BUZZ SODEMAN MORE COLUMNS BUZZ SODEMAN / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Mike Lysinger leads the field in action at the Pahrump Valley Speedway. Advertisement

Las Vegan Donny Berger began racing when he was 20 years old; that was 35 years ago. The wily veteran used that extensive knowledge and savvy Saturday to outrun and outlast a formidable contingent of modified challengers who included a rookie and four first-time visitors to gain his first feature of the season and the guaranteed $500 purse at the Pahrump Valley Speedway Saturday.

Coincidence or not, I have begun to write a book; the tentative title is "Doin' It In The Dirt - Southwest Style."

This book will chronicle my auto sports coverage from 1993 'til present, and that was when I met Berger. Donny and his brothers, Dave and Mike, were frequent visitors to the then new race track, Mohave Valley Raceway. As a matter of fact, Donny Berger captured the very first modified race at that facility.

Berger only knows one speed --wide open -- and he is not an unfamiliar visitor to retaining walls at many tracks. Saturday was no different as he made glancing contact with the backstretch wall. At the last race, he not only kissed the backstretch wall (in nearly the same place as this week) but the wall exiting turn four.

Last week's recap included a detailed resume of another Las Vegan, Mark Allison. Allison and Jeff Talley were Berger's main adversaries until Talley suddenly lost power on the backstretch (because of a blown rear end) before coasting to a stop just shy of the flagstand bringing out the yellow and tightening up the field.

After Talley retired to the pits, Allison seemed resigned to second place and that's where he finished. Meanwhile attrition was decimating the field. The two remaining visitors from California were eliminated: Ryan Lias left the fray with a steering malfunction with just seven laps left and Tim Timmerman II was black-flagged for bringing out two yellows.

Pahrump modified rookie Eric Shenberger, driving a 20-year-old Flexi-Flyer, and Dave Jurist crossed the finish line in a virtual tie for third. The individuals responsible for making the decision, the flagman and promoter, Joe Rogers Jr. were split, as were the official scorers.

Both drivers will be given the points and prize money for third. Shenberger is seemingly gaining confidence with each track appearance and Jurist enjoys making the tow from Arizona to Pahrump.

Talley and Berger, consensus winners of best appearing cars, took heat wins. Talley raced to the checkered flag despite a left rear brake rotor glowing cherry red.

It appears that super stock driver Cory Simoneau has taken a real liking to PV Speedway, as he has become a frequent visitor from the Bullhead City area.

Simoneau will even like it better now that he earned his first feature win of the season by getting a giant lead and then holding off Michael Hildebrand. With current points leader, Bryan Wulfenstein racing in Tonopah at the Jim Butler Day's event, Simoneau basically said, "Show me the money."

Pahrump Valley Raceway veteran Dale Daffern was third; he may have had a shot at the prize but an early spin eliminated any chance of his catching Simoneau. Daniel Katzer brought out his newly prepared car and finished fourth ahead of Marlin Whitson.

Heat winners were Hildebrand and Daffner. Daffner came very close to lapping the entire field had not a yellow thwarted that feat.

The albatross that Mike Lysinger has had around his neck has finally departed for parts unknown.

As the feature laps were wearing down, I'm sure that Lysinger was dreading the thought of seeing the white flag. Seems his black race car has an issue with the sight of white and has been known to develop a variety of maladies all season.

Once Lysinger got the lead, it must have felt like an eternity before getting the checkered flags. That gust of wind was actually Lysinger exhaling after holding his breath for most of the race.

Carl England made a charge but was unable to reel in the $200 richer Lysinger.

The win was even more rewarding as his daughter, Tori, serves as the trophy presenter. Jonathan Burch, the much maligned youngster, was a solid third followed by Tony Martin, Burch's teammate. First time California visitor Bryce Foster rounded out the top five.

Heat winners were Michael Brown, driving the former ride of Terri Little, Burch and Martin.

The Southwest Modified Minis feature winner, Eric Slusher, was in another zip code, he was so dominant.

The other competitors thought that they might have a chance when a late yellow closed the acreage lead to just a bumper but Slusher quickly established another huge gap between him and nearest competitor Rick Gast, last year's mini stock track champion.

Bubba Ray, competing with his motor without any modifications, finished third. Rounding out the top five were Jeff Mitchell and Keith Young.

Heat winners included Don Wilde and Slusher.

The new sponsor of the Southwest Modified Minis, Tropical RV, sponsored a dash for the cash.

Slusher brought out the broom, sweeping every event he was in. Gast and Ray finished second and third, respectively, perhaps a precursor to the finish in the feature.

The usual characters were piloting their Detroit Iron in the always-exciting bomber division.

This class would also crown a new feature winner after Fred Harding gave Anthony Finley a present, gift wrapped, of course, with the assistance of a lapped car.

Finley looked like he was going to repeat as the main event winner until he and Chad Broadhead, driving the pink Cadillac, made contact in turn two.

Meanwhile, a friendly war was being staged for third between J.J. Nunn and Finley with a little Wade Pearson looming just below the horizon.

Pearson, who had won every feature until Finley handily put him away last race, was mired in traffic most of the race before making a charge at Nunn. Nunn was able to maintain second and hold off Pearson. Jim Sherard and Gary Wyatt rounded out the top five. Heat winners were Wyatt and Nunn.

All in all, the Pahrump Valley Speedway hosts need to practice a little hospitality and treat their visitors better. I'm referring to the regular Victorville, Calif., racers the Timmermans (father, Tim and son, Tim and daughter, Teresa) and the Fosters (father, Tim and son, Bryce), who either were in awe of the other racers or guessed wrong on their set-ups. They were shut out but I'm sure that if they return, they may have learned a lot from this visit.