PETTY, Texas — It took just one lap for Kyle Strickler to overtake polesitter Trevor Hughes in Friday’s 40-lap main event for the Summit USMTS National Championship , and then led the final 39 times around the Rocket Raceway Park to earn the second USMTS win of his career.
“All I’m gonna say is I’m glad it canceled tomorrow because we might do a little celebrating tonight,” an elated Strickler said. “Fireball went ahead and bought a couple bottles of Crown (Royal), so we’re gonna have a few for old daddy Scott Bloomquist tonight.”
It took longer than expected for Strickler to see the checkered flag as the race suffered 11 yellow flags, including the first on the opening lap when Jason Hughes stopped with a broken right front suspension.
Tanner Mullens eventually caught and passed the younger Hughes for second place while Rodney Sanders cracked the top five at the lap-20 halfway point.
Mullens, unfortunately, smacked the wall underneath the flag stand and then rolled to a stop on lap 22 with points leader Joe Chisholm doing the same three laps later.
The 40-lapper took nearly 40 minutes to complete, but Strickler remained calm and cool throughout as the veteran racer from Mooresville, N.C., held off Sanders Jim Chisholm to claim the $5,000 winner’s share of the prize money.
For Jim Chisholm, his run from 16th on the starting grid earned the defending USMTS National Champion earned the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger, just nipping Sanders who started 14th in the Texas Spring Nationals.
Making his first start of the season, Tyler Davis turned up fourth while Trevor Hughes held on to round out the top five.
The finish:
Kyle Strickler, Rodney Sanders, Jim Chisholm, Tyler Davis, Trevor Hughes, Gary Christian, Alex Williamson, Tanner Mullens, Terry Phillips, Henry Chambers, Joe Chisholm, Jamie Burford, Sean Gaddis, Kale Westover, Kyle Brown, Mark Smith, Joe Duvall, Steve Lavasseur, Geoff Lary, Carlos Ahumada Jr., Troy Gemmill, Jason Ingalls, Mitchell Clement, Kenny Gaddis, Nathan Smith, Keith Hammett, Jack Sartain, Jason Hughes.
