Howard Willis takes USMTS win at Battleground

[NickHolt]

Willis emerges in USMTS Dirthead.com Southern Series tilt at Battleground Speedway

 

HIGHLANDS, Texas (November 19, 2009) – Few drivers, if any, have turned as many laps on the dirt ovals in and around the Houston area as Howard Willis.

 

On Thursday night at the Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Willis used his experience to grab the lead away from Bumper Jones in lapped traffic, then paced the final six laps to score his second career USMTS Dirthead.com Southern Series victory.

 

Willis' other win came on April 18, 2008, at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, but Thursday's $1,000 triumph was the first under the USMTS banner for the Evolution Motorsports chassis.

 

While Jones drew the pole for the start of the 25-lap Sunoco “A” Main, it was Louisiana's Garrett Durrett grabbing the lead at the drop of the green flag. Scott Green snuck underneath Durrett to take over the top spot on lap 4 with Jones following into the second spot and Willis moving into fifth from his 10th starting spot.

 

One lap later, Green entered the corner too high and Jones pounced on the opportunity to lead his first lap with the USMTS Dirthead.com Southern Series. Jones led the next 16 circuits while Willis made his way into second place and narrowed the gap between himself and Jones.

 

With eight laps to go, lapped traffic came into play and Willis used the added element to his advantage. Pulling alongside Jones in the corner, Willis was able to duck underneath Jones while the pair made it three-wide with the lapped car to the outside. Willis won the drag race down the back-stretch, then nipped Jones at the stripe to lead the 20th lap.

 

From there, Willis was able to pull away for the win while Jones had to settle for the runner-up finish. Green held on for a third-place finish with Dereck Ramirez taking fourth. Morgan Bagley raced from 16th on the 26-car starting grid to fifth at the finish line to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award.

 

Sixth through tenth went to Zack VanderBeek, Jason Hughes, Kelly Shryock, Durrett and David Horner.

 

With three races in the books and five to go, Shryock continues to lead the points in the Hunt for the USMTS Dirthead.com Southern Series Championship presented by Dirt Modified Magazine. By finishing one position ahead of him in Thursday's main event, Hughes gained two points on the leader and now trails by just nine markers (317 to 308). Jon Tesch is third with 279 points, followed by Bagley (275), Rodney Sanders (265), Jones (263), Green (260), Chris Henigan (233), Ramirez (231) and Shane Hebert (230).

 

In the Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year points battle, Wes Armstrong leads his brother, Jason, by 17 points (310 to 293), with Henigan (283), Durrett (282) and Chad Davis (253) filling out the remaining top-5.

 

Mullins Race Engines continues to lead the charge for a second straight COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Award while Hughes Racing Chassis is atop the Chassis Builders Championship standings with a title in sight.

 

TWO MORE DAYS OF THUNDER ...

 

The tripleheader weekend continues over the next two days with a $2,000 awaiting Friday's victor and $3,000 to win on Saturday.

 

Pit gates will officially open at 4:00 each night, with grandstands opening at 5:00, hot laps at 6:00 and racing to follow. Limited Modifieds will also compete, with Hobby Stocks joining the program on Friday night and Saturday night's show featuring Pure Stocks in action.

 

The Battleground Speedway is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval located east of Houston on I-10 to Highland Exit 787, then 4.0 miles north on FM 2100 (Crosby Lynchburg Rd.). For more information, call 832-421-RACE or check out www.battlegroundspeedway.netonline.

 

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

Hunt for the USMTS Dirthead.com Southern Series Championship presented by Dirt Modified Magazine

Inaugural Event presented by TrackTek Racing Fuels - Night 1 of 3

Battleground Speedway, Highlands, Texas

Thursday, November 19, 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. 88xx - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (2)

2. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX (1)

3. E - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (7)

4. 91 - Robert Metz Jr. -- Lumberton, TX (4)

5. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (5)

6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (3)

7. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (8)

8. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (6)

9. 9n - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (9)

 

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

1. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)

2. 18c - Cody Smith -- Kaufman, TX (4)

3. 56 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (8)

4. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (3)

5. 52 - Chad Davis -- Tulsa, OK (5)

6. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (9)

7. 13 - Frank Kitchenhoff -- Crosby, TX (6)

8. 6 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (7)

9. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (1)

 

BUTLERBUILT HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (1)

2. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (2)

3. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (3)

4. 10 - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR (6)

5. 18p - Pete Sagmiller -- Spring, TX (7)

6. 51 - Tracy Denby Jr. -- Vidor, TX (5)

7. 71 - Tracy Denby Sr. -- Vidor, TX (8)

8. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (4) DNF

9. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (9) DNS

 

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (1)

2. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (2)

3. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (3)

4. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (6)

5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)

6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)

7. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (5)

8. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)

9. 77 - Philip French -- Cypress, TX (9) DNF

 

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. 58 - Garrett Durrett -- Simsboro, LA (3)

2. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (7)

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)

4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (9)

5. 55 - Kyle Anderson -- Tomball, TX (4)

6. 03 - Dillon Smith -- Waco, TX (2)

7. 4d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)

8. 88xxx - Clyde Dunn Jr. -- Sunnyville, TX (5) DNF

9. 955 - Chad Comer -- Warren, TX (6) DNF

 

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

1. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (2)

2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)

3. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (5)

4. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (6)

5. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (1)

6. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (14)

7. 955 - Chad Comer -- Warren, TX (17)

8. 13 - Frank Kitchenhoff -- Crosby, TX (11)

9. 9n - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (15)

10. 4d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (12) DNF

11. 10 - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR (3) DNF

12. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8) DNF

13. 52 - Chad Davis -- Tulsa, OK (7) DNF

14. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (10) DNF

15. 6 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (13) DNF

16. 51 - Tracy Denby Jr. -- Vidor, TX (9) DNF

17. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (16) DNS

 

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

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

2. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (3)

3. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (6)

4. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (2)

5. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (8)

6. 88xxx - Clyde Dunn Jr. -- Sunnyville, TX (14)

7. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (11)

8. 18p - Pete Sagmiller -- Spring, TX (5)

9. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (13)

10. 55 - Kyle Anderson -- Tomball, TX (7)

11. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (12)

12. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (15)

13. 91 - Robert Metz Jr. -- Lumberton, TX (4)

14. 03 - Dillon Smith -- Waco, TX (9) DNF

15. 71 - Tracy Denby Sr. -- Vidor, TX (10) DNF

16. 77 - Philip French -- Cypress, TX (16) DNF

 

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (25 laps):

1. E - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (10)

2. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (1)

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

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

5. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (16)

6. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)

7. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (14)

8. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (15)

9. 58 - Garrett Durrett -- Simsboro, LA (2)

10. 56 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (5)

11. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (23)

12. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (17)

13. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (13)

14. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (22)

15. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (18)

16. 88xx - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (6)

17. 18c - Cody Smith -- Kaufman, TX (9)

18. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX (11)

19. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (20)

20. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (12)

21. 13 - Frank Kitchenhoff -- Crosby, TX (24) -1 Lap

22. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (25) -1 Lap

23. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (21) DNF

24. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (7) DNF

25. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (19) DNF

26. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (26) DNS

 

Sunoco Lap Leaders: Durrett 1-3, Green 4, Jones 5-19, Willis 20-25.

Total Laps Led: Jones 15, Willis 6, Durrett 3, Green 1.

AFCO Pole Winner: Timms.

Provisional Starters: Tesch, Sanders, Kitchenhoff (track), Barringer (track).

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Bagley (started 16th, finished 5th).

Next Race: Friday, Nov. 20, Battleground Speedway.

Points Standings: Shryock 317, Hughes 308, Tesch 279, Bagley 275, Sanders 265, Jones 263, Green 260, Henigan 233, Ramirez 231, Hebert 230.

Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: W. Armstrong 310, J. Armstrong 293, Henigan 283, Durrett 282, Davis 253.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 163, ASI 146, Sput’s 130, Rowland 94, BMS 78.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 179, Skyrocket 167, Ramirez 145, TRE 136, GRT 128.

 

Contingency Awards:

AFCO Racing Products – Timms.

American Racer – Henigan.

ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems – Sullivan.

Isky Racing Cams – Malchus.

KSE Racing Products – Bagley.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Robinson.

Nitroquest – Green.

Quarter Master – Willis, Shryock.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Hughes.

Real Racing Wheels – Whiteaker, Dunn.

[8G RACING FAMILY]

WTGO HOWARD WILLIS AND EVOLUTION CHASSIS

[texana55]

Watched that race last night, and Howard was definitely on. Of course, he'd always have good odds, but last night with that group of top guns, he was impressive! Congrats Howard!