HUMBOLDT, Kan. -- On Wednesday night, New Mexico’s Stormy Scott became a first-time USMTS winner as he brought home the victory on opening night at the King of America II Modified Nationals.
Twenty-four hours later, William Gould added his name to the most elite club in all of open-wheel dirt modified racing as the Sooner State speedster grabbed his career first USMTS main event win on River’s Edge Scrap Management Qualifying Night at the Humboldt Speedway.
After a 15th-place finish Wednesday night, the 39-year-old from Calera, Okla., rolled the dice and used his ‘mulligan’ to try and better his qualifying effort Thursday.
The gamble paid off as he led the final 17 circuits of the 35-lap main event to earn himself a spot in Saturday’s $15,000-to-win championship race.
While Scott led every lap in dominating Wednesday’s feature, the first 18 laps of Thursday’s nightcap were anything but boring with Ryan Ruter stealing the lead away from polesitter Corey Dripps on the first lap.
Dripps battled back on the high side of the 3/8-mile clay oval and wrestled the lead away from Ruter on lap 8. Meanwhile, Gould came along with Dripps as the top three runners separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
Using the middle groove, Gould nipped Dripps at the line to lead lap 14 with Ruter making it three-wide in the next turn. Dripps regained the advantage the next time around, but Gould fought back once again to be scored as the leader on lap 16.
Still racing side by side, Dripps regained the top spot for the next two laps but appeared to lose control of his machine as the leaders raced out of turn 4 to complete lap 19. The result was Dripps spinning to bring out the race’s first and only caution.
On the restart, Gould looked like a sitting duck with Ruter, defending USRA Modified National Champion Johnny Bone Jr., defending USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin, Steven Whiteaker Jr., Mike Steensma, 11-time Humboldt winner Jason Hughes and Dereck Ramirez on his tail for the restart.
Unphased by the restart, Gould pulled out to a two car-length lead over Ruter. Two laps later, Bone and Gustin slipped by Ruter to take second and third with Gould in their crosshairs.
But neither driver was able to make up any ground on Gould.
Gustin got by Bone to take the runner-up finish, with Steensma and Whiteaker coming home fourth and fifth. Sixth through tenth were Mark Dotson, Ruter, Ramirez, Jon Tesch and Johnny Scott.
For Tesch, it was an impressive rebound from a disappointing “B” Main earlier where he and Scott had battled for the lead for 11 laps before contact with Rodney Sanders on lap 12 sent both drivers to the rear of the field.
As the fastest overall qualifier in group time trials, Tesch earned a provisional start in the “A” Main and made the best of it, racing from 27th on the starting grid to ninth at the finish with just one caution to aid his effort.
Along with Gould, five other drivers – Gustin, Bone, Steensma, Whiteaker and Dotson – also assured themselves a spot among the first 18 starters in Saturday’s big dance.
Action continues at ‘The Hummer’ on Friday for Schwab’s Tinker Shop Qualifying Night. Group time trials will once again kick off the program, followed by heat races and main events with drivers earning points for their performances in each. The top six points earners Friday night will each earn one of 18 guaranteed starting spots in Saturday’s championship race.
Saturday’s program will feature an “alphabet soup” of main events that will culminate with a 30-car starting field for the championship race. Even if a driver has some tough luck during qualifying, he or she still has the chance to climb the ladder of main events on Saturday to earn a spot in the finale.
Nearly $80,000 has been earmarked for Saturday’s “A” Main alone, with a total purse of more than $130,000 posted for the four-day extravaganza.
USRA B-Mods will be part of the event too, racing for a stout purse and national points in the American USRA Weekly Racing Series. Tomorrow’s feature will pay $500 to win with a $1,000 top prize earmarked for Saturday’s winner. USRA rules will apply except that B-Mods must utilize a solid pull bar.
The Humboldt Speedway is a located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. For more information call 620-431-2470 (office) or 620-473-3694 (track) or visit www.humboldtspeedway.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 and follow us on Twitter.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
King of
America II Modified Nationals – River’s Edge Scrap Management Qualifying
Night
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Thursday, March 29,
2012
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and reason out (if any). The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main.
SCHWAB’S TINKER SHOP HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 555
Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
2. (4) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi,
Texas.
3. (3) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
4. (6) 5 Brandon Beckendorf,
Danube, Minn.
5. (5) 33 Al Purkey, Coffeyville, Kan.
6. (7) 33K David
Karst, Mills, WY.
7. (8) 51 Eddie Martin, Stillwell, Okla.
8. (1) 18 Chase
Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
9. (9) 21 Andy Gordon, Murdock, Minn.
SWAN ENERGY HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (5) 6 Justin Folk,
Iola, Kan.
2. (9) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
3. (4) 77 Cody Agler,
Emporia, Kan.
4. (6) 5J John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.
5. (7) 99 Josh Angst,
Winona, Minn.
6. (1) 7x Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas.
7. (2) 76x Troy
Hovey, Castalia, Iowa.
8. (3) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo.
9. (8)
9 John Carpenter, Hibbing, Minn.
ROAD RUNNER TRUCKING HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 2j
John Anderson, Omaha, Neb.
2. (4) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3.
(6) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
4. (3) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.
5.
(5) g17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (8) 32 Brandon Ball, West Plains,
Mo.
7. (7) 22D Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa.
8. (2) 41 Jordan Foster,
Henry, S.D.
ALLEN’s AUTOMOTIVE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 60
William Gould, Calera, Okla.
2. (4) 85D Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.
3. (5)
77 Mike Wedelstadt, New London, Wis.
4. (3) 3b Chris Brown, Spring,
Texas.
5. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (1) 25 Ron Keith,
Shawnee, Kan.
7. (6) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
8. (8) 69 Lucas
Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
CASEY’S GENERAL STORES HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 10
Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
2. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (1)
9D Scott Daniels, Humboldt, Kan.
4. (6) 75G Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice,
Neb.
5. (3) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
6. (5) 73B Shad Badder, Oak
Grove, Mo.
7. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
8. (8) 16 Austin
Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (2) 77 Steven Bowers Jr.,
Topeka, Kan.
2. (4) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (5) 20 Rodney
Sanders, Happy, Texas.
4. (7) 23 Justin Rexwinkle, South Coffeyville,
Okla.
5. (3) 9d8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
6. (6) 63 Lucas Conley,
Spring Hill, Kan.
7. (1) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa.
8. (8)
33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo.
HEAT RACE #7 (8 laps):
1. (2) 12B Johnny Bone Jr., Pea
Ridge, Ark.
2. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (4) 12T Tyler
Townsend, Longview, Texas.
4. (1) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston,
Okla.
5. (5) 5T Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
6. (6) 98 John Allen,
Chanute, Kan.
7. (8) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.
8. (7) 66T Tyler
Schmidt, Easton, Kan.
AMERICAN RACER “B” MAIN #1 (20 laps, top 7 advance):
1.
(1) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (10) 33 Al Purkey, Coffeyville,
Kan.
3. (7) 75G Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
4. (6) 5 Brandon
Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.
5. (8) 3b Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
6. (12) 5T
Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
7. (11) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
9.
(15) 63 Lucas Conley, Spring Hill, Kan., Hughes/Wille.
9. (9) 99 Josh Angst,
Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s.
10. (17) 76x Troy Hovey, Castalia, Iowa,
Rage/Brunner.
11. (5) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., Venom/Driskell.
12.
(14) 25 Ron Keith, Shawnee, Kan., GRT/Mullins.
13. (2) 14 Jon Tesch,
Watertown, S.D.
14. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas,
Hughes/Geddes.
15. (21) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.,
Hughes/Sput’s.
16. (13) 33K David Karst, Mills, Wyo., GRT/Weseman.
17.
(19) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa, Skyrocket/HarryHeads.
18. (18)
2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
19. (4) 12T Tyler Townsend, Longview,
Texas, Hughes/PTS.
20. (20) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, CO,
Hughes/Geddes.
21. (16) 51 Eddie Martin, Stillwell, Okla.,
Hughes/Dunzworth.
DNS - 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo.,
TRE/MotorMachine.
DNS - 21 Andy Gordon, Murdock, Minn., Shaw/Victory.
AMERICAN RACER “B” MAIN #2 (20 laps, top 7 advance):
1.
(1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (4) 23 Justin Rexwinkle, South
Coffeyville, Okla.
3. (3) 77 Cody Agler, Emporia, Kan.
4. (6) 5J John
Schwab, Liberal, Kan.
5. (8) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
6.
(15) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
7. (2) 77 Mike Wedelstadt, New London,
Wis.
8. (21) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins.
9. (7) 8 Colt
Mather, Webster, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s.
10. (12) 32 Brandon Ball, West
Plains, Mo., GRT/Smith.
11. (19) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.,
GRT/Sput’s.
12. (18) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., Hughes/BMR.
13.
(13) 7x Chris Dawson, Lubbock, Texas, Shaw/Fletcher’s.
14. (11) 9d8 Paden
Phillips, Chanute, Kan., BillsBuilt/Allen’s.
15. (17) 22D Daniel Hilsabeck,
Waukee, Iowa, GRT/Mullins.
16. (16) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.,
SRP/Sput’s.
17. (5) 9D Scott Daniels, Humboldt, Kan., TRE/Simmons.
18.
(10) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., GRC/BMS.
19. (9) 75 Terry Phillips,
Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield.
20. (14) 73B Shad Badder, Oak Grove, Mo.,
GRT/Kuntz.
21. (20) 41 Jordan Foster, Henry, S.D., GRT/Sput’s.
22. (22)
66T Tyler Schmidt, Easton, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s.
23. (23) 9 John Carpenter,
Hibbing, Minn., Galloper/Tim’s.
RIVER’S EDGE SCRAP MANAGEMENT “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (4)
60 William Gould, Calera, Okla., Shaw/BMS, 35.
2. (10) 19R Ryan Gustin,
Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/RoushYates, 35.
3. (7) 12B Johnny Bone Jr., Pea
Ridge, Ark., TRE/Homegrown, 35.
4. (5) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.,
Hughes/Sput’s, 35.
5. (9) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas,
Hughes/Mullins, 35.
6. (11) 85D Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/KSE, 35.
7.
(3) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/Sput’s, 35.
8. (14) 4r Dereck
Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 35.
9. (27) 14 Jon Tesch,
Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 35.
10. (13) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.,
Hughes/ProPower, 35.
11. (20) 5J John Schwab, Liberal, Kan., Ramirez/Cline,
35.
12. (16) 23 Justin Rexwinkle, South Coffeyville, Okla., Shark/Kalvinator,
35.
13. (25) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Hughes/Wells, 35.
14. (22)
85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 35.
15. (21) 3b
Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Skyrocket/ProPower, 35.
16. (23) 5T Randy Timms,
Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 35.
17. (6) 77 Steven Bowers Jr., Topeka,
Kan., SB/B&B, 35.
18. (19) 5 Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.,
Skyrocket/Sput’s, 35.
19. (24) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., Hughes/Mullins,
35.
20. (18) 77 Cody Agler, Emporia, Kan., Skyrocket/Stinnett, 35.
21.
(26) 77 Mike Wedelstadt, New London, Wis., Sidebiter/Yeoman, 35.
22. (12) 12
Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 32, mechanical.
23. (8) 2j John
Anderson, Omaha, Neb., GRT/Sput’s, 26, mechanical.
24. (15) 33 Al Purkey,
Coffeyville, Kan., Shark/Hatfield, 22, mechanical.
25. (1) 31 Corey Dripps,
Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, 18, mechanical.
26. (17) 75G Jordan Grabouski,
Beatrice, Neb., GRT/Hatfield, 16, mechanical.
27. (2) 6 Justin Folk, Iola,
Kan., Mach1/Folk, 12, mechanical.
28. (28) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.,
GRT/Sput’s, 2, mechanical.
Lap Leaders: Ruter 1-6, Dripps 7-13, Gould 14, Dripps 15,
Gould 16, Dripps 17-18, Gould 19-35.
Total Laps Led: Gould
19, Dripps 10, Ruter 6.
Margin of Victory: 1.294
seconds.
Provisional Starters: Tesch, G.
Junghans.
Next Race: Friday-Saturday, March 30-31, Humboldt
Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
King of America II Points Standings (after night 2 of
3):
1. 2s Stormy Scott ... 666.5
2. 3 Kelly Shryock ... 629.5
3. 60
William Gould ... 620.5
4. 19r Ryan Gustin ...
618
5. 33z Zack VanderBeek ...
605.5
6. 22b Rick Beebe ... 603.5
7. 12 Johnny Bone Jr. ... 600.5
8.
10 Mike Steensma ... 590.5
9. 7k Jason Krohn ...
589
10. 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr. ...
588
11. 85d Mark Dotson ... 578
12. 555
Ryan Ruter ... 560.5
13. J17 Jacob Gallardo ...
558
14. 14 Jon Tesch ... 555.5
15. 1st Johnny Scott ... 548
16.
4r Dereck Ramirez ... 546.5
17. 20r Bryan Rowland ... 545
18. 186 Jeremy
Payne ... 540
19. 7 Al Hejna ... 521
20. 5j John Schwab ... 520
21. 77
Steven Bowers Jr. ... 500.5
22. 6 Justin Folk ... 490
23. 5 Brandon
Beckendorf ... 485
24. 91 Joe Duvall ... 484
25. 77 Mike Wedelstadt ...
478
26. 77 Cody Agler ... 470.5
27. 26f Dan Fetters ... 469
28. 5t
Randy Timms ... 468
29. 3b Chris Brown ... 467.5
30. 4m Bobby Malchus ...
463
31. 1 T.J. Herndon ... 463
32. 75g Jordan Grabouski ... 458
33. 2j
John Anderson ... 456
34. 98 John Allen ... 456
35. 85 Thomas Tillison Jr.
... 452
36. 99 Randy Zimmerman ... 451
37. 23 Justin Rexwinkle ...
446.5
38. 20 Rodney Sanders ... 445
39. 33 Al Purkey ... 436
40. 12
Jason Hughes ... 432
41. 3d Dan Daniels ... 430
42. 87 Darron Fuqua ...
421
43. 2 Grant Junghans ... 417
44. 31 Corey Dripps ... 416.5
45. 12t
Tyler Townsend ... 416.5
46. 8 Colt Mather ... 413
47. G17 Fito Gallardo
... 399
48. 9d8 Paden Phillips ... 397
49. 48m Rick Murcko ... 390
50.
9d Scott Daniels ... 389
51. 73b Shad Badder ... 386
52. 99 Josh Angst ...
375
53. 76x Troy Hovey ... 368
54. 25 Ron Keith ... 362
55. 7x Chris
Dawson ... 360
56. 63 Lucas Conley ... 360
57. 27 Don Gerritsen Jr. ...
353
58. 14w Clayton Wagamon ... 351
59. 32 Brandon Ball ... 350
60. 75
Terry Phillips ... 350
61. 23 Brandon Davis ... 348
62. 18 Chase Junghans
... 346
63. 33k David Karst ... 345.5
64. 02 Tanner Mullens ... 343
65.
22d Daniel Hilsabeck ... 337
66. 41 Jordan Foster ... 336
67. 16 Austin
Siebert ... 335
68. 111 Bumper Jones ... 326.5
69. 33 Steve Muilenburg ...
325
70. 11g Josh Griggs ... 324.5
71. 69 Lucas Schott ... 318
72. 51
Eddie Martin ... 316.5
73. 40 Jessy Willard ... 316
74. 66t Tyler Schmidt
... 315
75. 9 John Carpenter ... 295
76. 21 Andy Gordon ... 285
»» Locked in on Wednesday for Saturday's main event
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