Night number two for the USMTS was on the docket at the North Central Speedway on Saturday night as drivers looked to take home the $3,000 top prize. Thirty-one modifieds were on hand to try their luck at the speedway along with hornets, pure stocks, and short trackers once again racing as part of the Grassroots World Championships.
In a repeat performance from Friday night, Jesse Tripp made the haul from Spooner, Wisconsin pay off as he took home the win in the hornet class. Ben Godbee would be the first one to cross the line in the short tracker feature while Bill Nelson claimed the pure stock feature win.
It would then be time for the forty-lap USMTS finale. Fans were graced with the full onset of pre-race ceremonies as drivers were introduced outside of their cars, the full field was given American flags, and the music of Lee Greenwood sent chills through people's spines during the parade lap along with fireworks. Once again Ryan Gustin would be the first one to redraw for his starting position after he accumulated the most passing points in the heats. His luck would continue as he picked up the frisbee with the pole. He would be joined on the front row by Jon Tesch to lead the field to the green.
Gustin would lead the the first lap before giving way to Tesch on lap two. "Mr Excitement" Corey Dripps used the high side to climbs two spots to fourth before the first caution flag waved on lap seven. A lap after the restart, Jason Hughes and Dripps waged a battle for the fourth spot as Hughes made the pass on the inside before Dripps regained the spot on the outside on lap fourteen. Dripps would carry momentum with that pass as he motored by Tim Donlinger on the outside to climb to third. Tesch would extend his race lead and encounter lapped traffic at the halfway point in the race, at which time points leader Kelly Shryock was methodically making his way to the front. Shryock transferred out of a bmain event, started fifteenth, and made his way to eighth just past the halfway point.
Jason Hughes would then pick off Donlinger on the outside to settle into fourth before getting back by Dripps on the inside for the third slot. The caution flag would wave once again when Tommy Myer's engine exploded down the front stretch, leaving lots of fluid for track officials to clean up. Just before that caution waved Gustin, Hughes, and Dripps were racing each other along with lapped cars for the third spot. The green flag would come out again, but wouldn't stay out for long as a couple of cars tangled in turn one on the restart. One of those cars, Scott Green, smacked the outside wall, flew up in the air, and came back down hard. Fortunately Green would be okay and walk away, but the car sustained heavy damage to the both the front and rear of the car.
When racing resumed, Gustin would bobble on the outside, opening the door for Dripps to sneak under him for the second spot with ten laps to go. Gustin would then regain his momentum and get the spot back on the low groove the next lap. The night belonged to Jon Tesch as he collected the top prize. Tesch last found victory lane back in July at Worthington, Minnesota. Ryan Gustin would finish second followed by Corey Dripps, Jason Hughes, and Rodney Sanders. Kelly Shryock finished sixth, giving him a commanding 107-point lead going into the final three nights of the Hunt for the Championship. Shryock is pretty much guaranteed to start all three races as he has three provisionals to fall back on. Jason Hughes continues to sit second in the points followed by Ryan Gustin.
Those final three events will be held at the Deer Creek Speedway near Spring Valley, Minnesota next weekend for the Fall Jamboree. Things will get kicked off with a practice night on Wednesday before the action heats up Thursday night with Wissota Midwest Modifieds and USMTS modifieds on the card all three nights. If you haven't been able to make the trip to this event, I'd advise you to do everything in your power to do so this year as over 100 pre-entries have already been recorded.
For more information regarding the USMTS, check out www.usmts.com. For information regarding the Fall Jamboree, visit www.deercreekspeedway.com.
- Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!
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