Gustin turns away Tesch for Nebraska Spring Thaw triumph

[rebelracewriter]

Gustin turns away Tesch for Nebraska Spring Thaw triumph

 

McCOOL JUNCTION, Neb. (March 26) – Ryan Gustin scored his first win of the 2010 season and first with his new Gressel Racing team Friday night at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb., to kick off the 7th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw.

 

Making just his second start in his new ride, Gustin started on the pole and beat Jon Tesch to the turn at the drop of the green flag, then fought off every challenge from the “Wizard of Watertown” for the entire 30-lapper.

 

Behind the two front row starters, however, the race got off to a frightening start.

 

With one lap in the books and the field still tightly bunched, fourth-starting Scott Dickey tagged the outside concrete wall upon exiting the second turn. What ensued was chorus of crunching metal that gathered 12 of the 25 starters.

 

Seven of the drivers involved – Darrell Nelson, Mitch Johnson, Ryan Ruter, Jeremy Rasmussen, Dean Mahlstedt, Mike Hansen and Dickey – watched their machines leave the racing surface on the wrecker’s hook while three others – Danny Charles, Jason Krohn and David Karst – were able to continue racing, but only for a few laps before excessive damage forced them out.

 

Fortunately, no driver was injured in the melee.

 

Back under green, Gustin and Tesch resumed their battle for the top spot. While Gustin claimed the top groove for himself, Tesch used every inch of the racetrack in an effort to find a way around the 19-year-old phenom.

 

Meanwhile, defending race winner Tommy Myer was staying within striking distance in third while Mike Wedelstadt and Kelly Shryock jockeyed for the third spot ahead of Josh Reisch.

 

The yellow flag waved on lap 19 after Wedelstadt’s impressive run ended with a blown engine that sent his Side Biter Chassis spinning around the top of turn 3.

 

While under caution, Shryock inherited the third position when Myer entered the pit area to replace an air cleaner that came off of his Modified one lap earlier.

 

It continued to be a battle between Gustin and Tesch from that point on. On lap 24, the pair crossed beneath the flagstand side by side with Gustin leading the lap by a bumper.

 

Sensing that Tesch would make a charge again the next time around, Gustin dove to the bottom of turns 3-4 to protect his spot. The move gave him a four-car-length advantage as he entered the next corner and allowed him to cruise unchallenged for the remaining five circuits while Tesch had to settle for the runner-up paycheck.

 

Shryock crossed the finish line in third, but came up 14 pounds light at the scales and was disqualified.

 

Rebounding from his late-race pit stop, Shryock’s DQ moved Myer up to third in the final running order with Reisch grabbing fourth.

 

Zack VanderBeek started 22nd, avoided the pile-up on lap 1 and clawed his way to a fifth-place finish to earn the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award.

 

Sixth through tenth were Grant Junghans, Dereck Ramirez, Mark Dotson, Scott Green and Scott Danzeisen – the only driver involved in the first-lap crash to see the checkered flag.

 

Part two of the Nebraska Spring Thaw was slated for Saturday but was canceled after heavy rains late Friday night and into Saturday morning made for extremely wet and muddy conditions at the track. Hopes for a Sunday rain date were dashed as well.

 

The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour fires ‘em back up for two days in the Show-Me State on Friday and Saturday, April 9-10. On Friday, the USMTS dirt merchants pay a visit to the LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo., and then travel two hours northeast to the 24 Raceway in Moberly, Mo., on Saturday.

 

Both shows will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum $250 for all main event starters. Points will be up for grabs in the hotly-contested Falcon Wind Power Mo-Kan Region.

 

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

 

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour – Dart Machinery Great Plains Region presented by Allstar Performance

7th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw

Friday, March 26, 2010

 

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed, reason out (if any) and money won. The top 14 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

 

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):1. (6) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

2. (2) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.

3. (5) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

4. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.

5. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

6. (9) 22s Shane Stutzman, Milford, Neb.

7. (8) 1m Julie Wedelstadt, New London, Wis.

8. (1) 15 Andy Wilkinson, York, Neb.

9. (3) 22a Brent Alverson, Winchester, Kan.

 

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

1. (1) X Mike Wedelstadt, New London, Wis.

2. (3) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn.

3. (6) 00 Mitch Johnson, Hickson, N.D.

4. (8) 33 David Karst, Mills, Wyo.

5. (9) 31j Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark.

6. (2) 47 Ryan Canon ®, Clearwater, Minn.

7. (7) 88j Troy Johnson, Concordia, Kan.

8. (5) 3b Nic Bidinger ®, Perry, Kan.

9. (4) 23 Brandon Davis ®, Castle Rock, Colo.

 

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.

2. (3) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.

3. (2) 22b Rick Beebe ®, Shawnee, Kan.

4. (5) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa.

5. (7) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.

6. (8) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

7. (9) 99 Jason Grimes ®, Jamestown, N.D.

8. (1) 13 Ryan Engels ®, Arlington, S.D.

9. (6) 238 Keith Lewandowski, McLouth, Kan.

 

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

1. (2) 81 Danny Charles ®, Bashor, Kan.

2. (4) 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan.

3. (3) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

4. (6) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

5. (9) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.

6. (5) 21 Andrew Gordon ®, Murdock, Minn.

7. (8) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

8. (1) 3 Arne Anderson, Watertown, S.D.

9. (7) M80 Jim Mathieson, Sioux City, Iowa.

 

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. (2) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa.

2. (3) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.

3. (6) 77 Corey Seckerson, Jamestown, N.D.

4. (1) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa.

5. (7) 6t Scott Danzeisen, Herman, Minn.

6. (8) 9e Don Eischens, Richmond, Minn.

7. (4) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.

8. (5) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa.

9. (9) 31 Jason Voigt ®, St. Cloud, Minn.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):

1. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.

2. (5) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

3. (6) 6t Scott Danzeisen, Herman, Minn.

4. (2) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

5. (10) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

6. (1) 22b Rick Beebe ®, Shawnee, Kan.

7. (7) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., $90.

8. (3) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, $90.

9. (9) 99 Jason Grimes ®, Jamestown, N.D., $90.

10. (8) 47 Ryan Canon ®, Clearwater, Minn., $90.

11. (12) 3b Nic Bidinger ®, Perry, Kan., $90.

12. (11) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa, $75.

13. (14) 22a Brent Alverson, Winchester, Kan., $75.

14. (13) 3 Arne Anderson, Watertown, S.D., $75.

15. (15) 238 Keith Lewandowski, McLouth, Kan., $75.

16. (16) 31 Jason Voigt ®, St. Cloud, Minn., $90.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):

1. (2) 31j Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark.

2. (3) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa.

3. (5) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.

4. (4) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.

5. (1) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

6. (9) 1m Julie Wedelstadt, New London, Wis.

7. (7) 9e Don Eischens, Richmond, Minn., $90.

8. (8) 21 Andrew Gordon ®, Murdock, Minn., $90.

9. (6) 22s Shane Stutzman, Milford, Neb., $75.

10. (11) 15 Andy Wilkinson, York, Neb., $75.

11. (15) M80 Jim Mathieson, Sioux City, Iowa, $90.

12. (13) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa, $90.

13. (10) 88j Troy Johnson, Concordia, Kan., $75.

14. (12) 13 Ryan Engels ®, Arlington, S.D., $90.

15. (14) 23 Brandon Davis ®, Castle Rock, Colo., $90.

 

“A” MAIN (30 laps):

1. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.

2. (2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $1500.

3. (12) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $1000.

4. (8) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn., Pro/Sput’s, 40, $900.

5. (22) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $800.

6. (20) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $700.

7. (14) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/ProPower, 40, $650.

8. (6) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/Stoa, 40, $600.

9. (5) 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $550.

10. (18) 6t Scott Danzeisen, Herman, Minn., Shaw/Mullins, 40, $400.

11. (24) 22b Rick Beebe ®, Shawnee, Kan., Hughes/Yancy’s, 40, $450.

12. (19) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $425.

13. (25) 1m Julie Wedelstadt, New London, Wis., Sidebiter/Yeoman, 22, mechanical, $400.

14. (3) X Mike Wedelstadt, New London, Wis., Sidebiter/Yeoman, 19, engine, $375.

15. (13) 33 David Karst, Mills, Wyo., unknown/unknown, 8, mechanical, $250.

16. (23) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 6, mechanical, $300.

17. (7) 81 Danny Charles ®, Bashor, Kan., Evolution/Mullins, 3, mechanical, $300.

18. (9) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., Shaw/Tim’s, 1, crash, $300.

19. (10) 00 Mitch Johnson, Hickson, N.D., M1/Dakota, 1, crash, $250.

20. (11) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/Stoa, 1, crash, $300.

21. (15) 31j Jeremy Rasmussen, Bella Vista, Ark., TRE/Donrich, 1, crash, $250.

22. (17) 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa, Bullet/Midstate, 1, crash, $300.

23. (21) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, GRT/PerfOnly, 1, crash, $300.

24. (4) 40 Scott Dickey, Packwood, Iowa, Shaw/JR, 1, crash, $250.

25. (16) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, disqualified, $250.

26. (26) 77 Corey Seckerson, Jamestown, N.D., 0, did not start, $100.

 

® = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.

 

Lap Leader: Gustin 1-30.

Total Laps Led: Gustin 30.

AFCO Pole Winner: Tesch.

PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 22nd, finished 5th).

Next Race: Friday, April 9, LA Raceway, La Monte, Mo.

Dart Machinery Great Plains Region presented by Allstar Performance Points: VanderBeek 101, Myer 100, Tesch 95, Reisch 91, Ramirez 85, Steensma 75, Krohn 67, Hansen 51, Shryock 50, Voigt 45, Gordon 45, Mathieson 45, Engels 45, Davis 45.

DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Beebe 203, Davis 180, Ryan Whitworth 175, Melvin Pilcher 173, Austin Siebert 153.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 40, Sput’s 35, ProPower 18, Homegrown 17, Yeoman 16.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 40, Skyrocket 31, GRT 29, Ramirez 26, TRE 19.

 

Contingency Awards:

Ai-Racing – Green.

American Racer – J. Wedelstadt.

Belleville Motorsports – VanderBeek, Danzeisen, Karst, Ruter.

ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems – VanderBeek.

Dart Machinery – Steensma.

Eibach Springs – Charles.

Hooker Harness – Steensma.

Isky Racing Cams – Tesch.

KSE Racing Products – Tesch.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Seckerson.

Out-Pace Racing Products – Beebe.

PBM Performance Products – VanderBeek.

Quarter Master – Gustin, Dotson.

QuickTime – Ramirez.

Real Racing Wheels – Beebe, J. Wedelstadt.

 

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