Gustin wins 7th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals

GREENWOOD, Neb. (July 22)--It's a good thing they give out trophies instead of rings at USMTS crown jewel events because Ryan Gustin would be fresh out of fingers and toes.

In front of an overflow crowd Saturday night at the I-80 Speedway, the 26-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, nabbed his first feature win at the Greenwood, Neb., speedplant as he fended off Rodney Sanders for the $10,000 top prize and title of 7th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals champion.

Sanders, who started seventh on the grid and was looking to claim his eighth straight Silver Dollar Nationals feature win was within striking distance for much of the race and pulled even with Gustin on a couple of occasions, but he was never able to dislocate 'The Reaper' from the lead.

The 40-lap main event started three-wide with Gustin on the outside of the front row. Cade Dillard, who filled the middle of the front row next to polesitter Johnny Scott, jumped out to the early lead as he looked to complete a clean sweep of the weekend after winning of his qualifying heats on Friday.

But Gustin, who also won both of his heat races the night before, found the long way around the 4/10-mile high-banked oval to his liking and powered in front of Dillard with 11 laps in the books.

Sanders followed into second a few laps later and closed in on Gustin, but despite three late-race cautions that kept the field tight he could never wrestle the lead away and had to settle for the runner-up paycheck behind Gustin.

For Gustin, it was his 85th career USMTS triumph but his first at the I-80 Speedway and may have cleaned up some unfinished business he had with the race track.

Gustin came from the 34th starting position to take the lead on lap 47 of the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series main event during the Silver Dollar Nationals in 2013. Gustin held the lead until misfortune struck on lap 55 when struck the back of a back-marker, causing significant damage to his car and bringing out the caution flag for the lapped car. Gustin fired into turn number one on the restart, but his ill-handling car rammed into the concrete wall, causing even more damage which ended his quest for a $27,000 check after a magnificent run.

The last ten months have been a completely different story for the two-time USMTS national champ.

Since last September, Gustin has won every dirt modified crown jewel event, including the USRA Modified Nationals ($40,000 to win), USMTS Chisholm Trail Showdown ($5,000 to win), USRA Fall Nationals ($12,000 to win) and King of America VII ($10,000 to win).

A little more than a month ago, Gustin captured the richest race in the 19-year history of the United States Modified Touring Series when he won $50,000 in The Modified Masters at the Cedar Lake Speedway, and now the Silver Dollar Nationals is a part of his résumé.

Sanders, who captured his two USMTS national titles after Gustin's two, was a $6,000 second-place finisher Saturday night with Dillard holding off Zack VanderBeek for the third spot.

Dereck Ramirez was fifth, Scott held on for sixth, Jake Timm finished seventh, Terry Phillips earned the eighth spot, ninth went to 19th-starting Cory Crapser and Zane DeVilbiss completed the top 10.

Dillard's efforts were enough to claim the MSD Central Region title by 28 points over VanderBeek. Ramirez finished third in the regional standings, Stormy Scott finished fourth and Joe Duvall wound up fifth.

UP NEXT: The Hunt for the Casey's USMTS National Championship kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 3, at the Springfield Raceway in Springfield, Mo., with the first of four events that week.

On Friday, Aug. 4, the USMTS returns to the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., and then the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., hosts the 8th Annual Lucas Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout on Saturday, Aug. 5. The week wraps up on Sunday, Aug. 6, with the 11th Annual Missouri Nationals at the Monett Motor Speedway in Monett, Mo.

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. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Casey's USMTS National Tour powered by S&S Fishing & Rental - MSD Ignition USMTS Central Region presented by Summit Racing Equipment
7th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals - Night #2 of 2
I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb.
Saturday, July 22, 2017


Note: Qualifying heats and the Pole Dash were completed on Friday.

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

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (3) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M.
2. (4) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
3. (1) 21t Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan.
4. (5) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
5. (8) 81 Mike Densberger, Lincoln, Neb.
6. (6) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (10) 95 Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb.
8. (2) 10 Marc Hurd, Wichita, Kan., GRT/Briley, $350.
9. (13) 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M., GRT/Sput's, $325.
10. (9) 91 Scott Drake, Joplin, Mo., MBCustoms/BMS, $300.
11. (15) 15 Andy Wilkinson, York, Neb., BMS/Donrich, $275.
12. (11) 1rs Rodney Stopak, Omaha, Neb.
13. (7) G3 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, $225.
14. (14) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb., GRT/Schmidt, $200.
15. (12) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa, LG2/Mullins, $200.
16. (16) 48 Brent Dutenhoffer, Watertown, S.D., Lethal/Sput's, $200.

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (3) 37 Mike Jergens, Plover, Iowa.
3. (15) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas.
4. (7) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
5. (10) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas.
6. (13) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa.
7. (12) 19sb Lance Mari (R), Imperial, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, $400.
8. (8) 6 Ryan Jenkins, Omaha, Neb.
9. (1) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn.
10. (11) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla., Hughes/Sput's, $300.
11. (4) 4 Dan Powers, Wichita, Kan., BillsBuilt/KBS, $275.
12. (14) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
13. (2) 88d Matt Dotson, Sturgeon, Mo., Hughes/ProPower, $225.
14. (6) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D., GRT/ChevPerf, $200.
15. (9) 27 Clint Homan, Bellevue, Neb., GRT/Roberts, $200.

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (40 laps):
1. (3) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $10000.
2. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $6000.
3. (2) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustoms/ASI, 40, $3500.
4. (4) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput's, 40, $2700.
5. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 40, $2200.
6. (1) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Durham, 40, $1800.
7. (5) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput's, 40, $1500.
8. (10) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $1200.
9. (19) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/Troy's, 40, $1000.
10. (13) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M., DeVilbiss/DeVilbiss, 40, $900.
11. (12) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz., MBCustoms/Mullins, 40, $850.
12. (11) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/Mullins, 40, $800.
13. (15) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., MBCustoms/Sput's, 40, $775.
14. (21) 81 Mike Densberger, Lincoln, Neb., Jet/Speedway, 40, $750.
15. (18) A1 Phil Dixon, Crosby, Texas, Elite/Durham, 40, $725.
16. (27) 1rs Rodney Stopak, Omaha, Neb., BMS/Roberts, 39, $700.
17. (17) 21t Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan., MBCustoms/Driskell, 38, $675.
18. (28) 6 Ryan Jenkins, Omaha, Neb., Rage/ChevPerf, 38, $650.
19. (20) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., GRT/ChevPerf, 37, $640.
20. (14) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Mullins, 29, $630.
21. (23) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/Hatfield, 26, $620.
22. (6) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa, Jet/ChevPerf, 25, $610.
23. (24) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa, Skyrocket/Midstate, 23, $605.
24. (29) 95 Dylan Smith, Osceola, Neb., GRT/ChevPerf, 20, $600.
25. (25) 23 Adam Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 16, $600.
26. (16) 37 Mike Jergens, Plover, Iowa, Sidebiter/KSE, 15, $600.
27. (26) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput's, 6, $600.
28. (9) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa, MasterSbilt/Sperry, 2, $600.
29. (22) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas, MBCustoms/Mullins, 2, $600.

(R) = Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leaders: Dillard 1-11, Gustin 12-40.
Total Laps Led: Gustin 29, Dillard 11.
Margin of Victory: 1.956 seconds.
Time of Race: 31 minutes, 8.772 seconds (5 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Kates , Bleess, Smith (track), Stopak (track), Jenkins (track).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Crapser (started 19th, finished 9th).
Entries: 43.
Next Race: Thursday, Aug. 3, Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.
MSD Central Region Points (final): Dillard 812, VanderBeek 784, Ramirez 704, S. Scott 689, Duvall 652, Ricky Thornton Jr. 639, Densberger 583, Whitwell 519, Wolff 518, Kates 497.
Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Whitwell 1900, Travis Saurer 1766, Wolff 1697, Kates 1375, Billy Vogel 982.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 347, Sput's 299, ASI 290, Durham 211, Cornett 196.
Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 349, Hughes 344, VanderBuilt 304, GRT 295, LG2 240.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance - Phillips.
American Racer - not awarded.
Beyea Custom Headers - Sanders.
BigDeal Car Care - Gustin.
BSB Manufacturing - Duvall.
Casey's General Stores - not awarded.
Chix Gear Racewear - Crapser.
Day Motor Sports - Dierks, Rutherford.
Deatherage Opticians - Wolff.
Dickson Racing Shocks - Dixon.
E3 Spark Plugs - Dillard.
Edelbrock - not awarded.
Fast Shafts - not awarded.
Forty9Designs.com - Densberger, Fuqua.
Fuel Safe Racing Cells - J. Scott.
GRT Race Cars - Homan.
Hooker Custom Harness - Junghans.
Integra Shocks & Springs - Jenkins.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts - Town.
Keyser Manufacturing - DeVilbiss.
KSE Racing Products - Crapser.
Out-Pace Racing Products - Stopak.
QA1 - Sanders.
Real Racing Wheels - all non-qualifiers.
Simpson Performance Products - not awarded.
Sweet Manufacturing - Sobbing.
Swift Springs - Gustin.
Sybesma Graphics - not awarded.
Tire Demon - Whitwell.
VP Racing Fuels - Gustin.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products - not awarded.
Wilwood Engineering - Timm.