SPRING VALLEY, Minn.—Brad Waits took command at the drop of the green flag and proceeded to lead all 40 laps of Saturday’s main event for the USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental at the Deer Creek Speedway.

Waits, whose first of four United States Modified Touring Series victories at ‘The Creek’ came at the inaugural World Modified Dirt Track Championship here in 2011, had recent high school graduate Lucas Schott on his tail the whole way but never faltered.

While most of the field chose to circle the high side of the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval, two-time defending USMTS National Champion Rodney Sanders elected to take the road less traveled and used the shortest way around the track to climb his way to the front.

Waits crossed the finish line first to score a $3,000 payday and his second straight Memorial Day Weekend triumph at Deer Creek while Schott settled for the runner-up paycheck.

Sanders, who started 13th, dove underneath Brent Larson on the final lap to steal the third position away and Sybesma Graphics Pole Award winner Nate Wasmund came home fifth.

Kelly Shryock, Dereck Ramirez, Zack VanderBeek, Keith Foss and rookie contender 60 Dan Ebert completed the top 10.

The four-day Memorial Day Weekend swing wraps up tomorrow at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, for the 13th Annual Stars & Stripes Shootout presented by Weis Buick GMC.

Sunday’s blockbuster event will also feature the Holley Iron Man Series featuring USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods. USRA Hobby Stocks will round out the four-division card. Gates open at 5 p.m. and hot laps begin at 6 with racing to follow.

The winner gets $3,000 and each main event starter goes home with at least $250. Valuable point s are up for grabs in the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region presented by Day Motor Sports.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and children 5 or under get in for free. Pit passes are $35. Race fans can pick up $2-off adult admission coupons at Casey’s General Stores locations in Cresco, Decorah, Ossian and Waukon. To find the location nearest you, visit www.caseys.com.

The Upper Iowa Speedway is a semi-banked quarter-mile dirt oval located 1.8 miles east of US 52 on SR 9, then 1.0 mile northwest on Montgomery St., then northeast on E. Main St. (at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds). For more information call 563-382-0711 or visit www.upperiowaspeedway.com online.

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 or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Casey’s Cup Series powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region presented by Day Motor Sports
13th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge presented by A&A Electrical & Underground
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Saturday, May 23, 2015

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races were locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

MSD HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) IOU1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, Minn.
2. (1) 2 Casey Arneson (R), Fargo, N.D.
3. (7) 60 Dan Ebert (R), Lake Shore, Minn.
4. (9) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (4) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
6. (6) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis.
7. (10) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa.
8. (8) 30 Josh Ruby, Lakota, Iowa.
9. (3) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
10. (5) 97.5 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (7) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
4. (4) V2 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn.
5. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (6) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
7. (2) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn.
8. (9) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
9. (8) 6m Ted Marrs, Bethel, Minn.
10. (10) 15 Chris Loberg (R), Menomonie, Wis.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
2. (4) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
3. (1) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
4. (5) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn.
5. (6) 89 Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.
6. (9) 19 Dustin Sorenson (R), Rochester, Minn.
7. (7) 99 Jesse Sobbing (R), Malvern, Iowa.
8. (8) 23k Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
9. (2) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (3) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (4) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
4. (7) 7x Jesse Glenz (R), Cadott, Wis.
5. (9) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
6. (8) 23k Ben Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
7. (6) 1g Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
8. (5) 86d Dagan Heim (R), Rosemount, Minn.
9. (2) 66 Mike Mehling, Grand Meadow, Minn.

ALLSTAR PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (6) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
3. (8) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
4. (4) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (9) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
6. (1) 4a Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
7. (5) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
8. (2) 07 Cory Crapser (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis.
9. (7) 02 Kody Scholpp (R), Estevan, Sask., Canada.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (2) 7x Jesse Glenz (R), Cadott, Wis.
3. (4) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
4. (5) V2 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn.
5. (3) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
6. (6) 89 Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis.
7. (12) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
8. (8) 23k Ben Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan.
9. (11) 99 Jesse Sobbing (R), Malvern, Iowa.
10. (10) 4a Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn.
11. (9) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis., GRT/Tomcat, $90.
12. (7) 4 Cody Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., Impressive/Gade, $90.
13. (13) 30 Josh Ruby, Lakota, Iowa., Skyrocket/KSE, $75.
14. (17) 02 Kody Scholpp (R), Estevan, Sask., Canada, LG2/KSE, $90.
15. (16) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, $90.
16. (15) 72 Doug Hillson, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Fast, $90.
17. (14) 86d Dagan Heim (R), Rosemount, Minn., Shaw/Murgic, $90.
18. (18) 15 Chris Loberg (R), Menomonie, Wis., Skyrocket/Sput’s, $90.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
2. (2) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
3. (4) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn.
4. (8) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa.
5. (9) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill.
6. (3) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
7. (6) 19 Dustin Sorenson (R), Rochester, Minn., GRT/Action, $90.
8. (10) 0 Les Duellman, Winona, Minn., DirtDueler/Grove, $90.
9. (14) 07 Cory Crapser (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis., GRT/Tim’s, $90.
10. (17) 97.5 Greg Jensen, Albert Lea, Minn., BC/KSE, $90.
11. (11) 1g Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa., Skyrocket/Karl, $90.
12. (12) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn., GRT/Tim’s, $90.
13. (15) 6m Ted Marrs, Bethel, Minn., Frederick/Homerun, $75.
14. (5) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., LG2/BuckBuilt, $90.
15. (16) 66 Mike Mehling, Grand Meadow, Minn., $75.
16. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $90.
17. (13) 23k Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., Killer/Flyin’J, $75.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (2) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn., LG2/Baiers, 40, $3000.
2. (7) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $1700.
3. (13) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 40, $1200.
4. (4) IOU1 Brent Larson, Lake Elmo, Minn., Shaw/Hill, 40, $1000.
5. (1) 52w Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn., LG2/Action, 40, $900.
6. (6) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ASI, 40, $800.
7. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 40, $700.
8. (5) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, LG2/Sput’s, 40, $650.
9. (14) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn., Hughes/Grove, 40, $500.
10. (10) 60 Dan Ebert (R), Lake Shore, Minn., Impressive/Speedwerx, 40, $550.
11. (11) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, 40, $500.
12. (17) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., LG2/Geddes, 40, $450.
13. (12) 2 Casey Arneson (R), Fargo, N.D., GRT/Durham, 40, $425.
14. (15) 7x Jesse Glenz (R), Cadott, Wis., MBCustom/Tim’s, 40, $400.
15. (21) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., Sidebiter/Sput’s, 40, $375.
16. (19) V2 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn., SSR/Tim’s, 40, $400.
17. (9) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $325.
18. (20) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sperry, 40, $300.
19. (25) 99 Jesse Sobbing (R), Malvern, Iowa, MBCustom/Sput’s, 40, $400.
20. (26) 23k Ben Kates (R), Tonganoxie, Kan., GRT/Mullins, 40, $300.
21. (16) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $300.
22. (23) 89 Eric Pember, Pittsville, Wis., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $300.
23. (28) 4a Joel Alberts, Mantorville, Minn., GRT/Action, 40, $300.
24. (22) 6 Brock Bauman (R), Eureka, Ill., Impressive/Gade, 31, $300.
25. (24) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn., GRT/Action, 20, $300.
26. (18) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn., MBCustom/BK, 16, $300.
27. (3) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn., MBCustom/KSE, 9, $300.
28. (27) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn., LG2/BuckBuilt, 9, $300.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leader: Waits 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Waits 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.592 second.
Provisional Starters: Sobbing, Kates, B. Timm (track), Alberts (track).
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Wasmund.
Hard Charger: Sanders (started 13th, finished 3rd).
Entries: 47.
Next Race: Sunday, May 24, Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa.
Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region Points: Sanders 388, Ebert 309, Larson 309, Scott 292, VanderBeek 290, Arneson 282, Glenz 281, Sobbing 265, Ramirez 264, Jensen 250.
Rookie of the Year Points: Sobbing 1564, Arneson 1341, Kates 1204, Austin Arneson 1073, Ronnie Gould III 721.
Manufacturers Championship Points: LG2 183, MBCustom 178, GRT 160, Hughes 155, Hilsabeck 61.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Geddes 153, Mullins 139, Sput’s 132, Durham 129, Cornett 103.

Contingency Awards:
AERO Race Wheels – B. Timm.
Allstar Performance – VanderBeek.
American Racer – J. Timm.
Beyea Custom Headers – Wasmund.
BSB Manufacturing – Wetzstein.
Chix Gear Racewear – Sanders.
Deatherage Opticians – Waits.
Edelbrock – Davis.
Eibach Springs – Dillard.
FK Rod Ends – Cummins.
Forty9Designs.com – Glenz, Sobbing.
Fuel Safe – Shryock.
GRT Race Cars – Oertel.
Hooker Harness – Arneson.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Foss.
Keyser Manufacturing – Ebert.
KSE Racing Products – Ramirez.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Davis.
Midwest Sheet Metal – Davis.
MSD Ignition – Larson, Waits.
PBM Performance Products – VanderBeek, Waits.
QA1 – Larson.
R2C Performance Products – Schott.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics – Wasmund.
Tilton Engineering – Larson.
VP Racing Fuels – Waits.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Scott.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Ramirez.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Malvern Trust & Savings Bank, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Double H Bands, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Rivers Edge Scrap Management, Schwab’s Tinker Shop, UMotors Motorsports & Marine, Velocita-USA.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, BSB Manufacturing, CPD Racing Tools, Crane Cams, Driven Racing Oil, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance, Hooker Custom Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Midwest Sheet Metal, PBM Performance Products, QA1 Precision Products, Quarter Master, R2C Performance, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sybesma Graphics, Tilton Engineering, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.