BAYTOWN, Texas -- A month ago at the last United States Modified Touring Series event, Kelly Shryock was in victory lane at the King of America Modified Nationals.
The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy was back in action again Thursday for the first night of a tripleheader at the Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, and again it was a blue and white #3 Skyrocket in the winner’s circle.
But this time it was Chris Brown who took the checkered flag and pocketed the $2,000 top prize while piloting Shryock’s backup ride at the 5th Annual USMTS Texas Winter Nationals.
From the pole position, Brown led all 35 laps to score his fourth career USMTS victory. All four have come in the Lone Star State, with his last triumph on May 8, 2009, at the Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas.
Defending event winner Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas, claimed the runner-up spot in the main event while 2011 USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, raced from ninth on the starting grid to third at the finish line.
Dereck Ramirez and John O Whittington rounded out the top 5 finishers while Dustin Hyde, Jimmy Ray, Zack VanderBeek, Shryock and Corey Babbitt wound up sixth through tenth, respectively.
Action continues at the state-of-the-art 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval on Friday and Saturday. A possible $9,000 to win is up for grabs over three days with Friday’s first-place finisher pocketing $3,000 and Saturday’s finale carrying a $4,000 top prize.
The racing card both nights will also feature Limited Modifieds racing for $1,000 on Friday and Saturday courtesy of Express Race Cars.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (1) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo.
3. (7) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
4. (8) 83 Willy Kraft, Mico, Texas.
5. (10) 57 Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas.
6. (5) 77 Brian Craighead, Farmerville, La.
7. (9) 15g Bubba Gates, Santa Fe, Texas.
8. (11) 44 Marcus Berndt, Katy, Texas.
9. (3) 32B Brandon Nichols, Crosby, Texas.
10. (6) 15b Thomas Blackwell, Crandall, Texas.
11. (4) 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas.
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas.
2. (10) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (1) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
4. (11) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (5) L1 Larry Clevenger, Greenwood, La.
6. (8) 34 Ben Stephens, Hattiesburg, MS.
7. (4) 76 Jeff Rowland, Pauls Valley, Okla.
8. (3) 955 Robert Metz Jr., Lumberton, Texas.
9. (9) 9 Shane Killingsworth, Dallas, Texas.
10. (6) 43f Marcus Frisch, Eros, La.
11. (7) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (5) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (8) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas.
4. (9) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas.
5. (1) 99 Danny Hebert, Duson, La.
6. (4) 63 Joey Smith, Pomona, Mo.
7. (3) 69 Randy Heston, Stinnett, Texas.
8. (6) G8 George Gilbert, Diberville, Miss.
9. (7) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (11) 012 Patrick Petty, Baytown, Texas.
11. (10) 23 Randy Nolen, Shreveport, La.
PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (8) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
2. (2) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La.
3. (9) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
4. (11) 52 Jason Thoennes, Garfield, Minn.
5. (1) 14t Tristan Dycus, Midlothian, Texas.
6. (4) 02 Gary Corbin, Ennis, Texas.
7. (3) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas.
8. (10) 96 Foster Ellison, Richwood, Texas.
9. (7) 22 Tracy Denby Sr., Vidor, Texas.
10. (5) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas.
11. (6) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas.
HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 3c Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
2. (6) 8j Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.
3. (1) 81b Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas.
4. (8) 3 Danny Womack, Muskogee, Okla.
5. (10) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
6. (4) 1s Ronny Sigman, Seagoville, Texas.
7. (9) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.
8. (3) 87 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla.
9. (7) 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas.
10. (5) 8 Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas.
HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (2) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
2. (3) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
3. (7) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyville, Texas.
4. (10) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
5. (5) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas.
6. (4) 88t Billy Turner, Yukon, Okla.
7. (1) 71h Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
8. (6) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
9. (8) 95 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
10. (9) 21 Troy Seidl, Magnolia, Texas.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyville, Texas.
2. (6) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas.
3. (3) 83 Willy Kraft, Mico, Texas.
4. (4) 81b Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas.
5. (2) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo., Hughes/Geddes, $60.
6. (12) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Shaw/Brand, $60.
7. (10) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas, PCR/Brooks, $80.
8. (8) 88t Billy Turner (R), Yukon, Okla., Hughes/Allen’s, $80.
9. (14) 95 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Fast1/Jackson, $80.
10. (15) 43f Marcus Frisch, Eros, La., IRP/SMS, $60.
11. (9) 44 Marcus Berndt, Katy, Texas, DirtWorks/Graham, $60.
12. (16) 21 Troy Seidl (R), Magnolia, Texas, Skyrocket/Hovis, $80.
13. (7) 63 Joey Smith, Pomona, Mo., /, $60.
14. (13) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., /, $60.
15. (11) 955 Robert Metz Jr. (R), Lumberton, Texas, Pierce/CB, $80.
16. (5) L1 Larry Clevenger (R), Greenwood, La., Skyrocket/Best, $80.
17. (17) 23 Randy Nolen, Shreveport, La., DirtWorks/, $60.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. (3) 3 Danny Womack, Muskogee, Okla.
3. (5) 99 Danny Hebert, Duson, La.
4. (2) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La.
5. (10) 71h Philip Houston (R), Odessa, Texas, SRP/JR, $80.
6. (4) 57 Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas, TRE/Mullins, $80.
7. (15) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas, Skyrocket/Harris, $80.
8. (9) 76 Jeff Rowland (R), Pauls Valley, Okla., Hughes/Boyd’s, $80.
9. (6) 34 Ben Stephens (R), Hattiesburg, MS, Hughes/Mullins, $80.
10. (11) G8 George Gilbert, Diberville, MS, GRT/Barker, $60.
11. (8) 15g Bubba Gates (R), Santa Fe, Texas, DustDevil/Harris, $80.
12. (17) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas, Skyrocket/Graham, $60.
13. (7) 02 Gary Corbin, Ennis, Texas, Skyrocket/, $60.
14. (16) 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas, Skyrocket/Craft, $80.
15. (12) 32b Brandon Nichols, Crosby, Texas, DirtWorks/Houston, $60.
16. (14) 012 Patrick Petty, Baytown, Texas, /, $60.
17. (13) 22 Tracy Denby Sr., Vidor, Texas, /, $60.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
2. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (2) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas.
4. (6) 77 Brian Craighead, Farmerville, La.
5. (3) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Hughes/Wells, $80.
6. (8) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, CAM/Allard.
7. (11) 87 John Webb (R), Pauls Valley, Okla., Hughes/Shoulder’s, $80.
8. (5) 14t Tristan Dycus, Midlothian, Texas, Kraft/Wells, $80.
9. (12) 9 Shane Killingsworth, Dallas, Texas, /, $60.
10. (7) 1s Ronny Sigman, Seagoville, Texas, /, $60.
11. (9) 69 Randy Heston (R), Stinnett, Texas, Hughes/PPE, $80.
12. (14) 15b Thomas Blackwell, Crandall, Texas, /, $60.
13. (10) 96 Foster Ellison, Richwood, Texas, /, $60.
14. (15) 8 Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas, Hughes/Cantrill, $80.
15. (16) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, $80.
16. (13) 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $80.
WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (1) 3c Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Skyrocket/ProPower, $2000.
2. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, $1500.
3. (9) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, $1000.
4. (5) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, $800.
5. (11) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas, Pierce/CB, $700.
6. (6) 8j Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas, CAM/Wells, $600.
7. (12) 9 Jimmy Ray (R), Las Cruces, N.M., AOS/GMPP, $550.
8. (20) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, $600.
9. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, $450.
10. (8) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas, TRE/CAM, $425.
11. (18) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas, Hughes/Chase, $400.
12. (23) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas, Evolution/CB, $375.
13. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $400.
14. (14) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, $400.
15. (22) 99 Danny Hebert, Duson, La., /, $200.
16. (15) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $300.
17. (19) 3 Danny Womack, Muskogee, Okla., Hughes/BMS, $200.
18. (24) 81b Cody Simpson (R), Quinlan, Texas, /Fletcher, $300.
19. (13) 52 Jason Thoennes (R), Garfield, Minn., MasterSbilt/Sower, $300.
20. (26) 77 Brian Craighead, Farmerville, La., DirtWorks/Tanner, $200.
21. (21) 83 Willy Kraft, Mico, Texas, Kraft/Gaerte, $200.
22. (17) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Pierce/ASI, $400.
23. (10) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, $400.
24. (16) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $300.
25. (27) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, CAM/Allard, $80.
26. (25) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La., /, $200.
27. (2) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., GRT/GMPP, $400.
