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Flawless O’Neil owns 2020 Featherlite Fall Jamboree

SEPTEMBER 26, 2020   by Jeff Nun, USMTS.com
 

With his second win in as many nights, Jake O’Neil completed a dominating month of September at the Deer Creek Speedway with an impressive win at the 22nd Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Saturday night.

Thanks to a year turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s show was cut from three to two days so O’Neil won’t get the opportunity to match the effort by Jason Hughes five years ago when he topped all three nights of the event.

However, a decisive win three weeks ago here in the J&S JCB USMTS Labor Day Duel gives the 28-year-old from Tucson, Ariz., the distinct honor of being the only USMTS racer to win every USMTS main event at ‘The Creek’ in a single season.

“I come here on a local night and I tried something I probably never tried on a race day,� O’Neil said in victory lane. “For whatever reason, it worked and every time I come back I put the same setup on... I tell you what, this racecar I feel like anybody could drive it. If I can drive it, anybody could drive it.�

In scoring his 10th career USMTS victory, O’Neal pocketed $10,500 to increase his three-race loot to more than $20,000.

“Man, it’s just awesome. I don’t know what to say. This is very surreal. I didn’t really expect this. This weekend kind of went our way with our draws and being able to start up front and, man, I don’t know. It’s just a badass racecar.�

With the 32-car field starting three-wide, O’Neil started fourth on the inside of the second row. He was third by lap four, second one lap later and scooted underneath early leader Brad Waits to lead the eighth lap.

Following a lap-11 caution for Brandon Davis’s broken machine, O’Neil began to pull away from the field but Rodney Sanders moved into second on lap 13 and kept O’Neil within striking distance. Meanwhile, polesitter and defending Fall Jamboree champ Jacob Bleess was embroiled in an exciting three-way battle for third with Zack VanderBeek.

Fighting their way through thick lapped traffic, O’Neil and Sanders tip-toed away from the field when the second and final yellow flag waved for Dustin Sorensen with just five laps remaining. This gave hope to Jake Timm who found a daring line near the concrete wall to his liking and sat third when the race went back to green flag racing.

Timm disposed of Sanders but could not muster the muscle to challenge O’Neil for the lead. The two Jakes crossed the finish line first and second with O’Neil taking the top prize while Timm settled for a $5,000 second-place paycheck.

“I knew I needed to get out there early and try to set the pace, but at the same time I was really worried about my tires,� O’Neil revealed. “At the end I was kind of hanging on there. I felt it vibrating and I thought a tire was going down, and I was doing everything I could to just hold on.�

Sanders held on for third with VanderBeek and Bleess finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. Tanner Mullens was sixth at the stripe with 16th-starting Cory Crapser in seventh, 17th-starting Lucas Schott eighth and 18th-starting Brooks Strength nabbing ninth. Jason Hughes, who started 22nd, rounded out the top 10.

Icon Concrete provided a $500 bonus to the main event winner. Rain Control Seamless Gutters awarded $200 to the racer accumulating the most heat race passing points. Sanders took the money after winning his heat race after starting last on the grid.

Spacek solid in Non-Qualifiers Race: Jeff Spacek of Phillips, Wis., held off Kasson’s Joel Alberts in a wildly entertaining Non-Qualifiers Race for the best 28 entries unable to make the main event. The 25-lap contest was worth $2,000 to the winner.

Cole Spacek finished third while USMTS legend Al Hejna took the fourth spot. Rookie Chase Rudolf came from 16th on the starting grid to grab the fifth position.

Spacek is the 16th different driver to win the event in it’s 19th running. Only Bob Timm (twice) and Steve Wetzstein (three times) have multiple victories in the Non-Qualifiers Race. None of the past winners were in Saturday’s lineup.

Summit Southern Nationals next: The USMTS will return to the RPM Speedway for the 2nd Annual Summit Southern Nationals presented by Super Clean on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 5-7, where the 2020 USMTS national champion will officially be crowned. Dereck Ramirez was the winner when the series was here two weeks ago.

The event is also the season finale in the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series for the Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks and USRA Limited Mods which join the action all three nights. USRA Tuners will compete Friday and Saturday in their nationwide points finale.

For those who cannot attend in person, every lap of every race in every division can be experienced live with a Pit Pass on RacinDirt.TV https://www.racindirt.tv/. Subscribe now and enjoy the best live and on-demand motorsports coverage on dirt.

Currently, the 2020 schedule for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s is highlighted by 40 nights of racing at 25 unique dirt ovals for the 22nd season of competition for the world’s Best of the Best in dirt modified racing.

To connect with the USMTS check out USMTS.com, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, check us out on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Keep up to speed by joining our email list

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s
22nd Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree presented by Chevrolet Performance – Night 2 of 2
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 14 in heat race passing points advanced to the Casey’s “A� Main with the top 9 drawing for starting positions 1-9.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):

1. (2) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (5) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (9) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
4. (4) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
5. (10) 7 Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
6. (3) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa.
7. (6) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn.
8. (7) 13J Bobby Malchus, Maypearl, Texas.
9. (1) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa.
10. (8) 55 Colson Kirk (R), Urbana, Mo.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):

1. (2) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
2. (7) 19SB Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif.
3. (10) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (3) 4R Jared Russell (R), Muskogee, Okla.
5. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (4) 777 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
7. (5) 7S Todd Stinehart, Waseca, Minn.
8. (9) 02 Cole Denner (R), Ionia, Iowa.
9. (6) 22 Jeff Spacek (R), Phillips, Wis.
10. (1) 24SR Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):

1. (2) 02 Tanner Mullens (R), Wichita, Kan.
2. (4) 00 Mark Gartner, Mapleton, Minn.
3. (7) 21 Brennen Chipp (R), Dunkerton, Iowa.
4. (1) 13X McKenzie Gerdes, Alexandria, Minn.
5. (8) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
6. (9) 24M Manuel Williams Jr., Fouke, Ark.
7. (6) 14M Brian Mahlstedt (R), Ionia, Iowa.
8. (5) 98M Mitch Madery (R), Kasson, Minn.
9. (3) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
10. (10) 6T7 Brian Albrecht, Winona, Minn.

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):

1. (1) 00 J.D. Auringer, Waterloo, Iowa.
2. (4) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis.
3. (7) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (8) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
5. (6) 21X Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
6. (9) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (3) 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
8. (2) 7J Cory Jones (R), Zimmerman, Minn.
9. (5) 71J Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn.
10. (10) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):

1. (3) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (5) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
3. (1) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan.
4. (7) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
5. (8) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (2) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
7. (6) 20JR Chase Rudolf (R), Prole, Iowa.
8. (4) 26G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
9. (9) 71C Ryan Maitland (R), Waterloo, Iowa.
10. (10) 503 Jason Miles (R), Glenwood, Ark.

WRISCO HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):

1. (9) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (2) 2X Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
3. (7) 444 Brooks Strength (R), Raymond, Miss.
4. (3) 51W J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn.
5. (10) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
6. (5) 22S Cole Spacek (R), Phillips, Wis.
7. (6) 36K Jayden Larson (R), Mankato, Minn.
8. (8) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.
9. (1) 209 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
10. (4) 24W Mason Williams (R), Fouke, Ark.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT HEAT RACE #7 (10 laps):

1. (1) 50III Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
2. (5) 49JR Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn.
3. (4) 22H Dustin Hodges, Centralia, Mo.
4. (3) 4A Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
5. (6) 15W Alex Williamson (R), Rushford, Minn.
6. (7) 0X Nate Zimmerman (R), Jamesville, Minn.
7. (2) 55W Jeffrey Wood, Chisholm, Minn.
8. (8) 90 Ryan Wetzstein (R), West Concord, Minn.
9. (9) 55 Nathan Hagar (R), Adair, Okla.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B� MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (2) 2x Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
2. (1) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis.
3. (3) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan.
4. (6) 15W Alex Williamson (R), Rushford, Minn.
5. (4) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
6. (7) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa.
7. (9) 20JR Chase Rudolf (R), Prole, Iowa.
8. (10) 13J Bobby Malchus, Maypearl, Texas.
9. (8) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn.
10. (5) 13X McKenzie Gerdes, Alexandria, Minn.
11. (11) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.
12. (14) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.
13. (13) 55 Nathan Hagar (R), Adair, Okla.
14. (12) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo., GRT/Cornett, $100.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B� MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (2) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
2. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (1) 21 Brennen Chipp (R), Dunkerton, Iowa.
4. (3) 7 Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
5. (6) 24M Manuel Williams Jr., Fouke, Ark.
6. (5) 51W J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn.
7. (7) 777 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
8. (11) 90 Ryan Wetzstein (R), West Concord, Minn.
9. (8) 7S Todd Stinehart, Waseca, Minn.
10. (9) 36K Jayden Larson (R), Mankato, Minn.
11. (10) 98M Mitch Madery (R), Kasson, Minn.
12. (14) 503 Jason Miles (R), Glenwood, Ark.
13. (13) 55 Colson Kirk (R), Urbana, Mo., Hughes/Dickens, $100.
14. (12) 71J Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn., MBCustoms/KSE, $100.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B� MAIN #3 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (1) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (7) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
4. (2) 22H Dustin Hodges, Centralia, Mo.
5. (8) 14M Brian Mahlstedt, Ionia, Iowa.
6. (12) 71C Ryan Maitland (R), Waterloo, Iowa.
7. (6) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
8. (10) 7J Cory Jones (R), Zimmerman, Minn.
9. (9) 55W Jeffrey Wood, Chisholm, Minn.
10. (14) 24W Mason Williams (R), Fouke, Ark.
11. (5) 4A Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
12. (11) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa, Sidebiter/Jono’s, $100.
13. (4) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., MBCustoms/Durham, $100.
14. (13) 24SR Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark., Bandit/Kraft, $100.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B� MAIN #4 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (1) 444 Brooks Strength (R), Raymond, Miss.
2. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (2) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
4. (4) 4R Jared Russell (R), Muskogee, Okla.
5. (5) 21X Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
6. (9) 02 Cole Denner (R), Ionia, Iowa.
7. (7) 22S Cole Spacek (R), Phillips, Wis.
8. (11) 22 Jeff Spacek (R), Phillips, Wis.
9. (12) 209 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
10. (10) 26G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
11. (8) 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
12. (6) 0X Nate Zimmerman (R), Jamesville, Minn., /, $100.
13. (13) 6T7 Brian Albrecht, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/Adams, $100.

19TH ANNUAL NON-QUALIFIERS RACE (25 laps):

1. (3) 22 Jeff Spacek (R), Phillips, Wis., Rage/Koch, 25, $2,000.
2. (5) 4A Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn., VanderBuilt/Stoen, 25, $1,200.
3. (4) 22S Cole Spacek (R), Phillips, Wis., Rage/Koch, 25, $900.
4. (2) 777 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, Rage/ChevPerf, 25, $700.
5. (16) 20JR Chase Rudolf (R), Prole, Iowa, Rage/KSE, 25, $600.
6. (13) 51W J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn., DirtDueler/Baier’s, 25, $550.
7. (9) 209 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa, IROC/ChevPerf, 25, $500.
8. (17) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn., Skyrocket/KSE, 25, $450.
9. (19) 71C Ryan Maitland (R), Waterloo, Iowa, Maitland/ChevPerf, 25, $425.
10. (11) 7S Todd Stinehart, Waseca, Minn., Fegers/KSE, 25, $400.
11. (23) 503 Jason Miles (R), Glenwood, Ark., Shaw/Kuntz, 25, $375.
12. (21) 21X Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustoms/ChevPerf, 25, $350.
13. (14) 7J Cory Jones (R), Zimmerman, Minn., VanderBuilt/Tim’s, 25, $325.
14. (18) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa, Hughes/Midnight, 25, $300.
15. (25) 90 Ryan Wetzstein (R), West Concord, Minn., MBCustoms/Stoen, 25, $275.
16. (15) 13X McKenzie Gerdes, Alexandria, Minn., SSR/Stoen, 25, $250.
17. (26) 77 Jacob Stark (R), Austin, Minn., LG2/KSE, 25, $240.
18. (22) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn., LG2/Baier’s, 22, $235.
19. (1) 24M Manuel Williams Jr., Fouke, Ark., Bandit/Kraft, 20, $230.
20. (28) 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., Killer/Flyin’J, 18, $225.
21. (6) 36K Jayden Larson (R), Mankato, Minn., MBCustoms/Stoen, 17, $220.
22. (24) 55 Nathan Hagar (R), Adair, Okla., GRT/ChevPerf, 13, $215.
23. (12) 98M Mitch Madery (R), Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/ASI, 10, $210.
24. (10) 14M Brian Mahlstedt (R), Ionia, Iowa, Hughes/LM, 7, $205.
25. (27) 26G Ryan Gierke (R), Villard, Minn., SSR/Tim’s, 7, $200.
26. (20) 02 Cole Denner (R), Ionia, Iowa, Skyrocket/ChevPerf, 5, $200.
27. (7) 13J Bobby Malchus, Maypearl, Texas, MBCustoms/Wells, 1, $200.
28. (8) 55W Jeffrey Wood, Chisholm, Minn., Shaw/ChevPerf, 1, $200.
    DNS – 24W Mason Williams (R), Fouke, Ark., Shaw/Best, $100.

CASEY’S “A� MAIN (50 laps):

1. (4) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 50, $10,500.
2. (11) 49JR Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn., MBCustoms/OFI, 50, $5,000.
3. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 50, $3,200.
4. (2) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, 50, $2,500.
5. (1) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE, 50, $2,000.
6. (8) 02 Tanner Mullens (R), Wichita, Kan., Mullens/Mullens, 50, $1,500.
7. (16) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., VanderBuilt/OFI, 50, $1,200.
8. (17) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Hill, 50, $1,000.
9. (18) 444 Brooks Strength (R), Raymond, Miss., MBCustoms/Stoen, 50, $900.
10. (22) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 50, $800.
11. (19) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim’s, 50, $750.
12. (21) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 50, $700.
13. (12) 00 J.D. Auringer, Waterloo, Iowa, Rage/KSE, 50, $650.
14. (26) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/Stoen, 50, $625.
15. (27) 15W Alex Williamson (R), Rushford, Minn., SSR/KSE, 50, $600.
16. (15) 2X Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn., SSR/Sput’s, 50, $575.
17. (32) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/Stoen, 50, $570.
18. (23) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 50, $565.
19. (29) 22H Dustin Hodges, Centralia, Mo., VanderBuilt/Crane, 50, $560.
20. (5) 19SB Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, 50, $555.
21. (30) 4R Jared Russell (R), Muskogee, Okla., Hughes/Thomas, 50, $550.
22. (9) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS, 50, $550.
23. (14) 00 Mark Gartner, Mapleton, Minn., Sidebiter/Sput’s, 50, $550.
24. (31) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D., Lethal/Mullins, 50, $550.
25. (28) 7 Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS, 50, $550.
26. (7) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 45, $550.
27. (10) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., MBCustoms/KSE, 35, $550.
28. (25) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis., Rocket/Sput’s, 34, $550.
29. (20) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 25, $550.
30. (3) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn., VanderBuilt/Stoen, 22, $550.
31. (24) 21 Brennen Chipp (R), Dunkerton, Iowa, Rage/OHB, 14, $550.
32. (13) 50III Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn., Tri-Built/KSE, 11, $550.

(R) = Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leaders: Waits 1-7, O’Neil 8-50.
Total Laps Led: O’Neil 43, Waits 7.
Margin of Victory: 0.747 second.
Time of Race: 21 minutes, 24.644 seconds (2 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Skyberg, Duvall.
Eibach Spring Forward Award: Maitland (advanced 18 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Hughes (started 22nd, finished 10th).
Entries: 70.
Next Race: Nov. 5-7, RPM Speedway, Crandall, Texas.
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s Points: Sanders 3319, Ramirez 3105, Hughes 2916, VanderBeek 2725, Phillips 2555, T. Davis 2513, Mullens 2387, Skyberg 2302, Duvall 2063, Adam Kates 2047.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Mullens 2140, T. Davis 1791, Iverson 1698, Skyberg 1624, Hagar 1265.
Jobbers Warehouse Supply USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 319, Hughes 297, GRT 221, VanderBuilt 207, Mullens 199.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 279, Cornett 260, Mullins 218, Stoen 200, Mullens 184.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Madery.
Beyea Custom Headers – VanderBeek.
BigDeal Car Care – O’Neil.
Bryke Racing – Williamson.
BSB Manufacturing – Russell.
Champ Pans – Bleess.
Deatherage Opticians – Miles.
Edelbrock – Mullens.
Eibach – Maitland.
Fast Shafts – Waits.
FK Rod Ends – Hughes.
Forty9 Designs – Angst, Hodges.
Hooker Harness – Iverson.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – T. Davis.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Duvall.
K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports – Ludemann.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Sanders, Mari.
Keyser Manufacturing – Hughes.
KSE Racing Products – Strength.
Maxima Racing Oils – O’Neil.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Doelle.
Penske Racing Shocks – Auringer.
QA1 – VanderBeek.
RacerWebsite.com – Miles.
Simpson Performance Products – VanderBeek.
Spyder High Performance Filters – Mullens.
Summit Racing Equipment – Mari, Miles, B. Davis.
Super Clean – O’Neil.
Swift Springs – O’Neil, Angst.
Sybesma Graphics – Bleess.
Tire Demon – K. Gaddis.
VP Racing Fuels – O’Neil.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Albrecht.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Crapser.

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