ELM MOTT, Texas — The outlaw modifieds of the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt returned to the Heart O’ Texas Speedway on Saturday for the second and final night of the 10th annual Texas Winter Nationals.
Like the night before, Chisholm was the early leader of the 40-lap main event, but this night it was Joe Chisholm, the younger brother of defending USMTS national champ and winner of Friday’s feature Jim Chisholm.
Running the faster but more dangerous high side of the high-banked three-eighths-mile clay oval, the night’s first G-Style Energy Caution Flag waved with 12 laps complete.
With the option to remain on the top groove where he stayed with for the first dozen laps, Joe Chisholm chose to restart from the bottom. The choice cost him the lead as Tanner Mullens stole first place away while Kyle Strickler and Rodney Sanders tussled for the third spot.
Three laps later, a multi-car incident in turn one slowed the pace again and Mullens found himself in a thrilling back-and-forth with Joe Chisholm who regained the top spot on lap 19 after some contact with Mullens.
The yellow flag appeared for a third time on lap 23 when Joe Chisholm’s strong run from 16th ended with contact between himself and Strickler. Both suffered damage and restarted from the rear of the pack with 17 laps to go.
On the restart, a quick spin by Carlos Ahumada Jr. brought about the fifth and final caution as he was sniffing the top five.
Back under green, it was Joe Chisholm racing away from his pursuers as “Smoke” notched his career-first USMTS victory and the $5,000 winner’s share of the prize money.
“I just kept on telling myself it was a weekly show,” said the 18-year-old from Osage, Iowa. “I race against Jim and Jake (Timm) and Brandon Davis, and they’re just as good as any other USRA or USMTS competitor out there.
Even at just 18 years old, Joe Chisholm has a solid résumé with a pair of USRA B-Mod national titles in 2022 and 2023, and a victory at last year’s Summit USRA Nationals en route to runner-up honors in the USRA Modified national points.
Nevertheless, it was nerve-racking for him.
“I had to calm myself down a few times, and sorry for getting into Tanner in three and four,” he added. “I thought I was going to stick a little bit better. I made a couple mistakes, but I was able to bounce back and learn from it.”
Mullens came home second to build on his weekend of podium finishes. He finished third on Friday night, and won Thursday’s USRA American Racer Modified Series event here.
“I know that’s just racing there. I know he wouldn’t do it on purpose,” Mullens said of the contact between himself and the winner. “I thought I had something there for a minute, but he gets down the straight-away pretty good. We’ll save the notes for the for the next race here and then come back.”
Rolling past the checkered flag behind Mullens was Terry Phillips to join Joe Chisholm and Mullens on the podium.
The finish:
Joe Chisholm, Tanner Mullens, Terry Phillips, Rodney Sanders, Reece Solander, Kyle Brown, Nathan Smith, Gary Christian, Jim Chisholm, Sean Gaddis, Kyle Strickler, Jamie Burford, Mark Smith, Carlos Ahumada Jr., Manuel Williams II, Henry Chambers, Steve Lavasseur, Chase Hatton, Mason Williams, Jason Ingalls, Chad Melton, 7G David Goode Jr., Jack Sartain, Eric Tomlinson, Trevor Hughes.
