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SCRAFAN.COM has 4 photo galleries posted of the Hollywood Hills, NM Sprint Cars at the High Desert Challenge III at: http://www.scrafan.com/2008/gallery2008.html.

A photo tour of Hollywood Hills Speedway will be posted soon. In addition, a gallery of the Midgets and Mini-Sprints at the event is in the works.

Hollywood Hills Speedway
5-16-2008
Bob Ingram / Beth Hazlewood

Hollywood Hills Speedway, Casino Hollywood, San Felipe, New Mexico. The first night of the Third Annual High Dessert Midget Challenge was a great success. With the rising cost of fuel and area race tracks having some very short fields of cars, HHS had a fantastic turnout of 32 Sprints Cars, 20 Mini-Sprints and 16 Midgets to do battle tonight. There were cars from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Oklahoma in the pits. All of the 68 cars on hand were able to start their heat races and all but 2 were able to start the Main Events. There were a few rollovers on the night but it looked like all of the cars would be repaired for Saturday nights finale.

The Mini-Sprints ran 2 heat races and their Main Event. Both heat races had 10 car starting grids. Heat #1 saw young Jory Higgingotham take over his dad Jerry’s #7H and hold off the very fast #17 of Pagosa Springs driver D.J. Syder with the #56 of Fort Collins, Colorado driver Troy Simpson taking the 3rd position. This heat went caution free. Heat #2 had only 1 caution flag for a minor spin and saw a terrific duel between two Arizona drivers and Albq’s own Joshua Hodges. At the checkered the #20 of Dustin Cormany from Phoenix was able to hold off the #74X of Hodges with the #10 of another Phoenix driver, Ken Caskey a very close third place. The Main Event saw 19 starters take the green flag as only the #5X of Bloomfield N.M. driver A.J. Horner was unable to make the call. This race was scheduled for 20 laps but was cut to 15 due to several yellow flags and one red flag. The #56 of Troy Simpson was the only Mini-Sprint to rollover tonight, but after he was up righted he started his car and continued although he was not able to make it to the end. As in the heat races the battle for the win was mostly among Cormany, Hodges, Caskey and Higginbotham. Caskey broke late in the race and was done for the night. At the finish it was #20 Dustin Cormany taking his second checkered flag of the night and being chased to the stripe again by #74X Hodges with the #24X of Jay Sant taking the 3 spot.

The Midgets had a very fast field of 16 cars to run two heat races and their Main Event. Heat #1 saw 7 or the 8 starters run the entire race nose to tail. There was one yellow flag for a minor spin and the racing was as close as it gets the rest of the way. At the checkered it was the #28 of Buckeye Arizona’s Jeff Perry taking the win over the #11 of Highlands Ranch, Colorado’s Chad Corken with the #12X of Fort Lupton, Colorado’s Greg Schaefer taking home 3rd spot. Heat #2 saw the first Midget rollover of the night as Albq.’s Michael Marfia flipped it in turned 3 doing heavy damage to his car and ending his night. The battle for the win went to the very fast #2I of Luke Icke, Icke was runner up last year to Nathan High in the Main Event. Following Icke to the finish were the #44 of Keith Rauch with the #2G of Terry Goodwin coming home in 3rd. The Main Event had only 14 starters as the cars of Marfia and the #48 of Oklahoma driver Lee Little were unable to make the call. This race had the second rollover on the night for the Midgets as the only lady in the field Julee Jamison in the #3 got upside down in turn 2. Jamison was able to get restarted and finished the race in 10th spot. These cars move around on the track more than any other class and swap positions many times on every lap. Virtually every car in this race ran the high line, the middle and the low line at some point during the race. In the end the #2I of Icke took the win over the #14 of past RMMRA champion Tony Rossi from Brighton, Colorado with the #2G of Phoenix’s Terry Goodwin a very close third.

The Sprint Cars brought out an awesome field of 32 cars to run 4 heat races, a 16 car Semi-Main and a 24 car 25 lap Main Event and these drivers put on a fantastic show for the fans. All 4 heat races were run with a total of only 2 caution periods. Heat #1 had ex-world of outlaws driver #45X Johnny Herrera take the win over a very fast #21c Robert Marfia. Chasing Herrera and Marfia home in 3rd spot was the #61X of Bo Baker. Heat #2 saw Phoenix Arizona driver #20 Shawn Deskins take the win over two Albq. Drivers #78 Jody Williams and #23 James High. High, was making his first appearance of the year at HHS. Heat #3 had the #16 of Tom Ball take the win over the #11W of Tim West, followed by the #9X of Kelly Denison. Ball was celebrating his 52nd birthday tonight. Heat #4 had California stunt driver #27 Shawn Kautz take the win over a very fast #21P Paul Whitehead with the #71 of Keith Rauch coming home in the 3rd spot. The Semi-Main had a field of 16 very good cars. In the end the #40X of Scott Box took the win over the #8 of J.C. Powell with the #33X of Ronnie Smith taking 3rd. The Main Event had 24 starters and saw 23 cars stay on the lead lap until the very end. Johnny Herrera took several laps from his 10th starting spot to take over the lead after battling several drivers before taking a fairly decisive victory. Chasing Herrera home were last years champion #61X Bo Baker with the #23 of James High having an excellent first night out coming home in the show position.
Be sure and come out Saturday night for the final of the High Dessert Midget Challenge, several more cars are expect to make the show which could see a field of 75+ open wheel racers on hand.

Have A Great Day
God Bless Everybody

Mini-Sprints
Heat #1
#7H Jory Higginbotham – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#17 D.J. Snyder – Pagosa Springs, Co.
#56 Troy Simpson – Fort Collins, Co.
#68 Brian Perea – Bernalillo, N.M.
#8 Chris Perea – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#91 Clint Miller – Albq., N.M.
#00 Al Cordova – Bloomfield, N.M.
#44 James Hatch
#29 Caleb Saiz – Albq. N.M. 12 years old
#95 Aaron Wheeler – DNF – Grants, N.M.

Heat #2
#20 Dustin Cormany – Phoenix, Az.
#74X Joshua Hodges – Tijeras, N.M.
#10 Ken Caskey – Phoenix, Az.
#5 Jeremy Schofield – Albq., N.M.
#9X Eric Smith – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#66 Lonnie Saiz – Albq. N.M.
#24Y Wim Dons – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#24X Jay Sant – Parker, Co.
#5X A.J. Horner – Bloomfield, N.M.
#22X David Gay – Rio Rancho, N.M.

Main Event
#20 Dustin Cormany – WAY FAST, won from 10th starting spot
#74X Joshua Hodges – Race long battle for the win, never far from the front
#24X Jay Sant – Fought his way up from deep in the field
#68 Brian Perea – Great race, battled with the leaders all race long
#7H Jory Higginbotham – Lead several laps early, in the hunt all the way
#95 Aaron Wheeler
#91 Clint Miller
#5 Jeremy Schofield
#22X David Gay
#24Y Wim Dons
#29 Caleb Saiz
#44 James Hatch
#10 Ken Caskey – DNF – Broke while battling for the lead
#17 D.J. Snyder – DNF – Also broke while fighting the front runners
#56 Troy Simpson – DNF
#8 Chris Perea – DNF
#9X Eric Smith – DNF
#66 Lonnie Saiz – DNF
#00 Al Cordova – DNF
#5X A.J. Horner – DNS

Midgets
Heat #1
#28 Jeff Perry – Buckeye, Az.
#11 Chad Corken – Highlands Ranch, Co.
#12X Greg Schaefer – Fort Lupton, Co.
#14 Tony Rossi – Brighton, Co.
#38 Todd Plemons – Arvado, Co.
#87 Brent Rees – Arvada, Co.
#6 Mike Heberling – Centennial, Co.
#2 Bobby Harr – DNF – Arvada, Co.

Het #2
#2I Luke Icke – Littleton, Co.
#44 Keith Rauch – Thornton, Co.
#2G Terry Goodwin – Phoenix, Az.
#3 Julee Jamison – Highlands Ranch, Co.
#33 Scott Fennell – DNF – Littleton, Co.
#48 Lee Little – DNF – Mustang, Ok.
#21 Robert Marfia – DNF – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#98D Dave Scroggs – Arvada, Co.

Main Event
#2I Luke Icke – Spun early, came back from last spot to take the win
#14 Tony Rossi – Looked like a champion all the way
#2G Terry Goodwin – Raced for the win all night long
#28 Jeff Perry – Mixed it up at the front all night
#2 Bobby Harr – Getting close at the end
#12X Greg Shaefer
#11 Chad Corken
#87 Brent Rees
#38 Todd Plemons
#3 Julee Jamison – Nice finish after early rollover
#6 Mike Heberling
#44 Keith Rauch – DNF
#33 Scott Fennell – DNF
#98D Dave Scroggs – DNF
#48 Lee Little – DNS
#21 Michael Marfia – DNS

Sprint Cars
Heat #1
#45X Johnny Herrera – Albq. N.M.
#21C Robert Marfia – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#61X Bo Baker – Grants, N.M.
#7 Jason Tanner – Albq. N.M.
#9M Ricky Montgomery – Lakewood, Co.
#93 Jon Taylor – Albq. N.M.
#22B Jessie Baker – Grants, N.M.
#99 Chuck Jackson – Albq. N.M.

Heat #2
#20 Shawn Deskins – Phoenix, Az.
#78 Jody Williams – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#23 James High – Albq. N.M.
#11 Chad Corkin – Highlands Ranch, Co.
#26 Randy Smith – Peralta, N.M.
#24 Jordan Mattson – Edgewood, N.M.
#F2 L.C. Kesterson – Spencerville, N.M.
#17 Chris Spiak – Albq. N.M.

Heat #3
#16 Tom Ball – Albq. N.M. ( Happy 52nd Birthday ) nice way to celebrate
#11W Tim West – Albq. N.M.
#9X Kelly Denison – Cedar Crest, N.M.
#65 Rick Johnson – Albq. N.M.
#40X Scott Box – Rio Rancho, N.M.
#4X Cody Mansfield – Albq. N.M.
#33X Ronnie Smith – Peralta, N.M.
#00 Ken Caskey – Phoenix, Az.

Heat #4
#27 Shawn Kautz – Aqua Dulce, Ca.
#21P Paul Whitehead – Albq. N.M.
#71 Keith Rauch – Thornton, Co.
#611 Charlie Fegan – Bosque Farms, N.M.
#8 J.C. Powell – Ablq. N.M.
52NM David Burns – Santa Fe, N.M.
#27K Tim Knight – Bosque Farms, N.M.
#50 Jerry Higginbotham – Rio Rancho, N.M.

Semi-Main 12 laps, top 8 to Main Event
#40X Scott Box
#8 J.C. Powell
33X Ronnie Smith
#22B Jessie Baker
#26 Randy Smith
#4X Cody Mansfield
#9M Ricky Montgomery
#00 Ken Caskey – last transfer to A Main
#24 Jordan Mattson
#27K Tim Knight
#50 Jerry Higginbotham
#99 Chuck Jackson
#17 Chris Spiak
#93 Jon Taylor – DNF
#52NM David Burns – DNF – Hard Rollover – walked away uninjured
#F2 L.C. Kesterson

Main Event
#45X Johnny Herrera – Took a few laps to get to the front but smooth sailing afterward
#61X Bo Baker – Kept Herrera at bay for quite awhile
#23 James High – Ran at the front all night, good first night showing
#11W Tim West – Mixed it up with the front runners all the way
#16 Tom Ball – Drivers like a 22 year old not a 52 year old, great race
#20 Shawn Deskins – Never far from the fron
#21P Paul Whitehead – Very good race, ran with the leaders all the way
#65 Rick Johnson
#8 J.C. Powell
#11 Chad Corkin
#33X Ronnie Smith
#9X Kelly Denison
#7 Jason Tanner
#611 Charlie Fegan
#4X Cody Mansfield
#40X Scott Box
#9M Ricky Montgomery
#22B Jessie Baker
#78 Jody Williams
#26 Randy Smith
#00 Ken Caskey
#21C Robert Marfia – DNF
#71 Keith Rauch – DNF
#27 Shawn Kautz – DNF

These results are not official and we apologize for any errors.