Hogge, Belcher motor to Duel In The Desert qualifying wins

[rebelracewriter]

Hogge, Belcher motor to Duel In The Desert qualifying wins

 

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Nov. 12) – Bobby Hogge IV raced his way into the Duel In The Desert main event for IMCA Modifieds with a 12-year-old spare engine. Terry Belcher Jr. moved to the big Saturday show by motoring away from everybody.

 

Both topped Friday night qualifying features on the dirt track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in impressive fashion. Hogge won the first 20-lapper ahead of Jay Noteboom, Benji LaCrosse and 27th starting Ricky Alvarado, while Belcher led Jeff Taylor, Dylan Smith and Brad Pounds to the checkers in the second event.

 

All eight drivers advance to a Saturday dash to determine where they’ll start on the outside row in the $7,777 to win finale. Jordan Grabouski earned the pole with his Friday dash win.

 

Hogge was chased by national champion Zane DeVilbiss for much of their contest, then by Noteboom after lapped traffic came into play. He’d been forced to go to his backup motor because of mechanical issues early on opening night.

 

“We call it Old Faithful. It’s a Vortec-headed 358 spare that we put in when something else breaks,” Hogge said. “We had a good motor in to start but I stepped on the gas in hot laps on Thursday and broke a rod. Luckily we were in a late heat race that night so we had time to get the spare in.”

 

“We’ve had some decent runs at Vegas but I never thought we were as competitive as we could have been,” he added. “It was a good night for us.”

 

LaCrosse ran in the top five all the way and ended in third. Alvarado completed his charge toward the front by passing DeVilbiss on the final straightaway.

 

Belcher started from the pole in the nightcap and led every circuit. Taylor moved into the runner-up spot early on but was never able to challenge.

 

The 10th starting Smith had to work his way past two-time and defending race winner Johnny Saathoff before besting Pounds in a back-and-forth battle for third.

 

Saathoff wound up fifth. Dominic Ursetta was sixth, missing the transfer by just two places after starting 29th.

 

IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars joined the Friday fray. Winner of the qualifying feature was Jake Masters, ahead of Kevin Opheim, Loren De Armond, Perry Misner and Rex Higgins.

 

The Saturday program starts with a last-chance race for the Stocks, followed by the pole dash and a dozen last-chance races for Modifieds, the 20 lap EQ Cylinder Heads Wild West Tour Shootout, 20 lap Stock Car main and 40 lap Modified main.

 

The winner of the Modified feature becomes a candidate for the 2011 Fast Shafts All-Star Invitational ballot.

 

1st Modified qualifying feature –

 

1. Bobby Hogge IV, Salinas, Calif.;

 

2. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, Iowa;

 

3. Benji LaCrosse, Green Bay, Wis.;

 

4. Ricky Alvarado, Delta, Colo.;

 

5. Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M.;

 

6. Alex Stanford, Chowchilla, Calif.;

 

7. Jason Snyder, Dunkerton, Iowa;

 

8. Cody Gearhart, Turpin, Okla.;

 

9. Jason Noll, Phoenix, Ariz.;

 

10. Shawn Natenstedt, Fernley;

 

11. Phil Penney, Percival, Iowa;

 

12; Shane Hiatt, Rising City, Neb.;

 

13. Robby Sawyer, Bakersfield, Calif.;

 

14. Justen Yeager, Green River, Wyo.;

 

15. Eddie Belec, Lakewood, Colo.;

 

16. Dan Fitzgerald, Las Vegas;

 

17. Aaron Spangler, Dove Creek, Colo.;

 

18. Conner Pullen, Amarillo, Texas;

 

19. Troy Cordes, Raymond, Iowa;

 

20. Jimmy Reeves, Hanford, Calif.;

 

21. Cole Hodges, Ogallala, Neb.;

 

22. Robert Sanders, Bakersfield, Calif.;

 

23. Joe Antonetti, Santa Cruz, Calif.;

 

24. David Karst, Mills, Wyo.;

 

25. Jay Foster, Buckeye, Ariz.;

 

26. Kyle Heckman, Bakersfield, Calif.;

 

27. Jason Wolla, Williston, N.D.;

 

28. Josh Most, Red Oak, Iowa;

 

29. Brandon Blochlinger, Concordia, Kan.;

 

30. Bob Moore, Sioux City, Iowa.

 

2nd Modified qualifying feature –

 

1. Terry Belcher Jr., Phoenix, Ariz.;

 

2. Jeff Taylor, Cave City, Ark.;

 

3. Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.;

 

4. Brad Pounds, Bakersfield, Calif.;

 

5. Johnny Saathoff, Beatrice, Neb.;

 

6. Dominic Ursetta, Arvada, Colo.;

 

7. Mike Johnson, Bakersfield, Calif.;

 

8. Matt Brack, Mead, Colo.;

 

9. Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas;

 

10. Travis Metz, Blackfoot, Idaho;

 

11. Chase Hansen, Myton, Utah;

 

12. Andy Obertello, Hollister, Calif.;

 

13. Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.;

 

14. Stacey Mills, Webb, Iowa;

 

15. Paul Donnelly, Great Falls, Mont.;

 

16. Casey Delp, Rock Springs, Wyo.;

 

17. Brian Foote, Essex, Iowa;

 

18. Travis Sherfick, WaKeeney, Kan.;

 

19. Jim Bonetti, Pahrump;

 

20. Tony Kincade Jr., Hesperia, Calif.;

 

21. Wyatt Howard, Price, Utah;

 

22. Mark Allison, Las Vegas;

 

23. Chris Abelson, Sioux City, Iowa;

 

24. Randy Havlik, Madrid, Iowa;

 

25. Danny Hogue, Abilene, Texas;

 

26. Darin Duffy, Hazleton, Iowa;

 

27. Jason Schoenberger, Gorham, Kan.;

 

28. George Ashby Jr., Rawlins, Wyo.;

 

29. Randy Brown, Chowchilla, Calif.;

 

30. Wade Cross, Phillips, Neb.

 

Pole dash –

 

1. Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.;

 

2. David Murray Jr., Oberlin, Kan.;

 

3. Jeremy Mills, Gar­ner, Iowa;

 

4. Ryan McDaniel, Olivehurst, Calif.;

 

5. Todd Shute, Des Moines, Iowa;

 

6. Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.;

 

7. Brian Mullen, Seymour, Wis.;

 

8. Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.

 

Stock Car qualifier –

 

1. Jake Masters, Graettinger, Iowa;

 

2. Kevin Opheim, Mason City, Iowa;

 

3. Loren De Armond, Lemoore, Calif.;

 

4. Perry Misner,Garden City, Kan.;

 

5. Rex Higgins, Bloomfield, N.M.;

 

6. Cary White, Lamesa, Texas;

 

7. Jeffrey Larson, Lakefield, Minn.;

 

8. Michael Sheen, Lamesa, Texas;

 

9. Troy Patee, Hanford, Calif. ;

 

10. Joe Flory, Williston, N.D.;

 

11. Lloyd Meeske, Champion, Neb.;

 

12. Mike Wadel, Garden City, Kan.;

 

13. Cliff Mitchell, Fernie, B.C.;

 

14. Ronald Hurt, Hanford, Calif.;

 

15. Michael Lang, Midland, Texas;

 

16. Jon Dilas, Riverdale, Calif.;

 

17. Eric Hamilton, Hanford, Calif.;

 

18. Toby Miller, Boyd, Texas;

 

19. Rodney Wadel, Garden City, Kan.;

 

20. Rick Mitchell, Fernie, B.C.;

 

21. Scott Krause-Mahan, Peyton, Colo.;

 

22. Douglas Kennemer, Boyd, Texas;

 

23. Bill Ferguson, Norwood, Colo.;

 

24. Varion Hetle, Underwood, N.D.

 

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