No last-lap surprises, Phillips claims Featherlite Fall Jamboree trophy Friday night

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. – With just a few hundred feet left to go in last year’s Featherlite Fall Jamboree finale, Terry Phillips had the checkered flag in his sights when Jason Hughes pulled alongside and beat him by a bumper to the checkered flag with a dramatic last-lap pass that has been talked about for the last twelve months.

Friday night at this year’s 12th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree, there were no late-race heroics and no last-lap disappointment for Phillips as the second-generation veteran racer from Springfield, Mo. captured his first win in dirt Modified racing’s crown jewel.

After rain washed out Thursday’s program, the event kicked off Friday night with 108 USMTS Modifieds checking in to do battle on Deer Creek Speedway’s 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval.

Twenty drivers qualified for the main event through eight 15-lap heat races while another ten rounded out the 30-car field for the 40-lap WIX Filters “A” Main by finishing first or second in one of five Real Racing Wheels “B” Mains.

Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie earned the AFCO Pole Award by earning the most passing points during qualifying, but it was Darrin Walch of Postville, Iowa, who drew the pole position and led the field to the green flag.

Walch led the first two circuits before Myer, who started third, powered into the lead with a high-side pass.

Myer cruised out front for the next 17 laps while steamy battles were going on throughout the field behind him, but the race’s first caution waved on lap 19 when Kelly Shryock and Steve Wetzstein got together in turn 2.

On the restart, Myer found himself on the outside of a three-wide sprint down the back-stretch with Phillips and Jon Tesch. Phillips dove hardest and deepest into turn 3 and slid up in front of Myer to grab the top spot away as they completed lap 20.

Three laps later, the red flag waved when Corey Dripps took a wild ride down the front-stretch wall and came to a rest on all four wheels at the top of turn 1. “Mr. Excitement” was uninjured in the spectacular crash, but his machine was badly damaged.

Phillips maintained the lead as the field went back to green while Tesch slipped underneath Myer for second while Jeremy Payne, Mark Noble and Shane Hebert slugged it out for their place in the top 5.

Meanwhile, the top two points-chasers in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship presented by Bad Boy Mowers – Jason Hughes and Ryan Gustin – were slicing their way to the front.

Phillips and Tesch checked out over the final caution-free 17 laps with Phillips beating Tesch to the finish line by two car-lengths to pocket the $5,000 winner’s share of the prize money.

Myer held on for third, followed by Payne, Hughes, Gustin, Noble, Mike Sorensen, Hebert and Tommy Weder Jr. rounding out the top-10 at the flagstand.

Hughes dealt a near-death blow to his pursuers in the points by racing to fifth from 17th on the starting grid and earning the most points of all combatants in ‘The Hunt.’

With just two events remaining to determine the 2010 USMTS National Champion, Hughes expanded his points lead to 87 over Gustin. After the big money show on Saturday night, if Hughes can take that same margin into Sunday’s program, he can clinch the title simply by earning the minimum 45 points for showing up.

Myer sits third in the standings, but will need nothing short of a miracle to be able to reel in Hughes and claim the crown. Zack VanderBeek is fourth, followed by Shryock, Jason Krohn, Rodney Sanders, Tesch, Dereck Ramirez and Tim Donlinger.

In the COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year points, the battle is coming down to the wire between Sput’s Racing Engines and Mullins Race Engines. Sput’s leads Mullins by a single point going into the final two nights of action, but Mullins hold the tie-breaker advantage by virtue of more wins during the 2010 campaign.

While Hughes did not clinch the USMTS drivers’ championship Friday night, his creations put a lock on the 2010 Chassis Builders Championship. Hughes Racing Chassis has a 20-point lead over Skyrocket Chassis after Friday night’s feature, and cannot be overtaken. It’s the first win for the Hughes racecars after a three-year dominating run by the Skyrockets.


OFFICIAL RESULTS
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship presented by Bad Boy Mowers
12th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Friday, September 24, 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 20 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the WIX Filters “A” Main, with the top 12 re-drawing for starting positions 1-12.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (15 laps):
1. (2) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (9) 5w Darrin Walch, Postville, Iowa.
3. (5) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
4. (1) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
5. (13) 26f Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa.
6. (6) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa.
7. (8) 17s Mike Spaulding, Bemidji, Minn.
8. (14) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
9. (7) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn.
10. (10) 28 Bill Clemens, Chatfield, Minn.
11. (4) 6t7 Brian Albrecht, Winona, Minn.
12. (11) 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas.
13. (3) 26p Kevin Pittman, Waterloo, Iowa.
14. (12) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn.

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (15 laps):
1. (1) 99s Bobby Swanson (R), Kasson, Minn.
2. (7) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn.
4. (10) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.
5. (12) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
6. (13) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
7. (2) 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis.
8. (9) 73 Dan Ratajczak, Luxemburg, Wis.
9. (6) 91x Shawn Ryan, Waterloo, Iowa.
10. (14) 97 Ron Schreiner, Hudson, Wis.
11. (11) 7m Michael Darnall (R), West Union, Iowa.
12. (4) 1a Dwaine Hanson, Lakefield, Minn.
13. (8) 5 Colter Deutsch, Ellsworth, Minn.
14. (5) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.

SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3 (15 laps):
1. (2) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
2. (5) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
4. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (1) 31t Trent Follmer, Elk River, Minn.
6. (13) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
7. (11) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa.
8. (6) 37 Scott Ward, Watertown, S.D.
9. (12) 17 Lucas Conley (R), Spring Hill, Kan.
10. (9) 35k Ron Konkel, Caledonia, Minn.
11. (8) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
12. (10) 1t Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.
13. (4) M80 Jim Mathieson, Sioux City, Iowa.
14. (14) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (15 laps):
1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
2. (8) 12e Mark Elliott (R), Webster City, Iowa.
3. (9) X Mike Wedelstadt, New London, Wis.
4. (10) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
5. (7) 59 Hank Rollinger Jr., Buffalo City, Wis.
6. (11) 14j Jake Neal, Omaha, Neb.
7. (13) 1m Julie Wedelstadt, New London, Wis.
8. (3) 13 Eddie Lemay Jr., Milwaukee, Wis.
9. (6) 14t Tristan Dycus (R), Midlothian, Texas.
10. (12) 14s Scott Stiffler, Farmdale, Ohio.
11. (4) 3b Allen Barber, Tyler, Minn.
12. (2) 11s Ken Even, Waterloo, Iowa.
13. (5) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa.

MIKE’S HARD LEMONADE HEAT RACE #5 (15 laps):
1. (2) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.
2. (12) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
3. (4) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
4. (5) 00 J.D. Auringer, Waterloo, Iowa.
5. (11) 6m Ted Marrs, Bethel, Minn.
6. (10) 7x Rory Jordan (R), Victoria, Texas.
7. (13) 10x Troy Kruit, White, S.D.
8. (7) 20f John Fellman, Blue Grass, Iowa.
9. (8) 19k Marlin Kracht, Luverne, Minn.
10. (6) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
11. (3) 60 William Gould, Calera, Okla.
12. (9) 12m Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis.
13. (1) 21x Joe Wernecke, Dodge Center, Minn.

FARM BOY BBQ SAUCE HEAT RACE #6 (15 laps):
1. (6) 74x Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
2. (7) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
3. (11) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (2) R4 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
5. (5) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.
6. (10) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.
7. (13) 02b Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
8. (12) 7c Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa.
9. (8) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
10. (9) 8m Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas.
11. (1) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
12. (3) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.
13. (4) 85 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.

L & D AG SERVICE HEAT RACE #7 (15 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (3) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
3. (6) 96x Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.
4. (5) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn.
5. (10) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
6. (7) 71t Troy Cordes, Raymond, Iowa.
7. (13) 86 Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan.
8. (11) 1 Dan Chapman, Clarence, Iowa.
9. (2) 31 Jason Voigt (R), St. Cloud, Minn.
10. (8) 4g Chris Gilbertson (R), Trempealeau, Wis.
11. (4) 02r Aaron Rake, Beaver Dam, Wis.
12. (12) 110 Adam Hensel, Barron, Wis.
13. (9) 82k Dave Kuykendall, Clear Lake, Iowa.

DAKOTA BUMPER HEAT RACE #8 (15 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla.
2. (3) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
3. (11) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
4. (5) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (10) 4a Joel Alberts (R), Mantorville, Minn.
6. (6) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
7. (9) 18x John Anderson, Omaha, Neb.
8. (8) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
9. (12) 96 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn.
10. (7) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
11. (4) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn.
12. (2) 63 Ryan Whitworth (R), Humboldt, Kan.
13. (14) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn.
14. (13) 56 Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (20 laps, top 2 advance):
1. (4) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (1) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (11) 19k Marlin Kracht, Luverne, Minn., $50.
4. (5) 59 Hank Rollinger Jr., Buffalo City, Wis., $50.
5. (3) 4a Joel Alberts (R), Mantorville, Minn., $50.
6. (6) 86 Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan., $50.
7. (8) 7c Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa, $50.
8. (17) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa, $50.
9. (2) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., $50.
10. (15) 1t Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D., $50.
11. (9) 17 Lucas Conley (R), Spring Hill, Kan., $50.
12. (12) 35k Ron Konkel, Caledonia, Minn., $50.
13. (7) 71t Troy Cordes, Raymond, Iowa, $50.
14. (10) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, $50.
15. (16) 63 Ryan Whitworth (R), Humboldt, Kan., $50.
16. (13) 6t7 Brian Albrecht, Winona, Minn., $50.
17. (14) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., $50.
18. (18) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M., $50.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (20 laps, top 2 advance):
1. (3) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
2. (1) 96x Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.
3. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., $50.
4. (10) 97 Ron Schreiner, Hudson, Wis., $50.
5. (7) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn., $50.
6. (4) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, $50.
7. (13) 7m Michael Darnall (R), West Union, Iowa, $50.
8. (9) 96 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn., $50.
9. (17) 21x Joe Wernecke, Dodge Center, Minn., $50.
10. (14) 02r Aaron Rake, Beaver Dam, Wis., $50.
11. (15) 11s Ken Even, Waterloo, Iowa, $50.
12. (16) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn., $50.
13. (12) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn., $50.
14. (11) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, $50.
15. (5) 7x Rory Jordan (R), Victoria, Texas, $50.
16. (6) 31t Trent Follmer, Elk River, Minn., $50.
17. (18) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa, $50.
18. (8) 17s Mike Spaulding, Bemidji, Minn., $50.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (20 laps, top 2 advance):
1. (3) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
2. (2) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn.
3. (6) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, $50.
4. (11) 31v Jason Voigt (R), St. Cloud, Minn., $50.
5. (10) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn., $50.
6. (17) 85 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn., $50.
7. (1) 26f Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa, $50.
8. (7) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa, $50.
9. (16) 26p Kevin Pittman, Waterloo, Iowa, $50.
10. (14) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn., $50.
11. (12) 8m Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas, $50.
12. (13) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa, $50.
13. (18) 56 Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa, $50.
14. (9) 37 Scott Ward, Watertown, S.D., $50.
15. (15) 12m Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis., $50.
16. (4) 00 J.D. Auringer, Waterloo, Iowa, $50.
17. (8) 1 Dan Chapman, Clarence, Iowa, $50.
18. (5) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., $50.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #4 (20 laps, top 2 advance):
1. (1) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
2. (2) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
3. (5) 1m Julie Wedelstadt, New London, Wis., $50.
4. (7) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., $50.
5. (4) R4 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa, $50.
6. (12) 4g Chris Gilbertson (R), Trempealeau, Wis., $50.
7. (10) 91x Shawn Ryan, Waterloo, Iowa, $50.
8. (6) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa, $50.
9. (11) 14s Scott Stiffler, Farmdale, Ohio, $50.
10. (9) 13 Eddie Lemay Jr., Milwaukee, Wis., $50.
11. (13) 3b Allen Barber, Tyler, Minn., $50.
12. (3) 6m Ted Marrs, Bethel, Minn., $50.
13. (16) 5 Colter Deutsch, Ellsworth, Minn., $50.
14. (14) 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas, $50.
15. (15) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, $50.
16. (8) 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis., $50.
17. (17) 82k Dave Kuykendall, Clear Lake, Iowa, $50.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #5 (20 laps, top 2 advance):
1. (3) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn.
2. (2) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
3. (1) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., $50.
4. (4) 14j Jake Neal, Omaha, Neb., $50.
5. (7) 18x John Anderson, Omaha, Neb., $50.
6. (17) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn., $50.
7. (5) 02b Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., $50.
8. (12) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn., $50.
9. (10) 14t Tristan Dycus (R), Midlothian, Texas, $50.
10. (13) 60 William Gould, Calera, Okla., $50.
11. (14) 1a Dwaine Hanson, Lakefield, Minn., $50.
12. (8) 73 Dan Ratajczak, Luxemburg, Wis., $50.
13. (11) 28 Bill Clemens, Chatfield, Minn., $50.
14. (6) 10x Troy Kruit, White, S.D., $50.
15. (9) 20f John Fellman, Blue Grass, Iowa, $50.
16. (16) M80 Jim Mathieson, Sioux City, Iowa, $50.
17. (15) 110 Adam Hensel, Barron, Wis., $50.

WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $5000.
2. (2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $3000.
3. (3) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $2000.
4. (6) 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $1500.
5. (17) 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1200.
6. (9) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1000.
7. (10) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Kraft/Sput’s, 40, $900.
8. (13) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $800.
9. (8) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Hughes/ASI, 40, $700.
10. (11) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $600.
11. (20) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $575.
12. (18) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $550.
13. (5) 12 Mark Elliott (R), Webster City, Iowa, Harris/Sput’s, 40, $525.
14. (1) 5w Darrin Walch, Postville, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
15. (26) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
16. (29) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $500.
17. (14) 99s Bobby Swanson (R), Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
18. (16) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $500.
19. (21) 1st Johnny Scott (R), Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 40, $500.
20. (22) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
21. (27) 96 Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn., Fegers/Ihrke, 40, $500.
22. (12) X Mike Wedelstadt, New London, Wis., Sidebiter/Yeoman, 40, $500.
23. (28) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn., Fegers/Sput’s, 40, $500.
24. (15) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $500.
25. (24) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
26. (7) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn., Skyrocket/AMD, 39, $500.
27. (30) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Dickens, 39, $500.
28. (19) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, 23, crash, $500.
29. (23) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 19, suspension, $500.
30. (25) 99 Josh Angst (R), Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 11, transmission, $500.

(R) = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.

WIX Filters Lap Leaders: Walch 1-2, Myer 3-19, Phillips 20-40.
Total Laps Led: Phillips 21, Myer 17, Walch 2.
Margin of Victory: 0.719 second.
AFCO Pole Winner: Myer.
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Cummins (started 29th, finished 16th).
Next Race: Saturday, Sept. 25, Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Championship Points: Hughes 1545, Gustin 1458, Myer 1415, VanderBeek 1373, Shryock 1243, Krohn 1212, Sanders 1195, Tesch 1152, Ramirez 1128, Donlinger 1112.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: J. Scott 1759, Schott 947, Elliott 904, Curt Myers 812, Angst 811.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 451, Mullins 450, ASI 238, ProPower 219, JR 175.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 452, Skyrocket 432, GRT 374, Ramirez 302, BC 201, Harris 201.