Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Grant Junghans Wins USMTS Hunt Opener

Grant Junghans perhaps wasn't the fastest car all night as the USMTS opened their "Hunt" for the championship in La Monte, Missouri last night. Junghans wasn't even the first to cross the line in last night's forty lap feature event. But when the dust settled, it would be Grant Junghans' name on the big check as he took home what is believed to be his first ever USMTS feature win.

A stellar field of sixty-four modifieds checked in as the first of sixteen Hunt races kicked off. Last night's feature winner earned a cool $3,000 for his efforts as I believe all Hunt races will do so this year. With names like Jason Hughes, Eddie Martin, Alan Sharpensteen, Terry Phillips, Chad Kinder...along with series regulars Kelly Shryock, Zach VanderBeek, Al Hejna, and many others...the fans knew there were in for a great show last night.

Seven heat races along with three bmains and four provisionals narrowed the large field of cars down to twenty-six starters. Ron VerBeek and Jeremy Payne sat on the front row when the green flag dropped and Payne wasted no time in grabbing the lead. Morgan Bagley would follow Payne to second as the field began to get in their rhythm. Deep in the field, former USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn was on the loud pedal after transferring out of a bmain. After starting sixteenth, Krohn soon climbed into the top ten in the first six or seven laps. Former national champions had a rough go all last night as Kelly Shryock, Tim Donlinger, and Krohn all had to advance from a bmain.

Justin Boney had a solid top five car early in the race until he exited off turn four towards the pits. Not sure what sidelined the Kansas driver. Ron VerBeek found the top side to his liking as he powered by Morgan Bagley for the runner up spot. Bagley would continue to slide backwards as Dereck Ramirez, Grant Junghans, and Terry Phillips would later get by. Ramirez would use the inside line to scoot by VerBeek to take the second spot away while VerBeek would later lose the third spot to Junghans.

Junghans also was using the cushion successfully as he motored his way by Ramirez to take over the second position, but by that time Jeremy Payne had already opened up a straight away lead. Payne's teammate Terry Phillips, also a bmain transfer, worked his way into the top five as he drove by Ron VerBeek, but Kelly Shryock would get by Phillips late in the race. Rodney Sanders, winner of the first USMTS visit to the track this year, would have another great run and pass Ramirez for the third spot while Shryock would also get by Ramirez for fourth later.
No cautions on this night as the field ran very clean throughout the night and those that were unable to finish were able to exit the track.

Jeremy Payne crossed the finish line first by a wide margin. He scaled out okay and had his picture taken on the track. However, post-race inspection found an issue with his tire. That handed the win over to Manhattan, Kansas driver Grant Junghans. Junghans is leading the DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year standings this season and I believe this was his first career USMTS feature win. What made Junghans' victory more special was having his parents there to see it. This was the first time I've seen his parents at the race track with him, and I think they were more excited about it then Grant was.

Payne's issue was one of many for Team Phillips. Eric Turner was disqualified after winning his heat race due to a shock issue. Terry Phillips was teched a little more thoroughly after claiming the final bmain transfer spot for his left front shocks, but was able to continue on to the feature.

Mitchell Moore drove to an easy win in the 305 sprint car feature. Moore dominated the entire race and held down a straight away advantage even after a caution flag. I counted sixteen sprint cars on hand last night, but only thirteen made the call for the finale.

The race track held up pretty nicely. There were two grooves of racing for the feature after the top side was the preferred line in the heat races. The rugged warriors of the USMTS travel southwest to the Monett Speedway in Monett, Missouri tonight for the second of five nights on this swing. After that they will travel to Springfield (MO) on Thursday before crossing the border into Kansas for Friday and Saturday stops in Humboldt and Caney, respectively.

1. 2 Grant Junghans
2. 20 Rodney Sanders
3. 3 Kelly Shryock
4. 4R Dereck Ramirez
5. 75 Terry Phillips
6. 4R Ron VerBeek
7. 7K Jason Krohn
8. 90 Steve Wetstein
9. 5R Morgan Bagley
10. 3D Tim Donlinger
11. 33z Zach VanderBeek
(all I was able to get)

- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!

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