HomeOpen Wheel Modified NewsUSMTS drivers, fans seeing pink as VanderBeek roars to victory at Deer...

USMTS drivers, fans seeing pink as VanderBeek roars to victory at Deer Creek Speedway

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Zack VanderBeek
Zack VanderBeek

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (July 13) – Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, had the other 55 drivers seeing pink Wednesday night as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy stormed into the Deer Creek Speedway to join the World of Outlaws Late Model Series for the 32nd Annual NAPA Gopher 50.

VanderBeek announced earlier this week that his #33z Skyrocket would be embellished with the pink and black colors in support of the Susan G. Komen 3 Day for the Cure to fight and find a cure for breast cancer, and he may want to keep the colors for a little while longer as he notched his second win in a row after going winless for the first half of the year.

From the outside of the front row, Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag to start the 40-lap WIX Filters “A” Main, but AFCO Pole Award winner Mike Steensma wrestled the lead away the next time around.

Looking for his second career USMTS victory, Steensma kept Tesch and VanderBeek at bay for the next 19 laps despite four cautions that kept his pursuers within striking distance.

Meanwhile, Ryan Gustin was giving the fans a show back in the pack. After struggling in his heat race and missing the main event cut by one spot in the third Real Racing Wheels “B” Main, ‘The Reaper’ was forced to use a provisional to give him the 27th and last starting spot on the grid.

But after just 17 laps, Gustin was already up to eighth and had the leaders in his crosshairs while Steve Wetzstein was up to fourth after starting in the 18th position.

The race’s fifth yellow flag on lap 20, however, gave VanderBeek the opportunity he was looking for and the 26-year-old from New Sharon, Iowa, blasted around the high side to snare the top spot away from Steensma.

Two more cautions quieted the engines during the last half of the race.

The first occurred when a radiator hose broke on Tesch’s machine and spewed steam and water onto the racing surface with 28 laps in the books.

With just five laps to go, the final caution waved with Wetzstein and Gustin now running second and third behind VanderBeek, but ‘The Z-Man’ was flawless on the restart and during the final five orbits as he sailed to a $3,050 payday, including a $1,000 bonus from NAPA Auto Parts.

With an advantage of 1.860 seconds at the finish line, it was the 20th win of VanderBeek’s USMTS career which started in 2004 when he captured the USMTS Rookie of the Year Award.

Wetzstein passed 16 cars to finish second and Gustin earned the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award by passing 24 cars en route to a third-place finish. Steensma held on for fourth while Tommy Myer climbed to fifth after starting 16th.

Jason Cummins, nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock, Rodney Sanders, Jason Miller and 2008 USMTS National Champion Tim Donlinger rounded out the top 10 finishers.

On Thursday, the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy moves 40 miles to the west with a stop at the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., for a $2,000-to-win event that will also feature the Iron Man Challenge for USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods plus Pure Stocks.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing to follow.

The Chateau Raceway is a 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval located 5.0 miles north of Austin on US 218 to the Lansing exit, then 1.3 miles eat on CR 2, then 0.4 mile south on CR 25, then 0.3 mile east . For more info, call 507-391-2486 or 507-433-4578 on raceday or visit www.chateauraceway.net.

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
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region
32nd Annual NAPA Gopher 50
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Wednesday, July 13, 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) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
2. (3) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn.
3. (5) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn.
4. (9) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
5. (4) 1T Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.
6. (2) 20 Cole Queensland (R), Grand Meadow, Minn.
7. (6) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa.
8. (7) 30 Shane Wehrs (R), Bangor, Wis.
9. (8) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.
10. (10) 1A Dwaine Hanson, Lakefield, Minn.

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12M Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis.
2. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (5) 15 Brian Shaw, Brownsdale, Minn.
5. (4) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
6. (10) 95 Keith Foss (R), Winona, Minn.
7. (8) 96x Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.
8. (2) 26F Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa.
9. (7) 21x Joe Wernecke, Dodge Center, Minn.
10. (6) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 7 Eric Dailey (R), Armstrong, Iowa.
2. (4) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
3. (5) 50iii Brandon Davis (R), Medford, Minn.
4. (3) 99s Bobby Swanson, Kasson, Minn.
5. (8) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
6. (6) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
7. (7) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
8. (1) 431 Mike Gibson (R), Star Prairie, Wis.
9. (9) 28 Bill Clemens (R), Chatfield, Minn.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
2. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (2) 711 Nate Caruth, Ames, Iowa.
4. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (4) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
6. (1) 99 Jason Grimes (R), Jamestown, N.D.
7. (8) 60 Kurt Krauskopf, Decorah, Iowa.
8. (5) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
9. (9) 29H Joe Horgdal (R), Kasson, Minn.

MINER’S OUTDOOR & REC HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 96S Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
2. (2) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
3. (4) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
4. (7) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa.
5. (3) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
6. (8) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa.
7. (5) 5W Darrin Walch, Postville, Iowa.
8. (6) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
9. (9) 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.

HUSQVARNA HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (4) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
2. (5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
3. (6) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.
4. (8) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.
5. (2) 00 Steve Arpin, Cornelius, N.C.
6. (1) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
7. (7) 01 Brandon Aggen, Rushmore, Minn.
8. (9) 52 Jason Thoennes (R), Garfield, Minn.
9. (3) 1X Cody Erickson, Ulen, Minn.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.
2. (12) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
3. (1) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
4. (10) 01 Brandon Aggen, Rushmore, Minn.
5. (8) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn., Skyrocket/Action, $90.
6. (13) 28 Bill Clemens (R), Chatfield, Minn., /, $90.
7. (9) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa, Skyrocket/HarryHeads, $75.
8. (4) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, $75.
9. (14) 1X Cody Erickson, Ulen, Minn., Impressive/Mullins, $75.
10. (5) 1T Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D., Hughes/GForce, $75.
11. (7) 20 Cole Queensland (R), Grand Meadow, Minn., Pierce/Action, $90.
12. (6) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, $90.
13. (11) 26F Dan Fetters, Montour, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, $90.
14. (3) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa, GRT/Sput’s, $90.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (2) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
2. (8) 96x Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.
3. (6) 00 Steve Arpin, Cornelius, N.C.
4. (7) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
5. (4) 99s Bobby Swanson, Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, $90.
6. (5) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, $90.
7. (10) 52 Jason Thoennes (R), Garfield, Minn., MasterSbilt/Sower, $90.
8. (3) 711 Nate Caruth, Ames, Iowa, Shaw/Sput’s, $75.
9. (11) 431 Mike Gibson (R), Star Prairie, Wis., Matrix/Tim’s, $90.
10. (12) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn., TRE/Grove, $90.
11. (9) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Hillson/CRE, $90.
12. (1) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn., DirtDueler/Brink, $90.
13. (13) 29H Joe Horgdal (R), Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/, $90.
14. (14) 1A Dwaine Hanson, Lakefield, Minn., Harris/A&M, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
2. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
3. (4) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
4. (6) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa.
5. (5) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins.
6. (9) 5W Darrin Walch, Postville, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, $90.
7. (7) 99 Jason Grimes (R), Jamestown, N.D., Hughes/Dakota, $90.
8. (12) 21x Joe Wernecke, Dodge Center, Minn., Sidebiter/KSE, $90.
9. (11) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, $90.
10. (10) 30 Shane Wehrs (R), Bangor, Wis., Hughes/Tomcat, $90.
11. (13) 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., /, $75.
12. (3) 15 Brian Shaw, Brownsdale, Minn., Harris/Premier, $75.
13. (8) 60 Kurt Krauskopf, Decorah, Iowa, Harris/Sput’s, $75.
14. (14) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa, Bullet/Midstate, $75.

WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $3050.
2. (18) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1500.
3. (27) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1200.
4. (1) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $900.
5. (16) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $800.
6. (14) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $700.
7. (8) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $750.
8. (20) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 40, $700.
9. (5) 12M Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis., Matrix/Mullins, 40, $550.
10. (13) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $500.
11. (17) 50iii Brandon Davis (R), Medford, Minn., BC/GMPP, 40, $450.
12. (19) 96x Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn., Fegers/Dean, 40, $425.
13. (3) 7 Eric Dailey (R), Armstrong, Iowa, Skyrocket/Grawmondbeck’s, 40, $400.
14. (12) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $375.
15. (24) 01 Brandon Aggen, Rushmore, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $350.
16. (23) 95 Keith Foss (R), Winona, Minn., DirtDueler/Brink, 35, mechanical, $300.
17. (10) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 28, mechanical, $300.
18. (6) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 28, mechanical, $300.
19. (2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 28, radiator, $400.
20. (15) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/KSE, 23, mechanical, $250.
21. (9) 96S Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn., Skyrocket/KSE, 20, mechanical, $300.
22. (22) 00 Steve Arpin, Cornelius, N.C., Shaw/Action, 20, mechanical, $350.
23. (25) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 19, mechanical, $300.
24. (26) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa, IROC/PerfMach, 17, mechanical, $300.
25. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 10, mechanical, $300.
26. (11) 69 Lucas Schott (R), Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/GMPP, 8, mechanical, $300.
27. (21) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, BC/JR, 8, mechanical, $400.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Integra Lap Leaders: Tesch 1, Steensma 2-20, VanderBeek 21-40.
Total Laps Led: VanderBeek 20, Steensma 19, Tesch 1.
Margin of Victory: 1.860 seconds.
AFCO Pole Winner: Steensma.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Gustin (started 27th, finished 3rd).
Ruter Farms Long Tow Award: Arpin (1,133 miles).
Provisional Starter: Gustin.
Next Race: Thursday, July 14, Chateau Raceway, Lansing, Minn.
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Gustin 629, VanderBeek 582, Shryock 559, Sanders 500, Tesch 471, Miller 469, Dripps 457, Hejna 442, Krohn 427, Grimes 424.
Rookie of the Year Points: Jason Grimes 1404, Clyde Dunn Jr. 976, Jimmy Ray 971, Jeff Rowland 843, Philip Houston 807.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 350, ProPower 283, Sput’s 239, ASI 167, Geddes 150.
Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 373, Skyrocket 319, GRT 234, BC 124, Ramirez 80.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Tesch.
CPD Racing Tools – not awarded.
Eibach Springs – Dailey.
Forty9Designs.com – Steensma, Miller.
Hooker Harness – Ihrke.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – VanderBeek.
ISKY Racing Cams – Shryock.
KSE Racing Products – Shryock.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Hejna.
New Vision Graphics – Miller.
Nitroquest – Bohr, Horgdal, Wehrs.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Gustin.
PBM Performance Products – Ruter.
Real Racing Wheels – Alberts, Swanson, Walch.
Ruter Farms – Arpin.
WIX Filters – VanderBeek.

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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, CPD Racing Tools, Eibach Springs, Erson Cams, 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, Tiger Rear Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, WIX Filters.

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