DECORAH, Iowa -- Defending USMTS National Champion Jason Hughes of Watts, Okla., scored a wire to wire victory Saturday night as the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship powered by Swan Energy continued at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa.
At the drop of the green flag, Hughes beat fellow front row starter Rick Beebe to the first turn and proceeded to lead every lap for his second win of ‘The Hunt’ and 102nd of his USMTS career.
The race’s first and only caution occurred on the opening lap when Decorah’s Kurt Krauskopf tagged the outside wall and became the first retirement from the race.
Jon Tesch claimed the runner-up spot to record his eleventh top-10 finish in eleven starts during the championship chase, with points leader Ryan Gustin claiming the third spot.
Zack VanderBeek was fourth and Johnny Scott’s win streak ended at two with his fifth-place result.
Sixth through tenth were Al Hejna, Dereck Ramirez, Kelly Shryock, Rodney Sanders and Beebe.
The Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award went to Tommy Myer, who started 22nd and finished 12th.
In the points battle, Gustin continues to lead with a 97-point cushion over Shryock with the first half of the 22-race campaign complete. Tesch is 132 points behind the leader in third, followed by Hughes (-151), Scott (-171), VanderBeek (-202), Dustin Boney (-279), Jason Krohn (-299), Myer (-323) and Sanders (-340).
On Wednesday, Aug. 31, the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship powered by Swan Energy continues at the Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minn.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
The Hunt for the USMTS
National Championship 6th Annual USMTS Summer
Challenge
Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa
Saturday, August 27,
2011
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 16 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (3) 19r Ryan
Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (2) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
3. (6) 12
Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (1) 19g Richie Gustin Jr., Gilman, Iowa.
5.
(7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (8) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile,
Iowa.
7. (4) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa.
8. (5) 18 Chase Junghans,
Manhattan, Kan.
9. (9) 7m Michael Darnall, West Union, Iowa.
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 1st
Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
3. (4)
60 Kurt Krauskopf, Decorah, Iowa.
4. (7) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
5.
(5) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
6. (8) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo,
Iowa.
7. (9) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
8. (6) 65 Tommy Myer,
Blooming Prairie, Minn.
9. (3) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City, Mo.
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 33z Zack
VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (3) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
3. (2)
3a Jason Schueller, Dubuque, Iowa.
4. (5) 5w Darrin Walch, Postville,
Iowa.
5. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (4) 72 Doug Hillson,
Blooming Prairie, Minn.
7. (7) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa.
8. (6) 5j
John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, all advance):
1.
(1) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
2. (3) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward,
Okla.
3. (4) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa.
4. (2) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming
Prairie, Minn.
5. (9) 7m Michael Darnall, West Union, Iowa.
6. (7) 65
Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
7. (10) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City,
Mo.
8. (6) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
9. (5) 56 Chris Spieker,
Massena, Iowa.
10. (8) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.
WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes,
Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.
2. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown,
S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $1500.
3. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa,
Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1110.
4. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa,
Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1010.
5. (8) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.,
Hughes/ASI, 40, $800.
6. (7) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, BC/JR, 40,
$700.
7. (12) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40,
$650.
8. (16) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40,
$710.
9. (14) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 40,
$660.
10. (2) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $500.
11.
(15) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $450.
12. (22)
65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/GMPP, 40, $425.
13. (10) 3a Jason
Schueller, Dubuque, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $275.
14. (17) 31 Corey
Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, 40, $375.
15. (20) 72 Doug Hillson,
Blooming Prairie, Minn., Hillson/CRE, 40, $350.
16. (23) 22 Dustin Boney,
Platte City, Mo., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $400.
17. (19) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah,
Iowa, GRT/Sput’s, 40, $300.
18. (18) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.,
Hughes/ProPower, 38, $300.
19. (11) 5w Darrin Walch, Postville, Iowa,
Skyrocket/Sput’s, 36, $300.
20. (26) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.,
Ramirez/Cline, 33, $300.
21. (21) 7m Michael Darnall, West Union, Iowa,
Skyrocket/AEM, 30, $300.
22. (9) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa,
Sidebiter/Sput’s, 40, $300.
23. (25) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa,
IROC/PerfMach, 26, $300.
24. (24) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.,
GRT/Sput’s, 24, $300.
25. (13) 19g Richie Gustin Jr., Gilman, Iowa,
Skyrocket/Heckt, 14, $250.
26. (4) 60 Kurt Krauskopf, Decorah, Iowa,
Harris/Sput’s, 1, $250.
(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.
Integra Lap Leader: Hughes 1-40.
Total Laps
Led: Hughes 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.295
second.
AFCO Pole Winner: Gustin.
Mesilla Valley
Transportation Hard Charger: Myer (started 22nd, finished
12th).
Next Race: Wednesday, Aug. 31, Fairmont Raceway,
Fairmont, Minn.
National Championship Points: Gustin 1101,
Shryock 1004, Tesch 969, Hughes 950, Scott 930, VanderBeek 899, Boney 822, Jason
Krohn 802, Myer 778, Sanders 761.
Rookie of the Year Points:
Jason Grimes 1672, Schott 1573, Keith Foss 1571, Clyde Dunn Jr. 976, Jimmy Ray
971.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins
530, ProPower 432, Sput’s 403, ASI 247, Geddes 238.
Tiger Rear Ends
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 562, Skyrocket 493, GRT 394,
BC 231, Sidebiter 147.
