Ruter romps to USMTS Cup Series win at Junction Motor Speedway

McCOOL JUNCTION, Neb. -- Ryan Ruter had a little luck during the drivers’ meeting Saturday at the Junction Motor Speedway when his draw number was selected among the other USMTS Casey’s Cup Series competitors for a free American Racer racing tire.

But Ruter and his #555 Sidebiter Chassis didn’t need any luck in the 30-lap Swan Energy “A” Main. Starting on the outside of the front row, the 28-year-old from Kanawha, Iowa, instantly took control of the event and went unchallenged to the checkered flag.

“The car was perfect tonight,” Ruter said in victory lane. “There’s been a pretty good cushion the last few times we’ve been here, so I thought that would be the fast way around tonight.”

Last year, Ruter looked like he was on his way to victory here but a late-race caution erased his lead and Jon Tesch raced by and on to victory while Ruter settled for a runner-up finish.

Fittingly, Ruter’s margin of victory at the finish line was 5.557 seconds over runner-up Jason Krohn, who made a strong move at the start of the race to grab second place, but could not find the power to reel in Ruter.

Gustin followed Krohn across the line in third with points leader Rodney Sanders registering his tenth top-5 finish in twelve starts by finishing fourth.

Tesch finished fifth, with sixth through tenth going to Stormy Scott, Zack VanderBeek, Mike Steensma, Jeremy Rasmussen and Jacob Dahle, who earned the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award after starting 16th.

The win was worth $3,000 and Ruter’s first since June 24, 2009, at the I-35 Speedway in Mason City, Iowa.

Next up is a tripleheader on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 8-10. The USMTS Modifieds return to the Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., on Friday and then back to the Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo, Texas, for a Saturday night showdown. The weekend wraps up on Sunday with the debut of the USMTS Modifieds at the Beaver County Raceway in Beaver, Okla.

Each USMTS Casey’s Cup Series event will pay $2,000 to win.

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
USMTS Casey’s Cup Series
9th Annual Nebraska Shootout
Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, Neb.
Saturday, June 2, 2012

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed, reason out (if any) and money won. The top 14 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.

BEYEA CUSTOM HEADERS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (3) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
2. (2) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (4) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
4. (7) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
5. (5) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa.
6. (1) 26 Scott Styskal, David City, Neb.
7. (6) 53 Staci Stava (R), Lincoln, Neb.
8. (8) 13 Ryan Engels (R), Arlington, S.D.

HOOKER HARNESS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
2. (3) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
4. (7) 31j Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark.
5. (1) 22s Shane Stutzman (R), Milford, Neb.
6. (4) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
7. (6) 28n Dan Neeman (R), Dorchester, Neb.
8. (8) 8 Wesley Summers, Wellington, Mo.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
2. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (1) 75 Jon Thompson, Superior, Neb.
4. (6) 15 Andy Wilkinson (R), York, Neb.
5. (5) 02 Jacob Dahle, Omaha, Neb.
6. (7) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa.
7. (4) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, all starters advance):
1. (2) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa.
2. (1) 02 Jacob Dahle, Omaha, Neb.
3. (3) 26 Scott Styskal, David City, Neb.
4. (7) 13 Ryan Engels (R), Arlington, S.D.
5. (8) 8 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
6. (5) 28n Dan Neeman (R), Dorchester, Neb.
7. (6) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa.
8. (4) 53 Staci Stava (R), Lincoln, Neb.
DNS - 8 Wesley Summers, Wellington, Mo., GRT/Hess, $100.

SWAN ENERGY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. (2) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/Sput’s, 30, $3000.
2. (3) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 30, $2000.
3. (7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 30, $1500.
4. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 30, $1000.
5. (9) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 30, $900.
6. (8) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Yeoman, 30, $800.
7. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 30, $700.
8. (5) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 29, $650.
9. (10) 31j Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark., TRE/Donrich, 29, $500.
10. (16) 02 Jacob Dahle, Omaha, Neb., Hughes/Sput’s, 29, $650.
11. (12) 15 Andy Wilkinson (R), York, Neb., Jet/Donrich, 29, $400.
12. (11) 75 Jon Thompson, Superior, Neb., Kraft/Thompson, 29, $350.
13. (13) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 29, $425.
14. (17) 26 Scott Styskal, David City, Neb., Razor/Jacobs, 29, $300.
15. (18) 13 Ryan Engels (R), Arlington, S.D., TRE/Ryan, 28, $375.
16. (20) 28n Dan Neeman (R), Dorchester, Neb., Method/Donrich, 28, $300.
17. (1) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 18, mechanical, $350.
18. (14) 22s Shane Stutzman (R), Milford, Neb., Jet/, 15, mechanical, $300.
19. (19) 8 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., GRT/Hess, 10, mechanical, $100.
20. (22) 53 Staci Stava (R), Lincoln, Neb., Harris/Sperry, 5, mechanical, $300.
21. (15) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa, GRT/Mullins, 1, suspension, $350.
22. (21) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa, IROC/Mullins, 1, mechanical, $350.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Integra Lap Leaders: Ruter 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Ruter 30.
Margin of Victory: 5.557 seconds.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Dahle (started 16th, finished 10th).
Dominator Race Products Hard Luck: Hilsabeck.
Next Race: Friday, June 8, Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Ardmore, Okla.
USMTS Casey’s Cup Series Points: Sanders 100, Gustin 83, S. Scott 70, Jason Hughes 52, Rowland 51, Johnny Scott 47, Terry Phillips 46, Kelly Shryock 42, Dereck Ramirez 38, Tesch 35.
Rookie of the Year Points: S. Scott 1614, Hilsabeck 873, Ron Keith 710, Casey Penn 678, Thomas Tillison Jr. 413.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 174, Geddes 160, ProPower 137, Sput’s 122, Yeoman 108.
Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 205, GRT 190, Skyrocket 159, TRE 68, Shaw 57.

Contingency Awards: