Ramirez scores Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals crown at I-80 Speedway


GREENWOOD, Neb. (July 25)--Dereck Ramirez refused to settle for second place in Saturday's 30-lap finale at the 10th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals at the I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb., and notched his 11th career victory with the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's.

Twelve times during the 2019 campaign did the 33-year-old from Woodward, Okla., wind up as the runner-up finisher, and four times in the first seven races of 2020.

Since his last near-miss June 3, Ramirez has turned the corner and turned those second-place finishes into victories. He now has three for the year after Saturday's dramatic late-race heroics to steal the top spot away from racelong leader Jake Timm of Winona, Minn.

Ramirez followed Timm and Calvin Iverson of Eleva, Wis., through the first half of the race before finding his way around Iverson for the second position. He passed Timm on lap 25 and showed the way over the final five laps.

Timm, who finished fourth in Friday's opening round of the doubleheader at the Kosiski family's 4/10-mile high-banked dirt oval, earned the Sybesma Graphics Pole Award and was on his way to making it a wire-to-wire effort before Ramirez ruined his plans.

Just one caution slowed the fast-paced feature race which lasted just a little more than 12 minutes.

While Timm had to settle for the bridesmaid's paycheck this time around, Ramirez gathered a $3,000 prize and inched a little closer to points leader Rodney Sanders who struggled to a seventh-place finish in Saturday's contest.

Including his impressive second-place finish on Friday night, it was only the third time in the last nine Silver Dollar Nationals that Sanders did not win at least one feature during the weekend. His seventh crown will be delayed until at least 2021.

As he has for three seasons now, Ramirez drove a Hughes Racing Chassis built by Jason Hughes of Wats, Okla., who came home third in Saturday night's race after taking the green flag from the tenth starting spot. The four-time USMTS national champion sits third in the standings behind Sanders and Ramirez.

Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender Tanner Mullens of Wichita, Kan., wound up in the fourth spot while the fifth spot went to Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., who won Friday's feature.

Calvin Iverson, Rodney Sanders, Hunter Marriott, Cory Crapser and Tyler Wolff filled the remainder of the positions in the top ten. Wolff, who started 19th, garnered the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award by nipping Zack VanderBeek who started next to him in 20th.

Mod Mania next: The best dirt modified racers in the universe are elbows up and hammer down for Mod Mania at the Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa, this Tuesday through Thursday, July 28-30.

The inaugural tripleheader at Iowa's newest Action Track, will be highlighted by the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's with American Racer USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and Mensink Racing Products USRA Hobby Stocks also competing all three nights.

The pits open at 3 p.m. each day with grandstands opening at 5, hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30.

The semi-banked 1/3-mile dirt oval is located off I-35 at exit 194, then 5.1 miles east on SR 122, then left on 4th St. SW (at the North Iowa Events Center). For more information check out masoncitymotorspeedway.com.

Currently, the 2020 schedule for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's is highlighted by 42 nights of racing at 27 unique dirt ovals for the 22nd season of competition for the world's Best of the Best in dirt modified racing.

To connect with the USMTS check out USMTS.com, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, check us out on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Keep up to speed by joining our email list

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's
10th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals - Night 2 of 2
I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb.
Saturday, July 25, 2020


Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder and laps completed. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Casey's "A" Main with the top-8 drawing for starting positions 1-8.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 49JR Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
2. (4) 02 Tanner Mullens (R), Wichita, Kan.
3. (2) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
4. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
6. (6) 29 Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, Iowa
7. (8) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan.
8. (3) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
9. (9) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.
2. (3) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (6) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis.
4. (2) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.
5. (7) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (4) 20JR Chase Rudolf (R), Norwalk, Iowa
7. (5) 2G Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan.
8. (8) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
9. (9) 64 Nick Hermsen, Omaha, Neb.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (4) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
3. (5) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
4. (8) 7 Justin Gregg, Hastings, Neb.
5. (7) 777 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
6. (1) 191 Jason Roe (R), Wichita, Kan.
7. (6) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
8. (2) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN (8 laps, all advance):
1. (1) 20JR Chase Rudolf (R), Norwalk, Iowa
2. (3) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan.
3. (6) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (5) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
5. (4) 2G Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan.
6. (7) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
7. (2) 191 Jason Roe (R), Wichita, Kan.
8. (8) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa
9. (10) 64 Nick Hermsen, Omaha, Neb.
10. (9) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.

CASEY'S "A" MAIN (30 laps):
1. (4) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 30.
2. (1) 49JR Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/OFI, 30.
3. (10) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 30.
4. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens (R), Wichita, Kan., Mullens/Mullens, 30.
5. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 30.
6. (3) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim's, 30.
7. (15) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 30.
8. (8) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., Rage/KSE, 30.
9. (6) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., VanderBuilt/OFI, 30.
10. (19) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/Hill, 30.
11. (20) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, 30.
12. (13) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/BMS, 30.
13. (18) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 30.
14. (17) 20JR Chase Rudolf (R), Norwalk, Iowa, Rage/KSE, 30.
15. (12) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D., Lethal/Mullins, 30.
16. (14) 777 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, Rage/ChevPerf, 30.
17. (16) 29 Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, Iowa, MBCustoms/Elliott, 29.
18. (2) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., Jet/Speedway, 29.
19. (26) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., Hughes/Kelly, 29.
20. (22) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D., Dominator/Hanson, 29.
21. (21) 2G Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 29.
22. (24) R21 Ryan Schaffer, Corning, Iowa, Rage/Mullins, 13.
23. (23) 191 Jason Roe (R), Wichita, Kan., GRT/ChevPerf, 11.
24. (11) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 9.
25. (9) 7 Justin Gregg, Hastings, Neb., RedRocket/Kennedy, 7.
26. (25) 64 Nick Hermsen, Omaha, Neb., Harris/Woodard, 5.

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

Lap Leaders: Timm 1-24, Ramirez 25-30.
Total Laps Led: Timm 24, Ramirez 6.
Margin of Victory: 1.433 seconds.
Time of Race: 12 minutes, 20.458 seconds ( cautions).
Provisional Starters: none.
Eibach Spring Forward Award: Hughes (advanced 10 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Wolff (started 19th, finished 10th).
Entries: 26.
Next Race: July 28, Mason City Motor Speedway, Mason City, Iowa.
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's Points: Sanders 1888, Ramirez 1794, Hughes 1725, Marriott 1537, VanderBeek 1487, Davis 1481, Iverson 1468, Skyberg 1308, Kates 1235, Phillips 1225.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Davis 1481, Iverson 1468, Skyberg 1258, Mullens 1075, Nathan Hagar 778.
Jobbers Warehouse Supply USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 183, Hughes 179, VanderBuilt 118, Rage 113, GRT 112.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 159, Cornett 144, Mullins 133, KSE 108, Stoen 106.