Hughes victorious in Vander Haag's Battle at The Beaver

 

ALTA, Iowa -- Jason Hughes raced to a $4,000 victory Wednesday night as the USMTS National Championship Series invaded the Buena Vista Raceway for the 4th Annual Vander Haag's Battle at The Beaver.

Terry Phillips was in control throughout the main event, but Hughes slowly reeled in the leaders after starting in the 11th spot. With nine laps to go he moved into third and then a late-race caution set up an exciting six-lap sprint to the finish.

Hughes worked his way around Ruter for second with four laps to go and then passed Phillips for the lead with three laps remaining. Despite his best efforts, Phillips had to settle for the runner-up finish while Hughes celebrated his sixth USMTS National Championship win of the season and kept his title hopes alive.

Dereck Ramirez brought home a third-place finish with a last-lap pass of Ruter, who held on for fourth. Rookie Daniel Hilsabeck recorded his best USMTS finish in fifth place.

Zack VanderBeek passed ten cars en route to a sixth-place result, Johnny Scott was seventh and Tennessee’s T.J. Herndon placed eighth. Teammates Chris Brown and Kelly Shryock finish ninth and tenth, respectively.

Points leader Ryan Gustin battled with Phillips for the first half of the contest, but a flat tire after contact with a lapped car with 15 laps to go ended his chances.

Attention now turns to the big, fast and exciting Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Thursday night for the 6th Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals.

This will be the second visit to the Fort Dodge’s palace of power. Rodney Sanders captured the checkers in a remarkable drive from deep in the field to win the USMTS Casey’s Cup Series main event here on June 26.

Gustin and Shryock are both two-time winners at the Mineral City Speedway. VanderBeek won here in 2006 while carrying the Cheetos colors. The inaugural event in 2005 was won by Tommy Myer.

OFFICIAL RESULTS USMTS National Championship Series 4th Annual Vander Haag's Battle at The Beaver Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012 Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder 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. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. 2. (8) 1 T.J. Herndon, Atwood, Tenn. 3. (9) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas. 4. (7) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa. 5. (4) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas. 6. (5) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa. 7. (3) 98 Jeremy Brogaard, Kanawha, Iowa. 8. (2) 44 Marcus Berndt, Katy, Texas. 9. (6) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa. HOOKER HARNESS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps): 1. (8) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 2. (9) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa. 3. (1) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn. 4. (3) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa. 5. (4) 7 Eric Dailey, Armstrong, Iowa. 6. (2) 20z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa. 7. (7) 22 Brad Williams, Lytton, Iowa. 8. (6) 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion, Iowa. 9. (5) 3 Jason Briese, Cleghorn, Iowa. EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps): 1. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa. 2. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. 3. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla. 4. (7) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas. 5. (5) 20s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 6. (4) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa. 7. (8) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. 8. (6) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa. REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, all advance): 1. (1) 20s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 2. (3) 20z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa. 3. (4) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa. 4. (10) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa. 5. (7) 22 Brad Williams, Lytton, Iowa. 6. (5) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. 7. (2) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa. 8. (12) 3 Jason Briese, Cleghorn, Iowa. 9. (8) 44 Marcus Berndt, Katy, Texas. 10. (9) 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion, Iowa. 11. (6) 98 Jeremy Brogaard, Kanawha, Iowa. 12. (11) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa. SWAN ENERGY “A” MAIN (35 laps): 1. (11) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $4100. 2. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, $2200. 3. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, $1600. 4. (2) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/Sput’s, $1200. 5. (5) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa, GRT/Mullins, $1000. 6. (16) 20z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, $800. 7. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ProPower, $700. 8. (4) 1 T.J. Herndon, Atwood, Tenn., GRT/JRM, $600. 9. (9) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Skyrocket/RoushYates, $550. 10. (17) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/RoushYates, $500. 11. (20) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/RoushYates, $475. 12. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, $450. 13. (14) 7 Eric Dailey, Armstrong, Iowa, Skyrocket/Grawmondbeck’s, $425. 14. (18) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa, GRT/Midstate, $400. 15. (12) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/GMPP, $400. 16. (13) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas, Skyrocket/AARE, $400. 17. (22) 3 Jason Briese, Cleghorn, Iowa, Skyrocket/JRM, $300. 18. (19) 22 Brad Williams, Lytton, Iowa, Victory/, $300. 19. (26) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, Harris/JRM, $300. 20. (3) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, $400. 21. (15) 20s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ProPower, $400. 22. (21) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa, Razor/HarryHeads, $300. 23. (23) 44 Marcus Berndt, Katy, Texas, DirtWorks/AARE, $400. 24. (10) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, $400. 25. (24) 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion, Iowa, BMS/Spanel, $300. 26. (25) 98 Jeremy Brogaard, Kanawha, Iowa, Victory/KSE, $400. (R) = Rookie of the Year contender. Integra Lap Leaders: Phillips 1-32, Hughes 33-35. Total Laps Led: Phillips 32, Hughes 3. Margin of Victory: 1.137 seconds. Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Hughes (started 11th, finished 1st). Next Race: Thursday, Aug. 2, Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, Iowa. USMTS National Championship Series Points: Gustin 1865, Hughes 1709, Sanders 1647, Brown 1563, Shryock 1531, J. Scott 1511, Ramirez 1473, S. Scott 1469, VanderBeek 1452, Phillips 1298. Rookie of the Year Points: S. Scott 2057, Hilsabeck 1413, Ron Keith 1219, Casey Penn 956, Thomas Tillison Jr. 789. COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 352, Geddes 321, ProPower 296, Sput’s 271, RoushYates 199. Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 417, GRT 372, Skyrocket 311, Sidebiter 151, Shaw 125.