BUZZ SODEMAN MORE COLUMNS SPECIAL TO THE PVT Bryan Wulfenstein was among the Pahrump drivers who competed last weekend in the Duel in the Desert, a major IMCA modified event contested at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Advertisement

LAS VEGAS -- Pahrump's contingent of IMCA modified drivers faced a whole new set of challenges and changing track conditions Saturday.

But there were still several opportunities to qualify for the Duel in the Desert on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway's dirt oval. The Saturday A-Main was a $5,000-to-win event.

The 10^th annual 'Duel' was the largest IMCA-sponsored event on this side of the continental divide.

According to Brett Root, vice-president of operations for IMCA, "this event provides West Coast participants who may not have the opportunity to travel to Boone (Iowa) for the IMCA Super Nationals, a showcase event. The 'Duel' will never replace the Super Nationals but it does continue to grow larger each year and could quite possibly surpass the modified count at the Boone race."

One hundred eighty-six modified drivers have followed the carrot that Chris Blair, vice-president of racing operations for LVMS dangled before them with the untiring assistance of John Bisci, the media relations manager.

This event is without a doubt one of just a handful of the races that a driver would like to have on their resume.

Joining the A-list of modified drivers, hot shoes and hired guns were a fine field of 54 dirt late models. They were led by past IMCA modified Duel winner, Colorado's Kelly Boen and Jimmy Mars from Menomonie, Wis. (who would experience success later in the program).

After a first night of disappointment, the Pahrump racers were looking for any window of opportunity. They got that needed boost right out of the gate when Leland Hibdon started on the pole and finished on the pole in the first heat of the evening.

Whatever handling problems encountered the night before, were at least temporarily corrected by the patient Hibdon. He led a stellar field of modifieds from green to checkered flag, opening up as much as a six-car length lead before several yellow flags tightened the pack.

Meanwhile, Jason Pike, multi-track champion and 100- feature race winner, was struggling in the third heat. Pike started his quest from mid-pack and remained there.

Things weren't any brighter for Eric Shenberger and Bryan Wulfenstein as they continued to struggle. Wulfenstein started fourth, was rear-ended by Paul Peterson of Rock Springs, Wyo., and in two laps had dropped to seventh because of a severe push entering the turns.

Eventually he motored on in last place, experimenting with different lines and pushing the cushion. It may have seemed embarrassing, but the valuable seat time garnered will prove very helpful as he moves along on his racing career.

Shenberger, driving a 25-year old Flexi-Flyer chassis, which probably should be sent to the Smithsonian, continued to deal with handling gremlins and never advanced beyond last place and was eventually black-flagged because of the one yellow rule.

Shenberger showed the stuff he's made of and like Wulfenstein garnered valuable seat time. Both youngsters took a negative and turned it into a positive by utilizing an opportunity to race on one of the only half -mile tracks within decent towing distance and used to their advantage.

Levi Kiefer started on the outside pole in the eighth heat and had the announcers carrying on a constant barrage of accolades towards his racing prowess.

Kiefer, who finished fourth, missed a transfer position by one spot with one lap to go, edged out by Jeep Berry of Myton, Utah.

Despite coming so close, the drivers knew they would have at least a couple more chances to make the Saturday night feature. Hibdon's chance would be in the night's only qualifying race.

Behind the wheel of Todd Nunnally's Harris car, Hibdon began the race eighth and remained pretty much in that part of the field until spinning out halfway into the race.

He encountered some of the same handling difficulties as the previous evening and eventually settled into last place.

In other action, Pahrump drivers weren't the only ones having problems. Jeremy Payne from Cave City, Ark., and winner of the last two Duels in the Desert, was intentionally spun out by Chad Dolan of Gibbon, Neb. His chances of making a run at a three-peat were now on damage control.

Dan Fitzgerald started outside of the seventh row in the fifth heat, moved to fifth after surviving a four-car crash on the end of the first lap that almost totally shut off the front stretch from turn four to the flag stand and was second, again just missing an automatic transfer position.

Another Las Vegas driver, Ronnie Williams, left the fourth heat aerodynamically challenged when he got caught up in a racing incident at the pack of the field.

In the final modified qualifying race, eight drivers moved on to the Saturday evening A-Main. Making the show were Eddie Martin (Stillwell, Okla.), Alan Sharpensteen (Amarillo, Texas), Christy Georges (El Paso, Texas), Richard Papenhausen (Chico, Calif.), Connor Pullen (Amarillo, Texas), Berry, Ryan McDaniel (Olivehurst, Calif.) and Paul Stone (Winton, Calif.).

Following a post race tech inspection, Georges was disqualified for having stud girdles in her motor, elevating Robby Haines (Benkelman, Neb.) into the top eight.

Also competing were touring West Coast Dirt Late Model stars. They run a unique qualifying round where six cars come out and for all appearances are running hot laps.

Actually each car has a transponder that records their times. When the qualifying heats had concluded, the Vegas dirt track had a new standard.

Mars obliterated the mark set by NASCAR Nextel Cup star Kenny Schrader, with a 18.533. At least six others topped the previous mark, as well.

The late models had their heats and the winners were Mars, Scott James, John Anderson, Kellen Chadwick (who was doing double duty in both the modifieds and the late models) and A.J. Kirkpatrick.

Brad Pounds, also a double duty driver, picked up a cool $1,000 to win in the dash.

Pounds started on the pole and had he passed any competitor would have picked up an additional $200 per car bounty. Pounds was pushed to the checkered flag by Mars and Andy Obertello, who rounded out the top three.