Barton delays move, remains perfect at Bullring

Taylor Barton isn't moping around because his plan of moving to North Carolina to further his racing career has hit snag.

The 23-year-old from North Las Vegas simply headed back to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway's Bullring and kept his record perfect this year in the NASCAR All-American Series on Saturday night.

Barton won the first combined race for Super Late Models and Late Model. He's won each of the three races he's entered this season.

He said part of the sponsorship he needed to pursue an opportunity to race on the East Coast has been delayed.

"I'm so grateful for being able to do what I do," he said, after beating Scott Gafforini to the finish line by nearly one second in the 30-lap race. "I'm waking up each morning and it's another day in paradise."

Barton, who drives for a team he owns, said he has half the funding secured for what he needs to run some ARCA stock car races and possibly a few in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

For now, he's content with the Bullring.

He adjusted to smaller tires the speedway required on Super Late Models to provide parity when the Late Models were merged into the premier class because of low car counts.

Eighteen cars started Saturday's race and were split equally between the two categories.

He said the new 9-inch, treaded tires, which are vastly different from the 10-inch slicks previously used, "are nothing like what we had been using.

"It's more about the driver and (car) set up now."

Barton took the lead on lap 17 and held off Gafforini and Jeff Connors, who finished third.

Barton said his delay in leaving the Bullring could be beneficial.

"Maybe I didn't get my (East Coast) ride yet because I needed to learn a little bit more, and how to drive on these tires."

Branden Giannini placed fourth and was the top finisher among Late Models.

Equally as dominant as Barton this season is former Super Late Models driver Justin Johnson, who won his third consecutive Thunder Roadster race.

Other winners were: Karl Forman (Legends Cars), Mike Heck (Chargers), Tim Richter (Modifieds), Fred Harding (Bombers) and Jacksen Smith and Jonathan Eakin in Bandoleros.

• LVMS DRAGS -- Kahea Woods won the inaugural Jason Whitenack Memorial Shootout for motorcycles Saturday night at the LVMS dragstrip.

Winners in the Jerry's Nugget Championship Drag Racing Series were: Jon Irving (Sportsman), Bill Muller (Pro) and Ian Perri (High School).

Final rounds of Super Pro eliminations were postponed due to high winds.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@ reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.