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MOBERLY, Mo. (Aug. 8) – It's been a long time coming for Michael Long, but the 27-year-old from Quincy, Ill., finally notched the first USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour win of his career Saturday night at the 24 Raceway in Moberly, Mo. And none too soon as Saturday's event was the final race in the Central States Region — the last race before the start of the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship on Tuesday where the going is sure to get tougher. On Saturday, however, Long was the one too tough to tame as he grabbed the lead from Chase Junghans on lap 16, then paced the final 25 laps without challenge to pocket the $2,000 top prize. Grant Junghans earned the AFCO Pole Award by scoring the most passing points during the five heat races, but it was his younger brother, Chase, who drew the pole position for the 35-lap Sunoco “A” Main while Grant unveiled the number 6 for his starting spot. Trying to capitalize on his third pole draw in the last seven events, Chase grabbed the early lead on the big 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval and appeared to have the muscle to put his machine in victory lane. While Ryan Dolan and Zack VanderBeek chased the younger Junghans, Long raced into fourth from his fifth starting spot. Long had the leader in his crosshairs by the time the field completed the 12th circuit, and made the pass for the lead on the 16th lap. Caution slowed the pace on lap 25, but the ensuing restart offered no hope for his pursuers as Long pulled away to take the win in his 19th career USMTS start. VanderBeek, who came into the night as the Central States Region points leader, left with an even bigger margin as he held on for the runner-up finish to secure his career-first regional crown. Jon Tesch, who captured the Great Plains Region title a little less than two weeks ago, finished third while Chase Junghans finished fourth to record his career-first top-5 finish. Tommy Myer rounded out the top-5 finishers and garnered the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award after racing from 14th on the 26-car starting grid. Scotty Roberts, Kevin Blackburn, Kelly Shryock, Grant Junghans and Dolan finished sixth through tenth, respectively. While VanderBeek secured the top spot in the Central States Region final rankings with 761 points, Shryock passed eight cars in the main event to earn eight bonus points — just enough to nip Tesch by a single point (715 to 714) in the final standings. Ryan Gustin wound up fourth with 657 markers, followed by Myer (630), Dolan (603), Dean Mahlstedt (586), Al Hejna (579), Long (559) and Dereck Ramirez (555). All ten drivers are officially qualified for the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship, along with four other drivers who had perfect attendance in the Central States Region: Colt Mather, Corey Dripps, Grant Junghans and Ron Ver Beek. With all four regions now complete, there are a record 60 drivers qualified for the ’Hunt,’ with each and every one of them possessing a legitimate shot at becoming the 2009 USMTS National Champion. The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship is comprised of the final 18 races of the season, with more than $300,000 in prize money up for grabs during the campaign. ’The Hunt’ starts his Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo., and wraps up at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., with the 11th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-26. Tuesday's event at the LA Raceway is the first of five straight $3,000-to-win shows. On Wednesday, the series travels to the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo., then heads back west to the Springfield Raceway in Springfield, Mo., on Thursday. Friday finds the ferocious mud-slinging Modifieds at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., then wraps up the swing on Saturday with the inaugural USMTS event at the Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kan. To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series and the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship, call the (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
OFFICIAL RESULTS Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the Sunoco “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8
laps):
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2
(8 laps):
BRODIX HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #4 (8
laps):
INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1
(15 laps, top 5 advance):
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2
(15 laps, top 5 advance):1.
65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
Lap Leaders:
C. Junghans 1-15, M. Long 16-35.
Contingency Awards: = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores. USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Racewear, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, COMP Cams, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, PBM Performance Products, Sunoco Race Fuels. USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ASi Racewear, Bear Tire, Big Dog Chassis & Fabrication, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Diamond Oil Company, Dirthead.com, Gressel Oil Field Service, Just Say Yes, Ramirez Race Cars, Lone Star Super Gas, Olympic Fire Protection, Ruter Farms, WatchModsLive.com, Yeager Machine. USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Fast Shafts, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake.
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