VADO, N.M. — After a near-miss in last Sunday’s Wild West Shootout modified main event, Tom Berry Jr. bounced back to get redemption during Friday’s Mesilla Valley Transportation / Border Tire Modifieds main event.
The Des Moines, Iowa, racer surged past Chad Wheeler on the fifth circuit to take the lead and once out front paced the field for the remainder of the 25-lap feature .
Jake Gallardo finished second, with Dereck Ramirez, Steven Witekar Jr. and Chad Wheeler rounded out the top five.
In Shocker Hitch X-Mod competition presented by Barnett Harley-Davidson, Reece Solander scored an emotional first-career miniseries victory. Solander raced to the lead on lap four and turned back repeated challenges from multiple competitors, including Kris Jackson to bank the triumph.
Jackson finished second, with Jesse Haynie third.
The finish:
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 11X-Tom Berry Jr[3]; 2. J17-Jake Gallardo[5]; 3. 4R-Dereck Ramirez[16]; 4. 89-Steven Whiteaker Jr[11]; 5. 88-Chad Wheeler[1]; 6. 65-Tyler Davis[4]; 7. 02-Tanner Mullens[18]; 8. WW1-Ricky Alvarado[7]; 9. 4RX-Jared Russell[9]; 10. 71-Dustin Strand[6]; 11. 65X-Carlos Ahumada Jr[14]; 12. 32-DJ Shannon[13]; 13. 58X-Gary Christian[17]; 14. G17-Fito Gallardo[15]; 15. 96-Taton Hansen[10]; 16. 19SB-Lance Mari[19]; 17. 44-Christy Barnett[23]; 18. 3J-Lewis Jackson[2]; 19. 16B-Randy Brown[8]; 20. 73B-Shad Badder[21]; 21. 12-Jason Ingalls[12]; 22. 88X-Nathan Smith[20]; 23. 20-Rodney Sanders[22]; 24. J7-Jake Boles[24]