Ryan Gustin rolled to his second win during USMTS Winter Speedweeks with an impressive wire-to-wire triumph Friday night during the second night of the 7th Annual Day Motor Sports Texas Spring Nationals at the Heart O’ Texas Speedway.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Gustin charged from 22nd on the starting grid to finish fourth in the main event, but Friday night his job was made a little easier with an outside front row slot for the 45-lap “A” Main, but Jason Hughes saw to it that his job wasn’t a walk in the park.
After claiming the Sybesma Graphics Pole Award and then redrawing the pole position, Philip Houston set the pace to start the feature race but Gustin was able to beat him into the first corner and lead the race’s first lap.
Dereck Ramirez jumped up to second quickly and challenged Gustin for the top spot throughout the first ten laps while Houston raced with Zack VanderBeek and Hughes in the top five.
Cautions on laps 16 and 20 slowed the pace twice, but Gustin was able to withstand the challenges from Ramirez, and then Hughes, for the race lead.
After taking second place away from Ramirez for good on lap 22, Hughes mounted several strong runs at Gustin but the defending USMTS national champ was never able to pass ‘The Reaper’ with or without the aid of lapped traffic.
With the win, Gustin became the first repeat winner during the first five events of USMTS Winter Speedweeks and the first repeat winner in six events at the 1/3-mile clay oval outside of Waco, Texas. It also netted a third win on the season for Hughes Racing Chassis and Mullins Race Engines.
Gustin’s 73 career USMTS win netted the 25-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, a cool $3,000.
VanderBeek, who captured the previous night’s winner’s trophy, got around Ramirez with six to go and held on to finish third while Cade Dillard came out of a Real Racing Wheels “B” Main to finish behind Ramirez in fifth.
Rounding out the top ten were Austin Arneson, Stormy Scott, Houston, Johnny Scott and Ben Kates, who earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award after starting 21st.
Saturday’s finale will feature USMTS Modifieds going for $4,000 to win, with Limited Mods racing for $700 to win and I-Stocks $400 to win. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, kids ages 6-12 are $5 and 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $40.
Gates will open at 4:30 p.m. with the first green flag at 6:30.
For unfortunate fans unable to make one or more of these blockbuster events, every lap of every race at every event during USMTS Winter Speedweeks will be broadcast live on RacinDirt.com. Visit www.racindirt.com/livevideo for ordering information.
The Heart O’ Texas Speedway is a semi-banked 1/3-mile clay oval just off of I-35 at exit 343 (FM 308), then 0.6 mile north on east frontage road. For more information, call 254-829-2294 or check out www.heartotexspeedway.com online.
The third round of USMTS Winter Speedweeks happens at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway for the 5th Annual Cajun Clash on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25-27, and then wraps up at the Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., Thursday-Saturday, March 3-5.
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 and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – Production Jars Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports
7th Annual Day Motor Sports Texas Spring Nationals – Night 2 of 3
Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Elm Mott, Texas
Friday, Feb. 19, 2016
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 were locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.
MSD HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (1) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (5) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (4) 34 Michael Walker (R), Alvarado, Texas.
5. (8) 23k Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
6. (3) 2w Paul White, Temple, Texas.
7. (7) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.
8. (6) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas.
9. (9) 123 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas.
FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
2. (7) 2 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
3. (1) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
4. (5) 303 Chase Jupe (R), Waco, Texas.
5. (4) 60 William Gould, Calera, Okla.
6. (6) 13g David Goode, Copperas Cove, Texas.
7. (8) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
8. (9) 15h Sam Hafertepe Jr. (R), Rockwall, Texas.
9. (3) 010 Jeremy Willis, Forney, Texas.
EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (4) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
3. (6) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M.
4. (8) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C.
5. (1) 8 Steve Miller, Rosanky, Texas.
6. (7) 99 Jeff Needham, Ennis, Texas.
7. (5) 14z Zach McMillan (R), Gladewater, Texas.
8. (3) 88r A.J. Vasquez (R), Garden City, Mich.
PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas.
2. (8) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
3. (1) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas.
4. (7) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
5. (5) 121 Bobby Ruffin (R), Crandall, Texas.
6. (4) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (6) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
8. (2) 8x Chad Thomsen (R), Louisburg, Kan.
DAY MOTOR SPORTS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 49 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.
2. (3) 103 J.C. Howell (R), Mabank, Texas.
3. (5) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa.
4. (8) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
5. (2) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas.
6. (6) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D.
7. (7) 7 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla.
8. (4) 35g Barry Gifford (R), Ponca City, Okla.
YOUDIRT.COM HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (3) 13x J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas.
3. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (5) 12d Scott Drake, Joplin, Mo.
5. (6) 11j Justin Radcliff, China Springs, Texas.
6. (2) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
7. (4) 49 Chadd Howell, (R) Waurika, Okla.
8. (7) 13 Jerry Frydrych, Austin, Texas.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M.
2. (2) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa.
3. (9) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
4. (6) 8 Steve Miller, Rosanky, Texas.
5. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (13) 123 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas, Hughes/PPE, $90.
7. (10) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Fast1/CB, $90.
8. (5) 34 Michael Walker (R), Alvarado, Texas, Kraft/ProPower, $90.
9. (12) 8x Chad Thomsen (R), Louisburg, Kan., Shaw/Driskell, $90.
10. (3) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., GRT/Mullins, $90.
11. (7) 99 Jeff Needham, Ennis, Texas, Skyrocket/Bailey, $70.
12. (4) 303 Chase Jupe (R), Waco, Texas.
13. (11) 15h Sam Hafertepe Jr. (R), Rockwall, Texas, Kraft/Wells, $90.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (2) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C.
3. (4) 12d Scott Drake, Joplin, Mo.
4. (7) 2w Paul White, Temple, Texas.
5. (3) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, $90.
6. (8) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, $90.
7. (10) 7 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla., MBCustom/Wegner, $90.
8. (12) 35g Barry Gifford (R), Ponca City, Okla., Shaw/Yeoman, $90.
9. (6) 121 Bobby Ruffin (R), Crandall, Texas, LG2/M&M, $90.
10. (11) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas, Harris/Wells, $90.
11. (9) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustom/Hatfield, $400.
12. (5) 11j Justin Radcliff, China Springs, Texas, BMS/Fletcher, $70.
13. (13) 010 Jeremy Willis, Forney, Texas, Sidebiter/Performance, $70.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
2. (1) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (4) 23k Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
4. (8) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (5) 60 William Gould, Calera, Okla., Shaw/BMS, $70.
6. (10) 49 Chadd Howell (R), Waurika, Okla., GRT/Geddes, $90.
7. (9) 14z Zach McMillan (R), Gladewater, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $90.
8. (6) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas, MBCustom/Mullins, $90.
9. (7) 13g David Goode, Copperas Cove, Texas, GRT/GMPP, $70.
10. (3) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas, Shaw/Wes’s, $90.
11. (11) 88r A.J. Vasquez (R), Garden City, Mich., LG2/Farris, $90.
12. (12) 13 Jerry Frydrych, Austin, Texas, CAM/, $70.
CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (45 laps):
1. (2) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 45, $3000.
2. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 45, $1700.
3. (7) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput’s, 45, $1200.
4. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 45, $1000.
5. (14) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 45, $800.
6. (10) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D., GRT/Durham, 45, $700.
7. (13) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M., Lethal/Mullins, 45, $650.
8. (1) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 45, $600.
9. (18) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Lethal/Durham, 45, $550.
10. (21) 23k Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 45, $500.
11. (8) 2 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., GRT/Durham, 45, $450.
12. (15) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Rocket/LRE, 45, $425.
13. (20) 12d Scott Drake, Joplin, Mo., MBCustom/GMPP, 45, $400.
14. (16) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa, Harris/GMPP, 45, $400.
15. (24) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., LG2/BuckBuilt, 45, $350.
16. (25) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Wornhor, 45, $400.
17. (6) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., GRT/Mullins, 45, $325.
18. (12) 13x J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas, GRT/Wornhor, 44, $325.
19. (22) 8 Steve Miller, Rosanky, Texas, Rocket/TRD, 44, $325.
20. (23) 2w Paul White, Temple, Texas, Hughes/GMPP, 44, $325.
21. (11) 103 J.C. Howell (R), Mabank, Texas, Smiley’s/Wells, 44, $325.
22. (26) 303 Chase Jupe (R), Waco, Texas, GRT/Mullins, 33, $325.
23. (17) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C., Harris/VED, 20, $325.
24. (5) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas, MBCustom/Mullins, 16, $325.
25. (4) 49 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, CAM/Mullins, 15, $325.
26. (19) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, GRT/Durham, 12, $400.
(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.
Lap Leader: Gustin 1-45.
Total Laps Led: Gustin 45.
Margin of Victory: 0.670 second.
Provisional Starters: Duvall, Jupe.
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Houston.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Kates (started 21st, finished 10th).
Entries: 50.
Next Race: Saturday, Feb. 20, Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Elm Mott, Texas.
Production Jars Southern Region Points: Hughes 465, Dillard 455, Gustin 441, VanderBeek 439, Sobbing 396, Duvall 360, Drake 360, Kates 337, Houston 336, C. Arneson 330.
Rookie of the Year Points: Wolff 312, B. Bauman 289, Jupe 277, Vogel 267, C. Howell 266.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 47, Geddes 41, Sput’s 40, GMPP 29, Durham 26.
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 47, MBCustoms 44, LG2 42, GRT 33, Harris 32.
Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Houston.
American Racer – Allen.
Bell Helmets – B. Bauman.
Beyea Custom Headers – Dillard.
BSB Manufacturing – J. Howell.
Day Motor Sports – Strickler, Dunn.
Deatherage Opticians – White.
Dirt Defender – Ramirez, A. Arneson, Strickler.
Edelbrock – VanderBeek.
Eibach Springs – Malchus.
Fast Shafts – B. Bauman.
FK Rod Ends – Timm.
Forty9Designs.com – Sobbing, Miller.
Fuel Safe – A. Arneson.
GRT Race Cars – A. Arneson.
Hooker Harness – Drake.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Dowell.
Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service – Duvall.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – J. Scott.
Keyser Manufacturing – Kates.
KSE Racing Products – Kates.
Midwest Sheet Metal – Robertson.
MSD – Gustin.
PBM Performance Products – Dunn, Gustin.
QA1 – Dillard.
Real Racing Wheels – non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics – Houston.
VP Racing Fuels – Gustin.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – C. Arneson.
Wilwood Engineering – S. Scott.
