Terry Phillips first at Baytown, wins USMTS Casey’s Cup opener

[NickHolt]

Phillips first at Baytown, wins USMTS Casey’s Cup opener

 

BAYTOWN, Texas (Feb. 23) – Good things come to those who wait, and that was true for both race fans and Terry Phillips Thursday night at the Royal Purple Raceway as the United States Modified Touring Series launched the 2012 racing season with the first of three nights at the quarter-mile clay oval in Baytown, Texas.

 

The drought-stricken Lone Star State got some much needed rain last weekend which forced spectators and competitors alike to postpone plans for the USMTS Casey’s Cup lid-lifter to this weekend.

 

Clouds and wind blanketed the Baytown, Texas, bullring again Thursday night but no rain fell and the 3rd Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals is in the books.

 

Sixty-two drivers were on hand with Stormy Scott setting the tone early on as he raced from the tenth starting spot to take the win in the first of six talent-packed heat races and lead the field in passing points.

 

After the redraw, Rodney Sanders and Phillips filled the front row for the 35-lap main event while Scott began his quest for his first USMTS victory from the fifth spot.

 

Meanwhile, three former USMTS National Champions – Jason Hughes, Jason Krohn and Kelly Shryock – started deep in the field after racing their way into the feature race through one of three Real Racing Wheels “B” Mains.

 

Phillips took charge at the drop of the green flag and grew his advantage to 10 car-lengths over Sanders before the first caution slowed the action with 10 laps complete.

 

On the restart, Scott powered past Sanders for second and took a look to the inside of the leader but Phillips was able to maintain the top spot for the next four laps before the yellow flag waved again.

 

Three more cautions slowed the pace during the contest, but Phillips was up to the task each time and his patience proved profitable in the end as he held off every challenge and steered his #75 Andy’s Frozen Custard GRT/Hatfield into victory lane for a $2,000 pay day.

 

“I could go around the outside of the bumps in turn 2, and we were pretty good up there when I could hit my marks,” said Phillips following his win. “This is a new car and we won last time we came out with a new car, so hopefully this one will be just as good as the last.”

 

Sanders battled with Scott for the bulk of the race and pressured Phillips over the final five laps before settling for the runner-up paycheck.

 

Mark Dotson disposed of Scott late in the race and took home third-place money while Hughes came from 16th to fifth and earned the season’s first Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award.

 

Defending USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin struggled throughout the middle portion of the race and slipped back as far as 11th before clawing his way back to sixth by the time the checkered flags waved.

 

Johnny Scott finished three spots behind his twin brother in seventh, Jon Tesch wound up eighth, top rookie Jacob Gallardo nabbed the ninth spot and Shane Hebert rounded out the top 10 after starting 17 on the 27-car grid.

 

The win was Phillips’ first at the Royal Purple Raceway and gave him the upper hand in the season-long quest for the USMTS Casey’s Cup. He never trailed Thursday night, leading every lap of his heat race and the “A” Main.

 

The nation’s elite open-wheel dirt Modified drivers return on Friday and Saturday for a pair of $4,000-to-win main events to kick off the USMTS National Championship Series. USRA Western Flyer HotMods will also be racing each night for $600 and $900 to win, respectively.

 

The pit gate opens at 3 p.m. on Friday, with grandstands opening at 5 and racing at 7. On Saturday, pit gates open at 2 p.m., grandstands open at 4 and the first heat race hits the track at 5:30.

 

The Royal Purple Raceway is located just east of Houston on I-10 to exit 799, then 2.5 miles south on SH 99 (Grand Parkway), then 0.3 mile west on FM 565. For more information, call the track office at 281-383-7223 or visit www.royalpurpleraceway.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 like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

 

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

USMTS Casey’s Cup – Qualifying Event

3rd Annual Texas Spring Nationals – Night 1 of 3

Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas

Thursday, February 23, 2012

 

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed, 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. (10) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.

2. (1) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.

3. (6) 5* Casey Penn ®, Shreveport, La.

4. (3) 12t Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas.

5. (9) 25 Ron Keith, Shawnee, Kan.

6. (8) 88t William Turner ®, Yukon, Okla.

7. (4) 21 Troy Seidl, Magnolia, Texas.

8. (11) 955 Robert Metz Jr., Lumberton, Texas.

9. (7) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo.

10. (5) 34dd Tim Boudreaux ®, Cleveland, Texas.

11. (2) 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas.

 

HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):

1. (4) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas.

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

3. (2) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.

4. (5) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas.

5. (3) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas.

6. (9) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

7. (7) 41 Jordan Foster ®, Henry, S.D.

8. (8) 1 T.J. Herndon, Atwood, Tenn.

9. (10) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr. ®, Wellston, Okla.

10. (6) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.

 

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. (2) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.

2. (3) J17 Jacob Gallardo ®, Las Cruces, N.M.

3. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.

4. (8) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.

5. (6) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.

6. (10) 97 Cade Dillard ®, Robeline, La.

7. (5) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.

8. (4) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas.

9. (9) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.

10. (1) 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas.

 

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):

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

2. (2) 2j John Anderson, Omaha, Neb.

3. (3) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

4. (4) 8 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.

5. (8) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyville, Texas.

6. (5) 5m Joe Mayhew, Highlands, Texas.

7. (9) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.

8. (6) 127 Glen Hibbard, Euless, Texas.

9. (7) 44 Marcus Berndt ®, Katy, Texas.

10. (10) 11x Rich Loftus ®, Bloomer, Wis.

 

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):

1. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

2. (1) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

3. (7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.

4. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.

5. (5) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas.

6. (4) 60 Kurt Krauskopf ®, Decorah, Iowa.

7. (6) 91 Joe Duvall, Chelsea, Okla.

8. (10) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas.

9. (8) 7g Mark Smith, Lufkin, Texas.

10. (2) 5c Chris Buhler ®, Baton Rouge, La.

 

RACINDIRT.COM HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):

1. (1) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.

2. (5) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo.

3. (3) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.

4. (4) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.

5. (6) G17 Fito Gallardo ®, Las Cruces, N.M.

6. (9) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.

7. (11) C22 Rob Litton ®, Alexandria, La.

8. (8) 22 Tracy Denby Sr., Vidor, Texas.

9. (10) 00 Jay Marshall ®, Brooksville, Fla.

10. (7) 5 Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas.

11. (2) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (1) 7K Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.

2. (6) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.

3. (4) 12t Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas.

4. (2) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.

5. (5) 97 Cade Dillard ®, Robeline, La., Impressive/Dillard, $80.

6. (3) 25 Ron Keith, Shawnee, Kan., GRT/Mullins, $80.

7. (13) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo., TRE/Ruble, $80.

8. (7) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas, PCR/Brooks, $80.

9. (11) 1 T.J. Herndon, Atwood, Tenn., GRT/KMF, $80.

10. (12) 22 Tracy Denby Sr., Vidor, Texas, $60.

11. (8) 5m Joe Mayhew, Highlands, Texas, Skyrocket/Houston, $60.

12. (16) 5 Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas, TRE/AMS, $60.

13. (15) 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas, $80.

14. (14) 7g Mark Smith, Lufkin, Texas, Skyrocket/Craft, $80.

15. (9) 955 Robert Metz Jr., Lumberton, Texas, Pierce/CB, $60.

16. (10) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins, $80.

17. (17) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo., Hughes/Geddes, $80.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.

2. (6) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.

3. (2) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.

4. (5) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.

5. (4) 8 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, CAM/Allard, $80.

6. (8) 60 Kurt Krauskopf ®, Decorah, Iowa, Harris/Sput’s, $80.

7. (12) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr. ®, Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $80.

8. (13) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.

9. (7) 88t William Turner ®, Yukon, Okla., Hughes/Wells, $80.

10. (10) 91 Joe Duvall, Chelsea, Okla., Hughes/BMS, $80.

11. (14) 34dd Tim Boudreaux ®, Cleveland, Texas, $60.

12. (16) 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $80.

13. (9) 21 Troy Seidl, Magnolia, Texas, Skyrocket/CNC, $80.

14. (11) 715 Jeff Hoegh, New Caney, Texas, Skyrocket/AARE, $80.

15. (3) 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas, Pierce/CB, $80.

16. (15) 11x Rich Loftus ®, Bloomer, Wis., Hughes/Tim’s, $80.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (12 laps, top 4 advance):

1. (2) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.

2. (4) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.

3. (6) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas.

4. (14) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.

5. (7) C22 Rob Litton ®, Alexandria, La., Skyrocket/Mullins, $80.

6. (9) 41 Jordan Foster ®, Henry, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, $60.

7. (15) 5c Chris Buhler ®, Baton Rouge, La., Pierce/RPM, $60.

8. (13) 44 Marcus Berndt ®, Katy, Texas, DirtWorks/Graham, $80.

9. (1) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, $80.

10. (3) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyville, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $80.

11. (5) G17 Fito Gallardo ®, Las Cruces, N.M., GRC/BMS, $80.

12. (8) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Fast1/Jackson, $60.

13. (11) 127 Glen Hibbard, Euless, Texas, Allen/Stinson, $80.

14. (10) 23 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas, Evolution/CB, $60.

15. (12) 00 Jay Marshall ®, Brooksville, Fla., $60.

 

“A” MAIN (35 laps):

1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 35, $2000.

2. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 35, $1500.

3. (4) 85d Mark Dotson, Cameron, Mo., GRT/KSE, 35, $1000.

4. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Yeoman, 35, $800.

5. (16) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 35, $800.

6. (9) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 35, $600.

7. (8) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 35, $500.

8. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 35, $450.

9. (10) J17 Jacob Gallardo ®, Las Cruces, N.M., GRC/ASI, 35, $400.

10. (17) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Pierce/ASI, 35, $350.

11. (19) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 35, $320.

12. (23) 12c Corey Babbitt, Channelview, Texas, TRE/CAM, 35, $300.

13. (18) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 35, $275.

14. (6) 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas, Skyrocket/Harris, 35, $200.

15. (25) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 35, $250.

16. (24) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas, GRT/PTS, 35, $250.

17. (26) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., GRT/Mullins, 35, $250.

18. (20) 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 35, $250.

19. (13) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., GRT/Sput’s, 35, $250.

20. (22) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., GRT/Sput’s, 35, $250.

21. (11) 5* Casey Penn ®, Shreveport, La., Hughes/Geddes, 34, $250.

22. (27) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 32, $80.

23. (15) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 23, $250.

24. (14) 2j John Anderson, Omaha, Neb., GRT/Sput’s, 23, $250.

25. (7) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas, CAM/CMS, 20, $250.

26. (21) 12t Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas, Hughes/PTS, 16, $250.

27. (12) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 13, $250.

 

® = Rookie of the Year contender.

 

Lap Leader: Phillips 1-35.

Total Laps Led: Phillips 35.

Margin of Victory: 1.429 seconds.

Pole Winner: S. Scott.

Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Hughes (started 16th, finished 5th).

Dominator Race Products Hard Luck: Loftus.

Provisional Starter: Rowland.

Next Race: Friday, Feb. 24, Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, Texas.

USMTS Casey’s Cup Points: Phillips 10, Sanders 9, Dotson 8, S. Scott 7, Hughes 6, Gustin 5, J. Scott 4, Tesch 3, J. Gallardo 2, Hebert 2, Ramirez 2, Babbitt 2, Shryock 2, Denby Jr. 2, Timms 2, Henigan 2, Beebe 2, Whiteaker 2, C. Junghans 2, G. Junghans 2, Penn 2, Krohn 2, Anderson 2, Hyde 2, Townsend 2, Steensma 2, Rowland 2.

Rookie of the Year Points: J. Gallardo 74, Penn 53, Dillard 45, Krauskopf 45, Tillison 45, Turner 45, Loftus 45, Litton 45, Berndt 45, F. Gallardo 45, Boudreaux 45, Foster 45, Buhler 45, Marshall 45.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 10, Geddes 9, KSE 8, Yeoman 7, Mullins 6, ASI 5, Sput’s 4, ProPower 3, CAM 2, Harris 1, PTS 1, CMS 1.

Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: GRT 10, Hughes 9, GRC 8, Pierce 7, TRE 6, Skyrocket 5, CAM 4.

 

Contingency Awards:

American Racer – Hughes.

Dominator Race Products – Loftus.

Eibach Springs – Hyde.

Forty9Designs.com – S. Scott, J. Gallardo.

Hooker Harness – Babbitt.

ISKY Racing Cams – S. Scott.

KSE Racing Products – J. Scott.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Steensma.

Nitroquest – Davis, Loftus, Marshall.

Mesilla Valley Transportation – Hughes.

PBM Performance Products – J. Scott.

Real Racing Wheels – Dillard, Allen, Litton.

[txtom]

Trivia question for anyone who wants to answer--

What former NASCAR (Winston Cup) and NHRA racer is listed as a participant in this event?

[Steve]

My guess is Rick Beebe