2011 OX200

The OX200 @ Buffalo Downs was the ninth race of the 2011 ARLA Elite Series season. It was held at the Buffalo Downs dirt track in Buffalo, Wyoming.

Watch
_qk0F-tiyBE

Pre-race storylines
The 2012 ARLA Elite Series car was unveiled prior to this race, which OEN commentator Earl McDermott called "very sleek". The new car resembles a super late model, as seen in short tracks around the country.

Suiiju Dejao carried sponsorship from I.W. Eagle this week in lieu of usual sponsor B.B. Wolf's Rib Emporium.

Treck Tauger made his ARLA debut in race two in his No. 011 Cromwell CS, as did Zack Webster in the No. 095 Cromwell for Supercharged Racing.

Race one
Rene Recarmier started on pole, the first of his career, with hometown favorite Leslie Riggs on his outside. Recarmier led the first 14 laps before giving way to Riggs.

Amy Patti brought out the first caution on Lap 33 as Ricky Flush sent her for a spin coming out of Turn 4. Patti had a hard impact against the hard-packed dirt berm on the inside of the frontstretch, damaging her Nemoto. She would eventually get going again. Behind this, Holden Roberts and Brenda Riggs spun to avoid Patti, sending both cars hard into the Turn 1 wall. Both cars dropped out of the race.

Riggs was leading on the restart. Taylor Brillon passed a late-reacting Recarmier after the green flag flew to take second.

Patti would be the cause of the second caution on Lap 45 as her car stalled on the track. She would receive a tow back to the pits, where her crew got the car going again. Recarmier would have to pit before the green flag flew to change a flat tire.

Caution flew again on Lap 58 as Packer Carroll spun out in Turn 1 and made contact with the outside wall.

Damien Snyder and Benji Flynn got together on Lap 63 as Snyder sent Flynn into the Turn 2 wall. Flynn would drop out of the race. Riggs again led on the restart, with CJ Cameron passing Brillon to take over the second position. On Lap 70, however, caution flew again as Lucas Hunter and Lucas Sweeney got together coming out of Turn 4, with Sweeney getting sent spinning into the dirt berm on the frontstretch – similar to what happened to Patti earlier. Unlike Patti, however, Sweeney's damage was terminal and he would drop out. Patti would also drop out this lap, as a result of spinning her Nemoto into the Turn 1 wall in a reaction to the Sweeney wreck.

Riggs, once again, was leading on the restart (leading OEN commentator Scott Bush to use his "Here's a novel concept..." catchphrase). Cameron again restarted in second place, with Kevin Monroe restarting third.

Jason Bates brought out the sixth caution of the day with 13 laps to go, as he lost the handling on his Karl, Inc. Revolution coming into Turn 4 and spun himself into the outside wall. Bates would continue on, but with heavy damage to his No. 51 car. Cameron had a go at Riggs coming off the restart, but his use of the inside line entering Turn 3 (which hadn't been fast all race long) cost him a lot of time, and eventually the second position as Brillon got by him in Turn 4. With five laps to go, Brillon was able to make the inside line work and took the lead from Riggs. Brillon would not get to enjoy the lead for long as she over-drove Turn 4 and spun herself into the wall coming to the white flag.

Riggs would be the beneficiary of Brillon's misfortune, inheriting the lead as she took the white flag and yellow flag as the same time. The race ended under caution.

Allie Riggs was running inside the top 10 coming to the white flag, but had to pit for an unknown problem. She eventually finished 26th.

The win could be considered one of Leslie Riggs' biggest victories, considering this is her home race track.

Race two
Kurt Walker started the second race on pole with Todd Stater on his outside.

Caution flew early in this race, as on Lap 4 Mike Howard and Kyle Eckerton got together, sending Eckerton spinning on the frontstretch and making minimal contact with the wall in Turn 1. Rachel Rainsford also was involved as she was hit in the rear and sent spinning into the dirt berm by the start-finish line. Derek Dudding washed into Billy Bob Bradburn entering Turn 1, sending him into the retaining wall as well. Bradburn would drop out.

Walker led on the restart with Stater in tow. On Lap 14, however, Walker's engine would expire, putting him out of the race. He would not make it back to the pit lane, forcing caution to fly again. Stater would benefit as Michael Madrigal, who was running in second, checked up to avoid Walker's crippled race car. Stater passed Madrigal coming to take the yellow, and as a result, was scored as the leader.

Stater's lead would be short-lived as Madrigal retook the lead after the restart. Bruce Wilkinson joined the party, making it a three-car battle.

Stater would be the victim of the third caution on Lap 32 when Phillip Borland gave Stater a nudge coming out of Turn 2, sending him into the tire barrier. Stater would retire from the race. Madrigal led on the restart with Wilkinson in second. He would receive a challenge from Bigsby Foote, with Power Steering, Inc. teammate Libby Bell in tow. However, the battle with Wilkinson allowed Borland to enter the fray, and he would pass Bell for the fourth spot.

The fourth caution flew on Lap 43 as Dale Underwood and Chuck Bloomers got together entering Turn 3. Bloomers was heading for the pits to fix a flat tire when Underwood got into him. The contact sent Underwood up into the wall, almost flipping his No. 03 Cromwell in the process. Underwood would drive away.

Once again, Madrigal held the point on the restart, with Wilkinson in second. Foote restarted in third.

Underwood would be the cause of the next caution on Lap 80 as Madrigal got into him coming out of Turn 2. Underwood spun into the path of Wilkinson, who hit him head-on. The impact sent Underwood up into the wall, and this time, ended up doing a few rolls. Bloomers also got a piece of this incident as he went high to avoid Underwood – and rear-ended Wilkinson. Both Underwood and Wilkinson would drop out.

Madrigal ended up walking away from the rest of the field in the last 20 laps, sailing to his first ARLA Elite Series win.

Points

 * For the full points standings, click here.

Monroe would leave Buffalo with the points lead with 755 points. Recarmier left in second, 40 points back. Allie Riggs was third, 82 points off the pace.

Postrace penalties

 * None