Rodney Sanders cashes in at Cresco USMTS event

[NickHolt]

Rodney Sanders cashes in at Cresco USMTS event

 

CRESCO, Iowa (Sept. 4) -- In a repeat of last year's Labor Day Weekend clash at the Cresco Speedway, Rodney Sanders made a late-race pass of Jason Hughes to pick up the win and keep his title hopes alive with one event remaining in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental.

 

Courtesy of USMTS PR

 

Sunday's 13th Annual Cresco Bowl was the 21st time the series had churned the Cresco clay, and the $3,000 triumph was the second straight for Sanders at the Mighty Howard County Fairgrounds.

Polesitter Jesse Sobbing led the first seven laps until Hughes powered into the top spot.

 

The defending and two-time USMTS national champion stayed in control for the next 32 laps, but Sanders finally made the winning pass with three to go in the 42-lapper.

 

Hughes, who came into this event leading Sanders by a mere 10 points in last year's Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup, made a last-lap, last-corner pass to finish second that night-a move that averted a tie with Sanders heading into the season finale.

 

On Sunday night, however, Hughes was eyeing a runner-up finish but Cade Dillard muscled his way underneath him in the final turn and claimed second-place money by a half-car-length at the flagstand. Cade Dillard (97) beat Jason Hughes (12) by this much to claim the runner-up finish at the Cresco Speedway. Zack VanderBeek followed Hughes to the checkered flags in fourth and Sobbing held on for a fifth-place finish while Johnny Scott, Dereck Ramirez, Travis Saurer, 17th-starting Brad Dierks and Josh Angst rounded out the top 10.

 

It was the 75th career win for Sanders who now sits just two victories behind Ryan Gustin for third on the all-time United States Modified Touring Series wins list.

 

Ricky Thornton Jr. finished 11th and clinched the Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Award for the 2016 campaign. A tight battle remains for the next three positions between Mike Jergens and the Bauman brothers, Cody and Brock.

 

Hughes won three regional titles this season and has led the points through all but one night during the 16 events so far in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup, but a tight race exists going into the final points race of the season.

 

When the checkered flag drops on opening night of the Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Deer Creek Speedway, the USMTS will crown it's 18th national champion.

 

Hughes leads Dillard by a mere 10 points entering the finale while Sanders is 49 markers behind the leader and clings to an outside chance of scoring his third USMTS crown.

 

Featuring the USMTS and Iron Man Series Out-Pace USRA B-Mods, the Featherlite Fall Jamboree takes place Thursday-Sunday, Sept. 22-24, at the Deer Creek Speedway.

 

Spectator tickets can be purchased at www.deercreekspeedway.com. Competitors can download an entry form at http://usmts.com/downloads/entry-forms or call (515) 832-7944.

 

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 and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS

 

The Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental - Event #16 of 17 - 13th Annual Cresco Bowl - Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa - Sunday, Sept. 4, 2016

 

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won.

 

MSD HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa.
2. (2) 81 Mike Densberger ®, Lincoln, Neb.
3. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
4. (5) 99 Jett Big Eagle ®, Manor, Sask., Canada.
5. (3) 6 Brock Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill.
6. (7) 45 Levi Nielsen, Evansdale, Iowa.
7. (4) 23 Adam Kates ®, Tonganoxie, Kan.
8. (8) 1sx Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.

 

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 37 Mike Jergens ®, Plover, Iowa.
2. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (4) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
4. (3) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
5. (6) 29 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
6. (5) 23b Brett Bumgardner ®, Hawkeye, Iowa.
7. (7) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
8. (8) 61 Adam Barlow, Nashua, Iowa.

 

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (1) 21 Jacob Bleess ®, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (5) 1s Ricky Thornton Jr. ®, Chandler, Ariz.
5. (8) 00 Masen Big Eagle, Manor, Sask., Canada.
6. (7) 4 Cody Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill.
7. (4) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
8. (6) 99 Martin Bennett, Ankeny, Iowa.

 

ALPINESTARS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (5) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (7) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (1) 15* Ryan Mikkelson ®, Jamestown, N.D.
5. (3) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
6. (2) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa.
7. (6) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
8. (8) 75 James Parker, Brownsdale, Minn.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (9) 1sx Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
2. (1) 99 Jett Big Eagle ®, Manor, Sask., Canada.
3. (2) 00 Masen Big Eagle, Manor, Sask., Canada.
4. (8) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
5. (3) 15* Ryan Mikkelson ®, Jamestown, N.D.
6. (4) 6 Brock Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill., GRT/Mullins, $400.
7. (6) 23b Brett Bumgardner ®, Hawkeye, Iowa.
8. (10) 99 Martin Bennett, Ankeny, Iowa, Sidebiter/Sput's, $75.
9. (5) 45 Levi Nielsen, Evansdale, Iowa, Harris/KSE, $75.
10. (7) 23 Adam Kates ®, Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, $90.

 

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 1s Ricky Thornton Jr. ®, Chandler, Ariz.
2. (2) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
3. (6) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa.
4. (3) 29 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
5. (4) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
6. (5) 4 Cody Bauman ®, Eureka, Ill., GRT/GMPP, $400.
7. (8) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
8. (9) 61 Adam Barlow, Nashua, Iowa, Rage/Sperry, $75.
9. (7) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Fast, $90.
10. (10) 75 James Parker, Brownsdale, Minn., Kraft/JPRE, $75.

 

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (42 laps):
1. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Hatfield, 42, $3000.
2. (7) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 42, $1700.
3. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 42, $1200.
4. (8) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput's, 42, $1000.
5. (3) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa, Harris/GMPP, 42, $900.
6. (5) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Lethal/Durham, 42, $800.
7. (11) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 42, $700.
8. (12) 1sx Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn., GRT/Sput's, 42, $550.
9. (17) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sperry, 42, $600.
10. (10) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., MBCustom/Sput's, 42, $550.
11. (13) 1s Ricky Thornton Jr. ®, Chandler, Ariz., MBCustom/GMPP, 42, $500.
12. (15) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Hatfield, 42, $450.
13. (1) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn., Millennium/Ebert, 42, $350.
14. (21) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., LG2/BuckBuilt, 42, $400.
15. (18) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa, Hilsabeck/Mullins, 42, $375.
16. (2) 37 Mike Jergens ®, Plover, Iowa, Harris/KSE, 42, $350.
17. (20) 15* Ryan Mikkelson ®, Jamestown, N.D., GRT/Dakota, 42, $325.
18. (16) 00 Masen Big Eagle, Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Yeoman, 42, $300.
19. (14) 99 Jett Big Eagle ®, Manor, Sask., Canada, MBCustom/Baxter, 42, $300.
20. (19) 29 Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa, IROC/Midstate, 42, $250.
21. (22) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn., GRT/Action, 42, $250.
22. (9) 21 Jacob Bleess ®, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustom/BK, 42, $300.
23. (23) 23b Brett Bumgardner ®, Hawkeye, Iowa, SSR/Midnight, 42, $250.
DNS - 81 Mike Densberger ®, Lincoln, Neb., Jet/Speedway, 0, $300.

® = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: Sobbing 1-7, Hughes 8-39, Sanders 40-42.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 32, Sobbing 7, Sanders 3.
Provisional Starters: Alberts, Bumgardner.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Dierks (started 17th, finished 9th).
Entries: 31.

 

Next Race: Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 22-24, Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Iowa.

 

USMTS Casey's Cup Points: Hughes 2007, Dillard 1997, Sanders 1958, Sobbing 1918, VanderBeek 1890, Scott 1743, Duvall 1597, Ramirez 1588, Jergens 1470, C. Bauman 1466.

 

Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Thornton 1667, Jergens 1530, C. Bauman 1517, B. Bauman 1516, Bleess 1501.

 

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 440, Sput's 323, ASI 323, Durham 307, GMPP 304.

 

Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 448, MBCustoms 448, LG2 363, Harris 329, GRT 298.

 

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance - Saurer.
American Racer - not awarded.
Bell Helmets - Mikkelson.
Beyea Custom Headers - Sobbing.
BSB Manufacturing - Alberts.
Day Motor Sports - Bumgardner, Densberger.
Deatherage Opticians - Bumgardner.
Edelbrock - Sanders.
Eibach Springs - Duvall.
Fast Shafts - Jergens.
FK Rod Ends - Hilsabeck.
Forty9Designs.com - Timm, J. Big Eagle.
Fuel Safe - Scott.
GRT Race Cars - Alberts.
Hooker Harness - Ebert.
Integra Shocks & Springs - M. Big Eagle.
Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service - Jergens.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components - Dierks.
Keyser Manufacturing - Angst.
KSE Racing Products - Dierks.
Midwest Sheet Metal - Densberger.
MSD - Sobbing, Sanders.
Out-Pace Racing Products - Jergens.
PBM Performance Products - Hughes.
QA1 - Densberger.
Real Racing Wheels - all non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics - Dillard.
VP Racing Fuels - Sanders.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products - Thornton.
Wilwood Engineering - Ramirez.