Rough night for VanderBeek in Cajun clash opener

The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt rolled into the Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, Louisiana, Thursday for the first of three nights at the ‘Land of Three Wide’ with native son Cade Dillard of Robeline notching his series-best fourth career USMTS victory here.

Opening night at the 10th Annual USMTS Cajun Clash saw a scary-good field of 59 powerful Summit USMTS Modifieds roll through the gates for the fifth race of the season with USRA Limited Mods and Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks also on the card.

Houston’s Colton Horner set the pace for the 30-car starting field to get the green flag, and then proceeded to lead the first seven laps before Dillard was able to race ahead to lead the eighth lap.

Just two brief cautions slowed the action in the 35-lap main event with the final yellow flag waving with just a handful of laps remaining when Rodney Sanders and Jim Chisholm split a lapped machine, resulting in Sanders sliding to a stop atop turn three.

Back under green Chisholm challenged Dillard in the final five laps but had to settle for runner-up honors while ‘The Thriller’ pocketed a $3,000 paycheck and his 20th career USMTS triumph.

“This is where I got my first USMTS win,” Dillard recalled. “It’s been a long road since then and I’m just thankful for the opportunities I’ve had.

“I never thought I'd still be racing, much less doing the things I've got to do, but it's a blast. To me there's nothing more fun than mod racing… There’s not better modifieds in the country than what races with these guys and I got so much respect for them.”

Behind Chisholm, Dereck Ramirez held off Darron Fuqua for third while Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender Chase Holland completed the top five. Horner, points leader Jason Hughes, 18th-starting Tyler Wolff, Brandon Givens and Taton Hansen rounded out the top ten.

Action continues Friday and Saturday at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway for rounds two and three of the 10th Annual USMTS Cajun Clash. USRA Limited Mods, Sunoco USRA Factory Stocks and USRA Tuners will also be on the card.

The Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt currently features 46 nights of racing at 15 of America's premier dirt track racing venues in nine states for its Silver Anniversary season. Just the winners of those events are set to earn more than $300,000 with nearly $2 million in purses and prize money earmarked for the 2023 campaign.

Watch every USMTS event online live and on-demand from anywhere on any device with RacinDirt. Download the app at Roku, Amazon Fire, iOS, Apple TV or on Google Play.

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 presented by RacinDirt
10th Annual USMTS Cajun Clash – Night 1 of 3
Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.
Thursday, March 30, 2023

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (4) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
2. (3) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas
3. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
4. (10) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
5. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (1) 4RJ Jared Russell, Wagoner, Okla.
7. (7) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
8. (9) 15 Chase Wascom, Denham Springs, La.
9. (2) C7 Corey Neil Jr., Bridge City, Texas
10. (8) 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
2. (5) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (1) 6 Donnie Powers, Henderson, Texas
4. (3) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (4) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
6. (6) 24M Manuel Williams II, Fouke, Ark.
7. (8) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
8. (9) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
9. (7) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
10. (10) 12T Tyler Townsend, Diana, Texas

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (4) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (2) 12J Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas
3. (6) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
4. (1) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas
5. (7) 16B Randy Brown, Chowchilla, Calif.
6. (3) 24 Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark.
7. (5) 56X Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
8. (10) 76 Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
9. (8) 78 Billy Jack Brutchin, Gladewater, Texas
10. (9) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas

WIELAND HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (6) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Des Moines, Iowa
2. (1) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (2) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (3) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
5. (5) 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
6. (4) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (7) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
8. (10) 40 Jessy Willard, Mound City, Kan.
9. (9) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (8) 47 Jack Sartain, Royse City, Texas

VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 45 Chase Holland, Success, Miss.
2. (5) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
3. (1) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
4. (6) 46 Jade Luzenberg, Saucier, Miss.
5. (3) 71M Chad Melton, Mineral Wells, Texas
6. (7) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
7. (8) D25W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
8. (4) 4D Bo Day, Greenville, Texas
9. (10) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
10. (9) 2S Steven Gaddis, Henderson, Texas

SUPER CLEAN HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (2) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (4) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
4. (3) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
5. (5) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
6. (6) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
7. (7) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas
8. (8) 712 Trevor Hughes, Salina, Okla.
9. (9) 1 Jonathan Beckett, Texarkana, Texas

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (5) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
3. (1) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
4. (7) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
5. (4) 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
6. (8) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
7. (9) 4RJ Jared Russell, Wagoner, Okla.
8. (12) 01 Jacob Hobscheidt, Plattsmouth, Neb.
9. (6) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
10. (3) 6 Donnie Powers, Henderson, Texas
11. (11) 76 Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
12. (13) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
13. (14) 78 Billy Jack Brutchin, Gladewater, Texas
14. (10) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
15. (15) 12T Tyler Townsend, Diana, Texas
16. (16) 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
2. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
4. (4) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
5. (10) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
6. (3) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
7. (14) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
8. (1) 12J Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas
9. (6) 16B Randy Brown, Chowchilla, Calif.
10. (7) 71M Chad Melton, Mineral Wells, Texas
11. (12) 712 Trevor Hughes, Salina, Okla.
12. (11) 40 Jessy Willard, Mound City, Kan.
13. (13) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
14. (9) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
15. (15) 64 Casey Fowler, Grand Saline, Texas
16. (16) 47 Jack Sartain, Royse City, Texas

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (2) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (5) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
4. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
5. (4) 24M Manuel Williams II, Fouke, Ark.
6. (7) 56X Broc Bowen, Fannin, Texas
7. (11) 15 Chase Wascom, Denham Springs, La.
8. (10) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas
9. (14) C7 Corey Neil Jr., Bridge City, Texas
10. (15) 2S Steven Gaddis, Henderson, Texas
11. (13) 1 Jonathan Beckett, Texarkana, Texas
12. (9) D25W Kale Westover, Altus, Okla.
13. (12) 4D Bo Day, Greenville, Texas
14. (6) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas
15. (8) 24 Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (6) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
3. (5) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (2) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
5. (9) 45 Chase Holland, Success, Miss.
6. (1) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
7. (10) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
8. (18) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
9. (13) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
10. (7) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
11. (15) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
12. (17) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
13. (20) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
14. (11) 46 Jade Luzenberg, Saucier, Miss.
15. (14) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
16. (24) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
17. (26) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
18. (16) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
19. (21) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
20. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
21. (29) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
22. (25) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
23. (27) 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
24. (28) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
25. (30) 6 Donnie Powers, Henderson, Texas
26. (23) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
27. (22) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
28. (19) 25C Cody Thompson, Sioux City, Iowa
29. (8) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Des Moines, Iowa
30. (12) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas

Lap Leaders: Horner 1-6, Dillard 7-35.
Total Laps Led: Dillard 28, Horner 7.
Margin of Victory: 0.725 second.
Time of Race: 19 minutes, 55.465 seconds (2 cautions).
Provisional Starters: VanderBeek, Nelson, Powers (track).
Emergency Provisionals: Thornton, Ahumada, Bleess.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Wolff (started 18th, finished 8th).
Entries: 59.
Next Race: Friday, March 31, Ark-La-Tex Speedway.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Hughes 414, Phillips 409, Ebert 404, Wolff 385, Fuqua 372, Chisholm 366, O'Neil 360, Givens 351, Ramirez 340, Krup 337.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Krup 337, Berry 314, Nelson 300, Christian 291, Holland 273.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: Mullens 37, Hughes 36, Bloodline 31, MBCustoms 30, CDR 21.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 35, Cornett 34, ProPower 31, Durham 31, Stoen 31.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Williams Jr.
American Racer – Berry.
Beyea Custom Headers – Fuqua.
BigDeal Car Care – Dillard, Duvall.
Bryke Racing – Carter.
BSB Manufacturing – Bleess.
Champ Pans – Horner.
Collins Brothers Towing – Sanders.
Deatherage Opticians – Townsend.
Edelbrock – Ramirez.
Fast Shafts – Fuqua.
FK Rod Ends – Wolff.
Hooker Harness – Mullens.
Hyperco – Williams Sr.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Ebert.
Keyser Manufacturing – Hansen.
KSE Racing Products – Givens.
MD3 – Dillard.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Chisholm.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – R. Brown.
Midwest Wrap Co. – VanderBeek.
Penske Racing Shocks – Duvall.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Luzenberg.
QA1 – Berry.
Quarter Master – Givens.
RacerWebsite.com – Holland.
Salty’s BBQ & Catering – Duvall.
Simpson Performance Products – Hansen.
Summit Racing Equipment – Fowler, K. Gaddis, S. Gaddis, Luzenberg, Powers.
Super Clean – Dillard.
Swift Springs – Ebert, Powers, Dillard.
Sybesma Graphics – Horner.
VP Racing – Dillard.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Mason Williams.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – J. Hughes.