Jason Hughes takes Texas USMTS opener at Hunt County

[NickHolt]

Hughes wins at Hunt County Raceway in USMTS headliner

The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt lit the fuse Friday night with opening night of the 9th Annual Summit USMTS Texas Winter Nationals at the Hunt County Raceway in Greenville, Texas.

If the rest of the shows this season are even close to the explosive main event Friday, fans are in for a wild ride until the final checkers wave in October.

Four-time USMTS national champ Jason Hughes of Watts, Okla., set the pace for the 40-lap nightcap but Dan Ebert jumped to lead when the green flag waved and led the first six laps before Hughes muscled his way into the lead with seven laps complete.

Four months after breaking a long drought by winning two of the final three feature races last year, Hughes led for just five laps before Carlos Ahumada Jr. motored into the lead using the shortest way around the smooth clay oval.

Ahumada then led 22 laps while surviving multiple cautions and a swarm of chasers on his tail, including Hughes, Tyler Davis, Jake Timm, Timothy Culp and A.J. Hoff.

But once the field was finally able to string together multiple green-flag laps, Hughes pounced and claimed the top spot with seven laps remaining. He was untouchable from there as he screamed to his 158th career USMTS triumph.

“It’s hard for me to see getting into turn three down here. My eyes ain’t that great anymore and it makes it hard to see, a smiling Hughes told RacinDirt pit reporter Trenton Berry in Victory Fuel Victory Lane.”

His margin of victory was less than one second in a race that lasted more than 34 minutes and saw nine Gorsuch Performance caution flags during the $5,000-to-win 40-lapper.

“I tried to be a little patient once I got back to second. It’s close up there on the top so I was trying to be a little cautious but you still have to be pretty aggressive and finally I started driving a little harder because I know I had to in order to win.

“It’s one of the more technical racetracks. It’s pretty tight racing out there. It gets tight coming off the corners, and it’s real close on the top so you had to be on your toes.”

El Paso’s Ahumada remained close but had to focus on holding back a determined Tyler Davis for the runner-up spot.

“I thought we were good on the bottom,” Ahumada said. “Late in the race I started catching the bottom wrong, caught the rut and got tight and then that let Jason get by me, but it was a good race and if I was going to lose to anybody I’d want it to be my car builder.”

Davis tried moving to the high line like Hughes, but found lesser success than the 25-year USMTS veteran.

“We had our shot there,” Daivs admitted. “Carlos hit that rut and we were kind of three wide down the front stretch, but probably should have moved around a little faster. But a pretty good run for us.”

Behind the Featherlite Trailers podium finishers, Timm scored a fourth-place finish and collected the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award by passing nine of his competitors to get there.

Ebert held on for fifth and defending series champ Rodney Sanders moved up eight spots to score a sixth-place paycheck. Timothy Culp, Mike Hansen, Terry Phillips and Dereck Ramirez completed the top ten.

Gabe Hodges of Lebo, Kan., finished 13 in the feature, but good enough to take the initial lead in the Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year points.

It happens all over gain on Saturday with another $5,000-to-win curtain-closer. USRA Stock Cars, USRA Limited Mods and Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks and Eco-Mods will also be racing.

For more information including payouts, rules, event times and ticket prices, check out the FAST FACTS.

With live and on-demand coverage of nearly every event plus exclusive interviews, instant replays, multiple camera angles and more, RacinDirt is your source for USMTS action. Check out usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Don't forget to subscribe for free and get USMTS news delivered to your inbox plus members-only benefits.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
9th Annual Summit USMTS Texas Winter Nationals – Night 1 of 2
Hunt County Raceway, Greenville, Texas
Friday, Feb. 23, 2024

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (2) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
2. (8) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (9) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
5. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (1) 81 Ricky Ingalls, Longview, Texas
7. (7) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
8. (4) 45T Eric Tomlinson, Robinson, Texas
9. (5) 80XX Jason Langford, Palestine, Texas

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
2. (4) 457 Boone Evans, Bullard, Texas
3. (3) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
4. (8) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
5. (1) 523 Landon Capps, Anna, Texas
6. (2) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas
7. (5) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
8. (7) 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (4) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
2. (5) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
3. (7) 88XXX Clyde Dunn Jr., Rockwall, Texas
4. (1) 75J Jeremy LaCoe, Lincoln, Ark.
5. (6) 22XX Jason Gamez, Kaufmann, Texas
6. (8) 99 Jared Baird, Norman, Okla.
7. (3) 91 Joe Duvall, Justice, Okla.
8. (2) 12T Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas

WIELAND METAL SERVICES HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (1) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
2. (4) 12J Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas
3. (2) 54T Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas
4. (3) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (6) 51 Tyler Burnett, Calhoun, La.
6. (5) 24 Manuel Williams Sr, Fouke, Ark.
7. (7) 21C Steven Glenn, Hamilton, Mo.
8. (8) 78 Billy Jack Brutchin, Gladewater, Texas

VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (4) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
3. (6) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (2) 19R Chris Kratzer, Haysville, Kan.
5. (3) 2 Tim Eaves Jr., Mooringsport, La.
6. (5) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
7. (7) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
8. (8) 19 Robert McKinney, Alvarado, Texas

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (4) C8 Timothy Culp, Prattsville, Ark.
3. (6) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (3) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas
5. (7) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
6. (8) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
7. (5) 47 Jack Sartain, Royse City, Texas
8. (2) 751 Rusty Trevathan, Wylie, Texas

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
2. (7) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
3. (4) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
4. (15) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
5. (3) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
6. (1) 88XXX Clyde Dunn Jr., Rockwall, Texas
7. (14) 91 Joe Duvall, Justice, Okla.
8. (6) 19R Chris Kratzer, Haysville, Kan.
9. (19) 80XX Jason Langford, Palestine, Texas
10. (16) 45T Eric Tomlinson, Robinson, Texas
11. (17) 12T Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas
12. (10) 99 Jared Baird, Norman, Okla.
13. (18) 19 Robert McKinney, Alvarado, Texas
14. (13) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
15. (9) 523 Landon Capps, Anna, Texas
16. (11) 81 Ricky Ingalls, Longview, Texas
17. (8) 51 Tyler Burnett, Calhoun, La.
18. (12) 24 Manuel Williams Sr, Fouke, Ark.
19. (5) 75J Jeremy LaCoe, Lincoln, Ark.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (14) 47 Jack Sartain, Royse City, Texas
3. (4) 54T Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas
4. (12) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
5. (3) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
6. (10) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas
7. (9) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
8. (13) 21C Steven Glenn, Hamilton, Mo.
9. (15) 78 Billy Jack Brutchin, Gladewater, Texas
10. (2) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
11. (8) 2 Tim Eaves Jr., Mooringsport, La.
12. (5) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
13. (6) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas
14. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
15. (11) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
DNS – 22XX Jason Gamez, Kaufmann, Texas
DNS – 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark.
DNS – 751 Rusty Trevathan, Wylie, Texas

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (5) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
3. (4) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
4. (13) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (2) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
6. (14) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
7. (12) C8 Timothy Culp, Prattsville, Ark.
8. (17) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
9. (24) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
10. (23) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
11. (11) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
12. (15) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
13. (3) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
14. (19) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
15. (8) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
16. (6) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
17. (22) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
18. (9) 457 Boone Evans, Bullard, Texas
19. (16) 47 Jack Sartain, Royse City, Texas
20. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
21. (20) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
22. (21) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
23. (10) 12J Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas
24. (18) 54T Matthew Day, Farmersville, Texas

Lap Leaders: Ebert 1-6, Hughes 7-11, Ahumada 12-33, Hughes 34-40.
Total Laps Led: Ahumada 22, Hughes 12, Ebert 6.
Margin of Victory: 0.826 second.
Time of Race: 34 minutes, 32.103 seconds (9 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Ramirez, Phillips.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Timm (started 13th, finished 4th).
Entries: 49.
Next Race: Saturday, Feb. 24, Hunt County Raceway.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: TBA.
ARMI Contractors USMTS Southern Region Points: TBA.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: TBA.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: TBA.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: TBA.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: TBA.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Tomlinson.
American Racer – Kratzer.
Bear Graphix – Williamson.
Beyea Custom Headers – Timm.
Bryke Racing – Schott.
BSB Manufacturing – Brown.
Champ Pans – Ebert.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Sanders.
Deatherage Opticians – Brutchin.
Edelbrock – Shannon.
Fast Shafts – Ebert.
Featherlite Trailers – Hughes, Ahumada, Davis.
FK Rod Ends – Timm.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – Hughes.
Hooker Harness – Christian.
Hyperco – Brutchin.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Evans.
Keyser Manufacturing – Ramirez.
KSE Racing Products – Phillips.
MD3 – Ahumada.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Ahumada.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Shannon.
MSD Performance – Timm.
Penske Racing Shocks – Hodges.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – S. Gaddis.
QA1 – Ahumada.
Quarter Master – Phillips.
RacerWebsite.com – Williamson.
Real Racing Wheels – Baird, Brutchin, Burnett, Capps, Joe Chisholm, Dunn, Duvall, Eaves, Fowler, Gamez, Givens, Glenn, Hobscheidt, R. Ingalls,  Kratzer, LaCoe, Langford, McKinney, Mitchell, Tanner, Tomlinson, Townsend, Trevathan, Williams, Williams Sr.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Schott.
Simpson Race Products – Davis.
Summit Racing Equipment – Brutchin, K. Gaddis, S. Gaddis, Sartain, Tomlinson.
Sweet Manufacturing – Shannon.
Swift Springs – Jim Chisholm, Sartain, Hughes.
Sybesma Graphics – Hughes.
Total Power – Hoff.
Victory Fuel – Hughes.
VP Racing – Hughes.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Gamez.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Culp.