KASSON, Minn. – The Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn., always seems to produce a nail-biting thriller whenever the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour pays a visit, and Sunday night’s 9th Annual Labor Day Klash was no different.
Johnny Scott, who clinched the 2010 DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Award one race earlier, raced his way into the redraw and drew the pole position for the 40-lap WIX Filters “A” Main and led the first three laps.
Mike Sorensen, who pocketed $4,100 with a victory the previous night at the Deer Creek Speedway, powered around the outside of Scott to take the lead on lap 4.
Sorensen paced the action through lap 10 but Steve Wetzstein found his way to the point after a few laps of door-to-door racing with Sorensen and proceeded to build a six-car-length lead over the field using the shortest route around the 1/3-mile dirt oval.
Meanwhile, Jon Tesch was grinding away at the high side cushion and making his way to the front from the 15th starting spot. He got around Scott for third on lap 19, and then passed Sorensen for second three laps later but Wetzstein’s quick pace and thick lapped traffic made cutting into the leader’s advantage a difficult task.
Tesch struggled for two laps to get around the lapped car of Doug Hillson, but Hillson wound up giving Tesch the break he needed when mechanical problems forced him to stop on the racing surface to bring out the race’s only caution on lap 33.
Back under green, Wetzstein and Tesch drove away from the field to battle for the win by themselves. With Wetzstein still way down low and Tesch running way up high, the two streaked down the back-stretch and front-stretch each lap side by side.
Tesch edged in front to lead lap 37 and the “Wizard of Watertown” never relinquished the lead again as he crossed beneath flagman Ryne Staley’s checkered flags less a car-length ahead of Wetzstein.
It was Tesch’s third $3,000 triumph in the last six days after going winless for the season until taking a rain-shortened win on Tuesday in Marshalltown, Iowa, and his second career win in Kasson.
Wetzstein earned a healthy runner-up paycheck to help alleviate the heartbreak while 2007 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn finished third ahead of Scott.
Zack VanderBeek failed to qualify for the main event the previous night, but made up for it Sunday night as he climbed to fifth at the finish after starting 20th on the 26-car grid and earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award by passing one more car than Tesch.
Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Jason Cummins, Rodney Sanders, Sorensen, Bobby Swanson and 2010 Dodge County Speedway track champion Josh Angst.
For the drivers chasing Jason Hughes in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship presented by Bad Boy Mowers, it was a rare opportunity to help narrow the points gap.
Second-ranked Ryan Gustin finished 11th in the main event, holding Hughes to a 12th-place finish and his first finish outside of the top-10 in the first 14 events of ‘The Hunt.’
Hughes’ advantage is now 85 points over Gustin with five races left to determine the 2010 USMTS National Champion. Tommy Myer lost ground but is still third, 123 markers behind the leader. Fourth is VanderBeek (-126), followed by Krohn (-213), Kelly Shryock (-238), Sanders (-308), Dereck Ramirez (-326), Tesch (-354) and Scott (-371).
OFFICIAL RESULTS
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship presented by Bad Boy Mowers
9th Annual Labor Day Klash
Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn.
Sunday, September 5, 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 14 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the WIX Filters “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
2. (2) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
3. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla.
4. (3) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
5. (4) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
6. (6) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
7. (7) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
8. (8) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
9. (9) 66 Tony Vaith, Kasson, Minn.
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (7) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
3. (3) 91 Curt Myers (R), Cameron, Wis.
4. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (5) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
6. (2) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
7. (4) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
8. (9) 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis.
9. (6) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.
2. (3) 99s Bobby Swanson (R), Kasson, Minn.
3. (5) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
4. (4) 1r Ryan York, Racine, Minn.
5. (7) 7c Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa.
6. (8) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa.
7. (9) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.
8. (1) 28 Bill Clemens, Chatfield, Minn.
9. (6) 110 Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
2. (5) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.
4. (6) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
5. (2) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn.
6. (4) 4a Joel Alberts (R), Mantorville, Minn.
7. (8) R4 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
8. (7) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
9. (9) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn.
AWESOMERACESUITS.COM HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn.
2. (2) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn.
3. (3) 4 Ben Mattick, Mantorville, Minn.
4. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
5. (7) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
6. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
7. (8) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn.
8. (4) 17s Mike Spaulding, Bemidji, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
2. (4) 7c Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa.
3. (12) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
4. (7) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
5. (3) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
6. (5) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
7. (10) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn., $90.
8. (1) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., $400.
9. (8) 4a Joel Alberts (R), Mantorville, Minn., $90.
10. (6) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn., $90.
11. (14) 66 Tony Vaith, Kasson, Minn., $75.
12. (15) 110 Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., $90.
13. (13) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn., $75.
14. (11) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., $90.
15. (9) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., $90.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (4) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
3. (8) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (1) 4 Ben Mattick, Mantorville, Minn.
5. (5) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
6. (10) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
7. (6) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa, $90.
8. (7) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn., $75.
9. (3) 1r Ryan York, Racine, Minn., $75.
10. (9) R4 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa, $75.
11. (13) 17s Mike Spaulding, Bemidji, Minn., $90.
12. (14) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., $75.
13. (11) 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis., $75.
14. (15) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn., $75.
15. (12) 28 Bill Clemens, Chatfield, Minn., $75.
WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (15) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $3000.
2. (4) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1500.
3. (8) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1000.
4. (1) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 40, $900.
5. (20) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $800.
6. (3) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $700.
7. (19) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $650.
8. (2) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $600.
9. (5) 99s Bobby Swanson (R), Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $550.
10. (10) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
11. (16) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $450.
12. (11) 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $425.
13. (13) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/ProPower, 40, $400.
14. (23) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $375.
15. (18) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $400.
16. (24) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, 40, $300.
17. (6) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $300.
18. (12) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $400.
19. (26) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, Harris/JR, 40, $300.
20. (17) 7c Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa, Shaw/Sput’s, 38, mechanical, $300.
21. (9) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 35, mechanical, $300.
22. (21) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Hillson/CRE, 33, mechanical, $300.
23. (25) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Kraft/Sput’s, 33, mechanical, $300.
24. (22) 4 Ben Mattick, Mantorville, Minn., Fegers/Smith, 31, mechanical, $250.
25. (14) 91 Curt Myers (R), Cameron, Wis., Shaw/Mullins, 31, mechanical, $300.
26. (7) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 18, mechanical, $300.
(R) = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.
WIX Filters Lap Leaders: J. Scott 1-3, Sorensen 4-10, Wetzstein 11-36, Tesch 37-40.
Total Laps Led: Wetzstein 26, Sorensen 7, Tesch 4, Scott 3.
Margin of Victory: 0.742 second.
AFCO Pole Winner: Cummins.
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 20th, finished 5th).
Next Race: Monday, Sept. 20, Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Championship Points: Hughes 1351, Gustin 1266, Myer 1228, VanderBeek 1225, Krohn 1138, Shryock 1113, Sanders 1043, Ramirez 1025, Tesch 997, J. Scott 980.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: J. Scott 1758, Schott 803, Nick Deal 772, Myers 759, Mark Elliott 748.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 424, Mullins 422, ASI 232, ProPower 206, JR 163.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 423, Skyrocket 408, GRT 348, Ramirez 285, BC 187.
Contingency Awards:
Ai-Racing – Swanson.
American Racer – VanderBeek.
ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems – Shryock.
Dart Machinery – Hughes.
Eibach Springs – Krohn.
Forty9Designs.com – J. Scott, Swanson.
Hooker Harness – Ramirez.
Isky Racing Cams – Wetzstein.
KSE Racing Products – Krohn.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Mather.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Gustin.
PBM Performance Products – VanderBeek.
Quarter Master – Tesch, Sorensen.
QuickTime – Sanders.
Real Racing Wheels – Noble, Hejna.
Schoenfeld Headers – Mather.
WIX Filters – Tesch, Wetzstein.
