Ricky Thornton Jr. bested a stout field of USRA Modifieds to win the opening night feature of the 12th Annual Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts atop the 1/3-mile FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway on Saturday.

A total of 139 cars filled the pit area for the first of six rounds of competition over the next eight days.

Thornton, from Chandler, Ariz., picked right up where he left off last year, racing to victory lane in the 25-lap feature for the MVT/Border International USRA Modifieds after topping last year’s Wild West Shootout points.

After three aborted starts, fourth-starting Thornton split the front row of Josh Angst and Matt Leer at the outset en route to a wire-to-wire triumph in the non-stop affair.

“They didn’t give me as much room after the first couple of restarts, I think I just wanted it more,” Thornton said in Hoker Trucking Victory Lane.  “The car was really good on the restarts and then we went to the bottom, we were geared for that and not the top.”

It worked out well for Thornton as he cruised out front the entire distance with Lucas Schott taking runner-up honors ahead of Stormy Scott, who rallied from 12th to the show position in the early rounds.

Angst and Justin Kay rounded out the top five.

The Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout continues Sunday with racing action set to go green at 5 p.m. Mountain Time (4 Pacific, 7 Central, 8 Eatern) with ensuing rounds to follow on Wednesday, Jan. 10, and then Friday through Sunday, Jan. 12-14.

Advanced tickets may be purchased online or by calling the Wild West Shootout office at (520) 664-2074.

Arizona Speedway is located just minutes from Phoenix.  From Phoenix, take US 60 east to Ironwood Dr., turn right (south) and go four miles, Arizona Speedway is on the right hand side.

To learn more about the USRA, visit usraracing.com or call (515) 832-6000. You can also like USRA Racing on Facebook, follow  on Twitter and check out the USRA YouTube channel. Keep up to speed with everything USRA by joining our email list.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit Racing Equipment USRA Weekly Racing Series
Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts
FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway, San Tan Valley, Ariz.
Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018

USRA MODIFIEDS

“A” Main (25 laps):
1. 20RT Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2. 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. 99 Josh Angst, Winona Minn.
5. 15k Justin Kay, Wheatland, Iowa
6. 1s Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
8. 7a Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
9. 23x Matt Gilbertson, Montevideo, Minn.
10. 44 Christy Barnett, El Paso, Texas
11. 18z Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M.
12. 65x Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
13. G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
14. 19 Lucas Rodin, Marion, N.D.
15. 6 Casey Skyberg, Rapid City, S.D.
16. 6d Dylan Goplen, Fargo, N.D.
17. 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
18. 2J Blake Jegtvig, Hawley, Minn.
19. 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
20. 96rc R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz.
21. 2a Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
22. 19sb Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
23. 71 Dustin Strand, Grand Forks, N.D.
24. J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.