CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — On Friday evening, the 2026 Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts resumed with a strong showing of 157 cars in the pit area at FK Rod Ends Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande, Arizona, presented by Low Voltage Solutions.
Hudson O’Neal, Lucas Rodin and Rodney Sanders picked up feature wins.
Hudson O’Neal captured his second late model victory of the 2026 Wild West Shootout on Friday evening with a $10,000 triumph.
The Indiana native took the top spot on lap 12 and looked poised for a smooth run to the checkered flag before Bobby Pierce mounted a strong charge on the high side. O’Neal and Pierce exchanged multiple sliders late in the 30-lap feature, while Ryan Gustin threw his hat in the ring on the bottom side as well.
Ultimately, O’Neal kept Pierce and Gustin at bay to claim his second checkered flag of the miniseries. Hudson powered away in the final few laps, finishing 0.704 seconds ahead of Pierce at the checkered flag.
“Man, that was a race,” said Hudson O’Neal, catching his breath after the feature. “Maybe I was getting a little complacent on the bottom there in one and two. Once I realized he kept getting a run on me … I was able to slide him and take his line away from him a little bit, and it just worked out.” O’Neal added, “It was just whoever made one little mistake on that cushion … was going to be the one who didn’t get it done.”
O’Neal and the Rumley Enterprises Longhorn Chassis team secured their second $10,000 payday of the 2026 Wild West Shootout, adding to their Sunday win.
Pierce led a single lap late in tonight’s 30-lap feature and finished runner-up for the second consecutive night. Gustin also earned his second podium finish of the event in third. Polesitter Tyler Erb finished fourth after 30 circuits, while Dustin Sorensen rounded out the top five.
Lucas Rodin of Marion, N.D., powered from ninth to first in the 20-lap Shocker Hitch X-Modifieds main event presented by Border Tire. Rodin outran Christy Barnett and Jake Smith to claim the $500 payday.
Heading into tonight’s event atop the Mesilla Valley Transportation Modified standings, Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas, finally broke through for a victory during the 2026 Wild West Shootout.
The finish:
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 6-Hudson O’Neal[4]; 2. 32-Bobby Pierce[5]; 3. 19R-Ryan Gustin[2]; 4. 1-Tyler Erb[1]; 5. 19-Dustin Sorensen[7]; 6. 58-Garrett Alberson[3]; 7. 86-Kyle Beard[21]; 8. 157-Mike Marlar[10]; 9. 8-Dillon McCowan[11]; 10. 49-Jonathan Davenport[6]; 11. 15D-Justin Duty[13]; 12. 97-Cade Dillard[17]; 13. 15S-Clay Stuckey[12]; 14. B5-Brandon Sheppard[16]; 15. 74X-Ethan Dotson[8]; 16. 13-Bricen James[19]; 17. 128-Kylan Garner[23]; 18. 9T-Tim Isenberg[22]; 19. 4TW-Tim Ward[9]; 20. 28-Sam Mars[24]; 21. 0-Jake O’Neil[18]; 22. 75-Terry Phillips[20]; 23. 22*-Drake Troutman[14]; 24. 82-Eston Whisler[15]
