Vanderbeek vaults to fourth-place finish at Silver Dollar Nationals

Rodney Sanders is always tough to beat. At the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., it seems like it’s not even a fair fight.

Sanders—the 2013 and 2014 USMTS national champion—led all 40 laps Saturday night to capture the United States Modified Touring Series main event during the 8th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals.

Since 2013, “The Sandman” has been nearly unstoppable at the Kosiski family’s 4/10-mile of clay nestled halfway between Lincoln and Omaha at exit 420—only twice, in fact, out of the 10 USMTS main events staged here since his first win five years ago.

The 28-year-old from Happy, Texas, started on the pole and, despite three cautions during the last half of the race and a late charge by Jason Hughes, was never seriously challenged for the $8,000 winner’s share of the prize money.

Hughes, making his first USMTS start since last month’s Masters event at the Cedar Lake Speedway, got by Lucas Schott following the race’s final caution with five laps remaining but could not get close enough to Sanders to make a bid for the lead.

Zack VanderBeek claimed a fourth-place paycheck behind Sanders, Hughes and Schott while 16th-starting Stormy Scott held off his twin brother, Johnny Scott, for fifth.

As the current USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup national points leader, Johnny Scott took a provisional and drove Stormy Scott’s back-up car from the 23rd starting spot after needing a provisional to make the show.

Casey Arneson, who started 17th after winning the Real Racing Wheels “B” Main, was seventh at the finish line with Dereck Ramirez, Jake Timm and Jesse Sobbing rounding out the top 10.

Missing in action this weekend due to tornadoes that rocked his hometown of Marshalltown, Iowa, Ryan Gustin’s 85th career USMTS win came at the I-80 Speedway one year ago when he ended Sanders’ stranglehold on the Silver Dollar Nationals winner’s circle.

Sanders recorded his 85th USMTS victory on Saturday. Nearly 10 percent of the those have happened in the Cornhusker State.

What’s on tap: The USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup powered by Summit is back in action with a tripleheader weekend Aug. 2-4. On Thursday, the tour trots into the Springfield Raceway in Springfield, Mo., followed by a Friday night fling at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan. The weekend wraps up Saturday with the 8th Annual Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo.

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. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
8th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals – Day 2 of 2
I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb.
Saturday, July 21, 2018

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 10 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
2. (3) 71 R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (4) 7 Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
4. (17) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
5. (5) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
6. (14) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
7. (10) 5k Kyle Prauner, Norfolk, Neb., Razor/ChevPerf, $400.
8. (7) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/Troy’s, $350.
9. (2) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas, MBCustoms/ASI, $325.
10. (12) 2j Johnny Scott, Cameron, Mo.
11. (18) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
12. (11) 7 Justin Gregg, Hastings, Neb.
13. (8) 15 Andy Wilkinson, York, Neb., BMS/Donrich, $300.
14. (13) 8c Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo., GRT/PerfAuto, $275.
15. (15) 64 Nick Hermsen, Omaha, Neb.
16. (6) 70 Jesse Dennis, Prescott, Iowa, Skyrocket/Midstate, $250.
17. (16) 88 Chad Wheeler, Muskogee, Okla., MBCustoms/Durham, $225.
18. (9) 21x Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustoms/Dakota, $200.
DNS – 50c Colton Osborn, Cozad, Neb., DirtBoss/Anderson, $100.
DNS – 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput’s, $100.

IMPERIAL TILE “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $8000.
2. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $4000.
3. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Hill, 40, $2700.
4. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput’s, 40, $2200.
5. (16) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., VanderBuilt/Mullins, 40, $1800.
6. (23) 2j Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., VanderBuilt/Durham, 40, $1500.
7. (17) 10 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D., VanderBuilt/ChevPerf, 40, $1200.
8. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 40, $1000.
9. (4) 49jr Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput’s, 40, $900.
10. (10) 91 Jesse Sobbing, Malvern, Iowa, MBCustoms/ChevPerf, 40, $850.
11. (19) 7 Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS, 40, $800.
12. (12) 27L Trevor Latham, Rogers, Ark., Hughes/BCD, 40, $750.
13. (24) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $700.
14. (18) 71 R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz., Victory/Mullins, 40, $675.
15. (20) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., MBCustoms/Durham, 40, $650.
16. (9) 4w Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $625.
17. (13) 21t Lance Town, Wellsville, Kan., MBCustoms/Driskell, 40, $600.
18. (7) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 40, $575.
19. (22) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS, 40, $550.
20. (25) 64 Nick Hermsen, Omaha, Neb., Harris/Woodard, 40, $540.
21. (21) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 32, $530.
22. (15) 10 Marc Hurd, Wichita, Kan., GRT/Briley, 31, $520.
23. (11) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., MBCustoms/Driskell, 29, $510.
24. (6) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 18, $500.
25. (14) 19sb Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, 12, $500.
26. (26) 7 Justin Gregg, Hastings, Neb., RedRocket/Kennedy, 11, $500.

Lap Leader: Sanders 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 40.
Margin of Victory: 1.557 seconds.
Time of Race: 20 minutes, 46.987 seconds (3 cautions).
Provisional Starters: J. Scott, Phillips, Hermsen (track), Gregg (track).
Eibach Spring Forward Award: J. Scott (advanced 15 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: S. Scott (started 16th, finished 5th).
Entries: 36.
Next Race: Thursday, Aug. 2, Springfield Raceway, Springfield, Mo.

Contingency Awards:
Beyea Custom Headers – Town.
BSB Manufacturing – Kates.
Champ Pans – S. Scott.
Deatherage Opticians – Latham.
E3 Spark Plugs – Schott.
Eibach – J. Scott.
FK Rod Ends – S. Scott.
Forty9 Designs – Whitwell, K. Gaddis.
GRT Race Cars – Hurd.
Hooker Harness – Phillips.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Sorensen.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Siebert.
Keyser Manufacturing – Sobbing.
KSE Racing Products – Timm.
Maxima Racing Oils – Sanders.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Wolff.
Real Racing Wheels – Prauner, Crapser, Rutherford, Wilkinson, Clark, Dennis, Wheeler, Saurer, Osborn, Krohn.
Swift Springs – Sanders, Sobbing.
Tire Demon – S. Gaddis.
VP Racing Fuels – Sanders.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Hughes.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Arneson.