Strickler Surges to Amarillo Ambush Victory


AMARILLO, Texas (June 21, 2025)—Saturday night’s 12th Annual Amarillo Ambush presented by B&J Welding and Walkon Construction concluded with a thrilling Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt main event at the Route 66 Motor Speedway.

Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, N.C., claimed the victory, leading the final 26 laps after overtaking early leader and local hero Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas.

The top five finishers in the 40-lapper were Strickler; Sanders; Reece Solander of Emporia, Kan.; Tanner Mullens of Wichita, Kan.; and Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M.

Strickler started third and trailed Sanders, who led the opening 14 laps, before making the decisive pass on lap 15. Mullens earned the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger award, advancing from 16th to fourth. The race, completed in just under 15 minutes, saw a margin of victory of 1.545 seconds with cautions slowing the pace.

The event drew 46 entries, with heat race winners including Strickler, Joe Chisholm of Osage, Iowa, Kyle Brown of Madrid, Iowa, Jim Chisholm of Osage, Iowa, and Sanders.

The next USMTS race is scheduled for July 17 at Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minn.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
12th Annual Amarillo Ambush presented by B&J Welding and Walkon Construction – Night 2 of 2
Route 66 Motor Speedway, Amarillo, Texas
Saturday, June 21, 2025

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (1) 2S Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (5) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
3. (3) 22M Sammy McNabb, Amarillo, Texas
4. (2) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
5. (9) 24 Diego Alvarado, El Paso, Texas
6. (4) 818 Kalvin King, Amarillo, Texas
7. (10) 55G Braden Gress, Amarillo, Texas
8. (7) 18 Bobby Mayfield, Elk City, Okla.
9. (6) 18JR Ricardo Olague Jr, El Paso, Texas
10. (8) 2X Gene Weaver, Amarillo, Texas

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (1) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
2. (3) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (8) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
4. (6) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (2) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
7. (5) 71W Billy Wilker, Idalou, Texas
8. (4) 88R Rogelio Guzman, El Paso, Texas
DNS. (9) 1 Ryan Reeves, Lubbock, Texas

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (4) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
2. (1) 100 Braden Howell, Amarillo, Texas
3. (7) 11D Cole Dennis, Altus, Okla.
4. (9) 11G Cameron Gillmore, Amarillo, Texas
5. (8) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
6. (3) 117 Toby Herring, Hobbs, N.M.
7. (2) 77 Ronnie Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas
8. (5) 29 Chris Elliott, Amarillo, Texas
9. (6) 1126 Chad Tanquary, Lubbock, Texas

WIELAND HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (1) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
2. (8) 5 Reece Solander, Emporia, Kan.
3. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (5) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas
5. (3) 58 Braden Elliott, Amarillo, Texas
6. (6) 37 Coty Tanquary, Lubbock, Texas
7. (9) 2 Kohl McCutcheon, Alamogordo, N.M.
8. (7) 24X Xavier Ortega, Las Cruces, N.M.
9. (2) 21 Derek Scott, Canyon, Texas

VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (9) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
3. (3) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
4. (7) 7 A.J. Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas
5. (6) 56 Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
6. (1) 12C Leland Cruz, Amarillo, Texas
7. (8) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
8. (4) 17M Roy Don Mason, Hobbs, N.M.
9. (5) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 100 Braden Howell, Amarillo, Texas
2. (5) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
3. (2) 7 A.J. Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas
4. (3) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
5. (7) 58 Braden Elliott, Amarillo, Texas
6. (10) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
7. (9) 818 Kalvin King, Amarillo, Texas
8. (4) 24 Diego Alvarado, El Paso, Texas
9. (11) 12C Leland Cruz, Amarillo, Texas
10. (13) 18JR Ricardo Olague Jr, El Paso, Texas
11. (8) 37 Coty Tanquary, Lubbock, Texas
12. (6) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
13. (14) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
14. (15) 2X Gene Weaver, Amarillo, Texas
15. (12) 88R Rogelio Guzman, El Paso, Texas
DNS - 77 Ronnie Yanacsek, Amarillo, Texas
DNS - 24X Xavier Ortega, Las Cruces, N.M.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (6) 56 Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
4. (2) 22M Sammy McNabb, Amarillo, Texas
5. (3) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (11) 71W Billy Wilker, Idalou, Texas
7. (13) 1126 Chad Tanquary, Lubbock, Texas
8. (14) 21 Derek Scott, Canyon, Texas
9. (12) 17M Roy Don Mason, Hobbs, N.M.
10. (10) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
11. (9) 117 Toby Herring, Hobbs, N.M.
12. (8) 2 Kohl McCutcheon, Alamogordo, N.M.
13. (4) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas
14. (7) 55G Braden Gress, Amarillo, Texas
DNS - 18 Bobby Mayfield, Elk City, Okla.
DNS - 29 Chris Elliott, Amarillo, Texas
DNS - 1 Ryan Reeves, Lubbock, Texas

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (3) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
2. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (5) 5 Reece Solander, Emporia, Kan.
4. (16) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (4) 2S Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (14) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
7. (6) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
8. (9) 15W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
9. (7) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
10. (15) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
11. (2) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
12. (8) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
13. (11) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
14. (17) 7 A.J. Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas
15. (20) 22M Sammy McNabb, Amarillo, Texas
16. (13) 100 Braden Howell, Amarillo, Texas
17. (10) 11D Cole Dennis, Altus, Okla.
18. (12) 11G Cameron Gillmore, Amarillo, Texas
19. (21) 58 Braden Elliott, Amarillo, Texas
20. (24) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
21. (19) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
22. (18) 56 Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
23. (22) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
24. (23) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.

Lap Leaders: Sanders 1-14, Strickler 15-40.
Total Laps Led: Strickler 26, Sanders 14.
Margin of Victory: 1.545 seconds.
Time of Race: 14 minutes, 17.866 seconds (3 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Hughes, Girolamo.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Mullens (started 16th, finished 4th).
Entries: 46.
Next Race: July 17, Fairmont Raceway, Fairmont, Minn.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Sanders 1548, Jim Chisholm 1427, Mullens 1382, Strickler 1369, Phillips 1258, Joe Chisholm 1257, Christian 1197, Hughes 1133, Brown 1087, Solander 1074 .
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Joe Chisholm 1183, Hughes 1061, Solander 1024, Girolamo 706, Smith 627.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Sanders 73, Jim Chisholm 54, Phillips 54, Mullens 49, Strickler 48.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 146, CDR 134, Skyrocket 128, Mullens 102, Bloodline 79 .
JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 142, KSE 136, Mullins 119, ECE 107, Durham 88.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Weaver.
American Racer – Cruz.
Bear Graphix – Bowen.
Beyea Custom Headers – Mullens.
Bryke Racing – McNabb.
BSB Manufacturing – Girolamo.
Champ Pans – S. Scott.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Phillips.
Driven Racing Oil – Strickler.
Dynamic Drivelines – Hughes.
Edelbrock – Brown.
Fast Shafts – Joe Chisholm.
Featherlite Trailers – Sanders, Solander, Strickler.
FK Rod Ends – Mullens.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – Strickler.
Harris Auto Racing – Tanner.
Hodges Farms & Dredging – Jim Chisholm.
Hooker Harness – Brown.
Hyperco – Guzman.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Gillmore.
JE Pistons - Christian.
Keyser Manufacturing – Ahumada.
KSE Racing Products – Mullens.
MD3 – Strickler.
MSD Performance – Mullens.
Penske Racing Shocks – J. Gallardo.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Sharpensteen.
QA1 – Jim Chisholm.
Quarter Master – Jim Chisholm.
RaceQuip – F. Gallardo.
RacerWebsite – Gress.
Real Racing Wheels – B. Elliott.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Christian.
Simpson Race Products – S. Scott.
Sweet Manufacturing – Howell.
Swift Springs – Sharpensteen, Solander, Strickler.
Sybesma Graphics – Sanders.
Total Power – Joe Chisholm.
VP Racing – Strickler.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Ortega.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Christian.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Fast Shafts, Featherlite Trailers, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, VP Racing - Heartland, Wieland.

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Contact Info:
Jeff Nun
Chief Communications Officer
United States Modified Touring Series, Inc. (USMTS)
1715 W 2nd St, PO Box 905
Webster City, IA 50595
United States Modified Touring Series, Inc. | 1715 W 2nd St, Webster City, IA 50595

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