Mari
Marvelous in First USMTS Triumph at Chateau Speedway
LANSING, Minn.
(May 27) —
Lance Mari typically speaks softly but
always carries a big right foot, and he laid to rest any
doubters Friday night with his career-first USMTS
victory at the Chateau Speedway in Lansing, Minn.
The 13th annual event presented by Zumbrota Ford
once again produced a magical night of racing that kept
the drivers on their toes while series and track
officials continued to knead the racing surface after
two days of persistent rain.
While it retained
some “character,” the track was in the best shape of the
night by the time the Summit USMTS National Championship
presented by RacinDirt took to the 1/3-mile dirt oval
for their 40-lap main event.
Lucas Schott and
Jacob Bleess—both from nearby Chatfield, Minn.—shared
the front row for the start of the race and it was
Bleess gaining the advantage when the green flag
dropped.
The third lap saw Tyler Wolff grab the
lead but Bleess battled back to lead lap 4. They swapped
the top spot two more times before Wolff took control
with six laps in the books.
Two cautions in the
first eight laps didn’t offer any help to Wolff’s
pursuers as he drove off to a healthy advantage each
time. The yellow flag waved for a third time, however,
with 24 laps down and this time it was for Wolff.
The leader’s No. 4W ARMI machine slowly slid
sideways at the top of the first turn and was finished
off by a lapped car, forcing him out of the race and
handing the reigns over to four-time USMTS National
Champion Rodney Sanders.
Seeking his first win
since May 29 last year at the Deer Creek Speedway, was
up to the challenge and he pulled away from the field
but Mari, who started 16th on the 27-car grid, looked
high and low for a way around Sanders before sliding
over the cushion atop turn 2 and relinquishing second to
Tanner Mullens.
Mari eventually recaptured second
from Mullens was Sanders was far ahead and looked to be
on his way to ending his nearly year-long drought., but
with four laps to go Sanders pulled to the top of the
fourth turn to bring out the fourth and final caution,
and ending his night less than a mile from paydirt.
Mari was the leader when the green flag returned and
he was still the leader when the checkered flag waved
moments later. For Mari, his first USMTS triumph was
worth $10,000 and a well-deserved prize for
perseverance.
He also earned the FK Rod Ends Hard
Charger Award for passing 15 cars en route to his
triumphant trip to the winner’s circle.
Mullens
came from the 14th starting and held on for a
second-place paycheck while 10th-sratring Dereck Ramirez
finished third ahead of 17th-starting Jake Timm and
15th-starting Jason Hughes.
Not eligible for the
hard charger award due to taking a provisional starting
spot, Jake O'Neil steered his backup car to a
sixth-place finish after starting 24th. Dan Ebert was
seventh, Ryan Wetzstein—the only driver in the top 10 to
start among the top 10—was eighth, Zack VanderBeek
nabbed ninth and Terry Phillips rebounded from an early
mishap to round out the top 10.
Points leader
Dustin Sorensen came through a Real Racing Wheels “B”
Main, started 19th and finished 11th.
One
down, three to go: The Deer Creek Speedway in
Spring Valley, Minn., hosts the USMTS on Saturday before
travelling to the reanimated Winneshiek Raceway in
Decorah, Iowa, on Sunday. The four-night Memorial Day
Weekend wraps up at the Mason City Motor Speedway in
Mason City, Iowa, on Monday.
For times, tickets
and all the information you need, read all about it at
https://usmts.com/news/news_article.asp?NewsID=81219.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified
Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship
presented by RacinDirt
13th Annual Event presented by
Zumbrota Ford
Chateau Speedway, Lansing, Minn.
Friday, May 27, 2022
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. (1) 44S
Shane DeVolder, Pacifica, Calif.
2. (2) 4W Tyler
Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (3) 10C Cayden Carter,
Oskaloosa, Iowa
4. (5) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
5. (4) 35JR Garitt Wytaske, Austin, Minn.
6. (6) 87
Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
7. (8) 77T Tripp Gaylord,
Lakewood, Colo.
8. (7) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
9. (9) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 69
Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (1) 4R Dereck
Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
3. (3) 12 Jason Hughes,
Watts, Okla.
4. (4) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester,
Minn.
5. (6) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
6. (9) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
7. (7) 83
Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn.
8. (5) 65X Carlos
Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
9. (8) 7 Al Hejna, Clear
Lake, Iowa
EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8
laps):
1. (1) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
2. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (3) 02
Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
4. (8) 60 Dan Ebert,
Lake Shore, Minn.
5. (6) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro,
Calif.
6. (5) 56 Colton Horner, Houston, Texas
7.
(7) 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa
8. (2) 38T Dylan
Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
MSD
PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (4) 90
Ryan Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
2. (2) 4 Jeremy
Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
3. (3) 75 Terry Phillips,
Springfield, Mo.
4. (5) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (6) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
6. (1) 4A Joel
Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
7. (7) 30 Dalton Kirk,
Edgerton, Kan.
DNS – Z29 A.J. Zvorak, Blooming
Prairie, Minn.
VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE
#5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 21 Jacob Bleess,
Chatfield, Minn.
2. (4) 90X Steve Wetzstein, West
Concord, Minn.
3. (1) 45 Chase Holland, Saucier,
Miss.
4. (3) 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
5.
(8) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
6. (5) 24
Charlie Steinberg, Kasson, Minn.
7. (6) 21K Kyle
Brown, Madrid, Iowa
8. (7) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson,
Wyo.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12
laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 75 Terry
Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (1) 12 Jason Hughes,
Watts, Okla.
3. (4) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4.
(3) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
5. (6) 85
Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
6. (5) 33Z Zack
VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
7. (8) 56 Colton Horner,
Houston, Texas
8. (12) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
9. (11) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
10. (14) 2G
Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
11. (7) 4A Joel
Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
12. (10) 83 Kylie Kath,
Claremont, Minn.
13. (13) Z29 A.J. Zvorak, Blooming
Prairie, Minn.
14. (9) 77T Tripp Gaylord, Lakewood,
Colo.
DNS – 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top
5 advance):
1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens,
Wichita, Kan.
2. (5) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro,
Calif.
3. (6) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
4.
(4) 35JR Garitt Wytaske, Austin, Minn.
5. (2) 45
Chase Holland, Saucier, Miss.
6. (8) 30 Dalton Kirk,
Edgerton, Kan.
7. (11) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
8. (9) 17 Jon Plowman, Woodbine, Iowa
9. (10) 38T
Dylan Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
10. (3) 0 Jake
O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
11. (7) 24 Charlie Steinberg,
Kasson, Minn.
12. (12) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
DNS – 23K Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
DNS – 11N Gene
Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
DNS – 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr.,
El Paso, Texas
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT
“A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (16) 19SB Lance Mari,
El Centro, Calif.
2. (14) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita,
Kan.
3. (10) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4.
(17) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (15) 12 Jason
Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (24) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson,
Ariz.
7. (11) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
8.
(7) 90 Ryan Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
9. (23)
33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
10. (13) 75
Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
11. (19) 19 Dustin
Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
12. (22) 45 Chase Holland,
Saucier, Miss.
13. (12) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa,
Iowa
14. (2) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
15.
(27) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
16. (8) 20 Rodney
Sanders, Happy, Texas
17. (1) 69 Lucas Schott,
Chatfield, Minn.
18. (6) 44S Shane DeVolder,
Pacifica, Calif.
19. (26) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid,
Iowa
20. (20) 35JR Garitt Wytaske, Austin, Minn.
21. (3) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
22. (9) 4
Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
23. (25) 38T Dylan
Thornton, Santa Maria, Calif.
24. (5) 1M Curt Myers,
Cameron, Wis.
25. (21) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown,
S.D.
26. (18) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
27.
(4) 90X Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
Lap Leaders: Bleess 1-2, Wolff 3,
Bleess 4-5, Wolff 6-24, Sanders 25-36, Mari 37-40.
Total Laps Led: Wolff 20, Sanders 12,
Mari 4, Bleess 4.
Margin of Victory:
1.079 seconds.
Time of Race: 22
minutes, 46.166 seconds (4 cautions).
Provisional Starters: VanderBeek, O’Neil.
Emergency Provisionals: Brown, Clark.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Mari (started
16th, finished 1st).
Entries: 42.
Next Race: Saturday, May 28, Deer Creek
Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Summit USMTS
National Championship Points: Sorensen 847,
Mullens 800, VanderBeek 749, Hughes 738, Sanders 734,
Timm 723, Ramirez 722, Schott 718, Phillips 713, Bleess
669.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year
Points: Carter 598, Thornton 554, Brown 546,
DeVolder 525, Horner 502.
Miller Welders
USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points:
MBCustoms 85, Mullens 73, Hughes 64, VanderBuilt 60, LG2
49.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder
of the Year Points: Action 67, Stoen 60,
Cornett 59, Hatfield 48, Mullins 47.
Contingency Awards:
American Racer –
Nicholas.
Beyea Custom Headers – Timm.
BigDeal Car
Care – Mari, O’Neill.
Bryke Racing – Clark.
BSB
Manufacturing – Wolff.
Champ Pans – Hughes.
Deatherage Opticians – Bleess.
Edelbrock – Myers.
Fast Shafts – Schott.
FK Rod Ends – Mari.
Hooker
Harness – Holland.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs –
Brown.
Keyser Manufacturing – Phillips.
KS
Engineering – Sorensen.
KSE Racing Products –
VanderBeek.
Mel Hambelton Ford Racing – Mullens.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Holland.
Midwest Wrap
Co. – Nelson.
MSD Performance – R. Wetzstein.
Penske Racing Shocks – Carter.
PEM Racing Gears &
Drivetrain – Hughes.
QA1 – S. Wetzstein.
RacerWebsite.com – Nicholas.
Simpson Performance
Products – DeVolder.
Summit Racing Equipment – Myers,
Plowman, R. Wetzstein, S. Wetzstein.
Super Clean –
Mari.
Swift Springs – Sorensen, Mari, R. Wetzstein.
Sybesma Graphics – Schott.
Tire Demon – Williamson.
VP Racing Fuels – Mari.
Wehrs Machine & Racing
Products – Karau.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Ahumada.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
USMTS
OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American
Racer Racing Tires, Beyea
Headers, Chevrolet
Performance, Compstar, Fast
Shafts, FK
Rod Ends, Intercomp, K1
RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, KS
Engineering, KSE
Racing Products, Malvern
Bank, Mesilla
Valley Transportation, MSD
Performance, Nitroquest
Media, PEM
Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit
Racing Equipment, Super
Clean, VP
Racing Fuels, Wrisco
Industries.
USMTS PARTICIPATING
SPONSORS: ARMI
Contractors, Boubin
Tire & Automotive, Brodix
Cylinder Heads, DAY
Motorsports, Hacienda
Mechanical, Mel
Hambelton Racing, Midwest
Wrap Co., Miller
Welders, PBM
Performance Products, Rancho
Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, S&S
Fishing & Rental, Salty's
BBQ & Catering, YouDirt.com.
USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO
Racing Products, Allstar
Performance, BigDeal
Car Care, Bryke
Racing, BSB
Manufacturing, Champ
Pans, Deatherage
Opticians, Edelbrock, Hooker
Harness, Integra
Racing Shocks and Springs, JE
Pistons, Keyser
Manufacturing, Penske
Racing Shocks, Performance
Bodies & Parts, 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,
Arrowhead Speedway,
Belleville High Banks,
Casino Speedway,
Cedar Lake Speedway,
Chateau Speedway,
Dallas County Speedway,
Deer Creek Speedway,
Fayette County Speedway,
Humboldt Speedway,
I-70 Speedway,
Lakeside Speedway,
Lucas Oil Speedway,
Mason City Motor Speedway,
Mississippi Thunder Speedway,
Ogilvie Raceway,
Red Dirt Raceway,
Rocket Raceway Park,
Tri-State Speedway,
Winneshiek Raceway.
##
Contact Info:br>
Jeff Nun
Chief Communications Officer
United States Modified Touring Series, Inc. (USMTS)
1715 W 2nd St, PO Box 905
Webster City, IA 50595
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