Vado Speedway Park

Fast Facts: Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout

January 3, 2023, 9:30 am

By Aaron Clay

DirtonDirt.com weekend editor

Dates: $10,000-to-win features Jan. 7-8, 11, 13-14 and $25,000-to-win finale Jan. 15 (complete WWS coverage)

Track: FK Rod Ends Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park (3/8-mile, semi-banked clay oval)

Purse: Total Late Model purse of more than $250,000 (and potential bonuses of up to $300,000)

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).

2022 winners: Brandon Sheppard and Mike Marlar with two victories apiece along with Garrett Alberson and Tyler Erb (Marlar was the miniseries champion).

Winningest drivers (complete history): Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark. (13); Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. (10); Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga. (6); Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill. (6); Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill. (6).

Tickets: Single-day general admission $25 (children 6-12, $10; children 5-and-under, free). Six-day adult reserved are $155 and include a free one-day pit pass upgrade voucher. Advanced tickets available at wildwestshootout.net/buy-tickets/.

Pit passes: $45 daily.

Sponsors: Rio Grande Waste Services, O’Reilly Auto Parts, FK Rod Ends, Dirt Track Bank, Black Diamond Race Cars, Penske Racing Shocks, Shaw Trucking, Schaeffer’s Racing 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, Sunoco Race Fuels, Hoosier Racing Tires, Pro Power Engines, Beaver Stripes, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Toste Construction, Sipes Tractor & Transport Service, Merry’s Home Furnishings, The Joie of Seating, Shocker Hitch, Screven Motor Speedway, DirtDraft.com, Day Motor Sports, Arizona Differential, Whisler Construction, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, Nissan of Las Cruces and FloRacing.

Streaming video: FloRacing.

Miniseries website: wildwestshootout.net

Wild West Shootout office phone: (520) 664-2074

Track phone: (575) 524-7913

Notes: The Wild West Shootout returns to Vado in 2023, where the state-of-the-art facility is located just off of I-10 between Las Cruces, N.M., and El Paso, Texas. … The Penske Racing Shocks Paydirt Jackpot returns to offer a $300,000 bonus to any driver sweeping all six Super Late Model features. The bonus program also includes a $100,000 incentive for five wins and a $25,000 bonus for four miniseries victories. … Coming off a historic season where he collected more than $2 million in race winnings, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., returns to compete in the Wild West Shootout and will be seeking his third miniseries championship. … Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., is another two-time miniseries champion who will be seeking additional success at Vado where the newly-formed Sheppard Riggs Racing team will be debuting Longhorn Chassis. … Also debuting a Longhorn, Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., joins Davenport and Sheppard as a six-time Wild West Shootout feature winner as he will be seeking his second miniseries title. … For the fourth 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. … Three Pro Power Dashes give 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 dashes will be contested on Jan. 7, 8 and 14. 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. 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. 15. …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. ... The event is the first under Hoosier's new National Late Model Tire rule.. ... Modifieds will race for $1,000-to-win Jan. 11 and 13 and $2,000-to-win Jan. 7, 8, 14 and 15. … X-mods will be in action on Jan 7, 8, 14 and 15 for $1,000-to-win each night and $500-to-win on Jan. 11 and 13. … Practice sessions are scheduled for Friday, Jan. 6 and Tuesday, Jan. 10. The cost is $200 per car (no pit passes required). … The $155 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.

Correction: Removes any limitation on changing tires.