HUMBOLDT, Kan. (Oct. 19) – Four days after celebrating his 21st birthday, Ryan Gustin was the man of honor again Wednesday night after he thrilled the Humboldt Speedway fans with a late-race pass of Terry Phillips to score the win on Allen’s Automotive Qualifying Night at the inaugural King of America Modified Nationals.

While it ended on a high note, the program got off to a rough start for the 2011 USMTS National Champion. After turning just the 24th fastest lap among 39 drivers in time trials, Gustin started on the pole for his heat race but quickly dropped to second behind Phillips and then relinquished the runner-up spot to eight-time and reigning track champion Justin “Whitey” Folk on the final lap.

In the feature race, however, ‘The Reaper’ was on his game.

Terry Schultz started on the pole for the 30-lap main event and paced the first four laps before Phillips blasted into the lead. One lap later, Phillips’ teammate Jeremy Payne followed in his mentor’s tracks and into second place.

Meanwhile, Gustin and Jason Hughes were making their way to the front of the field from their 12th and 13th starting spots, respectively. With ten laps in the books, the pair of Hughes Chassis drivers were fifth and sixth behind Johnny Fennewald and Schultz, while and fellow front row starter Tim Setzer battled to fend off Corey Dripps and Zack VanderBeek for sixth place.

Gustin dispatched Schultz for the fourth spot with 18 laps down, while Phillips and Payne had checked out and were weaving their way through lapped traffic.

But one lap later, Don Crnkovich smacked the front stretch wall which sent him into the right side of Fennewald’s machine as he attempted to put Crnkovich a lap down. The collision disabled Fennewald’s steering and sent him hard into the turn 1 concrete wall to bring out the race’s first and only caution flag.

With the field bunched up tight for the final 11 laps, Phillips pulled away when the green flag returned. Gustin put his right rear tire on the cushion and powered by Payne for second place while Hughes drove around the outside of Schultz for fourth.

With nine laps remaining, Hughes found himself scraping against the wall in turn 3 while Schultz, VanderBeek and Setzer all moved past to put Hughes back to seventh with time running out.

With six laps to go, Phillips again encountered lapped traffic and Gustin began to chip away at his advantage. Looking for a line around a lapped car with four laps remaining, Phillips took to the high side while Gustin snagged the abandoned low line.

Phillips crossed under the flagstand with Gustin glued to his bumper and just three laps to go. Diving low under a lapped car in the first turn, Gustin went back to the high line with a lapped car of his own to contend with. The group exited turn 2 four-abreast with Gustin splitting the lapped cars and Phillips trying to find traction on the bottom.

This time Gustin had the advantage as the 28th lap clicked off. Phillips closed back in on Gustin over the final two laps, but a final surge in the final corner came up short as Gustin streaked beneath the checkered flag with the right side of his wrinkled spoiler dangling off the rear of the car, Phillips a car length behind and Payne close behind in third.

The win was Gustin’s series-best 23rd USMTS triumph of the year, and the 48th of his young career.

VanderBeek maneuvered his way to a fourth-place finish and Hughes recovered to take the fifth spot. Schultz and Setzer held on for sixth and seventh, respectively, with Dripps, John Allen and Shad Badder completing the top 10.

The top 6 in points earned through time trials, heat races and main events are locked into Saturday’s “A” Main Championship. All other drivers will start one of several “alphabet soup” main events on Saturday unless the driver purchased a mulligan which allows the driver to forfeit tonight’s points and try to qualify again on Thursday or Friday.

Phillips topped all points-earners Friday night with Payne, VanderBeek, Gustin, Schultz and Hughes tallying the next five highest totals to earn guaranteed berths in Saturday’s historic King of America Modified Nationals main event with a $15,000 top prize and a minimum of $1,500 to start the 75-lap championship race.

Action continues with River’s Edge Scrap Management Qualifying Night on Thursday. Time trials begin at 7 p.m.

The Humboldt Speedway is a located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. For more information call 620-431-2470 (office) or 620-473-3694 (track) or visit www.humboldtspeedway.com.

The inaugural King of America Modified Nationals is made possible by several great sponsors including Allen’s Automotive, Casey’s General Stores, River’s Edge Scrap Management, Schwab’s Tinker Shop and Swan Energy.

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
United States Modified Touring Series
Inaugural King of America Modified Nationals – Allen’s Automotive Qualifying Night
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and reason out (if any). The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the Allen’s Automotive “A” Main Qualifier.

RIVER’S EDGE SCRAP MANAGEMENT HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (2) 90 Terry Schultz, Sedalia, Mo.
2. (3) 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
3. (1) 99n Tim North Jr., Olathe, Kan.
4. (5) 20r Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (4) 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo.
6. (7) 3d Dan Daniels, Humboldt, Kan.
7. (9) 77jr Gene Hogan, Cherryvale, Kan.
8. (8) 9d8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
9. (6) 7jr Jess Folk Jr., Iola, Kan.
10. (10) 118 Terry Beckham II, Webb City, Mo.

SCHWAB’S TINKER SHOP HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (2) 51 Tim Setzer, Archie, Mo.
2. (5) 21 Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City, Mo.
3. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (1) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
5. (10) 40 Brian Green, Pierce City, Mo.
6. (6) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
7. (7) 77 Cody Agler, Emporia, Kan.
8. (8) 25p Mike Petersilie, Hoisington, Kan.
9. (9) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.
10. (3) 60 William Gould, Calera, Okla.

SWAN ENERGY HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (2) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
2. (3) 73b Shad Badder, Oak Grove, Mo.
3. (6) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
4. (1) 40 Jessy Willard, Pleasanton, Kan.
5. (7) 5c Don Crnkovich, Olathe, Kan.
6. (4) 17m Robert Baker, Benton, AR.
7. (9) 4 Shannon Scott, Henryetta, Okla.
8. (10) 5 Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.
9. (5) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
10. (8) 52 Mitch Keeter, Joplin, Mo.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (3) 6 Justin Folk, Iola, Kan.
3. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
4. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (6) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
6. (4) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
7. (9) 99 Jerald Folk, Gas, Kan.
8. (8) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
9. (7) 23 Lucas Dobbs, El Dorado Springs, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN QUALIFIER #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (11) 7jr Jess Folk Jr., Iola, Kan.
3. (4) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
4. (6) 17m Robert Baker, Benton, Ark.
5. (9) 5 Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.
6. (10) 25p Mike Petersilie, Hoisington, Kan.
7. (5) 3d Dan Daniels, Humboldt, Kan., Hughes/MRE.
8. (8) 99 Jerald Folk, Gas, Kan., Mach1/Folk.
9. (7) 77jr Gene Hogan, Cherryvale, Kan., Mach1/Folk.
10. (1) 40 Brian Green, Pierce City, Mo., Hoffman/Baker.
11. (3) 40 Jessy Willard, Pleasanton, Kan., GRT/Willard.
12. (12) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower.
13. (14) 52 Mitch Keeter, Joplin, Mo., Hoffman/.
14. (13) 118 Terry Beckham II, Webb City, Mo., TRE/Beckham.

AMERICAN RACER “B” MAIN QUALIFIER #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 20r Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (5) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
3. (2) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
4. (3) 5c Don Crnkovich, Olathe, Kan.
5. (7) 4 Shannon Scott, Henryetta, Okla.
6. (9) 9d8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
7. (10) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., /.
8. (8) 77 Cody Agler, Emporia, Kan., Shaw/Specialty.
9. (4) 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo., GRT/GMPP.
10. (6) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, BC/JR.
11. (11) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan., Ramirez/Cline.
12. (12) 23 Lucas Dobbs, El Dorado Springs, Mo., Hoffman/McCoyBoy.
13. (13) 60 William Gould, Calera, Okla., Shaw/BMS.

ALLEN’S AUTOMOTIVE “A” MAIN QUALIFIER (30 laps):
1. (12) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins.
2. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield.
3. (6) 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield.
4. (10) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/GMPP.
5. (13) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins.
6. (1) 90 Terry Schultz, Sedalia, Mo., Mach1/Schultz.
7. (2) 51 Tim Setzer, Archie, Mo., Hughes/AEM.
8. (3) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins.
9. (17) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., Hughes/Mullins.
10. (7) 73b Shad Badder, Oak Grove, Mo., BillsBuilt/Yancy’s.
11. (15) 7jr Jess Folk Jr., Iola, Kan., Mach1/Folk.
12. (14) 20r Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Skyrocket/ASI.
13. (9) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s.
14. (8) 6 Justin Folk, Iola, Kan., Mach1/Folk.
15. (18) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s.
16. (21) 5 Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s.
17. (19) 17m Robert Baker, Benton, AR, Shaw/Kuntz.
18. (20) 5c Don Crnkovich, Olathe, Kan., Rocket/Sput’s.
19. (23) 25p Mike Petersilie, Hoisington, Kan., 1stClass/AEM.
20. (22) 4 Shannon Scott, Henryetta, Okla., Hughes/BMS.
21. (24) 9d8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan., BillsBuilt/Allen’s.
22. (5) 21 Johnny Fennewald, Appleton City, Mo., GRT/Hatfield.
23. (11) 99 Tim North Jr., Olathe, Kan., Evolution/Yeoman.
24. (16) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower.

Lap Leaders: Schultz 1-4, Phillips 5-27, Gustin 28-30.
Total Laps Led: Phillips 23, Schultz 4, Gustin 3.
Margin of Victory: 0.569 second.

The top 6 in points earned through time trials, heat races and main events are locked into Saturday’s “A” Main Championship. All other drivers will start one of several “alphabet soup” main events on Saturday unless the driver purchased a mulligan which allows the driver to forfeit tonight’s points and try to qualify again on Thursday or Friday.

QUALIFYING POINTS:
1. Terry Phillips … 610.5
2. Jeremy Payne … 596.5
3. Zack VanderBeek … 582.5
4. Ryan Gustin … 581
5. Terry Schultz … 570.5
6. Jason Hughes … 568.5
7. Tim Setzer … 560.5
8. Corey Dripps … 550.5
9. Shad Badder … 526.5
10. Grant Junghans … 525.5
11. John Allen … 524.5
12. Stormy Scott … 503.5
13. Justin Folk … 501.5
14. Johnny Fennewald … 489.5
15. Jess Folk Jr. … 467
16. Josh Angst … 447
17. Robert Baker … 444
18. Kelly Shryock … 438
19. Tim North Jr. … 428
20. Logan Martin … 418
21. Don Crnkovich … 412
22. Al Hejna … 406
23. Jessy Willard … 396
24. Bryan Rowland … 383
25. Dan Daniels … 376.5
26. Mike Petersilie … 368
27. Shannon Scott … 366
28. Brandon Beckendorf … 364
29. Cody Agler … 363
30. Brian Green … 352.5
31. William Gould … 351
32. Paden Phillips … 350
33. Tanner Mullens … 347
34. Jerald Folk … 346
35. Gene Hogan … 333
36. Lucas Dobbs … 333
37. John Schwab … 316
38. Mitch Keeter … 311
39. Terry Beckham II … 308

B-MODS

Heat Race #1 (8 laps):
1. (6) 17 Jeremy Chambers, Oswego, Kan.
2. (5) 33x Nick Newton, Kansas City, Kan.
3. (1) 17t Ted Ballinger, Halfway, Mo.
4. (3) 37 Tim VanGotten, Chanute, Kan.
5. (7) 14 Bobby Gough, Joplin, Mo.
6. (9) 85 Mike Helman.
7. (4) 9 Brady Keefe, Stewartville, Minn.
8. (2) 49 Todd Kidwell, Chanute, Kan.
9. (8) 01 Jimmy Davis, Chanute, Kan.

Heat Race #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 8 Terry Burner, Olathe, Kan.
2. (2) 89 Levi McGowen, Humboldt, Kan.
3. (5) 2 Bryan Lariviere, Wichita, Kan.
4. (8) 19 Mike Striegle, Wheatland, Mo.
5. (6) 12d Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo.
6. (3) 99h Trevor Hunt, Liberty, Mo.
7. (7) R63 Riley Whitworth, Humboldt, Kan.
8. (4) 21j Jeremy Bennett, Ottawa, Kan.

“A” Main (20 laps):
1. (4) 2 Bryan Lariviere, Wichita, Kan., $300.
2. (2) 19 Mike Striegle, Wheatland, Mo., $200.
3. (5) 33x Nick Newton, Kansas City, Kan., $150.
4. (1) 37 Tim VanGotten, Chanute, Kan., $120.
5. (8) 8 Terry Burner, Olathe, Kan., $100.
6. (6) 89 Levi McGowen, Humboldt, Kan., $90.
7. (3) 17t Ted Ballinger, Halfway, Mo., $80.
8. (14) R63 Riley Whitworth, Humboldt, Kan., $70.
9. (11) 85 Mike Helman, $65.
10. (13) 9 Brady Keefe, Stewartville, Minn., $60.
11. (7) 17 Jeremy Chambers, Oswego, Kan., $55.
12. (10) 12d Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo., $50.
13. (12) 99h Trevor Hunt, Liberty, Mo., $50.
14. (15) 21j Jeremy Bennett, Ottawa, Kan., $50.
15. (16) 49 Todd Kidwell, Chanute, Kan., $50.
16. (9) 14 Bobby Gough, Joplin, Mo., $50.
17. (17) 01 Jimmy Davis, Chanute, Kan., $0.

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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.