Jay
Beasley enjoyed a happy homecoming at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
on Saturday night.
The
Las Vegas native drove his No. 27 NASCAR Super Late Model car to victory in the
60-lap feature race on O’Hanley Memorial Opening Night while on a break from
his full-time NASCAR K&N Pro Series East ride. The nine-race night kicked
off the 3/8-mile track’s 2015 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series that will
extend into October and honored the memory of long-time Bandoleros team owner
Jim Hanley, who passed away in the offseason.
Beasley,
the Super Late Model 2013 season champion, was all smiles after climbing out of
his car at victory lane.
“It just feels great to come back home and
have some fun with the crew, family and friends,” he said. “I love The
Bullring, and I love Vegas. I couldn’t thank everyone enough for coming out to
support me.”
The
race was slowed by a smattering of cautions, but the restarts did not faze
Beasley.
“Actually,
I really enjoy restarts,” he said. “I like controlling the pace, and there’s
just something about not spinning your tires while trying to get the car to
hook up and get a good start. I really enjoy that.”
Chris Trickle, the nephew of former NASCAR
great Dick Trickle, led early, but blew the engine in his No. 70 car on the ninth
lap while rounding turn four. Five-time and defending champion Scott Gafforini
battled back after losing part of his hood in the same wreck to finish second
in his No. 38 car.
Defending
NASCAR Grand American Modifieds champion Jason Irwin got into a groove early
and picked up win No. 1 of the 2015 season in his class’ 35-lap feature with a
new car. Vinny Raucci Jr., led early, but settled for second place.
“Chris Bray and the boys built me a brand new
car this year, and it’s a rocket ship,” said Irwin, who travels from
Albuquerque, N.M., to race at The Bullring. “I thought we’d be strong with a
new car and thought we’d have more shakedown, but it was good.”
Court
Connell took the lead in the NASCAR Bombers’ 25-lap feature, then held off
Aaron McMorran for the second half of the race to cross the line first.
McMorran tail-grabbed Connell’s bumper down the stretch, but could not make the
pass and finished .315 seconds behind.
“He
had me worried, and I’m sure he put some dents in my bumper,” Connell said of
McMorran. “I was sitting in the lineup and got a little hungry, and the game
plan became to go and get some food. I saw my brother over there eating all the
food, and so I wanted to get the race over with so I could go get some food.”
Peyton
Saxton qualified sixth for the USLCI Legend Cars’ 20-lap feature, but the
16-year-old quickly moved to the front in his No. 10 red, white and blue car
before holding off Nick Halen at the end. Saxton won the Legend division’s Pro
class last season and has started 2015 off on the right foot.
“We didn’t qualify too well, but the car ran
great and was really fast,” Saxton said. “I was able to get through and run to
the front real quick. That race was really fun, and it’s always great to have
lots of cars out there.”
Dylan
Nobile claimed the 30-lap USAC HPD Midget feature ahead of Cody Jessop in a
race that included a red flag after Jeff Kelley came to rest on his roof after
a frontstretch wreck with Jesse Love.
“I
just tried to make my move early and stay out in the lead and try to get a
rhythm going,” Nobile said.
Ian
Anderson of Las Vegas was dominant in the 20-lap USLCI Thunder Cars feature,
finishing .269 seconds ahead of 2014 class champion Chris Bosley. Anderson
navigated his No. 21 car from the back of the seven-driver field to claim yet
another victory at The Bullring.
R.J.
Smotherman of Pahrump, Nev., kicked things off by leading the night’s first race
from start to finish and claiming the 12-lap USLCI O’Hanley’s Bandolero Bandits
feature in his No. 24 car, 2.8 seconds clear of defending Bandolero Bandits
season champion Dezel West. Las Vegas’ Kyle Jacks followed with a victory in
the 12-lap USLCI O’Hanley’s Bandolero Outlaws feature in his black No. 4 car
after holding off a challenge from Mason Sargent.
NEXT
RACE – Saturday, April 4 – NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. The Bullring's
concession stand offers $2 hot dogs, $2 Coca-Cola products and $3 Budweiser
beer on each NASCAR Whelen All-American Series race night.
For
more information on all events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, please visit
www.LVMS.com and follow LVMS on Facebook and Twitter.
Saturday
night’s 3/21 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series feature-event results from The
Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
60-lap
NASCAR Super Late Models
1.
Jay Beasley, Scott Gafforini, David Anderson, Stan Mullis, Steve Anderson,
Branden Underwood, Kayli Barker, Dennis Rock Jr., Barry Karr, Jason Kenzevich,
Warren Knipper, Michael Todd Glazier, Wayne Jacks, David Brandon, Andre
Prescott, Chris Trickle, Noah Gragson.
35-lap
NASCAR Grand American Modifieds
1.
Jeff Irwin, Vinny Raucci Jr., Doug Ham, Scott Ozborne, Mark Allison, Patrick
O’Hanley, Pat Petrie, Steven Durbin, Brian Reed, Marty DeLuca, Tom Pfundstein.
30-lap
USAC HPD Midgets
1.
Dylan Nobile, Cody Jessop, Toni Bredinger, Dezel West, Jeff Kelley, Annie
Bredinger, Jesse Love.
25-lap
NASCAR Bombers
1. Court
Connell, Aaron McMorran, Michael Greve, Jim Merlino, Martin Sullins, Robert
Schumacher, J.J. Nunn, Rich Ham, Gary Griffiths, Steve Danko, Gary Wyatt,
Justin Griffiths, Arlie Daniel Jr., Scott Bradbury, Sam Jacks, Kirk Hance,
Billy Hern, Nick Nuccitelli, Andrew Louis, Anthony Reigert, Jeff Bargerhuff.
25-lap
NASCAR Super Stocks
1.
Phil Goodwin, Jason Kiser, Ryan Vargas, Matt Larsen, John Spilotro, Robert
Negrete, Mark Balconi, Nick Tierno Jr.
25-lap
USLCI Legend Cars
1.
Peyton Saxton, Nick Halen, Cameron Morga, Bryan Grandin, Jason Allen, Robert
Gayton, Ryan Eyer, Randy Beddow, Kaeen Honeycutt, Rick McNeill, Michael Todd
Glazier, Caden Carlin, Gary Scheuerell, Cheyanne Schlindler, Brian Williams,
Gary Wegener, Brian Lane, Ricky Lewis, Ricky De LeRee, Gina Tillman, Devin
Lane.
20-lap
USLCI Thunder Cars
1.
Ian Anderson, Chris Bosley, Travis Boyle, Josh Quartaro, Mark Anderson, Doug
Germano, Ron Reed.
12-lap
USLCI O’Hanley’s Bandolero Outlaws
1.
Kyle Jacks, Mason Sargent, Philip Root, Dylin Smotherman, Zackary St. Onge,
Ricky Lewis.
12-lap
USLCI O’Hanley’s Bandolero Bandits
R.J.
Smotherman, Dezel West, Austin Edwards, Ethan Deguevara, Kyle Keller, Brodey
Warren, Tye O’Hanley, Amilleo Thomson, Matthew Cunningham, Colbe Arnold.
Photo
Credit – Jeff Speer
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