After surrendering the point prior to midway to Chris Simpson, the Manitoba racer rallied back by on the high side in the closing rounds to top the initial round of Black Diamond/Club 29 Super Late Models presented by M&W Transportation competition.
“This is a great field, it’s the best of the best and feels good to be here,” Weiss said in Hoker Trucking Victory Lane.
While Weiss enjoyed Super Late Model victory lane, Ricky Thornton, Jr., and Scott Bintz visited Hoker Trucking Victory Lane in Wild West Shootout action as well by besting the USRA Modifieds and X-Modifieds, respectively, as a total of 139 cars filled the pit area for the first of six rounds of competition over the next eight days.
In the Black Diamond/Club 29 Super Late Models presented by M&W Transport feature, Weiss lead the initial 17 circuits before Simpson slipped by on the low side exiting turn two on the 18th round.
But, as Simpson approached lapped traffic in the latter stages, Weiss spied an opportunity to pounce back on the lead.
“We closed on the 18 car (Chase Junghans), he moved to the top and pulled away,” Weiss related. “I moved up there not thinking it would be that good, but I found out it was a lot better.”
Weiss raced back around Simpson on the high side to take command for keeps on the 34th round, putting himself in line for a potential Keyser Manufacturing $250,000 bonus for the driver that can top all six rounds.
Iowa’s Simpson settled for runner-up honors, commenting that, “It sucks leading that many laps and losing like that, but all in all it was a good night.”
Tennessee’s Mike Marlar filled out the podium in third with Brandon Sheppard and Garrett Alberson rounding out the top five.
Arizona Speedway
Wild West Shootout
January 6th, 2017
Arizona Speedway
Wild West Shootout
January 6th, 2017
Heat 1:
1. Don Shaw
2. Austin Siebert
3. Lance Matthees
4. Justin Kay
5. David Breazeale
6. Jake Davis
7. Joey Moriarty
8. Dustin Bluhm
9. Carlos Ahumada, Jr.
Heat 2:
1. Mike Marlar
2. Brandon Sheppard
3. Bobby Pierce
4. Kyle Beard
5. Jason Rauen
6. Billy Franklin
7. John Duty
8. Dave Deetz
9. Steve Stultz
Heat 3:
1. Ricky Weiss
2. Austin Theiss
3. Cade Dillard
4. Chase Junghans
5. Clint Smith
6. Tony Toste
7. Clay Daly
8. Casey Skyberg
Heat 4:
1. Scott Ward
2. Justin Duty
3. Jake O’Neill
4. Ryan Gustin
5. Mike Spatola
6. Eric Mass
7. John Cornell
8. Ed Peters
Heat 5:
1. Garrett Alberson
2. Tanner Kellick
3. Nick Bartels
4. Rob Sanders
5. Rob Mayea
6. Eric Mass
7. Thomas Hunziker
8. Jon Ortega
9. Lyndon Bolt
Heat 6:
1. Chris Simpson
2. Terry Phillips
3. Rodney Sanders
4. R.C. Whitwell
5. Cody Barnett
6. Terry Carter
7. Jake Gallardo
8. John Brinkley
Semi 1:
1. Chase Junghans
2. Kyle Beard
3. Justin Kay
4. David Breazeale
5. Jason Rauen
6. Clint Smith
7. John Duty
8. Joey Moriarty
9. Tony Toste
10. Dustin Bluhm
11. Clay Daly
12. Casey Skyberg
13. Billy Franklin
14. Carlos Ahumada, Jr.
15. Jake Davis
16. Dave Deetz
Semi 2:
1. Ryan Gustin
2. R.C. Whitwell
3. Mike Spatola
4. Eric Mass
5. Lyndon Bolt
6. Rob Mayea
7. Rob Sanders
8. Jon Ortega
9. Cody Barnett
10. John Cornell
11. Terry Carter
12. Thomas Hunziker
13. Jon Brinkley
14. Ed Peters
Feature:
1. Ricky Weiss
2. Chris Simpson
3. Mike Marlar
4. Brandon Sheppard
5. Garrett Alberson
6. Don Shaw
7. Cade Dillard
8. Austin Siebert
9. Terry Phillips
10. Lance Matthees
11. Kyle Beard
12. Bobby Pierce
13. Ryan Gustin
14. Jake O’Neil
15. Chase Junghans
16. Rodney Sanders
17. Mike Spatola
18. Nick Bartels
19. R.C. Whitwell
20. Justin Duty
21. Austin Theiss
22. Scott Ward
23. Tanner Kellick
24. Justin Kay