Fuqua survives for Humboldt USMTS win

Rain pushed the original date for King of America XIII back more than a month, and the rust showed as completing Thursday’s opener at the Humboldt Speedway was a tall task.

The Summit USMTS Modifieds suffered through two red flags during the first half of the main event which extended the time to complete the race to more than an hour.

Caution flags during the first eight laps saw former winners Jason Hughes, Rodney Sanders and Lucas Schott joining several others in bending body parts. For drivers such as Tyler Wolff and Broc Bowen, they had to deal with much more than just sheet metal damage.

Sybesma Graphics Pole Award winner Dean Wille set the pace to start the feature, which extended to 33 laps as a tribute to Barbi VanBeek—the mother of USMTS superstar Zack VanderBeek, who was unable to attend tonight’s event after laying his mother to rest yesterday.

Wille led four laps before Alex Williamson powered past around the top of the Humboldt Speedway to gain the lead on lap five.

Terry Phillips snuck by Williamson following the race’s first restart, but another quick yellow flag allowed Williamson to retain the lead. He led until Darron Fuqua assumed the top spot with ten laps in the books.

After the first eleven circuits took more than 45 minutes to get through, the final 23 took less than ten minutes to finish with Fuqua leading the rest of the way in his first start of the 2024 season.

Not only was it his first time in action this year, but it was also his career-first USMTS win at ‘The Hummer’ and just his second overall. He pocketed $3,000 for his efforts.

“We got to take a break and get some priorities taken care so we can concentrate a little bit,” Fuqua said about his absence from the first four USMTS event in Texas. “We unloaded really good. This is my first Mullens car—my oldest—and it’s just been really good so I decided to pull it out.

“I always run good here at the King of America. I think we got second twice the last four years or something, so I would settle for a second again but I’d really like to get (a win).”

Phillips held on for the runner-up spot while 13th-starting Cade Dillard finished third to put him on the Featherlite Top-3 podium.

Jake Timm started 20th and climbed to a fourth-place paycheck by the end, and also garnered the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award.

Williamson rounded out the top five with Jeremy Nelson, Dereck Ramirez, Jacob Hobscheidt, Cayden Carter and defending King of America champ Dan Ebert completing the top ten.

RacinDirt USMTS King of America XIII resumes Friday and Saturday, April 4-6, with $5,000 on the line for Friday’s winner with $12,000 and the King of America crown going to Saturday’s winner.

USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods will once again join the Summit USMTS Modifieds both nights.

The Humboldt Speedway is located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east to 1663 Georgia Rd, Humboldt, KS 66748.

For more information including history, payouts, rules, event times and ticket prices, check out the FAST FACTS.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
RacinDirt King of America XIII – Night 1 of 3
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Thursday, April 4, 2024

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (2) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
2. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (5) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
4. (4) 457 Boone Evans, Bullard, Texas
5. (7) 88S Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
6. (9) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
7. (1) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
8. (6) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
9. (8) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (1) 127 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
2. (3) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
3. (7) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (9) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
5. (4) 2G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
6. (5) 75J Jeremy LaCoe, Lincoln, Ark.
7. (2) 12C Leland Cruz, Amarillo, Texas
8. (8) 26 Shawn Fletcher, Brainerd, Minn.
9. (6) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (1) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
2. (3) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
3. (2) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
4. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
5. (9) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
6. (7) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
7. (5) 26S Steven Glenn, Hamilton, Mo.
8. (8) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
9. (4) 75M Gunner Martin, Sugar Creek, Mo.

WIELAND METAL SERVICES HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (1) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
2. (2) 56 Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
3. (3) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (4) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (6) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
6. (8) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
7. (5) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
8. (7) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
9. (9) 19R Chris Kratzer, Haysville, Kan.

VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (2) 68 Dean Wille, Warrensburg, Mo.
2. (4) 15WX Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (7) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (3) 15W Wyatt Gaggero, Wichita, Kan.
5. (9) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
6. (8) 98 Kenton Allen, Chanute, Kan.
7. (5) 10H Nathan Heinrich, Bellingham, Minn.
8. (1) 442 Aaron Johnson, Brainerd, Minn.
9. (6) 32W Darrick Waggoner, Las Cruces, N.M.

CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (2) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (3) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
5. (8) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
6. (6) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
7. (5) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
8. (7) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (1) 56 Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
3. (4) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (6) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
5. (3) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
6. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
7. (5) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
8. (10) 2G Ryan Gierke, Villard, Minn.
9. (8) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
10. (17) 442 Aaron Johnson, Brainerd, Minn.
11. (15) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
12. (9) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
13. (16) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
14. (14) 10H Nathan Heinrich, Bellingham, Minn.
15. (12) 75J Jeremy LaCoe, Lincoln, Ark.
16. (13) 26S Steven Glenn, Hamilton, Mo.
17. (11) 98 Kenton Allen, Chanute, Kan.
18. (19) 75M Gunner Martin, Sugar Creek, Mo.
19. (18) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
DNS – 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
DNS – 32W Darrick Waggoner, Las Cruces, N.M.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):

1. (2) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
2. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (3) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (8) 88S Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
6. (10) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
7. (9) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla.
8. (6) 457 Boone Evans, Bullard, Texas
9. (5) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
10. (12) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
11. (15) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
12. (14) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
13. (17) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
14. (18) 7G Gabe Hodges, Lebo, Kan.
15. (7) 15W Wyatt Gaggero, Wichita, Kan.
16. (20) 19R Chris Kratzer, Haysville, Kan.
17. (19) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
18. (11) 32 D.J. Shannon, Merced, Calif.
19. (16) 26 Shawn Fletcher, Brainerd, Minn.
20. (13) 12C Leland Cruz, Amarillo, Texas

BARBI VANDERBEEK MEMORIAL “A” MAIN (33 laps):
1. (3) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
2. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (13) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
4. (20) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (2) 15WX Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
6. (6) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
7. (8) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
8. (21) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
9. (14) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
10. (25) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
11. (12) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
12. (18) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
13. (23) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
14. (19) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
15. (17) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
16. (1) 68 Dean Wille, Warrensburg, Mo.
17. (26) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
18. (10) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
19. (7) 127 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
20. (4) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
21. (9) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
22. (15) 56 Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
23. (11) 12H Mike Hansen, Dickinson, N.D.
24. (24) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
25. (27) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
26. (22) 88S Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
27. (16) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.

Lap Leaders: Wille 1-4, Williamson 5-10, Fuqua 11-33.
Total Laps Led: Fuqua 23, Williamson 6, Wille 4.
Margin of Victory: 1.323 seconds.
Time of Race: 55 minutes, 35.949 seconds (4 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Ebert, Davis.
Emergency Provisional: Christian.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Timm (started 20th, finished 4th).
Entries: 53.
Next Race: Friday-Saturday, April 5-6, Humboldt Speedway.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Timm 420, Ebert 409, T. Phillips 400, Hughes 384, Mullens 383, Davis 377, Ramirez 374, Jim Chisholm 347, Christian 347, Sanders 347.
Mel Hambelton Racing USMTS Central Region Points: Fuqua 103, T. Phillips 95, Dillard 91, Timm 87, Williamson 85.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Hodges 235, Hobscheidt 218, Shannon 200, Evans 196, Langford 193.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Hansen 32, Timm 29, Hobscheidt 27, Mullens 25, Jim Chisholm 22.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: Mullens 42, Hughes 33, Rage 33, BOM 30, Bloodline 26.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 45, OFI 33, ProPower 30, KSE 29, Cornett 29, Durham 29.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Cruz.
American Racer – Siebert.
Bear Graphix – Bowen.
Beyea Custom Headers – Timm.
Bryke Racing – Jim Chisholm.
BSB Manufacturing – Wolff.
Champ Pans – Williamson.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Nelson.
Deatherage Opticians – P. Phillips.
Edelbrock – Fuqua.
Fast Shafts – P. Phillips.
Featherlite Trailers – Fuqua, T. Phillips, Dillard.
FK Rod Ends – Timm.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – Fuqua.
Hooker Harness – Sanders.
Hyperco – Sanders.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Hughes.
Keyser Manufacturing – Ebert.
KSE Racing Products – Carter.
MD3 – Fuqua.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Peterson, Wheeler.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Waggoner.
MSD Performance – Timm.
Penske Racing Shocks – Mullens.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Wille.
QA1 – T. Phillips.
Quarter Master – Carter.
RacerWebsite.com – Peterson.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Dillard, Fuqua.
Simpson Race Products – Nelson.
Summit Racing Equipment – Beebe, Cruz, Fletcher, Martin.
Sweet Manufacturing – Wille.
Swift Springs – Ramirez, P. Phillips, Fuqua.
Sybesma Graphics – Wille.
Total Power – Grabouski.
Victory Fuel – Fuqua.
VP Racing – Fuqua.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Martin.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Ramirez.