VADO, N.M. – Jake O’Neil started from the pole and led every lap of the 50-lap USRA Modified Fall Nationals feature Sunday at Vado Speedway Park to earn a $21,000 payday.
O’Neil got stuck in traffic in the final few laps of the race, but he had enough of a cushion ahead of second-place Tanner Mullens to cruise to the checkered flag.
“We’re just blessed to be here,” O’Neil said. “I really didn’t expect this. I didn’t feel very good at the beginning. I was waiting at any time…I felt like a sitting duck. The later in the race the cleaner I got and the better I felt. I still didn’t really know where to be. I got to the lap cars and I almost started panicking a little bit.”
Mullens settled for second, followed by Terry Phillips, Shane DeVolder and Rodney Sanders.
Josh Cain won the USRA Stock Car feature while Fito Gallardo topped the USRA B-Mod feature.
Sunday’s race was broadcast live by SPEED SPORT TV affiliate Dirt Race Central.
The finish:
Jake O’Neil, Tanner Mullens, Terry Phillips, Shane DeVolder, Rodney Sanders, Zack VanderBeek, Jake Gallardo, Nathan Smith, Fito Gallardo, Carlos Ahumada Jr., Josh Cain, Nick Rivera, A.J. Sharpensteen, Mark Smith, Royal Jones, Jonathan Ortega, Lance Mari, Xavier Ortega, Toby Herring, Dustin Robinson, Philip Houston, Ricardo Olague Jr., Jimmy Ray, Travis Tipton.