VIVIAN, La. — The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt rolled into the Ark-La-Tex Speedway Thursday for the first of three nights with native son Cade Dillard notching his series-best fourth USMTS victory here.
Opening night at the 10th annual USMTS Cajun Clash saw a scary-good field of 59 powerful Summit USMTS Modifieds roll through the gates for the fifth race of the season.
Colton Horner set the pace for the 30-car starting field to get the green flag, and then proceeded to lead the first seven laps before Dillard was able to race ahead to lead the eighth lap.
Just two brief cautions slowed the action in the 35-lap main event with the final yellow flag waving with just a handful of laps remaining when Rodney Sanders and Jim Chisholm split a lapped machine, resulting in Sanders sliding to a stop atop turn three.
Back under green Chisholm challenged Dillard in the final five laps but had to settle for runner-up honors while Dillard pocketed a $3,000 paycheck and his 20th career USMTS triumph.
“This is where I got my first USMTS win,” Dillard recalled. “It’s been a long road since then and I’m just thankful for the opportunities I’ve had.
“I never thought I’d still be racing, much less doing the things I’ve got to do, but it’s a blast. To me there’s nothing more fun than mod racing… There’s not better modifieds in the country than what races with these guys and I got so much respect for them.”
Behind Chisholm, Dereck Ramirez held off Darron Fuqua for third while Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender Chase Holland completed the top five.
The finish:
Cade Dillard, Jim Chisholm, Dereck Ramirez, Darron Fuqua, Chase Holland, Colton Horner, Jason Hughes, Tyler Wolff, Brandon Givens, Taton Hansen, Jake O’Neil, Tanner Mullens, Joe Duvall, Jade Luzenberg, Cayden Carter, Terry Phillips, Jeremy Nelson, Dan Ebert, Gary Christian, Rodney Sanders, Jacob Bleess, Zack VanderBeek, Dylan Thornton, Carlos Ahumada Jr., Donnie Powers, Kyle Brown, Will Krup, Cody Thompson, Tom Berry Jr., Chris Henigan.