CORTEZ – All week long at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, 4-H members will be earning blue ribbons to celebrate their hard work.
Kicking off the big fair week, the Spangler family took home their version of the blue ribbon with a title banner and accompanying paycheck in the Midseason Championship doubleheader weekend at the Cortez Speedway.
Camron Spangler started the successful weekend for the Dove Creek-based racers, taking home the Modified victory on Friday night. The 25-year-old then followed it up with the sweep on Saturday, with Aaron Spangler hot on his heels.
Brody Spangler continued the family victory lap with a win in Northern SportMod, a night after Arizona’s Virgil McArthur edged to the finish line in front of Montezuma County racers Chad Green of Dolores and Jimmy Wilson of Cortez. Rick Spangler took seventh on Saturday, and holds onto a top five spot in the Cortez Speedway track points in the division.
Farmington’s Duggins family swept the top two spots in the Hobby Stock races on both Friday Saturday, with Jason Duggins taking the win over Kyler in their first edition, then Kyler turning the tables 24 hours later.
San Juan County, New Mexico, scored more victories in the Mod-lite and Warriors divisions, with Shane DeVilbiss topping Gabe Shim in the dwarf vehicles on Friday, before Leon Shim climbed to the top of the leaderboard in the Mod-lites on Saturday, nipping both DeVilbiss and Leon’s son Gabe.
In addition, New Mexico’s Dennis Spencer took home the Warriors race on Friday, followed by Arizona’s Joey Jock the next evening.
John Frans won the Sport Compact on the first night, followed by Ignacio’s Katie Barthel in the victory circle on Saturday.
In the largest field of the weekend, Josh Cain of Rio Rancho finished with the checkered flag in the Stock Car class on both nights.
Cortez racer Brantley Frans cruised to wins in the Junior Warriors division on both nights to continue his stellar summer.
Hitting the midpoint of the season schedule, the cumulative points leaderboard for the Cortez Speedway track title saw Camron and Brody Spangler expand their advantage on their home circuit, with Camron up to 196 points in Modified, and Brody holding a narrow five-point lead over Jimmy Wilson in the Northern SportMod.
John Frans leapfrogged past Dolores’ Clay Tillia for the Sport Compact lead by a single point, while Kirtland’s Gabe Shim holds a three-point advantage over Shane DeVilbiss in the Mod-lites. Brantley Frans holds a solid lead in the Junior Warriors over Dolores’ Ruger Tillia, and Dennis Spencer, Jeramy Hughes and Ryan Greenwood of New Mexico hold the Cortez Speedway points lead in the Warriors, Stock Car, and Hobby Stock divisions, respectively.
Three races remain on the BST Promotions racing schedule to shake up the Cortez Speedway standings, with the next races lined up for Back to School Night, beginning at 6 p.m. on Aug. 29.
