O'Neil perfect in panhandle, sweeps USMTS Amarillo Ambush

October 5, 2024

On a weekend where the best of the best in the dirt modified world raced without roofs around the Route 66 Motor Speedway, Jake O’Neil matched his Friday night effort on and thrilled the crowd with a spectacular triumph on Saturday over a strong field of USMTS Modifieds.

The 11th Annual USMTS Amarillo Ambush featured two nights of action at the wide high-banked clay oval in Amarillo, Texas, with competitors chasing points in both the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt competitors and ARMI Contractors USMTS South Region presented by Gene Nicholas, LLC.

Young gun Derek Scott from nearby Canyon, Texas, set the pace after garnering the Sybesma Graphics Pole Award, but he was quickly overwhelmed by a swarm of hungry USMTS Modifieds.

O’Neil, who started ninth in the 50-lap finale on Saturday, struggled early on. In fact, the Tucson, Ariz., speedster was still ninth after ten laps of racing, but that’s when he started to make his move toward the front.

Meanwhile, Dan Ebert of Lake Shore, Minn., led the opening lap and then 19 more circuits while surviving a pair of Gorsuch Performance Caution Flags, including one that sent Rodney Sanders to the Danny Crane Racing Engines Hot Pit to change a flat tire.

After the lap-10 yellow, Tyler Wolff began inching closer to Ebert and finally made the pass to lead the lap 21. Mark Smith followed into second two laps later and applied pressure to Wolff just before a caution on lap 24 for a spin at the top of turn four.

At the halfway point, the top two title contenders were beating a path to the front of the pack. Jake Timm, who started 20th, was up to sixth by lap 25 while 21st-starting Jim Chisholm was tickling the top ten.

For the restart on lap 29, O’Neill was fourth behind Wolff, Ebert and Smith. Despite taking the shortest way around the 3/8-mile oval, Wolff watched as O’Neil danced into the lead using the high side as the duo crossed beneath the flagstand on to complete lap 33.

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A final caution with ten laps to go offered no help to Wolff as he was unable to challenge O’Neil who completed the 50-lapper with a margin of victory of less than a second over Wolff.

“I just held it to the floor,” O’Neil said with a smile in Victory Fuel Victory Lane as he recounted an earlier miscue in the race that almost sent him over the berm in turn four. “I was so tight. I really thought we were in trouble there, but the longer we went the better I was getting. The bottom was good, but you can’t pass ‘em where they’re at.”

O’Neil’s second triumph in as many nights increased his weekend bankroll to $10,000 with his pair of five-grand feature wins in the Texas Panhandle. It was his sixth win in 2024 and the 36th of his USMTS career which ties him for tenth on the all-time list with USMTS legend Jon Tesch.

Wolff, who stared 11th, settled for the runner-up finish while New Mexico racer Mark Smith held off Timm to get the third step on the Featherlite Trailers Top-3 podium.

Terry Phillips finished fifth with Jake Gallardo, Chisholm, Sanders, Ebert and Tyler Davis rounding out the top ten.

For his efforts, Timm also earned the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award after passing 16 of his fellow racers in the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

The USMTS road warriors return to the Mel Hambelton Racing USMTS Central Region for the final time on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25-26.

The series competes in the 13th Annual USMTS Jayhawk Classic at the Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday before returning to the popular 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan., on Saturday for the 4th Annual USMTS Modified Spooktacular.

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
ARMI Contractors USMTS South Region presented by Gene Nicholas, LLC
11th Annual USMTS Amarillo Ambush – Night 2 of 2
Route 66 Motor Speedway, Amarillo, Texas
Saturday, Oct. 5, 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) 21 Derek Scott, Canyon, Texas
2. (7) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (6) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (5) 77 Ronnie Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas
5. (10) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
6. (4) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
7. (8) 18M Bobby Mayfield, Elk City, Okla.
8. (1) 17M Roy Don Mason, Hobbs, N.M.
9. (3) 22M Sammy McNabb, Amarillo, Texas
10. (9) 1 Ryan Reeves, Lubbock, Texas

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (2) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
2. (1) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
3. (9) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
4. (10) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
5. (7) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
6. (8) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (6) 100% Braden Howell, Amarillo, Texas
8. (4) 22S Shane Redline, Amarillo, Texas
9. (5) 80 David Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas
10. (3) 06 Chad Taylor, Liberal, Kan.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (1) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas
2. (2) 9R Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (10) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
4. (5) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (4) 12C Leland Cruz, Amarillo, Texas
6. (6) 8N Nick Rivera, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (3) 11G Cameron Gillmore, Amarillo, Texas
8. (9) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
9. (8) 2X Gene Weaver, Amarillo, Texas
10. (7) 45 Daxton Riggle, Borger, Texas

WIELAND METAL SERVICES HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (7) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
2. (1) 15 Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
3. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (6) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (3) 18K Brayden Kongdara, Amarillo, Texas
6. (8) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
7. (10) 7 A.J. Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas
8. (4) 37 Coty Tanquary, Lubbock, Texas
9. (9) 18 Brandon Alward, Shallowater, Texas
10. (5) 2 Dustin Grajczyk, Amarillo, Texas

VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (2) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
2. (3) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (1) 24 Rick Ortega, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (6) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (7) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
7. (4) 117 Toby Herring, Hobbs, N.M.
8. (9) 11D Cole Dennis, Altus, Okla.
9. (8) 1T Cameron Thomas, Amarillo, Texas
10. (10) 18JR Ricardo Olague Jr., El Paso, Texas

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (1) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
3. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (6) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (12) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
6. (7) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (5) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
8. (9) 7 A.J. Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas
9. (17) 22M Sammy McNabb, Amarillo, Texas
10. (16) 1T Cameron Thomas, Amarillo, Texas
11. (13) 11G Cameron Gillmore, Amarillo, Texas
12. (10) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
13. (8) 18K Brayden Kongdara, Amarillo, Texas
14. (4) 77 Ronnie Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas
15. (15) 17M Roy Don Mason, Hobbs, N.M.
16. (11) 100% Braden Howell, Amarillo, Texas
17. (19) 2 Dustin Grajczyk, Amarillo, Texas
18. (18) 1 Ryan Reeves, Lubbock, Texas
19. (14) 37 Coty Tanquary, Lubbock, Texas

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 15 Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
2. (3) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (4) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (8) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
6. (2) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
7. (9) 8N Nick Rivera, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (10) 18M Bobby Mayfield, Elk City, Okla.
9. (6) 12C Leland Cruz, Amarillo, Texas
10. (11) 117 Toby Herring, Hobbs, N.M.
11. (19) 06 Chad Taylor, Liberal, Kan.
12. (17) 18JR Ricardo Olague Jr., El Paso, Texas
13. (16) 80 David Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas
14. (18) 45 Daxton Riggle, Borger, Texas
15. (5) 24 Rick Ortega, Las Cruces, N.M.
16. (12) 11D Cole Dennis, Altus, Okla.
17. (15) 2X Gene Weaver, Amarillo, Texas
18. (14) 18 Brandon Alward, Shallowater, Texas
19. (13) 22S Shane Redline, Amarillo, Texas

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. (9) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (11) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (5) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
4. (20) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (13) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (16) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (21) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
8. (18) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
9. (2) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
10. (10) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
11. (6) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
12. (24) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
13. (25) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
14. (14) 15 Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
15. (17) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
16. (15) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
17. (7) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
18. (19) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
19. (8) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
20. (1) 21 Derek Scott, Canyon, Texas
21. (12) 9R Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M.
22. (4) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
23. (23) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
24. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas
25. (22) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
DNS - (26) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas

Lap Leaders: Ebert 1-20, Wolff 21-33, O’Neil 34-50.
Total Laps Led: Ebert 20, O’Neil, 17, Wolff 13.
Margin of Victory: 0.968 seconds.
Time of Race: 28 minutes, 13.301 seconds (5 cautions).
Provisional Starter: Ahumada.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Timm (started 20th, finished 4th).
Entries: 50.
Next Race: Friday, Oct. 25, Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Chisholm 2681, Timm 2650, Sanders 2511, Phillips 2436, Ebert 2327, Mullens 2223, Hughes 2203, Davis 2149, Williamson 2074, Christian 2041.
ARMI Contractors USMTS South Region Points: Timm 681, Ebert 642, Chisholm 629, Phillips 610, Hughes 607.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Hobscheidt 1992, Gabe Hodges 1632, Steven Glenn 927, Joe Chisholm 739, D.J. Shannon 409.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Sanders 161, Timm 157, Chisholm 136, Phillips 106, Ebert 98.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: Skyrocket 214, MBCustoms 213, Rage 204, Mullens 186, Bloodline 151.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: KSE 248, Mullins 220, OFI 208, Durham 182, Hatfield 178.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Wolff.
American Racer – Alward.
Bear Graphix – Mari.
Beyea Custom Headers – Timm.
Bryke Racing – Hughes.
BSB Manufacturing – Ray.
Champ Pans – Phillips.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – J. Gallardo.
Deatherage Opticians – Sharpensteen.
Edelbrock – Houston.
Fast Shafts – Ebert.
Featherlite Trailers – O’Neil, Wolff, M. Smith.
FK Rod Ends – Timm.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – O’Neil.
Hooker Harness – Hobscheidt.
Hyperco – Timm.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Mullens.
Keyser Manufacturing – Davis.
KSE Racing Products – Ebert.
MD3 – Ebert.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Rivera, Mayfield.
MSD Performance – Timm.
Penske Racing Shocks – Ahumada.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Thomas.
Performance Bodies – Westover.
QA1 – Ebert.
Quarter Master – Ebert.
RacerWebsite.com – Olague.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Hoff.
Simpson Race Products – Scott.
Summit Racing Equipment – Houston, Ortega, McNabb, Weaver, Westover.
Sweet Manufacturing – N. Smith.
Swift Springs – Sanders, Scott, O’Neil.
Sybesma Graphics – Scott.
Total Power – Williamson.
Victory Fuel – O’Neil.
VP Racing – O’Neil.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Redline.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Chisholm.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Callies Performance Products, Chevrolet Performance, Fast Shafts, Featherlite Trailers, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, TicketSmarter, VP Racing - Heartland, Wieland.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ARMI Contractors, Boomtest Well Service, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Collins Brothers Towing, Gene Nicholas, LLC, Hacienda Mechanical, Hochatown Saloon, Mel Hambelton Ford, Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, Salty's BBQ & Catering, Shop Quik Stores, STAKT Products, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Bear Graphix, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Danny Crane Racing Engines, Deatherage Racing Opticians, Edelbrock, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, Gunshepherd.com, Hooker Harness, Hyperco, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, JE Pistons, Keyser Manufacturing, MD3, Mel Hambelton Racing, MSD Performance, Penske Racing Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, QA1, Quarter Master, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Total Power, Victory Fuel, Victory Vault, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Racing.