REVIEW IN PICTURES WILD WEST SHOOTOUT

from Dirt Empire Magazine - Issue 8 - 2022

by dirtempiremagazine

AYRTON GENNETTEN GETS GOING

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PICTURES

Friday night feature winner Tyler Erb blasting in the Land of Enchantment.

Photos: Tyler Rinkin

WILD WEST SHOOTOUT

THE SHOOTOUT MOVES TO NEW MEXICO

No Bull. Brandon Sheppard, Garrett Alberson, Tyler Erb and Mike Marlar all wrangled their way to a victory and got to share the spotlight with this fine specimen.

WILD WEST SHOOTOUT VADO SPEEDWAY PARK, VADO, NEW MEXICO TOP THREE FINISHERS

January 8 1. Brandon Sheppard 2. Bobby Pierce 3. Mike Marlar January 9 1. Brandon Sheppard 2. Tyler Erb 3. Garrett Alberson January 12 1. Garrett Alberson 2. Mike Marlar 3. Tyler Erb January 14 1. Tyler Erb 2. Earl Pearson Jr. 3. Bobby Pierce January 15 1. Mike Marlar 2. Garrett Alberson 3. Earl Pearson Jr. January 16 1. Mike Marlar 2. Earl Pearson Jr. 3.Jake Timm

Postcard perfect as Brandon Sheppard sweeps the first two shows at Vado Raceway Park.

Photos: Tyler Rinkin

Mike Marlar got better and better throughout the Shootout and, by week’s end, he swept the final two shows.

Going not so well - Brandon Sheppard follows a tow truck.

A couple of Midwesterners looking for early season laps out west as Missouri’s Mason Oberkamper races Minnesota’s Jake Timm. Going well - Brandon Sheppard leads Tyler Erb.

Photo: Mike Ruefer.

Photo: Mike Ruefer.

Photo: Tyler Rinkin Garrett Alberson had himself a week as he returned to race in his home state of New Mexico and put one on the invaders in the Roberts Motorsports 58. He had two other podiums to go with his Wednesday night score.

The starting front row of the finale was Mike Marlar on the outside in the 157 and Minnesota’s Jake Timm on the pole in the 49. Marlar got the win while Earl Pearson Jr. was the only other racer to get by Timm before the checkers.

Mike Marlar with a $25,000 smile. Photo: Tyler Rinkin.

Brandon Sheppard in victory lane. Photo: Mike Ruefer.

For the second-straight year Rodney Sanders Racing won the Mesilla Valley Transportation / Border Tire Modified Championship presented by Rancho Milagro. He also won four events to claim the Rio Grande Waste Services Four-Or-More $10,000 Bonus. Photo: Tyler Rinkin.

SHOOTOUT IN VADO FOR ’23 BUT BACK TO ARIZONA IN ’24?

The 17th running of the mega miniseries will see over $70,000 added to the week’s super late model purses. The six-race swing, which is set for January 7, 8, 11, 13, 14, and 15, 2023, will now see five $10,000-to-win features in addition to the $25,000-to-win Rio Grande Waste Services 50 presented by Shaw Trucking. “We’ve truly got some great marketing partners with the Wild West Shootout, and their support is allowing us to expand our purses for the 2023 edition,” said event promoter, Chris Kearns. “We are very excited to offer over $240,000 in Super Late Model purse money throughout the miniseries.”

Additionally, details are now available for the 2023 Wild West Shootout’s location.

“Jonah Trussel has been a long-time supporter of the Wild West Shootout, and he was a great host for the miniseries, while it was at FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway. Now he’s working on building a new track in the greater Phoenix area,” Kearns continued. “Right now, it looks like the new facility will be ready for 2024. After a week of amazing racing and talking with Royal Jones from Vado Speedway Park, he has graciously agreed to allow us to have the event back at his place in 2023.”

Details are currently developing for Trussel’s new facility, which will serve as the future home of the Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts. As new information becomes available, Trussel and Wild West Shootout officials will release the details accordingly.

Bobby Pierce (32) and Garret Alberson (58) duke it out. Alberson had one victory and two additional top-three finishes for his Wild West Shootout 2022 campaign.

Tyler Erb capped his Wild West Shootout 2022 performance with a victory, second place and third place finishes.