TUCSON, Ariz. -- A week-long roller coaster ride ended with Rodney Sanders on top of the mountain Sunday as the 21-year-old from Happy, Texas, captured the sixth and final round of the Wild West Shootout at the USA Raceway in Tucson, Ariz.

Sanders and his #20 Swan Energy/Kimrad Transport Hughes Chassis Modified powered by Geddes Racing Engines started the night off by winning his heat race for the fifth time in six nights, and then redrew the inside of the second row for the start of the main event.

The task at hand was a difficult one, however, with the previous two nights’ winner Stormy Scott on the pole, teammate Jason Krohn on the outside of the front row and 2010 USMTS National Champion Jason Hughes next to Sanders in row 2.

Krohn grabbed the lead of the race while Sanders moved past Scott for second, but Krohn began to pull away from the field. Midway through the race, the right rear tire exploded on Krohn’s USRA Modified, ending his hopes and handing the lead over to Sanders.

From there, ‘The Rocket’ sailed to the checkered flag to pocket the $1,000 top prize and his first win of the 2012 season. Scott claimed the runner-up finish, with Dereck Ramirez third, David Karst fourth and Alex Stanford in fifth.

Sanders will begin his quest for a 2012 USMTS National Championship with the season openers for both the USMTS Casey’s Cup and USMTS National Championship Series at the Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, Feb. 16-18.

Rodney Sanders Racing is made possible by Swan Energy, 87 Automotive, Alaron Energy, B & L Satellite Rental, D & G Contracting, Davis Hunting Service, DrySlik Dirt Trak Racewear, Eibach Springs, FK Rod Ends, Geddes Racing Engines, Hooker Harness, Hughes Racing Chassis, Jet Grafix, Kimrad Transport, Palmer Painting, Real Racing Wheels, Sallie’s All-Star Customs and Schwab's Tinker Shop.

For more information, check out www.rodneysanders.com online, “Like” us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rodneysanders20 or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/rodneysanders20.

USRA MODIFIED RESULTS:

Heat Race #1: 1. Stormy Scott, 2. Jake O’Neil, 3. Greg Jelvik, 4. Ron Schreiner, 5. Austin Siebert, 6. Royal Jones, 7. Jimmy Ray, 8. Holly Jones, 9. Travis Gorsuch.

Heat Race #2: 1. Jason Hughes, 2. Matt Duste, 3. Johnny Scott, 4. Billy Byholm, 5. Tyson Turnbull, 6. Chase Junghans, 7. Jordan McCrimmon, 8. Jeff Olschowka, 9. Dickie Gorham.

Heat Race #3: 1. Brandon Davis, 2. Alex Stanford, 3. Jacob Gallardo, 4. Fito Gallardo, 5. Bumper Jones, 6. Cale Arneson, 7. Blake Jegtvig, 8. Jay Rosales, 9. Corey Hosler Jr.

Heat Race #4: 1. Jason Krohn, 2. Grant Junghans, 3. Kent Rosevear, 4. R.C. Whitwell, 5. Kyle Casson, 6. Chad Ayers, 7. Monte Bischoff, 8. Dano Ostrander, 9. Corey Mann.

Heat Race #5: 1. David Karst, 2. Brian Clark, 3. Rich Loftus, 4. Brad Dierks, 5. Aaron Turnbull, 6. Scott Ward, 7. Christy Georges, 8. Brandon Farrington, 9. Dennis Haven.

Heat Race #6: 1. Rodney Sanders, 2. Bryan Rowland, 3. Daniel Hutto, 4. Dereck Ramirez, 5. Ward Imrie, 6. Dane Jorgenson, 7. Nick O’Neil, 8. Robert Paquette.

“B” Feature #1: 1. Austin Siebert, 2. Grant Junghans, 3. R.C. Whitwell, 4. Bumper Jones, 5. Billy Byholm, 6. Cale Arneson, 7. Kent Rosevear, 8. Blake Jegtvig, 9. Chad Ayers, 10. Jimmy Ray, 11. Christy Georges, 12. Holly Jones, 13. Corey Hosler Jr., 14. Travis Gorsuch.

“B” Feature #2: 1. Aaron Turnbull, 2. Jake O’Neil, 3. Brian Clark, 4. Brad Dierks, 5. Royal Jones, 6. Jay Rosales, 7. Ward Imrie, 8. Greg Jelvik, 9. Jeff Olschowka, 10. Kyle Casson, 11. Robert Paquette, 12. Dennis Haven, 13. Scott Ward, 14. Nick O’Neil.

“B” Feature #3: 1. Matt Duste, 2. Jacob Gallardo, 3. Ron Schreiner, 4. Chase Junghans, 5. Daniel Hutto, 6. Tyson Turnbull, 7. Dane Jorgenson, 8. Dano Ostrander, 9. Jordan McCrimmon, 10. Corey Mann, 11. Brandon Farrington, 12. Dickie Gorham, 13. Monte Bischoff.

“A” Feature: 1. Rodney Sanders, 2. Stormy Scott, 3. Dereck Ramirez, 4. David Karst, 5. Alex Stanford, 6. Bryan Rowland, 7. Johnny Scott, 8. Jacob Gallardo, 9. Ron Schreiner, 10. Rich Loftus, 11. Fito Gallardo, 12. Brian Clark, 13. Austin Siebert, 14. Bumper Jones, 15. Matt Duste, 16. Aaron Turnbull, 17. R.C. Whitwell, 18. Brandon Davis, 19. Jason Krohn, 20. Grant Junghans, 21. Jake O’Neil, 22. Jason Hughes, 23. Chase Junghans, 24. Brad Dierks.