SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-Unable to extend his eight-race win streak on Friday night in Batesville, Rodney Sanders bounced back Saturday and captured round 2 of the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s National Championship, holding off a pair of hometown heroes by the slimmest of margins at the Springfield Raceway.
From the pole, the defending USMTS national champion took control at the waving of the green flag and led all 40 laps to extend his points lead in ‘The Hunt’ and record his 18th United States Modified Touring Series main event win of the season-exactly half of his 36 career series triumphs.

While Sanders jumped out to an early lead, Terry Phillips bolted from the fourth row to grab third on the first lap and then move into the runner-up spot by the end of lap 2 with Kelly Shryock following suit and securing the third position.

But despite his quick launch to the front of the field, Phillips was unable to make a bid for the lead as Sanders navigated the quarter-mile Springfield oval to perfection with each passing lap.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Payne was methodically picking up positions from his 11th starting spot. He climbed to fifth by lap 11, and then roared past both Zack VanderBeek and Shryock into third on lap 18.

With five laps to go, Payne snuck by Phillips for second and began to reel in Sanders.

A final charge on the final lap saw Payne pull even with Sanders in the final turn and the lead duo crossed beneath the checkered flags in a virtual dead heat with Sanders beating Payne to the line by a mere five hundredths of a second.

Phillips held on for a third-place finish behind his former teammate and fellow Springfield resident while VanderBeek and Rookie of the Year contender Cade Dillard rounded out the top 5.

Although Payne passed nine cars, Jordan Grabouski earned the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award as he got around 13 of his foes to garner the sixth spot.

Shryock was seventh, Johnny Scott came from 14th to eighth, Brian Green wound up ninth and Jeff Cutshaw completed the first 10 to the finish line.

With the $3,000 win, Sanders expanded his points lead in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s National Championship to 44 points (285 to 241) over Shryock. VanderBeek climbed to third in the rankings with 237 markers, followed by Johnny Scott (236), Daniel Hilsabeck (225), Stormy Scott (224), Dereck Ramirez (215), Phillips (204), Joe Duvall (194) and Dillard (177).

Action moves to the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo., on Sunday. Grandstands open at 5 p.m. at the Grand Ol’ Lady with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30. General admission is $20 for adults, juniors ages 12 to 15 years old are $5 and kids 11 years old and under get in for free. Pit passes are $35. Support classes will be B-Mods, Pro-4s, Midwest Mods and Pure Stocks.

Race Fans can pick up coupons good for $2 off adult admission at both Casey’s General Stores locations in Monett on race day. Hilsabeck and his #22d AMP Energy machine will be meeting and greeting fans from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the 728 U.S. Hwy. 60 West location prior to the race. Log on to www.caseys.com to find the location nearest you.

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/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts or check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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United States Modified Touring Series
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s National Championship – Round 2 of 20
Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
Saturday, Aug. 2, 2014

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races were locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

C&R RACING HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (3) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
2. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (1) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
4. (7) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
5. (6) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa.
6. (8) 38c Jason Pursley, Hermitage, Mo.
7. (4) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (5) 21t Lance Town (R), Louisburg, Kan.

JRi SHOCKS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (3) 227 Chase Domer, Nevada, Mo.
3. (2) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
4. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (5) 2 Kenny Gaddis, Hallsville, Texas.
6. (4) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
7. (7) 35 Jerry Lankton, Lampe, Mo.
8. (8) 66 Nick Whitehead, Springfield, Mo.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo.
2. (1) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo.
3. (5) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
4. (8) 98 Jeff Cutshaw, Cross Timbers, Mo.
5. (2) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
6. (6) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (7) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
8. (4) 7 Sean Gaddis, Hallsville, Texas.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 97 Cade Dillard (R), Robeline, La.
2. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (5) 99h Trevor Hunt, Kearney, Mo.
4. (3) 75g Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
5. (4) 160 Michael Maggard, Springfield, Mo.
6. (1) 17 Lucas Conley, Spring Hill, Kan.
7. (7) 5 Tom Diers (R), Rogersville, Mo.

SPIDERWEB STORAGE SOLUTIONS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (2) J17 Jake Gallardo (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (4) 71 Jim Body, Diamond, Mo.
4. (1) 8s Jon Sheets, Nevada, Mo.
5. (7) 40 Brian Green, Pierce City, Mo.
6. (5) 26p Bobby Pearish, Oronogo, Mo.
7. (3) 7d Austin Theiss (R), Hockley, Texas.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 98 Jeff Cutshaw, Cross Timbers, Mo.
2. (5) 40 Brian Green, Pierce City, Mo.
3. (2) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
4. (4) 75g Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
5. (3) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
6. (10) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (6) 2 Kenny Gaddis, Hallsville, Texas, Hughes/PTS, $80.
8. (11) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., FastMaster/Sput’s, $100.
9. (8) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., TRE/BMS, $80.
10. (9) 17 Lucas Conley, Spring Hill, Kan., Cheata/Heeter, $80.
11. (12) 7d Austin Theiss (R), Hockley, Texas, LG2/Durham, $100.
12. (7) 160 Michael Maggard, Springfield, Mo., Shaw/Max, $80.
13. (13) 66 Nick Whitehead, Springfield, Mo., Hoffman/Yeoman, $80.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (3) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (5) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa.
3. (4) 8s Jon Sheets, Nevada, Mo.
4. (2) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
5. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (7) 38c Jason Pursley, Hermitage, Mo., Allen/Midstate, $80.
7. (10) 35 Jerry Lankton, Lampe, Mo., Hoffman/Yeoman, $80.
8. (6) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
9. (12) 21t Lance Town (R), Louisburg, Kan., Hughes/Driskell, $100.
10. (1) 71 Jim Body, Diamond, Mo., Hoffman/Garrison, $80.
11. (13) 7 Sean Gaddis, Hallsville, Texas, Harris/Brown, $80.
12. (11) 5 Tom Diers (R), Rogersville, Mo., Hoffman/Yeoman, $100.
13. (9) 26p Bobby Pearish, Oronogo, Mo., Hoffman/Yeoman, $80.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 40, $3000.
2. (11) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $1500.
3. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $1200.
4. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput’s, 40, $1000.
5. (5) 97 Cade Dillard (R), Robeline, La., LG2/105, 40, $900.
6. (19) 75g Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $900.
7. (3) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ASI, 40, $700.
8. (14) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Ramirez/Cornett, 40, $650.
9. (15) 40 Brian Green, Pierce City, Mo., Chaos/GMPP, 40, $500.
10. (13) 98 Jeff Cutshaw, Cross Timbers, Mo., Hoffman/Design, 40, $450.
11. (2) 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo., GRT/SCP, 40, $400.
12. (22) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Mullins, 40, $450.
13. (17) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark., TRE/Homegrown, 40, $350.
14. (16) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $400.
15. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/Cornett, 40, $400.
16. (6) 227 Chase Domer, Nevada, Mo., GRT/Schultz, 40, $275.
17. (21) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla., GRT/Durham, 40, $250.
18. (18) 8s Jon Sheets, Nevada, Mo., Extreme/Hatfield, 40, $250.
19. (10) J17 Jake Gallardo (R), Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/AOS, 40, $300.
20. (12) 99h Trevor Hunt, Kearney, Mo., GRT/Spanel, 40, $300.
21. (20) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $300.
22. (23) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, 40, $400.
23. (24) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., MBCustom/Mullins, 39, $400.
24. (9) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo., TRE/BMS, 39, $300.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leader: Sanders 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.052 second.
Provisional Starters: S. Scott, Beebe.
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: VanderBeek.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Grabouski (started 19th, finished 6th).
Next Race: Sunday, Aug. 3, Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.
Hunt for the Casey’s National Championship Points: Sanders 285, Shryock 241, VanderBeek 237, J. Scott 236, Hilsabeck 225, S. Scott 224, Ramirez 215, Phillips 204, Duvall 194, Dillard 177.
Rookie of the Year Points: Gallardo 1737, Adam Penn 1436, Dillard 1340, Dylan Smith 1298, Theiss 935.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: ProPower 339, Sput’s 338, Geddes 312, Mullins 228, ASI 165.
Tiger Quick Change Manufacturers Championship Points: LG2 386, MBCustom 364, Ramirez 301, GRT 297, Hughes 245.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Bone.
Beyea Custom Headers – Theiss.
Brass Monkey Racing Products – not awarded.
C&R Racing – Shryock.
Edelbrock – not awarded.
FK Rod Ends – Ramirez.
Forty9Designs.com – Hilsabeck, Gallardo.
Fuel Safe – Grabouski.
GRT Race Cars – Allen.
Hooker Harness – not awarded.
JRi Shocks – Sanders.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – not awarded.
Keyser Manufacturing – not awarded.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Beebe.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Grabouski.
MSD Ignition – Sanders, Payne.
PBM Performance Products – Dillard, Sanders.
Power Lift Racing Products – not awarded.
Real Racing Wheels – Junghans, Theiss, Town, Diers.
Sybesma Graphics – VanderBeek.
VP Racing Fuels – Sanders.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AMP Energy, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, SpiderWeb Modular Storage Solutions, Swan Energy, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Double H Bands, ElbowsUp.com, Erson Cams, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Major League Bowhunter, Mesilla Valley Transportation, New Vision Graphics, Olympic Fire Protection, Penn Transport, Road Runner Crane, Road Runner Trucking, S&S Fishing & Rental, United Cellular Services.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, Brass Monkey Racing Products, C&R Racing, CPD Racing Tools, Edelbrock, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Power Lift Racing Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends.