Gustin masters Cedar Lake Speedway

NEW RICHMOND, Wis. -- The USMTS National Tour last invaded the Cedar Lake Speedway ten years ago when Ryan Gustin was just ten years old. Friday night at the historic high-banked clay oval in New Richmond, Wis., Gustin looked like a seasoned veteran as the rising USMTS star boldly went where no other man would go and sailed into victory lane for the thirteenth time this season. Gustin’s first bold move of the night came in the fourth heat race. He started on the pole and quickly slid up in front of fellow front row starter Kelly Shryock to take command of the fast lane. The pair made contact in the exchange which carried over to an exchange of bumps and hand gestures to each other during a caution period two laps later. After winning the heat, Gustin drew sixth for the start of the 40-lap WIX Filters “A” Main. When the green flag waved, it was apparent that ‘The Reaper’ was on his way to the front. Jason Krohn led the first five laps before Rodney Sanders edged in front to lead the sixth lap. As they entered the first turn the next time around, Gustin powered around the high side of the racing surface and took control. A caution on lap 10 sent several cars to the pit area following a six-car melee on the back-stretch. The restart saw Zack VanderBeek and Jason Hughes running fourth and fifth after starting twelfth and thirteenth, respectively, and looking like they might be the ones to give Gustin a challenge. But nobody had anything for the 20-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, as he flawlessly churned the clay on the high side of the track and ran away from the field over the final caution-free 30 circuits. With a $500 bonus added from a local business and former racer plus an extra $100 as part of his perfect attendance for the season, Gustin pocketed $2,600 for his third win in four starts in the tough Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region campaign. Sanders held on for second while Hughes got by VanderBeek for the third spot and Dave Cain raced from eleventh on the 28-car starting grid to claim the fifth spot. Mike Steensma scored the sixth-place paycheck, Joey Jensen won the second Real Racing Wheels “B” Main and climbed his way to seventh in the main event, Krohn slipped to eighth at the finish line, Craig Thatcher nabbed the ninth spot and Corey Dripps rounded out the top 10 finishers. A field of 51 USMTS Modifieds were on hand Friday night, but only 50 of the entries started the heat races. Jon Tesch had his car unloaded and ready to race when his phone rang and he was informed that his wife was going into labor. Tesch and his team loaded up and headed down the highway for a 250-mile trek back to Watertown, S.D.