CORTEZ – The roar of the stock car engines reverberates off Mesa Verde and carries into the heart of Cortez for several weekend nights each summer. That same energy echoed through the Cortez Speedway grandstands on Saturday night – the fairgrounds abuzz with families reconvening for the start of another special racing season.
The season opener for the International Motor Contest Association harbored an extra layer of emotion on an unseasonably cool evening on the 3/8 of a mile oval at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds. The racing series, operated by Blood, Sweat and Tears Promotions, kicked off its 2026 summer schedule with the JD Minor Memorial races, honoring the Dolores-native and racing enthusiast who tragically passed away in 2024 at the age of 16.
Among the hundreds of fans in attendance and dozens of competitors in the eight racing classifications, JD and the Minor family’s impact had become impossible to forget. A parade lap to open the ceremonies showcased the overwhelming community support, while JD continued to oversee the pre-race lineup lane where he used to “tell grow-ups what to do” while getting them in the correct position to take the track.
When the green flag dropped, the adrenaline kicked into full gear, making the opening two turns of the sprint track into a blur of dust and traded paint. From there, racing strategy kicked in, turning each line and aggressive pass into a moment that either yielded a big payoff or a disastrous spin on the banked curves.
Sport compact winner Clay Tillia of Dolores found a line he liked and stuck with it on his way to the win in the 15-lap event.
“I held my line – for the front-wheel drives, it’s just too slick up at the top of the track, so I just stayed low,” he said.
The Dolores driver briefly gave up the lead in the middle laps, but surged back in front with a low-line burst that gave him the breathing room to slowly pull away. Tillia was quick to deflect his own achievements – his fifth win in eight tries in the sport compact division to begin the summer series – by recognizing how far along his children have come in their racing careers.
“My daughter Coral is one of the top racers in nation right now as a rookie (sport compact division),” Tillia said, while son Ruger and daughter Paley both have found a passion for the sport after the whole family took up racing at the same time, “We were helping a buddy move his race car, and my wife thought our daughter might be good at this – and now three years later we’ve got 11 cars.”
For Tillia, and for many of the crews that lined the pit area beginning at 3 p.m. on race day, the battle scars on each vehicle are badges of honor from the love of the sport.
“I haven’t worked a single dent out of this car (Tillia’s sport compact winning vehicle),” he said, and then added with a laugh, “and if it gets too banged up, you can replace the whole car for less than a shock might cost on another car.”
At the end, Tillia drove home the importance of the night – honoring a community member and fellow motorsports enthusiast on a night that captured the racing spirit of the Four Corners region.
“This is home right here,” he said of getting to honor a fellow Dolores community member and friend in the JD Minor Memorial, “and it’s worth being here for anything in the world – no matter the places, this is where you need to be.”
Shortly after Tillia captured one of the first checkered flags of the night, the future of sprint track racing took center stage. Cortez 13-year-old Brantley Frans cruised to victory in the Junior Warriors class – his second win in two nights after taking control at the Aztec Speedway on Friday night – a sign of a bright future ahead.
“My dad (John) got me into it – and I’ve been racing sport compact for the past three years,” said Frans, who has aspirations of taking the track points championship this summer. John Frans claimed fourth in the sport compact adult division.
Just one year away from getting to join his father in that division, Brantley Frans talked about his car’s setup like a savvy veteran, recognizing the tweaks he’s needed to make to get his car ready for each track.
“The track was really good tonight, it was super smooth and dry-slicked off, so there was good traction,” he said, “we did a lot of setup, I spent the whole week working on it – I’ve learned about everything you can do to get them running just right.”
The rest of the night featured plenty of excitement, including JD Minor’s father Jesse honoring his son’s legacy with a strong run in the Northern SportMod division. Riding in the purple 57 car that was wrapped by his daughter Samantha’s KFR Graphics company, Minor sported pictures of his son and family as he kicked up dust in the Cortez Speedway turns.
Minor took fifth place, while Dove Creek’s Brody Spangler moved up from his opening fourth-place position to take the win in the Northern SportMod class.
Northwest New Mexico drivers swept the podium in the Mod Lite race, with Farmington’s Gabe Shim taking first in front of Shane DeVilbiss and Leon Shim. Another San Juan County driver took the top spot in the Modified division, as Farmington’s Regan Tafoya edged Dove Creek’s Camron Spangler and Dolores’ Ryder Green for the top of the standings.
In the Hobby Stock division, Bayfield teenager Hunter Ferrell topped the field, while Dove Creek’s Race Fisher won the Stock Car race ahead of New Mexico drivers Jeramy Hughes (Carlsbad) and Ron Brewer (Bloomfield). New York racer Brandon DuVall captured the Warrior division ahead of La Plata, N.M., racer Dennis Spencer.
The JD Minor Memorial races are just the opening salvo in a summer filled with motorsports action at the Cortez Speedway. Fans can look forward to events on June 26 and 27 for a doubleheader on Fan Appreciation weekend. Then, on July 24 and 25, coinciding with the Montezuma County Fair, the Speedway will be alive with action again.
The schedule continues with “Back to School Night” on Aug. 29, followed by the IMCA Championships on Sept. 25 and 26. On doubleheader weekends, Friday action begins at 7 p.m., with Saturday races starting at 6 p.m. For more information on race nights and the circuit, fans can check out bstracing.com or their BST Promotions Facebook page.
