Phoenix’s Ricky Bogart wins 2019 season finale
LAS VEGAS – It may be too early to call it a dynasty, but Mark Allison is the Late Model Truck Series season champion once again.
The Las Vegas veteran driver finished fifth in the 35-lap season finale that was part of the West Coast Short Track Championships at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday night to clinch his second consecutive season points title. Allison entered the race holding a 39-point advantage over John Nahoopii, who finished seventh in Las Vegas.
“I’ve got to thank Mike Riefler and Gary Wyatt for letting me drive this truck, and we’ve had a good year,” said Allison, of Las Vegas. “I want to thank my sponsors K&N Filters and Hypercoil Springs. These trucks are a lot of fun to drive.”
Allison confirmed he will be back in the series next year as he chases a three-peat.
“They want me to run next year, so I think I will,” Allison said.
Ricky Bogart of Phoenix took the checkered flag for the second straight race, 3.033 seconds ahead of Andrew Porter of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Lee Keach was third, Bill Black took fourth and Allison rounded out the top five.
“I had to give it 100 percent, and I knew traffic was going to be an issue at some point,” said the 44-year-old Bogart, a third-generation racer. “I want to thank Sean Davis, Brian and Fisher Industries for giving me a great truck. This thing’s awesome, and I can’t wait for next year.”
Bullring regular Stan Mullis finished sixth, Nahoopii crossed the line in seventh, Mike McKearn of Las Vegas was eighth and series co-managers Gary Wyatt and Mike Riefler finished ninth and 10th, respectively, in the 14-truck field. Porter and McKearn won the series’ six-lap qualifying heat races to start the afternoon.
Saturday’s 35-lap feature at the LVMS short track capped a successful seven-race season for the second-year series. Five different drivers won LMTS races this year.
“Congratulations to Mark Allison, who has been a great champion for our series, as well as Ricky Bogart, who is ending 2019 on a hot streak,” Riefler said. “Gary Wyatt and I would like to thank all of our drivers and sponsors for a great 2019 season, and we can’t wait to see what 2020 holds for our growing series. We’re excited about the future.”
The region’s truck racing lineage dates back to the Speed Truck Series that originated in 1997 under the American Speed Association (ASA). MechanixWear gloves and Go Fast! energy drinks sponsored the class throughout the years, and the trucks raced at up to 10 different tracks in California, Arizona and Nevada before the ASA disbanded in 2013.
The series trucks feature a full-tube chassis, a 330-horsepower sealed V-8 spec engine and two-speed direct-drive transmission, with a clutch pedal dump valve, coupled to an aluminum quick-change rear end. The trucks sport replica fiberglass bodies of the Chevrolet S-10, Chevrolet Colorado, Dodge Dakota, Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma.
Series partners include the On Wheels Now online radio show – the longest-running motorsports radio show in Las Vegas – Melling Performance Racing, The Bomber Nation, KO Mechanical Services, Gary’s Trailer Repair, Nevada Pic-A-Part, The “Racer’s Rewards” Contingency Connection, Richmond Gear, Campout, ReliableBanner.com and Bearing King AZ.
Late Model Truck Series results
The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Saturday, Nov. 23
35-lap feature
1. Ricky Bogart; 2. Andrew Porter (-3.033 seconds); 3. Lee Keach (-14.420); 4. Bill Black (-16.061); 5. Mark Allison (-16.666); 6. Stan Mullis (-1 lap); 7. John Nahoopii (-1 lap); 8. Mike McKearn (-1 lap); 9. Gary Wyatt (-2 laps); 10. Mike Riefler (-3 laps); 11. Gary Cheek (-8 laps); 12. Lisa Bogart (-11 laps); 13. Sean Davis (-30 laps); 14. Chris Vindhurst (-33 laps).
*2019 season champion: Mark Allison
