LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Two of the top guns from IMCA’s ButlerBuilt Western Region topped Friday qualifying features, on night two of the Duel In The Desert special at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Ricky Alvarado ran away with the first IMCA Modified 25-lapper, getting the victory ahead of Steve Arpin, Will Brack and 2004 race winner Johnny Saathoff. Paul Stone had to work harder to get into and then maintain the lead in the second event. Jeremy Mills, Bobby Hogge IV and Scott Drake followed at the finish.
The top four from each race will start on the outside row in Saturday’s $7,777 to win main event. Chris Abelson won the dash for Thursday’s top four finishers and will start on the pole in the big show.
Brack was the frontrunner early on in the first qualifier, chased by Alvarado and Benji LaCrosse.
After LaCrosse fell off the pace, Alvarado found his way around Brack. Both avoided getting caught up in the multi-car tangle near midway but Brack was unable to hold the 14th starting Arpin in check following a late re-start.
Hogge led much of the way in the second qualifier before giving way to both Stone and Mills.
Mills was briefly at the front before Stone could regain the point.
Robby Rosselli passed Kevin Opheim coming to the white flag and won the 15-lap qualifying feature for IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars. Jake Masters, Rex Higgins and Trent Murphy rounded out the top five finishers.
Second only to the IMCA Speedway Motors Super Nationals with a Modified car count of 262, the 2009 Duel In The Desert concludes Saturday with last-chance qualifying, the Wild West Tour Shootout and feature events for both Modifieds and Stock Cars.
The Modified winner will be added to the ballot for next year’s Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational. The Stock Car winner pockets $777.
