WATERTOWN, S.D. — Terry Phillips capped off a big week of USMTS racing on Sunday with a hard-earned $4,000 victory in the Sandy Benson Memorial at the Casino Speedway.
Phillips may very well be the hottest driver on dirt right now. If not for a last-lap pass by Jake O’Neil one night earlier, Phillips would be riding a three-race wins streak into Labor Day Weekend.
O’Neil gave it his all in his attempt to ruin Phillips’ party again Sunday, but this time Phillips was too strong and led O’Neil and Rodney Sanders to the checkered flag after 40 rowdy laps around the quarter-mile bullring on the shores of Lake Kampeska.
During this four-night stretch, leading a USMTS main event has been treacherous, and it proved to be the case again Sunday when Ryan Gustin smacked a lapped car while leading on lap 20.
Phillips nearly collided with the two tangled racecars but was able to avoid damage. He set the pace when the field went back to green while Gustin limped back to his pit area and out of the contest.
Despite tight racing between lapped traffic and O’Neil threatening around the top side of the track, the 53-year-old racer from Springfield, Mo., maintained his composure and went on to claim his fifth win of the 2019 season-four of which have come in the month of August.
“Just trying to be careful-lapped cars and stuff, leading again-don’t know if I’m a sitting duck or what,” a smiling Phillips said. “This is why we do this thing. These victories with a lot of good race fans out there… that’s why we do it.
“I’ll tell you what, I might be twice as old as all these guys but I feel like 25 when I’m in this thing.
O’Neil, Sanders, Hunter Marriott and Dereck Ramirez took home the rest of the first five spots.
The finish:
Terry Phillips, Jake O’Neil, Rodney Sanders, Hunter Marriott, Dereck Ramirez, Adam Kates, Jon Tesch, Jayson Good, David McDonald, Brent Dutenhoffer, Nick Wranek, Alex Guthmiller, Jimmy Ray, Travis Saurer, Trevor Anderson, Chad Olsen, Duke Erickson, Morgan Ward, Daniel Hilsabeck, Luke Lick, Dylan Zabel, Ryan Gustin, Tyler Peterson, Kent Arment.