11/4/2023
Jeff Taylor
Taylor notches podium finish at Duel in the Desert
As October turned to November, Jeff Taylor traveled from his home in Arkansas to the XR Vegas Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the first week of the 26th annual Duel in the Desert. Over three days on the first weekend in November, the driver known as “The Animal” took a second-place prelim result and a third-place finish in the main event behind the wheel of his No. 5 Modified.
A whopping 94 Modified entries descended on the half-mile clay oval in Sin City when the event kicked off on Thursday. Taylor grabbed the fourth spot in his heat race and started 24th in one of two 20-lap, $777-to-win qualifying features. Taylor moved steadily forward in the race despite challenging track conditions. However, he suffered a flat tire and recorded a DNF, scoring a 16th-place result.
Eighty-three Modifieds were on the property on Friday for the second night of the three-day event. On an improved track, Taylor took the win in his heat and started fourth in one of two 20-lap, $777-to-win A-Mains. He scored a runner-up result, taking the checkered flag 1.592 seconds behind Austin Kuehl. Third place went to Kolin Hibdon, with Spencer Wilson and Trayke Metz finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.
Saturday’s finale again brought 94 Modifieds to the pit area. Taylor’s result from the previous night locked him into the 40-lap main event, meaning he could bypass the evening’s B-Mains. He started sixth in the $7,777-to-win feature race and was able to run all over the track with a good car. He ultimately claimed a third-place finish behind Kuehl and Ricky Alvarado. Jake Pike and Troy Morris III completed the top five.
Full results are at www.xrvegasdirttrack.com.
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