Hillson shines in USMTS showdown at Chateau

[rebelracewriter]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, May 28, 2010

 

Hillson shines in USMTS showdown at Chateau

 

LANSING, Minn. (May 28) – Doug Hillson has been a steady fixture on the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour with more than 100 career starts during the eleven-year history of America’s premier dirt Modified series.

 

Hillson’s white and orange #72 home-made chassis is a familiar fixture on the race track and his face familiar in the pit area.

 

But Friday night the 53-year-old from Blooming Prairie, Minn., ventured into unfamiliar territory: victory lane.

 

Hillson’s career-first USMTS feature win came on familiar ground, however, as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invaded the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., where Hillson notched his career-first track championship last year.

 

With each of the 26 starters in Friday night’s WIX Filters “A” Main fighting for every inch of real estate around the clay-covered 1/3-mile bullring, four cautions slowed the pace throughout the main event.

 

Jason Cummins earned the AFCO Pole Award then redrew the pole position for the main event with Hillson starting on the outside of the front row. At the drop of the green flag, Cummins beat Hillson into the first turn and powered into the lead down the back-stretch.

 

Farther back in the field, a six-car pile-up brought out the race’s first yellow flag before the opening lap could be completed, so the drivers realigned in their original starting spots for a complete restart.

 

This time, however, Hillson gained the advantage entering the first corner and muscled his way past Cummins to lead lap 1.

 

“I wasn’t sure what that line would be like going in the first time, so I took it kind of easy and Jason was able to get a run on me,” Hillson said. “When the caution came out, I said ‘Man, this ain’t gonna happen again’ and I was able to make it stick in the turn.”

 

It proved to be the only pass Hillson had to make as he led the final 39 laps and crossed beneath the checkered flags in front of a packed house of racing fans standing and cheering on their local favorite.

 

The win was worth $2,000.

 

After the first-lap do-over, Cummins kept the pressure on the leader throughout the first 15 circuits but tagged a tire barrier on lap 16. The contact sent Cummins’ racecar into a spin that collected Jon Tesch and sent both drivers spinning into the infield.

 

Nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock inherited the second spot, but could never mount a strong challenge for Hillson’s position over the remaining 24 orbits. Shryock settled for the runner-up paycheck while Mike Sorensen took third after starting the race in the 14th position.

 

Steve Wetzstein garnered fourth, while Tim Donlinger came from 17th to finish fifth ahead of Bumper Jones who started 22nd and seized PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award. Steve Holzkamper, Tommy Myer, Johnny Scott and Ryan Ruter rounded out the top ten.

 

THREE DOWN, TWO TO GO …

 

On Saturday, it's the first of five occasions this season that the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour will tackle the popular Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn. The 8th Annual A&A Electric Southern MN Spring Challenge will pit some of the best Modified drivers in the nation against arguably the toughest field of weekly racers on the planet.

 

Hanson Tire Service has added $400 to the winner's share of the purse in each class, making it $2,400 to win the USMTS Modified main event. A huge ‘thank you’ to Randy and Patti Eastvold of Hanson Tire as they continue their great support of stock car racing in the region. Visit them at one of their locations in Leroy or Preston, or online at www.hansontireinc.com.

 

Kelly Shryock win the first-ever race at Deer Creek on May 25, 2002, and has taken home the most hardware from the high-banked 3/8-mile oval with nine career wins. Jason Hughes has five and Tim Donlinger is a four-time winner while Corey Dripps, Ryan Ruter and Zack VanderBeek have two victories each. Drivers with one victory in their pocket include Tommy Myer, Dean Mahlstedt, Jon Tesch, Jason Krohn, Steve Arpin, Chad Kinder, Mark Burgtorf, Brad McEwan, Mike Spaulding, Mike Hejna, Les Duellman, Dan Chapman, Dan Daniels, Tony Fraise, Darin Walker, Mark Noble and Steve Wetzstein.

 

A full day of entertainment is on tap, beginning with Miner’s Outdoor & Rec demo and equipment from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with food and refreshments available. A charity bowling tournament benefiting Victory Junction begins at 11 a.m. at Strikers Corner in Stewartville, Minn. Lunch and drink specials, a raffle and silent auction items are among the fun activities on tap. To enter yourself and/or your team, call Chris Brown at 763-226-0725. A bean bag tournament will be held at the track at 2 p.m., followed by $1 Hormel hot dogs, Pepsi and Miller Lite products from 3-4 p.m. Tribute band ‘Poisoned’ will be performing behind the concession stands from 3:30-4 p.m. and again following the night’s racing.

 

Pit gates open at 2 p.m. and grandstands open for general admission seating at 3. Hot laps are at 4:45 and the first green flag is scheduled to wave at 5 p.m. Also on the racing card will be WISSOTA Super Stocks, Midwest Mods and Street Stocks.

 

Race fans can pick up $2-off grandstand admission coupons on race day at Casey's General Store locations in Austin, Mantorville, Owatonna, Rochester, Stewartville and West Concord.

 

The Deer Creek Speedway is located 11.3 miles south of I-90 (exit 209) on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16). For more info, call toll-free 877-DCS-RACE or 507-346-2342 on raceday or visit www.deercreekspeedway.com online.

 

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 as we wrap up the five-day Memorial Day Weekend swing of events.

 

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

3rd Annual Guttormson Memorial

Chateau Raceway, Lansing, Minn.

Friday, May 28, 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) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.

2. (2) 37x Mike Weidemann ®, Dubuque, Iowa.

3. (1) 50w Andrew Wiste, Adams, Minn.

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

5. (6) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.

6. (5) 4a Joel Alberts ®, Mantorville, Minn.

7. (8) 55d Nick Deal ®, Walnut, Iowa.

8. (9) 98 Josh Reisch, Luverne, Minn.

9. (7) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa.

 

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

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

2. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

3. (6) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.

4. (5) 96 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn.

5. (4) 1st Johnny Scott ®, Las Cruces, N.M.

6. (8) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.

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

8. (2) 88d Matt Dotson ®, Sturgeon, Mo.

 

SCHOENFELD HEADERS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):1. (2) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

2. (1) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

3. (4) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa.

4. (6) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.

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

6. (7) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.

7. (8) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.

8. (3) 23 Brandon Davis ®, Castle Rock, Colo.

 

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

1. (1) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

2. (2) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.

3. (8) 33s Dustin Steinbrink, Austin, Minn.

4. (5) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa.

5. (6) 69 Lucas Schott ®, Chatfield, Minn.

6. (4) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn.

7. (3) 99s Bobby Swanson ®, Kasson, Minn.

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

 

AWESOMERACESUITS.COM HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. (2) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.

2. (1) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.

3. (4) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.

4. (7) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

5. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.

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

7. (6) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.

8. (8) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

9. (9) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn.

 

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

1. (1) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

2. (2) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.

3. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.

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

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

6. (3) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa.

7. (12) 88d Matt Dotson ®, Sturgeon, Mo., $90.

8. (8) 42 Tom Paulson, Kasson, Minn., $90.

9. (10) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, $90.

10. (11) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn., $90.

11. (9) 55d Nick Deal ®, Walnut, Iowa, $90.

12. (7) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., $90.

13. (13) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, $90.

14. (14) 8 Colt Mather, Webster, Iowa, $90.

 

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

1. (1) 50w Andrew Wiste, Adams, Minn.

2. (3) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn.

3. (5) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.

4. (9) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M.

5. (6) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.

6. (4) 69 Lucas Schott ®, Chatfield, Minn.

7. (2) 96 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn., $75.

8. (13) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., $90.

9. (8) B1 Jeff Larson ®, Freeport, Ill., $90.

10. (7) 4a Joel Alberts ®, Mantorville, Minn., $90.

11. (14) 75 James Parker, Dodge Center, Minn., $75.

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

13. (10) 99s Bobby Swanson ®, Kasson, Minn., $90.

14. (12) 23 Brandon Davis ®, Castle Rock, Colo., $90.

 

WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):

1. (2) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., Hillson/CRE, 40, $2000.

2. (4) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $1500.

3. (14) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $1000.

4. (5) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $900.

5. (17) 3d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., Ramirez/Sput’s, 40, $800.

6. (22) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M., TRE/ASI, 40, $700.

7. (20) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark., TRE/Shinook, 40, $650.

8. (15) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $600.

9. (23) 1st Johnny Scott ®, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 40, $550.

10. (24) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 40, $500.

11. (16) 50w Andrew Wiste, Adams, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $350.

12. (26) 69 Lucas Schott ®, Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Action, 39, $425.

13. (8) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 39, $400.

14. (10) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s, 33, mechanical, $375.

15. (6) 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Clements, 31, mechanical, $350.

16. (12) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/KSE, 31, tire, $300.

17. (13) 12h Mike Hansen, Alton, Iowa, GRT/PerfOnly, 31, mechanical, $300.

18. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., Ramirez/Sput’s, 28, mechanical, $300.

19. (25) Z3 Mike Albertsen, Audubon, Iowa, Harris/JR, 21, mechanical, $300.

20. (21) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/Sput’s, 16, crash, $300.

21. (11) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/AEM, 16, crash, $300.

22. (7) 33s Dustin Steinbrink, Austin, Minn., Shaw/SMAS, 15, engine, $250.

23. (1) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 15, crash, $300.

24. (19) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/ASI, 15, retired, $300.

25. (9) 37x Mike Weidemann ®, Dubuque, Iowa, Stealth/Zenner, 6, mechanical, $300.

26. (18) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 6, mechanical, $300.

 

® = DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender.

 

WIX Filters Lap Leader: Hillson 1-40.

Total Laps Led: Hillson 40.

Margin of Victory: 0.458 second.

AFCO Pole Winner: Cummins.

PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Jones (started 22nd, finished 6th).

Ruter Farms Long Tow: Davis (876.28 miles).

Next Race: Saturday, May 29, Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Hillson 104, Sorensen 102, Shryock 97, Jones 97, Donlinger 96, Holzkamper 91, Wetzstein 88, Scott 88, Ruter 86, Myer 83.

DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Scott 508, Davis 270, Rick Beebe 248, Deal 209, Terry Schultz 199.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 81, Sput’s 78, ASI 39, KSE 38, ProPower 32.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 85, Skyrocket 71, GRT 67, Ramirez 54, TRE 42.

 

Contingency Awards:Ai-Racing – Scott.

American Racer – Holzkamper.

Dart Machinery – Schott.

Eibach Springs – Hillson.

Forty9Designs.com – Wetzstein, Scott.

Hooker Harness – Gustin.

Isky Racing Cams – Cummins.

KSE Racing Products – Gustin.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Dahle.

Out-Pace Racing Products – not awarded.

PBM Performance Products – Jones.

Quarter Master – Hillson, Myer.

QuickTime – Holzkamper.

Real Racing Wheels – Albertsen, Schott.

Schoenfeld Headers – Shryock.

WIX Filters – Hillson.

 

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