Dirt on Dirt - Dillard dominates Saturday's Wild West opener

January 6

Vado Speedway Park,

Vado, NM

Sanction: Unsanctioned Supers (Wild West Shootout) - $11,000

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden and track reports (last updated January 7, 8:23 pm)

Dillard dominates Saturday's Wild West opener

Wild West Shootout

Cade Dillard
Bobby Pierce
Garrett Alberson
Tyler Erb
Kyle Larson
Mike Marlar
Dustin Sorensen
Chase Junghans
Tyler Stevens
Kaden Honeycutt
Rodney Sanders
Collen Winebarger
Shannon Babb
Stormy Scott
Morgan Bagley
Preston Luckman
Ricky Weiss
Eston Whisler
Jason Strand
Kyle Beard
Drake Troutman
Forrest Trent
Cody Laney
B.J. Robinson
Sam Mars

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Cade Dillard (97) started inside of Bobby Pierce (32) and cruised to win Saturday's Wild West Shootout opener.

What won the race: Surviving a late-race slider attempt by Bobby Pierce, second-starting Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., led all 40 laps to win Saturday's opening round of the 18th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts at Vado Speedway Park. Dillard earned $11,000 for his second career Wild West victory and his first since 2019 at the now-defunct FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, Ariz.; he also won Saturday's 25-lap modified feature, collecting an additional $1,000.

Quotable: “I knew Bobby (Pierce) would be coming there once the (track) got pretty top dominant and I knew he went a little harder on tires,” Dillard said. “There about lap 28 or 30, (crew chief) Donnie (Pederson) told me (Pierce) is closing a little, so I just tried to use up what I had left, and I’d say he was probably getting better at the end with the tire choice. Man, what an awesome race car and an awesome facility. I love racing at this place.”

Key notes: The pole-starting Pierce, of Oakwood, Ill., threw a slider and briefly nosed ahead on lap 34 before Dillard edged him at the line by 0.048 of a second and pulled away slightly to win by 0.289 of a second at the checkers. ... Hometown racer Garrett Alberson pressured Dillard before losing the runner-up spot to Pierce and settling for third. ... Sixth-starting Tyler Erb improved two positions and finished fourth. ... Mike Marlar gained four spots and finished sixth. ... Dustin Sorensen started 16th and finished seventh aboard a family-owned Longhorn Chassis. ... Kaden Honeycutt ran as high as third in the early stages before fading to finish 10th. ... Drake Troutman pulled off due a broken oil pump belt running 11th on lap 31. ... Tenth-running B.J. Robinson made heavy contact with an infield tractor tire on lap five and called it a night. ... Saturday's opener was completed without incident and lasted just 12 minutes, with 10 drivers completing the distance and 19 running at the finish.

On the move: Kyle Larson of Elk Grove, Calif., started 14th and finished fifth.

Winner's sponsors: Dillard’s Longhorn Chassis is powered by a Clements Racing Engine and sponsored by S&S Fishing & Rental, Krohn Farms, Joel’s Auto Sales, Strength Roofing & Siding, Johnsville Company LLC, Jody’s Oilfield Service, Bryan Cook Trucks, Hoosier Racing Tire, Lonestar Equipment & Repair, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nichols, Production Jars, Bilstein Shocks, VP Racing Fuels and Supreme Vinyl Works.

Points chase: After Saturday: 1. Cade Dillard (87); 2. Bobby Pierce (81); 3. Garrett Alberson (78); 4. Tyler Erb (75); 5. Kyle Larson (72).

Current weather: Clear, 37°F

Car count: 44

Fast qualifier: Garrett Alberson

Time: 14.231 seconds

Polesitter: Bobby Pierce

Dash winner: Eston Whisler

Heat race winners: Garrett Alberson, Tyler Stevens, Cade Dillard, Bobby Pierce

Consolation race winners: Rodney Sanders, Shannon Babb

Provisional starters:

Next series race: Jan. 7, Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park, second round ($11,000)

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

VADO, N.M. (Jan. 6) — Updates from Saturday’s opening night of the 18th annual Wild West Shootout, featuring a 40-lap, $11,000-to-win feature for unsanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Surviving a late-race slider attempt by Bobby Pierce, second-starting Cade Dillard of Robeline, La., led all 40 laps to win Saturday's opening round of the 18th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts at Vado Speedway Park. Dillard earned $11,000 for his second career Wild West victory and his first since 2019 at the now-defunct FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway in Queen Creek, Ariz. The pole-starting Pierce, of Oakwood, Ill., briefly nosed ahead on lap 34 before Dillard edged him at the line by 0.048 of a second and pulled away to win by 0.289 of a second at the checkers.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Cade Dillard
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Tyler Stevens
Row 3: Kaden Honeycutt, Tyler Erb
Row 4: Cody Laney, Stormy Scott
Row 5: Chase Junghans, Mike Marlar
Row 6: B.J. Robinson, Drake Troutman
Row 7: Forrest Trent, Kyle Larson
Row 8: Ricky Weiss, Dustin Sorensen
Row 9: Rodney Sanders, Shannon Babb
Row 10: Preston Luckman, Collen Winebarger
Row 11: Kyle Beard, Jason Strand
Row 12: Sam Mars, Morgan Bagley
Row 13: Eston Whisler

Dash results

(10 laps, winner transfers)

Pro Power Dash: Eston Whisler, Justin Duty, Bricen James, Mikey Kile, Jake Timm, Jake O'Neil, Jon Kirby, Colby Moore, Don Shaw, Clayton Stuckey.

Consolation race results

(12 laps, top four transfer)

First B-main: Rodney Sanders, Preston Luckman, Kyle Beard, Sam Mars, Mikey Kile, Justin Duty, Bricen James, Jon Kirby, Jake O'Neil, Steve Stultz, Chance Mann, Pete Vargas, Thomas Hunziker, Walton Kyle Jr.

Second B-main: Shannon Babb, Collen Winebarger, Jason Strand, Morgan Bagley, Eston Whisler, Jake Timm, Don Shaw, Clay Stuckey, Colby Moore, Jimmy Whisler, Keko Perez, Terry Carter, Kent Rosevear.

Heat race results

(Eight laps, top four transfer)
First heat: Garrett Alberson, Kaden Honeycutt, Chase Junghans, Forrest Trent, Rodney Sanders, Preston Luckman, Sam Mars, Jon Kirby, Chance Mann, Pete Vargas, Thomas Hunziker.

Second heat: Tyler Stevens, Cody Laney, B.J. Robinson, Ricky Weiss, Mikey Kile, Kyle Beard, Steve Stultz, Jake O'Neil, Justin Duty, Bricen James, Walton Kyle Jr.

Third heat: Cade Dillard, Tyler Erb, Mike Marlar, Kyle Larson, Collen Winebarger, Shannon Babb, Jake Timm, Jason Strand, Don Shaw, Kent Rosevear, Colby Moore.

Fourth heat: Bobby Pierce, Stormy Scott, Drake Troutman, Dustin Sorensen, Eston Whisler, Morgan Bagley, Clay Stuckey, Brad Couch, Jimmy Whisler, Keko Perez, Terry Carter.

Heat race recap

Garrett Alberson led all eight laps unchallenged to win the first heat race by 2.730 seconds over Kaden Honeycutt. Chase Junghans and fifth-starting Forrest Trent also transfer and will join them in Saturday’s feature. Thomas Hunziker drew the lone caution when he slapped the turn-three wall and stopped, requiring a tow to the pits. … Tyler Stevens led green-to-checkered to win heat two by 2.464 seconds over fourth-starting Cody Laney. B.J. Robinson and sixth-starting Ricky Weiss completed the top-four finishers. The lone stoppage came on the opening lap when Walton Kyle Jr. spun before pulling off. … Cade Dillard dominated heat three, leading the entire distance and winning by 0.700 of a second over third-starting Tyler Erb. Pole-starting Mike Marlar settled for third, with Kyle Larson grabbing the final transfer spot. … Bobby Pierce ripped around the outside of early leader Stormy Scott and led the final four laps to win the final heat race by 1.780 seconds. Drake Troutman challenged Pierce for second in the early laps and finished third, with sixth-starting Dustin Sorensen finishing fourth.

Heat race lineups

(Eight laps; top four advance)
First heat
Row 1: Garrett Alberson, Kaden Honeycutt
Row 2: Preston Luckman, Chase Junghans
Row 3: Forrest Trent, Thomas Hunziker
Row 4: Sam Mars, Rodney Sanders
Row 5: Jon Kirby, Chance Mann
Row 6: Pete Vargas
Second heat
Row 1: Tyler Stevens, B.J. Robinson
Row 2: Mikey Kile, Cody Laney
Row 3: Kyle Beard, Ricky Weiss
Row 4: Steve Stultz, Bricen James
Row 5: Justin Duty, Walton Kyle Jr.
Row 6: Jake O'Neil
Third heat
Row 1: Mike Marlar, Cade Dillard
Row 2: Tyler Erb, Kyle Larson
Row 3: Collen Winebarger, Jason Strand
Row 4: Shannon Babb, Jake Timm
Row 5: Don Shaw, Kent Rosevear
Row 6: Colby Moore
Fourth heat
Row 1: Bobby Pierce, Stormy Scott
Row 2: Drake Troutman, Eston Whisler
Row 3: Clay Stuckey, Dustin Sorensen
Row 4: Morgan Bagley, Brad Couch
Row 5: Terry Carter, Keko Perez
Row 6: Jimmy Whisler

Time trial results

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown
1. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.231
2. Tyler Stevens (2), Searcy, Ark., 14.378
3. Kaden Honeycutt (10), Bridge City, Texas, 14.560
4. B.J. Robinson (1r), Bossier City, La., 14.605
5. Preston Luckman (77), Coos Bay, Ore., 14.722
6. Mikey Kile (25), West Lake, La., 14.727
7. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 14.746
8. Cody Laney (32B), Torrance, Calif., 14.774
9. Forrest Trent (101), Morristown, Tenn., 14.923
10. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 14.930
11. Thomas Hunziker (38), Bend, Ore., 14.933
12. Ricky Weiss (7), Headingley, Manitoba, 15.078
13. Sam Mars (28m), Menomonie, Wis., 15.095
14. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 15.119
15. Rodney Sanders (73), Happy, Texas, 15.12
16. Bricen James (13), Albany, Ore., 15.152
17. Jon Kirby (11), Russellville, Ark., 15.269
18. Justin Duty (15), Molalla, Ore., 15.301
19. Chance Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 15.425
20. Walton Kyle Jr. (250), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.816
21. Pete Vargas (777), Las Cruces, N.M., 16.298
22. Jake O’Neil (51c), Tucson, Ariz., 14.911 (failed droop)
Group B
1. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.571
2. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 14.636
3. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 14.724
4. Stormy Scott (2s), Las Cruces, N.M., 14.896
5. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 14.942
6. Drake Troutman (7T), Hyndman, Pa., 14.999
7. Kyle Larson (6), Elk Grove, Calif., 15.011
8. Eston Whisler (82), Otis, Ore., 15.042
9. Collen Winebarger (14s), Corbett, Ore., 15.091
10. Clay Stuckey (15s), Shreveport, La., 15.147
11. Jason Strand (E85), Portland, N.D., 15.149
12. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.193
13. Shannon Babb (18B), Moweaqua, Ill., 15.207
14. Morgan Bagley (14m), Longview, Texas, 15.239
15. Jake Timm (49T), Winona, Minn., 15.245
16. Brad Couch (5c), Bossier City, La., 15.313
17. Don Shaw (42s), Ham Lake, Minn., 15.320
18. Terry Carter (6T), Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, 15.420
19. Kent Rosevear (02), Yuma, Ariz., 15.497
20. Keko Perez (3), Chihuahua, Mexico, 15.612
21. Colby Moore (19c), Springtown, Texas, 15.644
22. Jimmy Whisler (28w), Otis, Ore., 15.882

Saturday’s schedule

All times local
Noon: Pits open
2 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting
3 p.m.: Grandstands open
3 p.m.: On-track activity
- X-Mod hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model group qualifying
4:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies
- X-Mod heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 or 10 laps; dependent on car count)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
Consolations
- X-Mods (10 laps)
- Modifieds (12 laps)
- Late Models (12 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (40 laps)
- X-Mods (25 laps)
- Modifieds (25 laps)