Vado Speedway Park
Fast Facts: Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly
By Robert Holman
DirtonDirt.com weekend editor(Complete coverage)
Dates: ($5,000-to-win features Jan. 8-9, 12, 14-15 and $25,000-to-win finale Jan. 16).
Track: FK Rod Ends Vado Speedway Park, Vado, N.M. (3/8-mile, semi-banked clay oval)
Purse: Total Late Model purse of more than $250,000
Primary sponsors: O’Reilly Auto Parts, FK Rod Ends, Dirt Track Bank, Black Diamond Race Cars, Rio Grande Waste Services, Penske Racing Shocks, Shaw Trucking, Schaeffer Oil, SportTruck RV, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Border Tire, RHR Racing Swag, Barnett Harley Davidson, Dirt Pro Grading & Padwork, Contractors & Developers (C&D) Bonding, Shocks by Hammer, Hoker Trucking, Midwest Sheet Metal, Speedway Motors, VP Racing Fuel, Hoosier Racing Tires, Pro Power Engines, Beaver Stripes, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Toste Construction, Sipes Tractor & Transport Service, Total Ag Solutions, Merry’s Home Furnishings, The Joie of Seating, Schill Construction, Screven Motor Speedway, DirtDraft.com, FinishLine Graphics, and FloRacing.
Sanction: None for Late Models.
Other divisions: Modifieds ($1,000- and $2,000-to-win programs) and X-mods ($500- and $1,000-to-win programs).
2021 winners: Jonathan Davenport, three wins; Tyler Erb, two wins; Ricky Thornton Jr.
Former miniseries champions: Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga. (2021, ’16); Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill. (2019-‘20); Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn. (2018); Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill. (2017); Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas (2015).
Winningest series drivers (complete history): Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark. (13); Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. (10); Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga. (6); Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill. (6); Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis. (5).
Tickets: Single-day general admission $25 (children 6-12, $10; children 5-and-under, free). Six-day adult general admission $150. Advanced tickets available at wildwestshootout.net.
Pit passes: $40 daily.
Streaming video: Jan. 8-9, 12, 14-16 shows set for FloRacing.com’s live coverage includes every lap of Super Late Model and modified action, complete with on-screen race lineups and a live timing and scoring feed. The complete miniseries package is available to DirtonDirt.com and FloRacing.com subscribers. The Michael Reiners-produced broadcast will feature Ben Shelton on play-by-play and Dustin Jarrett reporting from the infield and pits. Follow this link for complete subscription information.
Miniseries website: wildwestshootout.net
Wild West Shootout office phone: (520) 664-2074
Track phone: (575) 524-7913
Notes: After spending the last five seasons at FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway near Phoenix, the Wild West Shootout moves to FK Rod Ends Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park located just off of I-10 between Las Cruces, N.M., and El Paso, Texas, for 2022. … Any driver sweeping six Super Late Model features receives a $300,000 bonus as part of the brand-new Penske Racing Shocks $300,000 Paydirt Jackpot. The bonus program also includes a $100,000 incentive for five wins and a $25,000 bonus for four miniseries victories. … Last season Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., won three of six events, earning $25,000 in the finale; $5,000 each in a pair of mid-week wins; a $10,000 bonus for winning three features; and $3,000 for earning the miniseries title. Along with a pair of runner-up finishes and a third-place, Davenport earned $54,500 for the week. … For the third year the headline Super Late Model division will boast title sponsorship from Dirt Track Bank. … Black Diamond Chassis continues its support with the Louisiana-based chassis builder the presenting sponsor of the Dirt Track Bank Super Late Model division. … There will again be three Pro Power Dashes, giving the first 10 Super Late Model drivers who fail to qualify for the night’s finale a shot at some extra cash. The 10-lap Pro Power Dashes will be contested on Jan. 8, 9 and 15. Each dash posts a $2,000 purse with the winner receiving $1,000 or the option to forfeit the winner’s purse and start at the tail of the night’s feature. … Rio Grande Waste Services backs a $500 nightly bonus to the driver who passes the most cars in each of the six feature events. The driver with the overall Super Late Model fast time in qualifying for the six-race miniseries will receive an added $1,000 from the Larry Henk-owned company as well. … Gorsuch Performance Solutions offers $100 each night to the feature polesitter. … Minnesota-based Shaw Trucking is the presenting sponsor of the $25,000-to-win finale on Jan. 16. …The fast qualifier each night will earn a commemorative check, a mini aluminum Late Model door panel and $100 courtesy of SportTruck RV and Screven Motor Speedway. … Race formats include time trials, heat races, consolations and 30-lap features. The $25,000-to-win finale is scheduled for 50 laps. ... This year’s Late Model tire rule: Hoosier 1350 across the front and on the left rear and an LM40 on the right rear. Competitors are required to use the same four tires in qualifying and heat races. After prelims, teams are allowed to change any two tires that they choose without penalty. … Modifieds will race for $1,000-to-win Jan. 12 and 14 and $2,000-to-win Jan. 8, 9, 15 and 16. … X-mods will be in action on Jan 8, 9, 15 and 16 for $1,000-to-win each night and $500-to-win on Jan. 12 and 14. … There will be scheduled practice session on Friday, Jan. 7 and Tuesday, Jan. 11 from 6-9 p.m. The cost is $200 per car (no pit passes required). … The $150 six-day general admission combo ticket includes a pit-pass upgrade for one night (chosen by the purchaser) as well as a free Wild West Shootout seat cushion.
Late Model purses
($100 for non-qualifiers)