Jake O’Neil’s magical month of dirt modified success continued Saturday night at the Ogilvie Raceway with a dominant performance on the final night the 4th Annual USMTS vs Wissota Mod Wars.
Gabe Hodges blasted off from the front row of the 50-lap Summit Racing Equipment main event and led the opening handful of laps before giving way to Jeremy Nelson.
But just like the previous night it was O’Neil tracking down the Gopher State gasman and taking the lead before the halfway point of the race following a caution flag.
“Something broke in this thing and it was all I could do to stay on course,” O’Neil said. “The car was falling really bad and I was having a really hard time getting around the corners… We got to lapped cars and I kind of used them as a pick to get some room.
“About two to go it started to vibrate and then kind of laying down so I don’t know what kind of issues we got, but there’s a bunch of them.”
The 32-year-old from Tucson, Arizona, pocketed the top prize of $11,000 and with his triumph on Friday and top-five finish Thursday, the lone LG2 Race Cars chassis in the field this weekend added nearly $17,000.
He also took home contingency awards from Beyea Headers, Edelbrock, Featherlite Trailers, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, MD3, MSD Performance, Swift Springs, Victory Fuel and VP Racing valued at more than $2,000.
Terry Phillips gave a veteran-style effort and wound up second with Jim Chisholm joining the Featherlite Trailer Top-3 podium celebration in Victory Fuel Victory Lane.
With his win, O’Neil tied 2007 USMTS national champion for eleventh on the all-time wins list with 33. It was the third for O’Neil in his last four starts.
Tanner Mullens raced from 14th on the starting grid to finish fourth while Jake Timm powered from 18th to fifth and earned the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award.
Sixth through tenth in the final rundown were Alex Williamson, Wissota legend Shane Sabraski, defending USMTS national champion Rodney Sanders, Zach Benson and defending USRA Modified national champ Tyler Davis.
Timm emerged from ‘The Big O’ still clinging to the points lead over Chisholm in the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt while Chisholm kept his slim margin over Timm in the Collins Brothers Towing USMTS North Region presented by Featherlite.
Sanders is third in both points battles as the mid-point of the USMTS schedule looms this Thursday, July 18, in Fairmont.
Five ’til Fairmont: In less than five days, the 10th Annual USMTS Summer Spectacular powered by Bettin Trucking happens at the famed Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minnesota.
The $3,000-to-win event this Thursday will see the USMTS Modifieds joined by the State Bank of Fairmont USRA Stock Cars, Nutrien Ag USRA B-Mods, Finke Excavating USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Tuners competing for track and national points in the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series.
The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt last visited the famed high-banked half-mile dirt oval in 2016 with Jason Hughes picking up his second win at the track.
This week’s shootout will be the eleventh visit here. Past winners here include Mark Noble, Kelly Shryock, Ryan Ruter, Johnny Scott, Rodney Sanders, Jason Krohn and Ryan Gustin, who also has two wins at Fairmont.
Thursday will be another stop in the tough Collins Brothers Towing USMTS North Region presented by Featherlite where Jim Chisholm leads national points leader Jake Timm and defending champ Rodney Sanders in the fight for the $10,000 regional title.
Other series mainstays fans can expect to see include Dan Ebert, Tanner Mullens, Terry Phillips, Alex Williamson, Jake O’Neil, Kyle Brown, Gary Christian, Tyler Davis, Gabe Hodges, Lucas Schott, A.J. Hoff, Jacob Hobscheidt and Steve Lavasseur.
Cole Anderson leads the track’s USRA Modified points over Lyle Sathoff, Roger Nielsen, Dustin Wiederhoeft and Josh Ruby. Other regional racers expected are Lee Beemer, Don Gerritsen Jr., Travis DeBoer, Brandon Davis, J.T. Wasmund, Ryan Wetzstein, Duke Erickson and more.
The pits will open at 2:30 p.m. with gates at 5:30 and racing at 7:30. For complete event information, check out the FAST FACTS.
The Fairmont Raceway is located 1.0 mile south of I-90 (exit 99) on CR 39 (at the Martin County Fairgrounds) to 1300 N Bixby Rd, Fairmont, MN 56031.
Check out USMTS.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube. Don’t forget to subscribe for free to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox plus Members Only benefits.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
Collins Brothers Towing USMTS North Region presented by Featherlite
4th Annual USMTS vs Wissota Mod Wars – Night 3 of 3
Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, Minn.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (2) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
2. (1) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
3. (3) 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
4. (5) 17B Zach Benson, Princeton, Minn.
5. (9) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (4) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
7. (7) 26G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
8. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
9. (6) 89 J.T. Johnson, Milaca, Minn.
10. (10) 3T Travis Schulte, Becker, Minn.
FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (1) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
3. (8) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (4) 2C Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
5. (3) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (9) 88 Eric Lamm, Milaca, Minn.
7. (10) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
8. (5) 224 Cody Wolkowski, Thunder Bay, Ont., Can.
9. (6) 25 Adam Bohlman, Princeton, Minn.
10. (7) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls , Wis.
EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (2) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
2. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (5) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
4. (3) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (8) 12P Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont.
6. (10) 21 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
7. (7) 99 Jason Grimes, Jamestown, N.D.
8. (6) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
9. (9) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
10. (1) 5K Tyler Kaeter, St. Cloud, Minn.
WIELAND METAL SERVICES HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (3) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
2. (8) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
3. (2) 11 Jody Bellefeuille, Carlton, Minn.
4. (9) 0 Jake O’Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
5. (7) WIN1 Karl Leavenworth, Ramsey, Minn.
6. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
7. (4) 12M Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis.
8. (1) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
9. (5) 112 Brennan Gave, Princeton, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 11 Jody Bellefeuille, Carlton, Minn.
2. (2) 17B Zach Benson, Princeton, Minn.
3. (3) 2C Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
4. (6) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
5. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (7) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
7. (5) 88 Eric Lamm, Milaca, Minn.
8. (4) WIN1 Karl Leavenworth, Ramsey, Minn.
9. (11) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
10. (13) 3T Travis Schulte, Becker, Minn.
11. (12) 25 Adam Bohlman, Princeton, Minn.
12. (10) 224 Cody Wolkowski, Thunder Bay, Ont., Can.
13. (8) 99 Jason Grimes, Jamestown, N.D.
14. (14) 5K Tyler Kaeter, St. Cloud, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (2) 12P Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont.
3. (3) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (10) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (5) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
7. (7) 26G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
8. (4) 21 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
9. (9) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
10. (13) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls , Wis.
11. (11) 89 J.T. Johnson, Milaca, Minn.
12. (8) 12M Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis.
13. (12) 112 Brennan Gave, Princeton, Minn.
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. (3) 0 Jake O’Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (4) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (14) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (18) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
6. (6) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
7. (19) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
8. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
9. (15) 17B Zach Benson, Princeton, Minn.
10. (8) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
11. (11) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
12. (20) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
13. (22) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
14. (23) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
15. (2) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
16. (10) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
17. (25) 89 J.T. Johnson, Milaca, Minn.
18. (1) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
19. (17) 2C Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
20. (12) 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
21. (27) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls , Wis.
22. (16) 12P Joey Price, Great Falls, Mont.
23. (9) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
24. (24) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
25. (26) 21 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
26. (21) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
27. (13) 11 Jody Bellefeuille, Carlton, Minn.
Lap Leaders: Hodges 1-2, Nelson 3, Hodges 4-5, Nelson 6-19, O’Neil 20-50.
Total Laps Led: O’Neil 31, Nelson 15, Hodges 4.
Margin of Victory: not available.
Time of Race: not available (3 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Ebert, Brown, Johnson, Hobscheidt.
Emergency Provisional: Lavasseur.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Timm (started 18th, finished 5th).
Entries: 39.
Next Race: Thursday, July 18, Fairmont Raceway, Fairmont, Minn.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Timm 1627, Chisholm 1596, Sanders 1494, Ebert 1441, Phillips 1432, Hughes 1387, Mullens 1361, Davis 1315, Williamson 1274, Christian 1262.
Collins Brothers Towing USMTS North Region Points: Chisholm 721, Timm 684, Sanders 667, Phillips 587, Mullens 587.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Hobscheidt 1202, Hodges 1127, Steve Glenn 727, Joe Chisholm 574, D.J. Shannon 409.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Sanders 93, Timm 82, Ebert 80, Chisholm 77, Mullens 64.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: Rage 123, MBCustoms 122, Mullens 119, Skyrocket 118, Hughes 83.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: KSE 140, Mullins 135, OFI 126, Cornett 113, Hatfield 101.
Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Kaeter.
American Racer – Mullens.
Bear Graphix – Price.
Beyea Custom Headers – Mullens.
Bryke Racing – Hodges.
BSB Manufacturing – Lavasseur.
Champ Pans – Timm.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Williamson.
Deatherage Opticians – Price.
Edelbrock – Hodges.
Fast Shafts – Sanders.
Featherlite Trailers – O’Neil, Phillips, Chisholm.
FK Rod Ends – Timm.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – O’Neil.
Hooker Harness – Schott.
Hyperco – Ebert.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Nelson.
Keyser Manufacturing – Davis.
KSE Racing Products – Benson.
MD3 – O’Neil.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Gierke, Lamm.
MSD Performance – Mullens.
Penske Racing Shocks – Atkinson.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Hoff.
Performance Bodies – Johnson.
QA1 – Sanders.
Quarter Master – Benson.
RacerWebsite.com – Hobscheidt.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Davis.
Simpson Race Products – Williamson.
Summit Racing Equipment – Atkinson, Benson, Gave, Grimes, Schulte.
Sweet Manufacturing – Hoff.
Swift Springs – Mullens, O’Neil, Sabraski.
Sybesma Graphics – Nelson.
Total Power –Christian.
Victory Fuel – O’Neil.
VP Racing – O’Neil.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Miller.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Sabraski.