Sanders shoots down challengers at Chisholm Trail Showdown

[NickHolt]

Sanders shoots down challengers at Chisholm Trail Showdown

PARK CITY, Kansas (November 15)--Rodney Sanders rolled to his 11th main event victory of the season Friday as the United States Modified Touring Series kicked off the final weekend of the season with the 3rd Annual Chisholm Trail Showdown at the 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas.

Coming into the night as the newly-crowned and now three-time USMTS National Champion, Sanders emerged from a spirited battle with Tanner Mullens to pull away in the closing laps and secure the $3,000 winner's share of the prize money.

Making just his second career USMTS start, Cody Jolly jumped out to lead the first lap and proceeded to pull away to a huge ten-car-length advantage over Tyler Wolff who had nearly the same cushion over a three-var battle for third when the race's first caution flag waved with five laps into the 40-lapper.

With Wolff glued to his rear bumper on the restart, Jolly tip-toed a little too high entering turn one and opened the door for Tanner Mullens to take charge of the race while Sanders followed into second place.

After completing one more lap, a major melee took place in turn one when Dan Powers and polesitter Keith Hammett made contact as they passed the flagstand.

The result was Powers spinning in front of the oncoming pack, and when the dust settled at least five more cars were headed to the pits with unrepairable damage, including Ryan Gustin, Cory Crapser, Paden Phillips, Cody Schniepp and Josh Lanterman.

Back under green, Mullens and Sanders began a stretch of more than 15 laps that saw the pair swap the lead seven times while they danced in and out of lapped cars while the race for third between Wolff, Darron Fuqua and Dereck Ramirez forced fans to keep one eye on that battle.

Debris on the track forced the third yellow flag of the contest on lap 25 with Sanders leading Mullens, Fuqua, Ramirez and Featherlite Fall Jamboree winner Jacob Bleess, who started 18th on the 24-car grid.

Another caution seven laps later gave the field a glimmer of hope, but Sanders proved to be too much in the last half of the race and collected his 97th career USMTS main event on the eve of the Grant Junghans Memorial.

"It's been a pretty good night," Sanders said in victory lane. "The track was pretty hammer down early but it widened out pretty good."

Mullens held on for second to record his career-best effort with the USMTS while Ramirez finished third and his temporary teammate and newly-crowned World of Outlaws Late Model Series champion Brandon Sheppard wound up fourth in his USMTS debut.

Fuqua held off Wolff for fifth, Bleess was seventh, Chase Junghans charged to an eighth-place finish, rookie Alex Williamson nabbed ninth and reigning NCRA champion Tyler Davis rounded out the top 10.

The 4th Annual Grant Junghans Memorial happens on Saturday. Memorializing one of the most popular USMTS racers ever, Saturday's 50-lap main event will once again pay $10,002 to the winner while every main event starter will earn at least $1,202.

The racing world lost Grant Junghans on March 12, 2016, after a courageous six-year battle with a rare form of neuroendocrine cancer. The Grant Junghans Memorial is an opportunity for his family, friends, fans and fellow competitors to remember the good times and racing memories shared in his 27 years with us.

Junghans was first diagnosed with cancer in February of 2010. Despite on-again off-again chemotherapy treatments and numerous surgeries, he never lost his sense of humor, fighting spirit or natural-born tendency to be decent to others.

He was also the 2009 USMTS Rookie of the Year and that award has since been renamed in his honor.

Lucas Schott topped the inaugural Grant Junghans Memorial in 2016, Sanders took home the trophy in 2017 and Jake O'Neil claimed the title last year.

This year's event is even more special as the race will take place on the eve of Grant's birthday. It's also the first year that the race will be hosted by the 81 Speedway.

The USMTS road warriors will be joined by B-Mods again Saturday. They'll be racing for $1,002 to win and $122 to start the feature.

On Saturday, the pits open at 2 p.m., grandstands open at 3 and racing gets underway at 5. General admission tickets are $25, juniors (12-16) and seniors (65+) are $20, kids (6-11) are $10 and children ages 5 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $40.

For every grandstand ticket and pit pass sold, $5 will go to the Grant Junghans Memorial Fund which supports research and funding for childhood cancer. Also, $25 from each entry received will go to the fund. Saturday's entry fee is $150 for Modifieds while B-Mods will have a $50 entry fee.

Friends of dirt track racing that have stepped up to support this event include A&A Electric & Underground, Malvern Bank, MB Customs Race Cars, Ramirez Motorsports, Rancho Milagro, Real Racing Wheels, Rick Beebe Heating & Air Conditioning and Shop Quik Convenience Stores.

Lap sponsors for the 50-lap main event include A One Automotive, Aceco Rental & Sales, AJ's Café, BMJ Enterprises, Broadway Truck & Auto, Caney Valley Speedway, Designs Unlimited, Dirt Life Illustrated, Dirt Monthly Magazine, Doherty Brothers Construction, Duvall Electric, First Class Septic, FYE Motorsports, GW Performance, Hacienda Mechanical, Hass Horizontal, Hoker Trucking, Hughes Racing Chassis, Humboldt Speedway, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Monarch Motor Speedway, MSRMafia.com, New Point Lighting & Design, Nick, Larry and Blonde Bomber, OFI Performance, RaceKnowHow.com, Roy and Becky Thackery, S&S Fishing & Rental, SouthernStockyards.com in memory of John Stand, Vado Speedway Park, VanderBuilt Race Cars/Gresham Services and Wichita Tank Racing.

Every lap of every race will be covered live by RacinDirt.TV.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS), visit USMTS.com online or call (515) 832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at facebook.com/USMTS, follow on Twitter at twitter.com/USMTS, check us out on Instagram at instagram.com/USMTS and subscribe to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/USMTSTV. Keep up to speed by joining our email list at USMTS.com/Subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS)
3rd Annual Park City Chisholm Trail Showdown
81 Speedway, Park City, Kansas
Friday, November 15, 2019

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown and money won. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the "A" Main.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 00 Cody Jolly, Jasper, Mo.
2. (3) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
3. (2) 9T Cole Traugott, Woodward, Okla.
4. (9) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (5) 7C J.D Choate, Ponca City, Okla.
6. (7) 4A Josh Lanterman, Derby, Kan.
7. (4) 4RX Jared Russell, Wagoner, Okla.
8. (6) 9R Brody Robe, Wichita, Kan.
9. (10) 17 Mike Striegel, Wheatland, Mo.
10. (8) 9 Andy Eickhoff, Albion, Neb.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan.
2. (9) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (5) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
4. (6) 4B Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
5. (3) 06 Andrew Wallace, Wichita, Kan.
6. (7) 9D8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
7. (10) 52C Alex Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
8. (4) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
9. (8) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
10. (1) 86 Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (3) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
3. (7) 4 Dan Powers, Wichita, Kan.
4. (8) 21C Cody Schniepp, Wichita, Kan.
5. (10) 01X Beau Davis, Cheney, Kan.
6. (5) 22N Kevin Newell, Wichita, Kan.
7. (9) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
8. (1) 86E Eric Main, Hutchinson, Kan.
9. (4) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (6) 1 Kirby Robe, Wichita, Kan.

MSD PERFROMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 32B Bob Bills, Wichita, Kan.
2. (4) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (6) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
4. (5) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (8) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
6. (7) 81 Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas
7. (9) 01A Drew Armstrong, Alexander, Ark.
8. (3) 5D Devon Havlik, Iowa Falls, Iowa
9. (2) 3 Arne Anderson, Watertown, S.D.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 29 Keith Hammett, Brookland, Ark.
2. (3) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
3. (1) 34 Kale Westover, Blair, Okla.
4. (4) 96JR Jon Herring Jr., Woodward, Okla.
5. (7) 25C Johnny Cammon, Wichita, Kan.
6. (5) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
7. (8) 51T Tim Thomas, Fargo, N.D.
8. (6) 7 Treyton Gann, Ponca City, Okla.
9. (9) 52 Ryan McAninch, Hutchinson, Kan.

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (5) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (4) 4B Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
4. (3) 34 Kale Westover, Blair, Okla.
5. (2) 21C Cody Schniepp, Wichita, Kan.
6. (8) 9D8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
7. (7) 06 Andrew Wallace, Wichita, Kan., $90
8. (12) 4RX Jared Russell, Wagoner, Okla., $90
9. (10) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D., $90
10. (17) 52 Ryan McAninch, Hutchinson, Kan., $90
11. (9) 52C Alex Cammon, Wichita, Kan., $90
12. (14) 5D Devon Havlik, Iowa Falls, Iowa, $90
13. (6) 25C Johnny Cammon, Wichita, Kan., $90
14. (16) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., $90
15. (18) 86 Brian Franz, Halstead, Kan., $90
16. (11) 01A Drew Armstrong, Alexander, Ark., $90
17. (15) 17 Mike Striegel, Wheatland, Mo., $90
DNS - 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., $90

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa
2. (4) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (10) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (5) 96JR Jon Herring Jr., Woodward, Okla.
5. (3) 01X Beau Davis, Cheney, Kan.
6. (7) 4A Josh Lanterman, Derby, Kan.
7. (8) 81 Cody Simpson, Quinlan, Texas, $90
8. (12) 9R Brody Robe, Wichita, Kan., $90
9. (13) 86E Eric Main, Hutchinson, Kan., $90
10. (9) 22N Kevin Newell, Wichita, Kan., $90
11. (11) 51T Tim Thomas, Fargo, N.D., $90
12. (14) 7 Treyton Gann, Ponca City, Okla., $90
13. (2) 9T Cole Traugott, Woodward, Okla., $90
14. (17) 9 Andy Eickhoff, Albion, Neb., $90
15. (6) 7C J.D. Choate, Ponca City, Okla., $90
16. (18) 1 Kirby Robe, Wichita, Kan., $90
17. (16) 3 Arne Anderson, Watertown, S.D., $90
DNS - 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan., $90

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (40 laps):
1. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, $3000
2. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., $1700
3. (13) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., $1100
4. (17) 4B Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill., $700
5. (12) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., $600
6. (3) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., $550
7. (18) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., $500
8. (9) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., $450
9. (15) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn., $425
10. (10) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan., $400
11. (2) 00 Cody Jolly, Jasper, Mo., $375
12. (7) 55 Chris Kratzer, Wichita, Kan., $350
13. (22) 01X Beau Davis, Cheney, Kan., $325
14. (19) 34 Kale Westover, Blair, Okla., $300
15. (20) 96JR Jon Herring Jr., Woodward, Okla., $275
16. (4) 32B Bob Bills, Wichita, Kan., $250
17. (1) 29 Keith Hammett, Brookland, Ark., $250
18. (8) 4 Dan Powers, Wichita, Kan., $250
19. (16) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., $250
20. (14) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, $250
21. (11) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., $250
22. (23) 9D8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan., $250
23. (21) 21C Cody Schniepp, Wichita, Kan., $250
24. (24) 4A Josh Lanterman, Derby, Kan., $250

Entries: 48.
Next Race: Saturday, November 16, 81 Speedway, Park city, Kansas.