Perhaps it was only fitting that Tony Hill of Cortez captured the main event at the fourth annual Bill Simmons Memorial Street Stock Shoot-Out Saturday night, June 9, at Fairgrounds Speedway.

Hill had purchased car no. 007 from Simmons, who was a fixture at old Thunderbird Speedway and later at Fairgrounds Speedway. Simmons, who had owned a car from 1976-84 driven by his son Dennis, later sponsored Hill (Best Log Industries) until his death in 1997.

The three-eights mile oval dirt track was sloppy early in the evening and then became tacky and slow towards the end of the night of racing.

Hill dominated the 10-lap No. 2 Heat Race of the evening. After Allen Bradley of Farmington in car no. 26 spun out after the first lap, Hill lead the remaining laps and won going away. Bradley got back into the race, moved into third after lap no. 3 and then moved into second place after lap no. 7 and held on. Steve Taylor of Las Vegas, Nev., in car no. 9, despite spinning out in lap no. 7 on the east curve, finished in third.

An interesting method was used to determine the pole position and top rows for the main event of the special event. They used the Australia Hill Climb, where a driver comes out on the track and is challenged (one lap). The survivor stays on to challenge the next driver while the loser goes to the end of the lineup. Gary Higgins (11x) of Bloomfield, N.M., knocked off quite a few challengers during the early goings of the challenge and earned $200. However, very late in the process Hill got a chance and knocked off the king of the hill and then out drove several other challengers and earned the pole position.

In the 26-car field of the 30-lap main, it was Hill, Dave Kopp (11), Jeff Graham of Olathe (97G), and Ted Boettler of Farmington (97), and Danny Stevenson of Dolores in car no. 5T during the first few laps. There was a caution flag during lap no. 3. Gary Smouse of Mancos, in car no. 42, moved into contention in the fourth lap. Hill continued to drive a tight race and stayed low through much of the race. Several cars spinned out during lap no. 12 as the caution flag went out. Kopp moved into the thick of the top group while Smouse fell out. By the 20th lap, Hill still dominated. But Higgins stayed right with him. Boettler and Stevenson stayed relatively close but Hill and Kopp slowly pulled away from the rest of the field. It wasn’t long before Hill and Higgins started to lap the slower drivers. The steady driving of Hill and Kopp continued as the two leaders fought. But by lap no. 29, it was all Hill pulling away from Kopp and rest of the drivers. Hill took the checkered flag and the $2,000 purse while Kopp came in second and Graham grabbed third. Bradley came in fourth, Stevenson fifth, Stubbings, Smouse, Boettler, Higgins, McCullough, Ksiazkiewicz, Bryan McCain, Mike Farley, Taylor, Robinette, Arlen Cochran, Jimmy Scott, Greg Ruybalid, and Jim Montgomery.

In the No. 1 Heat Race, Higgins took the early lead but spun out on the high west turn and fell to third place. Graham battled Brian McCain of Austin, Colorado, in car no. 91. But in the fifth lap, McCain flew over the high side and rolled his car. He was okay, though. A yellow flag went out. No. 97 grabbed the lead but was challenged by Larry Bradley of Bloomfield (car no. 25) and Marvin Cramer of Dove Creek (Mr. X). The lead stayed that way for the final five laps with Graham taking the checkered flag, Bradley came in second, and Cramer third.

In No. 3 Heat Race, Ralph Klemish (21R) took the early lead over Jay Kibel (driving no. 7X for Ron Leonard) and Mickey Stubbings of Helpa, Utah. Kibel was involved in collision which disabled his car and the yellow flag came out. Klemish held on to the lead with Stubbings chasing right behind and soon Stevenson was the thick of things. Klemish had car problems and was forced out. Stubbings bolted to the lead. Ed McCullough of Delta (car no. 56) suddenly appeared, almost from nowhere, in the seventh lap. He managed to hang on for second place behind Stubbings.

In No. 4 Heat Race, it was all Graham. He took the early lead and never gave it up. However, Kenneth Robinette of Surprise, Ariz., was right there. Smouse challenged for a little bit but faded. Robert Reed (no. 0) seemed to have car problems all night as smoked bellowed out from underneath and was never a threat for the lead.

The Mini-Stocks (formerly Penny) ran a 10-lap main event only Saturday night. Tim Scott (car no. 1) of Pagosa Springs ran wire-to-wire. Max Kziazkiewicz (77) of Monticello, Utah, came in second place while Levi Hill, a junior-to-be at Montezuma-Cortez High School, came in third in his car no. 80. Jimmy Wilson of Cortez finished in fourth.

In Friday night’s action, all classes raced.

Nick DeVilbiss won the Dawrf event while Harry Nelson took second. Steve McDaniel won the Mini-Stocks while Billy Schaaphok came in second. Dannny Nelson Jr. captured first in the Modifieds while Robert Gallegos and Rick Hobbs third. Cody DuFrene and Russ Hammell finished one, two in Hobby Stocks. Hill won the IMCA Stocks while Stevenson took second. Hill also won the special Outlaw Stocks while Cramer came in second.

All classes will run this Friday night, June 15, and again on June 22.

The eighth annual Jim Henry Memorial Modified Shoot-Out is slated for June 29. The event continues on June 30. Mini, Hobby Stock and IMCA stocks will also be on the track. KRWN-FM radio is sponsoring the event.

All classes will run July 6. The Mid-Season Championships are set for July 13 with KISZ-FM sponsoring. The Hobby Stock Shoot-Out is on tap for July 20. All classes will run July 27 and Aug. 3.

The Mini Stock Shoot-Out, sponsored by American Custom Flooring, is slated for Aug. 10. All classes will run Aug. 17 and Aug. 24. The Season Championship, sponsored by KRTZ Radio, for all classes is set For Aug. 31.

The group is trying to continue to rebuild the local stock car racing program in order to "continue to provide quality entertainment for the citizens of the area who enjoy the sport of stock car racing," Dennis Beaty, president of the Fairgrounds Speedway Racing Association said.

"We are planning on doing some special events during the races this year to increase the quality of entertainment that we can provide for the fans," he added.

The Revengers of Montezuma mounted sport shooting team will perform May 18. A kids foot race for 8-9 year olds and quad races will be held on June 1. A powder puff race is slated for June 8. Kids foot race for 5-under will be held June 15. Kids foot race for 6-7 year olds and quad races will be held June 22. A kids foot race for 8-9 will be held with the Henry Memorial. A powder puff race is set and kids foot race for 10-11 will be held on July 6.

A kids foot race for the youngest set and quad races will be held during the Mid-Season Championships on July 13. A kids foot race for 6-7 and Revengers of Montezuma will be on tap for the Hobby Stock Shoot-Out on July 20. A kids foot race for 8-9 and BMX bike races set for July 27. A kids foot race for 10-11 and a mechanics race is set for Aug. 3. A kids foot race for the youngest group will held at the Mini Stock Shoot-Out. A kids foot race for 6-7 and a powder puff race is slated for Aug. 17. DARE night is the special event ofr Aug. 24. A kids foot race for 10-11 and quad races will be held in association with the Season Championship on Aug. 31.

"We would like to encourage all current and former drivers to return this season. With the help of everyone, we can continue to improve the sport of stock car racing in Montezuma County. We would also like to encourage anyone who is interested in building a car to join us. This is a good clean form of entertainment for all involved, and it gives young people a chance to become involved in an activity. The minimum age for drivers is 14," Beaty added.

Joining Beaty this year in track operations will be Duane Randol, vice president; Patti Randol, secretary-treasurer; and driver representatives Clyde Dadage (Mini Stock), Marvin Cramer (Hobby Stock), Ryan Nelly (IMCA Stocks), Vern Heisel (IMCA Modifieds), and Dan Neely (member at large).

It takes a lot of people to run the track. The Association puts on many races through the season, from end of April to early September at the track (the schedule will be announced soon), which is located at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds, about three miles east of Cortez off U.S. Highway 160.