BAYTOWN, Texas -- After rain thwarted efforts to launch the 2013 season for the United States Modified Touring Series on Thursday, all systems were go Friday night at the Royal Purple Raceway located just outside of Houston.
Following a dominating performance in his heat race, 2010 USMTS national champion Jason Hughes blasted off from his inside third row starting spot to lead the first lap of the 35-lap main event at the 4th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift.
Against a tough field of competitors and maneuvering his way around a rough racetrack, Hughes waded through six cautions and he set the pace for the first 27 laps before mechanical failure ended his bid for a series-best seventh win at the former Houston Raceway Park.
Continuing his early season success, 11th-startng Rodney Sanders inherited the lead for the restart and out-raced the field for the final eight laps to score his second win in Baytown, Texas, and eleventh career USMTS victory.
In addition to getting the first win of the year, Sanders also became the first driver to cash in on the new “Big Dog Buy-In” promotion. By paying an additional $100 when he signed in, ‘The Rocket’ pocketed an additional $2,000 for his efforts and brought his total take-home pay to $5,000 a day’s work.
Defending event champion Johnny Scott tolled to a second-place finish, holding off Zack VanderBeek by a nose at the finish line.
Defending USMTS national champion Ryan Gustin wound up fourth after battling from 18th on the starting grid while polesitter Randy Timms held on for fifth driving a GRT Chassis he picked up from Terry Phillips just a couple of weeks ago.
The 4th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift will continue with another complete programs on Saturday with the winner getting $4,000 (or $6,000 for “Big Dog Buy-In” gamblers).
The Royal Purple Raceway is located just east of Houston on I-10 to exit 799, then 2.5 miles south on SH 99 (Grand Parkway), then 0.3 mile west on FM 565. For more information, call the track office at 281-383-7223 or visit www.royalpurpleraceway.com online.
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 at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts or check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/USMTSTV.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Allgayer, Inc. USMTS Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports
4th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift - Night 1 of 2
Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas
Friday, Feb. 22, 2013
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed 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.
PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (2) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
3. (6) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
4. (7) 9m Dale Mathison (R), Clearwater, Minn.
5. (9) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
6. (8) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
7. (1) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada.
8. (5) 34 Ben Stephens, Hattiesburg, Miss.
9. (11) 160 Michael Maggard, Springfield, Mo.
10. (4) 25 Ron Keith, Shawnee, Kan.
11. (10) 19 Jamie Burford, Keatchie, La.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
2. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (3) 9m Dale Mathison (R), Clearwater, Minn.
4. (13) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
5. (7) J17 Jacob Gallardo (R), Las Cruces, N.M., GRC/BMS, $90.
6. (2) 4s T.J. Steele, Winnsboro (R), Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $80.
7. (5) 715 J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas, GRT/RCR, $90.
8. (14) 12 Kyle Cummings (R), Sibley, La., IRP/EPM, $90.
9. (6) 6 Donnie Powers, Henderson, Texas, Shaw/Powers, $80.
10. (8) 2 Earl Whatley (R), Alvin, Texas, Fast1/USA, $90.
11. (9) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo., GRT/Yeoman, $90.
12. (15) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa, Sidebiter/Mullins, $90.
13. (18) 2 Kenny Gaddis, Hallsville, Texas, Hughes/Brown, $80.
14. (17) 51c Michael Cedus, Boyce, La., DirtWorks/Centex, $80.
15. (16) 37h Garrett Higgins, Aztec, N.M., GRT/GMPP, $80.
16. (11) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, $80.
17. (12) 11 Jeff Allgayer (R), El Campo, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $90.
18. (10) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, $90.
SWAN ENERGY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (11) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBC/Geddes, 35, $5000.
2. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M., Hughes/ProPower, 35, $2000.
3. (25) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, 35, $1600.
4. (18) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 35, $1000.
5. (1) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., GRT/Geddes, 35, $900.
6. (20) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 35, $800.
7. (24) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 35, $700.
8. (9) 87 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla., MBC/Mullins, 35, $600.
9. (14) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 35, $550.
10. (21) 9m Dale Mathison (R), Clearwater, Minn., MBC/Tim’s, 35, $500.
11. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 27, $450.
12. (10) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., GRC/BMS, 25, $400.
13. (22) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas, CAM/Chase, 21, $375.
14. (15) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Hughes/RoushYates, 19, $350.
15. (26) 5* Casey Penn, Shreveport, La., Hughes/Geddes, 19, $350.
16. (5) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., MBC/Mullins, 19, $350.
17. (4) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 19, $350.
18. (16) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins, 18, $350.
19. (8) 83 Willy Kraft, Mico, Texas, Kraft/Gaerte, 18, $350.
20. (13) 81b Cody Simpson (R), Quinlan, Texas, CAM/Hatfield, 17, $350.
21. (17) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 15, $350.
22. (7) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Hughes/Mullins, 8, $350.
23. (23) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/RoushYates, 8, $350.
24. (19) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas, Hughes/Fox, 4, $350.
25. (12) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas, Skyrocket/CB, 3, $350.
26. (2) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa, Shaw/Sperry, 1, $350.
Lap Leaders: Hughes 1-27, Sanders 28-35.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 27, Sanders 8.
Margin of Victory: 1.332 seconds.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 25th, finished 3rd).
Next Race: Saturday, Feb. 23, Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas.
Allgayer, Inc. USMTS Southern Region Points: Sanders 100, Scott 95, VanderBeek 91, Gustin 87, Timms 84, Tillison 81, Whiteaker 78, Webb 76, Houston 74, Mathison 72.
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