The United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) joined the World Dirt Racing League (WDRL) late models for a doubleheader at the Deer Creek Speedway near Spring Valley, Minnesota on Saturday, Sept 5. These two traveling series don't usually show up on the same card at the same track, but for the last couple of years they have been meeting on the Saturday before Labor Day in southern Minnesota.
Twenty-four WDRL late models were on hand last night with Dave Eckrich setting quick time during group qualifying. Chad Simpson would win the pole dash to give him the pole for the forty-lap, $5,000 to win feature event. Simpson would take charge from the get-go while Adam Hensel and Chad Mahder raced side by side for several laps for the runner up spot. Mahder would hold on to that spot until just before a caution flag waved on lap six when Hensel would take it away from him. Simpson would open up a straight away lead within six laps after the restart before catching lapped traffic. Three more cautions would wave throughout the event, but nobody was able to put any pressure on Chad Simpson as he grabbed his fourth WDRL win of the season. He was followed across the line by Adam Hensel, Nick Anvelink, Chad Mahder, and Dave Eckrich.
The focus would switch to the open wheel modifieds for the USMTS thirty-five lap feature. A couple of local veteran favorites, Mark Noble and Tommy Myer, had luck on their side when they redrew the front row. Myer would lead lap one before a quick yellow came out. Fourth starter Dereck Ramirez worked under Noble to nab the second spot while Friday night's feature winner Ryan Gustin was on the move once again, taking the third spot away from Noble on lap eight. Jason Hughes, who started ninth, drove to the high side and advanced to the fifth spot by lap thirteen.
Up front Ramirez would nip Myer at the line to lead lap fourteen, but Myer would battle back on the outside to regain the lead. The two would swap the lead two more times before the caution came out with ten laps to go. At that point, Gustin had moved into the second spot behind Myer and elected to restart on the outside of the first full row. Gustin would lose a little grip up there and fade a bit while Steve Wetstein slipped into the third spot. Gustin, Jason Cummins, and Wetstein would exit the second corner three-wide with two laps remaining, allowing Tommy Myer to race to the win. Jason Cummins would sneak up to second late in the race followed by Dereck Ramirez, Ryan Gustin, and Steve Wetstein.
The racing action was fast and furious all night long with the late models having time trial times in the 14 second range. The track crew at the Deer Creek Speedway stayed on top of track conditions all night long to provide a great surface for the drivers. That being said, I'm anxiously awaiting the weekend of Sept 24-26 for the Featherlite Fall Jamboree that will crown the national champion for the USMTS series. For more information, check out www.deercreekspeedway.com.
The USMTS travels to the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minnesota tonight (Sunday) for the final night of six consecutive races this week. Then they will have about two weeks off before traveling to Brainerd (MN) Sept 18-19.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
No comments:
Post a Comment