Jake O’Neil Breaks Through at Bulls Gap for Scott Sexton Memorial Win

Jake O’Neil broke through to claim his biggest career Super Late Model victory on Monday night in the annual ‘Scott Sexton Memorial’ at the high-banked Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tennessee! Jake, who has wheeled a modified for most of his racing career, earned Fast Time honors during the qualifying session and later started the 52-lap headliner from the outside of the front row. Grabbing the point from early leader Benji Hicks on the twenty-second lap, the Tucson, Arizona ace dominated the remaining 30 circuits to bag the $7,552 first place prize money.

Finishing 0.851 of a second back at the unfurling of the checkered flag was runner-up Dale McDowell, who started the contest in the fifth position. Zack Mitchell, who ran as high as second in his G.R. Smith Motorsports ride, rounded out the podium in third. Polesitter Benji Hicks led the first 21 laps before suffering a flat left rear tire shortly after giving up the top spot. The Mount Airy, North Carolina native then rallied back through the field to claim the fourth position, while Josh Henry also charged past ten competitors to earn the final spot inside of the top five.

“We’ve had a rough few weeks here, so this one feels really good,” commented the winning O’Neil in Schaeffer’s Oil victory lane. “We flipped a car and then we crashed all last weekend and we thought we hurt a motor. Just everything that could go wrong has gone wrong lately. Then tonight, we just kept having those yellows late in the race and I just wanted to get this one in the books. Thanks to all of my great sponsors for their continued support!”

O’Neil captured his first career Southern Nationals Series victory aboard a #0 Longhorn Chassis powered by a Clements Racing Engine with sponsorship in part from Red Eye Radiator, Hodges Farms & Dredging, Wrazidlo’s Old World Meats, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Texas General Mechanical, Recore Centers, Bulletproof Tees, McCartney Welding, Furst Construction, Sierra Mining and Crushing, and Murphy Argi.

A total of 23 Schaeffer’s Oil Southern Nationals Series presented by Coltman Farms Racing and fueled by Sunoco competitors were on hand at Volunteer Speedway for what turned out to be the miniseries opener after Sunday’s stop at Wythe (VA) Raceway was washed out. The ‘Scott Sexton Memorial’ feature field was set solely through FK Rod Ends qualifying with all 23 competitors earning a starting spot. Benji Hicks topped Group A during time trials to earn the pole position, while Jake O’Neil went quickest in Group B and overall with a time of 12.983 seconds.

Super Late Models
A Feature 1 (52 Laps): 1. 0-Jake O'Neil[2]; 2. 17M-Dale McDowell[5]; 3. 22*-Zack Mitchell[4]; 4. 55-Benji Hicks[1]; 5. B00-Josh Henry[15]; 6. 10-Joseph Joiner[12]; 7. 11-Allen Styck[8]; 8. 79-Donald McIntosh[6]; 9. 126-Kaede Loudy[16]; 10. 25-Mike Benedum[9]; 11. 10S-Garrett Smith[3]; 12. 07-Chase Oliver[11]; 13. 19P-Mathew Porter[21]; 14. 11B-Stacy Boles[18]; 15. 79-Josh Sneed[17]; 16. 20-Daniel Boles[22]; 17. 329-Travis Fultz[10]; 18. 1C-Kenny Collins[13]; 19. 57-Landen Zakalowski[23]; 20. 95-Alex Vance[19]; 21. 1-Vic Hill[7]; 22. 4N-Matthew Nance[14]; 23. (DNS) 15-Noah Phillips

Sportsman Late Models
A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 8-Jensen Ford[4]; 2. 59-Shaun Sise[3]; 3. 3-Tim Maupin[7]; 4. 55-Kyle Courtney[2]; 5. 07A-Addison Cardwell[8]; 6. 14-Adam Ogle[10]; 7. C11-Roy Norwood Jr[13]; 8. 7-Heath Alvey[1]; 9. 11-David Bullington[14]; 10. 52-Troy Eads[17]; 11. 6Z-Zach Wiech[15]; 12. 63-Josh Collins[11]; 13. 31B-Robbie Buchanan Jr[5]; 14. 31-Ernie Stuart[16]; 15. 15-Bryson Dennis[12]; 16. J2-Larry James[18]; 17. 118-Kane Newby[6]; 18. (DNS) C4-Cameron Hawkins

Street Stocks
A Feature (20 Laps): 1. 10H-Eric Hughes[5]; 2. 69-Gary Blanken[1]; 3. 10L-Colby Long[8]; 4. XP21-Bobbie Petty[3]; 5. M2-Shannon Emery[4]; 6. 44H-McKenlee Hall[7]; 7. 81-Dylan Hannah[12]; 8. 6M-Marcus Mays[6]; 9. 113-Chris Kelly[9]; 10. 3-Tyler Meadows[2]; 11. 206-Allen Vaughn[11]; 12. 8M-Matthew Williams[14]; 13. 88-Eli Keck[13]; 14. 88B-Sam Burgess[10]; 15. 44-Clyde Overholt[15]

Enduro
A Feature (100 Laps): 1. Chris Meinders; Full rundown unavailable

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