The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt traveled to the incredible Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Okla., on Friday for the ARMI Contractors USMTS Spring Salute and the fifth clash of the year in the ARMI Contractors South Region presented by Gene Nicholas, LLC.
From the Sybesma Graphics Pole, Oklahoma racer Gary Christian jumped out to the lead when the green flag waved but it didn’t last long as the Gorsuch Performance Caution Flag was displayed for an opening-lap pileup in turn two.
After several competitors paid a visit to the Danny Crane Racing Engines Hot Pity for repairs, the 40-lap main event was back underway with Christian fighting to hold back Osage, Iowa’s Jim Chisholm and Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender and Plattsmouth, Neb., resident Jacob Hobscheidt.
With drivers working every inch of real estate between the fences at the state-of-the-art speed palace, Christian and Chisholm began to pull away to make it a two-car race.
While Christian used every part of the middle and high side of the clay to hold the top spot, Chisholm crept around the bottom the racing surface and reeled in the leader.
Chisholm inched ahead at the flagstand to lead the 16th lap, and Christian fought hard to retake control but ended up sliding into the outside concrete wall a few laps later, leaving Hobscheidt with the job of taking down Chisholm while Tyler Wolff found himself third for the restart with the last half of the race left to go.
Two laps later, fourth-place-running Rodney Sanders suffered a right front flat tire, sending the five-time and defending Summit USMTS National Champion to the rear of the field.
While Chisholm tip-toed around the low side and continued to add laps as the leader, spectacular racing was the norm throughout the field with no position safe.
Wolff brought the Arrowhead Speedway audience to their feet with ten laps to go when he wrinkled the rear quarter panel of Chisholm’s machine and then pulled even with Chisholm in the back-stretch.
After the challenge, however, Chisholm reasserted himself as the man in charge and was never challenged again, crossing beneath the checkered flag with a 3.708-second cushion over runner-up Terry Phillips.
“Last year we learned more than I learned my whole career,” Chisholm said in Victory Fuel Victory Lane, referring to racing full time in 2023, “but I still make those mistakes—as we seen a week ago—but this car’s been like super super bad fast, and we actually took a little bit of speed out of it, but it made it a lot easier to drive.
“It sucks to see what happened to him (Christian). I think that would have been probably one of one of the funnest races of my life. I’d get an inch every once in a while then he’d come right back and gain that much back and more, so it was a really fun race. I seen Wolff run around me on the outside and gave me a little shove to get out of the way so I was like ‘I better get down and run my line. It’s so treacherous up on the top with that big cushion so I figured it was safest for me to run just a safe, smooth line and then if someone wanted to go around me then go around me.”
In addition to becoming the first repeat winner in the first seven races of the 2024 season for the Summit USMTS Modifieds, the 21-year-old garnered a $5,000 paycheck for the seventh win of his USMTS career, tying him with Corey Dripps on the all-time wins list.
Meanwhile, Jake O'Neil joined the Featherlite Top-Three podium with a third-place finish despite rolling off the grid from 19th. His effort earned him the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award.
Not far behind, Dan Ebert stormed from 17th to fourth at the finish while Wolff rounded out the top five. Jacob Hobscheidt, Jake Timm, Gabe Hodges, Chad Wheeler and Lance Mari completed the top ten.
Adding to his take, Chisholm also took home contingency awards from Edelbrock, Gorsuch Performance Solutions, MD3, Swift Springs, Victory Fuel and VP Racing.
The 9th Annual USMTS Juggernaut happens Saturday at the mighty Tri-State Speedway. The second night of the 45th Annual Cecil Harlan Kegger is also on tap featuring USRA B-Mods ($2000 to win), USRA Stock Cars ($1500 to win) and Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks ($1000 to win).
Check out the FAST FACTS for complete information including times and ticket prices.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
ARMI Contractors South Region presented by Gene Nicholas, LLC
ARMI Contractors USMTS Spring Salute
Arrowhead Speedway, Colcord, Okla.
Friday, April 19, 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) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
2. (1) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
3. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (5) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
5. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Justice, Okla.
6. (4) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
7. (6) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
8. (7) 26 Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark.
FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (1) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
2. (2) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (6) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
5. (5) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
6. (8) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
7. (3) 7H Brett Hansen, Fort Gibson, Okla.
8. (7) 26S Steven Glenn, Hamilton, Mo.
EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (3) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
2. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (8) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
4. (1) 33 Jaren Martin, Republic, Mo.
5. (7) C8 Timothy Culp, Prattsville, Ark.
6. (2) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
7. (6) 30 Dalton Kirk, Edgerton, Kan.
8. (4) 9H Aaron Halpain, Hulbert, Okla.
WIELAND METAL SERVICES HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (2) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas
2. (1) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
3. (5) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
4. (4) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
5. (8) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
6. (6) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
7. (7) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
8. (3) 71 Chad Melton, Mineral Wells, Texas
VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (3) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
2. (1) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
3. (2) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
5. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (4) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
7. (5) 7W Wesley Wise, Perryville, Ark.
8. (8) 19R Chris Kratzer, Haysville, Kan.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (2) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
3. (3) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
4. (7) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
5. (4) 91 Joe Duvall, Justice, Okla.
6. (10) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
7. (8) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
8. (5) 33 Jaren Martin, Republic, Mo.
9. (11) 30 Dalton Kirk, Edgerton, Kan.
10. (13) 26S Steven Glenn, Hamilton, Mo.
11. (9) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
12. (12) 7W Wesley Wise, Perryville, Ark.
13. (14) 71 Chad Melton, Mineral Wells, Texas
14. (6) C8 Timothy Culp, Prattsville, Ark.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (3) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
3. (2) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
4. (6) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (4) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
6. (7) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
7. (11) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
8. (9) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
9. (8) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (10) 7H Brett Hansen, Fort Gibson, Okla.
11. (14) 19R Chris Kratzer, Haysville, Kan.
12. (13) 9H Aaron Halpain, Hulbert, Okla.
13. (12) 26 Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark.
14. (5) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (3) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
2. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (19) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
4. (17) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
5. (9) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
6. (4) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
7. (15) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
8. (12) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
9. (22) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
10. (11) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
11. (8) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
12. (21) 91 Joe Duvall, Justice, Okla.
13. (7) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
14. (23) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
15. (14) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
16. (13) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
17. (20) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
18. (16) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
19. (25) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
20. (2) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
21. (10) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
22. (1) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
23. (5) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas
24. (24) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
25. (26) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
26. (18) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
Lap Leaders: Christian 1-15, Chisholm 16-40.
Total Laps Led: Chisholm 25, Christian 15.
Margin of Victory: 3.708 seconds.
Time of Race: 27 minutes, 16.411 seconds (5 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Williamson, Shannon, Hansen, Fuqua.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: O’Neil (started 19th, finished 3rd).
Entries: 40.
Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 20, Tri-State Speedway, Pocola, Okla.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Timm 644, Phillips 618, Ebert 591, Chisholm 589, Davis 573, J. Hughes 567, Mullens 540, Ramirez 538, Sanders 536, Hobscheidt 507.
ARMI Contractors USMTS South Region Points: Ebert 424, Timm 411, Phillips 400, J. Hughes 390, Davis 389.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Hobscheidt 462, Hodges 412, Shannon 359, Boone Evans 291, Glenn 270.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Timm 37, Ebert 32, M. Hansen 32, Mullens 28, Hobscheidt 27.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: Mullens 58, Rage 47, Bloodline 39, BOM 38, Hughes 37.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 59, KSE 47, OFI 47, Durham 44, Cornett 42.
Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Glenn.
American Racer – Halpain.
Bear Graphix – Christian.
Beyea Custom Headers – Ebert.
Bryke Racing – J. Hughes.
BSB Manufacturing – Hoff.
Champ Pans – Wolff.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Hobscheidt.
Deatherage Opticians – Hansen.
Edelbrock – Chisholm.
Fast Shafts – Hobscheidt.
Featherlite Trailers – Chisholm, Phillips, O’Neil.
FK Rod Ends – O’Neil.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – Chisholm.
Hooker Harness – Duvall.
Hyperco – Glenn.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Brown.
Keyser Manufacturing – Mari.
KSE Racing Products – Wheeler.
MD3 – Chisholm.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – O’Neil.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Nicholas, Ramirez.
MSD Performance – Ebert.
Penske Racing Shocks – Lavasseur.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Fuqua.
QA1 – Christian.
Quarter Master – Wheeler.
RacerWebsite.com – Culp.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Siebert.
Simpson Race Products – Christian.
Summit Racing Equipment – Davis, Duvall, Melton, Nicholas, Williams.
Sweet Manufacturing – Sanders.
Swift Springs – Mitchell, Chisholm.
Sybesma Graphics – Christian.
Total Power – Davis.
Victory Fuel – Chisholm.
VP Racing – Chisholm.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – T. Hughes.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Timm.