Local race car drivers and other speed demons from the Four Corners gathered at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway for two nights of racing on Friday and Saturday.
It was the second weekend of the International Motor Contest Association racing season in Cortez. There were not as many demons behind the wheel as on May 13 and 14, but the ones that turned out gave the fans a good show.
Its fun racing, Dove Creek IMCA modified racer Aaron Spangler said. Id really like to see everybody from town come out because this is a really good show, a really nice racetrack and theres some really good racing going on out here.
Spangler raced well in his No. 16 car, winning the 25-lap modified class on Saturday in 8:02.646 with a best lap time of 18.641. He came in second on Friday night in the 20-lap race.
We had a really good car, stuck with the bottom tonight, didnt get up there and try to drive off the top, and got to the front. Weve had some really good runs this year, Spangler said after his third 2011 IMCA win. This is a new car out of Idaho. Its been an awesome race car. Tonight, we had a good field of cars.
Aarons son, Brody Spangler, No. 91, and cousin, Ryan Spangler, No. 97R, made it a modified racing family affair, taking eighth and ninth place on Friday. Brody came in ninth on Saturday, and Ryan was 16th.
Victory Racing regular stock driver Tony Hill came out to the local track in his 007, red rimmed car and placed top three both nights.
However, Hill couldnt shake Bloomfield, N.M., product Rex Higgins. Higgins AK47 car finished first and second in the stocks on Saturday (19:12.542) and Friday. The Bloomfield native knows the Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway all too well, as Higgins won the 2010 IMCA track points championship.
Another New Mexico racer experienced the highs of the local speedway but also saw the immediate frustrating lows of what can happen on the dirt oval track. On Friday, Zach Rouse was leading the pack in the 25-lap sport modified race and had the top lap time of 18.426. In an instant, his No. 7x car spun out, ultimately ending his race at 14 laps.
I just got spun out, Rouse said. I was running good. The car was running perfect. I just had a bad night, I guess.
Rouse didnt change anything with his car on Saturday. He was able to stay in front and head off the rest of the pack for the win in 15:33.75. He increased his top lap time to 17.990.
(I) basically came out with the same setup tonight; had a little bit different result, though, Rouse said, chuckling.
The next races at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway are on Friday and Saturday, July 8 and 9, with races beginning at sundown.
For more information about race scheduling at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds Speedway, log on to www. fairgroundsspeedwaycortez.com.
Reach Bobby Abplanalp at bobbya@cortezjournal.com.