Sorensen dusts USMTS drivers at Deer Creek


SPRING VALLEY, Minn. (May 25)--On the anniversary of his first USMTS triumph, Dustin Sorensen of nearby Rochester, Minn., doubled his career win total Saturday with another wire-to-wire victory at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

It was Saturday night of Memorial Day Weekend last year when Sorensen led all 40 laps of the main event to become the youngest ever to stand in USMTS victory lane, breaking the record held by two-time USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin since 2008.

Now 18 years, 6 months and 24 days old, Sorensen has a second $3,000 check from the USMTS and a second champion's trophy from the Crenlo Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge presented by Real Racing Wheels.

And just like last year, Sorensen found himself on the front row for the start of the 40-lap feature, but this time from the Sybesma Graphics Pole Position.

Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year points leader Hunter Marriott of Brookfield, Mo., garnered his first win with the series earlier this year, and nearly had his second of the season but was unable to find a way around Sorensen despite chasing him the entire distance.

Gustin, who has collected seven checkered flags at Deer Creek, found himself starting 13th but worked the top side of the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval to garner a third-place finish and assume the points lead in the Spike Hardcore Energy USMTS Northern Lights Series.

Brandon Davis followed 'The Reaper' to the finish line while 14th-starting Zack VanderBeek maneuvered his way into the top five by the end of the race.

Current Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship points leader Rodney Sanders secured the sixth spot, Adam Hensel was seventh, Jake O'Neil earned an eighth-place finish, Lucas Schott nabbed ninth and two-time USRA Modified National Champion Jason Cummins completed the top ten.

Saturday night's victory was worth $3,000 to Sorensen whose father, Mike Sorensen, has five career USMTS wins to his credit as well and is one of the winningest drivers in the history of the Deer Creek Speedway.

Nordic Nationals Next: The Memorial Day Weekend tripleheader wraps up with the 12th Annual American Racer Nordic Nationals at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, on Sunday. The Arnold Motor Supply Iron Man Challenge featuring American Racer USRA Stock Cars and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods will join the USMTS Modifieds for a second straight night, with the Cook Racing Supplies USRA Hobby Stocks rounding out Sunday's card.

VanderBeek collected his first of three USMTS wins at the Upper Iowa Speedway during his rookie campaign in 2005. Gustin, Hughes, Tesch, Al Hejna and Johnny Scott are two-time winners here.

The pit gate opens at 2 p.m., grandstands open at 3, hot laps start at 6 and the first heat race hits the track at 6:30. General admission is $20 while seniors (65+) and juniors (ages 12-16) get in for just $5. Kids ages 11 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

The Upper Iowa Speedway is a semi-banked 1/4-mile dirt oval located 1.8 miles east of US 52 on SR 9, then 1.0 mile northwest on Montgomery St., then northeast on E. Main St. at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds in Decorah, Iowa (900 E Main St, Decorah, IA 52101). For more information, call (563) 382-0711 or visit upperiowaspeedway.com online.

To connect with the United States Modified Touring Series, visit USMTS.com (http://usmts.com/) or call (515) 832-7944. You can also like the USMTS on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/usmts/), visit us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/usmts/), follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/usmts/), connect with us on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/usmts) and watch us on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/usmtstv). Keep up to speed, finish first and subscribe to USMTS e-News (http://usmts.com/subscribe).

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United States Modified Touring Series
Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship powered by Summit
Spike Hardcore Energy USMTS Northern Lights Series
17th Annual Crenlo Southern MN Spring Challenge presented by Real Racing Wheels
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Saturday, May 25, 2019

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Casey's General Stores "A" Main with the top 8 redrawing for the first 8 starting spots.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
2. (4) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
4. (3) 23k Erik Kanz (R), Winona, Minn.
5. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (10) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
7. (7) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
8. (1) 24s Charlie Steinberg (R), Kasson, Minn.
9. (5) 61t Tammy Clark, Rochester, Minn.
10. (9) 49jr Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 62 Hunter Marriott (R), Brookfield, Mo.
2. (8) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (9) 476x Troy Hovey (R), Castalia, Iowa.
4. (1) 14e Chase Ellingson (R), Iowa Falls, Iowa.
5. (4) 6 Dustin Kruse (R), Brandon, S.D.
6. (6) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
7. (7) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
8. (3) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
9. (5) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (4) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. (6) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
3. (3) 51w J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn.
4. (1) 23k Darwyn Karau, Kasson, Minn.
5. (2) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
6. (5) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis.
7. (7) 91 Shawn Ryan, Waterloo, Iowa.
8. (8) 77 Jacob Stark (R), Austin, Minn.
9. (9) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 111jr Keith Tourville, Janesville, Minn.
2. (7) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis.
3. (5) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
4. (6) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
5. (2) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
6. (3) 22h Dustin Hodges (R), Centralia, Mo.
7. (9) 51a Blake Arndt (R), Brownsdale, Minn.
8. (8) 17 Mike Striegel (R), Wheatland, Mo.
9. (4) 23b Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa.

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (2) 23k Erik Kanz (R), Winona, Minn.
3. (8) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
4. (13) 49jr Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn.
5. (7) 51a Blake Arndt (R), Brownsdale, Minn.
6. (6) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis., MBCustoms/Mullins, 40, $90.
7. (5) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis., MBCustoms/Stoen, 40, $90.
8. (10) 77 Jacob Stark (R), Austin, Minn., Hillson/KSE, 40, $75.
9. (11) 61t Tammy Clark, Rochester, Minn., Shaw/Sput's, 40, $75.
10. (9) 24s Charlie Steinberg (R), Kasson, Minn., Ramirez/Flyin'J, 40, $75.
11. (3) 23k Darwyn Karau, Kasson, Minn., Killer/Flyin'J, 40, $75.
12. (4) 6 Dustin Kruse (R), Brandon, S.D., SideBiter/ChevPerf, 40, $90.
13. (12) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 40, $90.

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (4) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
4. (5) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
5. (2) 14e Chase Ellingson (R), Iowa Falls, Iowa.
6. (11) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
7. (7) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn., VanderBuilt/Action, 40, $90.
8. (6) 22h Dustin Hodges (R), Centralia, Mo., VanderBuilt/Crane, 40, $90.
9. (10) 17 Mike Striegel (R), Wheatland, Mo.
10. (8) 91 Shawn Ryan, Waterloo, Iowa., Dirt Hustler/King, 40, $90.
11. (9) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn., Skyrocket/KSE, 40, $75.
12. (12) 23b Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa., SSR/Midnight, 40, $90.

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 40, $3000.
2. (4) 62 Hunter Marriott (R), Brookfield, Mo., Rage/KSE, 40, $1700.
3. (13) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/TriStar, 40, $1200.
4. (5) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn., Tri-Built/KSE, 40, $900.
5. (14) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, 40, $800.
6. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $700.
7. (3) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis., DirtDueler/OFI, 40, $650.
8. (9) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 40, $600.
9. (7) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Hill, 40, $550.
10. (8) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Rocket/Baier's, 40, $500.
11. (19) 49jr Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn., MBCustoms/OFI, 40, $450.
12. (11) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn., VanderBuilt/Stoen, 40, $425.
13. (16) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 40, $400.
14. (17) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., VanderBuilt/Troy's, 40, $375.
15. (18) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn., LG2/Baier's, 40, $250.
16. (15) 23k Erik Kanz (R), Winona, Minn., Shaw/Action, 40, $325.
17. (12) 51w J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn., DirtDueler/Baier's, 40, $250.
18. (21) 51a Blake Arndt (R), Brownsdale, Minn., Shaw/KSE, 40, $300.
19. (23) 17 Mike Striegel (R), Wheatland, Mo., GRT/Driskell, 40, $300.
20. (6) 111jr Keith Tourville, Janesville, Minn., Player/MAS, 33, $300.
21. (2) 476x Troy Hovey (R), Castalia, Iowa, MBCustoms/Ruble, 31, $300.
22. (24) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE, 29, $300.
23. (22) 14e Chase Ellingson (R), Iowa Falls, Iowa, GRT/KSE, 22, $250.
24. (20) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput's, 21, $250.

(R) = Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leader: Sorensen 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Sorensen 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.408 second.
Time of Race: 19 minutes, 31.044 seconds (2 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Striegel, Bleess.
Eibach Spring Forward Award: Timm (advanced 16 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Gustin (started 13th, finished 3rd).
Entries: 37.
Next Race: Sunday, May 26, Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa.
Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship Points: Sanders 921, VanderBeek 853, Marriott 812, Gustin 809, Ramirez 771, Striegel 698, Joe Duvall 659, Terry Phillips 655, O'Neil 649, Kates 649.
Spike Hardcore Energy USMTS Northern Lights Series Points: Gustin 178, Marriott 176, Sanders 172, O'Neil 171, Waits 168, VanderBeek 168, Schott 146, Crapser 142, Ramirez 140, Hensel 133.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Marriott 809, Striegel 698, Nathan Hagar 415, Hodges 347, Carlos Ahumada Jr. 340.
USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 79, Hughes 67, VanderBuilt 61, Rage 58, LG2 47, GRT 47.
USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 65, Stoen 62, KSE 50, Cornett 43, TriStar 40.