Duvall kicks off 2016 at Wild West Shootout

Joe Duvall and the Club91 racing team kicked off the 2016 season this past weekend with three nights at the USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz., to wrap up the 10th Annual Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout.

On Friday, Jan. 15, Duvall advanced to finish fourth in his heat race and went on to close out the night with a ninth-place finish in the 25-lap main event.

Saturday saw 'Big Daddy' slip to sixth in his heat race, but he rebounded to claim the second "B" Main and earn a spot in the "A" Main where he was forced to exit the race early, winding up 20th on the final score card.

In Sunday's finale, Duvall roared from the back of his heat race to finish third and lock himself into the main event for the third stright night against some mighty stout competition. He drew the outside of the front row for the 25-lap finale, and took command at the drop of the green flag. After leading the first 11 laps, the lights above turn 1 were lost and the field was red-flagged for nearly 20 minutes while crews went to work on the electrical problem. Back under green, Duvall was unable to find the traction he had earlier, but held on for a seventh-place finish.

Despite running just three of the six nights in the series, he finished up 22nd in overall points among the 57 entrants.

After returning home to Claremore, Okla., Duvall and crew chief Scott Drake will get the team ready to kick off the 2016 campaign with the USMTS Casey's Cup Series powered by S&S Fishing & Rental which launches Feb. 11 with a foursome of three-day shows in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma.

Opening weekend takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11-13, at the Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas, followed by tripleheader weekends at the Heart O’ Texas Speedway near Waco, Texas, Feb. 18-20; Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., Feb. 25-27; and Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., March 3-5.

Each show will pay $2,000, $3,000 and $4,000 to win, respectively, and will comprise the first dozen events in the expanded 17-race Production Jars Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports.