LA MONTE, Mo. — With ten events in the books this season for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy, Ryan Gustin and Jason Hughes had already racked up seven wins between them going into Friday’s Schwab’s Tinker Shop Show-Me Shootout at the LA Raceway.

Hughes beat Gustin to the finish line at this same racetrack last August en route to winning the 2010 USMTS National Championship where Gustin wound up second in the final points standings.

Both drivers won their heat races in dominating fashion Friday night, with Gustin drawing the outside of row 2 and Hughes looming in the eighth spot for the start of the 40-lap main event.

When the green flag waved, Gustin wasted no time and charged underneath polesitter Rick Beebe just before the flagstand to lead the first lap just before the yellow flag slowed the action with one lap in the books.

In the five previous USMTS feature races at the speedplant in rural La Monte, Mo., only three cautions overall have been required. In fact, on two occasions the race has gone non-stop with every driver finishing the race.

That wasn’t the case this time as six cautions dotted the first 16 laps of Friday’s “A” Main and kept the field within striking distance of the leader, including Hughes who found himself on Gustin’s tail for the restart on lap 16.

Back under green, Dustin Boney dove into the first turn and slid up in front of Hughes to take over the runner-up spot. The pair traded punches for the next eight laps, but neither could mount a challenge to Gustin for the top spot.

The race’s seventh and final caution with 16 laps to go allowed Hughes to get by Boney on the restart, and then he and Gustin took off to settle it between themselves.

While “The Reaper” continued to set a blistering pace around the extreme high side of the racing surface, Hughes tried high, low and everywhere in between in search of a way around his 20-year-old apprentice.

Hughes dipped to the inside of Gustin as they came to the line to complete lap 34, but Gustin hit his marks in the next turn and pulled away again as they raced back to the start-finish line.

With the white flag in the air, Hughes again was back on Gustin’s rear bumper and after 39 flawless orbits around the semi-banked 4/10-mile dirt oval, Gustin bobbled in the first turn and Hughes pounced on the opportunity.

The pair drag-raced down the back-stretch with Hughes inching ahead as they entered the final turn. Gustin crossed over and looked to the inside to regain the position but was forced to follow Hughes to the finish line and had to settle for the runner-up position after leading every prior lap.

For Hughes, it tied him with Gustin at four wins on the season and put another $2,000 in his pocket.

Boney held on for second while Tim Donlinger came from 17th on the starting grid to finish fourth. Zack VanderBeek debuted his new 2011 Skyrocket Chassis and was impressive with a fourth-place finish after starting 16th.

Not to be outdone, Tommy Weder Jr. grabbed the final transfer spot in the third Real Racing Wheels “B” Main and made the most of it by passing 20 of his fellow competitors en route to a sixth-place finish and the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award.

Johnny Scott, Beebe, Steve Wetzstein and Colt Mather rounded out the top-10 finishers. Worthy of honorable mention, Kelly Shryock had to use a provisional starting spot to get into the main event but raced from 27th to finish eleventh while Jon Tesch started 25th and finished 12th.

The only Rookie-of-the-Year contender making the feature race was Brandon Davis of Medford, Minn. He won his heat race and started sixth in the main event. First-lap jitters may have helped him slide off the track on the opening lap, but after going to the back of the pack he settled in and brought home a 15th-place finish.

Not only was it Davis’ career-first USMTS event, it was the first-ever race behind the wheel of a full-blown Modified for the 2010 Wissota Midwest Mod national champion.

ONTO WINSTON ON SATURDAY

Although it has been nearly eight years since the USMTS Modifieds have thrown dirt at the I-35 Speedway in Winston, Mo., there were seven USMTS events staged at the 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.

John Allen picked up the win on March 29, 2002, in the first race at what was called Winston Speedway at the time. The next night saw Kelly Shryock take the checkers. The series returned in October for a three-day show with Shryock winning the first two features and John Van Den Berg taking home the $5,000 winner’s paycheck the third night.

Another doubleheader was held April 12-13, 2003, with Scott Drake and Mark Noble each picking up main event wins.

I-35 Speedway owners Mike and Kyle Johnson have taken advantage of some nice weather and completed some improvements at the facility, including fresh concrete in the grandstand area and countless hours of track preparation.

This will be the first USMTS points race for drivers competing in the Arnold Motor Supply Central States Region. Also on the racing card will be the season-opening event for the USRA Iron Man Challenge featuring USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods racing for $700 and $500 to win, respectively.

Pit gates open 4:30 p.m., grandstands open at 5, hot laps start at 6:30 and the green flag flies at 7 p.m.

An open practice for all classes is scheduled for Thursday, March 31, with gates opening at 4 p.m.

The I-35 Speedway is located 10 miles north of Cameron on SR 6 (exit 64). For more information, call the track at 660-749-5317 or visit www.i-35speedway.net online.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.comonline or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy

5th Annual Schwab’s Tinker Shop Show-Me Shootout

LA Raceway, La Monte, Mo.

Friday, April 1, 2011

 

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 “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

 

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):

1. (1) 4a Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.

2. (2) 11p Curt Potter, Boonville, Mo.

3. (5) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.

4. (9) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.

5. (7) 15r Jamie Ragland, Lebanon, Mo.

6. (6) 20 Jason Thompson, Concordia, Mo.

7. (8) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo.

8. (3) 9j Austin Jones, Ashland, Mo.

9. (4) 83t Brian Troxel, Sturgeon, Mo.

10. (10) 82 David Wood (R), Rayville, Mo.

 

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):

1. (2) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.

2. (4) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.

3. (6) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.

4. (8) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.

5. (3) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.

6. (9) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

7. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

8. (5) 70 Aaron Marrant, Orrick, Mo.

9. (10) 8 Wesley Summers, Wellington, Mo.

10. (1) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa.

 

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. (3) 50iii Brandon Davis (R), Medford, Minn.

2. (8) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City, Mo.

3. (4) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

4. (9) 52 Jason Thoennes, Garfield, Minn.

5. (7) 17 Lucas Conley, Spring Hill, Kan.

6. (5) 4r Brandon Kenny, Woodward, Okla.

7. (6) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa.

8. (1) 23 Justin Rexwinkle (R), South Coffeyville, Okla.

9. (2) 11s Scotty Bough (R), Nevada, Mo.

 

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

1. (8) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.

2. (2) 112 Justin Moon, Sedalia, Mo.

3. (4) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.

4. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.

5. (7) 17 Steve Stewart, Burlington, Iowa.

6. (6) 02 Kody Scholpp, Estevan, Sask., Canada.

7. (9) 25 Ron Keith (R), Shawnee, Kan.

8. (3) 5c Don Crnkovich, Olathe, Kan.

9. (1) 1L Clay Langley, Stover, Mo.

 

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. (2) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.

2. (3) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.

3. (1) 13 Joe Walker, Harrisonville, Mo.

4. (5) 16s Matt Johnson (R), Archie, Mo.

5. (7) 11g Josh Griggs (R), Dewey, Okla.

6. (9) 2 Jerry Standifer (R), Howe, Okla.

7. (4) 9 Corey Botkins, Colombia, Mo.

8. (6) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

9. (8) 12m Christopher Moon, Sedalia, Mo.

 

HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):

1. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.

2. (1) 90 Terry Schultz (R), Sedalia, Mo.

3. (3) 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo.

4. (5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

5. (6) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.

6. (8) 34a Jason Bodenhamer (R), Centerview, Mo.

7. (7) 88d Matt Dotson, Clark, Mo.

8. (4) 15m Shane Demey (R), Denison, Iowa.

9. (9) 67 Tim Dotson, Sturgeon, Mo.

 

HEAT RACE #7 (8 laps):

1. (2) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.

2. (4) 96L Chad Lyle, Oak Grove, Mo.

3. (6) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.

4. (5) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.

5. (9) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

6. (3) 39 Luke Driskell (R), Stilwell, Kan.

7. (10) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa.

8. (8) 711 Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa.

9. (7) 25p Mike Petersilie (R), Hoisington, Kan.

10. (1) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (4) 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo.

2. (3) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

3. (2) 52 Jason Thoennes, Garfield, Minn.

4. (6) 15r Jamie Ragland, Lebanon, Mo.

5. (11) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo., TRE/Ruble, $90.

6. (18) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Side Biter/KSE, $90.

7. (14) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s, $90.

8. (5) 16s Matt Johnson (R), Archie, Mo., Rocket/Morton, $90.

9. (7) 11g Josh Griggs (R), Dewey, Okla., Rocket/CNC, $90.

10. (17) 25p Mike Petersilie (R), Hoisington, Kan., 1stClass/AEM, $90.

11. (16) 1L Clay Langley, Stover, Mo., DirtWorks/Hatfield, $75.

12. (9) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa, IROC/PerfMach, $90.

13. (12) 9 Corey Botkins, Colombia, Mo., Skyrocket/Botkins, $75.

14. (13) 70 Aaron Marrant, Orrick, Mo., Marrant/Marrant, $75.

15. (8) 2 Jerry Standifer (R), Howe, Okla., Evolution/KSE, $90.

16. (1) 112 Justin Moon, Sedalia, Mo., Moon/Moon, $75.

17. (10) 02 Kody Scholpp, Estevan, Sask., Canada, TRE/Arizona, $75.

18. (15) 8 Wesley Summers, Wellington, Mo., BMS/, $75.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

2. (8) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.

3. (2) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.

4. (5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

5. (12) 88d Matt Dotson, Clark, Mo., /, $75.

6. (11) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

7. (10) 39 Luke Driskell (R), Stilwell, Kan., GRT/Driskell, $90.

8. (3) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan., Ramirez/Cline, $75.

9. (6) 17 Lucas Conley, Spring Hill, Kan., Hughes/Conley, $90.

10. (13) 23 Justin Rexwinkle (R), South Coffeyville, Okla., JRC/Kalvinator, $90.

11. (1) 90 Terry Schultz (R), Sedalia, Mo., Mach1/Schultz, $90.

12. (7) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark., TRE/Homegrown, $400.

13. (9) 20 Jason Thompson, Concordia, Mo., Hughes/Yancy’s, $75.

14. (16) 12m Christopher Moon, Sedalia, Mo., Moon/Moon, $75.

15. (14) 15m Shane Demey (R), Denison, Iowa, BMS/Demey, $90.

16. (15) 83t Brian Troxel, Sturgeon, Mo., StrayDog/BMS, $75.

17. (17) 82 David Wood (R), Rayville, Mo., Banshee/Wood, $90.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (5) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.

2. (2) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.

3. (7) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

4. (1) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.

5. (3) 13 Joe Walker, Harrisonville, Mo., /, $75.

6. (9) 4r Brandon Kenny, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/ProPower, $75.

7. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, $90.

8. (8) 34a Jason Bodenhamer (R), Centerview, Mo., DirtWorks/, $90.

9. (14) 711 Nate Caruth (R), Ames, Iowa, Shaw/Sput’s, $90.

10. (11) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, $75.

11. (6) 17 Steve Stewart, Burlington, Iowa, Stewart/Stewart, $75.

12. (13) 5c Don Crnkovich, Olathe, Kan., Rocket/Sput’s, $90.

13. (10) 25 Ron Keith (R), Shawnee, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, $90.

14. (15) 11s Scotty Bough (R), Nevada, Mo., DirtWorks/Tim’s, $90.

15. (12) 9j Austin Jones, Ashland, Mo., Skyrocket/Mullins, $75.

16. (17) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa, Skyrocket/MidStates, $75.

17. (16) 67 Tim Dotson, Sturgeon, Mo., /, $75.

 

“A” MAIN (40 laps):

1. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.

2. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1500.

3. (3) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City, Mo., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $1000.

4. (17) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $800.

5. (16) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $800.

6. (26) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $800.

7. (11) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 40, $750.

8. (1) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $600.

9. (13) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $450.

10. (19) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.

11. (27) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $450.

12. (25) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $425.

13. (18) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $400.

14. (9) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $375.

15. (6) 50iii Brandon Davis (R), Medford, Minn., BC/Rayburn, 40, $250.

16. (2) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $300.

17. (7) 4a Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn., Skyrocket/Action, 40, $250.

18. (15) 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo., TRE/MotorMachine, 40, $300.

19. (24) 15r Jamie Ragland, Lebanon, Mo., Allen/Richmont, 40, $300.

20. (22) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., Shaw/Mullins, 40, $400.

21. (21) 52 Jason Thoennes, Garfield, Minn., MasterSbilt/Sowers, 40, $250.

22. (10) 96L Chad Lyle, Oak Grove, Mo., GRT/RoushYates, 23, suspension, $300.

23. (12) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/KSE, 23, suspension, $300.

24. (20) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins, 14, mechanical, $300.

25. (14) 11p Curt Potter, Boonville, Mo., Hughes/Singer, 8, mechanical, $250.

26. (23) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 7, power steering, $400.

27. (5) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, GRT/PerfOnly, 3, mechanical, $300.

 

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

 

Integra Lap Leaders: Gustin 1-39, Hughes 40.

Total Laps Led: Gustin 39, Hughes 1.

Margin of Victory: 0.308 second.

AFCO Pole Winner: Gustin.

Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Weder (started 26th, finished 6th).

Ruter Farms Long Tow Award: Scott (1,069 miles).

Provisional Starters: Shryock.

Next Race: Saturday, April 2, I-35 Speedway, Winston, Mo.

Schwab’s Tinker Shop Mo-Kan Region Points: .

Rookie of the Year Points: Clyde Dunn Jr. 516, Jimmy Ray 460, Jeff Rowland 458, T.J. Herndon 453, Lucas Schott 450.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 102, ProPower 76, ASI 71, CB 47, Sput’s 42.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 107, Skyrocket 83, Pierce 52, GRT 52, Ramirez 48.

 

Contingency Awards:

American Racer – Tesch.

Eibach Springs – Davis.

Forty9Designs.com – Donlinger, Wetzstein.

Hooker Harness – Tesch.

Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Gustin.

ISKY Racing Cams – Alberts.

KSE Racing Products – Hughes.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Hansen.

New Vision Graphics – Timms.

Nitroquest – Standifer, Wood, Dennis.

Mesilla Valley Transportation – Weder.

PBM Performance Products – Gustin.

Real Racing Wheels – Burrell, Driskell, Sanders.

Ruter Farms – Scott.

 

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USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Swan Energy.

 

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Cheetos, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, SLAP Energy, Snickers.

 

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, DAY Motor Sports, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Dirt Track Racing School, DrySlik Dirt Trak Racewear, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Karl Performance Parts, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Race Cars, Ruter Farms, Schwab’s Tinker Shop, Sybesma Graphics, Yeager Machine.

 

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, COMP Cams, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Harness, Hypercoil Springs, ISKY Racing Cams, The Joie of Seating, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, RHS – Racing Head Service, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products.