Ramirez rumbles to USMTS prize at Rock Rapids

8/26/2017

RacinBoys

Ramirez rumbles to USMTS prize at Rock Rapids

By USMTS PR (Rock Rapids, IA) -- Fans witnessed a classic back-and-forth feature race fight Friday night at the Rapid Speedway that ended with Dereck Ramirez scoring his first United States Modified Touring Series victory since Feb. 13, 2015.

From the inside of the second row, Rodney Sanders got off to a strong start and led the first six laps before Ramirez, who started next to Sanders in the 40-lap main event, inched ahead to lead the seventh lap.

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeff Bylsma

Ramirez continued to set the pace for the next 17 times around the 3/8-mile clay oval in Rock Rapids, Iowa, but it wasn't without several challenges from Sanders as both drivers used every inch of the racing surface.

Sanders regained control of the race with 24 laps down, but Ramirez battled back and wrestled the lead away for good on lap 30, leading the final 10 orbits to score his fifth career win and first of the 2017 campaign in his 60th start this season.

Although he was first to the finish line, the win was anything but easy for Ramirez. Here, the top four exit turn two nearly four-wide on the final lap of the main event.

Along with a $2,000 bonus from Rancho Milagro, the win was worth $5,000 to the 30-year-old from Woodward, Okla.-his first during the USMTS Hunt for the Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental.

Ryan Gustin got around Sanders late in the contest to claim the runner-up paycheck in Friday's 7th Annual USMTS Rapid Rumble presented by Casey's General Stores while last year's winner, Cade Dillard came from the 10th starting spot to register a fourth-place finish.

Stormy Scott, who sits second in the points battle, finished fifth while current points leader and two-time defending USMTS national champion Jason Hughes was sixth. Curt Myers, Cory Crapser, USMTS legend Jon Tesch and Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year points leader R.C. Whitwell completed the top 10 in the main event just before rain began to fall on the speedway.

Nineteenth-starting Zane DeVilbiss finished 11th and scored the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award while Ramirez added the Wehrs Machine & Racing Products Trick Move of the Race Award to his nightly grab.

The Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., hosts the 8th Annual USMTS River City Rumble presented by B&B Salvage on Saturday with the high-flying action of the USMTS Modifieds plus the Iron Man Challenge featuring Holley USRA Stock Cars and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods and the lightning-fast Nebraska 360 Sprint Car Series vs. MSTS Sprint Cars also in action.

Pits open at 4 p.m. and spectator gates open at 5 with hot laps at 6:30 and the first green flag slated to wave at approximately 7:15. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors age 70 and up or $12 for youth ages 6-16. Children under 6 get in for free. A seat in the suite is $12 in addition to your grandstand ticket. Pit passes are $35.

Coupons good for $2 off adult admission available at Casey's General Stores locations in Elk Point and Vermillion plus Akron, Le Mars, Merrill, Moville, Sergeant Bluff and Sioux City in Iowa, as well as South Sioux City in Nebraska. To find the location nearest you, visit http://www.caseys.com.

Ricky Thornton Jr. and his Double Stuf Oreo USMTS Modified will meet and greet fans from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Casey's General Store located at 1313 River Dr. in North Sioux City, S.D. Fans can get a special $5 'Hot Ticket' coupon (while supplies last) directly from Thornton during his appearance.

The Park Jefferson Speedway is a semi-banked 4/10-mile dirt oval located off of I-29 at exit 4, then 0.2 mile east to SR 105, then 1.8 miles north (48426 332nd St., North Sioux City, SD 57049). For more information call (712) 202-5540 or visit http://www.parkjeff.com.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit http://www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/usmts and Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/usmtstv. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at http://www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Hunt for the Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental
7th Annual USMTS Rapid Rumble presented by Casey's General Stores
Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa

Friday, Aug. 25, 2017

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

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):

(1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
(4) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
(3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
(6) 7K Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
(2) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa.
(5) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn.
(7) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):

(2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
(1) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
(6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
(7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
(5) 2t Jake O'Neil (R), Tucson, Ariz.
(4) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
(3) 8c Chris Clark (R), Jackson, Wyo.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

(1) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
(6) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
(4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
(2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
(5) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
(3) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (40 laps):

(4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 40, $5000.
(9) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1700.
(3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $1200.
(10) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustoms/ASI, 40, $1000.
(7) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., VanderBuilt/Mullins, 40, $900.
(8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $800.
(2) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis., GRT/Sput's, 40, $700.
(6) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/Troy's, 40, $650.
(5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput's, 40, $500.
(1) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz., MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $550.
(19) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M., DeVilbiss/DeVilbiss, 39, $500.
(20) 8c Chris Clark (R), Jackson, Wyo., GRT/Hunter, 38, $450.
(14) 2t Jake O'Neil (R), Tucson, Ariz., Hughes/Mullins, 33, $425.
(18) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., Shaw/Mullins, 16, $400.
(11) 7K Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., MBCustoms/Tim's, 12, $375.
(12) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput's, 11, $400.
(13) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa, Skyrocket/HarryHeads, 11, $250.
(15) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 8, $300.
(17) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput's, 4, $400.
(16) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustoms/Dakota, 3, $400.

(R) = Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leaders: Sanders 1-5, Ramirez 6-23, Sanders 24-29, Ramirez 30-40.

Total Laps Led: Ramirez 29, Sanders 11.

Margin of Victory: 0.259 second.

Time of Race: 21 minutes, 46.264 seconds ( cautions).

Provisional Starters: none.

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: DeVilbiss (started 19th, finished 11th).

Entries: 20.

Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 26, Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.

Hunt for the Casey's Cup Points: Hughes 1518, Scott 1442, Dillard 1405, Ramirez 1371, Whitwell 1311, VanderBeek 1306, Timm 1279, Saurer 1277, Gustin 1220, Thornton 1204.

Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Whitwell 1973, Saurer 1912, Tyler Wolff 1790, DeVilbiss 1534, Kates 1484.

Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 477, Sput's 395, ASI 376, Hatfield 287, Cornett 272.

Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 471, MBCustoms 471, VanderBuilt 407, GRT 356, LG2 336.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance - Crapser.
American Racer - Thornton.
Beyea Custom Headers - Gustin.
BigDeal Car Care - Ramirez.
BSB Manufacturing - Dillard.
Casey's General Stores - Hughes.
Chix Gear Racewear - Tesch.
Day Motor Sports - Saurer, Timm.
Deatherage Opticians - Clark.
Dickson Racing Shocks - Krohn.
E3 Spark Plugs - Sanders.
Edelbrock - Myers.
Fast Shafts - Tesch.
Forty9Designs.com - Thornton, Timm.
Fuel Safe Racing Cells - Hughes.
GRT Race Cars - Myers.
Hooker Custom Harness - O'Neil.
Integra Shocks & Springs - Kates.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts - Gerritsen.
Keyser Manufacturing - Whitwell.
KSE Racing Products - DeVilbiss.
Out-Pace Racing Products - VanderBeek.
QA1 - Ramirez.
Real Racing Wheels - all non-qualifiers.
Simpson Performance Products - Ramirez.
Sweet Manufacturing - Tesch.
Swift Springs - Ramirez.
Sybesma Graphics - Whitwell.
Tire Demon - DeVilbiss.
VP Racing Fuels - Ramirez.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products - Ramirez.
Wilwood Engineering - Myers.

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Zevenbergen, Moudry fetch fourth Iron Man Challenge wins at Rapid Speedway

By USRA PR (Rock Rapids, IA) -- The Iron Man Challenge invaded the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa, Friday, and Elijah Zevenbergen and Ben Moudry invaded victory lane for the fourth time this season.

Zevenbergen, whose only defeat this season came when he broke a spring in Thursday night's feature at the Nobles County Speedway, drew the pole and never relinquished the lead in the 20-lap Holley USRA Stock Car feature race.

The Ocheyedan, Iowa, speedster held off the challenges of Derek Green to claim the $600 winner's paycheck and his fourth victory in five starts during the 2017 campaign.

Rich Gregoire-the 2010 Holley USRA Stock Car national champion-came from the 11th starting spot to earn a third-place paycheck while USMTS boss Todd Staley raced from 18th to fourth.

Jon DeBoer was fifth, points leader Steve Jackson came home sixth, Colby Klaassen seized the seventh spot, Marlin Kracht earned eighth, Roger Verdoorn was ninth and Spenser Kalass completed the top 10.

Elijah Zevenbergen (66) won his fourth Iron Man Challenge Holley USRA Stock Car feature of the season Friday night at the Rapid Speedway. (Jeff Bylsma Photo)

Like Zevenbergen, Moudry drew the pole and scored his fourth Out-Pace USRA B-Mod win of the season with a wire-to-wire win in a main event shortened due to excessive cautions.

Last year's Iron Man titlist, Andy Bryant, was a close second with points leader Cole Denner third and the division's other four-time winner this season, Dan Hovden, crossing under the checkered flag in fourth.

Ryan Walker was fifth at the flagstand while Miah Christensen, Dave Kennedy, Tracy Johnson, Chris Huisman and Colter Deutsch rounded out the top 10.

Rain fell shortly after the completion of the USMTS Modified main event, forcing the postponement of the USRA Hobby Stock feature.

The Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., hosts the 8th Annual River City Rumble presented by B&B Salvage on Saturday with the high-flying action of the USMTS Modifieds plus the Iron Man Challenge featuring Holley USRA Stock Cars and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods and the lightning-fast Nebraska 360 Sprint Car Series vs. MSTS Sprint Cars also in action.

To learn more about the USRA, visit http://www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also like USRA Racing on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/usraracing, follow http://www.twitter.com/usraracing on Twitter and check out the USRA YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/usratv. Keep up to speed with everything USRA by joining our email list at http://www.usraracing.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series/Iron Man Challenge
Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa

Friday, Aug. 25, 2017

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

HOLLEY USRA STOCK CARS

Heat Race #1 (8 laps):

(2) 40 Scott Overgaard, Luverne, Minn.
(1) 04 Roger Verdoorn, Sibley, Iowa.
(4) 02 Ron Prins, Worthington, Minn.
(6) 2J Steve Jackson, Polk City, Iowa.
(5) 20K Spenser Kalass, Luverne, Minn.
(3) 22E Eric Gaul, Rushmore, Minn.
(7) 81 Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids, Iowa.

Heat Race #2 (8 laps):

(2) 32 Derek Green, Granada, Minn.
(1) 16J Jon DeBoer, Little Rock, Iowa.
(4) 45 Dustan Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
(5) 32x Rich Gregoire, Russell, Minn.
(6) 19 Marlin Kracht, Luverne, Minn.
(3) 36 Glenn Wynia, Sioux Center, Iowa.
DNS - 31 Ed DeLong, Cleghorn, Iowa.

Heat Race #3 (8 laps):

(3) 66z Elijah Zevenbergen, Ocheyedan, Iowa.
(1) 34K Colby Klaassen, Little Rock, Iowa.
(2) 84L Alan Lange, Pipestone, Minn.
(6) 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua, Iowa.
(4) 84 Matt Lange, Pipestone, Minn.
(5) 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa.

Summit Racing Equipment "A" Main ( laps):

(1) 66z Elijah Zevenbergen, Ocheyedan, Iowa, 20, $600.
(7) 32 Derek Green, Granada, Minn., 20, $570.
(11) 32x Rich Gregoire, Russell, Minn., 20, $325.
(18) 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa, 20, $375.
(5) 16J Jon DeBoer, Little Rock, Iowa, 20, $200.
(10) 2J Steve Jackson, Polk City, Iowa, 20, $290.
(2) 34K Colby Klaassen, Little Rock, Iowa, 20, $140.
(13) 19 Marlin Kracht, Luverne, Minn., 20, $120.
(4) 04 Roger Verdoorn, Sibley, Iowa, 20, $110.
(14) 20K Spenser Kalass, Luverne, Minn., 20, $100.
(12) 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua, Iowa, 20, $195.
(15) 84 Matt Lange, Pipestone, Minn., 20, $90.
(19) 81 Mark VandenTop, Rock Rapids, Iowa, 20, $85.
(6) 45 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D., 20, $80.
(9) 84L Alan Lange, Pipestone, Minn., 20, $75.
(20) 31 Ed Delong, Cleghorn, Iowa, 20, $75.
(3) 40 Scott Overgaard, Luverne, Minn., 20, $70.
(16) 22E Eric Gaul, Rushmore, Minn., 20, $65.
(17) 36 Glenn Wynia, Sioux Center, Iowa, 20, $60.
(8) 02 Ron Prins, Worthington, Minn., 20, $60.

Lap Leader: Zevenbergen 1-20.

Total Laps Led: Zevenbergen 20.

Margin of Victory: 0.642 second.

Time of Race: 12 minutes, 55.876 seconds (4 cautions).

Provisional Starters: none.

Entries: 20.

Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 25, Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.

Points Standings: Jackson 1194, Green 1164, Brown 1124, Staley 983, Luke Sathoff 682, Mitch Hovden 661, Kevin Donlan 559, Zevenbergen 454, Matt Jones 439, Dillon Anderson 408.

OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS

Heat Race #1 (8 laps):

(1) 40 Tim Dann, Hartford, S.D.
(3) 06w Ryan Walker, Luverne, Minn.
(4) 21K Dave Kennedy, Sioux Falls, S.D.
(6) 63 Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids, Iowa.
(5) 22T Tyler Tesch, Lennox, S.D.
(7) 21T Trevor Tesch, Lennox, S.D.
(2) 12 Gary Beuckens, Sioux Falls, S.D.
(8) 8M Kaleb Modder, George, Iowa.
DNS - 91 Tyler Johnson, Montrose, S.D.

Heat Race #2 (8 laps):

(2) 782 Miah Christensen, Sioux Falls, S.D.
(4) 28 Andy Bryant, Fort Scott, Kan.
(1) 19 Tracy Johnson, Lake Preston, S.D.
(6) 02 Cole Denner, New Hampton, Iowa.
(8) 5 Colter Deutsch, Steen, Minn.
(5) 00 Devon Schlumbohm, Sioux Falls, S.D.
(7) 11 Lyndon Johnson, Montrose, S.D.
(3) 15A Curt Ahlers, Flandreau, S.D.

Heat Race #3 (8 laps):

(2) 16 Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa.
(6) 85 Ben Moudry, Hastings, Minn.
(4) 20 Derek Van Veldhuizen, Rock Rapids, Iowa.
(7) 70 Nick Van Belle, Luverne, Minn.
(5) 77 Jeff Wittrock, Sioux Falls, S.D.
(3) 22C Eric Clancy, Melvin, Iowa.
(8) 17H Doug Hoppe, Hull, Iowa.
(1) 7+ Jared Timmerman, Norwalk, Iowa.

Summit Racing Equipment "A" Main ( laps):

(1) 85 Ben Moudry, Hastings, Minn., 15, $500.
(3) 28 Andy Bryant, Fort Scott, Kan., 15, $325.
(12) 02 Cole Denner, New Hampton, Iowa, 15, $270.
(4) 16 Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa, 15, $220.
(5) 06w Ryan Walker, Luverne, Minn., 15, $180.
(6) 782 Miah Christensen, Sioux Falls, S.D., 15, $150.
(8) 21K Dave Kennedy, Sioux Falls, S.D., 15, $130.
(10) 19 Tracy Johnson, Lake Preston, S.D., 15, $115.
(11) 63 Chris Huisman, Rock Rapids, Iowa, 15, $105.
(13) 5 Colter Deutsch, Steen, Minn., 15, $95.
(14) 22T Tyler Tesch, Lennox, S.D., 15, $90.
(9) 70 Nick Van Belle, Luverne, Minn., 15, $85.
(16) 21T Trevor Tesch, Lennox, S.D., 15, $80.
(17) 00 Devon Schlumbohm, Sioux Falls, S.D., 15, $75.
(7) 20 Derek Van Veldhuizen, Rock Rapids, Iowa, 15, $70.
(2) 40 Tim Dann, Hartford, S.D., 15, $65.
(23) 15A Curt Ahlers, Flandreau, S.D., 15, $60.
(19) 17H Doug Hoppe, Hull, Iowa, 15, $55.
(24) 7+ Jared Timmerman, Norwalk, Iowa, 12, $50.
(22) 8M Kaleb Modder, George, Iowa, 11, $50.
(15) 77 Jeff Wittrock, Sioux Falls, S.D., 15, $50.
(21) 11 Lyndon Johnson, Montrose, S.D., 8, $50.
(20) 12 Gary Beuckens, Sioux Falls, S.D., 5, $50.
(18) 22C Eric Clancy, Melvin, Iowa, 0, $50.
DNS - 91 Tyler Johnson, Montrose, S.D., 0, $50.

Lap Leader: Moudry 1-15.

Total Laps Led: Moudry 15.

Margin of Victory: 0.871 second.

Time of Race: 21 minutes, 55.959 seconds (7 cautions).

Provisional Starters: none.

Entries: 25.

Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 25, Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.

Points Standings: Denner 1196, Hovden 1021, Bryant 954, Moudry 952, Kyle Anderson 946, Timmerman 607, Dustin Kruse 589, Brian Mahlstedt 559, Mike Tanner 504, Brandon Hare 469.

USRA HOBBY STOCKS

Heat Race #1 (8 laps):