Runner-up at Randolph County Raceway for 33z Racing

Zack VanderBeek and the 33z Racing team invaded the high-banked 4/10-mile Randolph County Raceway on Saturday, April 23. After racing from seventh to third in his heat race, 'The Z-Man' started second in the main event. He slid backwards early on in the race, but eventually clawed his way back to the front to challenge eventual winner Jason Hughes for the lead before settling for the runner-up paycheck.

MOBERLY, Mo.—Halfway through Saturday’s 6th Annual Sydenstricker Farm & Lawn Shootout at the Randolph County Raceway, Jason Hughes wrestled the lead away from Rodney Sanders and then led the last half to secure win No. 136 of his United States Modified Touring Series career.

Hughes, who captured a win on the high-banked 4/10-mile dirt oval here when it was known as 24 Raceway in 2010, racked up the most passing points in heat race action, redrew the third starting spot for the 37-lap main event and slowly began to pressure Sanders as they entered lapped traffic.

Once out front, Hughes went uncontested en route to Widow Wax Victory Lane, but the brawl for the rest of the top-10 positions was intense.

Sanders remained in second for several laps while Ricky Thornton Jr. worked his way past nine competitors to hold down the third spot with Terry Phillips following in his tracks.

With five laps remaining, Sanders slowed on the race track, the victim of a flat tire. On the restart, Thornton and Phillips banged wheels coming to the green flag. Both suffered flat tires of their own and both had their hopes of contesting Hughes dashed as they tagged the rear of the field after the caution period.

That left Zack VanderBeek and last year’s winner in Moberly, Jesse Sobbing, behind Hughes for the final sprint to the checkered flags.

Neither driver, however, was able to mount a serious charge at the defending USMTS National Champion and had to settle for second and third, respectively, while Hughes pocketed $3,000 for his efforts and added to his points lead in the MSD Central Region presented by Day Motor Sports.

Johnny Scott and Cade Dillard snared fourth and fifth while Dereck Ramirez, Todd Shute, Matt Dotson, Stormy Scott and Mike Jergens rounded out the top 10.

On Sunday, the series makes its debut at the exciting Atchison County Raceway in Atchison, Kan., for the inaugural USMTS “Cage Match” and the third straight night with the Iron Man Challenge featuring Out-Pace USRA B-Mods sharing the spotlight.

Pit gates open at 3 p.m., grandstands opening at 4:30, hot laps at 6:45 and the first heat race at 7. Tickets are $20 for adults, youth ages 6-12 are $5 and children 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupon at Casey’s General Stores locations in Atchison, Highland, Platte City, St. Joseph and Wathena. To find the location nearest you, visit www.caseys.com.

The Atchison County Raceway is located 2.0 miles north of Atchison on Sedgewick Rd. (past 302nd St.). For more information, call (913) 370-2520 and see www.acraceway.com online.

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.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – MSD Central Region presented by Day Motor Sports
6th Annual Sydenstricker Farm & Lawn Shootout
Randolph County Raceway, Moberly, Mo.
Saturday, April 23, 2016

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races were locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

MSD HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (1) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr. (R), Chandler, Ariz.
4. (3) 88d Matt Dotson, Hallsville, Mo.
5. (4) 25 Scotty Roberts, Columbia, Mo.
6. (8) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
7. (6) 21 Ryan Middaugh, Fulton, Mo.
8. (9) 99 Jett Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada.
9. (7) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa.
2. (3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (2) 37 Mike Jergens (R), Plover, Iowa.
5. (9) 5 Todd Shute (R), Des Moines, Iowa.
6. (5) 11p Curt Potter, Boonville, Mo.
7. (7) 7 Corey Botkins, Columbia, Mo.
8. (8) 75 Eddie Whitney, Sturgeon, Mo.
9. (4) B29 Blonde Bomber Mitchell, Pea Ridge, Ark.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 01 Joey Galloway, Manor, Sask., Canada.
2. (5) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
3. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (4) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
5. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
6. (6) 99 Dylan Hoover, Vandalia, Mo.
7. (9) 21t Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan.
8. (3) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D.
9. (1) 00 Masen Big Eagle, Manor, Sask., Canada.

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M.
2. (2) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
3. (7) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (1) 53 Ronnie Woods, Mexico, Mo.
5. (4) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
6. (3) 85s Tyler Shaw, Mexico, Mo.
7. (8) 9 Charles Baker, La Belle, Mo.
8. (6) 18z Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 88d Matt Dotson, Hallsville, Mo., 12.
2. (1) 5 Todd Shute (R), Des Moines, Iowa, 12.
3. (4) 25 Scotty Roberts, Columbia, Mo., 12.
4. (5) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., 12.
5. (7) 21t Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan., 12.
6. (3) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., 12.
7. (9) 99 Jett Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/ProPower, 12, $90.
8. (8) 21 Ryan Middaugh, Fulton, Mo., 12.
9. (11) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., 12.
10. (10) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, 12, $90.
11. (12) 00 Masen Big Eagle, Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, 12, $90.
12. (6) 99 Dylan Hoover, Vandalia, Mo., 6.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 37 Mike Jergens (R), Plover, Iowa, 10.
2. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., 10.
3. (4) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., 10.
4. (6) 85s Tyler Shaw, Mexico, Mo., 10.
5. (3) 53 Ronnie Woods, Mexico, Mo., 10.
6. (5) 11p Curt Potter, Boonville, Mo., Hughes/Singer, 10, $75.
7. (8) 75 Eddie Whitney, Sturgeon, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 10, $75.
8. (9) B29 Blonde Bomber Mitchell, Pea Ridge, Ark., Hughes/BMS, 10, $75.
9. (7) 9 Charles Baker, La Belle, Mo., /, 10, $75.
DNS - 7 Corey Botkins, Columbia, Mo., Skyrocket/Botkins, 0, $75.
DNS - 18z Zane DeVilbiss, Farmington, N.M., DeVilbiss/GMPP, 0, $75.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (37 laps):
1. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 37, $3000.
2. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput’s, 37, $1700.
3. (5) 99 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa, Harris/GMPP, 37, $1200.
4. (9) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Lethal/Durham, 37, $1000.
5. (6) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 37, $900.
6. (10) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 37, $800.
7. (15) 5 Todd Shute (R), Des Moines, Iowa, Victory/Karl, 37, $700.
8. (13) 88d Matt Dotson, Hallsville, Mo., Rage/ProPower, 37, $650.
9. (4) 2s Stormy Scott, Arroyo Hondo, N.M., Lethal/Mullins, 37, $600.
10. (14) 37 Mike Jergens (R), Plover, Iowa, Harris/KSE, 37, $550.
11. (11) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa, Hilsabeck/Mullins, 37, $500.
12. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 37, $450.
13. (12) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr. (R), Chandler, Ariz., Victory/Karl, 37, $425.
14. (16) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Wornhor, 37, $400.
15. (17) 25 Scotty Roberts, Columbia, Mo., Allen/, 37, $300.
16. (23) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., Mullens/Mullens, 37, $350.
17. (25) 21 Ryan Middaugh, Fulton, Mo., GRT/Creason, 37, $250.
18. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 37, $400.
19. (24) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., GRT/Mullins, 37, $300.
20. (20) 85s Tyler Shaw, Mexico, Mo., BMS/Creason, 37, $250.
21. (21) 21t Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan., Phoenix/Driskell, 37, $300.
22. (19) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., MBCustom/Mullins, 32, $300.
23. (26) 99 Dylan Hoover, Vandalia, Mo., GRT/Hoover, 22, $300.
24. (18) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., GRT/Mullins, 20, $300.
25. (22) 53 Ronnie Woods, Mexico, Mo., BMS/Creason, 16, $250.
26. (8) 01 Joey Galloway, Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/ProPower, 4, $300.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: Sanders 1-18, Hughes 19-37.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 19, Sanders 18.
Margin of Victory: 0.962 second.
Provisional Starters: Mullens, C. Bauman, Middaugh (track), Hoover (track).
Time of Race: 19 minutes, 48.5 seconds (4 cautions).
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Hughes.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Shute (started 15th, finished 7th).
Entries: 35.
Next Race: Sunday, April 24, Atchison County Raceway, Atchison, Kan.
MSD Central Region Points: Hughes 287, VanderBeek 262, Sobbing 256, Sanders 243, Shute 237, Ramirez 231, Dillard 228, Hilsabeck 207, Phillips 202, Duvall 187.
Rookie of the Year Points: B. Bauman 768, Tyler Wolff 764, C. Bauman 705, Vogel 591, Shute 566.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 135, Geddes 111, Sput’s 104, Durham 99, GMPP 64.
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 131, MBCustoms 123, LG2 111, Harris 87, GRT 85.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Dotson.
American Racer – M. Big Eagle.
Bell Helmets – Middaugh.
Beyea Custom Headers – Dillard.
BSB Manufacturing – Town.
Day Motor Sports – Siebert, B. Bauman.
Deatherage Opticians – DeVilbiss.
Edelbrock – Galloway.
Eibach Springs – Sanders.
Fast Shafts – Sobbing.
FK Rod Ends – Roberts.
Forty9Designs.com – Duvall, C. Bauman.
Fuel Safe – Ramirez.
GRT Race Cars – J. Big Eagle.
Hooker Harness – Thornton.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Phillips.
Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service – Mullens.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – S. Scott.
Keyser Manufacturing – Jergens.
KSE Racing Products – Shute.
Midwest Sheet Metal – DeVilbiss.
MSD – Hughes, Hughes.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Mullens.
PBM Performance Products – Sobbing.
QA1 – Hughes.
Real Racing Wheels – non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics – Hughes.
VP Racing Fuels – Hughes.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Hilsabeck.
Wilwood Engineering – Shute.