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Firmly entrenched among the top five in Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour points, John Carney II is ready for a weekend triple throughout Iowa and Missouri this weekend aboard the Sander Construction/South Plains Auto Transport/Mesilla Valley Transportation No. J2 Sprint Car.

The action begins with Carney’s first visit to West Burlington, Iowa’s 34 Raceway on Friday before shifting to Eldon, Missouri’s Lake Ozark Speedway for the Tenth Annual LOS 360 Sprint Car Nationals on Saturday and Sunday.

While it will be Carney’s maiden voyage at 34 Raceway, he scored a National Tour win at Lake Ozark Speedway earlier this year.

“I’m looking forward to West Burlington, it looks pretty neat, should be a fun track to race on,” Carney says.  “And we were really good at Lake Ozark last time.  We have a different car and different motor from the last time, but I think we’re dialed in about right.”

Carney enters the weekend sitting fourth in points with the Lake Ozark triumph in May among his ten top-fives and 15 top-tens in series competition.

Carney goes into the weekend after posting a runner-up finish in ASCS Lone Star Region action last weekend at Texas’ Abilene Speedway after the scheduled National Tour event in West Memphis, AR, fell victim to excessive rain.

It was an Abilene Speedway unlike Carney had seen in the past.

“It’s usually dry there,” Carney says.  “It was tacky and heavy all night and got faster as the night went on.  I couldn’t get the car free enough.”

Starting from the pole position, Carney ran second throughout after a questionable start and finished out the night with runner-up honors.

“Tony (Bruce, Jr.) jumped the start pretty bad and they didn’t call it back, which I probably would do the same if I knew they wouldn’t call it back,” Carney explains.  “It was wide open from there on, all you could do was follow and hope for a mistake.”

With another Regional shakedown in the books, it’s back to National action this weekend.

Quick Stats:  26 Races, 3 Wins, 14 top-fives, 17 top-tens.

Next Up: Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour 34 Raceway in West Burlington, IA, on Friday and Lake Ozark Speedway near Eldon, MO, on Saturday and Sunday.

Keep Track:  Keep track of John Carney II’s on-track action including schedule and results via his Facebook page.

After much anticipation, El Paso native John Carney II finally gets his chase for the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour championship under way with a pair of events in Nebraska and Missouri on Thursday and Friday.

Carney will kick off the weekend aboard the Sander Construction/South Plains Auto Transport/Mesilla Valley Transportation No. J2 Sprint Car on Thursday at Nebraska’s Eagle Raceway before moving on to Cameron, Missouri’s U.S. 36 Raceway on Friday.

The National events were originally set to fire off in mid-March at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX, only to be wiped out by wet weather.

Eagle should be an ideal starting point for Carney, as he has enjoyed success atop the racey, high-banked 1/3-mile clay oval including a past triumph in the track’s Racesaver Nationals that attracts fields of approximately 100.

“Eagle is fun to race at and it’s been good for us, hopefully we can get this thing off to a really good start on Thursday night,” Carney commented.

From there, it will be new territory with Carney’s first visit to the lightning-fast high banks of U.S. 36 Raceway’s 3/8-mile clay oval on Friday night.

“I feel like we usually do pretty well at tracks that we haven’t seen, so I think we should be in good shape,” Carney says.

With Mother Nature wreaking havoc over the early portion of the season, Carney has just one night of competition so far with 81 Speedway’s opening leg of the Air Capital Shootout before the final night was washed out earlier this month.

Carney rebounded to post a 14^th-place finish in that outing after being collected in an opening-lap melee that resulted in left rear damage.

Carney has made the most of the unscheduled downtime, putting the necessary touches on everything to ensure the team is ready for a full season on the road.

“I’ve taken the extra time getting the trailer updated and making sure the cars and engines are ready,” Carney says.  “We have everything ready to go, I’m excited to finally get started this weekend and get off to a good start.”

Officials from the new Vado Speedway Park in Vado, N.M., have released a tentative schedule of events for the 2019 racing season.

“We met with the construction team earlier this month and we are on track for opening night in March 2019,” said General Manager Rue Stone who will oversee operations at the all-new, state-of-the-art motorsports complex in the New Mexico desert. “We are getting a lot of exposure from all over the country from fans, sponsors and sanctioning bodies, and we are excited to get the season underway.

“This is yet another reason why Royal Jones and his family are so respected in the racing community—and deservedly so,” Stone added. “Few, if any, have done what Royal has for dirt track racers and fans. He means the world to dirt track racing and to me personally.”

The same classes that competed on Saturday nights last year at the now-shuttered Southern New Mexico Speedway will be competing at the Vado Speedway Park, and there are no significant rules changes in any of the weekly classes.

Modifieds, Stock Cars and X-Mods (B-Mods) will be sanctioned by the USRA and compete for Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national, regional and track points. The Legend Cars will again be sanctioned by INEX.

With a robust schedule of events, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars top the list with 41 appearances throughout the season and each driver’s best 30 starts will apply toward the season points championship.

Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods have 28 nights penciled in and 22 shows will count toward final track points.

American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Casa Nissan Legend Cars and Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers each have 25 nights of racing. Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds will be on the card for 24 nights.

All four classes will apply the driver’s best 20 finishes during the 2019 campaign.

Twenty race nights have the Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models scheduled and 18 of those apply toward the track championship. With 21 nights of Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Car action, 18 best starts will count toward the title chase.

Open wheel madness will be in full force at the Vado Speedway Park in 2019. The Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars will make seven stops while the ASCS Southwest Region 360 Winged Sprint Cars will each be in action four nights and the United States Modified Touring Series for three evenings.

ASCS Southwest Region 360 Winged Sprint Cars make their first appearance on Saturday and Sunday, May 25-26, for the annual Salute to Indy and return August 31 and September 1 for the Border Tour.

The USMTS and Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds will headline the 2nd Annual Short Track Shootout on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 3-5.

The POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League will join Mod Lites for their debut and only appearance of the year during the season-ending inaugural Turkey Bowl on Friday and Saturday, November 29-30.

Vado Speedway Park is a semi-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located just off of I-10 at exit 155, then 0.2 mile north on Stern Dr. (track is on your left). For more information, call (575) 524-7913 or (505) 524-7913. You can also check out VSP on Facebook at Facebook, Instagram or on Twitter.

Vado Speedway Park 2019 schedule:

Thursday, March 28 … Test ‘n’ Tune.

Friday-Saturday, March 29-30 … 305 Sprint Shootout: Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars ($2,500 to win), Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.
Saturday, April 6 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday, April 12 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.
Saturday, April 13 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Saturday, April 20 … Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday, April 26 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers Casa Nissan Legend Cars.
Saturday, April 27 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.
Thursday, May 2 … Test ‘n’ Tune.

Friday-Sunday, May 3-5 … 2nd Annual Rancho Milagro Short Track Shootout: USMTS/USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Saturday, May 11 … Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday, May 17 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.
Saturday, May 18 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Saturday-Sunday, May 25-26 … Salute to Indy: ASCS Southwest Region 360 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars (Saturday), Casa Nissan Legend Cars (Sunday).

Friday, May 31 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.
Saturday, June 1 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Saturday, June 8 … Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Casa Nissan Legend Cars, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday-Saturday, June 14-15 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Saturday, June 22 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Saturday, June 29 … MVT Night + Fireworks: Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars.

Friday-Saturday, July 5-6 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Saturday, July 13 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Friday, July 19 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.
Saturday, July 20 … Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday, July 26 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.
Saturday, July 27 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Friday-Saturday, Aug. 2-3 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Saturday, Aug. 10 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Friday, Aug. 16 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.
Saturday, Aug. 17 … Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday-Saturday, Aug. 23-24 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 31-Sept. 1 … Border Tour: ASCS Southwest Region 360 Winged Sprint Cars, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Saturday, Sept. 7 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Saturday, Sept. 14 … Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Friday-Saturday, Sept. 20-21 … Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars, Anthony Sosa Roofing Late Models, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, Casa Nissan Legend Cars.

Friday-Saturday, Sept. 27-28 … Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers.

Thursday, Oct. 3 … Test ‘n’ Tune.

Friday-Saturday, Oct. 4-5 … INEX Legends Car Dirt Nationals: Casa Nissan Legend Cars, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, American Documents & Dent Works Super Trucks, Clayton Donnelly Roofing Claimers + Mod-Lites.

Thursday, Oct. 24 … Test ‘n’ Tune.

Friday-Sunday, Oct. 25-27 … 20th Annual Toyota USRA Fall Nationals: Rancho Milagro USRA Modifieds, Hacienda Carpet & Tile USRA X-Mods, Sun Valley Hardware USRA Stock Cars.

Friday-Saturday, Nov. 29-30 … Inaugural Turkey Bowl: POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League, Lucas Oil POWRi/NMMRA 360 Non-Wing Sprint Cars, Lucas Oil POWRi 305 Winged Sprint Cars.

Schedule is tentative and subject to change without notice. Visit the Vado Speedway Park website for ticket prices, times and the latest schedule lineup.

At sixteen, I was not really thinking about my future, or what I wanted to do.  I was working at KXCR Radio and my life revolved around music, girls, and what I was going to do that weekend. I really wasn’t thinking too much about my future.

I recently met an interesting young man while dropping off a car at a local auto repair shop. Sixteen-year-old Richard Olague, Jr. knows exactly what he is going to do with his life, not only now, but in the future as well. He’s been racing cars for about two and a half years now.

The type of car Richard races is an X-Mod: think of it as a motor, surrounded by a well-built roll cage, some thin sheet metal, large tires and not much more.  X-Mods are a staple of short-track racing throughout the country, on dirt tracks like you find in Las Cruces, El Paso, and many other cities and towns.

He offered to show me his car, and by show, he meant feel. When he started his car, the walls and floor began to vibrate. The raw power echoed, not only in the garage, but around the entire block; the vibration surrounded me,  making my bones shake.

I had to know what makes a teen want to race cars…what made him want to start when he was fourteen? His answer; “My father used to race in the 90’s and into the early part of 2001.” So you could say the racing tradition was there in his blood.

“It’s pretty hard to win because I am racing people who have been racing for a while,” he says with a smile. “I want to beat them, beat the masters.”

“It’s a passion…a way of life for me,” he says. “I would rather be here, working on my race car, than going out.” And that is what he does. Most days, after football practice at Montwood High School, he can be found at his father’s shop on Yarbrough and Alameda.

Other than working on his car, football practice, and helping his dad, Richard also helps the Barnetts, of Barnett Harley Davidson. His first car, when he finished the eighth grade, was bought from the Barnett’s. The deal with his dad was to pass all his classes with A’s, and his dad would buy his first car. “I worked hard and passed with all A’s”

Most days, it seems to me, that a lot of teenagers are not exactly thinking about their future, but Richard seems to have his future well in hand.

When I asked him about his goals, he said his short term goals are, “Get up to the next level.” Long term would be NASCAR. “You got to keep working and not give up. Look for opportunities, when you get it, just take it.”

In case you are wondering, as I was, I had to ask how much it costs for the car? “If you want a good strong one, around $12,000 to $20,000. You have to be smart about it, where you spend the money.” This is why Richard said he is looking for sponsors.

His next race is April 20-22nd up in Las Cruces. He’ll be racing every fifteen days. “Once I get the Modified out, I’ll be racing every Saturday.”

If you want to follow Richard, or know about race dates, or times, you can call him, or his father, Richy at 915-860- 8607. I can promise you, we are going to be hearing a lot about this young man in the future.

The Gallardos again dominated victory lane Friday night at Western Tech Speedway Park in El Paso.

Jake outraced Fito in the Late Model Feature to take first place, just as he did in the USRA Modifieds against Odessa’s Phillip Houston.  In the Legends, Steven Arellano bested fellow El Pasoans Mike Zuloaga and Gunner Harris to take the checkered flag.

In the Street Stock Main, New Mexico drivers again took the podium places, with Jaime Torres, Jason Josselyn and Victor Colorbio finishing 1-2-3.

For more information and upcoming shows, visit Western Tech Speedway Park’s Website.

It was another great night of racing at Western Tech Speedway Park Friday night. With only four classes running, racers made the most of the competition across the platforms.

Fabens’ own Ismael Garcia beat veteran racer Sherman Barnett in the SuperTrucks, while it was again a battle of Las Cruces drivers in the XMods as Donovon Flores beat out Jimmy Ray.

Over in the 305Sprints, Wes Wofford’s trek down from Alamogordo paid off, as he beat Juarez’s Cesar Fuentes.

The StreetStock main was an all Southern New Mexico affair, as the top three spots were taken by drivers from the City of the Crosses; Jaime Torres took the checkered flag over Martin Robinson and Victor Colorbio.

Full results are below, courtesy Western Tech Speedway Park.

Racing returned to Speedway Park after taking last week off thanks to the dirt-fit put on by Mother Nature, and New Mexico drivers dominated the track.

Las Crucen Jimmy Ray took the USRA X-Mods, while Alamogordite  Kyle McCutcheon snagged the win in the Legends Main Event. In Street Stock action, Jaime Torres beat out Jason Josselyn from Tularosa.

While Jake Gallardo beat out Fito in the USRA Modifieds,  Fito came right back in the Late Models to beat out Deming’s own  Mercedes Harris-Abercrombie.

Full Feature results are below, thanks to El Paso Speedway Park.

Fresh off a successful Casa Nissan Spring Fling, officials at the Western Tech Speedway Park are readying for the famed race track’s final season-opening event this Friday, April 29.

The 2016 Weekly Racing Series Season Opener featured USRA Modifieds, Street Stocks, Super Trucks, Southwest Late Models and Casa Nissan Legends Cars.

Dave Deetz took the Super Truck Feature Race, Jake Gallardo won the Late Model Main, while Tom Zuloaga took the flag in the Legends Main.

In the Street Stocks, Martin Robinson took first and first place in the Modifieds went to Fito Gallardo.

The former El Paso Speedway Park is embarking on the final season for the 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located east of El Paso on Highway 62.

The track will permanently close following at the end of the current racing season.

Officials from the El Paso Speedway Park announced a new partnership today with Western Technical College that will see the family-owned and operated trade school become the title sponsor of the historic dirt race track.

“Western Tech is happy to support Speedway Park, whose roots run deep in El Paso like ours,” said Brad Kuykendall, Chief Executive Officer of Western Technical College. “This partnership provides an opportunity for growth in the industries we both serve—not only for our students but for auto and racing fans and enthusiasts.”

If you’ve got a passion, and now you want a career, this is the school for you. Western Tech is an accredited career school located in El Paso with a real-world approach that combines classroom learning with hands-on experience. It’s one of the many reasons Western Tech graduates find success in their careers.

“Western Tech has long been a shining asset to our community and the residents of El Paso,” said the track’s General Manager, Rue Stone. “As a premier sports and entertainment destination in the Southwest, this is a partnership that makes sense on so many levels, and one that we’re confident will benefit both the race track and Western Tech, as well as the thousands of fans who visit us each year.”

One thing that won’t change, Stone added, is the high-powered excitement that race fans have come to expect from the super-fast 3/8-mile-long clay oval located just east of El Paso.

Since 1970, Western Tech has provided quality training and education in a caring, professional environment that prepares new students and working adults with the skills they need to succeed and advance in their chosen careers.

More than just words in a book, what is special about Western Technical College is the manner in which they help students achieve their educational goals with a combination of hands-on experience, traditional classroom work and industry-specific career development.

This isn’t Western Tech’s first involvement with the world of motorsports. In 2013, Western Tech partnered with multi-time NHRA champion Don Schumacher Racing to create an internship program that has since seen graduates from the program go on to life-changing careers in the sport of drag racing.

“We’re always looking to add skilled and ambitious people to the DSR organization,” said team owner Don Schumacher.

Western Tech was recently awarded two School of Excellence Awards—one for each campus—from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. Only 13 colleges received this prestigious award which, in part, measures the school’s graduation and employment rates.

For more information about Western Technical College, call 800-225-5984 or visit them online at www.westerntech.edu. You can also like their Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/westerntechnicalcollege, follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/westerntech and Instagram at www.instagram.com/westerntech, or subscribe to their YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/westerntechelpaso.

Western Tech Speedway Park is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located 6.0 miles east of FM 375 on US 62, then 0.5 mile north on Krag St., then east on Tangerine Ave.

For more information, call 915-791-8749 or check out www.epspeedwaypark.com. You can also find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/elpasospeedwaypark or follow them on Twitter atwww.twitter.com/elpasospeedway.