LAS VEGAS — British Columbia, Canada’s Aaron Willison finds himself in a familiar position at the BITNILE Open Wheel Showdown Las Vegas, where the 2023 $50,000 race winner has earned the pole for Saturday’s 2024 edition after Willison snared the 10-lap Firstline Systems Pole Shuffle. Willison was one of six 12-lap heat race winners on the .375-mile Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Willison then outmatched Good Boy Vodka fast time qualifier JoJo Helberg of Rohnert Park, Calif. in the shuffle for the pole position.
“Yeah that was fun. Honestly track position – we had a good draw and got to start on the pole. I just knew I had to hit my marks and not miss the bottom. It was a good time there,” Willison said. “We’re just starting to establish a trend the longer the cars have been on the track to come to a decision for a baseline for tomorrow night. It’s awesome to have this platform to race on, to have all of North America gathered in one place to duke it out.”
Helberg led the way in time trials with a new track record, storming to a 11.572 second lap at 116.66 miles per hour. Helberg then won the opening CSI Shocks heat race one, with both Jeff Montgomery and Ryan Litt experiencing difficulties that relegated them to a C-Main position.
Willison won the BR Motorsports heat race two while Bobby Santos of Franklin, Mass. won the Elliott’s Custom Trailers heat three. A spin for Indiana USAC champion CJ Leary will have him coming out of Saturday’s B-Main. Casey Tillman won the Wilwood Brakes heat race four and Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, Calif. won the Racing Optics fifth heat race. Jake Trainor of Medway, Mass. won the Sweet Manufacturing heat race.
Litt made quick work of the 15-lap C-Main, presented by RX Help Centers, and will continue his alphabet soup effort on Saturday.
Klotz Modified action was led in qualifying by Las Vegas’ Aaron McMorran, who then drew the one pill in the redraw. All three heat races were presented by Cometic Gasket, with Aaron McMorran, Kyle Jacks, and Rich Lindgren snaring coveted wins.
Saturday action kicks off early with Modified practices at 10:30am. General Admission gates also swing open at that time, with plenty of tickets available at the gates. Supermodified time trials are also on deck. Opening ceremonies are at 1:30pm, with fans then treated to the 100-lap Sprint Car feature, 75-lap Modified feature, 40-lap Supermodified feature and B-Mains for both the Sprint Cars and Modifieds. More information available at www.openwheelshowdown.com
Pit Passes will be sold at the gate and include grandstand access.
