Donlinger notches fifth, USMTS champs share podium at Deer Creek Speed

[rebelracewriter]

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (May 29) – Fifty-three fire-breathing USMTS Modifieds and their drivers representing 13 different states invaded the Deer Creek Speedway Saturday evening for the 8th Annual A&A Electric Southern MN Spring Challenge – the 40th event overall at the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval in the 12-year history of the United States Modified Touring Series.

 

Saturday’s show was the first of five occasions that the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour will tackle the popular speedplant in Spring Valley, Minn., during the 2010 season. If the action Saturday night is any indication of what race fans can expect this September, then ticket sales should be no problem.

 

Ryan Ruter earned his second AFCO Pole Award in three days by putting on the most dazzling passing performance among the six heat races. Unlike Thursday when he redrew the eighth starting spot, this time the Kanawha, Iowa, driver snagged the pole position for the main event with his draw.

 

When the green flag dropped to kick off the 40-lap WIX Filters “A” Main, Ruter immediately flexed his muscles and pulled away to a wide advantage over the rest of the field. With Slayton’s Jason Krohn nearly a full straight-away behind in second, Ruter began lapping the rear of the pack on lap 13.

 

But misfortune struck Ruter as a flat tire forced him to coast to stop at the top of the track just after completing lap 20.

 

With Ruter tagging the rear of the field for the restart, Krohn inherited the top spot with eighth-starting Tim Donlinger and ninth-starting Kelly Shryock filling the next two positions. Running the high side, Krohn held Donlinger at bay for the next five laps while Shryock searched for the fastest line behind the pair.

 

Meanwhile, Ryan Gustin climbed to fourth from his eighth row starting spot and Zack VanderBeek, who started 25th on the 26-car grid, battled Nate Wasmund for fifth.

 

Donlinger, who secured his 2008 USMTS National Championship with a thrilling victory at Deer Creek during the Featherlite Fall Jamboree, never relinquished the lead over the final 14 laps and beat 2007 USMTS National Champion Krohn to the finish line by a car length.

 

Shryock – the defending and nine-time USMTS National Champion – filled the final spot on the podium to give the three lone titlists a one-two-three finish.

 

VanderBeek squirted by Gustin with five laps to go and easily earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award by passing 21 of his competitors during the 40-lapper that saw just one caution flag.

 

Wasmund grabbed sixth, Mike Sorensen finished in the seventh spot, defending USRA Modified track champ Jason Cummins was eighth, Ruter clawed his way back to take home a ninth-place paycheck and Tommy Myer rounded out the top 10 finishers.

 

The win was worth $2,400 to Donlinger thanks to a $400 bonus from Hanson Tire Service. It was his fifth USMTS victory at his hometown track. Shryock won the first-ever USMTS race at Deer Creek on May 25, 2002, and his nine career wins at ‘The Creek’ leads all competitors. Ruter, VanderBeek, Myer and Krohn also have hoisted the winner’s hardware here.

 

The USMTS Modifieds return to the Deer Creek Speedway for four more shows this season. On Sept. 4, the masters of mud-slinging come back for the 6th Annual Labor Day Dual, then wrap up the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship with the 12th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree, Sept. 22-25.

 

YES WE KASSON …

 

Set your TIVO or DVR to record the Indy 500 and World 600 because the best racing on Sunday will be at the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn., for the 9th Annual Stars & Stripes Shootout.

 

The Dodge County Speedway dates back to the early 1940s as a horse track turned auto racing track. The Dodge County Fair will celebrate its 153rd annual free fair in 2010 and has always held racing close to its heart. Sunday’s show will be the 24th time the USMTS Modifieds have taken the green flag at the speedplant.

 

Tim Donlinger held off Jason Hughes in a thriller last summer during the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship. While Hughes has three wins at the track, Shryock tops the list with four career wins in Kasson. Brad Waits, Tommy Myer, Todd Scharkey and Dan Chapman are two-time winners while Mike Hejna, Mike Sorensen, Jon Tesch, Corey Dripps, Nate Wasmund, Scott Megonigle, Chris Spieker and Mike Chasteen have one win each.

 

Located less than 42 miles from Deer Cree, pit gates at the Dodge County Fairgrounds will open at 2 p.m. with grandstands open at 3. Hot laps are at 5:30 with racing at 6 p.m. USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods, WISSOTA Midwest Mods, Pure Stocks and Street Stocks are also on tap for Sunday's show.

 

The Dodge County Speedway is located 1.1 mile north of US 14 on SR 57 (at the Dodge County Fairgrounds). For more info, call 651 226-3706 or 507 634-6400 on raceday or visit www.dodgecountyspeedway.com online.

 

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, Twitter and YouTube.

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS

USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour – Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region

8th Annual A&A Electric Southern MN Spring Challenge

Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Saturday, May 29, 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. (3) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.

2. (2) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.

3. (1) 69 Lucas Schott ®, Chatfield, Minn.

4. (7) 99s Bobby Swanson ®, Kasson, Minn.

5. (4) R21 Ryan Schaffer ®, Corning, Iowa.

6. (8) 4a Joel Alberts ®, Mantorville, Minn.

7. (6) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.

8. (5) 1 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

9. (9) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.

 

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

1. (6) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.

2. (1) 88d Matt Dotson, Sturgeon, Mo.

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

4. (8) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.

5. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.

6. (9) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.

7. (2) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa.

8. (5) 1st Johnny Scott ®, Las Cruces, N.M.

9. (3) 25 Andy Bohnstengel ®, Winona, Minn.

 

SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. (2) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.

2. (1) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.

3. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.

4. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

5. (9) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.

6. (4) 37x Mike Weidemann ®, Dubuque, Iowa.

7. (7) 4g Chris Gilbertson ®, Trempealeau, Wis.

8. (6) 96 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn.

9. (8) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.

 

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):1. (1) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.

2. (4) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

3. (6) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.

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

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

6. (8) 55d Nick Deal ®, Walnut, Iowa.

7. (3) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa.

8. (2) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

9. (9) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa.

 

AWESOMERACESUITS.COM HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):1. (1) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.

2. (2) 96 Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn.

3. (4) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

4. (5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

5. (6) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.

6. (7) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

7. (8) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn.

8. (3) 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis.

 

DIRT TRACK RACING SCHOOL HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.

2. (4) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn.

3. (3) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn.

4. (5) 99 Josh Angst ®, Winona, Minn.

5. (1) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn.

6. (7) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn.

7. (6) B1 Jeff Larson ®, Freeport, Ill.

8. (8) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn.

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

 

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

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

2. (2) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

3. (4) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn.

4. (5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

5. (7) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.

6. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.

7. (10) 55d Nick Deal ®, Walnut, Iowa, $90.

8. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., $90.

9. (11) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn., $90.

10. (19) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, $90.

11. (12) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn., $90.

12. (15) 1 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D., $75.

13. (16) 96 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn., $75.

14. (14) 66 Dan Bohr, Decorah, Iowa, $90.

15. (13) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, $90.

16. (17) 49x Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis., $75.

17. (3) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, $90.

18. (20) 23 Brandon Davis ®, Castle Rock, Colo., $90.

19. (9) 77 Tom Brink, Winona, Minn., $75.

20. (18) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., $90.

 

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

1. (1) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.

2. (5) 99 Josh Angst ®, Winona, Minn.

3. (4) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.

4. (2) 99s Bobby Swanson ®, Kasson, Minn.

5. (6) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.

6. (3) 69 Lucas Schott ®, Chatfield, Minn.

7. (9) 4a Joel Alberts ®, Mantorville, Minn., $90.

8. (8) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., $90.

9. (15) 1st Johnny Scott ®, Las Cruces, N.M., $90.

10. (16) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., $90.

11. (12) 1k Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa, $75.

12. (13) 4g Chris Gilbertson ®, Trempealeau, Wis., $90.

13. (10) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., $90.

14. (19) 35 Jeff Schluetter, New Hampton, Iowa, $90.

15. (11) 37x Mike Weidemann ®, Dubuque, Iowa, $90.

16. (18) 25 Andy Bohnstengel ®, Winona, Minn., $90.

17. (17) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn., $75.

18. (7) R21 Ryan Schaffer ®, Corning, Iowa, $90.

19. (14) B1 Jeff Larson ®, Freeport, Ill., $90.

 

WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):

1. (8) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $2400.

2. (3) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1500.

3. (9) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $1000.

4. (25) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $900.

5. (15) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $800.

6. (2) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn., Skyrocket/AMD, 40, $700.

7. (10) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $650.

8. (11) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $600.

9. (1) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 40, $550.

10. (17) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $500.

11. (7) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/KSE, 40, $450.

12. (5) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $425.

13. (6) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $400.

14. (20) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/AEM, 40, $375.

15. (13) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark., TRE/Shinook, 40, $350.

16. (21) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $300.

17. (24) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M., TRE/ASI, 40, $300.

18. (26) 69 Lucas Schott ®, Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 39, $300.

19. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/ASI, 39, $300.

20. (12) 88d Matt Dotson ®, Sturgeon, Mo., GRT/BMS, 27, $300.

21. (16) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Clements, 25, $300.

22. (22) 99s Bobby Swanson ®, Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 25, $300.

23. (18) 99 Josh Angst ®, Winona, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 22, $300.

24. (19) 49 Bob Timm, Rollingstone, Minn., Fegers/Sput’s, 20, $300.

25. (14) 96 Jay Ihrke, Dover, Minn., Fegers/Ihrke, 17, $300.

26. (23) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 14, $300.

 

® = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.

 

WIX Filters Lap Leaders: Ruter 1-20, Krohn 21-25, Donlinger 26-40.

Total Laps Led: Ruter 20, Donlinger 15, Krohn 5.

Margin of Victory: 0.942 seconds.

AFCO Pole Winner: Ruter.

PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 25th, finished 4th).

Ruter Farms Long Tow: Ramirez (794.13 miles).

Next Race: Sunday, May 30, Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn.

Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Donlinger 204, Shryock 194, Sorensen 183, Ruter 163, Myer 162, Jones 162, Gustin 160, VanderBeek 153, Holzkamper 153, Hillson 149.

DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Scott 553, Davis 315, Deal 254, Rick Beebe 248, Matt Dotson 209.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 89, Sput’s 88, KSE 43, ASI 41, ProPower 41.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 93, Skyrocket 80, GRT 73, Ramirez 64, TRE 46.

 

Contingency Awards:Ai-Racing – Ruter.

American Racer – Reisch.

Dart Machinery – Mather.

Eibach Springs – Mark Dotson.

Forty9Designs.com – VanderBeek, Ruter.

Hooker Harness – Dahle.

Isky Racing Cams – Donlinger.

KSE Racing Products – Donlinger.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Wetzstein.

Out-Pace Racing Products – Mark Dotson.

PBM Performance Products – VanderBeek.

Quarter Master – Donlinger, Cummins.

QuickTime – Sorensen.

Real Racing Wheels – VanderBeek, Schott.

Schoenfeld Headers – Mather.

WIX Filters – Donlinger, Ruter.

 

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =