Dirt on Dirt - O'Neal repels Marlar to win $10,000 in Arizona

January 11

Central Arizona Raceway,

Casa Grande, AZ

Sanction: Unsanctioned Supers (Wild West Shootout) - $10,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac and track reports (last updated January 12, 12:31 pm)

O'Neal repels Marlar to win $10,000 in Arizona

Wild West Shootout

Hudson O'Neal
Mike Marlar
Bobby Pierce
Garrett Alberson
Jonathan Davenport
Ethan Dotson
Tyler Erb
Ryan Gustin
Justin Duty
Jake Timm
Brandon Sheppard
Dustin Sorensen
Dillon McCowan
Sammy Mars
Kyle Beard
Clay Stuckey
Gunner Frank
Eli Ross
Drake Troutman
Jake O'Neil
Billy Moyer
Daniel Adam
R.C. Whitwell
Tim Isenberg
Bricen James

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Terry Page

Hudson O'Neal wins his first career Wild West Shootout feature.

What won the race: Holding off Mike Marlar on a late-race restart, fourth-starting Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., led the final 30 laps in winning Sunday's Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout second round at Central Arizona Raceway. O'Neal, who overtook early leader Bobby Pierce on the 11th lap, beat Marlar to the line by 1.745 seconds for the $10,000 payday and his first career miniseries victory.

Quotable: “(Car owner) Kevin (Rumley) said ‘We gotta do something cause we’re not good enough to win right now’ and he made some changes and they were definitely spot on,” O’Neal said. “To be able to be move around and be good on that bottom, be good on the top. To have a different racetrack two nights in a row and be competitive is so awesome and such a big confidence boost going into Speedweeks here in a couple weeks.”

Key notes: O'Neal earned his fourth victory aboard Kevin Rumley's No. 6 Longhorn, dating back to last year. ... His last win with Rumley was Nov. 6's World Finals opener at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. ... Hudson joins his Hall of Fame father Don O'Neal (four wins) as a WWS winner. ... Fifth-starting Mike Marlar slipped by polesitter Jonathan Davenport for second on lap 26 and trailed O'Neal the rest of the way. Davenport finished fifth. ... Bobby Pierce, who led the race's opening 10 laps, used a crossover move on lap 36 to take third from Garrett Alberson. ... Ryan Gustin overcame a flat tire on lap 32 and finished eighth. ... Brandon Sheppard finished 11th after slowing with a flat right rear to draw the race's fourth caution on lap 24. ... R.C. Whitwell and Tim Isenberg slowed at nearly the same time on lap 10 for the first slowdown. ... Debris slowed the action three times, including the sixth and final stoppage on lap 35. ... Jake O'Neil drew the fifth yellow flag when he slowed from 10th on lap 32. ... Eighth-running Drake Troutman retired under green just after the lap-32 caution. ... Bricen James started a Jimmy Whisler-owned entry in the feature after suffering a fire in tech following his fourth-place heat race finish. ... The 40-lapper lasted 28 minutes with 16 starters completing the distance. ... Tyler Erb and Cade Dillard tangled at the start of the second heat, sending Dillard spinning and eliminating him with left-front nose damage and a flat left-rear tire. ... Eston Whisler appeared to have a massive engine failure while leading the night's first consolation. ... The miniseries continues Wednesday with a $10,000-to-win program.

On the move: Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., started 18th and finished 11th.

Winner's sponsors: O’Neal’s K&L Rumley Enterprises Longhorn Chassis carries sponsorship from D&E Marine, Senior Life Insurance Company, Rumley Engineering, Mesilla Valley Transportation, American Racing Wheels, Professional Concrete, Mark Martin Automotive, O’Neal’s Salvage & Recycling, Indiana USSSA Fastpitch, Sunoco Race Fuels, Bilsetin Shocks and Wheeler Metals.

Points chase: After Sunday: 1. Hudson O’Neal (168); 2. Mike Marlar (153); 3. Garrett Alberson (141); 4. Ryan Gustin (138); 5. Ethan Dotson (129).

Current weather: Clear, 57°F

Car count: 46

Fast qualifier: Mike Marlar

Time: 14.845 seconds

Polesitter: Jonathan Davenport

Dash winner: Sammy Mars

Heat race winners: Jonathan Davenport, Hudson O'Neal, Ryan Gustin, Bobby Pierce

Consolation race winners: Clay Stuckey, Brandon Sheppard

Next series race: Jan. 14, Central Arizona Raceway (Casa Grande, Ariz.) $10,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. — Live updates from Sunday’s 20th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts second round, highlighted by a 40-lap, $10,000-to-win main event for unsanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Holding off Mike Marlar on a late-race restart, fourth-starting Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., led the final 30 laps in winning Sunday's Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout second round at Central Arizona Raceway. O'Neal, who overtook early leader Bobby Pierce on the 11th lap, beat Marlar to the line by 1.745 seconds for the $10,000 payday and his first career miniseries victory.

Feature lineup

(40 laps)

Row 1: Jonathan Davenport, Bobby Pierce
Row 2: Ryan Gustin, Hudson O'Neal
Row 3: Mike Marlar, Drake Troutman
Row 4: Tyler Erb, Garrett Alberson
Row 5: Jake Timm, Ethan Dotson
Row 6: Daniel Adam, Justin Duty
Row 7: Jake O'Neil, Dustin Sorensen
Row 8: Bricen James, Dillon McCowan
Row 9: Clay Stuckey, Brandon Sheppard
Row 10: R.C. Whitwell, Billy Moyer
Row 11: Kyle Beard, Eli Ross
Row 12: Gunner Frank, Tim Isenberg
Row 13: Sammy Mars

Dash results

(eight laps; winner transfers)

Finish: Sammy Mars, Tim Ward, Terry Phillips, Kylan Garner, Austin Kuehl, Shawn Mann, Eston Whisler, Chase Junghans.

Consolation results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation: Clay Stuckey, R.C. Whitwell, Kyle Beard, Gunner Frank, Eston Whisler, Richard Papenhausen, Tim Ward, Austin Kuehl, Shawn Mann, Terry Carter, Peyton George, Ashlee Buck, Brad Williams. Scratched: Cade Dillard, Paul Rios.

Second consolation: Brandon Sheppard, Billy Moyer, Eli Ross, Tim Isenberg, Sammy Mars, Kylan Garner, Terry Phillips, Chase Junghans, Ian Whisler, Mike Greseth, Laela Eisenschenk, Chance Mann, Steve Stultz, Amelia Eisenschenk. Scratched: Cole Schill.

Heat race recap

Second-starting Jonathan Davenport overcame a couple restarts to lead all eight laps en route to winning the first heat race by 1.080 seconds over polesitter Mike Marlar, who trailed him all the way. Fourth-starting Jake Timm took third while Jake O’Neil slipped as low as sixth before rebounding to take the fourth and final transfer spot into Sunday’s 40-lap feature. The race’s first caution flew on the second lap for debris on the track in turn one. Paul Rios broke a driveshaft and stopped in turn one on the fifth lap. Rios's driveshaft appeared to come up through the deck, sticking out just behind the driver’s seat; he was OK. … Hudson O’Neal survived a few early-race restarts and led all eight laps from the pole to win the second heat by 2.748 seconds over Tyler Erb, who overcame a starting row penalty for jumping the race’s initial two start attempts. Erb then made contact with Cade Dillard on the third restart attempt, sending Dillard spinning and eliminating him with left-front nose damage and a flat left-rear tire; Dillard was credited with 12th. Daniel Adam inherited the outside front row and finished third after giving way to Erb as they raced towards the white flag. Fifth-starting Bricen James completed the top-four finishers. … Ryan Gustin cruised to win the third heat from the pole, taking the checkers 1.909 seconds ahead of second-starting Drake Troutman, who trailed him all eight laps. Fourth-starting Ethan Dotson took third from Dustin Sorensen as they came to take the white flag, relegating Sorensen to fourth. … Second-starting Bobby Pierce cruised to win the fourth and final heat race, winning by 0.869 of a second over polesitter Garrett Alberson who slipped to third on the opening lap before taking the runner-up spot. Justin Duty raced by Alberson and Dillon McCowan on the opening before settling in third, leaving McCowan as the fourth and final transfer into the $10,000-to-win main event.

Heat results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat: Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar, Jake Timm, Jake O'Neil, Clay Stuckey, Gunner Frank, Austin Kuehl, Eston Whisler, Shawn Mann, Peyton George, Paul Rios, Tim Ward.

Second heat: Hudson O'Neal, Tyler Erb, Daniel Adam, Bricen James, Kyle Beard, R.C. Whitwell, Richard Papenhausen, Terry Carter, Brad Williams, Ashlee Buck, Cade Dillard.

Third heat: Ryan Gustin, Drake Troutman, Ethan Dotson, Dustin Sorensen, Billy Moyer, Eli Ross, Tim Isenberg, Kylan Garner, Chase Junghans, Amelia Eisenschenk, Chance Mann.

Fourth heat: Bobby Pierce, Garrett Alberson, Justin Duty, Dillon McCowan, Brandon Sheppard, Sammy Mars, Terry Phillips, Laela Eisenschenk, Ian Whisler, Mike Greseth, Steve Stultz.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 14.845
2. Hudson O’Neal (6), Martinsville, Ind., 14.913
3. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 14.968
4. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.029
5. Jake O’Neil (0), Tucson, Ariz., 15.127
6. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.167
7. Jake Timm (49T), Winona, Minn., 15.220
8. Daniel Adam (75A), Peru, Ill., 15.280
9. Eston Whisler (82), Otis, Ore., 15.340
10. Bricen James (13), Albany, Ore., 15.359
11. Clay Stuckey (15s), Shreveport, La., 15.442
12. R.C. Whitwell (96), Tucson, Ariz., 15.504
13. Gunner Frank (21F), Montrose, Iowa, 15.516
14. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 15.563
15. Tim Ward (4tw), Mesa, Ariz., 15.597
16. Richard Papenhausen (4p), Chico, Calif., 15.635
17. Shawn Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 15.927
18. Terry Carter (6T), Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, 15.927
19. Austin Kuehl (11x), Cave Creek, Ariz., 16.143
20. Brad Williams (23), Tucson, Ariz., 16.832
21. Peyton George (0G), Rapid City, S.D., 17.324
22. Ashlee Buck (8B), Roswell, N.M., 17.885
23. Paul Rios (19rt), Tucson, Ariz., 18.684
Group B
1. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 14.987
2. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.002
3. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 15.034
4. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.053
5. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.098
6. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 15.099
7. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.135
8. Justin Duty (15D), Mollala, Ore., 15.213
9. Billy Moyer (48), Batesville, Ark., 15.320
10. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.329
11. Eli Ross (66), Muskogee, Okla., 15.339
12. Sammy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 15.422
13. Amelia Eisenschenk (1x), Fargo, N.D., 15.431
14. Ian Whisler (28w), Otis, Ore., 15.462
15. Tim Isenberg (9T), Marshfield, Wis., 15.540
16. Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., 15.589
17. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 15.655
18. Laela Eisenschenk (15), Fargo, N.D., 15.835
19. Kylan Garner (128), Neosho, Mo., 15.882
20. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 16.109
21. Chance Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 16.249
22. Mike Greseth (11), Harwood, N.D., 16,.284
23. Cole Schill (15*), Hawley, Minn., no time
24. Tyler Peterson (1tpo), Hickson, N.D., no time

Sunday’s schedule

(All times local)
1 p.m. - Pits open
2:30 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
3 p.m. - Grandstands open
3:30 p.m. - On-track activity
- X-mod hot laps
- Modified hot laps
- Late Model group qualifying
Opening ceremonies
- X-mod heats (8 laps)
- Modified heats (8 laps)
- Late Model heats (8 laps)
Consolations
- X-mods (10 laps)
- Modifieds (10 laps)
- Late Models (12 laps)
- Late Model dash (8 laps)
Feature events
- Late Models (40 laps)
- X-mods (25 laps) 
- Modifieds (25 laps)