Texas Spring Nationals finale first USMTS triumph for dominant Davis

Tyler Davis of Haysville, Kan., notched his first victory with the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt on Saturday, leading all but one lap of the 50-lap main event and pocketing $10,000 in the 12th Annual Texas Spring Nationals finale.

Starting on the outside of the front row, Davis paced the opening lap but Jacob Bleess snuck by to lead the second lap. Undaunted, Davis battled back to lead the third and every other lap en route to the checkered flag, but it wasn’t without pressure.

Early on it was Dereck Ramirez and Tanner Mullens putting the heat on Davis but as the laps clicked off it was Jason Hughes looking for vindication for his runner-up finish 24 hours earlier.

Using a provisional starting spot, Hughes rolled off 25th and by lap 33 he was fourth. He blasted by Mullens and Ramirez with four laps to go and then chased Davis to the finish line, coming up just short for the second straight night.

For Davis, however, we was visibly the smoothest in the corners and never made a mistake to open the door for his former chassis builder.

“I can’t tell you guys how much diesel fuel I’ve wasted going up and down these roads and coming home short every time with an excuse or ‘faded late’ or whatever,” the elated winner revealed in victory lane. “To be honest I started to doubt if I should quit doing this shit so, man this is unbelievable.”

“I got to give a big shout out to my wife and daughter at home, and J.R. Sartain who let me start my own race team again. If it wasn't for him. I wouldn’t be here. I couldn’t afford to come here. There’s so many people who’ve given so much for me to even be able to come out on these roads, and it dates back to people who first started helping me. You know, I don't even know what to say.:

Just two laps slowed the pace during the first half of the race, but a rash of six yellow flags during the final 12 laps kept the leaders close and the lapped traffic out of play.

“I wanted the lapped cars every time the yellow came out,” Davis said. “I thought ‘Man, here comes the slide job’ and I finally figured out how to get through the hole and maintain it. I seen that white flag and I couldn’t believe it.

“You know I think it was Jason Hughes that rolled up beside me there and he’s taught me a lot. He builds a great race car and I ran him for a long time so I’ve got to give a big thanks to him, his whole crew and everybody. He taught me a lot of how to race out here on the road.”

Ramirez wasn’t far behind and crossed beneath the checkered flag in third but was disqualified after the race when his machine failed to make the minimum weight.

Originally fourth, Rodney Sanders was credited with third, Terry Phillips took the fourth spot and Mullens rounded out the top five.

Darron Fuqua, 20th-starting Carlos Ahumada Jr., Friday’s winner Dustin Sorensen, Dan Ebert and Kale Westover, who started 24th, completed the top 10.

It was the second straight night that Westover passed 14 cars in the main event to take home the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award. He started 22nd and finished 8th on Friday.

With two races in the books, Hughes will bolt on the Wrisco Points Leader spoiler for the next race. He leads Davis by six points (193 to 187). Sanders sits third with 182 markers followed by Sorensen (177), Mullens (171), Phillips (168), Westover (148), Ahumada (146), Tyler Wolff (142) and Jason Good (138).

King of America XI set for March 24-26: Summit King of America XI presented by RacinDirt returns to the Humboldt Speedway on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 24-26.

Saturday’s finale will see a top prize of $15,000 for the USMTS Modifieds while the Thursday feature race pays $3,000 and $5,000 goes to Friday's preliminary main event winner.

USRA B-Mods race for $1,000 to win Thursday and Friday and then a $10,000 paycheck awaits the main event winner on Saturday.

Medieval USRA Stock Cars also compete all three nights, racing for $750 to win Thursday and $1,000 to win Friday before battling for a $1,500 top prize on Saturday.

If you can’t be there in person, don’t miss a single lap with your RacinDirt Pit Pass.

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
12th Annual Texas Spring Nationals – Night 2 of 2
Rocket Raceway Park, Petty, Texas
Saturday, March 5, 2022

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, laps completed and money won. 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. (2) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (4) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
4. (7) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
5. (1) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (5) 8 Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo.
7. (6) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
8. (9) 47 Jack Sartain, Terrell, Texas
9. (8) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
10. (11) 75J Jeremy LaCoe, Lincoln, Ark.
11. (10) 20M Ross Malone II, Powderly, Texas

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (3) 49JR Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
2. (4) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
3. (2) 2GB Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
4. (6) 90 Ryan Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
5. (7) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
6. (8) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
7. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
8. (1) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo.
9. (10) 1J Matt Jeratowski, Madison, S.D.
10. (11) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas
11. (9) 77 Ronnie Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
2. (4) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (7) 99B Jared Baird, Norman, Okla.
4. (10) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas
5. (5) 82W Jimmie Williams, Denison, Texas
6. (2) 82 Max Eddie Thomas, Quinlan, Texas
7. (1) 5K Tyler Kaeter, St. Cloud, Minn.
8. (9) 44X Bryan Gunwall, Brookston, Texas
9. (8) 3C Cary Cullins, Tuttle, Okla.
10. (6) 369 Bart Taylor, Sheridan, Wyo.
DNS – 53JT Justin Thornton, Chandler, Ariz.

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (4) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (2) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
4. (3) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
5. (6) 07H Chase Holland, Saucier, Miss.
6. (5) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.
7. (8) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas
8. (9) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
9. (10) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (7) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
2. (3) 33Z Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
3. (4) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (1) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
5. (5) 410 Justin McCoy, Grandview, Texas
6. (6) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
7. (7) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (8) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas
9. (9) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
10. (10) 101 Tyson Dickson, Lubbock, Texas

WRISCO HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (2) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (1) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
3. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (5) 130 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas
5. (7) 12T Tyler Townsend, Diana, Texas
6. (10) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
7. (9) 24B Chris Bragg, Springtown, Texas
8. (6) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
9. (4) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
10. (8) 12J Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. (3) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
3. (12) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
4. (4) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
5. (6) 410 Justin McCoy, Grandview, Texas, GRT/Durham, $130.
6. (9) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn., VanderBuilt/Stoen, $130.
7. (5) 07H Chase Holland, Saucier, Miss., MBCustoms/Wall2Wall, $130.
8. (11) 00S Chris Spalding, Montgomery City, Mo., MBCustoms/MidState, $130.
9. (1) 99B Jared Baird, Norman, Okla., MBCustoms/Stoen, $130.
10. (13) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
11. (16) 20M Ross Malone II, Powderly, Texas, IRP/Kannady, $130.
12. (14) 75J Jeremy LaCoe, Lincoln, Ark., GRT/LaCoe, $130.
13. (8) 24B Chris Bragg, Springtown, Texas, Hughes/KSE, $130.
14. (10) 47 Jack Sartain, Terrell, Texas, IRP/Shipley, $130.
15. (7) 8 Dillon McCowan, Urbana, Mo., Rage/Yeoman, $130.
16. (15) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas, MBCustoms/Wells, $130.
DNS – 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., VanderBuilt/OFI, $130.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (3) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
3. (6) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
4. (1) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
5. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (11) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, $130.
7. (7) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan., Hughes/Mullens, $130.
8. (4) 12T Tyler Townsend, Diana, Texas, Lethal/PTS, $130.
9. (8) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS, $130.
10. (13) 3C Cary Cullins, Tuttle, Okla., DirtWorks/Mullins, $130.
11. (10) 44X Bryan Gunwall, Brookston, Texas, GRT/BMS, $130.
12. (16) 77 Ronnie Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, $130.
13. (15) 101 Tyson Dickson, Lubbock, Texas, IRP/Yeoman, $130.
14. (14) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas, MBCustoms/Craft, $130.
15. (12) 1J Matt Jeratowski, Madison, S.D., Shaw/Hanson, $130.
16. (5) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., GR2/Stoen, $130.
DNS – 130 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, IRP/Shipley, $130.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
2. (4) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
3. (8) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
4. (5) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
5. (9) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., GR2/Stoen, $130.
6. (2) 2GB Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
7. (3) 90 Ryan Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., MBCustoms/Stoen, $130.
8. (7) 82 Max Eddie Thomas, Quinlan, Texas, IRP/Shoulders, $130.
9. (10) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., GRT/Mullins, $130.
10. (12) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., Hughes/Kelly, $130.
11. (15) 12J Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas, IRP/Shipley, $120.
12. (14) 369 Bart Taylor, Sheridan, Wyo., VanderBuilt/Tim's, $130.
13. (13) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, $130.
14. (16) 53JT Justin Thornton, Chandler, Ariz., Devilbiss/Mullins, $130.
15. (11) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas, MBCustoms/Durham, $130.
16. (6) 82W Jimmie Williams, Denison, Texas, Mullens/Kustom, $120.
DNS – 5K Tyler Kaeter, St. Cloud, Minn., SSR/Chubb's, $130.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (50 laps):
1. (2) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan., BillsBuilt/Mullins, 50, $10,000.
2. (25) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 50, $5000.
3. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 50, $3000.
4. (9) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 50, $2000.
5. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., Mullens/Mullens, 50, $1700.
6. (4) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., Mullens/Driskell, 50, $1500.
7. (20) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas, Hughes/BMS, 50, $1200.
8. (13) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 50, $1000.
9. (15) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn., Lethal/ProPower, 50, $900.
10. (24) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla., WesternFlyer/Hatfield, 50, $850.
11. (26) 2GB Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 50, $800.
12. (11) 33Z Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, 50, $775.
13. (22) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D., MBCustoms/Stoen, 50, $750.
14. (3) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/ECE, 50, $740.
15. (19) 38T Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif., Evolution/HalaBuilt, 50, $735.
16. (1) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE, 50, $730.
17. (12) 7X Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas, MBCustoms/ASI, 50, $725.
18. (27) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo., Hughes/Cornett, 50, $720.
19. (6) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa, Harris/MidState, 50, $715.
20. (16) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif., MRT/Durham, 48, $710.
21. (14) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., Mullens/Stoen, 45, $705.
22. (17) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/Stoen, 35, $700.
23. (23) 44S Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif., VanderBuilt/Stoen, 32, $700.
24. (7) 49JR Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/OFI, 23, $700.
25. (21) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn., Lethal/Geddes, 23, $700.
26. (18) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D., Hughes/Mullins, 17, $700.
DQ – (8) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 50, $0.

Lap Leaders: Davis 1, Bleess 2, Davis 3-50.
Total Laps Led: Davis 49, Bleess 1.
Margin of Victory: 0.286 second.
Time of Race: 40 minutes, 27.120 seconds (8 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Hughes, Givens.
Emergency Provisional: Clark.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Westover (started 24th, finished 10th).
Entries: 68.
Next Race: Thursday-Saturday, March 24-26, Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Hughes 193, Davis 187, Sanders 182, Sorensen 177, Mullens 171, Phillips 168, Westover 148, Ahumada 146, Wolff 142, Good 138.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Carter 128, D. Thornton 107, Horner 107, Brown 105, DeVolder 95.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 18, Hughes 18, BillsBuilt 17, Mullens 14, GRT 13.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 19, Hatfield 17, Action 14, Mullens 14, Durham 14.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Fuqua, Mari.
Beyea Custom Headers – Phillips.
BigDeal Car Care – Davis, Hughes.
Bryke Racing – D. Thornton.
BSB Manufacturing – Ramirez.
Champ Pans – Mullens.
Deatherage Opticians – Wolff.
Edelbrock – Davis.
Fast Shafts – Timm.
FK Rod Ends – Westover.
Hooker Harness – Carter.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Brown.
Keyser Manufacturing – Westover.
KS Engineering – Givens.
KSE Racing Products – Ebert.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Hughes.
Midwest Wrap Co. – Schott.
Penske Racing Shocks – Good.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Baird, Ingalls.
QA1 – Davis.
RacerWebsite.com – Westover.
Simpson Performance Products – Mullens.
Summit Racing Equipment – Ebert, Sanders, Schott, Wolff.
Super Clean – Davis.
Swift Springs – Ebert, Davis, Dawson.
Sybesma Graphics – Bleess.
Tire Demon – Crapser.
VP Racing Fuels – Davis.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Williams.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Duvall.