VanderBeek caps USMTS Nordic Nationals with another top-10

Memorial Day Weekend for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s concluded Sunday at the Upper Iowa Speedway with the 13th Annual USMTS Nordic Nationals. Zack stormed from 6th to 2nd in his heat race and then drew the fifth starting spot for the $10,000-to-win main event. After challenging the leaders early on, he loaded up with a 6th-place paycheck and a second straight top-10 finish.

USMTS Nordic Nationals trophy dances with Wolff

A mesmerizing Memorial Day Weekend for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s concluded Sunday at the Upper Iowa Speedway with a third different winner in three nights as Tyler Wolff withstood every challenge to win the 13th Annual USMTS Nordic Nationals presented by PBM Performance Products.

The 36-year-old from Fayetteville, Ark., started on the outside of the front row and was able to beat Sybesma Graphics Pole Award winner Lucas Lee to the flagstand to lead the opening circuit.

Lee challenged Wolff for the lead on multiple occasions and Dereck Ramirez nearly snuck by in the late stages of the race, but through four caution flags and constant pressure from the inside and outside Wolff never wavered.

Following a restart with 12 laps to go, Ramirez changed his line and made a charge to the outside of Wolff as they exited turn two. Wolff widened his line down the back-stretch and the two cars touched with a shower of sparks spraying off the barrier.

Wolff held the line and held on for the rest of the race to score his second career USMTS win.

“I hate that for me and Dereck,” an elated Wolff said in victory lane. “I thought he was on the inside of me. I looked down and couldn’t see him and the next thing I know I was up by the wall. I hate that we got into each other but that was definitely my fault… but that was awesome.”

The first triumph for the driver of the ARMI Contractors No. 4W MB Customs USMTS Modified came in 2017 at the Springfield Raceway where he led every lap in a dominating performance, but that one wasn’t worth $10,000.

“I was just trying to hit my marks and stay after it. I knew that the track races really nice and round so it kind of gave me a benefit out front so I just trying to hang in there and make it make it all 40 laps.”

Wolff leading every lap doesn’t come close to telling the whole story as the action behind him was intense from start to finish.

Lee scratched and clawed his way to a $5,000 runner-up paycheck while 10th-starting Rodney Sanders was able to get around Ramirez for the third spot.

Now leading Ramirez by three points in the standings, Sanders will reclaim the Wrisco Points Leader spoiler when the series visits the Park Jefferson Speedway next Friday, June 4.

Jake O’Neil fought his way from 14th on the grid to complete the top five while three-time Nordic Nationals champ Zack VanderBeek was sixth, followed by Tanner Mullens, Dustin Sorensen, Johnny Scott and Brooks Strength rounding out the top 10 at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds

Jefferson-Hamilton next weekend: Staying along the I-90 corridor, the touring tians of the USMTS will invade the Park Jefferson Speedway in N. Sioux City, S.D., next Friday, June 4, and then it’s a return to the Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa, on Saturday, June 5.

Both races will pay $10,000 to the winner,

Taking dirt to a new level: The 2021 campaign for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s features 36 nights of racing with the winners of those main events set to take home over $300,000 in earnings from more than $1 million in prize money earmarked for those shows.

Twenty-six of the 36 race nights will pay at least $10,000 to win while the other 10 carry a $5,000 top prize. And if that weren’t enough, more than $230,000 is committed to the top ten finishers in the 2021 points standings with a record $70,000 reserved for the 2021 USMTS National Champion.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s
13th Annual USMTS Nordic Nationals presented by PBM Performance Products
Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa
Sunday, May 30, 2021

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine, laps completed and money won. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Casey’s “A” Main.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
2. (3) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (2) 51W J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn.
4. (6) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
5. (9) 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (5) 55H A.J. Hoff (R), Mantorville, Minn.
7. (7) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
8. (8) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa
9. (4) K19 Will Krup (R), Mt. Carmel, Ill.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12L Lucas Lee (R), Paris, Tenn.
2. (3) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (2) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
4. (4) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
5. (5) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
6. (8) 2G Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan.
7. (6) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis.
8. (7) 1 Blake Arndt, Brownsdale, Minn.
9. (9) 99 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (4) 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
2. (6) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
3. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
4. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (3) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
6. (9) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
7. (8) 7II Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
8. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
9. (7) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
2. (2) 444 Brooks Strength (R), Raymond, Miss.
3. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (4) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
5. (5) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (6) 89X Jesse Glenz (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis.
7. (8) 85 Jayson Good (R), Watertown, S.D.
8. (7) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
9. (9) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
2. (1) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
3. (3) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (4) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
5. (5) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (7) 7II Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, /, $125.
7. (10) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
8. (12) K19 Will Krup (R), Mt. Carmel, Ill.
9. (8) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo., Hughes/Cornett, $125.
10. (9) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa, Hughes/Midnight, $125.
11. (11) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn., VanderBuilt/Stoen, $125.
12. (6) 55H A.J. Hoff (R), Mantorville, Minn., GRT/Action, $125.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (3) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (1) 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (2) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (6) 89X Jesse Glenz (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis.
5. (4) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
6. (5) 2G Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan.
7. (7) 85 Jayson Good (R), Watertown, S.D., MBCustoms/Tim’s, $125.
8. (11) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
9. (8) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis., MBCustoms/KSE, $125.
10. (12) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas.
11. (9) 1 Blake Arndt, Brownsdale, Minn., Shaw/KSE, $125.
12. (10) 99 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla., Hughes/Chevrolet, $125.

CASEY’S “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (2) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/ECE, 40, $10,000.
2. (1) 12L Lucas Lee (R), Paris, Tenn., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $5000.
3. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $3000.
4. (4) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 40, $2000.
5. (14) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 40, $1700.
6. (5) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, 40, $1500.
7. (9) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., Mullens/Mullens, 40, $1200.
8. (12) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 40, $1000.
9. (16) 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., ElDorado/Mullins, 40, $900.
10. (7) 444 Brooks Strength (R), Raymond, Miss., MBCustoms/Stoen, 40, $850.
11. (23) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $675.
12. (17) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $775.
13. (11) 51W J.T. Wasmund (R), Pine Island, Minn., DirtDueler/Baier’s, 40, $750.
14. (15) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., MBCustoms/Driskell, 40, $740.
15. (18) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Stoen, 40, $735.
16. (20) 89X Jesse Glenz (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/KSE, 40, $730.
17. (13) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $725.
18. (21) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn., Lethal/Sower, 40, $720.
19. (8) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn., Lethal/Ebert, 40, $715.
20. (25) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE, 40, $125.
21. (26) K19 Will Krup (R), Mt. Carmel, Ill., MBCustoms/Mullins, 40, $125.
22. (24) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas, Hughes/BMS, 40, $575.
23. (27) 2G Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $125.
24. (22) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis., Rage/Sput’s, 40, $700.
25. (6) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn., SSR/KSE, 31, $700.
26. (19) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, 24, $700.
27. (3) 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn., Tri-Built/KSE, 19, $700.

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

Lap Leader: Wolff 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Wolff 40.
Margin of Victory: 1.548 seconds.
Time of Race: 22 minutes, 36.279 seconds (4 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Phillips, Ahumada.
Emergency Provisionals: Bleess, Krup, Givens.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: O’Neil (started 14th, finished 5th).
Entries: 36.
Next Race: Friday, June 4, Park Jefferson Speedway, N. Sioux City, S.D.
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s Points: Sanders 940, Ramirez 937, O'Neil 895, Phillips 869, Wolff 844, Mullens 844, Schott 828, Ebert 792, Scott 775, Hughes 768.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Strength 496, Glenz 482, Krup 427, Lee 410, Good 403.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 96, Hughes 89, Lethal 79, GRT 66, LG2 64.
Compstar USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Cornett 90, Hatfield 75, Stoen 71, Durham 62, Mullins 59.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Sanders.
Beyea Custom Headers – Ramirez.
BigDeal Car Care – Wolff, Lee.
Bryke Racing – Schott.
BSB Manufacturing – Krup.
Champ Pans – O’Neil.
Deatherage Opticians – Fuqua.
Edelbrock – B. Davis.
Eibach – Scott.
Fast Shafts – Lee.
FK Rod Ends – O’Neil.
Hooker Harness – Hughes.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Ebert.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Atkinson.
K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports – Hejna.
Keyser Manufacturing – Strength.
KS Engineering – Phillips.
KSE Racing Products – Scott.
Maxima Racing Oils – Wolff.
Penske Racing Shocks – Wasmund.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Schott.
QA1 – B. Davis.
RacerWebsite.com – Alberts.
Simpson Performance Products – Wolff.
Summit Racing Equipment – Clark, Krup, Lee, Mari, Strength.
Super Clean – Wolff.
Swift Springs – Wolff, Glenz.
Sybesma Graphics – Lee.
Tire Demon – Hoff.
VP Racing Fuels – Wolff.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Oertel.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Mullens.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS:  American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Casey’s, Chevrolet Performance, Compstar, Dirt Draft, Eibach, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, KS Engineering, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, MSD Performance, MTN DEW RISE ENERGY, MyRacePass, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt.com, Summit Racing Equipment, Super Clean, The Chunky Poodle, VP Racing Fuels, Wrisco Industries.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS:  ARMI Contractors, Boomtest Well Service, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, Hacienda Mechanical, Mel Hambelton Ford Racing, Midwest Wrap Co., Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Race Ranch, Rancho Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS:  AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, BigDeal Car Care, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Deatherage Opticians, Edelbrock, Forty9 Designs, Hooker Harness, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Maxima Racing Oils, Penske Racing Shocks, QA1, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Racing.

USMTS RACETRACKS: 81 Speedway, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Arrowhead Speedway, Casino Speedway, Cedar Lake Speedway, Dallas County Speedway, Deer Creek Speedway, Fayette County Speedway, Hamilton County Speedway, Humboldt Speedway, Lakeside Speedway, Lucas Oil Speedway, Mason City Motor Speedway, Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Ogilvie Raceway, Park Jefferson Speedway, Rapid Speedway, Revolution Park, RPM Speedway, Tri-State Speedway, Upper Iowa Speedway.