Brendon Gemmill won the USRA Modified main event.

Mother Nature tried as hard as she could to dampen the spirits of racers and fans alike at 81 Speedway in Park City on Saturday night.  Receiving approximately an inch of rain during the overnight hours, a soggy facility greeted promoter John Allen and his crew early Saturday morning.

With determination and luck on their side, they dodged more rain throughout the day, dried out and ironed in what started as a mud pit earlier in the day. They were rewarded for their efforts; providing racers and fans alike with a lightning fast multi-groove racing surface all evening long.

Another large field for the Alternative Pest Management USRA Modified division saw 35 cars sign into the pit area, including a couple of drivers enjoying a rare weekend off from the USMTS trail. Current USMTS Rookie of the Year points leader Tyler Davis from Haysville signed in for a start at his home track, as well as Tucson, Arizona’s Jake O’Neil.

Davis used a strong heat race, starting sixth and winning to claim top passing points honors for the evening.  O’Neil’s night got off to a tougher start.  A rare miscue by the No. 0 saw O’Neil miss the initial call to the lineup area delaying the start of heat race #1.  Scheduled to start third, track officials placed him at the tail of the field for the infraction and O’Neil was unable to overcome the deficit, sending him to the night's B-feature.  O’Neil turned fortunes around later in the night winning the B-feature, lining himself up to start 13th in the A.

The top six redraw saw Wichita’s Brendon Gemmill race away from the pole and battles inside the top six raged on early and often at the drop of the green.  Third-starting Darren Moses immediately took control of the second spot, while fourth-starting Ryan McAninch slotted into third.

Davis went to work battling with Lucas Gibbs for fourth.  Meanwhile, O’Neil drove from his 13th starting spot, moving his way into the top 10 after the opening two laps.

Cautions through the middle third of the 20-lap feature created chaos on multiple restarts, leading to a heavily jumbled running order for the last seven laps.  Reaching lap 13, Gemmill, Davis, McAninch, O’Neil and Moses made up the top five.  O’Neil continued his march towards the front, engaging in a heated battle for the third spot with McAninch.  Just ahead, Davis continued to search the 81 Speedway surface for a faster line to run down Gemmill.

Just before lap traffic was able to play a factor, the Hoover Mower Sales caution waved slowing the field on lap 17.  The ensuing restart played out in exciting fashion as both Davis and O’Neil both utilized the bottom side of the Speedway to try and pass Gemmill and McAninch, respectively.  Davis used a big run down the back stretch into turn three to duck to the bottom side once again and attempt a slider off turn four.  Unable to clear Gemmill, Davis gave way allowing Gemmill to create a four-car-length gap with two laps to go.

As the leaders drove away O’Neil finally won the battle for the third spot.  At the checkers, it was Gemmill who led all 20 laps and collected his fourth win of the year at 81 Speedway.  Davis, O’Neil, McAninch finished second through fourth, and a strong run from the 12th starting spot saw Derby’s Scott Green round out the top five.

Another strong run inside the top 10 saw chassis builder Bob Bills drive his BillsBuilt Chassis from 16th to eighth and picking up his second top 10 of the year.

The four heat race wins were collected by Ryan McAninch, Tyler Davis, Lucas Gibbs, and Tad Davis.

Racing actions returns next Saturday, September 5, with Alternative Pest Management USRA Modifieds, Late Models, Mod Lites and Mini Stocks all on tap.  Tickets for adults are just $12, kids 10 and under are free.  Pit gates open at 3 p.m., grandstands at 5, hot laps at 6 and racing begins at 7.

For more information make sure to visit race81speedway.com and 81 Speedway on Facebook and Twitter.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
81 Speedway, Park City, Kan.
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.

USRA MODIFIEDS

Heat #1:
1. (2) 52 Ryan McAninch, Hutchinson, Kan.
2. (4) 7 Treyton Gann, Ponca City, Okla.
3. (9) 42 Darren Moses, Valley Center, Kan.
4. (8) 5* Jason McGehee, Wichita, Kan.
5. (3) 0N Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
6. (5) 32B Bob Bills, Wichita, Kan.
7. (1) 22N Kevin Newell, Wichita, Kan.
8. (7) K9 Kyler Kemp, Maize, Kan.
9. (6) 52C Alex Cammon, Wichita, Kan.

Heat #2:
1. (6) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
2. (1) 69 Cecil Dymond, Goddard, Kan.
3. (8) 87 Kenny Sweet, Wichita, Kan.
4. (7) 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan.
5. (4) 0 Brody Robe, Wichita, Kan.
6. (2) 85C Clay Sellard, Bucklin, Kan.
7. (5) 020 Fred Freeman, Hutchinson, Kan.
8. (9) X6 Dylan Allen, Chanute, Kan.
9. (3) 44 Braden Stoner, Wichita, Kan.

Heat #3:
1. (2) G51 Lucas Gibbs, Udall, Kan.
2. (1) 16 Shawn Govern, Valley Center, Kan.
3. (3) 3 Lewis Jackson, Wellsville, Kan.
4. (5) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (4) 25C Johnny Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
6. (7) M5 Harley Peery, Goddard, Kan.
7. (6) 2W Richard Wilson, Wichita, Kan.
8. (8) 32R Daniel Richey, Wichita, Kan.
9. (9) 711 Brock Lane, Wichita, Kan.

Heat #4:
1. (1) 75 Tad Davis, Mount Hope, Kan.
2. (6) G3 Brendon Gemmill, Wichita, Kan.
3. (2) 86 Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan.
4. (4) 99T T.J. Tolan, Valley Center, Kan.
5. (3) 93 Brandon Massey, Valley Center, Kan.
6. (8) 3J Jake Nightingale, Hutchinson, Kan.
7. (5) 34 Rickey Bonham, Hutchinson, Kan.
8. (7) 71 Patrick McManus, Derby, Kan.

"B" Feature:
1. (5) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (1) 3 Lewis Jackson, Wellsville, Kan.
3. (10) M5 Harley Peery, Goddard, Kan.
4. (11) 32B Bob Bills, Wichita, Kan.
5. (3) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (7) 25C Johnny Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
7. (8) 93 Brandon Massey, Valley Center, Kan.
8. (12) 85C Clay Sellard, Bucklin, Kan.
9. (22) 52C Alex Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
10. (9) 3J Jake Nightingale, Hutchinson, Kan.
11. (15) 34 Rickey Bonham, Hutchinson, Kan.
12. (20) 22N Kevin Newell, Wichita, Kan.
13. (17) 32R Daniel Richey, Wichita, Kan.
14. (16) X6 Dylan Allen, Chanute, Kan.
15. (18) 71 Patrick McManus, Derby, Kan.
16. (21) K9 Kyler Kemp, Maize, Kan.
17. (6) 0 Brody Robe, Wichita, Kan.
18. (2) 86 Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan.
19. (14) 2W Richard Wilson, Wichita, Kan.
20. (4) 99T T.J. Tolan, Valley Center, Kan.
21. (13) 020 Fred Freeman, Hutchinson, Kan.
22. (19) 711 Brock Lane, Wichita, Kan.
23. (23) 44 Braden Stoner, Wichita, Kan.

"A" Feature:
1. (1) G3 Brendon Gemmill, Wichita, Kan.
2. (5) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
3. (13) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
4. (4) 52 Ryan McAninch, Hutchinson, Kan.
5. (12) 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan.
6. (3) 42 Darren Moses, Valley Center, Kan.
7. (2) G51 Lucas Gibbs, Udall, Kan.
8. (16) 32B Bob Bills, Wichita, Kan.
9. (9) 69 Cecil Dymond, Goddard, Kan.
10. (14) 3 Lewis Jackson, Wellsville, Kan.
11. (21) 52C Alex Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
12. (24) 22N Kevin Newell, Wichita, Kan.
13. (11) 5* Jason McGehee, Wichita, Kan.
14. (10) 16 Shawn Govern, Valley Center, Kan.
15. (19) 93 Brandon Massey, Valley Center, Kan.
16. (23) 34 Rickey Bonham, Hutchinson, Kan.
17. (7) 87 Kenny Sweet, Wichita, Kan.
18. (15) M5 Harley Peery, Goddard, Kan.
19. (22) 3J Jake Nightingale, Hutchinson, Kan.
20. (17) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
21. (8) 7 Treyton Gann, Ponca City, Okla.
22. (6) 75 Tad Davis, Mount Hope, Kan.
23. (18) 25C Johnny Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
DNS – (20) 85C Clay Sellard, Bucklin, Kan.