JCONCEPTS ONS 2026 ROUND 1

2026 JCONCEPTS ONS ROUND 1 - PHIL HURD RC RACEWAY

The 2026 JConcepts ONS Series opened at Phil Hurd Raceway in Savannah, Georgia, with 191 entries, and 40 mains setting the tone for a strong season opener. Thanks to consistent watering, the track kept that old-school feel and stayed fun to drive all weekend. Round 1 delivered the kind of action expected from a major event.

A huge thank you goes to Patrick Rossiter Jr. and the Phil Hurd Raceway crew for all their hard work. With 9,388 laps turned over the weekend, the track held up exceptionally well.

GOOD TIMES EVERYWHERE

RACE FACTS

Fastest Lap of the Weekend: Hunter King — 21.476 in 4wd Modified Buggy A3

Closest Finish: Spencer Rivkin over Hunter King by 0.197 seconds in 4wd Modified Buggy A3

Multiple Overall Winners:

Jose Zayas — 10th Gas Truck, 13.5 4wd Pro Stock Buggy

Ryan Maifield — 4wd Modified Buggy, Vintage 13.5 2wd Buggy

Most Podium Appearances: Jose Zayas, Chat Howard, Spencer Rivkin, Cole Tollard, and Chris Vanair with 3 each

Fastest Class Overall: 4wd Modified Buggy, producing the three quickest laps of the mains program

TOP OVERALL QUALIFIERS

ACTION SHOT GALLERY

LOWER MAINS

The first big story of the day came from the lower mains, where racers were fighting to keep their weekends alive. In Vintage 13.5 2wd Buggy D-Main, Bennie Wilkerson took charge early with Greg Croft right behind, and both drivers earned the chance to move up. The C-Main kept that energy going as Dwayne Walter and Chat Howard also advanced, proving right away that the mains program was going to be full of comeback stories and pressure-packed racing.

That same urgency carried into the B-Mains, where transfers became even tougher to earn. In 2wd Modified Buggy, Tyler Rimes looked strong early, but the race shifted late and opened the door for others. Kyle Paquette stayed in contention and came through to take the win, while Jason Westfall locked down the second transfer spot. In 17.5 2wd Pro Stock Buggy, Kris Hackenson and Doug Ludwig raced their way into the A-Main. Richard Bratton and Brandon Classic transferred in 4wd Modified, while Wilson Cowart advanced out of 13.5 4wd Pro Stock Buggy B-Main and later became a serious factor once the A-Mains got underway.

A MAINS

When the A-Mains began, the spotlight turned to the racers who could put together complete performances under pressure.

In 17.5 2wd Pro Stock Buggy, Jason Ruona took control early by winning A1 and A2, wrapping up the overall before the final leg. Tyler Rimes answered back in A3 with a win of his own to secure second overall, but Ruona had already done everything he needed to lock down the class.

In 2wd Modified Buggy, Spencer Rivkin followed a similar path. He won A1 and A2, giving himself the overall before the last round. Even with the title in hand, the class stayed competitive throughout, with Cole Tollard, Julien Oliveras, Chad Due, and Hunter King all staying active in the fight. Rivkin’s early work gave him the edge and showed once again how important consistency is in a triple-mains format.

One of the standout classes of the day was 4wd Modified Buggy, which brought some of the fastest and most exciting racing of the entire event. Ryan Maifield secured the overall with wins in A1 and A2, but A3 gave the class its signature moment. Hunter King turned the fastest lap of all 40 mains with a 21.476 and looked ready to close the weekend with a statement. But Spencer Rivkin stayed right there, and in a dramatic finish, Rivkin won the final leg by just 0.197 seconds over King. It was one of the closest finishes of the event and one of the biggest highlights of the weekend.

Another class that stayed exciting all the way through was 13.5 4wd Pro Stock Buggy. Jose Zayas opened things up with the A1 win, Hiro Nakaya answered in A2, and Atha Stathopoulos took A3, making the overall points battle tight from start to finish. When the dust settled, it was Zayas taking the overall ahead of Nakaya and Jacob Hartman, but the class remained alive through every round and delivered one of the most competitive stories of the day.

Vintage 13.5 Stadium Truck also brought strong multi-main drama. Ryan Harris won A1, but Julien Oliveras came back in A2 and changed the overall picture. That rebound proved crucial, as Oliveras did enough to take the overall victory, with Harris finishing second and Chris Vanair rounding out the top three. It was a great example of how quickly things can change in triple-mains racing.

Several classes were defined by complete control from the front. Ryan Maifield swept Vintage 13.5 2wd Buggy, putting together a dominant performance from start to finish. Chris Vanair did the same in Vintage 13.5 4wd Buggy, while Lee Griffiths locked down 13.5 Indy Stock 4wd Buggy with two strong mains. In 17.5 2wd Indy Stock Buggy, Patrick Dacey doubled up to secure the overall ahead of Mitch York and Chat Howard.

GAS TRUCK A MAIN

The 10th Gas Truck – Buggy A-Main had all the makings of a true feature race. With 20 minutes on the clock, it came down to speed, patience, and staying out of trouble.

Patrick Rossiter Jr. started as the overall TQ and was right in the mix early, battling Ben Buckingham for the lead while Jose Zayas stayed close in third. But only a few minutes into the race, Rossiter Jr. suffered a mechanical issue that ended his shot at the win and changed the whole direction of the main.

From there, Buckingham and Zayas took over the fight up front. Buckingham looked strong through the middle stages, while Zayas stayed within striking distance. Behind them, Jimmy Woodley put together a steady run in third, with Doug Ludwig and Ayrton Jores working into the top five.

The best moment came late, when Buckingham moved into the lead after Zayas made a mistake. But with time running out, Zayas answered back, retook the top spot in the final minute, and sealed the win with a composed finish.

At the line, it was Jose Zayas taking the victory, followed by Ben Buckingham in second and Jimmy Woodley in third. Doug Ludwig finished fourth, and Ayrton Jores rounded out the top five. After an early setback for the TQ, this one turned into a hard-fought battle, with Zayas delivering when it mattered most.

Watch full Gas Truck Main, link below