After more then a week away from the races, I was more then excited to head to the Hamilton County Speedway Saturday night (Aug 20) for the USMTS Hunt for the Championship event. Coming into the night Ryan Gustin held a solid lead over nine-time series champion Kelly Shryock and looked to widen the gap as he returned to the track in which he started his young career. But Shryock has a ton of laps at the historic half-mile as well.
A good field of cars in all divisions were on hand with over 100 cars in four divisions filling the pits, including 28 USMTS cars. USRA stock cars and USRA bmods were running under the Iron Man Challenge series while the hobby stocks were unsanctioned.
First up for their feature were the USRA Iron Man Challenge bmods. Pole sitter Blake Conant held a slim lead at the completion of lap one, but Jeremy Embrey powered his machine off the cushion of turn two to take the lead down the back stretch on the next circuit. Cayden Carter looked to the inside of Josh Bonnstetter for the fourth position. These two would race side by side for a couple laps with Bonnstetter getting the edge later. Bryon Weyer used the high side to pass Conant for second before challenging Embrey for the lead on lap eight. Prior to that Conant spun in turn two in front of most of the field and was somehow able to not only avoid contact from the other machines, but kept his foot in the gas and kept his machine moving to avoid a yellow flag. Cayden Carter managed to get by Bonnstetter for third before a caution flag came out on lap ten. Carter ducked to the inside of Weyer on the restart to take over the runner up spot while Carter VanDenBerg worked the inside of Matt Lettow for fourth. The second and final yellow flag came out two laps later when Bonnstetter spun and came to a stop. In the closing laps Carter hounded Embrey and took advantage when Embrey pushed up in turn two. Carter dashed inside and pulled even down the back stretch before using a slidejob to overtake the lead with three laps to go. Carter would go on to pick up the win ahead of Jeremy Embrey, Bryon Weyer, Carter VanDenBerg, and Matt Lettow. According to results that I've been able to find, that was Carter's 25th win of the season.
Next up would be the USRA Iron Man Challenge for stock cars. After a first lap caution, Reid Keller grabbed the lead from the pole position. Steve Jackson and Mark Elliott tangled on the front stretch and eventually brought out the caution on lap two. Wayne Crimmins used the inside line to get by Jason Wagoner while Mike VanGenderen powered his machine up on the top side to pick a couple cars off and advanced to third. Keller would slow going down the back stretch to bring out another caution. Following the restart Tory Reicks shot through the middle of Nathan Wood and Dennis Plain for the fourth position as the top three drivers (Crimmins, VanGenderen, Kevin Donlan) separated from the pack. A yellow flag would bunch the field back up again and allowed Donlan to use the inside line to get by VanGenderen for second. Unfortunately another caution came out again, and at that time officials decided to cut the laps from twenty-five to sixteen. A green/white/checkered would be in store for the competitors and Crimmins was able to fend off a strong charge by VanGenderen to pick up the win. Kevin Donlan was third, Nathan Wood fourth, and Mark Elliott charged back through the field to round out the top five. Elliott restarted in the 21st position after his early incident.
The hobby stocks made their way to the track with Adam Gebel and Pete McWherter sitting on the front row. Early on McWherter went on the spin cycle and collected about five cars, including Randy Embrey among others. When the green flag came back out Brad Ratcliff took command out front while Austin Wolfgram moved into second past Bobby Dilley. Another caution flew on lap four, but the green light didn't stay out long as Dilley spun and stopped. Drew Barglof apparently was sent to the tail for questionable driving. On the ensuing restart Embrey dove to the inside of Gebel to take over the third position. Yet another caution waved and officials decided to once again cut the number of laps, this time taking three laps off. The race would actually end under yellow/checkered with Brad Ratcliff taking the win, Austin Wolfgram second, Randy Embrey third, Matt Hudspeth fourth, and Adam Gebel fifth.
The finale of the evening was now set to take center stage as the USMTS feature left the staging area. The ever-popular pre-race ceremonies with the American flags and "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood playing over the PA graced the pack grandstand as the crowd got to their feet.
Dereck Ramirez and Kelly Shryock sat on the front row as the field took the green flag. Shryock got the advantage on the start and led the first couple of circuits prior to an early caution flag on lap two. On the restart Ramirez made his car stick on the bottom side of turns three and four to take over the race lead. Meanwhile local Mark Elliott worked his way around Zack VanderBeek utilizing to cushion to advance to third. Shryock would regain the lead on lap six as he dialed in his marks running the mid-to-upper grooves of the track. Dustin Boney made his way by VanderBeek using the cushion while Elliott charged by Ramirez for the runner up spot. The yellow flag waved again on lap twelve, which was the break that Boney capitalized on. He powered his machine to the top side and drove by both VanderBeek and Ramirez to settle into the third spot on lap eighteen of the thirty-lap race. Ramirez would continue to run the inside line and battle back to regain the third spot from Boney just prior to Boney slowing to a stop to bring out the third caution of the race. The top eight drivers at this point in the race were Shryock, Elliott, Ramirez, Jason Hughes, VanderBeek, Tommy Myer, Rodney Sanders, and Ryan Gustin. Sanders and Gustin finished first and second, respectively, in the bmain and started seventeenth and eighteenth, respectively.
Ramirez used the low groove once again to get by Elliott for second while Rodney Sanders powered up his machine to the top side to race past VanderBeek for fourth. Elliott would slow and bring out the caution with five laps remaining. Sanders again got a good restart and jumped ahead of Ramirez after the restart for second. His night would get cut short, however, as he apparently got a flat tire and made heavy contact with the wall in turn three for yet another yellow flag. The outside line again proved to be the quick line on the restart as Jason Hughes drove by Ramirez for second. Behind them Tommy Myer used the top side to get by VanderBeek for fourth while Ryan Gustin followed in fifth. Hughes would run out of laps as Kelly Shryock picked up his first win of the Hunt, but tenth overall this season. Jason Hughes was second, Dereck Ramirez third, Tommy Myer fourth, and Ryan Gustin rounded out the top five.
Ryan Gustin is trying to accomplish what Jason Hughes managed to achieve last year. Thus far in the seven Hunt races, Gustin has accumulated all top five finishes. Last year Hughes proved consistency pays off in the end as he racked up 16 top five finishes in the 18 Hunt races. With Gustin's stellar performance thus far, his lead over Shryock now stands at 87 going into tonight's action in Worthington, Minnesota. Following the race in Worthington, the road warriors will have a few days off before another three-race swing beginning on Thursday in Winston, Missouri. To keep tabs on the USMTS, be sure to click on their website. And for information regarding the USRA Iron Man Challenge series, check out this website.
I'd like to thank the Hamilton County fair board for their hospitality all season long at the Hamilton County Speedway. I can't wait to hear next year's plans. But before that, the speedway will host a couple more racing events. Check out the Hamilton County Speedway website for details.
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