9.5.10 USMTS Modifieds Results (July 14 Make UP)
KASSON, Minn. – The United States Modified Touring Series stormed into the Dodge County Speedway on July 14 for the inaugural Thunderbird Open, but the drivers, teams and fans stormed right back out of town when thunderstorms packing heavy rain stopped the show just after the heat races were completed.
With all qualifying events completed, the show was deemed unfinished business and the WIX Filters “A” Main was made-up on Sunday night with the champion of the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region being crowned following the race.
Ryan Gustin came into the event as the points leader and ended the night as the champion of the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region, but it was anything but easy.
Mike Sorensen drew the pole position for the start of the 40-lapper and held off Tim Donlinger to lead the first lap. By the third lap, however, Jon Tesch was applying pressure as he was looking to sweep the evening’s main events after winning the regularly-scheduled feature race less than an hour earlier.
Tesch tried the outside and then dove to the bottom in turn 1 to try his hand at taking the lead on Sorensen’s left. The pair made contact as they exited turn 2 and resulted in Tesch suffering a flat right rear tire.
While Tesch rejoined the action at the rear of the pack, Sorensen led the field back to the green flag on the restart. Instead of Tesch’s familiar #14 machine, this time it was 14-year-old Lucas Schott grabbing the inside line and pressuring his engine builder for the top spot.
The two raced side by side for six laps while Gustin followed close behind, searching for an opening to challenge the leaders. Meanwhile, Steve Wetzstein was up to fourth in just 12 laps after getting the green flag in the 16th starting position.
As the leaders completed lap 15, Gustin drove around the outside of Schott and then dove underneath Sorensen to grab the lead. Wetzstein snuck under Schott and Sorensen four laps later to take second.
Churning away on the high side of the racing surface, Gustin led through lap 25 but Wetzstein utilized the shortest way around the speedway to lead the 26th circuit. “The Reaper” fought back and regained the lead on lap 29, only to have Wetzstein lead by a nose as they crossed beneath the flagstand to complete lap 30.
The advantage went to Gustin again the next time around but Wetzstein was in charge once again as the end of the 32nd lap when the race’s final caution slowed the action with eight laps to go.
Back under green, Wetzstein set the pace for the next six laps with Gustin, Schott and Jason Krohn in tow while Tesch found himself back in the top-five after his trip to the pits on the second lap.
As the white flag was displayed, Gustin powered off of the fourth turn to lead the next-to-last lap by a bumper. The 19-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, was flawless on the final lap and beat Wetzstein to the finish line by a mere three-tenths of a second.
The win gave Gustin his series-best 15th victory this season on the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour, and his 23rd career triumph under the USMTS banner. He pocketed $2,000 for the main event win and another $2,000 in capturing the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region title – his second of the year after claiming the Dart Great Plains Region crown last month.
For Wetzstein, it was the second heartbreaker of the night after posting his second runner-up finish in a row when leading with four laps to go.
Schott recorded his best finish so far with a third-place showing while Krohn held off Tesch for the fourth spot. Sixth through tenth were Sorensen, Zack VanderBeek, Donlinger, Kelly Shryock and 20th-starting Josh Angst.
Krohn finished second behind Gustin in the final Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region points standings, followed by Tommy Myer, Shryock, Tesch, Donlinger, VanderBeek, Doug Hillson, Wetzstein and Dereck Ramirez.
NEXT, PLEASE …
The Southern Iowa Speedway welcomes back the USMTS Modifieds on Monday, Sept. 20, for the 7th Annual Musco Lighting Southern Iowa Challenge. The event, which was rained-out on Sept. 1, will be the 32nd time the series has visited the historic “Mahaska County Monster.”
Ryan Gustin won the last time when the series invaded the semi-banked half-mile oval on May 26, but Kelly Shryock owns the most wins at Osky with 11 triumphs to his credit, but the last of which came in August 2006.
Local favorite Brad Pinkerton has won three of the last six events at Osky and four overall. Two-time winners include Jason Krohn, Tommy Myer, John Van Den Berg and Chris Spieker. Drivers with one win include Al Hejna, Jason Hughes, Zack VanderBeek, Mark Noble, Bruce Hanford, Dan Bohr and Tony Fraise.
Also on tap will be the Dart Iron Man Challenge for USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks.
Gates open at 5:30, hot laps begin at 7:15 and racing starts at 7:30.
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 I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, call 515-832-6000 or visit www.rlpromotions.com online. Race day info is available by calling the track hotline at 641-673-7004.
On Tuesday, Sept. 21, the rugged USMTs road warriors return to the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa, for the 6th Annual Hawkeye Summer Classic presented by Schroeder Racing Products which was rained-out on Sept. 2.
The 2010 season USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour will conclude at the 12th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 23-25, at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., where the 2010 USMTS National Champion will be crowned.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour – Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region
Inaugural Thunderbird Open (rain-delayed from July 14)
Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. The top 16 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the WIX Filters “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps, completed July 14):
1. (2) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.
2. (4) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn.
3. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
4. (6) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa.
5. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (5) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
7. (1) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn.
8. (7) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
9. (9) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps, completed July 14):
1. (2) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
2. (5) 91 Curt Myers (R), Cameron, Wis.
3. (1) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
4. (3) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
5. (8) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
6. (4) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
7. (6) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn.
8. (7) 99s Bobby Swanson (R), Kasson, Minn.
SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps, completed July 14):
1. (3) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
3. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
4. (6) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
5. (8) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
6. (1) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
7. (2) 4a Joel Alberts (R), Mantorville, Minn.
8. (4) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps, completed Sept. 5):
1. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.
2. (16) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1500.
3. (6) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $1000.
4. (11) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $900.
5. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $800.
6. (1) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $700.
7. (13) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $650.
8. (2) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $600.
9. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $550.
10. (20) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
11. (9) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, 40, $450.
12. (12) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/ProPower, 40, $425.
13. (14) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $400.
14. (10) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa, Skyrocket/AEM, 40, $375.
15. (21) 4a Joel Alberts (R), Mantorville, Minn., Skyrocket/Action, 40, $350.
16. (15) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Eckhart, 40, $250.
17. (22) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., DK/Karau, 39, $250.
18. (24) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, Harris/JR, 25, mechanical, $300.
19. (18) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s, 16, crash, $300.
20. (17) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Hillson/CRE, 16, tire, $400.
21. (8) 91 Curt Myers (R), Cameron, Wis., Shaw/Mullins, 3, suspension, $300.
22. (5) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 2, crash, $300.
23. (19) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn., Kraft/Parker, 2, crash, $250.
24. (23) 99s Bobby Swanson (R), Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 2, crash, $300.
25. (25) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 2, crash, $300.
(R) = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.
WIX Filters Lap Leaders: Sorensen 1-15, Gustin 16-25, Wetzstein 26-28, Gustin 29, Wetzstein 30, Gustin 31, Wetzstein 32-38, Gustin 39-40.
Total Laps Led: Sorensen 15, Gustin 14, Wetzstein 11.
Margin of Victory: 0.335 second.
AFCO Pole Winner: Sorensen.
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Wetzstein (started 16th, finished 2nd).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Junghans (518.29 miles).
Next Race: Monday, Sept. 20, Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points (Final): Gustin 1047, Krohn 1022, Myer 1002, Shryock 969, Tesch 926, Donlinger 896, VanderBeek 831, Hillson 779, Wetzstein 773, Ramirez 757.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: J. Scott 1758, Schott 897, Myers 812, Nick Deal 772, Angst 761.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 433, Mullins 432, ASI 232, ProPower 213, JR 168.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 433, Skyrocket 417, GRT 356, Ramirez 292, BC 193.
Contingency Awards:
Ai-Racing – Shryock.
American Racer – Ruter.
Dart Machinery – Ramirez.
Eibach Springs – not awarded.
Forty9Designs.com – Krohn, Shryock.
Hooker Harness – Myer.
Isky Racing Cams – Donlinger.
KSE Racing Products – Myers.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Ruter.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Dripps.
PBM Performance Products – Wetzstein.
Quarter Master – Gustin, Donlinger.
QuickTime – VanderBeek.
Real Racing Wheels – Noble, Hejna.
Schoenfeld Headers – Sorensen.
WIX Filters – Gustin, Sorensen.
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USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Castle Rock Recruiting.
USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AwesomeRacesuits.com, GoPro, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, Kevko Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver.
USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Allstar Performance, Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, Bad Boy Mowers, Bear Tire, Big Dog Chassis & Fabrication, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Cagle Motorsports, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Dirt Track Racing School, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Falcon Wind Power, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Gressel Oil Field Service, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Just Say Yes, Karl Performance Parts, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Race Cars, Ruter Farms, WIX Filters, Yeager Machine.
USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Ai-Racing, Belleville Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, COMP Cams, Dart Machinery, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, Hypercoil Springs, Isky Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Inc, Real Racing Wheels, RHS – Racing Head Service, Schoenfeld Headers, US Brake, Willy’s Carburetor & Dyno Shop, WIX Filters.