The annual “Night of Fire” at The Bullring at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway always proves to be a crowd favorite, but last Monday’s edition didn’t disappoint and had a big impact for the racing drivers and teams with the Star Nursery Series 10-race finale at the fast 3/8-mile paved oval.

With an enthusiastic and big spectator attendance, the 110-plus heat didn’t hinder the annual July 4th celebration and the action on the track was as hot as the air temperature. A great waterless “Boat Race” and “Fireworks” show wrapped up an exciting night at the Bullring.

With championships on the line, it was important as ever to run for the victories, and three drivers celebrated in victory lane as race winners and Star Nursery Series champions.

In the very competitive Pro Late Model division, point leader Jeff Peterson from Grand Terrace, CA, a five-time race winner entering Monday Night’s doubleheader features, held a 20-point lead on Jaron Giannini with 100 points up for grabs. Peterson played the game just right with a third place in the 30-lap opening and a victory, his sixth at the Bullring in 2023, in the night’s final feature.

In the first Pro Late Model main, it was local star, teenager Kyle Keller, who was quick time in qualifying and vaulted to the lead from the pole position to score his fourth Bullring win this year. The current track record holder held off Bullring legend Justin Johnson throughout most of the 30 laps before scoring the triumph in his No. 12 BattleBorn Racing/EverReady Health stock car. Third went to Peterson followed by young Monty Tipton, Giannini, Scott Gafforini, T.J. Roberts, Amilleo Thomson and Enzo Lalama.

“It’s a great way to finish the Bullring season with the win tonight,” said Keller who was presented the winner’s trophy by Kevin Nevalainen, Senior Director of Weekly Racing for NASCAR. “We were good on long runs, and I knew Justin was close on the final restart. It’s great to get a victory in front of the big crowd on the ‘Night of Fire.’”

In the 35-lap Pro Late Model feature 2, Peterson started sixth in his No. 90 Apache Rental Group/Tri-City Towing machine but jumped to the lead on lap six and engaged a bumper-to-bumper battle with Keller, who kept the pressure on the California driver until the last few circuits. At the checkered flag, it was Peterson with his sixth 2023 Bullring feature win by 1.548 seconds over Keller with third to Giannini followed by Thomson, Aaron McMorran, Joe Farre, Roberts, Gafforini, Brent Scheidemantle and David Anderson.

“It’s a great feeling to win the Bullring championship and I want to win the Nevada State title too,” said Peterson after an impressive front straight burnout. “It is exciting to win the race and the title in front of a huge crowd tonight. I have so many people to thank with our great list of sponsors, the crew and, of course, my wife Kayli. She has won Bullring championships and now we have done it as a couple. It’s a tremendous feeling.”

Jason Kiser, a six-time race winner in the Super Stock class, held off the challenges of Bill Paddock Jr. at the checkered flag by 0.252 seconds to clinch the Bullring title and his seventh 2023 victory in his No. 49 KRT Insulations car. Third went young Gavin Ray followed by Kyle Jacks, Don Geary and Mike McKearn.

“It has been a great season for our KRT Insulations car and I’m happy for this team,” said Kiser. “With Matt Frady’s championship and mine, our team took home two titles this year. It feels great.”

Joining Peterson and Kiser with wins and championships in the ‘Night of Fire,” was young Ashton Leonard who recorded his second straight USLCI MH Building Specialists/JBM Underground Bandoleros in the No. 17 machine. The Henderson, NV racer notched his sixth 2023 win on Monday night in the doubleheader race night. Second went to Amelia Suell followed by Keaton Harbison, Logan Gresser and Joseph Montoya.  In the second 12-lap Bandoleros feature, Harbison took the checkered flag over Leaonard and A. Suell.

“I have had a great run with the Bandoleros the last few years and, next year, I’ll be old enough to race in the Pro Late Models,” said Leonard. “That is my goal now. We are racing in the Junior Late Models and I’m gaining experience. I’m anxious for the big cars now.”

One of the highlights of the “Night of Fire” was the opening race, the always wide and crazy Skid Plate Race, a 12-lap event which thrills the crowd every time.

A large field saw the chaos begin in turn one with spinning and crashing of the machinery as Robert Werner took the advantage in the No. 22 car. Werner looked to be command by lap seven. But, in turn one, Werner and second place Ben Williams got together, and both spun. This opened the door for former Skid Plate champion Cindy Clark, who bought her ‘Wonder Woman” car out of a three-year retirement.

Clark, a NASCAR official when she isn’t racing, took the lead and ran a consistent, steady pace to hold a huge margin on the final lap. But Clark saw her path to the checkered flag blocked with two cars sideways on the front straight. Cindy spun her car in an effort to slide past the disabled machines for the checkered flag, but she hit the outside wall and stopped. The second place, Berenice Hernandez, and third place, Jeff Dailey, were closing in on the blockage. Clark backed her car across the finish line to nip Hernandez for the win and to the delight of the screaming crowd.

Taking fourth was Ken Coombs who nipped Hernandez for the Bullring Skid Plate series championship.

“I have won a bunch of Skid Plate races but never won going backwards,” said Clark, who jumped on top of her ‘Wonder Woman” vehicle. “It was so much fun racing in the Skid Plates again. It’s great to have a big field too. I hope the crowd like it.”

Another crowd pleaser in the Skid Plate cars was the final “Battle of the Badges” featuring eight drivers from local Police and Fire departments. In the previous Bullring events, the “Battle of the Badges” had four drivers race four laps with the winning racer returning for the “Night of Fire” finale.

At the conclusion of eight-lap race, Nevada Highway Patrolman Mike Abbate took the victory over Brandon Rants, Andrew Molitor, Johnny Patterson, John McBreem, Pete Wheeler, Ryan Matheson and Ed Shoemaker.

In the 25-lap USLCI MH Building Specialists/JBM Underground Legend Cars, local brother racers, Tyler and Tanner Reif, returned to their home track after competing nationally in the ARCA Menards stock car tours. Tyler, 16, and Tanner, 17, were Legends and Pro Late Model regulars at the Bullring before moving to the West Coast and national series.

Tyler, fastest qualifier, started from the pole position and slowly pulled away his No. 9 car for the 1.111-second victory over his brother followed by Cody Brown, Jordan Holloway, Scott Anderson, Brendan Tracy, Alex Roe, Lonnie Hochstetler, Andy Hulcy and Roberts. With the fourth-place finish, Holloway, a college student heading to Arizona State University soon, scored his second consecutive Bullring Legend Cars point championship.

“It is fun to come back to our home track and especially win,” said Tyler Reif. “We don’t get to race here too often right now, but I hope I can come here in October for the ARCA Menards race and win again. That would be so great.”

Another local star was back in victory lane Monday night when the legendary Doug Hamm took the No. 77 Coors Light mount to the 25-lap 602 Modifieds main event. Hamm, who had retired last year from racing, decided to return at mid-season and won three straight features at the Bullring this year. Second went to Brian Williams followed by young Brenden Ruzbarsky, Sam Jacks and Kayli Peterson.

Jacks took home the Modified point crown with his fourth place Monday in the No. 29 car.

“We wanted celebrate the career of the Craig Road Speedway legend Dick Attasani, and we painted this Modified to match his car,” said Hamm, a multi-time Bullring Modifieds champion. “It is great to race in front of the big crowd and to have my wife, Melissa, in victory lane tonight. It’s fun to get to the winner’s circle again.”

In the 20-lap Nostalgia Street Rods Outlaw Factory Stocks, it looked like Rob Pfaffly was on his way to a victory and a possible track championship. But, after leading a majority of the race, a broken front end halted Pfaffly’s charge. At the finish after 20 laps, Jacob Quartaro drove through the field for the victory followed by Michael Miller, Matt Frady Jr., Nick Nuccitelli and Sheri Goldstrom. Coming from the back of the field Monday, Frady was able to clinch the Outlaw Factory Stock point title with his third-place finish.

In the 20-lap Junior Late Models, young Brody Manning notched his first 2023 main event win in the No. 12 Sigma machine over Bryson Brown, Caden Cordova, Leonard and Cameron Carraway. The third-place finish locked up the Bullring title for Cordova, who traveled from Bakersfield, CA, each round to chase the championship.

NEXT RACE: With the 2023 Star Nursery Series at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway concluded for the season, the Bullring will take a summer break until the Oct. 13 “Star Nursery 150” with the ARCA Menards Series and Oct. 28 with the Star Nursery Classic. Adult general admission for the ARCA Menards event is $30.00 with children 12 & under free. For more information, please contact the LVMS ticket office at 800-644-4444 or online at LVMS.com. For stockyard passes, please call 800-644-4444, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. PST.

Bullring Racing Season, Round 10 for the Star Nursery Series

Saturday, July 3, 2023 (Starting position in [ ])

PRO LATE MODELS

Nascar Pro Late Models A Feature 1 (30 Laps): 1. 12-Kyle Keller[1]; 2. 17-Justin Johnson[2]; 3. 90-Jeff Peterson[4]; 4. 14-Monty Tipton[3]; 5. 25-Jaron Giannini[5]; 6. 38-Scott Gafforini[13]; 7. 24-TJ Roberts[8]; 8. 14X-Amilleo Thomson[6]; 9. 43-Enzo Lalama[9]; 10. 5-David Anderson[15]; 11. 18-Houston Simonette[12]; 12. 19-Kylie Ith[10]; 13. 22-Aaron Mc Morran[11]; 14. (DNF) 78-Joe Farre[7]; 15. (DNF) 0-Brent Scheidemantle[14]

Nascar Pro Late Models A Feature 2 (35 Laps): 1. 90-Jeff Peterson[6]; 2. 12-Kyle Keller[8]; 3. 25-Jaron Giannini[4]; 4. 14X-Amilleo Thomson[1]; 5. 22-Aaron Mc Morran[13]; 6. 78-Joe Farre[14]; 7. 24-TJ Roberts[2]; 8. 38-Scott Gafforini[3]; 9. 0-Brent Scheidemantle[15]; 10. 5-David Anderson[10]; 11. 18-Houston Simonette[11]; 12. 17-Justin Johnson[7]; 13. 19-Kylie Ith[12]; 14. 43-Enzo Lalama[9]; 15. 14-Monty Tipton[5]

Nascar Pro Late Models Qualifying 1 (2 Laps): 1. 12-Kyle Keller, 00:15.549[15]; 2. 17-Justin Johnson, 00:15.632[14]; 3. 14-Monty Tipton, 00:15.646[11]; 4. 90-Jeff Peterson, 00:15.731[10]; 5. 25-Jaron Giannini, 00:15.746[13]; 6. 14X-Amilleo Thomson, 00:15.816[12]; 7. 78-Joe Farre, 00:15.863[6]; 8. 24-TJ Roberts, 00:15.929[8]; 9. 43-Enzo Lalama, 00:15.947[5]; 10. 19-Kylie Ith, 00:16.012[9]; 11. 22-Aaron Mc Morran, 00:16.116[1]; 12. 18-Houston Simonette, 00:16.138[2]; 13. 38-Scott Gafforini, 00:16.146[7]; 14. 0-Brent Scheidemantle, 00:16.205[4]; 15. 5-David Anderson, 00:16.373[3]

Nascar Pro Late Models Hot Laps 1: 1. 12-Kyle Keller, 00:15.943[2]; 2. 17-Justin Johnson, 00:15.946[1]; 3. 25-Jaron Giannini, 00:16.031[5]; 4. 14X-Amilleo Thomson, 00:16.069[8]; 5. 14-Monty Tipton, 00:16.081[6]; 6. 90-Jeff Peterson, 00:16.102[4]; 7. 19-Kylie Ith, 00:16.117[9]; 8. 24-TJ Roberts, 00:16.206[7]; 9. 38-Scott Gafforini, 00:16.278[11]; 10. 78-Joe Farre, 00:16.334; 11. 43-Enzo Lalama, 00:16.421[14]; 12. 0-Brent Scheidemantle, 00:16.437[3]; 13. 5-David Anderson, 00:16.483[13]; 14. 18-Houston Simonette, 00:17.935[10]; 15. 22-Aaron Mc Morran[12]

602 MODIFIEDS

NASCAR 602 Modifieds A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 77-Doug Hamm[1]; 2. 6-Brian Williams[3]; 3. 51-Brenden Ruzbarsky[5]; 4. 29-Sam Jacks[2]; 5. 34+2-Kayli Barker[6]; 6. 41-Kyle Jacks[4]; 7. 24-Ben Williams[8]; 8. 21M-Billy Mitchell[9]; 9. 12-David Boardman[10]; 10. 5H-Jimmy Petrie[7]; 11. 15-Skylar Mortensen[11]

Nascar 602 Modifieds Qualifying (8 Laps): 1. 77-Doug Hamm, 00:15.528[11]; 2. 29-Sam Jacks, 00:15.667[9]; 3. 6-Brian Williams, 00:15.731[8]; 4. 41-Kyle Jacks, 00:15.812[7]; 5. 51-Brenden Ruzbarsky, 00:15.819[10]; 6. 34+2-Kayli Barker, 00:15.841[6]; 7. 5H-Jimmy Petrie, 00:15.963[5]; 8. 24-Ben Williams, 00:15.978[4]; 9. 21M-Billy Mitchell, 00:16.148[3]; 10. 12-David Boardman, 00:16.369[1]; 11. 15-Skylar Mortensen, 00:16.565[2]

NASCAR 602 Modifieds Hot Laps 1: 1. 77-Doug Hamm, 00:15.714; 2. 51-Brenden Ruzbarsky, 00:15.819[2]; 3. 29-Sam Jacks, 00:15.916[3]; 4. 6-Brian Williams, 00:15.930; 5. 41-Kyle Jacks, 00:15.950[1]; 6. 34+2-Kayli Barker, 00:16.023; 7. 5H-Jimmy Petrie, 00:16.056; 8. 24-Ben Williams, 00:16.083; 9. 21M-Billy Mitchell, 00:16.559; 10. 15-Skylar Mortensen, 00:16.636; 11. 12-David Boardman, 00:16.641

M&H BUILDING SPECIALISTS/JBM UNDERGROUND BANDOLERO

USCLI MH Building Specialties/JBM Underground A Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 17-Ashton Leonard[1]; 2. 16-Amelia Suell[2]; 3. 9-Keaton Harbison[6]; 4. 45-Logan Gresser[4]; 5. 48-Joseph Montoya[3]; 6. 21-Paul Odekirk[9]; 7. 16T-Leila Trimmer[7]; 8. 25-Piper Suell[5]; 9. (DNS) 56-James Trimmer

USCLI MH Building Specialties/JBM Underground A Feature 2 (12 Laps): 1. 9-Keaton Harbison[2]; 2. 17-Ashton Leonard[4]; 3. 16-Amelia Suell[3]; 4. 48-Joseph Montoya[5]; 5. 45-Logan Gresser[1]; 6. 16T-Leila Trimmer[7]; 7. 25-Piper Suell[8]; 8. 21-Paul Odekirk[6]; 9. 56-James Trimmer[9]

USCLI MH Building Specialties/JBM Underground Hot Laps 1: 1. 16-Amelia Suell, 00:19.741[7]; 2. 9-Keaton Harbison, 00:19.753[3]; 3. 17-Ashton Leonard, 00:19.887[4]; 4. 45-Logan Gresser, 00:20.138[1]; 5. 48-Joseph Montoya, 00:20.294[5]; 6. 56-James Trimmer, 00:20.576[2]; 7. 21-Paul Odekirk, 00:20.916; 8. 16T-Leila Trimmer, 00:21.431[6]; 9. 25-Piper Suell, 00:22.721

SATURDAY M&H BUILDING SPECIALISTS/JBM UNDERGROUND LEGENDS

USCLI MH Building Specialties/JBM Underground A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 9P-Tyler Reif[1]; 2. 4P-Tanner Reif[3]; 3. 88XP-Cody Brown[5]; 4. 29JP-Jordan Holloway[2]; 5. 32M-Scott Anderson[10]; 6. 98SP-Brendan Tracy[9]; 7. 92SP-Alex Roe[8]; 8. 31M-Lonnie Hochstetler[11]; 9. 13-Andy Hulcy[6]; 10. 24SP-TJ Roberts[4]; 11. 53M-Bruce Silver[7]; 12. 34M-Scott Harbison[12]; 13. 4YL-Tanner Ash[13]; 14. 91SP-Sarah Chelberg[15]; 15. 18YL-Keller Meechudhone[14]; 16. 45Z-Zeke Anderson[16]

USCLI MH Building Specialties/JBM Underground Qualifying 1 (2 Laps): 1. 9P-Tyler Reif, 00:16.811[18]; 2. 29JP-Jordan Holloway, 00:16.827[16]; 3. 4P-Tanner Reif, 00:16.842[17]; 4. 24SP-TJ Roberts, 00:17.006[13]; 5. 88XP-Cody Brown, 00:17.014[15]; 6. 13-Andy Hulcy, 00:17.094[9]; 7. 53M-Bruce Silver, 00:17.207[6]; 8. 92SP-Alex Roe, 00:17.209[11]; 9. 98SP-Brendan Tracy, 00:17.211[14]; 10. 32M-Scott Anderson, 00:17.227[7]; 11. 31M-Lonnie Hochstetler, 00:17.237[12]; 12. 34M-Scott Harbison, 00:17.354[3]; 13. 4YL-Tanner Ash, 00:17.423[8]; 14. 18YL-Keller Meechudhone, 00:17.715[4]; 15. 91SP-Sarah Chelberg, 00:17.931[2]; 16. 45Z-Zeke Anderson, 00:18.056[1]; 17. (DNS) 35G-Landon Gresser; 18. (DNS) 95RSP-Gavin Ray

USCLI MH Building Specialties/JBM Underground Hot Laps 1: 1. 9P-Tyler Reif, 00:16.838[2]; 2. 4P-Tanner Reif, 00:16.854[4]; 3. 29JP-Jordan Holloway, 00:16.944[14]; 4. 88XP-Cody Brown, 00:16.982[10]; 5. 98SP-Brendan Tracy, 00:17.035[15]; 6. 24SP-TJ Roberts, 00:17.037[8]; 7. 31M-Lonnie Hochstetler, 00:17.101[16]; 8. 92SP-Alex Roe, 00:17.156[11]; 9. 35G-Landon Gresser, 00:17.160[3]; 10. 13-Andy Hulcy, 00:17.197[17]; 11. 4YL-Tanner Ash, 00:17.250[13]; 12. 32M-Scott Anderson, 00:17.254[9]; 13. 53M-Bruce Silver, 00:17.347[1]; 14. 95RSP-Gavin Ray, 00:17.372[12]; 15. 18YL-Keller Meechudhone, 00:17.463[6]; 16. 34M-Scott Harbison, 00:17.620; 17. 91SP-Sarah Chelberg, 00:17.833[7]; 18. 45Z-Zeke Anderson, 00:17.960[5]

BULLRING SKID PLATE CARS

Bullring Plate Cars A Feature 1 (12 Laps): 1. 12-Cindy Clark[17]; 2. 71-Berenice Hernandez[19]; 3. 83-Jeff Dailey[20]; 4. 5K-Ken Coombs[18]; 5. 11-Greg Matta[14]; 6. 6-Ben Williams[22]; 7. 2-Jeff Bargerhuff[15]; 8. 22-Robert Werner[1]; 9. 7-Christina Harper[12]; 10. 712-Marco Macias[5]; 11. 2C-Jon Capps[16]; 12. 14-Nick Mancari; 13. 21-Greg Lee[21]

Bullring Skid Plate Cars Battle of the Badge (8 Laps): 1. 48-Mike Abbate[1]; 2. 111-Brandon Rants[8]; 3. 10 4X-Andrew Molitor[6]; 4. 911X-Johnny Patterson[4]; 5. 59-John McBreem[2]; 6. 84-Pete Wheeler[5]; 7. XXX-Ryan Mathesen[7]; 8. 71X-Ed Shoemaker[3]

Bullring Hot Laps 1: 1. 6-Ben Williams, 00:32.127; 2. 7-Christina Harper, 00:32.832; 3. 71-Berenice Hernandez, 00:34.227; 4. 11X-Robert Leany, 00:35.333; 5. 22-Robert Werner, 00:35.715; 6. 712-Marco Macias, 00:39.165[1]; 7. 18-Joseph Hernandez, 00:51.811

NASCAR NOSTALGIA STREET ROD OUTLAW FACTORY STOCKS

NASCAR Nostalgia Street Rod A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 44-Jacob Quartaro[12]; 2. 21-Michael Miller[3]; 3. 00-Matt Frady Jr[1]; 4. 6-Nick Nuccitelli[13]; 5. 14-Sheri Goldstrom[4]; 6. 97-Nick Lautenbach[6]; 7. 34-Brad Thompson[7]; 8. 96-Pete Meyer[5]; 9. 11-Rob Pfaffly[2]; 10. 66-Tuscan Nuccitelli[15]; 11. 129-Stephen Irvine[8]; 12. 94-Dylan Reinke[11]; 13. 86-Vinny Raucci Jr[14]; 14. 09-Kirk Hance[16]; 15. 17-Dallas Simonette[10]; 16. (DNS) 47-Derrick Utley

NASCAR Nostalgia Street Rod Hot Laps 1: 1. 11-Rob Pfaffly, 00:18.867; 2. 00-Matt Frady Jr, 00:18.942; 3. 44-Jacob Quartaro, 00:18.983[1]; 4. 21-Michael Miller, 00:19.081; 5. 97-Nick Lautenbach, 00:19.387; 6. 47-Derrick Utley, 00:19.656; 7. 14-Sheri Goldstrom, 00:20.376

NASCAR SUPER STOCKS

Bullring Super Stocks A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 49-Jason Kiser[1]; 2. 60-Bill Paddack Jr[3]; 3. 18-Gavin Ray[8]; 4. 4-Kyle Jacks[5]; 5. 45-Don Geary[2]; 6. 64-Mike McKearn[4]; 7. 84-Rich DeLong III[6]; 8. 44-Jacob Quartaro[7]; 9. 1-Adam Simon[9]

Super Stocks Practice 1: 1. 45-Don Geary, 00:17.194; 2. 18-Gavin Ray, 00:17.213; 3. 64-Mike McKearn, 00:17.316; 4. 84-Rich DeLong III, 00:17.679

JR LATE MODELS

Bullring A Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 12-Brody Manning[3]; 2. 45-Bryson Brown[5]; 3. 37-Caden Cordova[1]; 4. 17-Ashton Leonard[2]; 5. 27C-Cameron Carraway[4]

Bullring Hot Laps 1: 1. 12-Brody Manning, 00:16.347[4]; 2. 17-Ashton Leonard, 00:16.384[2]; 3. 27C-Cameron Carraway, 00:16.422[1]; 4. 45-Bryson Brown, 00:16.471[3]; 5. 37-Caden Cordova, 00:16.775[5]