LAS VEGAS – Saturday night was a special one for 10 Bullring drivers, who took home season titles on Championship Night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway short track.
NASCAR 602 Modifieds star Doug Hamm added to his Bullring legacy, tying Phil Goodwin for third all-time on the short track’s wins list with 58 en route to his sixth career track championship. Hamm – who also won a title before the three-eighths-mile paved oval was reconfigured in 2000 – won his seventh race of the season and completed a successful title defense in the competitive division.
“It feels awesome, and I’ve got so many people to thank because there are so many people who work on this car, sponsor me and help out with everything,” Hamm said. “I’ve got a strong family that’s behind me 100 percent, and it’s just great to be in my shoes. I’ve had the same collection of people who helped me back in ’99 when I got my first one, and I love to be around them.”
In the always entertaining NASCAR Bombers division, Adam Simon picked up his third career Bullring victory, and Vinny Raucci Jr. secured his second consecutive track championship despite being black-flagged for causing a wreck on lap three.
“This feels amazing,” said Simon, who finished second to Raucci in the season points race. “It just makes me want to come back stronger next year, and hopefully I can come away with a championship.”
Raucci was happy to celebrate his second straight title.
“I’d like to thank my mom and dad, because without them, I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “Thank you to my sponsors and everyone who’s helped me get the championship this year and last.”
Chris Clyne had already clinched his first NASCAR Super Late Models Bullring season championship in August, and Tyler Fabozzi won for the first time in a year by taking the checkered flag in the final 50-lap race of the regular season. Fabozzi will be back at The Bullring for The Fall Classic Oct. 11-12 and was excited to return to the Winner’s Circle.
“We got probably 25 laps into that thing, and the car was just stuck on a rail,” said Fabozzi, who now has 12 career Bullring victories. “We were able to get out in front, and then we were able to calm down and take the win. I think we know we’ve got a really good setup for (The Fall Classic), and I’m pretty confident going into it.”
For Clyne, he was all smiles after being able to celebrate with the other track champions.
“Oh, this is great, and it was a lot of fun this year,” Clyne said. “I want to thank all my guys for putting in a lot of work all year long. It was fun, and we had a good time.”
Sam Jacks had already wrapped up the NASCAR Super Stocks season title heading into Championship Night, but put an exclamation point on his season with his eighth victory of the season and 25th overall at The Bullring. Jacks now has three career season crowns at the short track.
The track’s closest battle came in the Skid Plate Cars division, where Dennis Dowell used a third-place finish to edge defending champion – and his girlfriend – Cindy Clark by two points for the season title. Ben Williams earned his first career Bullring win by taking the checkered flag in the night’s 12-lap feature, nearly lapping the field on his way to the Winner’s Circle.
It was Dowell’s first track championship.
Ronnie Davis made a last-lap pass to take the checkered flag from Ron Nava in the Southwest Tour Trucks’ 30-lap race, crossing the line just .065 of a second ahead of Nava. Gary Howard was a close third .176 of a second back, and Davis earned the win after making a heroic save after getting loose early in the race.
Jaron Giannini secured his second straight USLCI Legends track championship in August as well and finished third behind Cameron Morga and Jonathan Mawhinney in the season’s final feature on Saturday night. It was the second consecutive victory and 18th overall for Morga, who is considering a full-time schedule at The Bullring in 2020.
Giannini was able to officially celebrate with the track’s other nine champions from 2019.
Landon Gresser won the USLCI Bandolero Outlaws’ 12-lap feature, his 16th career Bullring win, but Chloe Lynch clinched the season crown despite an early race crash that ended her night.
Hank Hall picked up his sixth USLCI Bandolero Bandits race win of the year, and Ashton Leonard secured his first career season title thanks to a sixth-place finish. The Thunder Cars (Chris Bosley) and Jr. Late Models (Jadan Walbridge) titles were already decided before Championship Night.