Brady Gerdes goes the distance in USMTS Viking voyage

[NickHolt]

Gerdes goes the distance in USMTS Viking voyage

 

ALEXANDRIA, Minn.-The outside front row was the place to be for the start of Wednesday's main event, and Thursday night was no different as Brady Gerdes led all 35 laps in dominating fashion to capture his career first USMTS victory in the series' first-ever voyage to the Viking Speedway.

 

Buck Monson photo

 

Gerdes, a United States Modified Touring Series Rookie of the Year contender with less than a dozen career starts, looked like a veteran on the big half-mile clay oval as he beat runner-up Rodney Sanders to the finish line with a seven-car-length cushion.

 

Less than 24 hours after having his rear end fail on the first lap of the feature and finishing dead last at the KRA Speedway Wednesday night, Gerdes turned the tables in a big way using a borrowed quick change from Bob Gierke.

 

With an extra grand thrown in by an anonymous donor, the winner's share of the prize money expanded to $4,000 for the 20-year-old from Villard, Minn.

 

Rodney Sanders, who only finished two laps the night before after being involved in the early-race melee, rebounded to register a second-place finish after getting around Jesse Sobbing with just four laps remaining in Thursday's nightcap.

 

Sobbing suffered a blown engine on the final circuit but nursed his No. 99 Home Pride machine to the finish line to hang on for third while last night's winner, Craig Thatcher, finished fourth with Zack Johnson fifth.

 

As the highest-finishing WISSOTA competitor, Johnson pocketed an extra $250 for his efforts.

 

Joey Jensen turned the QA1 Fastest Lap of the evening in his heat race and brought home a sixth-place paycheck. Seventh through tenth, respectively, were Jason Thoennes, 25th-starting Jesse Glenz, 23rd-starting Tim Johnson and Eric Pember.

 

Tomorrow, the USMTS Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental blasts into the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., for another bout in the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region and the first of two days at the legendary speedplant for the 17th Annual Masters.

 

The event will also feature the UMP Hell Tour Late Models both days, with grandstands opening at 5 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday. Race time is 7 p.m. both nights. Ticket prices are $25 on Friday and $30 on Saturday. Kids ages 6-16 are half price and children ages 5 and under are free.

 

The Cedar Lake Speedway is a high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located 1.0 mile east of SR 35 on SR 64 (in Somerset), then 4.2 miles north on CR C to CR CC, then left 1.8 miles. For more information call 715-248-7119 or check out www.cedarlakespeedway.com online.

 

On Sunday, the 13th Annual Stars & Stripes Shootout takes place at the Cresco Speedway in Cresco, Iowa, to wrap up the five-race swing in the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region.

 

The event will also put the feature on the Holley Iron Man Series for USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods. USRA Hobby Stocks will also be in action at the Mighty Howard County Fairgrounds with hot laps starting at 6 p.m. and racing to follow.

 

The Cresco Speedway is a high-banked 4/10-mile clay oval located 0.2 miles north of SR 9 on SW 7th (at the Howard County Fairgrounds). For more information call 563-547-3400.

 

After a three-day rest, action heats back up on Wednesday and Thursday, June 17-18, for a pair of MSD Central Region shoot-outs at the Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo., and C. Ray Hall's 81 Speedway located just outside of Wichita, Kan.

 

The annual USMTS Southern Speedweek commences on Friday, June 19, at the new Red River Speedway in Wichita Falls, Texas, for the first of seven events in nine days in the highly-competitive Double H Bands Southern Region.

 

With trips to the Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo, Texas, on June 22; Heart O' Texas Speedway near Waco, Texas, on June 23; Devil's Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, on June 24; Mountain Creek Speedway in Grand Prairie, Texas, on June 25; and Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., on June 26; the swing through the south wraps up on Saturday, June 27, at the historic Lawton Speedway in Lawton, Okla.

 

Nearly $40,000 has been earmarked for the winners from an overall purse of more than $250,000 for events during the month of June.

 

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 at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

 

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS

USMTS Casey's Cup Series powered by S&S Fishing & Rental - Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region presented by Day Motor Sports - Viking Speedway, Alexandria, Minn., Thursday, June 11, 2015

 

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races were locked into the "A" Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

 

MSD HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) V2 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn.
2. (6) 2x Brady Gerdes ®, Villard, Minn.
3. (7) 2j Blake Jegtvig, Hawley, Minn.
4. (4) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
5. (8) 18a Landon Atkinson ®, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (1) 99 Jake Wildman, Glenwood, Minn.
7. (5) 1g Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
8. (9) 4 Billy Vogel ®, West Fargo, N.D.
9. (3) 7x Jesse Glenz ®, Cadott, Wis.

 

DAY MOTOR SPORTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 52 Jason Thoennes, Garfield, Minn.
2. (8) 5x Scot Danzeisen ®, Herman, Minn.
3. (6) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis.
4. (4) 2 Casey Arneson ®, Fargo, N.D.
5. (5) 15f Jeff Flaten, Hancock, Minn.
6. (7) 4 Cody Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill.
7. (3) 14 Aaron Olson, Mekinock, N.D.
8. (1) 23k Ben Kates ®, Tonganoxie, Kan.

 

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) IOU1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, Minn.
2. (6) 6x Zack Johnson ®, Kensington, Minn.
3. (2) 2g Troy Girolamo, Eleva, Wis.
4. (3) 89 Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.
5. (7) 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas.
6. (5) 1b Jason Blascyk, Kensington, Minn.
7. (4) 47 Ryan Canon, Clearwater, Minn.
8. (8) 86d Dagan Heim ®, Rosemount, Minn.

 

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 18s Dave Schroeder, Glenwood, Minn.
2. (4) 21x Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
3. (3) 10x Dustin Bitzan, Brandon, Minn.
4. (5) 60 Dan Ebert ®, Lake Shore, Minn.
5. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
6. (7) 1jr Tim Johnson ®, Brainerd, Minn.
7. (8) 07 Cory Crapser ®, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
8. (2) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

 

KEYSER MANUFACTURING HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 01 Brandon Aggen, Rushmore, Minn.
2. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
3. (4) 99 Jesse Sobbing ®, Malvern, Iowa.
4. (1) 32 Shaun Peterson ®, Alexandria, Minn.
5. (5) 5 Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn.
6. (3) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis.
7. (8) 51 Josh Thoennes, Nelson, Minn.
8. (6) 6 Brock Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 99 Jesse Sobbing ®, Malvern, Iowa.
2. (4) 2 Casey Arneson ®, Fargo, N.D.
3. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (3) 18a Landon Atkinson ®, Little Falls, Minn.
5. (2) 10x Dustin Bitzan, Brandon, Minn.
6. (8) 1jr Tim Johnson ®, Brainerd, Minn.
7. (5) 32 Shaun Peterson ®, Alexandria, Minn., MasterSbilt/KSE, $90.
8. (10) 07 Cory Crapser ®, Chippewa Falls, Wis., GRT/Tim's, $90.
9. (7) 5 Brandon Beckendorf, Danube, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput's, $75.
10. (9) 1b Jason Blascyk, Kensington, Minn.
11. (15) 7x Jesse Glenz ®, Cadott, Wis.
12. (11) 1g Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa., Skyrocket/Karl, $90.
13. (14) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D., Venom/G-Force, $75.
14. (12) 47 Ryan Canon, Clearwater, Minn., Victory/Victory, $75.
15. (13) 23k Ben Kates ®, Tonganoxie, Kan.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 60 Dan Ebert ®, Lake Shore, Minn.
2. (4) 89 Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.
3. (7) 99 Jake Wildman, Glenwood, Minn.
4. (1) 2g Troy Girolamo, Eleva, Wis.
5. (3) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
6. (8) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis.
7. (9) 51 Josh Thoennes, Nelson, Minn.
8. (5) 15f Jeff Flaten, Hancock, Minn., MasterSbilt/Adams, $75.
9. (11) 86d Dagan Heim ®, Rosemount, Minn., Shaw/Murgic, $90.
10. (6) 4 Cody Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill., Impressive/Gade, $90.
11. (10) 4 Billy Vogel ®, West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, $90.
12. (14) 6 Brock Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill., Impressive/Gade, $90.
DNS - 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas, CAM/Herring, $90.
DNS - 14 Aaron Olson, Mekinock, N.D., Harris/Tesar, $75.

 

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (35 laps):
1. (2) 2x Brady Gerdes ®, Villard, MN, GRT/Sput's, 35, $4000.
2. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, TX, MBCustom/Geddes, 35, $1700.
3. (13) 99 Jesse Sobbing ®, Malvern, IA, MBCustom/Sput's, 35, $1200.
4. (12) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, WI, GRT/TriStar, 35, $1000.
5. (5) 6x Zack Johnson ®, Kensington, MN, MadMan/Sturdy, 35, $1150.
6. (3) V2 Joey Jensen, Harris, MN, SSR/Tim's, 35, $800.
7. (1) 52 Jason Thoennes, Garfield, MN, MasterSbilt/Sower, 35, $750.
8. (25) 7x Jesse Glenz ®, Cadott, WI, MBCustom/Tim's, 35, $650.
9. (23) 1jr Tim Johnson ®, Brainerd, MN, LG2/Scott's, 35, $700.
10. (16) 89 Eric Pember, Pittsville, WI, MBCustom/Mullins, 35, $550.
11. (15) 2 Casey Arneson ®, Fargo, ND, GRT/Durham, 35, $500.
12. (14) 60 Dan Ebert ®, Lake Shore, MN, Impressive/Speedwerx, 35, $450.
13. (6) 01 Brandon Aggen, Rushmore, MN, Skyrocket/Sput's, 35, $350.
14. (4) IOU1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, MN, Shaw/Hill, 35, $400.
15. (19) 18a Landon Atkinson ®, Little Falls, MN, GRT/Geddes, 35, $375.
16. (17) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA, LG2/Sput's, 35, $400.
17. (21) 10x Dustin Bitzan, Brandon, MN, MasterSbilt/Tim's, 35, $250.
18. (22) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, MN, GRT/Tim's, 35, $300.
19. (26) 23k Ben Kates ®, Tonganoxie, KS, GRT/Mullins, 35, $300.
20. (28) 1b Jason Blascyk, Kensington, MN, Dominator/Sower, 34, $250.
21. (27) 51 Josh Thoennes, Nelson, MN, MasterSbilt/Sower, 27, $250.
22. (29) 07 Cory Crapser ®, Chippewa Falls, WI, GRT/Tim's, 26, $300.
23. (10) 21x Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, MN, GRT/Sput's, 22, $300.
24. (18) 99 Jake Wildman, Glenwood, MN, Sidebiter/Sower, 21, $250.
25. (8) 5x Scot Danzeisen ®, Herman, MN, Danzeisen/Danzeisen, 21, $300.
26. (9) 18s Dave Schroeder, Glenwood, MN, GRT/Adams, 21, $250.
27. (20) 2g Troy Girolamo, Eleva, WI, GRT/Baxter, 21, $300.
28. (24) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, WI, GRT/Tomcat, 15, $300.
29. (11) 2j Blake Jegtvig, Hawley, MN, MBCustom/Sturdy, 11, $300.

® = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leader: Gerdes 1-35.
Total Laps Led: Gerdes 35.
Margin of Victory: 1.709 seconds.
Provisional Starters: Glenz, Kates, Crapser, Blascyk (track), Thoennes (track).
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Danzeisen.
Hard Charger: T. Johnson (started 23rd, finished 9th).
Entries: 41.

 

Next Race: Friday-Saturday, June 12-13, Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis.

Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region Points: Sanders 534, Ebert 472, Glenz 444, Larson 443, Sobbing 434, VanderBeek 434, Arneson 414, Jensen 407, T. Johnson 343, Kates 333.

 

USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Sobbing 1733, C. Arneson 1473, Kates 1315, Austin Arneson 1073, Ronnie Gould III 721.

 

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Geddes 163, Sput's 148, Mullins 143, Durham 132, Cornett 103.

 

USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: LG2 196, MBCustom 194, GRT 180, Hughes 161, Hilsabeck 61.

 

Contingency Awards:

AERO Race Wheels - Jegtvig.
Allstar Performance - Glenz.
American Racer - Sanders.
Beyea Custom Headers - Z. Johnson.
BSB Manufacturing - Josh Thoennes.
Chix Gear Racewear - Sobbing.
Deatherage Opticians - Gerdes.
Edelbrock - Larson.
Eibach Springs - Ebert.
FK Rod Ends - Atkinson.
Forty9Designs.com - Larson, Kates.
Fuel Safe - Jensen.
GRT Race Cars - Gerdes.
Hooker Harness - Aggen.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components - T. Johnson.
Keyser Manufacturing - Pember.
KSE Racing Products - Danzeisen.
Marsh Racing Wheels - Oertel.
Midwest Sheet Metal - Allen.
MSD Ignition - Jensen, Gerdes.
PBM Performance Products - Schroeder, Gerdes.
QA1 - Jensen.
R2C Performance Products - Sanders.
Real Racing Wheels - all non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics - Danzeisen.
Tilton Engineering - Thatcher.
VP Racing Fuels - Gerdes.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products - Arneson.
Wilwood Disc Brakes - Jason Thoennes.