AZTEC – More than 100 drivers from across the Southwest took part in the opening weekend’s programs of auto racing at Aztec Speedway.
Playing to enthusiastic crowds to celebrate the 71st season of live sprint car racing, the Friday and Saturday night programs featured some of the top drivers competing for prize money and points in their respective racing organizations.
Jake Bubak, from Arvada, Colorado, took home first place in Saturday’s main event race, winning the 25-lap POWRi Desert Winged Sprint Car Series race, defeating John Carney II and Don Grable, both from El Paso, Texas.
Bubak’s win capped off a big weekend, in which the veteran driver also won the Friday POWRi Sprint Car event, again beating Carney and Rick Ziehl from Las Cruces.
Shane DeVilbiss and Ed Gilbert captured first place in the main event races in the POWRi Dwarf Cars.
DeVilbiss, from Farmington and Gilbert, from Cortez, represent the Desert Micro Series in POWRi racing.
Other winning drivers on the Saturday night program include Katie Barthel from Ignacio, who defeated Michael Beau Hunter of Cortez and Jon Kinder to win the IMCA Sport Compact featured event.
Barthel, one of the top 50 drivers in the country in the Sport Compact division, has two wins and three top-five finishes on the year.
Jason Duggins from Farmington won both Friday and Saturday night’s main event races in the IMCA Hobby Stock division. Zane DeVilbiss crossed the finish line first in Saturday’s IMCA Modified featured event.
A six-time Western Region Champion in that class, DeVilbiss beat Aaron Spangler and Tyrone Yazzie to earn the win.
Steffan Carey, a former state champion in the IMCA Stock Car series, earned his second win of the year last weekend. Carey took the checkered flag ahead of Chris McCurdy, Jr. from Phoenix and Jeramy Hughes from Farmington.
Racing resumes next weekend at Kart Kanyon Speedway when the track opens its 2023 season on Friday, April 28 for a two-day event.
Aztec Speedway will host its next live event on Friday, May 19, and Saturday, May 20, when the IMCA returns to the historic track.
For more information about the current racing season at Aztec Speedway, check out their official page at MyRacePass.com.
