Wet weather kills big race in third lap

One of the biggest races of the year, the 40-lap Day after the Duel Modified race, was called in the third lap of the main event due to rain on Sunday.

The threat of rain kept the crowds away and then killed the race around 4:30 p.m., according to the speedway as the track got too slick for the racers to race. The speedway said the drivers were sliding around too much for them to continue the race.

This was the third consecutive year the race has run. It was being promoted as the best race in the series by track promoter Jerry Buesig, but the weather and lack of racers in the main event soured the day.

Promoters of the Pahrump Valley Speedway hoped to capitalize on the 40-lap Duel In the Desert in Las Vegas, which ended on Saturday and featured around 200 Modified cars.

In addition, Buesig had said the track had restructured the payout system to attract more out-of-town racers, which would have paid second place $500 and third $300.

"The last couple of years if you placed second or third you got very little and this was not worth it to the drivers," Buesig said.

Despite the efforts, only one out-of-town racer materialized from the Las Vegas race.

The Pahrump race usually boasts about 20 Modified racers and this year managed 10 Modified drivers. The race car count was low in the other categories too.

Was it the weather or the fact the track is not an IMCA-sanctioned track that kept racers away?

Does this mean the future of the race is in jeopardy?

The track is silent on the matter for now. Buesig and Broadhead were unavailable for comment.

-Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @vernheepvt