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O’Neil rises to top in USMTS Fallen Hero 50

By USMTS (Meeker, OK) -- With a heroic effort late in the 50-lap main event, Jake O’Neil captured his second USMTS win of the season in Friday night’s 6th Annual Fallen Hero 50 at the Red Dirt Raceway in Meeker, Okla.

While it was the maiden voyage to the popular bullring for the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt, it marked the 22nd career victory win for O’Neil.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ashley Allinson

The 30-year-old from Tucson, Ariz., passed Tanner Mullens with 12 laps to go and then had to defend the low side of the racetrack from Mullens and Dustin Sorensen while navigating thick lapped traffic.

Although Mullens earned the Sybesma Graphics Pole Award, it was Fito Gallardo leading the first lap, followed by six more before Mullens found the low side to his liking and regained first place.

A caution-free 50-lapper created a flurry of action all through the field and no better battles than those at the front between O’Neil, Mullens and Sorensen before they crossed the finish line less than a second apart.

Jacob Bleess rebounded from mechanical problems in qualifying to finish a season-best fourth in the feature race while Gallardo held on for the final spot in the top five.

Sixth through tenth were Dan Ebert, Dylan Thornton, 17th-starting Cayden Carter, defending series champ Dereck Ramirez and Lucas Schott.

Trekking to Tri-State: The series moves on to the 8th Annual Drive4JRT.com Juggernaut tomorrow (Saturday, May 14) at the Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., with $10,000 up for grabs to the winner there.

This will be the ninth visit for the USMTS to the Tri-State Speedway since Eddie Martin won the inaugural event on June 9, 2009.

Since then, four-time USMTS National Champion Jason Hughes has won a series-best three features while Zack VanderBeek, Hunter Marriott, Rodney Sanders and Dereck Ramirez each have one.

Ramirez is the most recent winner of the Drive4JRT.com Juggernaut and defending Summit USMTS National Champion. A record prize of $100,000 awaits this year’s titlist.

Along with the Summit USMTS Modifieds, the racing card will see USRA B-Mods and Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks each racing for $1,000 to win and Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national points.

The pits open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5:30, hot laps and qualifying begin at 7:30 with racing slated to get underway at 8.

The track is located at 1705 W Racetrack Rd, Pocola, OK 74902. For more information, call or text (918) 575-1369 or visit tri-statespeedway.com.

With live and on-demand coverage of nearly every event, pre- and post-race interviews, instant replays, multiple camera angles and more, RacinDirt is your one-stop shop for all things USMTS when you can't be at the track... or even when you're there. And one low monthly or annually gets you all the action every day from anywhere.

RacinDirt.TV, subscribers can access exclusive content in a multitude of ways. In addition to your desktop and laptop computers, but also a suite of apps for added convenience including Roku, Amazon Fire, iOS, Apple TV and Google Play.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
6th Annual Fallen Hero 50 presented by RacinDirt
Red Dirt Raceway, Meeker, Okla.

Friday, May 13. 2022

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

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

1. (1) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas
2. (3) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (2) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
4. (5) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
5. (7) 52 Chad Davis, Tulsa, Okla.
6. (4) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
7. (6) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
8. (8) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas
9. (9) 55C Cary Cullins, Tuttle, Okla.
   DNS – 174 Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):

1. (4) 0 Jake O’Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (3) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
3. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (1) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
5. (7) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
6. (5) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
7. (9) 30 Dalton Kirk, Edgerton, Kan.
8. (6) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.
9. (8) B4 Jared Baird, Norman, Okla.
10. (10) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (3) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (5) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
6. (8) 4A Josh Lanterman, Derby, Kan.
7. (6) 12B Matt Beasley, Davis, Okla.
8. (9) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
9. (7) 29X Lance Plant, Canton, Texas

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

1. (1) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (2) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
3. (3) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
4. (4) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
5. (5) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (6) 17D Brandon Dean, Sapulpa, Okla.
7. (7) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
8. (9) 24 Justin Cartwright, Sperry, Okla.
9. (8) 15N Matt Norwood, Del City, Okla.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. (1) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
2. (5) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (3) 86 Kyle Beard, Trumann, Ark.
4. (2) 55H Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.
5. (4) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
6. (8) 10 Dustin Robinson, Post, Texas
7. (6) 23 Logan Robertson, Newcastle, Okla.
8. (7) 6P John Potter, Tulsa, Okla.
9. (9) 39 Ho Dean, Tulsa, Okla.

WRISCO HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):

1. (3) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. (2) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
3. (1) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr.., El Paso, Texas
4. (4) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
5. (5) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (7) 77 Kendall Shultz, Broken Arrow, Okla.
7. (8) 75L Kyle Ledford, Greenwood, Ark.
8. (6) 15 Curtis Allen, Yukon, Okla.
   DNS – 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (2) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
3. (3) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
4. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (6) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
6. (5) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
7. (9) 30 Dalton Kirk, Edgerton, Kan.
8. (11) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas
9. (7) 4A Josh Lanterman, Derby, Kan.
10. (10) 12B Matt Beasley, Davis, Okla.
11. (12) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.
12. (8) 77 Kendall Shultz, Broken Arrow, Okla.
13. (13) 55C Cary Cullins, Tuttle, Okla.
14. (14) 15N Matt Norwood, Del City, Okla.
    DNS – 174 Ethan Dotson, Bakersfield, Calif.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (3) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
3. (1) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
4. (5) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
5. (4) 55H Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.
6. (6) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
7. (11) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
8. (9) 75L Kyle Ledford, Greenwood, Ark.
9. (7) 10 Dustin Robinson, Post, Texas
10. (8) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
11. (15) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas
12. (13) B4 Jared Baird, Norman, Okla.
13. (14) 39 Ho Dean, Tulsa, Okla.
14. (10) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
15. (12) 6P John Potter, Tulsa, Okla.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (1) 86 Kyle Beard, Trumann, Ark.
2. (3) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
3. (2) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr.., El Paso, Texas
4. (7) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
5. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
6. (14) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
7. (4) 52 Chad Davis, Tulsa, Okla.
8. (6) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
9. (10) 23 Logan Robertson, Newcastle, Okla.
10. (9) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
11. (13) 29X Lance Plant, Canton, Texas
12. (11) 24 Justin Cartwright, Sperry, Okla.
13. (12) 15 Curtis Allen, Yukon, Okla.
14. (8) 17D Brandon Dean, Sapulpa, Okla.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (50 laps):

1. (7) 0 Jake O’Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (3) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (6) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (2) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (9) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
7. (11) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
8. (17) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
9. (10) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
10. (13) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
11. (14) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
12. (8) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
13. (19) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
14. (22) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
15. (15) 86 Kyle Beard, Trumann, Ark.
16. (26) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
17. (21) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr.., El Paso, Texas
18. (5) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
19. (23) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
20. (16) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
21. (25) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
22. (20) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
23. (27) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
24. (12) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
25. (24) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
26. (28) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
27. (31) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
28. (18) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
29. (4) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas
30. (29) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
31. (30) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.

Lap Leaders: F. Gallardo 1-7, Mullens 8-37, O’Neil 38-50.
Total Laps Led: Mullens 30, O’Neil 13, F. Gallardo 7.
Margin of Victory: 0.231 second.
Time of Race: 13 minutes, 21.659 seconds (no cautions).
Provisional Starters: Sanders, Timm.
Emergency Provisionals: T. Davis, Givens, Horner, Kratzer, Wolff.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Carter (started 17th, finished 8th).
Entries: 56.
Next Race: Saturday, May 14, Tri-State Speedway, Pocola, Okla.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: TBD.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: TBD.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: TBD.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: TBD.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – B. Dean.
Beyea Custom Headers – Bleess.
BigDeal Car Care – O’Neil.
Bryke Racing – Beard.
BSB Manufacturing – Sanders.
Champ Pans – F. Gallardo.
Deatherage Opticians – Hughes.
Edelbrock – Mullens.
Fast Shafts – O’Neil.
FK Rod Ends – Carter.
Hooker Harness – J. Gallardo.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Spalding.
Keyser Manufacturing – Schott.
KS Engineering – Phillips.
KSE Racing Products – Ramirez.
Mel Hambelton Ford Racing – Mullens.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Dotson.
Midwest Wrap Co. – Good.
Penske Racing Shocks – VanderBeek.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – VanderBeek.
QA1 – Ramirez.
RacerWebsite.com – Westover.
Simpson Performance Products – Dawson.
Summit Racing Equipment – Dotson, Duvall, O’Neil, Tanner.
Super Clean – O’Neil.
Swift Springs – Sanders, O’Neil, Hagar.
Sybesma Graphics – Mullens.
Tire Demon – Dotson.
VP Racing Fuels – O’Neil.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Norwood.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Timm.

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