Sanders snares USMTS checkers in Elk City
Photo by Mike Spivey
ELK CITY, Okla. (June 23) – The United States Modified Touring Series visited the Elk City Speedway for the first time Sunday night with Rodney Sanders visiting the winners circle for the fifth time during the 2013 USMTS Casey’s Cup Series campaign.
Thomas Tillison Jr. grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and led the first seven laps before Sanders blasted into the top spot.
‘The Rocket’ never relinquished the lead after that point and led the remaining 33 laps to score a $4,000 victory with 2010 USMTS national champion Jason Hughes breathing down his neck.
Hughes got around Chris Brown on lap 18 and hounded Sanders the rest of way but came up a half-car-length short at the finish line.
Brown, who started tenth, held on for third with Johnny Scott finishing fourth and Dereck Ramirez taking the fifth spot.
Zack VanderBeek qualified for the main event through one of two Real Racing Wheels “B” Mains, and then rolled past ten of his fellow competitors to secure the sixth spot and his second Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award in as many nights.
Nine-time USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock was seventh, Clyde Dunn Jr. started and finished eighth, Daniel Hilsabeck nabbed ninth and Tillison wound up tenth.
The win was Sanders’ 15th career USMTS win, tying him for tenth on the all-time wins list with Friday’s winner, Jeremy Payne. It also propelled him back into the points lead in the Allgayer, Inc. Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports.
Scott slipped to second in the rankings, but lurks just five points behind Sanders while VanderBeek remains third and 65 markers in arrears to the leader. Hughes, Shryock, Brown, Dunn, Ramirez, Stormy Scott and Steve Whiteaker Jr. round out the top 10 in the standings.
The track that hosted the first-ever World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series race in 1978 will shine the spotlight on America’s Premier Dirt Modified Series as the USMTS Casey’s Cup Series makes its debut at the legendary Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, on Tuesday, June 25.
The Devil’s Bowl Speedway is a high-banked, D-shaped half-mile dirt oval located 3.2 miles south of US 80 on Lawson Rd. The track opened in 1949 in Dallas behind the Buckner Boulevard drive-in theater before moving to its current location in Mesquite in 1968. Lanny and Beverly Edwards took over track ownership in 1972, and the Hall of Fame promoters are celebrating their 40th year of promoting the famous facility in 2013.
Gates open at 6 p.m. and races start at 8 p.m. Limited Mods will also be on the racing card. For more information about the Devil’s Bowl Speedway, call 972-222-2421 (tickets) or 972-222-2818 (office) or visit www.devilsbowl.com online.
The 4s Motorsports Southern Speedweek powered by Lecolift continues on Wednesday, June 26, at the Heart O’ Texas Speedway near Waco, Texas, then back to the north for three nights to finish up on Thursday through Saturday, June 27-29, with repeat visits to the Kennedale (Texas) Speedway Park, RPM Speedway in Crandall, Texas, and Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla.
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.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
OFFICIAL RESULTS United States Modified Touring Series – USMTS Casey’s Cup Series Allgayer, Inc. Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports 4s Motorsports Southern Speedweek powered by Lecolift – Inaugural Event Elk City Speedway, Elk City, Okla. Sunday, June 23, 2013
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine, laps completed and money won. The top 12 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.
BEYEA CUSTOM HEADERS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps): 1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas. 2. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla. 3. (3) 127 Andy Morris (R), Okay, Okla. 4. (4) 007 Harley Menacher, Elk City, Okla. 5. (5) 15b Bobby Mayfield (R), Elk City, Okla. 6. (6) 00 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada. 7. (2) 1 Jerrad Crosby, Erick, Okla. 8. (8) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla. 9. (9) 96jr Jon Herring, Woodward, Okla.
JRi SHOCKS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps): 1. (4) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 2. (2) 20t Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa. 3. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 4. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas. 5. (8) 14t Tristan Dycus, Waxahachie, Texas. 6. (6) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada. 7. (7) 9L Vince Lucas, Elk City, Okla. 8. (9) 21 Van Gemmill, Ponca City, Okla. 9. (1) 53 Rick Pittman, Elk City, Okla.
EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps): 1. (2) 21f Kyle Sweeney, Purcell, Okla. 2. (1) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa. 3. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. 4. (4) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo. 5. (3) 22 Calvin Bonner, Elk City, Okla. 6. (5) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M. 7. (8) 72 Kerry Davis, Cordell, Okla. 8. (6) 11s Scotty Bough (R), Nevada, Mo.
PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps): 1. (3) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla. 2. (4) 9 Cole Traugott, Woodward, Okla. 3. (6) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas. 4. (2) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla. 5. (7) 2x Gene Weaver, Amarillo, Texas. 6. (5) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa. 7. (1) 21 Austin Bonner (R), Elk City, Okla. 8. (8) 11 Josh Whitson, Elk City, Okla.
DAY MOTOR SPORTS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps): 1. (2) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas. 2. (1) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan. 3. (6) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas. 4. (4) 89 Jeremy Gossett, Amarillo, Texas. 5. (3) 97 George White, Fort Worth, Texas. 6. (8) 12 Dusty Mayfield, Clinton, Okla. 7. (5) 11 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La. 8. (7) 52 Brian Miller, Elk City, Okla.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance): 1. (1) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan. 2. (3) 007 Harley Menacher, Elk City, Okla. 3. (2) 127 Andy Morris (R), Okay, Okla. 4. (13) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla. 5. (5) 89 Jeremy Gossett, Amarillo, Texas. 6. (7) 97 George White, Fort Worth, Texas. 7. (4) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo., GRT/Mullins, $140. 8. (6) 15b Bobby Mayfield (R), Elk City, Okla., Shaw/Shinook, $90. 9. (9) 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M., AOS/AOS, $90. 10. (8) 00 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada. 11. (11) 9L Vince Lucas, Elk City, Okla., Hatfield/Larry’s, $75. 12. (10) 72 Kerry Davis, Cordell, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, $75. 13. (12) 11 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Hughes/Mullins, $90. 14. (14) 11 Josh Whitson, Elk City, Okla., GRT/WCH, $75. 15. (15) 96jr Jon Herring, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Sput’s, $75.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance): 1. (1) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. 2. (9) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa. 3. (11) 21 Austin Bonner (R), Elk City, Okla. 4. (8) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada. 5. (6) 22 Calvin Bonner, Elk City, Okla. 6. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas. 7. (13) 11s Scotty Bough (R), Nevada, Mo., Phoenix/Yeoman, $90. 8. (14) 52 Brian Miller, Elk City, Okla., TRE/B&K, $75. 9. (15) 53 Rick Pittman, Elk City, Okla., MasterSbilt/L&R, $75. 10. (7) 12 Dusty Mayfield, Clinton, Okla., Skyrocket/RM, $75. 11. (10) 1 Jerrad Crosby, Erick, Okla., Kraft/Crosby, $75. 12. (5) 2x Gene Weaver, Amarillo, Texas, GRT/Yeoman, $75. 13. (12) 21 Van Gemmill, Ponca City, Okla., Skyrocket/Sput’s, $75. 14. (2) 14t Tristan Dycus, Waxahachie, Texas, Kraft/Wells, $90. 15. (4) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
ALLGAYER, INC. “A” MAIN (40 laps): 1. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 40, $4000. 2. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1550. 3. (10) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Hughes/RoushYates, 40, $1000. 4. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/RoushYates, 40, $1050. 5. (5) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $800. 6. (16) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $850. 7. (12) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $750. 8. (8) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $600. 9. (11) 20t Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $550. 10. (1) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 40, $500. 11. (15) 007 Harley Menacher (R), Elk City, Okla., GRT/Mike’s, 40, $450. 12. (7) 9 Cole Traugott, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/Traugott, 40, $300. 13. (19) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., LG2/ProPower, 40, $275. 14. (20) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, 40, $450. 15. (18) 21 Austin Bonner (R), Elk City, Okla., GRT/GMPP, 40, $350. 16. (2) 21f Kyle Sweeney, Purcell, Okla., FlexiFlyer/Mullins, 40, $250. 17. (13) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., MBCustom/Mullins, 40, $300. 18. (23) 97 George White, Fort Worth, Texas, Shaw/ASI, 38, $300. 19. (26) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., Hughes/BMS, 36, $300. 20. (22) 22 Calvin Bonner, Elk City, Okla., GRT/GMPP, 36, $250. 21. (21) 89 Jeremy Gossett, Amarillo, Texas, Hughes/Carroll’s, 24, $250. 22. (14) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, 21, $300. 23. (24) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, Hughes/RoushYates, 19, $300. 24. (9) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 18, $400. 25. (17) 127 Andy Morris (R), Okay, Okla., TRE/BMS, 18, $300. 26. (25) 00 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, 18, $350.
(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.
Lap Leaders: Tillison 1-7, Sanders 8-40. Total Laps Led: Sanders 33, Tillison 7. Margin of Victory: 0.266 second. Provisional Starters: Big Eagle, Duvall. Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 16th, finished 6th). Next Race: Tuesday, June 25, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Mesquite, Texas. Allgayer, Inc. Southern Region Points: Sanders 873, J. Scott 868, VanderBeek 808, Hughes 775, Shryock 770, Brown 758, Dunn 673, Ramirez 642, S. Scott 641, Whiteaker 623. Rookie of the Year Points: Hunt 1494, Galloway 1423, Big Eagle 1164, Jeff Conner 461, Cade Dillard 420. COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: ProPower 226, Mullins 194, Sput’s 182, RoushYates 175, Geddes 170. Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 244, GRT 206, MBCustom 193, LG2 176, Skyrocket 175.
Contingency Awards: AERO Race Wheels – Big Eagle. American Racer – Dycus. Beyea Custom Headers – Sanders. BSB Manufacturing – Ramirez, Shryock. Buck Monson Photos – Sanders. Crane Cams – Sanders. Dominator Race Products – C. Bonner. Edelbrock – Brown. Eibach Springs – Sweeney. FK Rod Ends – A. Bonner. Forty9Designs.com – Galloway, Duvall. Fuel Safe – VanderBeek. GRT Race Cars – J. Scott. Hooker Harness – Rowland. JRi Shocks – J. Scott. KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Hilsabeck. Keyser Manufacturing – Tillison. Marsh Racing Wheels – Morris. Mesilla Valley Transportation – VanderBeek. MSD Ignition – Sanders, Hughes. PBM Performance Products – Tillison, Sanders. Power Lift Racing Products – Beebe. Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers. VP Racing Fuels – Sanders.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s General Stores, Cheetos, COMP Cams®, Day Motor Sports, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, Swan Energy.
USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: 4s Motorsports, Allgayer Inc., Arbor Masters, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Erson Cams, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, FVP, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Lecolift, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Motorsports, Road Runner Trucking, Ruter Farms, Something Inked, United Cellular Services.
USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, CPD Racing Tools, Crane Cams, Dominator Race Products, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, 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, MSD Ignition, PBM Performance Products, Power Lift Racing Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends, VP Racing Fuels.
Category: USMTS
