Phillips outguns Sanders for USMTS ‘Hunt’ win at Lakeside

KANSAS CITY, Kan.—A hurt engine in his heat race forced Terry Phillips’s crew to change the powerplant prior to the USMTS main event Friday night at the Lakeside Speedway and the driver paid them back by winning the feature race.

Points leader Rodney Sanders drew the pole for the 35-lapper and jumped out to a big lead in the first six laps before the race’s first caution slowed the pace and brought the field back together for a bumper-to-bumper restart.

Back under green, Phillips disposed of Jeremy Payne for second and set his sights on Sanders. Three laps later he blasted around the outside of Sanders and won the race to the flagstand to complete lap 10.

For the next 25 laps, Sanders remained in Phillips’s shadow but was never able to make a move, and Phillips led Sanders to the checkered flag with a car-length to spare.

The 20th career United States Modified Touring Series triumph for Phillips and third during the first eleven races in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup netted the Springfield, Mo., veteran a cool $3,000.

Payne dropped back to fourth late in the race but nipped track points leader Nic Bidinger for third with a last-lap last-corner pass while Jason Krohn followed close behind in fifth.

Austin Siebert snagged a sixth-place paycheck, Stormy Scott finished seventh, Zack VanderBeek came from 13 on the 24-car starting grid to grab eighth, Darron Fuqua was ninth and Kerry Davis rounded out the top 10 finishers.

Round 12 of the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup takes place Saturday as the series returns to the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Pryor Creek, Okla., for what promises to be yet another classic battle on the steep clay oval on ‘Salute to Veterans Night.’

Fans can choose to view the racing from the grandstand bleachers, the upper deck beer garden, the full service Finish Line Bar & Grill or from one of the special VIP suites. Tickets for adults are $15, kids ages 5-12 are $10 and children ages 4 and under are free. Family tickets (2 adults, 2 kids) are available for $40. VIP seating is $25 or a seat in the beer garden is $15. Pit passes are $35 for adults and $25 for kids.

Gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps get going at 6:30 and the first green flag waves at 7 p.m.

The Salina Highbanks Speedway is located 7 miles east of Pryor on SR 20. For more information, visit the website at www.salinahighbanksspeedway.com or call 918-434-7223.

The gear-grinding goliaths of the USMTS wrap up their weekend on Sunday, Aug. 24, at the Outlaw Motorsports Park in Oktaha, Okla., with gates swinging open at 4 p.m. and racing at 6.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts or check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS United States Modified Touring Series The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup – Round 11 of 19 Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kan. Friday, August 22, 2014

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races were locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

C&R RACING HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps): 1. (1) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn. 2. (8) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. 3. (4) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla. 4. (3) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa. 5. (5) 21t Lance Town (R), Louisburg, Kan. 6. (2) 1K Tim Karrick, Basehor, Kan. 7. (6) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan. 8. (7) 97 Cade Dillard (R), Robeline, La.

JRi SHOCKS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps): 1. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas. 2. (2) 75g Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb. 3. (1) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa. 4. (7) 87 Darron Fuqua (R), Mayetta, Kan. 5. (4) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa. 6. (6) J17 Jake Gallardo (R), Las Cruces, N.M. 7. (8) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 8. (5) 3 Bubba Harvey, Kansas City, Kan.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps): 1. (2) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo. 2. (7) 3b Nic Bidinger, Lawrence, Kan. 3. (1) 34 Mark Schafman, Edwardsville, Kan. 4. (8) 59 Jared Stiens, Maryville, Mo. 5. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. 6. (6) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan. 7. (5) Y9 Aaron Marrant, Orrick, Mo. 8. (3) 2 Mike Eisenhut, Topeka, Kan.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps): 1. (2) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. 2. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 3. (8) 99h Trevor Hunt, Kearney, Mo. 4. (4) 68 Kerry Davis, Parkville, Mo. 5. (7) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan. 6. (1) 8t Terry Bruner, Shawnee, Kan. 7. (6) 53 John Baker, Basehor, Kan. 8. (3) 86 Buddy Benedict, Independence, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance): 1. (1) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa. 2. (4) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa. 3. (5) 1K Tim Karrick, Basehor, Kan. 4. (2) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa. 5. (3) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan. 6. (9) 97 Cade Dillard (R), Robeline, La., LG2/105, $100. 7. (7) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 8. (6) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., LG2/Sput’s, $100. 9. (10) 2 Mike Eisenhut, Topeka, Kan., KRT/Meinholdt, $80. 10. (8) Y9 Aaron Marrant, Orrick, Mo., GRT/Burlington, $100.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance): 1. (2) 68 Kerry Davis, Parkville, Mo. 2. (1) 34 Mark Schafman, Edwardsville, Kan. 3. (3) 21t Lance Town (R), Louisburg, Kan. 4. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. 5. (7) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan. 6. (8) 53 John Baker, Basehor, Kan., BillsBuilt/Miller, $80. 7. (6) 8t Terry Bruner, Shawnee, Kan., Skyrocket/Millert, $80. 8. (10) 86 Buddy Benedict, Independence, Mo., Goober/Mullins, $80. 9. (9) 3 Bubba Harvey, Kansas City, Kan., BMS/Harvey, $80. 10. (5) J17 Jake Gallardo (R), Las Cruces, N.M.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (35 laps): 1. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 35, $3000. 2. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 35, $1700. 3. (2) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 35, $1000. 4. (5) 3b Nic Bidinger, Lawrence, Kan., Sidebiter/Burlington, 35, $900. 5. (7) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., MBCustom/Sput’s, 35, $900. 6. (4) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins, 35, $700. 7. (8) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, 35, $700. 8. (13) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput’s, 35, $650. 9. (12) 87 Darron Fuqua (R), Mayetta, Kan., Venom/Driskell, 35, $500. 10. (14) 68 Kerry Davis, Parkville, Mo., GRT/Sput’s, 35, $450. 11. (9) 75g Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., GRT/Hatfield, 35, $500. 12. (15) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ASI, 35, $450. 13. (11) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Mullins, 35, $425. 14. (17) 1K Tim Karrick, Basehor, Kan., Skyrocket/Millert, 35, $325. 15. (16) 34 Mark Schafman, Edwardsville, Kan., BillsBuilt/Heeter, 35, $300. 16. (18) 21t Lance Town (R), Louisburg, Kan., Hughes/Driskell, 35, $350. 17. (23) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Ramirez/Cornett, 34, $400. 18. (10) 59 Jared Stiens, Maryville, Mo., GRT/Driskell, 34, $250. 19. (24) J17 Jake Gallardo (R), Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/AOS, 34, $400. 20. (19) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Waukee, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 34, $400. 21. (6) 99h Trevor Hunt, Kearney, Mo., GRT/Spanel, 34, $400. 22. (20) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/Cornett, 30, $400. 23. (21) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., GRT/Hatfield, 10, $300. 24. (22) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., MBCustom/Mullins, 6, $300.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: Sanders 1-10, Phillips 21-35. Total Laps Led: Phillips 25, Sanders 10. Margin of Victory: 0.368 second. Provisional Starters: J. Scott, Gallardo. Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Phillips. Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 13th, finished 8th). Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 23, Salina Highbanks Speedway, Pryor Creek, Okla. Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup Points: Sanders 1130, VanderBeek 1009, S. Scott 904, J. Scott 861, Shryock 839, Ramirez 796, Duvall 780, Hilsabeck 753, Gallardo 674, Hunt 671. Rookie of the Year Points: Gallardo 1781, Dillard 1649, Adam Penn 1436, Dylan Smith 1298, Town 1152. COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 403, Geddes 387, ProPower 381, Mullins 259, ASI 180. Tiger Quick Change Manufacturers Championship Points: LG2 461, MBCustom 448, GRT 364, Ramirez 354, Hughes 289.

Contingency Awards: American Racer – Beebe. Beyea Custom Headers – Dillard. Brass Monkey Racing Products – not awarded. C&R Racing – Krohn. Edelbrock – Siebert. FK Rod Ends – not awarded. Forty9Designs.com – Gallardo. Fuel Safe – Siebert. GRT Race Cars – Grabouski. Hooker Harness – Duvall. JRi Shocks – Sanders. KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Fuqua. Keyser Manufacturing – not awarded. Marsh Racing Wheels – Allen. Mesilla Valley Transportation – VanderBeek. MSD Ignition – Phillips, Sanders. PBM Performance Products – Payne, Phillips. Power Lift Racing Products – J. Scott. Real Racing Wheels – Junghans, Marrant. Sybesma Graphics – Phillips. VP Racing Fuels – Phillips.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AMP Energy, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, SpiderWeb Modular Storage Solutions, Swan Energy, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Double H Bands, ElbowsUp.com, Erson Cams, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Major League Bowhunter, Mesilla Valley Transportation, New Vision Graphics, Olympic Fire Protection, Penn Transport, Road Runner Crane, Road Runner Trucking, S&S Fishing & Rental, United Cellular Services.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, Brass Monkey Racing Products, C&R Racing, CPD Racing Tools, Edelbrock, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Power Lift Racing Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends.

Category: Kansas / Nebraska, Series, USMTS