Wes Woffford Takes 305 Shootout at SNMS

Southern New Mexico Speedway
Southern New Mexico Speedway

(Las Cruces, NM) Thirty-five laps for $5,000 with Alamogordo, New Mexico’s Lorne Wofford on the pole alongside Lubbock, Texas’ Josh Baughman at Southern New Mexicio Speedway.

The green would wave with the caution immediately following as the 56 of Mike Wells and the 777 of Brandon Black came together down the front straight; forcing the complete restart.

Back to green flag racing and the 18 of Wofford would jump out front with Derek Drown fighting hard on the high side of the Speedway, moving around the 17 of Baughman for the runner up spot. Back to forth, the 8 of John Carney II and the 75 of Jeff Swindell would battle hard with Swindell able to make the pass but not without Carney working back past the 75.

Into slower traffic, the 18 of Wofford would continue to pull away as the battle for third began to unfold between fifth starting Wes Wofford and John Carney II but the 8 of Carney would trip the cushion, allowing Swindell and the 45x of Johnny Herrera to make their way by before the caution waved for the fireball that was Preston Peebles engine letting go on the top of turns three and four.

As the field began lining up, the 18 of Wofford would see his night go from leading to last as a tire would go flat on the MTS #18. Assuming the lead, the 74b of Derek Drown would see the green flag wave with twenty-three laps to run.

Starting to pull away, Drown would see his night come to an abrupt end as the engine under the hood of the Coyote Candle Company 74b would let go, bring the field back to yellow flag conditions and handing the lead to Wes Wofford.

Twenty-one laps left to run and Wofford would have Johnny Herrera and John Carney II restarting on his rear bumper. Able to pull away, the 19 of Wofford would leave the field behind while Herrera and Carney began to battle for the runner up spot.

Just past fifteen laps to run, the battle on the track was for fifth as the 75 of Swindell would be challenged by the 12m of Gary Lee Maier. Unable to complete the pass, Maier would begin working on building momentum as the leaders began approaching slower traffic.

With a wall of cars in front of him, Wofford would have to do some quick thinking as the 45x of Herrera began to close in but just as it looked like the DENCO Racing 19 was about to be held up, the 9 of Robert Herrera would begin flipping wildly off the top of turn one, forcing the red flag. The driver of the Avenger Chassis 9 was ok after his flip.

Thirteen laps to run and Wofford would take off with the lead as Herrera and Carney II again battled for second.

After a flat tire sent the 18 of Lorne Wofford to the back of the field, the 18 would restart inside the top ten. Using restarts to his advantage, Wofford would get another chance to pick up spots as the caution waved for the 777 of Brandon Black who spun to a stop after contact with the 44 of Jason Howell.

With nine laps to run, the 12m of Gary Lee Maier would make the pass on Jeff Swindell for fifth but on the next lap, the two drivers would come together; ending the night for Maier and sending the 75 of Swindell to the back of the field.

On the restart, the battle was again for second as Carney slipped by but for just a moment as the 45x of Herrera slid back into second.
With laps winding down, Wofford would hit every mark in every corner as the Interstate Battery 19 crossed the finish line to a $5,000 payday. Herrera would hold onto second while John Carney II, Kyle McCutcheon, and Brandon Schure rounded out the top five.

$5,000 to win 305 Sprint Car A-Main (35 laps): Wes Wofford, Johnny Herrera, John Carney II, Kyle McCutcheon, Brandon Schure, Lorne Wofford, Royal Jones, John Carney, JR Patton, Anton Salopek, Colt Treharn, Billy Roy Harris, Jeff Swindell, Jason Howell, Zach Blurton, Gary Lee Maier, Brandon Black, Josh Baughman, Robert Herrera, Don Grable, Derek Drown, Mike Wells, Preston Peebles, Bill Boles