Marriott dominant in USMTS stint at Tri-State Speedway


POCOLA, Okla. (June 1)--Two runner-up finishes to close out Memorial Day Weekend with the USMTS was a prelude to things to come as Hunter Marriott improved to first place Saturday night at the Tri-State Speedway to claim his second career win in his rookie season.

The 27-year-old shared the front row on the main event starting grid with two-time USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin, who led the opening lap from the Sybesma Graphics Pole Position.

Undaunted, Marriott battled back to steal the lead from 'The Reaper' one lap later. He never relinquished the top spot again despite six caution flags that kept the field within striking distance.

MSD Performance USMTS Mid-American Series points leader Dereck Ramirez came closest to producing a challenge for the lead but fell short by four car-lengths in the end after coming from 15th.

Terry Phillips rebounded from a mid-race skirmish to snag the third spot from Hughes late in the race while 13th-starting Rodney Sanders rounded out the top five finishers.

Mike Striegel earned both the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger and Eibach Spring Forward Awards for his run from 22nd at the drop of the green flag to sixth at the finish line 35 laps later.

Jake O'Neil wound up seventh, followed by a trio of Arkansas pilots: Kyle Ledford, Trevor Latham and Tyler Wolff.

Big Daddy's Bullring Badass: Sunday, June 2, marks the return of the USMTS to the Creek County Speedway for the 2nd annual Bullring Badass presented by Bravado Wireless, AmeriFlex Hose & Accessories, Pizza Express and Duvall Electric.

In last year's inaugural event, fans were treated to a caution-free 40-lap barnburner that demanded a return during the 2019 season. Once again, several special features will highlight the show including laps sponsors ($100 each), a Front Row Challenge presented by Grady Smith and Smith All-Fab ($2,500) and, of course, trophy girls.

At the MSD Performance USMTS Mid-American Series event, Fast Shafts will also be presenting a carbon fiber driveshaft to the hard charger of the event (you must be using a Fast Shafts driveshaft and have Fast shafts stickers on both sides of the car to be eligible).

Gates will open 5 p.m., hot laps hit the dirt at 6 and the first green flag gets unfurled at 7. The event will also feature the Lucas Oil National Open Wheel 600 Series with both Restricted and A-Class Micros in action.

General admission spectator tickets are $20, kids ages 8-14 are $10 and children under 8 get in for free. Pit passes are $35. Fans can get $2 discount coupons on race day at Casey's General Stores locations in Broken Arrow, Claremore, Collinsville, Broken Arrow, Jenks, Owasso and Skiatook.

The Creek County Speedway was built in 1986 and the bullring has been delivering high-octane excitement to fans in the Tulsa, Okla., area ever since. The track is a 1/4-mile dirt oval located southwest of Tulsa on I-44 to exit 211, then 0.3 mile south on SR 33, then 1.0 mile west on SR 66 (18450 OK-66, Kellyville, OK 74039). For more information, call (918) 693-7223 and see CreekCountySpeedway.co on the World Wide Web.

For those unable to be there in person, every lap of every race in every division will be broadcast live on RacinDirt.com.

After Sunday's show at the Creek County Speedway, teams get a 24-hour rest prior to a five-race excursion through the Lone Star State and the Summit USMTS Southern Series powered by MSD.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit USMTS.com or call (515) 832-7944. You can also like the USMTS on Facebook, visit us on Instagram, follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn and watch us on YouTube. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS and subscribe to the USMTS e-Newsletter.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship powered by Summit
MSD Performance USMTS Mid-American Series
6th Annual USMTS Event presented by Champ Pans
Tri-State Speedway, Pocola, Okla.
Saturday, June 1, 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) 96t R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (5) 62 Hunter Marriott (R), Brookfield, Mo.
3. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (6) 17h Brent Holman, Springdale, Ark.
5. (8) 27L Trevor Latham (R), Rogers, Ark.
6. (9) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (1) 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
8. (4) 75L Kyle Ledford (R), Greenwood, Ark.
9. (7) 3g Scott Glover (R), Hackett, Ark.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (8) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (2) 7 Daniel Franklin (R), Berryville, Ark.
4. (3) 10h Randall Henson, Alma, Ark.
5. (4) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
6. (9) 8 Jeremy Vaughn (R), Pocola, Okla.
7. (6) 7d Jake Davis (R), Hackett, Ark.
8. (7) 17 Mike Striegel (R), Wheatland, Mo.
9. (5) 19sb Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 4w Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
2. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (4) 26 Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (5) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (8) 15 George Martin, Fort Smith, Ark.
7. (7) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
8. (9) 30x Larry Bratti (R), Springdale, Ark.
9. (6) 29b James White (R), Mena, Ark.

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (2) 8 Jeremy Vaughn (R), Pocola, Okla.
4. (6) 75L Kyle Ledford (R), Greenwood, Ark.
5. (4) 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
6. (5) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
7. (8) 29b James White (R), Mena, Ark.
8. (7) 3g Scott Glover (R), Hackett, Ark., Extreme/C&C, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
2. (4) 7d Jake Davis (R), Hackett, Ark.
3. (2) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
4. (7) 19SsbLance Mari, Imperial, Calif.
5. (6) 17 Mike Striegel (R), Wheatland, Mo.
6. (5) 30x Larry Bratti (R), Springdale, Ark., TRE/Yeoman, $75.
7. (3) 15 George Martin, Fort Smith, Ark., MBCustoms/Bob's, $75.

CASEY'S GENERAL STORES "A" MAIN (35 laps):
1. (2) 62 Hunter Marriott (R), Brookfield, Mo., Rage/KSE, 35, $3000.
2. (15) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 35, $1700.
3. (8) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 35, $1100.
4. (6) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 35, $900.
5. (13) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 35, $800.
6. (22) 17 Mike Striegel (R), Wheatland, Mo., GRT/Driskell, 35, $800.
7. (4) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 35, $650.
8. (19) 75L Kyle Ledford (R), Greenwood, Ark., Extreme/C&C, 35, $450.
9. (11) 27L Trevor Latham (R), Rogers, Ark., Hughes/BCD, 35, $400.
10. (7) 4w Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/Hill, 35, $500.
11. (10) 17h Brent Holman, Springdale, Ark., MBCustoms/Hatfield, 35, $325.
12. (12) 10h Randall Henson, Alma, Ark., Extreme/Mullins, 35, $300.
13. (9) 7 Daniel Franklin (R), Berryville, Ark., Shaw/Yeoman, 35, $275.
14. (14) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/ChevPerf, 35, $375.
15. (17) 8 Jeremy Vaughn (R), Pocola, Okla., Hughes/BMS, 35, $350.
16. (3) 26 Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark., Hughes/Mullins, 30, $250.
17. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/TriStar, 26, $300.
18. (5) 96t R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz., Longhorn/Mullins, 26, $300.
19. (24) 29b James White (R), Mena, Ark., TRE/White, 20, $300.
20. (18) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 19, $300.
21. (16) 7d Jake Davis (R), Hackett, Ark., Shaw/Thomas, 13, $250.
22. (20) 19sb Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, 11, $350.
23. (21) 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark., Shaw/Yeoman, 4, $300.
24. (23) 11n Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., Hughes/Kelly, 4, $300.

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

Lap Leaders: Gustin 1, Marriott 2-35.
Total Laps Led: Marriott 34, Gustin 1.
Margin of Victory: 1.850 seconds.
Time of Race: 26 minutes, 40.669 seconds (6 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Nicholas, White.
Eibach Spring Forward Award: Striegel (advanced 16 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Striegel (started 22nd, finished 6th).
Entries: 27.
Next Race: Sunday, June 2, Creek County Speedway, Kellyville, Okla.
Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship Points: Sanders 1097, Marriott 1010, Gustin 955, Ramirez 950, Zack VanderBeek 934, Striegel 851, O'Neil 830, Kates 748, Phillips 746, Duvall 723.
MSD Performance USMTS Mid-American Series Points: Ramirez 586, Sanders 571, Marriott 560, O'Neil 556, Wolff 510, Duvall 504, Phillips 503, Striegel 474, Gustin 467, Whitwell 451.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Marriott 1010, Striegel 851, Dustin Hodges 425, Nathan Hagar 415, Carlos Ahumada Jr. 340.
USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 94, Hughes 83, Rage 77, VanderBuilt 67, LG2 63.
USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 79, KSE 69, Stoen 68, Cornett 62, TriStar 48.