Manning Flips, Then Flies to Victory in Bill & Shirley Memorial at Mohave Valley

Modified, News, Results

By Ben Deatherage

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. (Mar. 22, 2025) — It was a wild night for Gavyn Manning at Mohave Valley Raceway, as the Bakersfield, California driver went from flipping early in the night during hot laps to standing in victory lane after winning the $2,000-to-win 5th Annual Bill & Shirley Memorial. Manning capitalized on a strong restart to take control of the race and never looked back in the 25-lap Friesen Performance IMCA Modified feature.

The 3/8-mile oval hosted 29 competitors from across the Shaw Race Cars Western Region, setting the stage for an action-packed night. Adam Marx led the field early, but it was Dalton Houghton who stormed from fourth to the front on the opening lap. The two-time Mohave Valley Raceway champion set a solid pace until mechanical issues surfaced. Smoke began pouring from his machine, and a left rear tire failure ultimately ended his night and brought out the caution flag.

That handed the lead to Noah Geer, but during the restart, eighth-starting Manning made a bold move to the front and seized control. He briefly faced pressure from 2019 Western Region Rookie of the Year Jake Pike, but Pike was forced to exit on lap 18 after his car began smoking heavily.

From there, Manning — the two-time and defending Bakersfield Speedway track champion — skillfully navigated lapped traffic in the final circuits and cruised to the win, becoming the fifth different winner in the event’s five-year history.

Joey Price, the seven-time and reigning Electric City Speedway champion finished second after making the long haul to Arizona from Montana. Nevada’s Brady Gladd rounded out the podium in third.

The event was broadcast live on IMCA TV affiliate Dirt Race Central. Fans can relive the full night of action with the IMCA TV Replay Subscription Pass, available for just $24.99 a month.

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