Dirt on Dirt - O'Neal outduels Pierce, grabs another $10,000

January 16

Central Arizona Raceway,

Casa Grande, AZ

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

Information provided by: Kyle McFadden and track reports (last updated January 17, 12:14 am)

O'Neal outduels Pierce, grabs another $10,000

Wild West Shootout

Hudson O'Neal
Bobby Pierce
Ryan Gustin
Tyler Erb
Dustin Sorensen
Garrett Alberson
Kyle Beard
Mike Marlar
Dillon McCowan
Jonathan Davenport
Justin Duty
Cade Dillard
Clay Stuckey
Brandon Sheppard
Ethan Dotson
Bricen James
Kylan Garner
Tim Isenberg
Tim Ward
Sammy Mars
Jake O'Neil
Terry Phillips
Drake Troutman
Eston Whisler

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Live video Photo slideshow Feature highlights Heat highlights Video recap Related story Race history

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Hudson O'Neal (6) passes Bobby Pierce (32) for his second victory of the week.

What won the race: Sliding back by Bobby Pierce and taking the lead for good with a turn-one slider on lap 24, fourth-starting Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., led the final seven laps to win his second Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts feature of the week at Central Arizona Raceway. O'Neal led twice for 18 laps (12-22, 24-30) and beat Pierce by 0.704 of a second in capturing his second $10,000 payday of the week, adding to his Jan. 11 victory.

Quotable: “I don’t know what it was like from your guy’s vantage point but man that was a race,” O’Neal exclaimed. “The restarts just kept adding to it and I was getting a little complacent on this bottom down here in (turns) one and two. Once I realized he kept getting a run on me down there (in turn three), I’m like ‘Well he’s gotta be running the top down there to be able to get a run.’ So finally I slid him and I was able to take his line away from him a little bit.”

Key notes: O'Neal has now earned more than $42,000 between his runner-up finish in Jan. 10's opener and both $10,000 victories. ... Fifth-starting Bobby Pierce used a turn-three slider and narrowly led lap 23 by 0.039 of a second over O'Neal before O'Neal slid back by in the next set of turns. ... Ryan Gustin led the opening 11 laps from the outside front-row before slipping to third. ... There were three lead changes among Gustin, O'Neal and Pierce. ... Polesitter Tyler Erb took advantage of a lap-23 restart to rebound to a fourth-place finish. ... Dustin Sorensen slipped by Garrett Alberson for fifth on lap 28, relegating Alberson to sixth; Alberson later discovered a broken rocker arm in his engine. ... The race was slowed by three cautions, each of them for a driver slowing with a flat right-rear tire: Drake Troutman slowed from 10th on lap eight; Brandon Sheppard slowed from 13th on lap 18; ninth-running Ethan Dotson never got going on the lap-18 restart and slowed from 20th on the 21st lap. Troutman only continued for a handful more laps before retiring, while Sheppard continued to finish 14th and Dotson in 15th. ... The 30-lapper lasted 19 minutes with 18 starters completing the distance. ... Dillon McCowan overcame contact from Cade Dillard as they raced towards the checkers in the second heat race, with Dillard spinning nearly head-first into the frontstretch wall before Amelia Eisenschenk slammed into him broadside. Eston Whisler nipped Dillard at the line by 0.042 of a second for fourth, leaving Dillard to transfer by winning the night's first consolation.

On the move: Kyle Beard of Trumann, Ark., started 21st and finished seventh.

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 Friday: 1. Hudson O’Neal (312); 2. Ryan Gustin (294); 3. Bobby Pierce (288); 4. Garrett Alberson (276); 5. Tyler Erb (270).

Current weather: Clear, 63°F

Car count: 41

Fast qualifier: Hudson O'Neal

Time: 14.988 seconds

Polesitter: Tyler Erb

Heat race winners: Hudson O'Neal, Tyler Erb, Ryan Gustin, Garrett Alberson

Consolation race winners: Cade Dillard, Jake O'Neil

Next series race: Jan. 17, 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 Friday’s 20th annual Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts fourth round, highlighted by a 30-lap, $10,000-to-win main event for unsanctioned Super Late Models (results unofficial):

Feature

Sliding back by Bobby Pierce and taking the lead for good with a turn-one slider on lap 24, fourth-starting Hudson O'Neal of Martinsville, Ind., led the final seven laps to win his second Rio Grande Waste Services Wild West Shootout presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts feature of the week at Central Arizona Raceway. O'Neal led twice for 18 laps (12-22, 24-30) and beat Pierce by 0.704 of a second in capturing his second $10,000 payday of the week, adding to his Jan. 11 victory.

Feature lineup

(30 laps)

Row 1: Tyler Erb, Ryan Gustin
Row 2: Garrett Alberson, Hudson O'Neal
Row 3: Bobby Pierce, Jonathan Davenport
Row 4: Dustin Sorensen, Ethan Dotson
Row 5: Tim Ward, Mike Marlar
Row 6: Dillon McCowan, Clay Stuckey
Row 7: Justin Duty, Drake Troutman
Row 8: Eston Whisler, Brandon Sheppard
Row 9: Cade Dillard, Jake O'Neil
Row 10: Bricen James, Terry Phillips
Row 11: Kyle Beard, Tim Isenberg
Row 12: Kylan Garner, Sammy Mars

Consolation results

(10 laps; top four transfer)

First consolation finish: Cade Dillard, Bricen James, Kyle Beard, Kylan Garner, Jake Timm, Amelia Eisenschenk, Richard Papenhausen, Steve Stultz, Eli Ross, Cole Schill. Scratched: R.C. Whitwell, Austin Kuehl.

Second consolation finish: Jake O'Neil, Terry Phillips, Tim Isenberg, Sammy Mars, Chase Junghans, Laela Eisenschenk, Daniel Adam, Tim Lance, Chance Mann, Gunner Frank, John Cornell, Terry Carter. Scratched: Matt Gilbertson.

Heat race recap

Hudson O’Neal led all eight laps from the pole, winning the first heat race by 1.390 seconds over Bobby Pierce, who trailed him the entire way. Tim Ward and Justin Duty held serve in finishing third and fourth, punching their ticket into Friday night’s 30-lap main event. … Polesitter Tyler Erb held off Dustin Sorensen on a one-lap restart to win heat two by 0.711 of a second. Dillon McCowan staved off contact from Cade Dillard as they raced towards the finish line, sending Dillard spinning nearly head-first into the frontstretch wall before Amelia Eisenschenk slammed into him broadside. Eston Whisler nipped Dillard at the line by 0.042 of a second for the fourth and final transfer spot into the $10,000-to-win feature, leaving Dillard in fifth and Eisenschenk in sixth. The night’s first caution flew on the final lap when R.C. Whitwell slowed from fifth; he did not continue and was credited with eighth. Eli Ross slowed after completing the first lap and pulled off. … Third-starting Ryan Gustin muscled by Jonathan Davenport on the sixth lap and paced the final three circuits to win the third heat by 0.428 of a second over Davenport, who led laps 2-5 before settling for second. Fifth-starting Mike Marlar finished third with polesitter and early leader Drake Troutman hanging on for fourth. The race’s lone stoppage came on the opening lap when Laela Eisenschenk spun sideways in turn three, collecting Chance Mann; they continued with Eisenschenk placing 10th and Mann in 11th. … Third-starting Garrett Alberson used a last-corner, last-lap pass around race-long leader Ethan Dotson, nipping Dotson at the checkers by 0.104 of a second to win the fourth and final heat race. Brandon Sheppard challenged Clay Stuckey for third momentarily before eventually slipping back and holding off pressure in the closing laps from Daniel Adam to finish fourth; Adam settled for fifth. … The four prelims combined to last for nearly 15 minutes of on-track action.

Heat race results

(Eight laps; top four transfer)

First heat finish: Hudson O'Neal, Bobby Pierce, Tim Ward, Justin Duty, Bricen James, Kyle Beard, Kylan Garner, Jake Timm, Richard Papenhausen, Steve Stultz.

Second heat finish: Tyler Erb, Dustin Sorensen, Dillon McCowan, Eston Whisler, Cade Dillard, Amelia Eisenschenk, Cole Schill, R.C. Whitwell, Austin Kuehl, Eli Ross.

Third heat finish: Ryan Gustin, Jonathan Davenport, Mike Marlar, Drake Troutman, Jake O'Neil, Tim Isenberg, Tim Lance, Sammy Mars, Gunner Frank, Laela Eisenschenk, Chance Mann.

Fourth heat finish: Garrett Alberson, Ethan Dotson, Clay Stuckey, Brandon Sheppard, Daniel Adam, Terry Phillips, Chase Junghans, Terry Carter, Matt Gilbertson, John Cornell.

Time trials

Group A
Driver (car no.), hometown, time (unofficial)
1. Hudson O’Neal (6), Martinsville, Ind., 14.988
2. Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.122
3. Bobby Pierce (32), Oakwood, Ill., 15.180
4. Dustin Sorensen (19), Rochester, Minn., 15.200
5. Tim Ward (4tw), Mesa, Ariz., 15.277
6. Dillon McCowan (8), Urbana, Mo., 15.320
7. Justin Duty (15D), Molalla, Ore., 15.344
8. Eli Ross (66), Muskogee, Okla., 15.393
9. Bricen James (13), Albany, Ore., 15.433
10. Cade Dillard (97), Robeline, La., 15.444
11. Kyle Beard (86), Trumann, Ark., 15.456
12. Amelia Eisenschenk (1x), Fargo, N.D., 15.560
13. Jake Timm (49T), Winona, Minn., 15.678
14. Eston Whisler (82), Otis, Ore., 15.724
15. Richard Papenhausen (4p), Chico, Calif., 15.836
16. Austin Kuhel (11x), Cave Creek, Ariz., 15.867
17. Kylan Garner (128), Neosho, Mo., 16.171
18. R.C. Whitwell (96), Tucson, Ariz., 16.215
19. Steve Stultz (78s), Peoria, Ariz., 16.289
20. Cole Schill (15*), Hawley, Minn., 17.323
Group B
1. Drake Troutman (22*), Hyndman, Pa., 15.100
2. Ethan Dotson (74x), Bakersfield, Calif., 15.126
3. Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.240
4. Clay Stuckey (15s), Shreveport, La., 15.252
5. Ryan Gustin (19R), Marshalltown, Iowa, 15.263
6. Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.274
7. Jake O’Neil (0), Tucson, Ariz., 15.276
8. Brandon Sheppard (B5), New Berlin, Ill., 15.298
9. Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.396
10. Daniel Adam (75A), Peru, Ill., 15.469
11. Sammy Mars (28), Menomonie, Wis., 15.518
12. Chase Junghans (18), Manhattan, Kan., 15.555
13. Tim Isenberg (9T), Marshfield, Wis., 15.580
14. Terry Phillips (75), Springfield, Mo., 15.814
15. Laela Eisenschenk (15), Fargo, N.D., 15.954
16. Terry Carter (6T), Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, 15.988
17. Gunner Frank (21F), Montrose, Iowa, 16.002
18. Matt Gilbertson (0G), Montevideo, Minn., 16.008
19. Chance Mann (88), Newport, Ark., 16.155
20. John Cornell (28c), Phoenix, Ariz., 16.352
21. Tim Lance (48), Brimfield, Ill., 16.352

Friday’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)
Feature events
- Late Models (30 laps)
- X-mods (20 laps)
-  Modifieds (25 laps)