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From Jeff Nunn at USMTS media...
USMTS drivers battle for nearly $100,000 in six star-studded shows this week
The USMTS Casey's General Stores National Tour swings back into action
this week with six races throughout Iowa and Minnesota worth nearly
$100,000 in prize money. Incredible on-track action is in store for
local and traveling fans of the mud-slinging Modifieds, and a lot is on
the line for drivers competing in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s
General Stores USMTS National Championship.
This week's half-dozen blockbuster events will serve as rounds 8
through 13 of the 18-race campaign — exactly one-third of all the
’Hunt’ races that will determine the 2009 champ. It all
starts Tuesday at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, and
wraps up on Sunday night at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Kasson,
Minn.
Already pre-entered for the six-pack of shows are drivers from 12
different States, including Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and
Wisconsin.
With the season-ending title chase format in it's fourth year, the
points battle is wide open and the caliber of competitors strapping on
the helmets at this year's clashes has never been more talent-riddled.
Five different drivers from five different States emerged victorious in
the first seven events, which featured just about every style, size and
shape of dirt oval racetrack possible.
WHERE THEY'VE BEEN …
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National
Championship kicked off with five straight nights of intense action. A
whopping 64 entries packed the pit area of the LA Raceway in La Monte,
Mo., for opening night ... and a night of firsts on several levels.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year points leader Grant Junghans of
Manhattan, Kan., got his career-first USMTS victory after apparent
winner Jeremy Payne was disqualified during post-race technical
inspections. It was the first time the opening event of the 'Hunt' was
staged at the 3/8-mile oval and the first time the 'Hunt' did not kick
off with Jon Tesch in victory lane.
Round 2 of the championship chase saw the touring titans take on
the Monett Speedway where 18-year-old Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown,
Iowa, scored an impressive win over veteran racer Terry Phillips and
fellow teen sensation Rodney Sanders. In his first trip to Monett, the
win was worth $3,000 to Gustin and was his fourth main event win of the
season. At the age of 17, Gustin's first win in August of last year
gave him the honor of being the youngest driver to ever win a
USMTS-sanctioned event.
The next night it was off the Springfield Raceway for another
thriller at Jerry Hoffman's quick quarter-mile oval. Jeremy Payne
earned a measure of redemption to go along with the $3,000 winner's
share of the purse. His disqualification on Tuesday took away the
second USMTS victory of his career, and he was nearly as dominant
Thursday night in front of his hometown fans. This time, however, Payne
got the thumbs up from USMTS tech officials and took the trophy home.
Friday night found the fearless dirt merchants at the Humboldt
Speedway for the third time in 2009. And for the seventh time this
season, fans saw Westville, Okla.'s Jason Hughes roll into the winners
circle at the end of a USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour
main event. On Tuesday, Hughes failed to qualify for the main event at
the LA Raceway and Wednesday's visit to the Monett Speedway wasn't much
better as Hughes made the big show but was the first car to drop out of
the race. Thursday was another step forward with a seventh-place finish
at the Springfield Raceway, but Friday night's victory completed a
rags-to-riches climb from the USMTS cellar for the season's most
dominant driver.
It was a familiar face in victory lane as the Hunt for the USMTS
Casey's General Stores National Championship rolled into unfamiliar
territory on Saturday night. After three rain-outs earlier this season,
the Caney Valley Speedway finally got cooperation from Mother Nature
which resulted in a huge field of cars, a jam-packed grandstand and
Jason Hughes in victory lane for the second straight night. A field
consisting of 55 of the toughest Modified drivers on the planet
converged on the quarter-mile bullring located just a few miles north
of the Oklahoma border.
Despite being winless in the 'Hunt,' eight-time USMTS National
Champion Kelly Shryock used consistency and a reliable machine to
remain atop the points standings heading into a week off for the
competitors. Action was scheduled to move north on Thursday, Aug. 20,
to the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minn., for another
$3,000-to-win showdown, but the event was rained-out.
Defending USMTS National Champion Tim Donlinger of Rochester,
Minn., has proven time and time again that he's one of the best of the
best at wheeling a USMTS Modified. Three inches of rain on Thursday
night followed up by light drizzle throughout the next morning soaked
the Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., and made for a
lightning-fast sticky surface but a rough and bumpy ride for the
competitors on Friday night, Aug. 21. Donlinger led the main event from
start to finish, but Gustin kept the fans on their feet with an amazing
run from 18th on the starting grid to finish second behind Donlinger.
Gustin, however, picked up his fifth USMTS Casey’s General
Stores National Tour win of the 2009 season the following night with a
wire-to-wire victory in the 40-lap Sunoco "A" Main at the Upper Iowa
Speedway in Decorah, Iowa. Kelly Shryock could only follow and hope for
a mistake, but Gustin was flawless in leading the current points leader
to the checkered flag.
Despite remaining winless during the 'Hunt,' Shryock's fifth top-5
finish in seven starts helped him increase his lead to 72 points (698
to 626) over Rodney Sanders in the title chase. Gustin jumped up to
third with 601 markers, followed by Zack VanderBeek (590), Dereck
Ramirez (588), Jason Hughes (574), Tim Donlinger (531), Jon Tesch
(524), Morgan Bagley (514) and Tommy Myer (505). Less than 80 points
separate Myer from the next eight drivers in the standings.
Although Shryock is winless in the ’Hunt’ so far, a
betting man would be a wiser betting man if he put his money on the
eight-time USMTS National Champion to make some noise at the next six
tracks where he has logged 29 of his 150+ career wins over 10 years on
the USMTS Casey's General Stores National Tour, and tops the career
wins list at all six venues.
WHERE THEY'RE GOING …
TUESDAY, SEPT. 1 – What promises to be a September to
remember kicks off this Tuesday, Sept. 1, at the Southern Iowa Speedway
in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the eighth of eighteen events in the Hunt for
the USMTS Casey's General Stores National Championship. This will be
the first of six straight nights of racing at six tracks with a top
prize of $3,000 each night — $18,000 for the winner’s share
of nearly $100,000 in prize money up for grabs over the six days!
Past winners at the Southern Iowa Speedway include Kelly Shryock
(11 wins), Brad Pinkerton (3), Chris Spieker (2), John VanDenBerg (2),
Tommy Myer (2), Jason Krohn (2), Tony Fraise, Dan Bohr, Bruce Hanford,
Mark Noble, Zack VanderBeek, Jason Hughes and Al Hejna, who topped a
thriller at Osky on Aug. 5.
Also on tap at the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster will be the
American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series featuring USRA Karl Chevrolet
Stock Cars, USRA Karl Chevrolet B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks. Pit gates
will open at 5:00, with grandstand gates opening at 5:30. Hot laps
begin at 7:00 and the first heat race takes to the track at 7:30.
Zack VanderBeek and his Doritos-sponsored Modified will be at the
Casey's General Store located at 1310 A Ave. West in Oskaloosa from
12:00 to 2:00. Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons for Tuesday
night's races at all three Casey's General Stores locations in
Oskaloosa.
The Southern Iowa Speedway is a half-mile semi-banked clay oval
located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3 mile north on N. I
St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, contact
the RL Promotions offices at (515) 832-6000 or visit www.rlpromotions.com online. Race day info is available by calling the track hotline at (641) 673-7004.
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 2 – The 5th Annual Hawkeye Summer Classic
presented by Car Country and Schroeder Racing Products on Wednesday,
Sept. 2, will be the 15th USMTS-sanctioned event since 1999 on the
half-mile clay oval at the Butler County Fairgrounds.
Past winners at the Highway 3 Raceway include Kelly Shryock (3),
Kevin Pittman (2), John Logue, Mike Sorensen, Johnny Saathoff, Ryan
Ruter, Mark Noble, Mike Hejna, Tim Donlinger, Ryan Gustin and Jon
Tesch, who won the most recent event here on June 3.
Pits open at 4:00, grandstand gates open at 5:00, hot laps are at
6:30 and racing starts at 7:00. Also on the night's program will be
USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars ($400 to win), USRA Karl Chevrolet
B-Mods ($400 to win), USRA Hobby Stocks ($400 to win) and Hornets ($100
to win).
Zack VanderBeek and his Doritos-sponsored Modified will be at the
Casey's General Store located at 100 Cherry St. in Allison from 12:00
to 2:00. Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons for Wednesday night's
races at Casey's General Stores locations in Allison, Aplington and
Clarksville.
The Highway 3 Raceway is located 0.3 miles north of SR 3 on S. Main
St. (at the Butler County Fairgrounds). For more information, check out
the track's website at www.highway3raceway.com or call 319-267-9977 for day-of-race updates.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 3 – The Buena Vista Raceway held its first USMTS
event last year in front of a standing-room-only grandstand. It was no
different this past June and officials expect nothing less than another
epic battle when they return to the Alta, Iowa, bullring on Thursday
for the Inaugural Battle at the Beaver presented by Cookies Bar
“B” “Q” Sauce.
Kelly Shryock won the inaugural event in 2008 and Al Hejna held off
Corey Dripps to take the checkers three months ago on June 4.
Pit gates will open at 5:00, grandstands open at 6:00, hot laps
begin at 6:45 and the first heat race is scheduled to take the green
flag at 7:30. Also on the racing card will be Stock Cars, SportMods,
Hobby Stocks and Sport Compacts. All four classes will be governed
under IMCA or USRA rules.
Corey Dripps and his Cheetos-sponsored Modified will be at the
Casey's General Store located at 303 E. Hwy. 7 in Alta from 12:00 to
2:00. Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons for Thursday night's
races at Casey's General Stores locations in Alta, Aurelia and Storm
Lake.
The Buena Vista Raceway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located
0.5 mile east of CR M31 on SR 7 (at the Buena Vista County
Fairgrounds). For more information, call 712-664-2662 or 712-284-2561
or visit www.buenavistaraceway.com online.
FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 – On Friday, it's off to the Chateau Raceway in
Lansing, Minn. for another wheel-to-wheel battle in the 4th Annual
Cedar River Race.
This will be the eighth time the USMTS Casey's General Stores
National Tour has visited the 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval. Eight
different drivers have tasted victory here, including Mike Chasteen,
Kelly Shryock, Jon Tesch, Tommy Myer, Jason Krohn, Tim Donlinger and
Jason Hughes, who captured the most recent event back on May 22.
Also on the race card will be WISSOTA Midwest Mods, Pure Stocks and
Hornets. Pits open at 5:00, grandstand gates open at 5:30, hot laps
begin at 7:00 and the first green flag waves at 7:30.
Tommy Myer and his Snickers-sponsored Modified will be at the
Casey's General Store located at 1702 12th St. SW in Austin from 12:00
to 2:00. Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons for Friday night's
races at Casey's General Stores locations in Austin, Owatonna,
Rochester and Stewartville.
The Chateau Raceway is located 5.0 miles north of Austin on US 218
to the Lansing Exit, then 1.3 miles east on CR 2, then 0.4 mile south
on CR 25, then 0.3 mile east. For more information, call the track
hotline at (507) 433-4578 or log on to www.chateauraceway.net.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 5 – Saturday will find the Modified Monsters at
the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the 5th Annual BP
Labor Day Dual presented by Baudoin Oil Co., and the final tune-up race
at the 3/8-mile high-banked oval before the 11th Annual Featherlite
Fall Jamboree here, Sept. 23-26.
A huge field of cars is expected, along with a jam-packed
grandstand as the WDRL Late Model Series will also make an appearance
as they battle for $5,000 to win.
More than any other track in America, the United States Modified
Touring Series has staged 38 events at 'The Creek.' Past winners
include Kelly Shryock (9 wins), Tim Donlinger (4), Jason Hughes (4),
Corey Dripps (2), Ryan Ruter (2), Steve Wetzstein, Mark Noble, Darin
Walker, Tony Fraise, Dan Daniels, Dan Chapman, Les Duellman, Mike
Hejna, Mike Spaulding, Brad McEwan, Mark Burgtorf, Chad Kinder, Steve
Arpin, Jason Krohn, Jon Tesch, Dean Mahlstedt and Zack VanderBeek.
Live music by Lost Faculties will be featured in the hospitality
tent following Saturday's races ... yet another tune-up for the
96-hour-long party that is the Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
Pit gates will open at 2:00 and the grandstands will begin filling up at 3:00, with hot laps slated for 5:00 and racing at 5:30.
Zack VanderBeek and his Doritos-sponsored Modified will be at the
Casey's General Store located at 605 S. Main St. in Stewartville from
12:00 to 2:00. Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons for Saturday
night's races at Casey's General Stores locations in Austin, Owatonna,
Rochester and Stewartville.
The Deer Creek Speedway is located off of I-90 at Exit 209, then
11.3 miles south on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16). Day-of-race info
is available by calling 507-346-2342 or check out www.deercreekspeedway.com online.
SUNDAY, SEPT. 6 – The six-race swing wraps up on Sunday, Sept. 6,
at the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn. for the 8th Annual Kasson
Klash.
Pit gates open at 2:00, grandstand gates open at 3:00, hot laps
starts at 4:30. and the mud starts flying at 5:00. WISSOTA Midwest
Mods, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, Pure Stocks and
Hornets will also be featured.
Past winners at the 1/3-mile semi-baked clay oval include Kelly
Shryock (4), Jason Hughes (3), Brad Waits (2), Tommy Myer (2), Todd
Scharkey (2), Dan Chapman (2), Mike Chasteen, Chris Spieker, Scott
Megonigle, Nate Wasmund, Corey Dripps, Jon Tesch, Mike Sorensen and
Mike Hejna. Hughes won the most recent race at Kasson back on May 24.
Corey Dripps and his Cheetos-sponsored Modified will be at the
Casey's General Store located at 4500 18th Ave. NW in Rochester from
12:00 to 2:00. Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons for Sunday
night's races at Casey's General Stores locations in Austin, Owatonna,
Rochester and Stewartville.
The Dodge County Speedway is located 1.1 miles north of US 14 on SR
57 (at the Dodge County Fairgrounds). For more information, call
507-634-4281 or check out www.dodgecountyspeedway.com.
All six events will pay $3,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start.
CURRENT POINTS STANDINGS (after 7 of 18 events):
1. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, IA ... 698 pts.
2. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, TX ... 626
3. 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA ... 601 (2 wins)
4. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA ... 590
5. 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, OK ... 588
6. 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, OK ... 574 (2 wins)
7. 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, MN ... 531 (1 win)
8. 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, SD ... 524
9. 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, TX ... 514
10. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, MN ... 505
11. 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, MN ... 493
12. 22 Dustin Boney, Tonganoxie, KS ... 490
13. 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, IA ... 473
14. 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, OK ... 460
15. 4r Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, IA ... 458
16. 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, KS ... 445 (1 win)
17. 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, MN ... 443
18. 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, IA ... 428
19. 51 Eddie Martin, Stilwell, OK ... 399
20. 25 Scott Green, Derby, KS ... 387
21. 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, IA ... 363
22. 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, IA ... 362
23. 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, OK ... 359
24. 8 Colt Mather, Webster, IA ... 357
25. 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, IA ... 345
26. 75 Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, TX ... 320
27. 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, OK ... 283
28. 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, MN ... 276
29. 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, KS ... 239
30. 12t Tyler Townsend, Longview, TX ... 200
31. 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, AR ... 172
32. 52 Chad Davis, Tulsa, OK ... 120
33. 72 Mike Lineberry, Fremont, NE ... 105
34. 7 Ryan Dolan, Lisbon, IA ... 71
35. 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, WI ... 50
35. 10 Kyle Schmidt, Farmington, AR ... 50
37. 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, TX ... 17
38. 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, TX ... 15
39. 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, LA ... 14
39. 14j Jake Neal, Omaha, NE ... 14
39. 18 Jack Sullivan, Greenbrier, AR ... 14
42. 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, NM ... 12
42. 18 Michael Long, Quincy, IL ... 12
42. 02x B.J. Robinson, Shreveport, LA ... 12
45. 05x Garrett Durrett, Simsboro, LA ... 11
46. 57 Jason Armstrong, Marshall, TX ... 5
46. 5a Wes Armstrong, Marshall, TX ... 5
46. 19 Jamie Burford, Keatchie, LA ... 5
46. 60 William Gould, Calera, OK ... 5
46. 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, MN ... 5
46. 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, AR ... 5
46. 12h Jeff Huckaby, Texarkana, TX ... 5
46. 8j Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, TX ... 5
46. 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, TX ... 5
46. M80 Jim Mathieson, Sioux City, IA ... 5
46. 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, MN ... 5
465 Michael Robertson, Minden, LA ... 5
46. 18 Cody Smith, Kaufman, TX ... 5
46. 71k Kevin Sustaire, Emery, TX ... 5
46. 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, TX ... 5
Other winner: 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, MO (1 win)
While the drivers racing for points in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey's
General Stores National Championship will be grappling for their piece
of nearly $40,000 in points fund money, all entrants will lock horns on
a nightly basis for a $3,000 top prize and a minimum $250 to start each
main event.
With more than $400,000 in prize money up for grabs during the
18-race campaign, overflow pit areas and grandstands are the norm, and
race fans can expect to see the very best of the best — the
“who's who” of dirt Modified racing — each and every
night.
The ’Hunt’ will continue with a doubleheader at the
North Central Speedway in Brainerd, Minn., on Friday and Saturday,
Sept. 18-19, then wrap up back at the Deer Creek Speedway with the 11th
Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Friday and Saturday,
Sept. 24-26, where the 2009 USMTS National Champion will be crowned.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS.
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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.
USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome
Racewear, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, COMP Cams,
Intensitee Custom Racewear, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans
& Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, PBM Performance
Products, Sunoco Race Fuels.
USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ASi Racewear, Bear Tire, Big Dog
Chassis & Fabrication, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Diamond
Oil Company, Dirthead.com, Gressel Oil Field Service, Just Say Yes,
Ramirez Race Cars, Lone Star Super Gas, Olympic Fire Protection, Ruter
Farms, WatchModsLive.com, Yeager Machine.
USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, ButlerBuilt
Professional Seat Systems, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Hyperco, ISKY
Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing
Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing
Wheels, US Brake
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