Tim Donlinger takes USMTS win at Mississippi Thunder

[NickHolt]

DONLINGER DIALS UP USMTS VICTORY AT MISSISSIPPI THUNDER SPEEDWAY

 

FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. (Aug. 21) – Defending USMTS National Champion Tim Donlinger has proven time and time again that he's one of the best of the best at wheeling a USMTS Modified. On Friday night at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Donlinger showed that he could trade in his helmet for a cowboy hat and tackle the rodeo circuit.

 

Three inches of rain on Thursday night followed up by light drizzle throughout the next morning soaked the 3/8-mile high-banked oval and made for a lightning-fast sticky surface but a rough and bumpy ride for the competitors as they tackled the former tri-oval for the sixth of eighteen events comprising the Hunt for the USMTS Casey's General Stores National Championship.

 

Donlinger was eighth on the list of top qualifiers Friday night and last to draw for his starting position in the Sunoco "A" Main with the #1 and #8 still remaining in the draw possibilities. Jon Tesch grabbed the #8 with the next-to-last draw, leaving the pole position for Donlinger and the outside of the fourth row for himself.

 

At the drop of the green flag, Donlinger got the jump on outside front row starter Dan Bohr to lead the first circuit. Eight-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock followed into second the next lap before the first of five caution flags waved, this time for DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year points leader Grant Junghans who came to a stop at the top of turn 4 with mechanical troubles.

 

On the restart, Donlinger again got a big jump on the field while Shryock had his hands full with Dean Mahlstedt. The yellow flag waved again on lap 6 with 2007 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn stopped on the back-stretch with a flat tire. One lap later, the third caution of the feature race came out when Dustin Boney dropped a driveshaft onto the racing surface before dropping out of the race.

 

Back under green, Tesch jumped to the high side of the racetrack and picked off Mahlstedt for third, then roared past Shryock to take second the next time around. Action slowed once again on lap 11 as Jason Hughes and Rodney Sanders collected each other in turn 4. The crash sent Hughes to the pits on the end of a wrecker while Sanders headed to the pits for repairs and returned in time to take the next green flag at the rear of the field.

 

While Donlinger retained the top spot, the action was intense behind him. Shryock shot past Tesch on the restart, while Mike Steensma, Dereck Ramirez and 18th-starting Ryan Gustin fought hard for the next spots. Steensma past Tesch on the inside to move into third on lap 12, with Zack VanderBeek sneaking under Gustin to take sixth.

 

For the next three laps, you could've covered third through sixth with a blanket. Steensma came out of turn 2 glued to Shryock's rear bumper while Ramirez, Tesch, Gustin and VanderBeek followed them down the back-stretch in a four-wide dead heat.

 

The race's final caution came on lap 18 with Donlinger still in control. When the green flag dropped, Steensma snagged the runner-up spot from Shryock then took a look under the leader before settling back into second. Meanwhile, Gustin blasted by VanderBeek in the first turn then repeated the feat in turn 3 to overtake Shryock for third.

 

The 18-year-old powered up to Donlinger's rear bumper, but had to settle for the runner-up paycheck at the checkered flag while Donlinger secured his first win during the 'Hunt.'

 

Gustin, who dominated the Memorial Day Weekend event at Mississippi Thunder, kept the fans on their feet throughout the night. He drew the pole position for the first heat race, but a broken A-frame made him the first retiree of the race and relegated him to the last starting spot in the second Real Racing Wheels "B" Main where he rallied to finish third from 17th on the starting grid. Gustin started 18th in the main event, and earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award for passing 16 cars in the 25-lapper.

 

Shryock got back around Steensma to score the third-place finish while VanderBeek hung on for fifth ahead of Tesch. John Doelle, who got the 25th starting spot using a track points provisional, climbed to seventh at the finish with Ramirez eighth, track owner Bob Timm ninth and Bryan Rowland in tenth.

 

Shryock padded his lead in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship points and now leads Sanders by 55 markers (603 to 548). VanderBeek jumped to third with 516 points and Gustin sits fourth with 498. Ramirez is fifth with 495, followed by Hughes (487), Donlinger (459), Tommy Myer (451), Tesch (449) and Morgan Bagley (446).

 

SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR ... HUNTING

 

The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship fires up again tomorrow (Saturday, Aug. 20 as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invades the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, for the 5th Annual Summer Challenge. The seventh of 18 'Hunt" races will pay $3,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start the Sunoco "A" Main.

 

Zack VanderBeek (2005, '08) and Al Hejna (2007, '09) are both two-time former winners at the at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds bullring. Jon Tesch scored a win during the 2006 campaign.

 

Pit gates open at 4:00 and the grandstand gates will swing open at 5:00. Hot laps are slated to begin at 6:30 and the first green flag waves at 7:00. Also on the racing card will be USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars, USRA Karl Chevrolet B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks racing for track and national points in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series.

 

Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons on Saturday at Casey's General Stores locations in Cresco, Decorah and New Hampton. Tommy Myer will be at the 401 College Dr. location in Decorah from 12:00 to 2:00 to meet the fans, sign autographs and give away free Snickers candy bars. Check out www.caseys.com for more information.

 

The Upper Iowa Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval located 1.8 miles east of US 52 on SR 9, then 1.0 mile northwest on Montgomery St., then northeast on E. Main St. (at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds). For day-of-race information, call the track hotline at 563-382-9984 or check out www.upperiowaspeedway.com online.

 

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS.

 

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour

Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship - Event #6 of 18

Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis.

Friday, August 21, 2009

 

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the Sunoco “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

 

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)

2. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (2)

3. 44 - Darrell Nelson -- Hermantown, MN (3)

4. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (5)

5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (8)

6. 4a - Joel Alberts -- Mantorville, MN (7)

7. 58 - Jeff Rollinger -- Winona, MN (6)

8. 00 - Robby Bunkelman -- Abbotsford, WI (10)

9. 36 - Paul Hamernik -- Winona, MN (9)

10. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (1) DNF

 

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):

1. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (2)

2. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (5)

3. 99 - Josh Angst -- Winona, MN (4)

4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (7)

5. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (9)

6. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (8)

7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (1)

8. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)

9. 95x - Kent Baxter -- Elk Mound, WI (3) DNF

10. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (10) DNS

 

BRODIX HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (1)

2. 8 - Colt Mather -- Webster, IA (2)

3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (9)

4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (7)

5. 22 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (6)

6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (5)

7. 59 - Adam Stockhausen -- Minnesota City, MN (4)

8. 20 - Craig Scott -- Rosemount, MN (3) DNF

9. 6t7 - Brian Albrecht -- Winona, MN (8) DNF

10. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (10) DNS

 

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)

2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)

3. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (6)

4. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4)

5. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)

6. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (8)

7. 61m - Shawn Peterson -- Cottage Grove, MN (1)

8. 25 - Andy Bohnstengel -- Winona, MN (9)

9. 11 - Lance Hofer -- Cochran, WI (7) DNF

 

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (2)

2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (5)

3. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (4)

4. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (9)

5. 59 - Hank Rollinger -- Buffalo City, WI (3)

6. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (6)

7. 94jr - John Doelle -- Arcadia, WI (7)

8. 11n - Roger Niederkorn -- Ettrick, WI (8)

9. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (1) DNF

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):

1. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (1)

2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)

3. 22 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (6)

4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)

5. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (9)

6. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (8)

7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (4)

8. 59 - Hank Rollinger -- Buffalo City, WI (7)

9. 20 - Craig Scott -- Rosemount, MN (14)

10. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (17)

11. 59 - Adam Stockhausen -- Minnesota City, MN (11)

12. 58 - Jeff Rollinger -- Winona, MN (10)

13. 94jr - John Doelle -- Arcadia, WI (12)

14. 25 - Andy Bohnstengel -- Winona, MN (13)

15. 36 - Paul Hamernik -- Winona, MN (15)

16. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (2) DNF

17. 6t7 - Brian Albrecht -- Winona, MN (16) DNF

18. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (18) DNS

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):

1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (2)

2. 99 - Josh Angst -- Winona, MN (1)

3. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (17)

4. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (6)

5. 61m - Shawn Peterson -- Cottage Grove, MN (11)

6. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (7)

7. 4a - Joel Alberts -- Mantorville, MN (8)

8. 11 - Lance Hofer -- Cochran, WI (16)

9. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (13)

10. 11n - Roger Niederkorn -- Ettrick, WI (14)

11. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (4) DNF

12. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (5) DNF

13. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (10) DNF

14. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (9) DNF

15. 00 - Robby Bunkelman -- Abbotsford, WI (12) DNF

16. 95x - Kent Baxter -- Elk Mound, WI (15) DNF

17. 44 - Darrell Nelson -- Hermantown, MN (3) DNS

18. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (18) DNS

 

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (25 laps):

1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)

2. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (18)

3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)

4. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (13)

5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)

6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)

7. 94jr - John Doelle -- Arcadia, WI (25)

8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)

9. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (11)

10. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (21)

11. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (20)

12. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (19)

13. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (23)

14. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (4)

15. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (24)

16. 8 - Colt Mather -- Webster, IA (12)

17. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (10)

18. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (15)

19. 59 - Hank Rollinger -- Buffalo City, WI (26)

20. 99 - Josh Angst -- Winona, MN (16) DNF

21. 61m - Shawn Peterson -- Cottage Grove, MN (22) DNF

22. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (14) DNF

23. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (2) DNF

24. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (9) DNF

25. 22 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (17) DNF

26. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (5) DNF

 

Lap Leader: Donlinger 1-25.

Total Laps Led: Donlinger 25.

AFCO Pole Winner: Shryock.

Provisional Starters: Sanders, Myer, Doelle (track), H. Rollinger (track).

PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Gustin (started 18th, finished 2nd).

Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 22, Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa.

Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship Points: Shryock 603, Sanders 548, VanderBeek 516, Gustin 498, Ramirez 495, Hughes 487, Donlinger 459, Myer 451, Tesch 449, Bagley 446.

DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: G. Junghans 701, Hansen 519, Chase Junghans 339, Mather 283, Ryan Dolan 232.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 392, Mullins 259, JR 193, ASI 164, Pro Power 159.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 381, Ramirez 325, Hughes 289, GRT 229, Harris 189.

 

Contingency Awards:

AFCO Racing Products – Shryock.

American Racer – Donlinger.

Isky Racing Cams – Shryock.

KSE Racing Products – Tesch.

PBM Performance Products – Gustin.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Junghans.

Nitroquest – Shryock.

Out-Pace Racing Products – Krohn.

Quarter Master – Donlinger, Ramirez.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Doelle.

Real Racing Wheels – Meyer, Duellman.