Jake O’Neil made his first Modified start of 2026 count Saturday night, sweeping his portion of the program and collecting $3,066 in the opening night of the High Plains Hustle at Route 66 Motor Speedway.
Driving for Hodges Brothers Racing, O’Neil topped Deatherage Opticians qualifying, won Kevko Racing heat race three and capped the evening with a commanding victory in the 30-lap Pannell Chipping A Feature for the USRA American Racer Modified Series presented by Day Motor Sports.
The feature began with O’Neil and Rodney Sanders trading the advantage in an early battle at the front. Sanders briefly looked like the car to beat before O’Neil stole the lead back away in lap traffic just before the caution flag came out. Once O’Neil took control, however, he pulled away and dominated the closing stages to complete his sweep of the night against a 31-car field.
Reece Solander charged from 13th to finish second, while series points leader Talan Willis advanced from sixth to third. Defending ARMS champion Kale Westover climbed from 17th to fourth, and Stormy Scott completed the top five.
Willis’ podium finish strengthened the rookie’s championship position through eight events. The Elizabeth, La., driver now holds 687 points and a 66-point advantage over Scott, who sits second with 621. Drake Findley remains third with 547 points after a 20th-place finish, while Rusty Trevathan Jr.’s climb from 20th to sixth helped him close to within 15 points of Findley. Trevathan has 532 points, just six ahead of fifth-place Jason Hughes, who finished seventh Saturday and has 526.
O’Neil set the overall fast time in Deatherage Opticians qualifying with a lap of 16.075 seconds. Gene Weaver led the other qualifying group at 16.517 seconds before winning the Rick Bebee Heating & Air Conditioning heat. Sanders captured the Smith Equipment Company heat, O’Neil won the Kevko Racing heat and Kalvin King took the Swift Springs heat. Peyton Gallardo won the Day Motorsports B Feature.
The High Plains Hustle concludes Sunday, October 11, with $4,066 awaiting the winner and $406 paid through 24th place, following Saturday’s $3,066-to-win, $306-through-24th purse.
Media Results — October 10, 2026 — Route 66 Motor Speedway, Amarillo, TX
USRA American Racer Modified Series — 31 Entries
A Feature 1 30 Laps | 00:20:42.135 | Pannell Chipping — 1. Jake O’Neil; 2. Reece Solander; 3. Talan Willis; 4. Kale Westover; 5. Stormy Scott; 6. Rusty Trevathan Jr.; 7. Jason Hughes; 8. Kalvin King; 9. Cole Dennis; 10. Bo Day; 11. Derek Scott; 12. David Tanner; 13. Braden Howell; 14. Jonathan Powers; 15. Braden Elliott; 16. Jason Langford; 17. Jeff Taylor; 18. Gene Weaver; 19. Roy Don Mason; 20. Drake Findley; 21. Rick Lovelady; 22. AJ Sharpensteen; 23. Ronnie Yanacsek; 24. Diego Alvarado; 25. Peyton Gallardo; 26. Rodney Sanders.
B Feature 1 10 Laps | 00:04:22.482 | Day Motorsports — 1. Peyton Gallardo; 2. Diego Alvarado; 3. Bo Day; 4. Drake Findley; 5. Roy Don Mason; 6. TC Hogan; 7. Jeff Veazey; 8. Braden Howell; 9. Logan Cabbell; 10. Leland Cruz; 11. Devon Jobin.
Heat 1 8 Laps | 00:02:09.000 | Rick Bebee Heating & Air Conditioning — 1. Gene Weaver; 2. Talan Willis; 3. Cole Dennis; 4. Reece Solander; 5. Kale Westover; 6. Peyton Gallardo; 7. Bo Day; 8. Braden Howell.
Heat 2 8 Laps | 00:02:07.000 | Smith Equipment Company — 1. Rodney Sanders; 2. Jeff Taylor; 3. David Tanner; 4. Derek Scott; 5. Braden Elliott; 6. Jeff Veazey; 7. TC Hogan; 8. Logan Cabbell.
Heat 3 8 Laps | 00:04:04.000 | Kevko Racing — 1. Jake O’Neil; 2. Stormy Scott; 3. Jason Hughes; 4. Jonathan Powers; 5. Rick Lovelady; 6. Diego Alvarado; 7. Devon Jobin; 8. Leland Cruz.
Heat 4 8 Laps | 00:02:11.000 | Swift Springs — 1. Kalvin King; 2. Jason Langford; 3. Ronnie Yanacsek; 4. AJ Sharpensteen; 5. Rusty Trevathan Jr.; 6. Drake Findley; 7.
Roy Don Mason.
Qualifying 1 | 00:04:46.000 | Deatherage Opticians — 1. Gene Weaver; 2. Rodney Sanders; 3. Talan Willis; 4. David Tanner; 5. Cole Dennis; 6. Jeff Taylor; 7. Peyton Gallardo; 8. Braden Elliott; 9. Bo Day; 10. Derek Scott; 11. Reece Solander; 12. Jeff Veazey; 13. Kale Westover; 14. Logan Cabbell; 15. Braden Howell; 16. TC Hogan.
Qualifying 2 | 00:00:33.000 | Deatherage Opticians — 1. Jake O’Neil; 2. Kalvin King; 3. Devon Jobin; 4. Ronnie Yanacsek; 5. Jonathan Powers; 6. Jason Langford; 7. Stormy Scott; 8. AJ Sharpensteen; 9. Leland Cruz; 10. Rusty Trevathan Jr.; 11. Jason Hughes; 12. Drake Findley; 13. Diego Alvarado; 14. Roy Don Mason; 15. Rick Lovelady.
ARMS Points After Eight Events: 1. Talan Willis (R), 687; 2. Stormy Scott, 621 (–66); 3. Drake Findley, 547 (–140); 4. Rusty Trevathan Jr., 532 (–155); 5. Jason Hughes, 526 (–161).
For updated schedules, championship standings, event details, and breaking series news, visit AmericanRacerModifiedSeries.
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
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