The drivers were back on the Desert Thunder Raceway over the weekend. The weather would force Friday night to be cut short, but they started Saturday’s events earlier, to make sure all races were completed.
Starting on Friday in the IMCA Modified, Mickey Stubbing would come away with the win, with Wyatt Howard placing second. In the IMCA Northern SportMod, beginning in Heat 1, Camden Wilson placed first, with Dillion Thomas in second and Kade Dimick in third. In Heat 2, Andy Nelson placed second and David Madill would claim the third spot. In the main event, Camden Wilson would keep up the solid driving, winning the IMCA Norther Sportmod event. Following him was Kade Dimick, moving up six spots to claim third, Shaw Parish moved up four spots for fourth, Dillion Thomas placed fifth and Jacob Vasquez would finish at sixth.
In the IMCA Stock Car, Derick Robinson would get the win in the Heat race, but fell to second place in the A Feature 1. In the IMCA Hobby Stock, Payce Herrera finished in second in Heat 1, followed by Race Vasquez in third. In the main, Jeremy Birch would finish in fifth and Mark Merlen claimed the sixth spot. Jaydun Thomas finished at number one in the IMCA Mod Lite division, followed by Jeff Wood. In the Young Guns Sport Compacts, Chaz Jensen would claim the victory.
Finishing out the Friday events was the IMCA Sport Compact. Austin Vigil would get third place in Heat 1 and Jackson Shiew claimed number one in Heat 2. In the main, Jackson kept that momentum going, taking home the victory in the main event, followed by Austin Vigil, placing fourth. In the Open Class event, Mason Gallegos moved up three spots in Heat 1 to finish in the two spot. Ryland Parker followed, moving up three spots as well, getting the fourth-place finish. Moving to the main, Mason Gallegos drove well, moving up four positions to claim the victory on night one.
On to the Saturday events, starting in the IMCA Modified, Wyatt Howard would claim the top spot, followed by Mickey Stubbings. In the IMCA Norther SportMod, Camden Wilson would move up three spots in Heat 1, to claim the second-place finish. Followed by Kade Dimick in third and Jacob Vasquez in fourth. In Heat 2, Shawn Parish moved up three spots to claim the victory in Heat 2. Followed by Dillion Thomas in second, Andy Nelson in third and Dave Madill in fourth.
The main event would have Kade Dimick passing eight drivers to claim his fourteenth win of the season. “Congrats to Camden Wilson on the W. Saturday’s feature we started ninth and ended up taking home win #14 on the season! We will have one more weekend here before we head back east, going to try some new things and see if we can find some more speed,” said Dimick. Following Dimick on the Saturday main was Camden Wilson in third, Dillion Thomas in fourth, Andy Nelson in fifth, Shawn Parish in sixth and Jacob Vasquez in seventh.
Derick Robinson would get the second place finish in the main for the IMCA Stock Car. In the IMCA Hobby Stock, Payce Herrera won Heat 1, passing four drivers, followed by Race Vasquez in fourth, Jeremy Birch in fifth and Linda Merlen in sixth. In Heat 2, Mark Merlen place fourth and Cam Shiner finished in sixth. In the main event, Payce Herrera kept his eye on the prize, moving up seven spots to claim the victory.
“Win #17 in the Hobby, came at home at the Desert Thunder Raceway. What a year it’s been. Thank you to everyone that supports me,” said Herrera, continuing with, “What a season we have had as a rookie in the IMCA Hobby Stock. It’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears. But so thankful for this opportunity. The people we have met that would do anything for me. I so appreciate all of you.”
Following Herrera in the event was Mark Merlen in fourth, Jeremy Birch in seventh and Cam Shiner in tenth.
In the IMCA Mod Lite, Jaydun Thomas would get another win during the weekend, followed by Jeff Wood. Chaz Nelson would also get another trip to victory lane in the Young Gun. In the IMCA Sport Compact, Jackson Shiew finished in second in Heat 1, followed by Austin Vigil in third and Jaylynn Williams in fifth.
Shiew would claim second again in the main event, with a valiant effort moving up six positions. Jaylnn Williams would collect the fifth spot. Finishing in the Open Class, Mason Gallegos placed first in Heat 2 and had a great race in the main, moving up six spots, getting him a victory on the weekend. Ryland Parker followed, placing in second place. The next weekend of races at the Desert Thunder Raceway will be held on August 23 – 24.
- Photos Courtesy of Desert Thunder Raceway