Hughes Collects USMTS Debut at Valley Speedway

After driving down to Warrensburg, Missouri with some friends on Saturday night only to get rained out, we drove home yet that night to cap off a disappointing night. Fortunately we had a good time despite no racing action. When I heard that Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Missouri postponed their original show from Friday night and pushed it back to Sunday, I decided that was going to be the first of hopefully a list of new tracks I attend this year. So after getting home so late (or early, depending on your perspective) the night before, I woke up early Sunday morning and made the trek back down to the Kansas City area by myself this time for some USMTS action. It was a bit disappointing only seeing a field of 27 USMTS modifieds, but it was understandable after having to cancel shows both Friday and Saturday. Also on the slate of action on the bullring would be the Midwest Outlaw Vintage cars and the mod-lites/dwarf cars. Ironically, there were three drivers from Iowa racing in the mod-lite division. At one point during their twenty-lap feature, the Iowa guys were running 1-2-3. Mike Kennedy, running third at the time, would get spun by a local driver (#64, didn't catch the name). The flagman was quick on the yellow as neither car came to a stop, but both found their way to the back of the field. Up front it was all Randy Bryan as he held off Charlie Brown for the win. The #64 rebounded to finish third while Mike Kennedy finished seventh. The finale of the evening was the 40-lap USMTS feature. Chase Junghans and nine-time series champion Kelly Shryock redrew the front row as Junghans took command from the start. He would only lead the first two circuits before relinquishing the reigns over to Shryock on lap three. While the lead changed hands up front, Ryan Gustin was quickly screaming towards the front on the bottom side. He quickly dissected the field and found himself in fourth in just two laps after starting eleventh. Dustin Boney and Gustin both made their way by Junghans to climb into second and third, respectfully, before Gustin later grabbed the runner-up position away from Boney. While I was somewhat focusing on Gustin's climb up the leaderboard, I also noticed Rodney Sanders making a bit of noise. The Texas driver, who started ninth, used the high side to dispose of Junghans on his way to the fourth spot. After seeing Sander's progression, I then noticed that Jason Hughes was also on the prowl a few spot behind him. Hughes, who won the b-main event and started 15th, had cut the field in half and saw himself in the seventh position somewhere around the lap ten mark. Back up front Gustin closed in on Shryock for the lead and ducked to the inside of the Skyrocket man exiting turn four. As they battled side by side entering turn one, Gustin would gain the momentum on the turn two exit and propel himself into the lead. Dustin Boney was running a great line on the top groove and also made the pass on Shryock for the second position before a caution was shown on lap thirteen. The restart proved to be a big break for Rodney Sanders. He dove to the inside on the exit of turn two and powered by both Shryock and Boney to advance into the second spot. A lap later Boney would slow to a stop in turn four with a left rear flat tire, temporarily ending his hopes of a great run. The top three at that point were Gustin, Sanders, and Hughes. Hughes powered by Sanders on the restart and quickly closed in on Gustin. With Gustin hugging the inside groove, Hughes motored on by in the outside groove and took the lead away. Another caution slowed the pace at the halfway point. Gustin would lose a couple spots following the restart to Sanders and Shryock before Shryock bowed out to the infield. A number of cautions plagued the event in the final ten laps. That set up a great battle between Sanders and Gustin for the runner up position as Jason Hughes had them all covered on this night as he picked up his fifth win of the season. Rodney Sanders finished second, Ryan Gustin was third, Jon Tesch finished fourth, and Bryan Rowland completed the top five. Not only did Hughes collect the win, but his Hughes chassis garnered four of the top five spots. Racing action concluded around 8:30, and it was time to hit the road for home. Think I got home sometime around the 1:30am mark. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of racing and passing I saw throughout the night. Upon arrival the track crew was adding water to the surface and it appeared it would be a hammer down track on the top side. The track crew needs a lot of props for getting it in racing condition and providing a racey surface. Grain Valley Speedway is the first new track of the season for me. That means I'm not one closer to that magical 100 total track plateau that I'm aiming at achieving sometime this year. Just three more to go! - Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!

So Far, but Yet So Close

When I woke up Saturday morning, I had in mind two options for racing that evening. My first choice was going to be the IMCA Deery Brothers late model series event held at the Jackson County Speedway in Maquoketa, Iowa. Plan B was going to be the double features night at the Algona Raceway in Algona, Iowa. However, those two plans quickly fell by the wayside when I pulled up the Internet and saw they had both cancelled. Ok, need a new plan. Early afternoon came and I found two tracks in Missouri that peaked my interest for the night. At the time both the Scotland County Speedway in Memphis (MO) and the I-35 Speedway in Winston (MO) were both racing. I opted to go get my hair cut the cheap way (from my sister), but when I went to leave her place my car would not start. Wouldn't even turn over. After making plans with a couple buddies to head south, my heart sank as I stood in disbelief. I notified them that I was having car problems, so our trip was not going to happen. That soon changed when my father tightened the battery post, and the car started like a charm. Back in business!! I quickly drove home and changed. I hopped on the computer one last time and found that Memphis had cancelled. So it looked like Winston would be our destination. I met my buddies in Ellsworth sometime around 3:20, and when we called at 3:30 they had just pulled the plug as well. My friends, thinking positively, said "well now where"? I had forgotten about the USMTS race down in Warrensburg (MO). We called the track and they said it was a muddy mess, but they were on. The lengthy trip found us arrive at the track shortly after 8pm. Upon arrival we could see USMTS cars on the track, but apparently it was just hot laps. As we paid for our tickets and found a seat, hot laps came to an end and the call for the grater soon followed. After making a couple passes it was determined the track would not hold up for the night and the plug was pulled. Fortunately for us, the promoter gave fans the option to either hold on to the tickets for the rescheduled date (yet to be determined) or giving refunds. So we patiently waited for the line to dwindle down and received our money back. - Racing may be a hobby, but it's DEFINITELY addictive!!

Hughes Hunts Down Shryock For Humboldt Victory

On Saturday, March 12 I attended my first race event of the 2011 season. The United States Modified Touring Series ventured in to the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kansas as stop #4 on the schedule. The night before in South Coffeyville, Oklahoma boasted 78 modifieds, so I was pumped up to see who would be on hand Saturday night. Turns out there were a few less, but still 69 on hand for a showdown at the track nicknamed "the Hummer".

What was most interesting to me during the heat races were not just the total number of cars, but rather the drivers that made the trip to race. Jeff Stephens, normally an IMCA racer as far as I know, was in the first heat and finished fifth. Four Iowa guys filled heat two with Ryan Ruter blowing the doors off the competition for the win. Mike Hansen finished second, Ryan Gustin fourth, and Jesse Dennis seventh. The third heat saw three USMTS veterans take three of the top four spots with Jon Tesch taking the win, former USMTS national champion Jason Krohn finishing second, and defending USMTS national champion Jason Hughes in fourth. Heat four saw three more regular touring drivers atop the leaderboard as Tommy Weder Jr paced the field to the checkered followed by Johnny Scott and Tommy Myer. The surprise in this one was normal Wissota driver Don Eischens making the trip down from Minnesota.

Heat number six saw Wisconsin's Scott Mullen finish in the sixth position. Mullen normally drives IMCA in his homestate. The seventh and final heat race saw another IMCA standout driver Jordan Grabouski compete and finish sixth.

The b-mains were loaded down with a plethera of talent. Jason Krohn took top honors in the first consi with Randy Timms, Luke Driscoll, and Jordan Grabouski also moving on. B-main #2 saw three regular USMTS drivers take the top three positions as Jason Hughes beat Zack VanderBeek and Dereck Ramirez to the line. Speed's Kenny Wallace managed to finish fourth and advance to the feature as well. After struggling through the heat race, I thought for sure perennial contender Ryan Gustin would have made the right changes and ran away with the third consi race. That was not the case, however, as he had to hold off Rick Beebe for the final transfer spot at the line.

Following the three support class features (sorry, didn't take notes as the weather was cold and I didn't know any of the drivers but one), it was now time for the forty-lap feature. Pole-sitter John Webb would lead the first two laps before giving way to nine-time USMTS champion Kelly Shryock. Shryock, who started fourth on the grid, wasted no time in putting his competition in the dust as he opened up a straight away lead on the field until the yellow flag waved on lap sixteen. By that time, I noticed Jason Hughes had moved up roughly five or six spots from his twelfth starting spot. Deeper in the field Ryan Gustin was tryin to make his way through the entire field.

When the green waved again, Shryock would again get the jump and pull ahead by several carlengths. Shryock looked to have it on cruise control while Gustin and Hughes continued to move forward. Gustin would crack the top ten while Hughes moved into the third position behind Johnny Bone Jr. The yellow flag would wave again with nine laps to go, erasing Shryock's big lead once again. With Bone Jr and Hughes right on his rear bumper Shryock wasn't intimidated as he opened up a small distance over Hughes, who would find the quick way around the top side.

As Hughes slowly reeled in Shryock, Gustin was on the charge further back in the pack. It seemed like his car handled the best in the middle, compared to Hughes on the top side and Shryock running the low line. When the white flag was displayed it was Hughes overtaking Shryock by a few feet as they entered turn one. Hughes would maintain the momentum off the cushion and extend his lead by the slimmest margins as they entered turn three. Hughes diamonded off the corner and took the win by a car length over Shryock. Johnny Bone Jr would finish third while Ryan Gustin put on a show for the fans as he passed twenty-two cars en route to a fourth place finish. Jon Tesch rounded out the top five. The win was Hughes' eighth at the 3/8 mile facility in Humboldt.

The great racing action and surface provided by the officials at the Humboldt Speedway have lit a fire under me. After seeing all the passing and exciting side-by-side action, I'm ready for the race season to get here. Unfortunately I think I'll have to bottle up that enthusiasm for a few weeks until I get to another track. Right now my next likely race will be the Marshalltown Frostbuster on April 1, but that may change depending on my mood and the forecast.

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