The second-ever Big Bend Open Road Race 2.0 -- begun last year as a companion to the longtime annual April race between Fort Stockton and Sanderson – crowned its champions Oct. 15 at the Fort Stockton Convention Center. The first leg from Fort Stockton to Sanderson got under way at 8 a.m. Saturday and racers from 20 states competed in 13 speed divisions.

Race coordinator Crystal Lopez thanked the racers and everyone involved with the event.

“It was a phenomenal race,” Lopez said during the awards ceremony, adding that the Fort Stockton Chamber of Commerce and Fort Stockton Economic Development Corporation also coordinated and sponsored a poker run.

A total of 108 racers finished the 118-mile round trip course from Fort Stockton to Sanderson and back on U.S. Highway 285.

Top finishers were as follows:

Unlimited Division

1. Mike Smith, 2013 GT-R, average speed 148.511 mph

160 Division

1. Mark Capener/Scott Capener, 2019 Corvette, average speed 151.158 mph

150 Division

1. Mike Hill/Julie Hill, 2015 Corvette, average speed 149.998 mph
2. Gene Lehman/Colt Whetstone, 2019 GT3RS, 149.996 mph
3. Ted Zalesky, 2009 Corvette, 149.984 mph

145 Division

1. Barbara Ashby/Mac Ashby, 2007 Corvette, average speed 145.009 mph
2. Jerry Cox, 2008 Viper, 144.980 mph
3. Mike Black/Janet Black, 2022 Corvette, 144.132 mph

140 Division

1. Rani Hobgood/Les Hobgood, 2009 Corvette, average speed 139.548 mph
2. AJ Meadows/Kendra Meadows, 1999 Corvette, 141.981 mph

135 Division

1. Chad Kuboviak/Jeff Tilton, 1999 Camaro, Average speed 135.004
2. Malcolm Johnson, 2007 Corvette, 135.007 mph
3. Blue Offutt, Deana Offutt, 2005 Mercedes, 135.026 mph

130 Division

1. John Tiemann, 2019 Corvette, average speed 130.012 mph
2. Greg Childs/Thomas Bruce, 2003 Corvette, 130.017 mph
3. Ken Rees/Mike Rees, 2015 Corvette, 129.983 mph

125 Division

1. Michael Evans/Jeffrey Becker, 2012 Mustang, average speed 125.002 mph
2. Jessica Morton, 2011 Corvette, 125.007 mph
3. John Anhalt/Tom Bos, 2019 Corvette, 124.951 mph

120 Division

1. Robert Glass/Lanny Lowman, 2009 Corvette, average speed 119.977mph
2. Nick Stewart/Diane Stewart, 2002 Camaro SS, 120.095 mph
3. Gary Parmer, 2008 Corvette, 120.268 mph

115 Division

1. William Varnum/Jane Exler, 2017 Focus, average speed 114.994 mph
2. James Frierson/Keeter Jenkins, 2014 Corvette, 115.021 mph
3. Sandra Brown/Russell Brown, 2008 Corvette, 115.031 mph

110 Division

1. Doug Masters, 2012 Cooper S, average speed 110.000 mph
2. Andrew Kowalczyk, 1999 Trans Am, 110.000 mph
3. Kenneth Socha/Leeanna Shimek, 2004 Lightning, 109.991 mph

105 Division

1. Robert Dietrich, 2005 Cadillac, average speed 104.996 mph
2. Josh Hays/Will Hays, 2012 BMW, 105.006 mph
3. Melissa Lenox/David Lamb, 2008 Taurus, 104.993 mph

100 Division

1. Deborah Leimbach/Daniel Leimbach, 2011 Corvette, average speed 100.003 mph
2. Lee Miller/Layla Dunnam, 2016 Challenger, 100.006 mph
3. Neil Lahaye, 2021 Corvette, 99.973 mph