Barton dominates at Bullring
Taylor Barton started the NASCAR All-American Series by winning the season opener for the second straight year.
The 24-year-old Las Vegan dominated the 100-lap Super Late Models feature race Saturday night at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Bullring by leading all but the first 16 laps.
And he didn’t lead them all because he had to start in the seventh position among 24 cars after the order of the fastest seven qualifiers was inverted to start the race.
“The car was set up perfect for short runs or long runs,” he said of his dominant performance.
Barton’s car was completely rebuilt over the past four months, and veteran racer and car builder Chris Bray has been added as Barton’s crew chief.
Reigning Super Late Models track champion Scott Gafforini finished second by 0.75 seconds and admitted to guessing wrong by having his car prepared to run best over long runs.
The race was slowed by six caution flags that kept the longest green-flag run to 22 laps.
Gafforini prepared a new car, but minor problems kept it off the track, and the one he drove Saturday was nearly 15 years old.
Finishing third was Jeff Connors, 25, who said his charge to the front was hampered by a set of virtually collapsed front suspension springs that should have been replaced before the opener.
“You can bet there will be new ones before we race again in two weeks,” Connors said.
Justin Johnson finished fourth and Bray fifth.
In other divisions, Phil Goodwin began defense of his 2008 Chargers championship by winning the 30-lap feature by 0.42 seconds over Matt Johnson.
Other winners were: Jarod Carpenter, Thunder Roadsters; Billy Bob Grasser, Bombers; and Chris Warren and Rachel Brown, Bandoleros.
Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.
