Gustin wires Late Model Border War at Dodge City

DODGE CITY, Kan. -- Marshalltown, Iowa’s Ryan Gustin proved to be the class of the field by wiring Saturday night’s 35-lap MARS vs. NCRA Border War feature event atop the 3/8-mile Dodge City Raceway Park clay oval and the first Late Model event at DCRP since 2011,.

Starting from the front row outside after earning a hard-fought heat race victory over Jesse Stovall and Kyle Berck, Gustin outgunned pole starter Justin Asplin for the lead at the drop of the green and led throughout.

Six-time MARS champion Terry Phillips moved into second from the third starting position at the outset and closed in on Gustin’s rear bumper at the midway point.

Gustin slipped away in the ensuing rounds only to have his lead erased when the race’s only caution appeared after 26 laps for a David Deetz spin in turn two.

“I was trying to save my tire there for a little while, I wanted to make sure I had enough to go good at the end,” Gustin explained of the early going.

The two-time USMTS Modified champion had plenty left for the closing rounds, checking out on the restart and opening up a healthy advantage over the final nine circuits to secure his fourth career MARS DIRTcar series win aboard the Mullins-powered Gressel Racing No. 19r Rocket chassis.

Phillips was a distant second to the 23-year-old Gustin at the line, finishing just ahead of fellow Springfield, MO, shoe Jeremy Payne, who wrestled third from Jesse Stovall on the 26th lap.

Nebraska’s Bill Leighton, Jr., chased the lead trio to the line in fourth with Missouri’s Stovall rounding out the top five.

Asplin, Gustin and Phillips topped heat race action for the 19-car field.

RESULTS

First Heat (8 laps): 1. 77a-Justin Asplin, 2. 43-Garrett Alberson, 3. 24-Bill Leighton, Jr., 4. 02-Tommy Weder, 5. 12-David Deetz, 6. 28j-Leroy Johnson, 7. 77p-Jeremy Petty.

Second Heat (8 laps): 1. 19r-Ryan Gustin, 2. 00-Jesse Stovall, 3. 14-Kyle Berck, 4. 42-Brandon McCormick, 5. 229-Damian Potoska, 6. 24x-Bill Leighton Sr.

Third Heat (8 laps): 1. 75-Terry Phillips, 2. 56-Tony Jackson Jr., 3. 186-Jeremy Payne, 4. 18-Chris Kratzer, 5. 6-Travis Dickers, 6. 49-Wylan Petrie.

“A” Feature (35 laps): 1. 19r-Ryan Gustin, 2. 75-Terry Phillips, 3. 186-Jeremy Payne, 4. 24-Bill Leighton Jr., 5. 00-Jesse Stovall, 6. 02-Tommy Weder, 7. 14-Kyle Berck, 8. 56-Tony Jackson, Jr., 9. 77a-Justin Asplin, 10. 18-Chris Kratzer, 11. 42-Brandon McCormick, 12. 42-Garrett Alberson, 13. 6-Travis Dickers, 14. 28j-Leroy Johnson, 15. 12-David Deetz, 16. 77p-Jeremy Petty, 17. 229-Damion Potoska, 18. 49-Wylan Petrie, 19. 24x-Bill Leighton Sr.

Lap leader: Gustin 1-35.