May 25, 2026 | By Dean Reichel

Jack Wagner wins "Tribute to Jesse Hockett" at Double-X Speedway

CALIFORNIA, Mo.—Under the lights of the historic quarter-mile clay oval, the engines will rumble once again tonight at Double X Speedway as racers and fans gather for one of the most meaningful nights of the season, the annual “Tribute to Jesse Hockett Memorial Race.” The evening honors the life and legacy of Jesse “The Rocket” Hockett, one of sprint car racing’s brightest stars and a driver who always considered Double X Speedway his home track.

The racing program featured the return of the Non Wing Sprint Cars, the lightning-fast 360 Winged Sprint Cars, the always competitive Super Stocks and the hard-charging B Modified division. Drivers from across Missouri and beyond converged on the small-town dirt oval in California, Missouri, each hoping to etch their name into the history of one of the speedway’s most cherished events. A huge THANKS goes out to Wagner Boys Racing and Jack Hockett Racing for helping organize and making the event happen. Another huge Thanks goes out to Brown Farms of Marshall for bringing extra equipment and manpower to help get the track ready after the large amount of rain that fell on the area Saturday Night.

A wetter than normal track proved challenging for drivers to negotiate early on, but as the night went along the groove started to widen but the track remained fast. The B Modifieds were the first feature on the track and it was again the Tyler Potter show. Moving into the lead over Cody Brill on lap one, Potter would set the pace the entire distance. Brill would try different lines around the track to gain on the fleet 94 machine of Potter but had to settle for a strong second place. Brian Meyer saw his first visit to Double X in 2026 rewarded with a third place finish, veteran Chad Staus would finish a solid fourth and Tristan Leicher crossed the line in fifth. Brill and Potter took the heat race victories.

The Non Wing Sprint Cars were next on tap for feature events. With Riley Kreisel and Jack Wagner starting on the front row it was a battle shaping up. Kresiel gained the advantage on the start with Wagner in tow and the lead duo were setting a torrid pace until lap six when Kreisel would clip a tire on the inside of turn 3 and go end over end into turn four, ending his race. On the restart Jack Wagner was at the point with Wesley Smith close behind in second. While Wagner was charging relentlessly at the point, Smith was running a cool collected race trying multiple lines to gain on the leader. At the lap seventeen mark the leaders began encountering lapped traffic but were able to dispatch them easily. On lap twenty Wagner would bicycle off the cushion in turn one allowing Smith to close but Wagner would hold on charging to the win. Wesley Smith would finish second with Bryson Smith in third.  Samuel Wagner would finish forth and Tom Curran would round out the top five. Kreisel and Jack Wagner claimed the heat race victories.

The Super Stock feature had long time competitors Jody Romig and John Clancy Jr. sharing the front row. As the green flag dropped Romig would take the lead with Clancy Jr, in second and Darin Porter quickly moving into third. A caution after lap two would bunch the field behind the leader Romig. On lap ten Romig would drift high in turn four allowing Clancy Jr. to take the lead. Darin Porter would move into second on lap thirteen and was in the right place at the right time as leader Clancy Jr. had a mechanical failure taking the white flag. Porter claimed the checkers with Romig in second, Steve Beach was third, Dale Berry fourth and Ryan Shikles was fifth. Romig and Clancy Jr. Were victorious in the heat races.

The 360 Winged Sprint Cars would complete the card on the evening. Jack Wagner and Ben Brown started on the front row and it was Brown winning the drag race into turn one with Wagner settling into second and Chase Howard in the number three position. The first caution fell on the fifth circuit around as Chase Howard had mechanical issues relegating him to the pit area. On the restart Brown would stay on the cushion keeping up the momentum while Wagner would make a run at the bottom but would come up short and settled back into second. As the laps clicked by Wagner began making up ground on the bottom and just passed for the lead as Peyton White would get upside down in turns one and two. This would revert the field back to the lap ten running order putting Brown back at the point. The restart would see Brown and Wagner side by side for two laps before Wagner would dig his way past on the low side in turn four to take the point.  For the next thirteen laps Jack Wagner would keep hitting his marks on a technical tack surface to pick up his second feature win on the evening and putting the #77 once again in victory lane at Double X. Brown would finish a strong second, Samuel anger drove a consistent race to finish third, Taylor Walton was fourth and Daryn Langford was fifth.

For fans of dirt track racing, the “Tribute to Jesse” is more than just another race night. It is an evening filled with memories, stories and the unmistakable spirit of a racer whose impact continues to echo throughout the pit area and grandstands. Jesse Hockett’s talent carried him to victories across the nation, yet Double X Speedway remained the place closest to his heart.

The family atmosphere and rich racing tradition of Double X Speedway have made the annual memorial event a favorite among drivers and fans alike. The close-up view of the action, the roar of sprint cars against the Missouri night sky and the connection between competitors and spectators create an experience unlike any other in grassroots racing.

Feature winners from tonight’s “Tribute to Jesse Hockett Memorial Race” included:


Double X Speedway
California, MO

Sunday May 24, 2026

Tribute to “The Rocket” Jesse Hockett Memorial Results

Non Wing Sprint Cars Presented by Wagner Boys Racing and the Hockett Family

Feature- 1. 77-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack; 2. 44-Wesley Smith, Nixa; 3. 33-Bryson Smith, Nixa; 4. 73-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 5. 11X-Tom Curran, Kansas City, MO; 6. 4-Braydon Cromwell, Lone Jack; 7. 2-Luke Howard, Overland Park, KS; 8. 6-Jake Kouba, Farmington, MN; 9. 93W-Taylor Walton, Odessa; 10. 91- Riley Kreisel, Warsaw (DNF); 11. 18G-Kyle Gorham, Blue Springs (DNF); 12. 33L-Mark Lane, Blue Springs (DNS)

Heat 1- 1. Kreisel; 2. J. Wagner; 3. Howard; 4. Curran; 5. Cromwell; 6. Gorham

Heat 2- 1. B. Smith; 2. W. Smith; 3. S. Wagner; 4. Kouba; 5. Walton; 6. Lane (DNF)


360 Winged Sprint Cars presented by Brockes Tire, Auto & Glass

Feature- 1. 77-Jack Wagner, Lone Jack; 2. 7B-Ben Brown, Marshall; 3. 73-Samuel Wagner, Lone Jack; 4. 45-Taylor Walton, Odessa; 5. 32D-Daryn Langford, Kearney; 6. 46-Peyton White, LaMonte (DNF); 7. 13-Chase Howard, Nesbitt, MS (DNF)

Heat 1- 1. J. Wagner; 2. S. Wagner; 3. Walton; 4. Langford

Heat 2- 1. Brown; 2. Howard; 3. White


Super Stocks presented by Grace Print House

Feature- 1. 21-Darin Porter, California; 2. 12-Jody Romig, Syracuse; 3. 10-Steve Beach, Eldon; 4. 05-Dale Berry, Tuscumbia; 5. 43-Ryan Shikles, Enon; 6. 33-Kyle Miller, California; 7. 409-Joe Miller, Centertown; 8. 87-Ethan Daniels, California; 9. 87C-John Clancy Jr., California; 10. 40-Alcoa Harris, Conway (DNF); 11. 10R-Darek Wiss, Centralia (DNS)

Heat 1-1. Romig; 2. Beach; 3. Shikles; 4. Berry; 5. Wiss; 6. Daniels

Heat2- 1. Clancy, Jr.; 2. Porter; 3. J. Miller; 4. K. Miller; 5. Harris (DNF)


B Modifieds presented by Hitachi Energy

Feature- 1. 94-Tyler Potter, Fulton; 2. 96-Cody Brill, Bates City; 3. 9M-Brian Meyer, Concordia; 4. C3-Chad Staus, Otterville; 5. T3-Tristan Leicher, Hughesville; 6. 00-Dennis Cook, California; 7. 2- Brayden Bohn

Heat 1- 1. Brill; 2. Meyer; 3. Staus; 4. Bohn

Heat 2- 1. Potter; 2. Leicher; 3. Cook

Double X Speedway would like to thank the fans, drivers, crews, sponsors, Wagner Boys Racing and the Hockett family for helping continue this incredible tradition honoring “The Rocket.” Nights like these remind everyone why Sunday night dirt track racing remains a treasured part of life in Central Missouri.

The 2026 season of “Sunday Night Thunder” continues all summer long at Double X Speedway with exciting weekly racing action and special events still to come. Fans are encouraged to bring the whole family and experience the excitement, tradition and community atmosphere that have made Double X Speedway a cornerstone of Missouri dirt track racing for generations.

Grandstand gates open each Sunday evening at 5 p.m. with racing set to begin at 7:30 p.m. For schedule updates, results and additional information, visit Double X Speedway or follow the track on social media.