|
|
|
|
| Track Schedules | Driver Profiles | Danny Howk Photos |
Racing Links |
| Discussion Board | Weather | News Archives |
Advertising |
|
Schrader finds USMTS success in Fargo W. FARGO, N.D. (July 28) – On Saturday night, Ken Schrader will be celebrating the 22nd anniversary of his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory on July 31, 1988, at the Talladega Superspeedway. But the only thing on Schrader’s mind today is rejoicing with family, crewmembers and a cheering throng of race fans after winning his first United States Modified Touring Series main event on Wednesday night at the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D. Just 11 days ago, Schrader notched his career-best finish with the USMTS by earning a runner-up finish at the Elko Speedway in Elko, Minn., in a feature race cut short by rain on lap 32 of 40. Prior to that night, a pair of third-place finishes in 2008 was the highlight of his USMTS résumé. The 55-year-old Fenton, Mo., native (now residing in Concord, N.C.) made his 36th career USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour start on Wednesday night while 19-year-old Ryan Gustin was in search of his 11th win in a row and second straight in as many nights. At the drop of the green flag to start Wednesday night’s 40-lap WIX Filters “A” Main, Zack VanderBeek wrestled the top spot away from local favorite Blake Jegtvig and led the first six laps around the newly-configured 3/8-mile dirt oval. Meanwhile, Gustin was charging to the front from his third-row starting spot and found himself on VanderBeek’s rear bumper after the race’s first caution flag waved on the sixth lap. On the restart, “The Reaper” disposed of Jegtvig in the first turn, and then powered around the outside of VanderBeek as they streaked down the back-stretch. Gustin continued to show the way for the next 26 circuits, holding off Ryan Ruter early on while Schrader weaved his way to the front of the field. After getting by Ruter on lap 19, Schrader pulled alongside Gustin two laps later and the two provided a thrilling wheel-to-wheel battle until the yellow flag waved for the fourth time on lap 23. When the green flag waved again, Ruter was able to sneak by Schrader for the second spot while Gustin powered away to a decisive ten-car-length lead while nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock and NASCAR superstar Kenny Wallace diced for the fourth position. The race’s fifth and final caution occurred on lap 30 when the left rear tire went flat on Wallace’s machine and sent him spinning in the turn 3 and ended his hopes for his first USMTS triumph. His misfortune, however, was just what Schrader needed. Schrader used a strong run on the high side to muscle his way past Ruter on the restart, then set his sights on Gustin. With eight orbits remaining, Schrader dipped underneath Gustin in turn 2 and grabbed the lead for the first time as they crossed beneath the flagstand to complete lap 33. Gustin, who was two years shy of being born into the world when Schrader snagged his victory at Talladega, could only watch as the veteran racer pulled away over the final seven laps. With his fist in the air, Schrader crossed beneath the checkered flags nearly three seconds ahead of Gustin to score the $2,000 victory. “I’ll tell you what,” Schrader told the Red River Valley Speedway fans from victory lane. “We’ve been trying for quite a while to win one of these. What the World of Outlaws are to sprint car racing, these guys are to Modifieds. I love the series and these drivers are as good as it gets.” Gustin held off Ruter for the runner-up paycheck while Shryock finished fourth and got his first top-10 finish in four starts in the Dart Great Plains Region presented by Allstar Performance. Jon Tesch came from the 14th starting spot to take home fifth. Jegtvig held on to finish sixth, Corey Dripps started and finished seventh, Wallace bounced back from his flat tire with 10 laps to go and clawed his way back for an eight-place finish, VanderBeek wound up ninth and Jason Strand rounded out the top-10 for the best finish among the North Dakota posse. Thursday will find the mud-slinging USMTS Modifieds at the Casino Speedway in Watertown, S.D., for the 6th Annual Team Electronics Summer Slam. The fan-friendly facility is in its 57th year of racing on the shores of beautiful Lake Kampeska and has grown to be one of the most popular stops on the USMTS trail. Tesch is a two-time USMTS feature winner at his home track where he was a three-time track champion (1998, 2000, 2001). He captured the main event in 2006 but spun out on the first lap of the 2007 race while another Watertown racer, Scott Ward, won the feature. Tesch bounced back to win in 2008 and Al Hejna won the event last year. Tommy Myer won the inaugural event at the Casino Speedway on June 16, 2005. Weekly talent doesn’t get any tougher than what you’ll find at the Casino Speedway. Local favorites expected to compete for the $2,000 top prize include Ward, Kent Arment, Todd Stark, Ryan Engels, Scott Hansen, Joel Waba, Jordan Foster, Reed Storley, Curt Kranz, Arne Anderson and more. Grandstands open up at 4 p.m., hot laps are set for 6:30 with racing action at 7. WISSOTA Street Stocks will also be in action and NASCAR’s Kenny Wallace will be making his third appearance of the week at the Watertown speedplant. Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons on race day at all three Casey's General Stores locations in Watertown. For more information or to find the location nearest you, check out www.caseys.com online. The Country Inn & Suites and Quality Inn & Suites in Watertown, S.D., are the Official Host Hotels for the 6th Annual Team Electronics Summer Slam. Located just ten minutes from the racetrack, both hotels are just minutes from all Watertown shopping, dining, events and attractions. Call the Country Inn & Suites at 605-886-8900 or Quality Inn & Suites at 605-886-3010 today and ask for the “USMTS Special” available for race fans. The Casino Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located 4 miles northwest of US 212 on SR 20, then 0.7 mile south on Stokes-Thomas Lake Rd. (next to the city park). For more information call 605-881-1781 or the track hotline on race day at 605-882-2855. The track's Official Website can be found at www.casinospeedway.com. The Brown County Speedway will be the second time in three nights that the USMTS ventures into unchartered territory as they make their debut at the Aberdeen, S.D., facility on Friday. On Saturday, the series makes its first trek to the Jamestown (N.D.) Speedway since the 2005 season, and then the tireless USMTS touring titans invade the Nobles County Speedway in Worthington, Minn., on Sunday to wrap up six straight days of racing. 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. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
OFFICIAL RESULTS 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 WIX Filters “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):
SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3
(8 laps):
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8
laps):
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1
(12 laps, top 6 advance):
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2
(12 laps, top 6 advance):
WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps): (R) = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.
WIX Filters Lap Leaders:
VanderBeek 1-6, Gustin 7-32, Schrader 33-40.
Contingency Awards:Ai-Racing
– VanderBeek. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Castle Rock Recruiting. USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AwesomeRacesuits.com, GoPro, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, Kevko Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver. USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Allstar Performance, Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, Bad Boy Mowers, Bear Tire, Big Dog Chassis & Fabrication, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Cagle Motorsports, Centex Motorsports, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Dirt Track Racing School, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Falcon Wind Power, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Gressel Oil Field Service, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Just Say Yes, Karl Performance Parts, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Race Cars, Ruter Farms, WIX Filters, Yeager Machine. USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Ai-Racing, Belleville Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, COMP Cams, Dart Machinery, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, Hypercoil Springs, Isky Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Inc, Real Racing Wheels, RHS – Racing Head Service, Schoenfeld Headers, US Brake, Willy’s Carburetor & Dyno Shop, WIX Filters.
|
