A large number of drivers with their cars in tow showed up Friday night, May 27, for the opening night of Fairgrounds Speedway. A good crowd also was on hand.

The quarter-mile dirt oval, located a few miles east of Cortez at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, is now under the sole operation of the Speedway Racing Association who leases the track from the county.

Many old faces returned to the track for the first show. Gary Smouse (Street Stocks), and Russell Hammell, Jeff Davis and Burn Hisel (Modifieds) were among those racing.

Several teen-aged drivers competed including Ryan Henley 14, from Aztec, N.M., and Mike Rivas, 16, from Cortez.

Dennis Rieb of Cortez switched from Streets to Modifieds this year. Also new this year, Modifieds and Streets are being sanctioned by the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA).

The Hobby Stock Main Event (15 laps) was certainly an interesting race. The X-Man Marvin Cramer of Dove Creek (car no. X) took the early lead with Ron Leonard of Cortez (no. 7x) and Dave McFalls of Norwood (no. 50) chasing right behind. Ronnie Cook of Farmington, N.M., also was in the chase during the early laps. Cramer led the first 11 laps but then Cook took the lead. He led for the next four laps until he tried to take the high side of the near turn and spun out. Cramer took the checkered flag. Leonard came in second and McFalls third.

In the Mini Main (15 laps), Steve Blair of Cortez (no. 11) went green flag to checkered flag. He dashed out to the lead and never gave it up. Ted Boettler of Aztec (no. 97) was in second for much of the race with the exception of one lap when Billy Schaapak of Farmington (no. 61) moved into second but Boettler came back and finished in second. Schaapak, a newcomer to the track, spun out but recovered and placed third.

The Dwarf Main (10 laps) went from three cars to just two. Car no. 2 won with no. 6 placing second (or last). Those drivers’ names were not available in the press box. Driver in car no. 14 pulled out on the third lap after rolling over on its side during the third lap (the driver was not hurt).

The Streets took to the track for their main event and it turned into quite a show. Max Ksiazkiewicz of Monticello, Utah, grabbed the early lead and drove hard. He and Ralph Klemish, also of Aztec, battled hard through much of the race. But on lap 9, Ksiazkiewicz’ car (no. 77) started smoking. By the 13th lap, he was out of the race. Klemish took the lead at that point and never looked back. Jesse Baldwin of Aztec (no. 55) came in second and Mike Losing of Aztec (no. 87) taking third. Smouse (no. 42) came in fourth.

The final race of the evening was the IMCA Modifieds (25 laps). The race was marred by several accidents and even a restart. Ty Brooks of Kirtland (no. 15) took the lead but Aaron Spangler of Dove Creek (no. 111) grabbed the lead after the second lap by cutting inside. He lead for seven laps but drove off the track with car troubles. Brooks retook the lead with Mike Dennison of Farmington (no. 73) was right behind. Dennison moved into first and maintained control for eight laps. Dennison spun out but regained control and lead for the final five laps to the checkered flag. Jeff Davis (no. 21) and Darrell Bradford (no. 101) followed.

In the first Mini Heat, Boettler raced into the lead with Blair and Schaapak right behind. That’s the way they would finish.

The Dwarfs Heat saw no. 14 lead for the first lap but no. 2 led the next two but no. 14 took the flag.

The Street Stock Heat No. 1 was interesting. With three laps left, Losing moved in front and took the win. Beth Hopper of Aztec (no. 43) came in second and Smouse third. In the second heat, Baldwin took control early and built at least a three car lead at lap 3. But suddenly Klemish moved into the lead on lap 5 and held on for the checkered flag. Baldwin came in second and Ksiazkiewicz third.

Leonard jockeyed his way from the fourth position into the lead towards the end of the race in the first Hobby Heat. Cook came in second and Eli Jackson of Kirtland, N.M. (no. 38), placed third. McFalls led when the green flag fell with Cramer driving hard. At lap 5, Cramer took the lead and the eventually the win. McFalls came in second and Randy Hewlen of Aztec (no. 25) placed third.

Darrell Bradford drove his way to first at the far straight away of the second lap. He maintained the lead to the finish line of the first Modified Heat. Davis came in second and Tony Hill of Cortez (007) was third and Baldwin fourth. In the second Mod Heat, Spangler grabbed the lead on the second lap and raced to the win. Danny Bradford came in second and Dennison third. The third Modified Heat saw Garye Higgins of Bloomfield (no. 47) take the lead away from J.J. Harpole of Farmington on the final lap. Brooks came in third.

Blair won the Mini Trophy Dash. Blair took the lead on the second lap away from Boettler. Schaapak finished third. Cramer led start-to-finish for the Hobby Stock Trophy Dash. Leonard came in second and Cook third. Klemish also went green-to-checkered in the Street Trophy Dash. Baldwin came in second and Ksiazkiewicz third. Davis led the first five laps of the Modified Trophy Dashd but Dennison stole the trophy in the last lap. Darrell Bradford took third.

Racing continues this Friday Night, June 2, for all classes. Gates open at 6 p.m. and racing begins at sundown. All classes will again run June 9. The Mini Stock Shootout is set for the next night, June 10.