WILLIS, Texas — Defending USMTS National Champion Jason Hughes claimed his second victory of the season Saturday night as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy invaded the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas.
Keith Foss of Winona, Minn., earned the AFCO Pole Award after heat race qualifying and redrew the pole position for the 40-lap “A” Main.
The Rookie of the Year contender jumped out to lead the first 14 laps before Hughes was able to power by and take over the lead.
From there, Hughes hung on through four cautions that kept the field close, and led last year’s Texas Shootout winner, Howard Willis of Dayton, to the checkered flag with Foss scoring his second third-place finish in as many nights.
John O Whittington finished fourth, Tommy Weder Jr. was fifth, Johnny Scott came from fourteenth to sixth, Cody Smith snagged the seventh spot, Rick Beebe grabbed eighth, Jimmy Ray wound up ninth and nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock secured the tenth-place paycheck with a last-lap pass for position.
Along with Hughes, Whittington and Shryock were also winners at the Gator Motorplex in 2009 when three separate events were held at the quarter-mile dirt oval.
Four cautions during three laps plagued the middle portion of the feature race, with the worst being for a crash on lap 21 that sidelined six competitors including points leader Ryan Gustin, who dropped to second behind Hughes in the standings.
For the second time this season, Clyde Dunn Jr. was the most prolific passer in the main event and earned the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award. The 27-year-old from Sunnyville, Texas, finished 14th after starting 26th on the grid.
Sunday will find the mud-slinging USMTS Modifieds back at the Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, for the fog-postponed third and final day of the inaugural Texas Spring Nationals. Ryan Gustin and John O Whittington each picked up wins back in February to kick off the 2011 racing season with 80 entries in the pit area.
In addition to the USMTS Modifieds racing for $3,000 to win, Limited Modifieds will also be competing for a top prize of $1,000. Pits open at 3 p.m., grandstands gates open at 4 and racing kicks off at 6:30 p.m.
The Royal Purple Raceway is located just east of Houston on I-10 to exit 799, then 2.5 miles south on SH 99 (Grand Parkway), then 0.3 mile west on FM 565. For more information, call the track office at 281-383-7223 or visit www.royalpurpleraceway.com online.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online 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 Texas Shootout – Round 2 of 2
Gator Motorplex, Willis, Texas.
Saturday, March 19, 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 12 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) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.
2. (5) 56 David Horner, Houston, Texas.
3. (7) 156 Steve Pugh (R), Anderson, Texas.
4. (8) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
5. (4) 715 Jeff Hoegh (R), New Caney, Texas.
6. (2) 21 Troy Seidl (R), Magnolia, Texas.
7. (9) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas.
8. (6) 1 T.J. Herndon (R), Atwood, Tenn.
9. (3) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (3) 9 Jimmy Ray (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (5) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
5. (7) 15 Jared Webb (R), McKinney, Texas.
6. (8) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
7. (9) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas.
8. (4) 955 Robert Metz Jr. (R), Lumberton, Texas.
9. (6) 707 P.J. Egbert (R), Copperas Cove, Texas.
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (4) 95 Keith Foss (R), Winona, Minn.
2. (1) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
3. (2) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
4. (5) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas.
5. (7) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
6. (3) 76 Jesse Manning (R), Brazoria, Texas.
7. (6) 87 John Webb (R), Pauls Valley, Okla.
8. (8) 6* Dillon Pike, Waxahachie, Texas.
9. (9) 76 Jeff Rowland (R), Pauls Valley, Okla.
PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. (4) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
3. (3) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (1) 71h Philip Houston (R), Odessa, Texas.
5. (6) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
6. (5) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
7. (7) 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas.
8. (8) 129 Bryan Vollmer, Tomball, Texas.
9. (9) 07 Bob Lane, Waco, Texas.
HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas.
2. (5) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas.
3. (7) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas.
4. (6) 51 Jeff Wood, Willis, Texas.
5. (3) 34 Ben Stephens (R), Hattiesburg, Miss.
6. (2) 87 Justin McCoy (R), Ovilla, Texas.
7. (4) 10 Aaron Jorden (R), Benton, La.
8. (8) 88xx Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 7 advance):
1. (4) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas.
2. (2) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
3. (6) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
4. (9) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
5. (3) 51 Jeff Wood, Willis, Texas.
6. (5) 15 Jared Webb (R), McKinney, Texas.
7. (1) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
8. (12) 10 Aaron Jorden (R), Benton, La., Hughes/PTS, $80.
9. (10) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas, TRE/CAM, $80.
10. (7) 34 Ben Stephens (R), Hattiesburg, Miss., Hughes/Mullins, $80.
11. (13) 955 Robert Metz Jr. (R), Lumberton, Texas, Pierce/CB, $80.
12. (8) 21 Troy Seidl (R), Magnolia, Texas, Skyrocket/Hovis, $80.
13. (16) 76 Jeff Rowland (R), Pauls Valley, Okla., Hughes/Boyd’s, $80.
14. (14) 129 Bryan Vollmer, Tomball, Texas, Shaw/CHB, $60.
15. (11) 87 John Webb (R), Pauls Valley, Okla., Hughes/Shoulders, $80.
16. (15) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 7 advance):
1. (2) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
3. (3) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
4. (1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (5) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
6. (6) 715 Jeff Hoegh (R), New Caney, Texas.
7. (10) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas.
8. (15) 707 P.J. Egbert (R), Copperas Cove, Texas, Hughes/Lingo, $80.
9. (9) 87 Justin McCoy (R), Ovilla, Texas, Skyrocket/KSP, $80.
10. (8) 76 Jesse Manning (R), Brazoria, Texas, Evolution/Hall, $80.
11. (12) 1 T.J. Herndon (R), Atwood, Tenn., GRT/KMF, $80.
12. (11) 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $80.
13. (13) 6* Dillon Pike, Waxahachie, Texas, Trick1/Allard, $60.
14. (14) 88xx Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Hughes/Wells, $80.
15. (4) 71h Philip Houston (R), Odessa, Texas, SRP/JR, $80.
16. (16) 07 Bob Lane, Waco, Texas, /, $60.
“A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.
2. (2) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas, Evolution/CB, 40, $1500.
3. (1) 95 Keith Foss (R), Winona, Minn., DirtDueler/Brink, 40, $1100.
4. (6) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas, Pierce/CB, 40, $800.
5. (5) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $700.
6. (14) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 40, $600.
7. (10) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas, Hughes/Chase, 40, $550.
8. (7) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $500.
9. (11) 9 Jimmy Ray (R), Las Cruces, N.M., AOS/AOS, 40, $450.
10. (15) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $425.
11. (9) 156 Steve Pugh (R), Anderson, Texas, Skyrocket/105, 40, $400.
12. (19) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Hughes/ASI, 40, $375.
13. (8) 56 David Horner, Houston, Texas, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $350.
14. (26) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $500.
15. (21) 51 Jeff Wood, Willis, Texas, Skyrocket/WestSide, 40, $200.
16. (25) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Fast1/Jackson, 39, $300.
17. (13) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas, Skyrocket/Harris, 21, mechanical, $300.
18. (22) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 21, mechanical, $400.
19. (17) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 21, crash, $400.
20. (16) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 21, crash, $400.
21. (20) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/ProPower, 21, mechanical, $300.
22. (23) 15 Jared Webb (R), McKinney, Texas, DirtWorks/Warner, 21, crash, $300.
23. (12) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 21, crash, $300.
24. (3) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 21, mechanical, $300.
25. (18) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 20, driveshaft, $300.
26. (27) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, CAM/Allard, 20, driveshaft, $400.
27. (24) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas, Skyrocket/Graham, 40, $200.
(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.
Integra Lap Leaders: Foss 1-14, Hughes 15-40.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 26, Foss 14.
Margin of Victory: 1.275 seconds.
AFCO Pole Winner: Foss.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Dunn (started 26th, finished 14th).
Ruter Farms Long Tow Award: Foss (1,189 miles).
Provisional Starter: Allen.
Next Race: Sunday, March 20, Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas.
Southeast Region Points: Hughes 360, Gustin 342, Whittington 327, Shryock 313, Foss 278, Smith 271, Dunn 268, Willis 266, Hebert 266, Weder 261.
Rookie of the Year Points: Foss 277, J. Rowland 270, Herndon 233, Ray 232, Schott 231.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 55, ProPower 40, Sput’s 32, CB 28, ASI 28.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 58, Skyrocket 45, GRT 30, Pierce 26, Evolution 26.
Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Dunn.
Eibach Springs – Foss.
Forty9Designs.com – Whittington, Ray.
Hooker Harness – Hebert.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Hughes.
ISKY Racing Cams – Weder.
KSE Racing Products – Horner.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Allen.
New Vision Graphics – Hughes.
Nitroquest – Allen, Houston.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Dunn.
PBM Performance Products – Whiteaker.
Real Racing Wheels – Jorden, Egbert.
Ruter Farms – Foss.
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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, 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.