Sanders puts ‘em in the aisles again, sweeps Silver Dollar Nationals for third straight year

GREENWOOD, Neb. (July 18, 2015) – Rodney Sanders started 13th in Saturday’s United States Modified Touring Series main event, but it took him just 15 laps to take the lead and speed to his second win of the weekend at the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., during the 5th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals.

Sanders’s 59th career USMTS triumph was his sixth straight in the Silver Dollar Nationals, completing his third straight sweep at the Kosiski family’s crown jewel event at the high-banked 4/10-mile speedplant.

Outside front row starter Jeremy Payne held off polesitter Corey Dripps to lead the first lap, and then built a huge margin between himself and the field over the next eight laps.

A caution on lap 9 erased Payne’s advantage, and two laps after the restart Dereck Ramirez snuck underneath at the flagstand to lead lap 11.

However, the next yellow flag on lap 13 was for Ramirez who slowed quickly with a broken suspension, handing the lead over to Terry Phillips.

Phillips was able to fend off Sanders for one lap, but by lap 15 Sanders had control and never relinquished the lead again, pacing the final 20 laps to score another $3,000 paycheck.

Jason Hughes, who started four spots behind Sanders in 17th, came on strong late in the race and was actually faster than Sanders on the stopwatch but ran out of laps and had to settle for the runner-up finish for the second time in as many nights.

After starting fourth and finishing tenth Friday, USMTS rookie points leader Jesse Sobbing started tenth on Saturday and clawed his way to a third-place finish at the checkers ahead of Phillips.

Brian Green recorded his career-best USMTS finish in fifth, while Zack VanderBeek, Jordan Grabouski, Casey Arneson, Tyler Groenendyk and 21st-starting Daniel Hilsabeck rounded out the top 10.

Although he won from the pole on Friday, Sanders’s stellar run through the pack was nothing new at the I-80 Speedway for the 25-year-old from Happy, Texas.

In last year’s sweep, he came from eighth and twelfth, respectively, and his 2013 feature wins came from the fifth and fifteenth starting spots.

 

He is now just 12 wins shy of matching Ryan Gustin’s record of 71 career USMTS wins. With 24 race nights remaining on the 2015 calendar, few would be shock to see ‘The Rocket’ challenge for that third spot on the all-time wins list.

Up next, the USMTS heads to the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa, this Tuesday, July 21, for the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region finale and the final points race of the year for the USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental.

The Lyon County Fair will be going on as well, so come to the track early and check out the fair. Tickets will be $18 for adults (get a $2-off coupon from participating Casey’s General Stores), $5 for kids ages 7-14 and free for children 6 and under. Hot laps will start at 7 p.m. with racing to follow.

The Holley Iron Man Challenge featuring USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods will also be in action.

The Rapid Speedway is a semi-banked 3/8-mile dirt oval located 0.5 mile east of US 75 on SR 9, then 0.5 mile south on South Tama St. (400 S. Tama St., Rock Rapids, IA 51246). For more information call (712) 470-1850 or (712) 472-3742 or visitwww.rockrapidsspeedway.com online.

Promoter Dereck Van Der Brink has lined up a golf tournament for drivers, crew members and fans on Monday, July 20, at the Rock River Golf & Country Club in Rock Rapids. The cost is $40 per person and includes green fees for nine holes of golf, half a cart and a steak dinner. Social hour starts at 5 p.m. and tee time is 6 p.m. There will be awards for long ball, longest putt and other pin prizes as well. Call Dereck Van Der Brink at 712-470-1850 to get signed up.

The 5th Annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship presented by Red Tail Tackle takes place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 23-25, as the Best of the Best dirt modified drivers on the planet will converge on the Deer Creek Speedway for the single-most super-mega-event in dirt modified racing and a chance for $20,000 to win.

After that, the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental kicks off Aug. 6 at the 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan.

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

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USMTS Casey’s Cup Series powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – MSD Central Region presented by Day Motor Sports
5th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals – Night 2 of 2
I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb.
Saturday, July 18, 2015

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 16 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.

MSD HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (1) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
3. (6) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
4. (5) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
5. (3) 9 Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
6. (9) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (8) 1s Scott Carlson, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
8. (7) 92 Josh Most, Red Oak, Iowa.
9. (4) 72 Mike Lineberry, Freemont, Neb.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 40 Brian Green (R), Pierce City, Mo.
2. (2) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
3. (3) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
4. (5) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
5. (4) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
7. (8) 5T Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
8. (6) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
9. (9) 95 Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (5) 31J Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark.
4. (6) 99 Jesse Sobbing (R), Malvern, Iowa.
5. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (8) 2 Casey Arneson (R), Fargo, N.D.
7. (3) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
8. (9) 01 Brian Perdue, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
9. (4) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (1) 2 Casey Arneson (R), Fargo, N.D.
3. (5) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
4. (10) 95 Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.
5. (8) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
6. (3) 1s Scott Carlson, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
7. (7) 92 Josh Most, Red Oak, Iowa.
8. (9) 72 Mike Lineberry, Freemont, Neb., GRT/Mullins, $75.
9. (6) 01 Brian Perdue, Council Bluffs, Iowa.
10. (4) 5T Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., MBCustom/Geddes, $90.
11. (11) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa, Skyrocket/Midstate, $75.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (13) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 35, $3000.
2. (17) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 35, $1700.
3. (10) 99 Jesse Sobbing (R), Malvern, Iowa, MBCustom/Sput’s, 35, $1200.
4. (8) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 35, $1000.
5. (4) 40 Brian Green (R), Pierce City, Mo., MBR/Marti, 35, $900.
6. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput’s, 35, $800.
7. (9) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., GRT/Durham, 35, $600.
8. (18) 2 Casey Arneson (R), Fargo, N.D., GRT/Durham, 35, $650.
9. (15) 9 Tyler Groenendyk, Oskaloosa, Iowa, LG2/Karl, 35, $500.
10. (21) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa, Hilsabeck/Mullins, 35, $550.
11. (5) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., Venom/Driskell, 35, $500.
12. (12) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, GRT/Mullins, 35, $450.
13. (22) 1s Scott Carlson, Council Bluffs, Iowa, BMS/DW, 35, $350.
14. (16) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Wornhor, 35, $400.
15. (23) 92 Josh Most, Red Oak, Iowa, Edge/RHR, 35, $300.
16. (24) 01 Brian Perdue, Council Bluffs, Iowa, Bandit/Roberts, 34, $275.
17. (19) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., MBCustom/Sput’s, 23, $400.
18. (6) 31J Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark., MBCustom/Donrich, 21, $250.
19. (11) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., LG2/Geddes, 20, $400.
20. (2) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 20, $300.
21. (14) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., MBCustom/Mullins, 16, $300.
22. (1) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, Rage/Durham, 13, $250.
23. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 13, $400.
24. (20) 95 Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb., Jet/Woods, 1, $250.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: Payne 1-11, Ramirez 12-13, Phillips 14, Sanders 15-35.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 21, Payne 11, Ramirez 2, Phillips 1.
Margin of Victory: 1.473 seconds.
Provisional Starters: Most (track), Perdue (track).
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Ramirez.
Hard Charger: Hughes (started 17th, finished 2nd).
Entries: 27.
Next Race: Tuesday, July 21, Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa.
MSD Central Region Points (final): .
USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Sobbing 1999, C. Arneson 1711, Ben Kates 1424, Ronnie Gould III 1117, Austin Arneson 1073.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Geddes 286, Sput’s 242, Mullins 234, Durham 179, Cornett 165.
USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustom 322, LG2 294, GRT 284, Hughes 244, Hilsabeck 92.

Contingency Awards:
AERO Race Wheels – Smith.
Allstar Performance – Arneson.
American Racer – Grabouski.
Beyea Custom Headers – Green.
BSB Manufacturing – Scott.
Chix Gear Racewear – Sobbing.
Deatherage Opticians – Green.
Edelbrock – Phillips.
Eibach Springs – Whiteaker.
Fast Shafts – Green.
FK Rod Ends – Most.
Forty9Designs.com – Duvall, Dillard.
Fuel Safe – VanderBeek.
GRT Race Cars – Whiteaker.
Hooker Harness – Carlson.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Groenendyk.
Keyser Manufacturing – Hilsabeck.
KSE Racing Products – Phillips.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Dripps.
Midwest Sheet Metal – Ramirez.
MSD Ignition – Ramirez, Sanders.
PBM Performance Products – Sanders.
QA1 – Sanders.
R2C Performance Products – Hughes.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics – Ramirez.
Tilton Engineering – Phillips.
VP Racing Fuels – Sanders.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Fuqua.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Grabouski.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Malvern Trust & Savings Bank, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Double H Bands, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Rivers Edge Scrap Management, Schwab’s Tinker Shop, UMotors Motorsports & Marine, Velocita-USA.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, BSB Manufacturing, CPD Racing Tools, Crane Cams, Driven Racing Oil, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance, Hooker Custom Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Midwest Sheet Metal, PBM Performance Products, QA1 Precision Products, Quarter Master, R2C Performance, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sybesma Graphics, Tilton Engineering, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.

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