Sports Happenings

Racing in Fallon Last Weekend

Both race facilities were back in action last weekend. Top Gun Dragstrip held the annual NHRA National Open along with the Division 7 Jr. Dragster series event. Over 50 Jr. Dragsters and over 125 race cars and dragsters competed for cash prizes and special trophies provided by the NHRA. 

On Friday the weekend started with a test and tune. An opportunity for the racers both big and small to test their cars and see how their race cars would run at the challenging altitude of 4,000 feet. That evening a special race for the Jr. Dragsters was held. Two categories, ages 6-12 and the older group of 13–17-year-olds. Three hours later 2 winners each won a trophy and over $400 and were crowned at the Summit Racing winners’ circle. Saturday started well with all competitors making qualifying passes down the quarter mile. 

The first round began for the local Summit Et Series races and eliminations continued for the Jr. Dragster and NHRA special event cars. At about 2:30 p.m. torrential rains came. The rain overwhelmed the track’s flood prevention system, and the track was submerged in over 5 inches of water from the start line to the finish line. Along with the mud and debris covering the track, this essentially ended the racing activities for the day. Sunday morning the track staff was still working to clear the water and mud off the track and by 10 a.m. half of the track was sufficient to race Jr. Dragsters. The difficult decision was made to cancel the other categories for the remainder of the weekend. The fans were grateful that the kids were able to race and complete their points series. 

Meanwhile, at Rattlesnake Raceway, Friday night brought tough trucks racing. Every race was decided on the last lap with close hard racing in every class. Doug Hast ended up on top at the end of the carnage with an hour delay due to the weather. When the action started again heat races were held. After heat races came contact tough trucks where 12 tough trucks took the course at once. In the end, Wade Lumpston came out victorious. Then came a kids’ demolition derby with power wheels. Only a family of 3 showed up but they had a great time. The main event was then held where everyone started right where they left off with very fast, hard, close racing with a win by Chris Neiman. The weekend finished with the demolition derby. After all the wrecks it came down to Alex Kneistedt as the victor.

Reno Aces Complete Home Weekend, Head to Vegas This Week

The Reno Aces (35-28) fell just short in an 8-7 loss to the Tacoma Rainiers (31-32) in Sunday afternoon’s series finale. The Rainiers jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two, churning through at-bats and forcing Konnor Pilkington out of the game after just two outs. Blake Lalli turned to Peter Solomon in the middle innings and the righty didn’t disappoint. Solomon kept the Aces in the game with three scoreless innings and two strikeouts. 

Ali Sánchez walked twice and hit a two-run homer to dead center, his fifth of the season. Sánchez is 23-for-55 (.418) with four doubles, five homers, and 14 RBI in 16 games at Greater Nevada Field this season. Buddy Kennedy and Kyle Lewis each notched multiple hits in the loss. Kennedy’s two-run double in the fourth pulled the Aces within two while Lewis’ single in the seventh kept the line moving for a game-tying double from Tristin English. 

The Aces brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth as Dominic Canzone pinch-hit for English. Canzone flew a deep sacrifice fly to left to pull within one, but the Rainiers closed it out shortly after.

After a trip to Las Vegas to take on the Aviators this week, the Albuquerque Isotopes come to town for a series from June 20-25 with special nights for Micheladas de Reno on June 21 and Mining Night on June 24.