We ran down early leader Jason Hughes and led for about 10 laps Sunday night in Cresco. Lapped traffic didn't play into our favor, however, and Hughes was able to get back around us about halfway through the feature. Nonetheless, we banked a runner-up finish so it was another good run for the Reaper.
Hughes cashes in at Cresco; Seven points separate top three in Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup
Jason Hughes scored his second straight victory in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup Sunday night at the Cresco Speedway to set up a three-way showdown heading into the points finale on opening night at the Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Sept. 19.
The 39-year-old drew the pole for the 40-lap main event and, based on his recent performances, most would think it was over at that point. However, Jason Krohn sat to his right for the start of the race with two-time defending USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin and Jeremy Payne filling the second row.
Hughes grabbed the lead when the green flag waved while Krohn settled into the second spot. Using the extreme high side of the 4/10-mile oval, Gustin got by Krohn one lap later and set his sights on Hughes.
A string of three back-to-back caution flags plagued the next lap, however, and kept the field close together.
Gustin challenged for the lead on lap 6 but Hughes took the line away and maintained the top spot as the two began to pull away from the pack.
Hughes and Gustin raced side by side on lap 8 and Gustin took command at lap 9 with Krohn nearly a full straight-away back in third ahead of Johnny Scott and Rodney Sanders.
Gustin stretched his lead out to about six car-lengths over Hughes as they raced through heavy lapped traffic. With 17 laps down, Hughes charged back up behind Gustin and regained the lead as they completed the 19th lap while Sanders moved by Krohn for third after disposing of Scott two lap earlier.
With 29 laps complete, the yellow flag waved again and gave the pursuing Gustin, Sanders, Krohn and Scott some hope.
One final caution flag delayed the restart, and simply delayed the inevitable as Hughes nailed a perfect restart and drove away from the field to win by more than three seconds.
It was the fifth win for Hughes during ‘The Hunt’ and put another $5,000 winner’s share of the prize money in his wallet.
‘The Reaper’ held on for the runner-up finish ahead of Sanders, Scott and Krohn. Craig Thatcher, Kelly Shryock, Lucas Schott, Brandon Davis and Steve Whiteaker Jr. completed the top 10.
With the victory, Hughes moved up to second in the tightest points battle in series history. With just one race to go, Scott leads Hughes by just seven points and Sanders is only one more marker back in third. One of those three will become the 2013 USMTS National Champion when the final points race takes during opening night of the 15th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Deer Creek Speedway.
Tickets for the marquee event featuring the “who’s who” of dirt modified racing can be ordered online at www.deercreekspeedway.com or by calling toll-free 877-327-7223.
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
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup – Round 16 of 17
Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa
Sunday, Sept. 1, 2013
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 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. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (3) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis.
3. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
5. (1) R Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
6. (7) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo.
7. (8) 01 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada.
8. (6) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
9. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $5100.
2. (3) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.
3. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 40, $1500.
4. (5) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/ProPower, 40, $1100.
5. (2) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., MBCustom/Sput’s, 40, $900.
6. (7) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis., GRT/TriStar, 40, $800.
7. (11) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $700.
8. (6) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $650.
9. (18) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn., GRT/KSE, 40, $700.
10. (14) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $550.
11. (17) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
12. (15) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa, Shaw/Sperry, 40, $450.
13. (12) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $525.
14. (4) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/RoushYates, 40, $400.
15. (22) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Tim’s, 40, $400.
16. (13) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $350.
17. (9) 27s Jason Schlangen, Cresco, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $325.
18. (25) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $300.
19. (20) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa, GRT/Sput’s, 40, $275.
20. (19) 01 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, 40, $400.
21. (23) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa, Skyrocket/Karl, 40, $300.
22. (16) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo., GRT/Geddes, 29, $400.
23. (8) V2 Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, Minn., GRT/Tim’s, 29, $300.
24. (21) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 2, $400.
DNS – R Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa, Skyrocket/Midstate, 0, $275.
(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.
Lap Leaders: Hughes 1-8, Gustin 9-19, Hughes 20-40.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 29, Gustin 11.
Margin of Victory: 3.381 seconds.
Points Standings: J. Scott 1449, Hughes 1442, Sanders 1441, S. Scott 1326, Payne 1293, VanderBeek 1209, Shryock 1152, Gustin 1145, Schott 1112, Ramirez 1103.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: ProPower 412, Mullins 389, Geddes 359, RoushYates 356, Sput’s 339.
Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 461, GRT 434, MBCustom 398, Skyrocket 312, LG2 221.
Contingency Awards:
Beyea Custom Headers – Gustin.
