July 27, 2010
Gustin charges to USMTS glory at Park Jefferson
JEFFERSON, S.D. – Ryan Gustin remained perfect in the Dart Great Plains Region presented by Allstar Performance with an impressive victory Tuesday night when the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invaded the Park Jefferson Speedway for the 6th Annual All-Star Challenge and the first night of the five-race “modFURY.com Chaos in the Dakotas.”
Debuting a brand new Hughes Chassis, Gustin struggled with his new mount in his heat race, but bounced back to win the second Real Racing Wheels “B” Main. By the time the green flag waved in the WIX Filters “A” Main, the 19-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, had it all figured out.
Polesitter Mike Steensma jumped out front and led the first two laps before Jason Krohn powered underneath to lead the third circuit. Steensma kept Krohn in his crosshairs until they reached lapped traffic, but Krohn weaved his way through traffic and built a ten-car-length lead by the time the first caution of the race occurred on lap 23.
Meanwhile, Jason Hughes was pressuring Steensma for second while Gustin had clawed his way into the fourth spot after starting 14th on the 24-car grid.
On the restart with 12 laps to go, Hughes and Gustin split Steensma’s machine on the high and low side and moved into formation behind Krohn. One lap later, Gustin found his way around Hughes to move into second.
Three laps later, Gustin powered underneath Krohn to grab the lead and raced the final nine laps unchallenged to keep his Dart Great Plains Region record perfect with his third win in three events.
Krohn held on to cash the runner-up paycheck while Hughes took third. Corey Dripps came on strong during the final laps to garner a fourth-place finish and defending race winner Jon Tesch came from the 11th starting spot to finish fifth.
Zack VanderBeek crossed the finish line in sixth, Al Hejna was seventh and Steensma slipped to eighth at the checkered flag.
In a race-long battle between NASCAR veterans, Kenny Wallace finished ninth ahead of Ken Schrader, tenth.
Both Wallace and Schrader will be on hand for their second straight night of racing action as the “modFURY.com Chaos in the Dakotas” continues Wednesday night as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour makes it’s first-ever visit to the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., for another $2,000-to-win clash.
Local aces such as Blake Jegtvig, Mike Greseth, Mike Stearns, Jason Strand, Jerry Lamb, Jon Bachmeier, John Corell, Corky Thomas, Shayne Laske and Jason Thoennes are expected to take on the USMTS Modifieds in defense of their home turf.
Gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps are slated for 7 and the first heat race gets the green flag at 7:30. Also on the racing card will be Super Stocks and Street Stocks.
Race fans can pick up coupons good for $2 off adult admission at Casey’s General Stores locations in Dilworth, Minn., and Moorhead, Minn. For more information or to find the location nearest you, check out www.caseys.com online.
The Red River Valley Speedway is a newly-configured 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval located off of I-94 at Exit 343, then 0.7 mile east on US 10 (at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds). For more information, call 701-238-9701 or 701-282-2200 on race day. The track’s website is at www.redrivervalleyspeedway.com.
Thursday will find the mud-slinging USMTS Modified masters at the Casino Speedway in Watertown. The Brown County Speedway will be the second time in three nights that the USMTS ventures into unchartered territory as they make their debut at the Aberdeen facility on Friday. On Saturday, the series makes its first trek to the Jamestown Speedway in Jamestown, N.D., since the 2005 season, and then the tireless USMTS touring titans invade the Nobles County Speedway in Worthington, Minn., on Sunday to wrap up six straight days of racing.
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