Sometimes all a driver needs is for things to finally go right.

After weeks of speed being overshadowed by bad luck and mechanical gremlins, Jack Sartain put together a near-flawless performance Saturday night, leading all 30 laps of the Pannell Chipping A-Feature to capture the USRA American Racer Modified Series presented by Day Motor Sports victory at Rocket Raceway Park.

The triumph came at a facility where Sartain had already tasted success, having won a USMTS feature at Rocket in 2023. Saturday’s performance left little doubt he still knew the fast way around the Texas oval.

Starting alongside Drake Findley on the front row, Sartain rocketed to the lead as the green flag waved while the remainder of the field scrambled for position on the lightning-fast racing surface.

An early caution for Jason Hughes briefly slowed the pace, but it proved to be little more than a timeout. Once racing resumed, Sartain again quickly stretched his advantage, establishing himself as the driver everyone else would have to chase.

Behind the leader, the action was anything but settled.

Findley and Bo Day locked horns in a spirited battle for the runner up spot that lasted for several laps, while Chris Huckeba, Triston Dycus, Rusty Trevathan Jr., and hard charger Talan Willis fought tooth-and-nail for position inside the top five as the preferred lower groove became the place to be.

A lengthy green-flag run carried the race deep into the closing stages before a caution with four laps remaining erased Sartain’s comfortable lead and set up one final sprint to the finish.

The restart immediately produced more drama.

Findley got crossed up exiting turn four, allowing Day to slip underneath and claim second with three laps to go. With clean air finally in front of him, Day quickly reeled Sartain back in, making one final charge on the outside of turns three and four coming to the checkered flag.

The late bid came up just short.

Sartain maintained his momentum off the final corner to secure his first ARMS victory of the 2026 season, with Day settling for second and Findley completing the podium. Willis completed an impressive drive from 21st starting position to finish fourth and earn PEM Hard Charger honors.

Following the victory, Sartain admitted the speed had been there all along—it just hadn’t shown up in the results.

“Man, every time we went to the races, it was something crazy breaking or something silly. We had a lot of speed, we just never could show it. Seems like the last, I guess, three weeks, we’ve actually been pretty good.”

Asked if he would have done anything differently after leading every lap, Sartain smiled.

“No, I really wouldn’t have changed anything. I think we did pretty good.”

Sartain also credited the people behind the scenes who helped put him in Victory Lane.

“I want to thank Tanner Mullins with Mullins Chassis. I’m on the phone with him a lot, and he helps me out a lot. Scott Shipley built a really, really good motor. Falcon Metals, Crawford Racing, 89 Polishing, Reality Roofing, Sneaky Horse Traction. There’s a lot of people that help me out. I’m grateful for all of them.”

James McCreery earned overall Deatherage Opticians Quick Time honors, while heat race victories went to Chris Huckeba, Drake Findley, James McCreery, and Sartain.

The ARMS championship battle remains razor thin heading into the next event, with Bo Day moving into the series lead by just four markers over defending champion Kale Westover. Rookie Talan Willis sits only six points out of the top spot after his remarkable charge through the field Saturday night.

For updated schedules, championship standings, event details, and breaking series news, visit AmericanRacerModifiedSeries.com. Fans unable to attend in person can catch every remaining race of the 2026 season live and on demand exclusively on RacinDirt.tv

Media Results for July 25, 2026 at Rocket Raceway Park – Petty, Texas

USRA American Racer Modified Series

33 Entries

Pannell Chipping A-Feature (30 Laps): 1. Jack Sartain 2. Bo Day 3. Drake Findley 4. Talan Willis 5. Chris Huckeba 6. Triston Dycus 7. Rusty Trevathan Jr. 8. Kale Westover 9. Stormy Scott 10. Tyler Stevens 11. James McCreery 12. Colby O’Neal 13. Cody Duke 14. Kalvin King 15. Dennie Gieber 16. Sam Osman 17. Jason Webb 18. Dillon Pike 19. Kyle Slader 20. Bryan Gunwall 21. Shane Hartline 22. Chad Melton 23. Jason Hughes 24. Matthew Day 25. Mason Day 26. Casey Fowler.

Day Motor Sports B-Feature (10 Laps): 1. Talan Willis 2. Kalvin King 3. Colby O’Neal 4. Sam Osman 5. Matthew Riskey 6. Cody Duke 7. Robert Pierce 8. Kody McDowell 9. Danny Veal 10. Danny Caldwell 11. Mike Dillard (DNS) 12. Jay Sale (DNS) 13. Casey Fowler (DNS).

Rick Beebe Heating & Air Conditioning Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. Chris Huckeba 2. Triston Dycus 3. Jason Hughes 4. Kyle Slader 5. Bryan Gunwall 6. Danny Caldwell 7. Robert

Pierce 8. Sam Osman (DNF) 9. Cody Duke (DNF).

Smith Equipment Company Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. Drake Findley 2. Rusty Trevathan Jr. 3. Chad Melton 4. Mason Day 5. Dennie Gieber 6. Colby O’Neal 7. Kody McDowell 8. Matthew Riskey.

Kevko Racing Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. James McCreery 2. Dillon Pike 3. Kale Westover 4. Stormy Scott 5. Tyler Stevens 6. Danny Veal 7. Talan Willis 8. Jay Sale (DNF).

Swift Springs Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. Jack Sartain 2. Bo Day 3. Shane Hartline 4. Matthew Day 5. Jason Webb 6. Kalvin King 7. Mike Dillard (DNF) 8. Casey Fowler (DNF).

Deatherage Opticians Qualifying Group 1: 1. Chris Huckeba 2. Rusty Trevathan Jr. 3. Triston Dycus 4. Drake Findley 5. Kyle Slader 6. Mason Day 7. Jason Hughes 8. Chad Melton 9. Bryan Gunwall 10. Kody McDowell 11. Sam Osman 12. Dennie Gieber 13. Cody Duke 14. Colby O’Neal 15. Danny Caldwell 16. Matthew Riskey 17. Robert Pierce.

Deatherage Opticians Qualifying Group 2: 1. James McCreery 2. Jack Sartain 3. Talan Willis 4. Bo Day 5. Dillon Pike 6. Shane Hartline 7. Tyler Stevens 8. Mike Dillard 9. Kale Westover 10. Jason Webb 11. Danny Veal 12. Kalvin King 13. Stormy Scott 14. Matthew Day 15. Jay Sale 16. Casey Fowler (DNF).

Deatherage Opticians Overall Quick Time: James McCreery.

PEM Hard Charger: Talan Willis (+17).

Current USRA American Racer Modified Series Point Standings

1. Bo Day — 271
2. Kale Westover (-4) — 267
3. Talan Willis (R) (-6) — 265
4. Stormy Scott (-10) — 261
5. Drake Findley (-20) — 251
6. Jason Hughes (-36) — 235
7. Sam Osman (-39) — 232
8. Rusty Trevathan Jr. (-48) — 223
9. Cody Duke (-60) — 211
10. Jack Sartain (-71) — 200

The USRA American Racer Modified Series presented by Day Motorsports  would like to recognize and thank our 2026 season long partners. Please thank them, with your patronage for their support.

Gold Partners – Central Spray Foam & Cement Lifting, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Dirt Track Specialist, Dylan Scott Entertainment, Hochatown Saloon, Kevko Racing, Midwest Sheet Metal, Mel Hambelton Ford Racing, Pannell Chipping, RacinDirt.com, Real Racing Wheels, Rick Beebe Heating and Air Conditioning, Smith Equipment Company, Swift Springs, VP Racing Fuels Heartland, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products

Silver Partners – American Racer Tires, Buck Monson Photos, Bulletproof Tees and Racewear, Duvall Electric, Integra Shocks, JRT Trucking, Keyser Manufacturing, Midwest Automation, Photos By Boyd, Scotty Dogg’s Hideout

Bronze Partners – Bryke Racing, Fast Shafts, Freight Logistics Inc., KS Engineering, Maxima Racing Oil, Milburn Acreages by Tillison Enterprises, PEM Racing, Premier Lubricants, Schoenfeld Headers, Service Plumbing of Wichita, Transmissions Unlimited, Wagdog Spices, Wilwood Disc Brakes, Yeoman Race Engines

2026 Point Funds (ARMS, HMT, NLMS)
1. $7,500
2. $4,500
3. $3,500
4. $3,000
5. $2,500
6. $2,400
7. $2,300
8. $2,200
9. $2,100
10. $2,000
*80 Percent attendance required to remain point fund eligible

NEXT: Trevor Hughes Rolls To Valley Speedway Victory With Heartland Modified Tour