Ryan Gustin took the lead from race-long leader Travis Saurer with five laps to go in Saturday’s 40-lap main event at the Deer Creek Speedway, and went on to score his third straight victory in the USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental.

Saurer drove his tail off, scraping the outer concrete wall in both corners nearly every lap while several drivers tried to run him down without success.

While Saurer banged the cushion, Stormy Scott remained faithful to the shortest way around the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval, and pulled even with the leader on multiple occasions.

Meanwhile, Gustin was lurking close behind, following in Saurer’s tire tracks for most of the race before dipping down to the middle of the track and showing Saurer his nose with eight laps to go.

‘The Reaper’ gave a slide job to Saurer with seven to go but Saurer powered back in front. Two laps later, Gustin drove underneath him and had the lead at the flagstand with five laps remaining.

Saurer stayed close to Gustin’s bumper the rest of the way, and Scott continued to be a presence down below, but Gustin kept them both behind him and cruised to his third straight win.

Ryan Gustin (19r) pulls alongside leader Travis Saurer (1s) during the USMTS main event on Saturday, Sept. 2, at the Deer Creek Speedway. 

Of his now 93 career USMTS victories, it was Gustin’s fifth at ‘The Creek’ and first here since a rain-delayed afternoon show during the 2013 Featherlite Fall Jamboree—a drought spanning 24 starts here.

Saurer’s runner-up finish was a USMTS best for him while Scott finished third and narrowed the gap between himself and points leader Jason Hughes, who finished eighth after starting 21st on the grid.

Zack VanderBeek came from 16th to finish fourth and Lucas Schott, who stated in front of VanderBeek in 14th, finished fifth.

Jake Timm was sixth, Cade Dillard finished seventh, Keith Foss followed Hughes across the finish line in ninth and 17th-starting Dereck Ramirez rounded out the top 10.

With just two more points races to go, Hughes leads Scott by 35 points (1915 to 1880). They are the only two drivers mathematically capable of winning the 2017 USMTS national championship.

Dillard sits third with 1810 markers, followed by Ramirez (1755), Gustin (1726), VanderBeek (1703), Timm (1686), R.C. Whitwell (1652), Saurer (1632) and Ricky Thornton Jr. (1582).

The stars and cars of the USMTS will invade the Cresco Speedway on Sunday for the 15th Annual USMTS Cresco Bowl and the next-to-last event in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental.

This will be the 22nd time the USMTS has churned the Mighty Howard County Fairgrounds clay. Mike Spaulding won the first-ever race here in 2002 and Rodney Sanders was the most recent winner, winning this event the past two years. In between, the checkered flag has waved for Kelly Shryock nine times, twice for Jason Krohn and Al Hejna, and one time for Alan Mondus, Zack VanderBeek, Corey Dripps and Jason Hughes.

The pit gate opens at 4 p.m., grandstands open for seating at 5, hot laps begin at 6 and the first race hits the track at 6:45. Grandstand admission is $20 for adults (18 and older), $10 for teens (13-17) and free for kids 12 & under.

Coupons good for $2 off adult admission available at Casey's General Stores locations in Cresco, Decorah, Fredericksburg, Lime Springs, New Hampton, Ossian and Riceville, plus Preston in Minnesota. To find the location nearest you, visit www.caseys.com.

Ricky Thornton Jr. will have his Double Stuf Oreo machine alongside from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Casey’s General Store located at 601 2nd Ave. SW in Cresco. Fans can get a special $5-off ‘Hot Ticket’ directly from Thornton during his appearance.

The Cresco Speedway is a semi-banked 4/10-mile clay oval located 2 blocks north of SR 9 on SW 7th. Race day info is available by calling (563) 547-3400 or at www.mhcfair.com.

The 2017 USMTS national champion will emerge following the final race of the USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup and the first night of the 19th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

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 and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
12th Annual USMTS Labor Day Duel presented by Barclay Landscaping
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (4) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
2. (2) 11x Rich Lofthus, Bloomer, Wis.
3. (5) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
4. (9) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (1) 0 Zack Drews (R), Superior, Wis.
6. (6) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn.
7. (7) 19 Dustin Sorensen (R), Rochester, Minn.
8. (8) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.
9. (3) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn.
2. (4) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (8) 1m Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
4. (6) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
5. (1) 33f Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo.
6. (5) 23b Brett Bumgardner (R), Hawkeye, Iowa.
7. (9) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa.
8. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
9. (7) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
2. (4) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn.
3. (3) 2t Jake O'Neil (R), Tucson, Ariz.
4. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (8) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
6. (9) 4b Cory Bruggeman (R), Stillwater, Minn.
7. (5) 23k Darwyn Karau, Kasson, Minn.
8. (1) 14 Amanda Stiffler (R), Farmdale, Ohio.
9. (6) 00 Mark Gartner, Mapleton, Minn.

THE JOIE OF SEATING HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (5) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (7) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
5. (4) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
6. (2) 00 Owen Grube (R), Cambridge, Minn.
7. (6) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
8. (8) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn.
9. (9) 57 James King, Hastings, Minn.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (3) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
2. (1) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
3. (2) 14 Scott Stiffler (R), Farmdale, Ohio.
4. (5) 55 Brian Shaw, Brownsdale, Minn.
5. (6) 1g Pat Graham, Ankeny, Iowa.
6. (4) 1a Dwaine Hanson, Lakefield, Minn.
7. (9) 4d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn.
8. (7) 20m Mark Motl, Owatonna, Minn.
9. (8) 1s Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
2. (5) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn.
3. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (4) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn.
5. (12) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
6. (11) 19 Dustin Sorensen (R), Rochester, Minn.
7. (6) 4b Cory Bruggeman (R), Stillwater, Minn., MBCustoms/Tim’s, $90.
8. (3) 2t Jake O'Neil (R), Tucson, Ariz.
9. (10) 29d Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa, MasterSbilt/Sperry, $75.
10. (8) 29h Joe Horgdal, Kasson, Minn., Killer/Action, $75.
11. (13) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, MBCustoms/KPE, $90.
12. (7) 33f Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo., Hughes/Mullins, $90.
13. (14) 02 Jacob Dahle, Morristown, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, $75.
14. (16) 00 Mark Gartner, Mapleton, Minn., $75.
15. (9) 00 Owen Grube (R), Cambridge, Minn., SSR/KSE, $90.
16. (17) 1s Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
17. (15) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput’s, $90.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (12) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (5) 1g Pat Graham, Ankeny, Iowa.
5. (6) 0 Zack Drews (R), Superior, Wis.
6. (7) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn.
7. (14) 20m Mark Motl, Owatonna, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, $75.
8. (10) 4d Tim Donlinger, Rochester, Minn., LG2/Cornett, $75.
9. (8) 23b Brett Bumgardner (R), Hawkeye, Iowa, SSR/Midnight, $90.
10. (11) 23k Darwyn Karau, Kasson, Minn., Killer/Flyin’J, $75.
11. (13) 14 Amanda Stiffler (R), Farmdale, Ohio., Taylor/HRE, $90.
12. (9) 1a Dwaine Hanson, Lakefield, Minn., Skyrocket/KSE, $75.
13. (15) 77 Jacob Stark, Austin, Minn., /, $75.
14. (16) 57 James King, Hastings, Minn., MBCustoms/, $75.
15. (3) 14 Scott Stiffler (R), Farmdale, Ohio., Taylor/HRE, $90.
16. (4) 55 Brian Shaw, Brownsdale, Minn., DirtDueler/Premier, $75.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (4) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $4500.
2. (2) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustoms/Dakota, 40, $1700.
3. (3) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., VanderBuilt/Mullins, 40, $1200.
4. (16) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput’s, 40, $1000.
5. (14) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput’s, 40, $900.
6. (12) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput’s, 40, $800.
7. (9) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustoms/ASI, 40, $700.
8. (21) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $650.
9. (8) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn., Longhorn/Foss, 40, $600.
10. (17) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 40, $550.
11. (23) 19 Dustin Sorensen (R), Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 40, $500.
12. (19) 71 Jason Cummins, New Richland, Minn., LG2/Sput’s, 40, $450.
13. (6) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/Troy’s, 40, $425.
14. (25) 1s Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., MBCustoms/Dakota, 40, $400.
15. (5) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz., MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $400.
16. (18) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $350.
17. (20) 1g Pat Graham, Ankeny, Iowa, Victory/Karl, 39, $325.
18. (15) 33 Joe Ludemann, Grand Meadow, Minn., LG2/Baiers, 39, $250.
19. (22) 0 Zack Drews (R), Superior, Wis., Lethal/Tim’s, 39, $300.
20. (24) 4a Joel Alberts, Kasson, Minn., Rocket/Action, 39, $300.
21. (26) 2t Jake O'Neil (R), Tucson, Ariz., Hughes/Mullins, 31, $300.
22. (1) 1m Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis., GRT/Sput’s, 23, $300.
23. (11) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis., MBCustoms/Sput’s, 20, $300.
24. (13) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 19, $250.
25. (7) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Sput’s, 11, $300.
26. (10) 11x Rich Lofthus, Bloomer, Wis., Hughes/Tim’s, 4, $250.

(R) = Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leaders: Saurer 1-35, Gustin 36-40.
Total Laps Led: Saurer 35, Gustin 5.
Margin of Victory: 0.437 second.
Time of Race: 18 minutes, 34.193 seconds (1 caution).
Provisional Starters: Thornton, O’Neil.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Hughes (started 21st, finished 8th).
Entries: 45.
Next Race: Sunday, Sept. 3, Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa.
Hunt for the Casey’s Cup Points: Hughes 1915, Scott 1880, Dillard 1810, Ramirez 1755, Gustin 1726, VanderBeek 1703, Timm 1686, Whitwell 1652, Saurer 1632, Thornton 1582.
Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Whitwell 1994, Saurer 1940, Wolff 1819, Zane DeVilbiss 1549, Adam Kates 1484.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 527, Sput’s 433, ASI 405, Hatfield 316, Cornett 299.
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 520, MBCustoms 512, VanderBuilt 450, GRT 374, LG2 368.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Hughes.
American Racer – Hughes.
Beyea Custom Headers – Saurer.
BigDeal Car Care – Gustin.
BSB Manufacturing – O’Neil.
Casey’s General Stores – Alberts.
Chix Gear Racewear – Foss.
Deatherage Opticians – Cummins.
Dickson Racing Shocks – Whitwell.
E3 Spark Plugs – Scott.
Edelbrock – Foss.
Fast Shafts – Bleess.
Fuel Safe Racing Cells – Timm.
GRT Race Cars – Motl.
Hooker Custom Harness – Crapser.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Ludemann.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Graham.
Keyser Manufacturing – Ramirez.
KSE Racing Products – Hughes.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Wolff.
QA1 – Bleess.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Simpson Performance Products – Whitwell.
Sweet Manufacturing – Myers.
Swift Springs – Gustin.
Sybesma Graphics – Myers.
Tire Demon – Sorensen.
VP Racing Fuels – Gustin.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – VanderBeek.
Wilwood Engineering – Dillard.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, MSD, Pace Performance, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, SToK Cold-Brew Coffee, Summit Racing Equipment, The Joie of Seating, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oreo, Production Jars, Rancho Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Custom Headers, BigDeal Car Care, BSB Manufacturing, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Custom Harness, Integra Shocks & Springs, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.