces, NM) and Cale Riggs (#777R, Hatch, NM) staying in the mix. Extreme Landscaping brought the turf-to-torque intensity!
Key Moment: Cain’s daring three-wide pass on Sandy and Combs with four laps to go, stealing second before hunting down Moseley.
Top 5:
1. Josh Cain (#3J, +15)
2. Rob Moseley (#M17, +7)
3. Hunter Sandy (#777S, +8)
4. RC Combs (#53, +3)
5. Devin Jobin (#81, +5)
Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods: Fito Gallardo’s High-Side Heroics
The night’s grand finale, the Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mods, saw 29 entries battle for 30 laps in a chaotic chess match. Fito Gallardo (#07X, Las Cruces, NM) delivered a masterclass, charging from 22nd to first with a high-side gamble on the final restart, overtaking Greg Gorham (#93, Las Cruces, NM) for the win. Gorham held second, while Shane McNutt (#5M, Las Cruces, NM) took third. Josh Cain (#3J, Rio Rancho, NM) doubled up with a fourth-place run, and Israel Ortega (#23B, Las Cruces, NM) rounded out the top five. Multiple cautions, including a pile-up involving Donavon Flores (#07) and Christy Barnett (#44), kept the field tight. Hacienda Carpet & Tile laid down grip for this epic showdown!
Key Moment: Gallardo’s bold high-side move on the final restart, stealing the lead from Gorham under a checkered-yellow finish.
Top 5:
1. Fito Gallardo (#07X, +21)
2. Greg Gorham (#93, +1)
3. Shane McNutt (#5M, +6)
4. Josh Cain (#3J, +7)
5. Israel Ortega (#23B, -1)
Meet the Drivers: A Community Celebration
The heart of the night was the Meet the Drivers session, where fans flooded the front stretch to shake hands, snap selfies, and collect hero cards. Kids hopped into race cars, from Luis Esquivel’s Super Truck to Zach McCoy’s Pure Stock, while drivers like Donavon Flores handed out custom coloring pages (including one of his car on fire!). Diego Alvarado shared sprint car strategies, and Josh Cain celebrated with fans after his stock car win. A wild highlight was fans jumping into a mud puddle for free shirts, with Mike Garcia leading the charge. The community spirit shone, honoring Deputy Antonio Aleman and flood victims with heartfelt tributes, making this a night of connection and adrenaline.
Sponsor Shoutouts
A massive thank you to our sponsors who powered this unforgettable night:
· Johnstone Supply: Fueling the Super Trucks’ dominance.
· S.H. Automotive: The soul of Pure Stocks racing.
· White Sands Federal Credit Union: Banking on 305 Winged Sprint speed.
· Extreme Landscaping: Where turf meets torque in Stock Cars.
· Hacienda Carpet & Tile: Laying down grip for B-Mods.
Additional partners: Mesilla Valley Transportation, Pharmtrue Pharmacy, Sunset Grill, Valley Cold Storage, Toro Rock Products, Sun Valley Hardware, KOA Campgrounds, TZ Hair Studio, 3M Solutions, Throat Punch Performance, Landmark Mercantile, Chala Wood Fire Grill, Western Blend, & Metal Craft Company.
Final Thoughts
From Josh Cain’s epic stock car charge to Fito Gallardo’s high-side heroics, Meet the Drivers Night #1 was a testament to Vado Speedway Park’s heart—fierce racing and unbreakable community spirit. The tacky track delivered chaos, from Patrick Beach’s Pure Stock domination to Derek DeMartino’s sprint car blitz. Fans, you made this night legendary with your energy and muddy enthusiasm! Relive every moment on the MyRacePass app or RacingDirt.tv, and tag your photos with #VadoSpeedway. Join us next week for Meet the Drivers Night #2 on July 26, featuring USRA Modifieds and Late Models. Grab tickets at VadoSpeedwayPark.com, and drive safe, race fans!
