Ryan vs. Ryan: Gustin fends off Ruter for Fort Dodge Modified Nationals triumph

Ryan vs. Ryan: Gustin fends off Ruter for Fort Dodge Modified Nationals triumph


FORT DODGE, Iowa -- After five lead changes through 32 laps, Ryan Ruter took the lead with three laps to go in Thursday night’s 6th Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals main event at the Mineral City Speedway, but Ryan Gustin roared around the high side of the half-mile oval to regain the lead on the final lap and go on to win his ninth USMTS National Championship Series event of the 2012 campaign.

Ruter took the lead from polesitter Corey Dripps at the start of the 35-lapper and paced the first seven laps before Gustin powered into the lead on lap 8. Ruter momentarily edged ahead of Gustin to lead the 13th lap but Gustin came back again to regain the top spot the next orbit.

Gustin continued his charge for the next 17 laps before Ruter again had the advantage at the flagstand on lap 32. However, ‘The Reaper’ would not be denied as he blasted around the high side of the track and beat Ruter to the finish line by .188 of a second.

The $4,000 victory was the 12th overall USMTS win this season for the 21-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, and 59th of his short career. His first win came less than four years ago on Aug. 28, 2008, when he was just 17 years old.

Wednesday night’s winner, Jason Hughes, finished third behind Ruter while Terry Phillips and Chris Brown rounded out the top five finishers.

Sixth was Dean Mahlstedt, who recorded his best finish since returning to the cockpit two months ago. Richie Gustin passed 13 competitors to grab seventh and earn the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award.

Rodney Sanders, who took the checkers in a USMTS Casey’s Cup Series event here last month, brought home an eighth-place finish while Jeremy Payne and Johnny Scott wound up ninth and tenth, respectively.

The August kick-off tripleheader wraps up on Friday with a return trip to the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa, where Scott picked up the win last year after a memorable late-race battle with Zack VanderBeek and Jon Tesch.

This time the stakes are higher as the Best of the Best in open-wheel dirt modified racing return to the historic Cedar County Fairgrounds and Al & Kathy Dlouhy’s high-banked 1/4-mile clay oval for a $4,000-to-win USMTS National Championship Series clash.

Gates open 5 p.m., hot laps start at 6:30 and the first heat race takes to the track at 7 p.m. Adult grandstand tickets are $20, kids ages 6-12 are $8 and children 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

Local Legends Cars, Stock Cars, Four-Cylinders and Hobby Stocks will also be competing.

The Cedar County Raceway is located at the west edge of Tipton on 9th St. (at the Cedar County Fairgrounds). For more information, call 563-886-2328 or visit www.cedarcountyraceway.net online.

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/ustmts and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS National Championship Series
6th Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals
Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, Iowa
Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012

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 16 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. (2) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (1) 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion, Iowa.
3. (3) 1 T.J. Herndon, Atwood, Tenn.
4. (5) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa.
5. (6) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
6. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
7. (8) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
8. (9) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa.
9. (4) 98 Jeremy Brogaard (R), Kanawha, Iowa.
10. (10) 0 Richie Gustin, Gilman, Iowa.

HOOKER HARNESS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
2. (3) 68 J.J. Wise, Manly, Iowa.
3. (5) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
4. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (4) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa.
6. (9) 20z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
7. (8) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa.
8. (6) 99 Martin Bennett, Ankeny, Iowa.
9. (1) 20s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (5) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (6) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
4. (2) 11 Ryan Peckham, Corning, Iowa.
5. (8) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (9) 7 Eric Dailey, Armstrong, Iowa.
7. (7) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa.
8. (4) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
9. (3) 12h Dakota Hayden (R), Wilton, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, top 8 advance):
1. (1) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa.
2. (2) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
3. (8) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (4) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa.
5. (12) 0 Richie Gustin, Gilman, Iowa.
6. (10) 20s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (3) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
8. (6) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa.
9. (9) 98 Jeremy Brogaard (R), Kanawha, Iowa, Victory/KSE, $100.
10. (11) 12h Dakota Hayden (R), Wilton, Iowa, GRT/Sperry, $100.
11. (5) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, Harris/JRM, $100.
12. (7) 99 Martin Bennett, Ankeny, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, $100.

SWAN ENERGY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 35, $4000.
2. (3) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/Sput’s, 35, $2200.
3. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 35, $1600.
4. (8) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 35, $1200.
5. (6) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Skyrocket/RoushYates, 35, $1000.
6. (11) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa, GRT/Midstate, 35, $800.
7. (20) 0 Richie Gustin, Gilman, Iowa, GRT/Yeoman, 35, $800.
8. (12) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 35, $600.
9. (14) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/RoushYates, 35, $550.
10. (18) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ProPower, 35, $500.
11. (15) 7 Eric Dailey, Armstrong, Iowa, Skyrocket/Grawmondbeck’s, 35, $475.
12. (13) 11 Ryan Peckham, Corning, Iowa, IROC/PerfAuto, 35, $450.
13. (22) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa, Victory/JRM, 35, $350.
14. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 26, overheating, $400.
15. (5) 68 J.J. Wise, Manly, Iowa, Skyrocket/KSE, 25, mechanical, $300.
16. (17) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/RoushYates, 24, mechanical, $400.
17. (1) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/GMPP, 22, overheating, $400.
18. (2) 92 Jeff Stephens, Arion, Iowa, BMS/Spanel, 17, mechanical, $300.
19. (21) 20s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ProPower, 15, mechanical, $400.
20. (23) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa, GRT/Mullins, 15, mechanical, $400.
21. (19) 26 Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 14, engine, $400.
22. (16) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, 12, mechanical, $300.
23. (10) 1 T.J. Herndon, Atwood, Tenn. GRT/JRM, 11, mechanical, $400.
DNS - 20z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, 0, did not start, $400.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Integra Lap Leaders: Ruter 1-7, Ryan Gustin 8-12, Ruter 13, Ryan Gustin 14-31, Ruter 32-34, Ryan Gustin 35.
Total Laps Led: Ryan Gustin 24, Ruter 11.
Margin of Victory: 0.188 second.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Richie Gustin (started 20th, finished 7th).
Next Race: Friday, Aug. 3, Cedar County Raceway, Tipton, Iowa.
USMTS National Championship Series Points: Ryan Gustin 1896, Hughes 1748, Sanders 1651, Brown 1597, Shryock 1531, J. Scott 1528, Ramirez 1481, S. Scott 1474, VanderBeek 1452, Phillips 1385.
Rookie of the Year Points: S. Scott 2057, Hilsabeck 1422, Ron Keith 1219, Casey Penn 956, Thomas Tillison Jr. 789.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 362, Geddes 325, ProPower 299, Sput’s 280, RoushYates 206.
Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 427, GRT 380, Skyrocket 318, Sidebiter 160, Shaw 125.