Gustin gets second in Modifieds, challenges in Late Model main at Texas Motor Speedway

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Three first-time champions were crowned Saturday evening as Shane Hebert won the SUPR Late Model title, John Whittington the Limited Modifieds and Rodney Sanders the Modifieds during two-day, 237-entry Port-A-Cool Texas World Dirt Track Championship at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track.

Hebert, a 33-year-old native of Lafayette, La., had the most dramatic run of the group as he stormed from the 14th starting position in the 22-car main event to capture his first Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track championship. He quickly carved through the field in the 40-lap main to get in contention, but it wasn’t until Lap 36 that Hebert grabbed second from the fading two-time champion, Rob Litton.

It took only two more laps for the surging Hebert wrestle the lead from Allgayer Motorsports teammate, Jeremy Payne and then pulled away for the victory.

Sanders, of Happy, Texas, won his seventh race of the year, but his first championship at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track with the Modified title. Starting on the pole, Sanders maintained the lead until Lap 32. Between Laps 32 and 34, there were four lead changes between Sanders and fellow USMTS competitor, Ryan Gustin. Sanders and Gustin battled through lapped traffic before Sanders took the lead for the final time with six laps remaining of the 40-lap main.

“We were kind of slide jobbing each other and it was a fun kind of racing,” Sanders said. “We race with (Gustin) a lot and he’s a good racer. Always tough to beat and I’m glad to finally win one.

RESULTS

SUPR Late Model
1. Shane Hebert
2. Rob Litton
3. Jeremy Payne
4. Jason Krohn
5. Timothy Culp
6. Morgan Bagley
7. Kevin Sitton
8. Chase Allen
9. Ray Moore
10. Sean Jones
11. Patrick Daniel
12. Jim Bryant
13. Wendall Bolden
14. Tyler Erb
15. Jeff Chandler
16. Steve Whiteaker, Jr.
17. Chris Brown
18. Gary Christian
19. Jon Mitchell
20. Ryan Gustin
21. Jesse Stovall
22. Zachary McMillan

Modified
1. Rodney Sanders
2. Ryan Gustin
3. Chris Brown
4. Bobby Malchus
5. Chris Henigan
6. Rany Timms
7. Josh Landers
8. Dustin Hyde
9. Garrett Gregory
10. Dennie Gieber
11. Triston Dycus
12. Steve Whitaker, Jr.
13. Tracy Denby, Jr.
14. Mickey Lassiter
15. Troy Taylor
16. Paul White
17. Morgan Bagley
18. Jamie Burford
19. Ronald Pilkington
20. John Whittington
21. Clyde Dunn, Jr.
22. Chris Huckeba
23. David Hennan
24. Kyle Sweeney
25. Bryan Mewborn
26. Dillon Pike