Hodges Takes Sprint Car Opener At Sandia Speedway

Thanks to all the racers and fans for making the opening day at Sandia Speedway a big success. Also, thanks to “Full Throttle Hobby & Raceway” for sponsoring today's races and putting on a very entertaining exhibition of 1/8th and 1/14th scale Radio Control Cars. These little cars are awesome. It's been a long winter, but now we can live again, the dirt track is back in action. 

There was a very good showing of cars for the first race weekend and we know of several more cars in the wings just finishing up that will make an appearance in the next two weeks. 

We started the afternoon with the combined Cruiser and Hornet class. At first, one might have thought the poor little 4 cylinder Hornets would not have a chance against the big V8's but you would be wrong. Stand outs in the Hornet group were Lena Duke #99 and Justin Morgan #97b. Both placed well in their heats and the main. But not to be denied was the veteran Phil York #1 as he took both his heat and the main. Phil got some late race challenges from Gary Smith #28 in his wagon and Lena Duke #99 who ran second all race long until Smith made a turn 3 pass. Great close racing all the way through the pack. Lets see if Phil can make it two in a row. 

The Mini Sprints fielded 10 cars with a couple of before unseen racers in the group. Returning to the dirt was LaLo Saenz #619 in a nice looking car and unknown to us Paul Campbell #712 coming down from Bayfield Colorado. Both look like they could be contenders this year. Robert Turner #22 and Jacob Johnston #17j put on a clinic on how to race FAST and Clean. Looked like Robert had his car set up perfect for the track condition, Jacob kept his front bumper on Robert all race long, all in all a great showing for this division. Of interest there were three ladies/girls driving this week. Katie Seals #84, Hannah Dykes #23 and Taryn Stelzig #38, Two of those name may look familiar since they are related to Sprint Car stand outs Bobby Seals and Dave Dykes. 

The Street Stocks had the best field in several years with 12 cars. All were good looking and strong running. Stand outs for best looking cars would be Cheyanna Yates #15 with her new candy lime green scheme, R. C. Combs #53 with his eye popping neon colors and Danny Gross jr. #143 with his new colors. Of course it was the usual suspects leading the pack with Cheyanna and R C. showing the way. Danny Gross Jr #143 looks like he will be giving these two a run for their money. Not to be discounted are a very strong Rick Boelter #5x, Rob Moesley #74m, Joel Duke #99 and Andrew Fanning #88. Stepping up in class was last years hot dog in the Cruiser division Devin Gates #33 who looks like he has always been a Street Stock pilot. Good close racing all night in the expanded field of cars. There are at least a couple of more Street Stocks in the wings that should be making a appearance soon. This class is going to be close and exciting this year. 

A Mods had their best showing of cars with 12, yes 3 were X mods, but the racing was tight and fast all night. Again Josh Cain 3j (must be the luckiest pill drawer in town) starts in front and stays there. The car that surprises a lot of folks is the over 10 year old car of Ron "Cooter" Frazier. He is always in the hunt and has won a couple of mains with his fossil, gotta be driver talent. Justin Weber #63 looked good in his new A Mod after moving up from the X Mod division, look for good thing coming from Justin. Donald Clinger #05 also driving an older car gets the most out of his equipment. Good job guys keep it coming. 

Now for the slug fest of the night, the NMMRA Non-Wing Sprint cars. There was a very good field of 20 cars on hand for opening day, so it is quite possible to see 25 or more of these super fast cars in action. All twenty cars on hand made it through the heat races and started the main-event with only 11 making it to the finish. Josh Hodges #74x won his heat and the main. But close on his heals was a very hard charging Robert Marfia #24 and Jason Grady #45 from Farmington. The #45 of Grady had the fans on their feet as he took to the extreme high groove to make his move to the front One of the best drives of the night was the #38 of Michael Fanelli who ran 2nd or 3rd all night, finally taking third behind Hodges and Grady. Cody Mansfield 4x and Jesse Baker #7 were also very fast and ran up front most of the race before running into problems and failing to make it to the checkered flag.

When the dust settled, oh, there really wasn't any dust as Charlie Fagen and his crew kept the track in fast and smooth condition all night. Great start to this season and with the anticipated increase in car count it could be one of the best racing seasons in a couple of years. Come out and see all the action for yourself.

Have A Great Day
GodBless Everybody

Here are the full results as we saw them, these results are “NOT OFFICIAL” and we apologize for any errors.

NMMRA Sprints
Heat #1, #7 Jesse Baker, #24 Robert Marfia, #12J Josh Grady, #4L Kristy Smith, #55 David Dykes, #17 Steven Spiak, #2D David Gay

Heat #2, #74X Josh Hodges, #57 Austin Mansfield, #38 Michael Fanelli, #56 Dillon Tanner, #7M Matthew Cardenas, #52nm Joshua Jackson, #5 Jerill Higginbotham DNF

Heat #3, #45 Jason Grady, #26 Randy Smith, #4X Cody Mansfield, #29 Ted Schlote, #7X Danny Lee, #99 Chuck Jackson

Main-Event, #74X Josh Hodges, #45 Jason Grady, #38 Michael Fanelli, #57 Austin Mansfield, #26 Randy Smith, #56 Dillon Tanner, #52nm Joshua Jackson, #2D David Gay, #17 Steven Spiak, #29 Ted Schlote, #55 David Dykes, #24 Robert Marfia DNF, #12J Josh Grady DNF, #99 Chuck Jackson DNF, #7M Matthew Cardenas DNF, #4X Cody Mansfield DNF, #7 Jesse Baker DNF, #4L Kristy Smith DNF, #5 Jerill Higginbotham DNF, #7X Danny Lee DNF

A-Mods
Heat #1, #3J Josh Cain, #05 Donald Clinger, #95 Andrew Fowner, #R7 Ronnie Salas, #18 Kevin Hibdon DNF, #36 David Radman DNF


Heat #2, #28 Cooter Frazier, #M71 Deral Meek, #62 Tom Melloy, #63 Justin Weber, #58 Clint Miller, #20 Tim Lamm

Main-Event, #3J Josh Cain, #28 Cooter Frazier, #63 Justin Weber, #05 Donald Clinger, #58 Clint Miller, #R7 Ronnie Salas, #M71 Deral Meek, #36 David Radman, #95 Andrew Fowner, #18 Kevin Hibdon, #20 Tim Lamm DNF, #62 Tom Melloy DNF

Street Stocks
Heat #1, #53 R.C. Combs, #143 Danny Gross Jr., #54 Shawn Dutcher, #99 Joel Duke, #33 Devon Gates, #82 Gerald Haste

Heat #2, #5X Rick Boelter, #15 Cheyenna Yates, #88 Andrew Fanning, #74M Rob Moesley, #M77 Cameron Martin, #48 John Glass

Main-Event, #53 R. C. Combs, #99 Joel Duke, #74M Rob Moesley, #M77 Cameron Martin, #48 John Glass, #5X Rick Boelter, #82 Gerald Haste DNF, #15 Cheyenna Yates DNF, #54 Shawn Dutcher DNF, #33 Devon Gates DNF, #143 Danny Gross Jr. DNF, #88 Andrew Fanning DNF

Mini-Sprints
Heat #1, #22 Robert Turner, #17J Jacob Johnston, #9X Eric Smith, #72 Mike Barnes, #69X T.J. McHugh DNF

Heat #2, #712 Paul Campbell, #619 Lalo Saenz, #23 Hannah Dykes, #38 Taryn Stelzig, #84 Katie Seals

Main-Event, #22 Robert Turner, #17J Jacob Johnston, #712 Paul Campbell, #72 Mike Barnes, #619 Lalo Saenz, #9X Eric Smith, #38 Taryn Stelzig, #84 Katie Seals, #23 Hannah Dykes, #69X T.J. McHugh DNF

Cruisers / Hornets
Heat #1, #1 Phil York, #7 Daysha Boelter, #43 Art Hurley, #98Y Coulter Morgan, #50 Dan Baca DNF, #79 Thomas Travis-Bateman DNF

Heat #2, #99 Lena Duke, #28 Gary Smith, #58 Frank Payne, #44 Art Hurley III, #96 Luke Jones, #18 Jim Kosinski

Heat #3, #80 Ernie Sandoval, #97B Justin Morgan, #20 John Morningstar, #75 Gered Hensley, #26 Cody Sanchez, #78 Anthony Sandoval DNF

Main-Event, #1 Phil York, #28 Gary Smith, #99 Lena Duke, #43 Art Hurley, #97B Justin Morgan, #7 Daysha Boelter, #80 Ernie Sandoval, #26 Cody Sanchez, #50 Dan Baca, #20 John Morningstar, #44 Art Hurley III, #98Y Coulter Morgan, #75 Gerad Hensley, #58 Frank Payne, #79 Thomas Travis-Bateman, #18 Jim Kosinski DNF, #96 Luke Jones DNF, #78 Anthony Sandoval DNF