MARCH 3, 2017   by Jeff Nun, Another night of USMTS racing at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway. Another white-knuckle ride for the fans. And a fourth win for Cade Dillard.

The second night of the 6th Annual Cajun Clash on Friday backed up the barn-burner on Thursday night with a 40-lap main event battle at Gene Boyter’s high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval in Vivian, La.

But in the end, the cream rose to the top as Cade Dillard of nearby Robeline, La., notched his fourth feature win of the 2017 campaign to extend his points lead in the Summit Racing USMTS Southern Region presented by Production Jars.

Wheeling the No. 97 S&S Fishing & Rental MB Customs machine from the fourth row, Dillard tracked down early leader Zack VanderBeek to snag the lead with just seven laps in the books.

“I thought we had a pretty good car from the beginning, but the track changed so much so fast I had no clue where to run,” Dillard said during his victory lane interview with RacinDirt.com. “I got to that lapped traffic pretty quick and I picked a couple off on the bottom but I seen the top cleaning off so I went up there and tried that and it didn’t feel bad, but it got to where I wasn’t making up any distance on the lapped cars.

Dillard never relinquished the lead over the remaining 33 circuits, but VanderBeek never let him out of his sight as the two dodged heavy lapped traffic throughout the race.

Meanwhile, tenth-starting Ryan Gustin found the high line to his liking and began to quickly narrow the gap late in the race, stealing second away from VanderBeek with four laps to go but coming up two car-lengths short at the finish line.

“I started running it a bit harder there at the end, and I think I might have sealed the tires up a little bit, but I wasn’t sure how far they were behind me,” Dillard added. “It’s awesome to be able to do this here in my home state and all my fans here.”

The win was worth $3,000 to Dillard as he racked up his 14th career USMTS victory, tying him on the all-time wins list with three legendary racers—Johnny Bone Jr., Tim Donlinger and Mark Noble.

Gustin held off VanderBeek to register his second runner-up finish in as many nights while Ricky Thornton Jr. bested Sybesma Graphics Pole Award winner Jon Mitchell for the fourth spot.

Chris Brown, who started 15th, earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award by finishing sixth, Kyle Strickler came from 13th to snare the seventh-place paycheck, Kyle Pleasant earned eighth, defending USMTS national champ Jason Hughes nabbed ninth and Stormy Scott rounded out the top 10.

One more night of racing remains at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway. Saturday’s finale will see USMTS Modifieds race for $4,000 to win with both Limited Mods and Factory Stocks paying $600 to win and Pro-Mods joining the card for $300 to win.

Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and the grandstands open at 5 p.m. Hot laps start at 6 p.m. with racing at 6:30. Grandstand tickets are $20, kids ages 11-16 are $10 and children ages 10 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $40.

The Ark-La-Tex Speedway is located 0.6 mile south of SR 2 on SR 1, then 0.7 mile west on Airport Rd., then 2.2 miles south on Boyter Lane Rd. For race day information, call the track hotline at 318-375-3470 or click www.arklatexspeedway.net to visit them online.

For unfortunate fans unable to attend Saturday’s finale, every lap of every race will be broadcast live at www.RacinDirt.com/Live.

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 and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – Summit Racing Southern Region presented by Production Jars
6th Annual USMTS Cajun Clash presented by Horseshoe Bossier City – Night 2 of 3
Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.
Friday, March 3, 2017

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (7 laps):
1. (1) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas.
2. (3) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La.
3. (2) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
4. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
5. (4) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
6. (5) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas.
7. (7) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C.
8. (8) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (8) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn.
4. (1) 79 J.R. Owen (R), Pocola, Okla.
5. (4) 24z Zane Farrell, Hermitage, Ark.
6. (7) 94 Colton McDonald, Natchitoches, La.
7. (3) 1/2 Zane Hunter (R), Alma, Ark.
8. (5) 55d Michael Dotson, Lathrop, Mo.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (3) 22 Ralo Pilkington (R), Marshall, Texas.
6. (1) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.
7. (5) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
8. (8) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla.

THE JOIE OF SEATING HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
2. (6) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (2) 10 Tye Clampitt, Henderson, Texas.
4. (3) 91 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
5. (5) 7 Sean Gaddis (R), Diana, Texas.
6. (4) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
7. (7) 18 Terry Tussey Jr. (R), Texarkana, Ark.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (7 laps):
1. (2) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D.
2. (6) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (3) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
4. (5) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
5. (4) 18 Caleb Dillard, Robeline, La.
6. (7) 14z Zach McMillan, Gladewater, Texas.
7. (1) 33f Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (10) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C.
2. (11) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
3. (1) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
4. (9) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.
5. (2) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
6. (5) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Elite/Durham, $90.
7. (7) 18 Caleb Dillard, Robeline, La., Sidebiter/PTS, $70.
8. (8) 14z Zach McMillan, Gladewater, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $70.
9. (13) 55d Michael Dotson, Lathrop, Mo., GRT/GMPP, $90.
10. (4) 79 J.R. Owen (R), Pocola, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $90.
11. (12) 33f Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo., Hughes/Mullins, $90.
12. (3) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
13. (6) 22 Ralo Pilkington (R), Marshall, Texas, GRT/Sisk, $90.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (3) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
3. (1) 10 Tye Clampitt, Henderson, Texas.
4. (8) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas.
5. (12) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.
6. (4) 91 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
7. (9) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, $90.
8. (11) 18 Terry Tussey Jr. (R), Texarkana, Ark., GRT/Mullins, $90.
9. (10) 1/2 Zane Hunter (R), Alma, Ark., Hughes/BMS, $90.
10. (7) 94 Colton McDonald, Natchitoches, La., LG2/Yeoman, $70.
11. (6) 7 Sean Gaddis (R), Diana, Texas, MBCustom/PTS, $90.
12. (5) 24z Zane Farrell, Hermitage, Ark., MBCustom/CMS, $70.
13. (13) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla., Hughes/Sput’s, $90.

PRODUCTION JARS “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (7) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 40, $3000.
2. (10) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1600.
3. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput’s, 40, $1200.
4. (3) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $900.
5. (1) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas, MBCustom/CB, 40, $800.
6. (15) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, MBCustom/Durham, 40, $700.
7. (13) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C., Longhorn/VED, 40, $600.
8. (8) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La., MBCustom/Hatfield, 40, $500.
9. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $450.
10. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Mullins, 40, $400.
11. (14) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $375.
12. (6) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, 40, $350.
13. (9) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustom/Dakota, 40, $400.
14. (12) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La., GRT/TwinCity, 40, $300.
15. (21) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustom/PTS, 40, $275.
16. (16) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Sput’s, 39, $275.
17. (11) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 39, $400.
18. (22) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustom/Hatfield, 39, $275.
19. (20) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas, GRT/Mullins, 39, $275.
20. (24) 91 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz., GRT/GMPP, 39, $275.
21. (18) 10 Tye Clampitt, Henderson, Texas, GRT/Sput’s, 39, $225.
22. (17) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 39, $275.
23. (19) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas, MBCustom/Sput’s, 12, $275.
24. (23) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Durham, 2, $400.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: VanderBeek 1-7, Dillard 8-40.
Total Laps Led: Dillard 33, VanderBeek 7.
Margin of Victory: 0.844 second.
Time of Race: 13 minutes, 5.324 seconds (no cautions).
Provisional Starters: J. Scott, Whitwell.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Brown (started 15th, finished 6th).
Entries: 38.
Next Race: Saturday, March 4, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.
Summit Racing Southern Region Points: Dillard 974, Hughes 911, Brown 908, Gustin 899, Thornton 895, S. Scott 879, VanderBeek 827, Saurer 826, J. Scott 819, Ramirez 811.
Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Saurer 820, Whitwell 748, Wolff 728, Vogel 652, Lassiter 422.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 102, Durham 86, ASI 84, Sput’s 61, Hatfield 55.
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 102, MBCustoms 99, GRT 86, LG2 73, VanderBuilt 68.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Pleasant.
American Racer – Strickler.
Beyea Custom Headers – Dixon.
BigDeal Car Care – Dillard.
BSB Manufacturing – Clampitt.
Chix Gear Racewear – Hunter.
Day Motor Sports – Henigan, J. Scott.
Deatherage Opticians – Owen.
Dickson Racing Shocks – K. Gaddis.
E3 Spark Plugs – VanderBeek.
Edelbrock – Hughes.
Fast Shafts – Thornton.
Forty9Designs.com – Winslett, Egbert.
Fuel Safe Racing Cells – Brown.
GRT Race Cars – Phillips.
Hooker Custom Harness – Saurer.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Wolff.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Ramirez.
Keyser Manufacturing – S. Scott.
KSE Racing Products – Brown.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Duvall.
QA1 – Hughes.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Simpson Performance Products – Mitchell.
Sweet Manufacturing – Tillison.
Sybesma Graphics – Mitchell.
Tire Demon – Phillips.
VP Racing Fuels – Dillard.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Strickler.
Wilwood Engineering – Strickler.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, MSD, Pace Performance, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, Summit Racing Equipment, The Joie of Seating, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oreo, Production Jars, Rancho Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Custom Headers, BigDeal Car Care, BSB Manufacturing, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Custom Harness, Integra Shocks & Springs, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.