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Sanders flies to Featherlite Fall Jamboree opening night feature win
After a month-long hiatus (and then some), the outlaw modifieds of the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt made their annual September journey to the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., on Thursday for opening night of the 25th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
With 81 cars and drivers on hand for the longest-running event for the United States Modified Touring Series, 30 drivers earned a spot in the 35-lap main event after right qualifying and eight tough-as-nails heat races.
Earning the Sybesma Graphics Pole Award, Rodney Sanders led the field to the green flag start with the last two USMTS National champions—Dereck Ramirez and Dustin Sorensen—giving chase and bringing Jake Timm battling through the first left-hander.
Timm, who had a series-best four wins entering the night, slipped into third as they raced down the back-stretch, but before the lead trio got back to the flagstand he slowed at the exit of turn four before pulling into the infield with terminal ignition problems.
The race got back underway with Sanders once again pulling away from the field, but Sorensen was able to stay within striking distance while Ramirez, Tanner Mullens and Jason Hughes were quite a ways back and battling hard for third.
On lap 11, Sanders went underneath the lapped car of Jeremy Nelson when Nelson’s machine suddenly slowed and tagged the concrete wall.
With no way to avoid the mess, Sorensen’s car collided with Nelson’s to bring out the second caution flag of the race and sending both to an early end to their nights.
Mullens, Ramirez, Brandon Davis, Hughes and Kylie Kath gave the fans at ‘The Creek’ a show as they diced for the next five positions behind the leader, but none of them nor any of the multiple lapped cars he had to deal with could keep Sanders out of Tralo Victory Lane.
“I felt like it was going to be top dominant, at least (in turns one and two) pretty much all night, but this end was starting to go away and usually it trickles back down,” Sanders said after collecting a $3,000 paycheck. “I felt like I was kind of just stalling out at the end, but we had a good car and track position really helps, but this car has been on a rail lately.”
Quietly, the 33-year-old from Happy, Texas (now residing in Minnesota), has put together the kind of sparkling season that earned him four USMTS National Championships.
With Thursday’s series-best fourth win of the 2023 campaign and 116th of his career, Sanders put a little more distance between himself and Hughes—a fellow four-time series champ—in the points standings with 30 nights complete and just seven remaining, including the next two nights here at the Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
“Yeah it is,” Sanders admitted after RacinDirt’s Trenton Berry asked whether or not he’s thinking about that $100,000 championship. “You got to think about it, but if we go out there and win some races and run top threes and fives, that'll kind of take care of itself.”
And to add to the historical significance of Thursday’s effort by “The Rocket,” the victory was his 14th at the Deer Creek Speedway which ties him with Hughes for the most USMTS wins at the 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval.
Between them, the two have won 28 of the 126 main events at this facility.
For his part, Hughes wound up fourth behind Mullens and Davis, and one spot ahead of his fellow Sooner State speedster, Dereck Ramirez, who held on for fifth.
Kath was sixth at the checkered flag, Joe Chisholm snagged the seventh spot, Tyler Wolff was eighth, Parker Hale nabbed ninth-place money and Jim Chisholm rounded out the top 10 finishers.
The best of the best return Friday and Saturday with a $5,000-to-win feature on Friday and $12,000 to Saturday’s winner of the 30-car main event that will start three-wide.
USRA B-Mods will be back for two more nights too, with twin features paying $500 to win each on Friday while Saturday’s finale will dole out $1,500 to the winner. Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series national points are up for grabs both nights.
Check out the FAST FACTS for everything you need to know about the 25th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
For its Silver Anniversary season, the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt currently features racing at some of America's premier dirt track racing venues. 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.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
25th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree – Night 1 of 3
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 14 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (6) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
5. (10) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas
6. (8) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
7. (11) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
8. (7) 15J Mitchell Clement, Bonham, Texas
9. (9) 18 Michael Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
10. (3) 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
11. (2) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (3) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
2. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
3. (2) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
4. (6) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
5. (8) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
6. (5) 51W J.T. Wasmund, Pine Island, Minn.
7. (7) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
8. (10) 21X Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
9. (9) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn.
10. (4) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
2. (5) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (6) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (2) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
5. (3) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
6. (7) 95X Shaun Walski, Rollingstone, Minn.
7. (10) 88XXX Randy Klein, Buffalo, N.D.
8. (9) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa
9. (8) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
10. (4) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
WIELAND HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2. (5) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
3. (6) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (2) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
5. (3) 24M Manuel Williams II, Fouke, Ark.
6. (4) R Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa
7. (9) 55 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.
8. (7) 22 Austen Becerra, Carthage, Ill.
9. (8) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
10. (10) 98M Mitchel Madery, Kasson, Minn.
VP RACING HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (4) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
2. (1) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
3. (2) 4RJ Jared Russell, Wagoner, Okla.
4. (6) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
5. (3) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
6. (5) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
7. (7) 1 Blake Arndt, Brownsdale, Minn.
8. (8) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
DNS – 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
DNS – 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
SUPER CLEAN HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (4) 83 Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn.
2. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (3) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
4. (7) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa
5. (5) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (1) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas
7. (2) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
8. (9) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
9. (8) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa
10. (10) 24 Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark.
MEL HAMBELTON RACING HEAT RACE #7 (8 laps):
1. (1) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (5) 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
4. (2) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
5. (3) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
6. (9) 12M Nick Murgic, Rosemount, Minn.
7. (6) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
8. (7) 6T7 Brian Albrecht, Winona, Minn.
9. (8) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.
DNS – 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
SHOCKER HITCH RACING HEAT RACE #8 (8 laps):
1. (2) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
2. (3) 5K Tyler Kaeter, St. Cloud, Minn.
3. (5) 24J Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (4) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
5. (6) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
6. (10) 43 Zach Brom, Winona, Minn.
7. (1) 17W Ryan Wiome, Center City, Minn.
8. (7) 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark.
9. (8) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
10. (9) 4S Craig Shaw, Dexter, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. (4) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
2. (2) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (1) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
4. (9) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
5. (11) 1 Blake Arndt, Brownsdale, Minn.
6. (8) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
7. (6) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
8. (7) 51W J.T. Wasmund, Pine Island, Minn.
9. (3) 5K Tyler Kaeter, St. Cloud, Minn.
10. (10) R Ron Ver Beek, Oskaloosa, Iowa
11. (14) 18 Michael Hofer, Cochrane, Wis.
12. (15) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
13. (13) 6T7 Brian Albrecht, Winona, Minn.
14. (5) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
15. (12) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
DNS – 24 Manuel Williams Sr., Fouke, Ark.
DNS – 2SS Mark Smith, Anthony, N.M.
DNS – 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (3) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa
3. (2) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
4. (5) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
5. (4) 4RJ Jared Russell, Wagoner, Okla.
6. (12) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn.
7. (6) 10B Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
8. (9) 55 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.
9. (13) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa
10. (7) 7S Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
11. (10) 96 Taton Hansen, Spicer, Minn.
12. (11) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
13. (14) 4S Craig Shaw, Dexter, Minn.
14. (8) 94JR John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
DNS – 15J Mitchell Clement, Bonham, Texas
DNS – 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. (1) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
2. (3) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
3. (7) 12M Nick Murgic, Rosemount, Minn.
4. (17) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
5. (5) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
6. (6) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
7. (2) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
8. (9) 95X Shaun Walski, Rollingstone, Minn.
9. (11) 21X Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
10. (8) 88 Nathan Smith, Anthony, N.M.
11. (16) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
12. (10) 13J James McCreery, Midlothian, Texas
13. (13) 22 Austen Becerra, Carthage, Ill.
14. (14) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.
15. (12) 17W Ryan Wiome, Center City, Minn.
16. (15) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
17. (4) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #4 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. (1) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2. (5) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
3. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (4) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
5. (6) 43 Zach Brom, Winona, Minn.
6. (15) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
7. (8) 88XXX Randy Klein, Buffalo, N.D.
8. (7) 24M Manuel Williams II, Fouke, Ark.
9. (9) 4A Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
10. (12) 24W Mason Williams, Fouke, Ark.
11. (11) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
12. (14) 98M Mitchel Madery, Kasson, Minn.
13. (13) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.
14. (10) 23B Brett Bumgardner, Hawkeye, Iowa
15. (3) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas
DNS – 38T Dylan Thornton, Orcutt, Calif.
SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (6) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
3. (10) 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
4. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (2) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (7) 83 Kylie Kath, Claremont, Minn.
7. (12) 24J Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
8. (9) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
9. (15) 28 Parker Hale, Grand Meadow, Minn.
10. (13) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
11. (11) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
12. (16) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
13. (18) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
14. (14) K9 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
15. (27) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
16. (26) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
17. (19) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
18. (17) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
19. (23) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
20. (20) 27 Don Gerritsen Jr., Rock Rapids, Iowa
21. (21) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
22. (25) 12M Nick Murgic, Rosemount, Minn.
23. (30) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas
24. (5) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
25. (28) 10C Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa
26. (24) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
27. (22) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
28. (4) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
29. (29) 4 Jeremy Nelson, Alexandria, Minn.
30. (3) 49 Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
Lap Leader: Sanders 1-35.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 35.
Margin of Victory: 3.672 seconds.
Time of Race: 18 minutes, 38.755 seconds (2 cautions).
Provisional Starters: O’Neil, Carter.
Emergency Provisionals: Nelson, Ahumada.
FK Rod Ends/KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Phillips (started 26th, finished 16th).
Entries: 81.
Next Race: Friday-Saturday, Sept. 22-23, Deer Creek Speedway.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Sanders 2471, Hughes 2307, Jim Chisholm 2279, Ramirez 2256, O'Neil 2239, Mullens 2231, Ebert 2173, Phillips 2117, Wolff 2104, VanderBeek 2086.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Tom Berry Jr. 1729, Krup 1707, Nelson 1545, Christian 1470, Lavasseur 1278.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Jim Chisholm 164, Sanders 120, O'Neil 112, Hughes 98, Mullens 85.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 209, Mullens 198, Hughes 186, VanderBuilt 144, Skyrocket 140.
Callies/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 226, Cornett 213, Hatfield 193, Stoen 188, KSE 170.
Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Leer.
American Racer – Erickson.
Beyea Custom Headers – Hughes.
BigDeal Car Care – Sanders, O’Neil.
Bryke Racing – O’Neil.
BSB Manufacturing – Ebert.
Carquest – TBD.
Champ Pans – Ramirez.
Collins Brothers Towing – Sorensen.
Deatherage Opticians – Krup.
Edelbrock – Christian.
Fast Shafts – Williamson.
FK Rod Ends – Phillips.
Hooker Harness – Schott.
Hyperco – Givens.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Christian.
Keyser Manufacturing – Jim Chisholm.
KSE Racing Products – Phillips.
MD3 – Sanders.
Mel Hambelton Racing – Mullens.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – M. Smith.
Midwest Wrap Co. – Murgic.
MSD Performance – Davis.
Penske Racing Shocks – VanderBeek.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – VanderBeek.
QA1 – Mullens.
Quarter Master – Wolff.
RacerWebsite.com – McCreery.
Salty’s BBQ & Catering – O’Neil.
Simpson Race Products – Schott.
Summit Racing Equipment – Ahumada, Leer, Saurer, Wasmund Williamson.
Super Clean – Sanders.
Swift Springs – Jim Chisholm, Kath, Sanders.
Sybesma Graphics – Sanders.
VP Racing – Sanders.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Leer.
Willy's Carb & Dyno Shop – Hale.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Joe Chisholm.
USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Callies Performance Products, Chevrolet Performance, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, Super Clean, VP Racing, Wieland.
USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ARMI Contractors, Boomtest Well Service, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Collins Brothers Towing, D&T Marriott Enterprise, LLC, DAY Motorsports, Duvall Electric, Gunshepherd.com, Hacienda Mechanical, Kenny's Tile, Mel Hambelton Racing, Midwest Wrap Co., Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, S&S Fishing & Rental, Salty's BBQ & Catering, Shocker Hitch, Shop Quik Stores, YouDirt.com.
USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, BigDeal Car Care, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Deatherage Opticians, Edelbrock, Hooker Harness, Hyperco, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, JE Pistons, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, Keyser Manufacturing, MD3, MSD Performance, Penske Racing Shocks, Performance Bodies & Parts, QA1, Quarter Master, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Willy’s Carb & Dyno Shop, Wilwood Racing.
USMTS RACETRACKS: 81 Speedway, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Arrowhead Speedway, Cedar Lake Speedway, Deer Creek Speedway, Fayette County Speedway, Hamilton County Speedway, Humboldt Speedway, Lakeside Speedway, Lucas Oil Speedway, Mason City Motor Speedway, Ogilvie Raceway, Rocket Raceway Park.
