Fito Gallardo Cashes In to Close Wild Father’s Day Weekend at Vado Speedway Park
VADO, NM — Father’s Day Weekend at Vado Speedway Park saved its biggest moment for last.
After a night filled with family storylines, birthday celebrations, wild restarts, a milestone victory, and one of the most intense money-race finishes of the season, Fito Gallardo parked the 07X in Rio Grande Waste Services Victory Lane and walked away as the Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA B-Mod / X-Mod JLT Consulting Money Race winner.
The final feature of the night paid $2,250 to win, $1,350 for second, and $900 for third thanks to JLT Consulting, LLC, and the closing laps delivered every bit of drama that kind of payout deserves.
Gallardo had to earn it the hard way. Christy Barnett, already a feature winner earlier in the night, had taken control of the B-Mod main and looked ready to finish off a two-feature sweep. But the late restarts changed everything. With the money on the line and the field stacked behind them, Gallardo and Barnett traded lanes, sliders, crossovers, and momentum in a heavyweight battle that had the crowd locked in from the restart to the checkered flag.
On the final run, Gallardo made the move count. Barnett fought back, but Gallardo held on to score the biggest payday of Father’s Day Weekend. Barnett came home second after another outstanding drive, while Deuce Teague survived the late-race pressure to claim third and the final bonus money spot.
The top three still had to clear the scales and pass tech before the big checks became official, but on the racetrack, the statement was already made: Fito Gallardo won the money race at the Diamond in the Desert.
Barnett Hits 50 in the Super Trucks
Before the B-Mod finale, Christy Barnett added another major chapter to her Vado Speedway Park résumé.
The Vado Speedway Super Trucks Series feature was chaos from the beginning, with early pileups, cautions, debris, and even a fire bringing the race to a stop multiple times. Sherman Barnett led early and looked strong out front, while Devan Smith found speed through the momentum lane and eventually worked his way into the lead.
But as the race wound down, Christy Barnett was the one who kept coming.
After Smith made his move, Barnett closed the gap, took advantage when Smith slipped, and drove away to score her 50th Super Truck feature win at Vado Speedway Park. Sherman Barnett came home second, making it a Barnett family night at the front of the field.
It was a milestone win, a comeback win, and one of the biggest crowd moments of the night.
Lorne Wofford Wins Sprint Car Feature
The White Sands Federal Credit Union POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars brought speed, traffic, and a veteran finish.
The feature started with plenty of movement, as Justin Lasiter, Robert Herrera, the Wofford family, and others all played a part in the battle up front. Herrera and Lasiter put on a strong fight through the middle of the race, with Lasiter working the bottom and Herrera finding momentum up top.
But after a key caution, Lorne Wofford made the restart count.
Wofford used his experience, clean air, and late-race execution to take command and close the door over the final laps. Daniel Blaeser came home second, and Justin Lasiter completed the podium after a strong run of his own.
On Father’s Day Weekend, the Wofford name was right where Vado fans have seen it so many times before: in Victory Lane.
Cale Riggs Turns Restart into Birthday Win
The Hulsey Racing Legends feature gave the crowd one of the best personal storylines of the night.
RJ Garay had the lead and was chasing his first Vado Legends feature win, while Cale Riggs — the birthday boy and one of the measuring sticks in the division — kept applying pressure. The two put on a great show, with Garay trying to hold clean air and Riggs looking for the right restart and the right lane.
When the opportunity came, Riggs took it.
After a late caution, Riggs made the restart work, got to the front, and drove away to score the Legends feature win on his birthday. Garay finished second after a strong run, with Kyle Burnett rounding out the top three.
The crowd helped celebrate in Victory Lane, giving Riggs a birthday win to remember.
Miguel Rincon Opens Feature Racing with Pure Stock Victory
Feature racing began with the S.H. Automotive Pure Stocks, and Miguel Rincon made the first trophy race of the night count.
Early trouble for pole sitter RJ Garay opened the door, and Rincon stepped through it. Once the 17R got to clean air, he settled into rhythm and never gave the field the mistake it needed.
Kristen Denman continued her strong season with a runner-up finish, while Robert Dominguez charged from the back to finish third after already showing speed in his heat race earlier in the night.
Rincon’s win set the tone for the feature half of the program: the racetrack had widened out, the lanes were changing, and nobody was safe just because they looked fast early.
Heat Races Set the Stage
The night started with strong heat-race performances across all divisions.
In the Pure Stocks, RJ Garay and Robert Dominguez picked up heat wins. The Legends heats went to Edwin Garrett and Kyle Burnett after early drama and a last-lap pass. In the 305 Winged Sprint Cars, heat race wins went to Vance Wofford, Daniel Blaeser, and Robert Herrera, setting up the top-eight redraw that shaped the feature.
The Super Trucks heat belonged to Sherman Barnett, who delivered one of the best feel-good moments of the night by dominating the race and climbing out all smiles.
In the B-Mods, heat wins went to Fito Gallardo, Bryan Bennett, Deuce Teague, and Greg Gorham, while Jake Gallardo won the B-Main to help complete the money-race field.
By the time the B-Mod feature rolled onto the track, the table had been set all night long.
A Father’s Day Weekend Night to Remember
Saturday night at Vado Speedway Park was more than just a race program.
Miss Turquoise helped start races from the flagstand, the Father’s Day grill giveaway added a special touch for dads in the grandstands, Chelsea Scott was recognized for her birthday, and families filled the stands and pits for one of the most energetic nights of the season.
From Miguel Rincon’s Pure Stock win to Cale Riggs’ birthday celebration, from Lorne Wofford’s veteran Sprint Car drive to Christy Barnett’s 50th Super Truck feature win, and finally to Fito Gallardo’s $2,250 B-Mod victory, Father’s Day Weekend delivered from start to finish.
The night ended exactly the way a big race night should: with the crowd on its feet, the money on the line, and a winner who had to fight for every inch.
Congratulations to all of Saturday night’s feature winners: Miguel Rincon, Cale Riggs, Lorne Wofford, Christy Barnett, and Fito Gallardo.
Vado Speedway Park will be back next Saturday night at the Diamond in the Desert.
