FORT DODGE, Iowa – With severe storms and tornados lurking in the area Tuesday night at the Mineral City Speedway, USMTS officials trimmed the distance of the main event to 25 laps in an effort to beat Mother Nature to the finish line.
When the checkered flag waved, Jason Krohn was wishing they had made it 24 instead.
Twenty-five orbits of the half-mile dirt oval in Fort Dodge, Iowa, was precisely what Ryan Gustin needed to score his fifth straight USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour victory before a jam-packed grandstand.
Al Hejna led the first lap of the WIX Filters “A” Main before relinquishing the top spot to Colt Mather. Searching for his first USMTS triumph, Mather set a torrid pace as he led the next 17 circuits before Krohn motored into the top spot.
Meanwhile, Gustin worked his way around Mather and into second place as the laps wound down.
With starter Ryne Staley’s white flag waving in the breeze, Gustin closed in on Krohn’s rear bumper as the leaders came upon lapped traffic. As the pair raced through the final turn, a lapped car running the middle line came into play, with Krohn and Gustin splitting the difference.
Gustin went high. Krohn went low. The lapped car stayed in the middle.
As they exited the final turn, Gustin edged ahead and beat Krohn to the stripe by less than 1/20th of a second.
For Gustin, it was his fifth straight win and tenth overall for the 2010 campaign as he pocketed the $2,000 top prize.
For Krohn, it was the second night in a row that Gustin spoiled his hopes for a trip to the winner’s circle. On Monday, Gustin passed Krohn with three laps to go at the Fairmont (Minn.) Raceway. Nonetheless, the 2007 USMTS National Champion has four top-5 finishes in his last five starts.
Mather hung on for a third-place paycheck, three-time AFCO Pole Award winner Ryan Ruter finished fourth and nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock came from 15th on the starting grid to score a fifth.
Brad Williams was sixth, Kevin Pittman snared the seventh spot, Corey Dripps emerged eighth, Bumper Jones nabbed the ninth spot and NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace rounded out the top-10 finishers.
Up next is the long-awaited return of the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour to Joe Ringsdorf's I-35 Speedway in Mason City, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 23. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30. Also on the racing card will be 305 Sprint Cars.
The I-35 Speedway is a 1/2-mile semi-banked clay oval located off of I-35 at Exit 194, then 5.1 miles east on SR 122 (at the North Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, call the track hotline at 641-424-6515 or visit www.i-35speedway.com online.
Wednesday’s show at the I-35 Speedway will be race #6 of 8 over the course of 11 days. Each race is worth a minimum of $2,000 to the winner with no less than $250 to start the main event. More than $100,000 in total prize money is up for grabs during the swing.
NASCAR veteran driver and SPEED Channel broadcaster Kenny Wallace will be in attendance to sign autographs for the fans prior to strapping on his own helmet and competing against the USMTS Modifieds.
USMTS Northern Speedweek Schedule:
Wed Jun 16 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa (winner: Ryan Gustin)
Thu Jun 17 ... Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, S.D. (winner: Ryan Gustin)
Sat Jun 19 ... Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, Mo. (winner: Ryan Gustin)
Mon Jun 21 ... Fairmont Raceway, Fairmont, Minn. (winner: Ryan Gustin)
Tue Jun 22 ... Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, Iowa (winner: Ryan Gustin)
Wed Jun 23 ... I-35 Speedway, Mason City, Iowa (2nd Annual Event)
Thu Jun 24 ... Redwood Speedway, Redwood Falls, Minn. (Inaugural Event)
Fri Jun 25 ... Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis. (8th Annual Event)
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour – Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Central States Region presented by Arnold Motor Supply
Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, Iowa
4th Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed, reason out (if any) 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.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (4) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.
2. (1) 26p Kevin Pittman, Waterloo, Iowa.
3. (5) 36 Kenny Wallace, Concord, N.C.
4. (8) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
6. (2) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.
7. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
8. (3) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa.
9. (9) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (5) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
2. (2) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
3. (8) 22 Brad Williams, Lytton, Iowa.
4. (3) 55d Nick Deal (R), Walnut, Iowa.
5. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (6) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
7. (9) 11 Ryan Peckham (R), Corning, Iowa.
8. (1) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa.
9. (7) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.
SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
2. (6) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (5) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.
4. (8) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
5. (7) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
6. (3) 37x Mike Weidemann (R), Dubuque, Iowa.
7. (9) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa.
8. (1) 69x Jon Snyder, Ames, Iowa.
9. (4) 15m Shane Demey, Denison, Iowa.
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) 3a Jason Schueller (R), Dubuque, Iowa.
2. (5) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
3. (6) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.
4. (8) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
5. (7) 37 Mike Jergens (R), Plover, Iowa.
6. (9) 35 Bill Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa.
7. (4) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa.
8. (2) R21 Ryan Schaffer (R), Corning, Iowa.
9. (1) 12 Mark Elliott (R), Webster City, Iowa.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. (3) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
3. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
4. (1) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (6) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
6. (4) 37 Mike Jergens (R), Plover, Iowa.
7. (9) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa, $90.
8. (8) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, $400.
9. (10) 69x Jon Snyder, Ames, Iowa, $75.
10. (7) 11 Ryan Peckham (R), Corning, Iowa, $90.
11. (11) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark., $90.
12. (12) 15m Shane Demey, Denison, Iowa, $75.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
2. (3) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
3. (6) 37x Mike Weidemann (R), Dubuque, Iowa.
4. (2) 55d Nick Deal (R), Walnut, Iowa.
5. (8) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa.
6. (12) 12 Mark Elliott (R), Webster City, Iowa.
7. (7) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa, $75.
8. (9) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa, $90.
9. (11) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, $90.
10. (4) 35 Bill Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa, $75.
11. (5) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., $90.
12. (10) R21 Ryan Schaffer (R), Corning, Iowa, $90.
WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (25 laps):
1. (7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 25, $2000.
2. (6) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 25, $1500.
3. (4) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 25, $1000.
4. (5) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 25, $900.
5. (15) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ASI, 25, $800.
6. (2) 22 Brad Williams, Lytton, Iowa, Harris/NAPA, 25, $700.
7. (9) 26p Kevin Pittman, Waterloo, Iowa, Victory/AEM, 25, $650.
8. (14) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/AEM, 25, $600.
9. (12) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M., TRE/BMS, 25, $550.
10. (11) 36 Kenny Wallace, Concord, N.C., Impressive/Mullins, 25, $400.
11. (16) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Hughes/Wall2Wall, 25, $450.
12. (24) 12 Mark Elliott (R), Webster City, Iowa, Harris/Sput’s, 25, $425.
13. (20) 55d Nick Deal (R), Walnut, Iowa, Harris/WAM, 25, $400.
14. (22) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, Harris/JR, 25, $375.
15. (18) 37x Mike Weidemann (R), Dubuque, Iowa, Stealth/Zenner, 25, $350.
16. (23) 37 Mike Jergens (R), Plover, Iowa, Skyrocket/BigJohn’s, 25, $300.
17. (17) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/ASI, 20, flat tire, $400.
18. (8) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/KSE, 19, mechanical, $300.
19. (1) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, Harris/JR, 16, mechanical, $400.
20. (3) 3a Jason Schueller (R), Dubuque, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 14, mechanical, $300.
21. (13) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 12, retired, $300.
22. (10) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s, 11, mechanical, $300.
23. (21) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 7, mechanical, $300.
24. (19) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 6, mechanical, $400.
(R) = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.
WIX Filters Lap Leaders: Hejna 1, Mather 2-18, Krohn 19-24, Gustin 25.
Total Laps Led: Mather 17, Krohn 6, Hejna 1, Gustin 1.
Margin of Victory: 0.056 second.
AFCO Pole Winner: Ruter.
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Elliott (started 24th, finished 12th).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Weder (689.54 miles).
Next Race: Wednesday, June 23, I-35 Speedway, Mason City, Iowa.
Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Central States Region Points: Gustin 525, Shryock 452, Dripps 403, Hejna 395, Mather 372, VanderBeek 363, Scott 339, Deal 339, Krohn 335, Tommy Myer 314.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Scott 1068, Deal 542, Lucas Conley 327, Brandon Davis 315, Elliott 305.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 164, Sput’s 149, ASI 114, KSE 64, Homegrown 44.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 169, Skyrocket 147, GRT 121, Ramirez 111, TRE 88.
Contingency Awards:
Ai-Racing – Jones.
American Racer – Fetters.
Dart Machinery – Elliott.
Eibach Springs – Schueller.
Forty9Designs.com – Ruter, Jones.
Hooker Harness – Deal.
Isky Racing Cams – Dotson.
KSE Racing Products – Dotson.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Scott.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Hebert.
PBM Performance Products – Elliott.
Quarter Master – Gustin, Dripps.
QuickTime – Pittman.
Real Racing Wheels – Jergens, Elliott.
Schoenfeld Headers – Krohn.
WIX Filters – Gustin, Mather.
