2.17.17 USMTS Modifieds Results

GOLIAD, Texas (Feb. 17) — Jason Hughes was in the right place at the right time, and a familiar place at the end of the 35-lap USMTS main event Friday night at the Shady Oaks Speedway.

With fog thickening above the 3/8-mile dirt oval, Ricky Thornton Jr. jumped out to the early lead over Chris Brown while Hughes battled Travis Saurer for third.

Winners of the last two features, Thornton and Brown battled up front for the first dozen laps when Thornton glided over the back-stretch berm which allowed Brown to pull alongside as they entered the third turn.

Racing for the same real estate as the top of the corner, the lead duo made contact which resulted in Thornton sliding to a stop at the top of turn four and the second yellow flag of the race.

Officials sent both drivers to the tail for the restart, and that gave Hughes-who had passed Saurer for third one lap earlier-the lead for the next green flag.

Ryan Gustin powered into the runner-up spot on the restart and gave chase to his car owner and teammate for the remaining 22 circuits, but Hughes never offered up a mistake for ‘The Reaper’ to pounce.

Hughes cruised the rest of the way to claim the $3,000 winner’s share of the purse, register his 148th career USMTS victory and become the first two-time winner this season.

“It was a lot of luck tonight,” said Hughes. “The way the track was you had to start up front to get qualified. We were just trying to keep our cars clean and not wreck. I passed Travis there at the right time and inherited that lead. I hated it for Ricky, but I’ll take it anyway.

“It’s an educated guess as to what you try at a track. Once you think you know it all, then you’re in trouble. You do what you think the car needs and hopefully hit it. I don’t know if I had anything for them if they hadn’t gotten together.”

Meanwhile, Gustin followed Hughes to the finish line to claim the second spot with Saurer nabbing third to increase his lead in the Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year points.

Cade Dillard finished fourth while the Scott brothers-Johnny and Stormy-were fifth and sixth. R.C. Whitwell was seventh, Rodney Sanders raced from 16th to finish eighth, Steve Whiteaker Jr. was ninth and Philip Houston rounded out the top 10.

Thornton and Brown rebounded to finish 13th and 15th, respectively.

On Saturday, pit gates open at 3 p.m., grandstands open at 4:30, hot laps begin at 6:15 and racing starts at 6:30. Adult tickets are $20, kids ages 11-15 are $10 and children 10 and under are free. Pit passes are $40.

A $4,000 paycheck awaits the USMTS main event winner, the Limited Mod winner gets $600 and Pure Stocks are racing for $400.

Can’t be there in person? Watch all three days live at www.racindirt.com/live.

The Shady Oaks Speedway is located 4.0 miles north of Goliad on US 183, then 3.0 miles east on FM 622. To learn more, check out their website at www.shadyoakspeedway.com.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – Summit Racing Southern Region presented by Production Jars
Shady Oaks Speedway, Goliad, Texas
Friday, Feb. 17, 2017

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (6) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (5) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
4. (2) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas.
5. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (4) 137 William Pittaway (R), Corpus Christi, Texas.
7. (8) 91 Jeremy Davenport, Rockport, Texas.
8. (3) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. (6) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
3. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (4) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D.
5. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (1) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
7. (7) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas.
8. (3) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2. (2) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
3. (6) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn.
4. (3) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
5. (7) 23 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas.
6. (4) 141 Rob Sanderson, San Antonio, Texas.
7. (8) 29 Jamie Campbell, Adkins, Texas.
8. (5) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

THE JOIE OF SEATING HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 91 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
2. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (1) 78 Corey Weir (R), Nixa, Mo.
6. (5) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla.
7. (7) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D.
2. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
3. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (4) 23 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas.
5. (8) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas.
6. (9) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.
7. (5) 137 William Pittaway (R), Corpus Christi, Texas, Shaw/Wells, 35, $90.
8. (6) 141 Rob Sanderson, San Antonio, Texas, DirtWorks/Cotton’s, 35, $70.
9. (7) 91 Jeremy Davenport, Rockport, Texas, Skyrocket/Ace, 35, $70.
DNS – 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput’s, 35, $400.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
2. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
3. (4) 78 Corey Weir (R), Nixa, Mo.
4. (5) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
5. (7) 29 Jamie Campbell, Adkins, Texas.
6. (6) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla., Hughes/Sput’s, 35, $90.
7. (1) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas.
8. (9) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas, Rocket/Mullins, 35, $90.
9. (8) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas, MBCustom/Mullins, 35, $90.

SUMMIT RACING “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 35, $3000.
2. (7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 35, $1600.
3. (3) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustom/Dakota, 35, $1200.
4. (6) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 35, $900.
5. (9) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Durham, 35, $800.
6. (12) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Mullins, 35, $700.
7. (8) 91 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz., GRT/GMPP, 35, $600.
8. (16) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Hatfield, 35, $500.
9. (5) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, LG2/Durham, 35, $450.
10. (11) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, MBCustom/KPE, 35, $400.
11. (15) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Hatfield, 35, $375.
12. (17) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 35, $400.
13. (2) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., Hughes/Mullins, 35, $400.
14. (13) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, 35, $300.
15. (1) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, MBCustom/Durham, 35, $400.
16. (21) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas, GRT/Mullins, 35, $275.
17. (23) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustom/Hatfield, 35, $275.
18. (20) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 35, $275.
19. (19) 23 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas, MBCustom/PPE, 35, $275.
20. (14) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Fast1/Jackson, 26, $275.
21. (18) 78 Corey Weir (R), Nixa, Mo., Shaw/Yeoman, 14, $275.
22. (24) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas, Harris/Wells, 14, $275.
23. (10) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Rocket/Wells, 4, $275.
24. (22) 29 Jamie Campbell, Adkins, Texas, DirtWorks/Mission, 4, $225.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: Thornton1-13, Hughes 14-35.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 22, Thornton 13.
Provisional Starters: Wolff, Leonard.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Sanders (started 16th, finished 8th).
Entries: 31.
Next Race: Saturday, Feb. 18, Shady Oaks Speedway.
Summit Racing Southern Region Points: Hughes 453, S. Scott 440, Thornton 423, Gustin 418, Dillard 411, Brown 409, J. Scott 390, Saurer 385, Ramirez 376, Whitwell 364.
Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Saurer 384, Whitwell 364, Wolff 346, Vogel 307, Lassiter 261.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 49, Durham 40, ASI 35, GMPP 33, Cornett 26, Hatfield 26.
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 49, MBCustoms 44, GRT 40, LG2 35, VanderBuilt 27.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Sanders.
American Racer – J. Scott.
Beyea Custom Headers – Thornton.
BigDeal Car Care – Hughes.
BSB Manufacturing – Weir.
Chix Gear Racewear – Davenport.
Day Motor Sports – Malchus, Campbell.
Deatherage Opticians – Swenson.
Dickson Racing Shocks – Brown.
E3 Spark Plugs – Saurer.
Edelbrock – Thornton.
Fast Shafts – Whiteaker.
Forty9Designs.com – Vogel, Robertson.
Fuel Safe Racing Cells – S. Scott.
GRT Race Cars – Whitwell.
Hooker Custom Harness – Thornton.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Kates.
Keyser Manufacturing – Houston.
KSE Racing Products – Sanders.
Out-Pace Racing Products – T. Egbert.
QA1 – Whiteaker.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Simpson Performance Products – Hughes.
Sweet Manufacturing – Leonard.
Sybesma Graphics – Brown.
Tire Demon – Duvall.
VP Racing Fuels – Hughes.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Dillard.
Wilwood Engineering – Whitwell.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, MSD, Pace Performance, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, Summit Racing Equipment, The Joie of Seating, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oreo, Production Jars, Rancho Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Custom Headers, BigDeal Car Care, BSB Manufacturing, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Custom Harness, Integra Shocks & Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.