Hughes Sweeps Humboldt

The opening races at Humboldt Speedway for 2010 were highlighted by the first of two appearences this year by the United States Modified Touring Series; the 5th annual "Havoc at The Hummer". Far and away, though, was the dominant performance of Westville, Oklahoma driver Jason Hughes.

USMTS feature lineups are determined by a series of heat races, in which every car a driver passes rewards him with points. The top 14 cars in passing points out of the heats go automatically to the "A" main (the big money show), while 12 more cars are brought up through the "B" main, or "consi" races, for a total of 26 Modifieds starting the main event. Of the original 14 cars, the top 8 draw for starting spots in the first 4 rows.

On Saturday, March 13th, Hughes advanced to the A feature through the heats, drew pole position for the feature, and proceeded to check out on the field for a dominating win. The real action in this race was a wheel to wheel battle between 9 time USMTS champion Kelly Shryock and Chanute, Ks. driver John Allen that strched over several laps. At the checkered flag, Allen wrestled away the runner up spot from Shryock, while Mark Dotson of Cameron, Missouri and Mike Hansen of Alton, Iowa finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Hughes had been fast in USMTS action over the previous three weeks, and once again made the A feature immediately on Sunday. This time though, Hughes drew third row inside for a starting spot, with five extremely strong automobiles in front of him. Crowd consenses was that Hughes would not repeat his previous night's dominant win.

Hughes, however, is apparently not much into listening to the crowd's opinion.

Within the first 10 laps of the 40 lap feature, Hughes was in the lead, and sailing away. When all was said and done, approximately a third of the field was lapped, and Hughes was, again, the winner. The hardest charge of the day, though, went to runner up Johnny Bone, Jr. of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, who came from eighth to second. Tommy Weder, Jr. out of Woodward, Ok. was third, followed by Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Ia., and Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas.

Local drivers were in the spotlight as well in "support" races.

Saturday night, '09 B Mod champ Payden Phillips successfully passed and then held at bay Jay Lamons, Jr. for the feature win. In this event, Tim VanGotten, Nathan Schmidt, and Jesse Sobbing of Glenwood, Mo. rounded out the top five.

Sunday, however, a re-invigorated Lamons put Phillips away early, and dominated feature action. Sobbing recorded third, followed by VanGotten and Mike Letterman.

Saturday nights Factory Stock action saw Shawn Strong of Republic, Mo. winning the feature in his first ever Humboldt appearence. Doug Scism of Nevada, Mo. was second, followed by Dusty Marvin of Iola, Mike Lawrence of Winfield, Ks, and Dustin Lawrence, also of Winfield.
The Sunday show featured an outstanding performance by feature winner Billy Shadden of Osawatimie. Robert Bright of Dewy, Oklahoma was second, followed by Scism, Mike Lawrence, and Dustin Lawrence.

Regular racing returns to The Hummer on Saturday, March 27, after which the standard Friday night schedule will commence.

www.humboldtspeedway.com

Casey's General Store - Modified
Heat Races 3/14/2010
Heat 1 Finish Driver
1 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (1)
2 6 - Justin Folk -- Iola, KS (7)
3 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (6)
4 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)
5 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (8)
6 73 - Mickey Burrell -- Fair Grove, MO (4)
7 81 - Danny Charles -- Bashor, KS (2)
8 22B - Rick Beebe -- Shawnee, KS (5)
9 3B - Nic Bidinger -- Perry, KS (9)

Heat 2 Finish Driver
1 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
2 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (6)
3 4R - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)
4 8 - Colt Mather -- Webster, IA (4)
5 9D - Scott Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (7)
6 31 - John Williams -- Haughton, LA (3)
7 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
8 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8)
9 39 - Gary Langworthy Jr. -- Coffeyville, KS (9)

Heat 3 Finish Driver
1 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (3)
2 20 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)
3 3d - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (2)
4 11s - Scotty Bough -- Nevada, MO (9)
5 1c - Chris Deaton -- Wann, OK (5)
6 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (6)
7 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (1)
8 39 - Luke Driskell -- Stilwell, KS (8)
9 Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (7)

Heat 4 Finish Driver
1 90 - Terry Schultz -- Sedalia, MO (3)
2 5c - Don Crnkovich -- Olathe, KS (1)
3 x2 - Brian Bolin -- Fort Scott, KS (2)
4 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (6)
5 47 - Melvin Pilcher -- Springdale, AR (7)
6 63 - Ryan Whitworth -- Humboldt, KS (5)
7 11 - Josh Griggs -- Dewey, OK (4)
8 12X - Cody Elnicki -- Girard, KS (8)

Heat 5 Finish Driver
1 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (7)
2 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (3)
3 12H - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (2)
4 16 - Austin Siebert -- Grandview, MO (4)
5 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (5)
6 17 - Lucas Conley -- Spring Hill, KS (8)
7 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
8 23 - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (1)


A Main Prelim Report
Casey's General Store - Modified 3/14/2010
Preliminary Redraw
Driver Name Car Number Points Starting Starting
Hughes, Jason 12 68 1 1
Folk, Justin 6 62.5 2 2
Scott, Johnny 1st 62 1 3
Schultz, Terry 90 62 1 4
Sanders, Rodney 20 61 2 5
Bone Jr., Johnny 12b 59 1 6
VanderBeek, Zack 33z 59 1 7
Weder Jr., Tommy 20 58 2 8
Rowland, Bryan 20r 56.5 2 9 XXXXXX
Allen, John 98 55.5 3 10 XXXXXX
Crnkovich, Don 5c 55 2 11 XXXXXX
Bough, Scotty 11s 54.5 4 12 XXXXXX
Ramirez, Dereck 4R 51 3 13 XXXXXX
Daniels, Dan 3d 51 3 14 XXXXXX


Casey's General Store - Modified
B Main Finish 3/14/2010
Heat 1 Finish Driver
1 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)
2 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (2)
3 x2 - Brian Bolin -- Fort Scott, KS (1)
4 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (11)
5 47 - Melvin Pilcher -- Springdale, AR (5)
6 3B - Nic Bidinger -- Perry, KS (14)
7 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (12)
8 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (8)
9 16 - Austin Siebert -- Grandview, MO (4)
10 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (6)
11 81 - Danny Charles -- Bashor, KS (9)
12 73 - Mickey Burrell -- Fair Grove, MO (7)
13 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (10)
14 12X - Cody Elnicki -- Girard, KS (13)
15 Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (15)

Heat 2 Finish Driver
1 9D - Scott Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (4)
2 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (2)
3 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (9)
4 12H - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (1)
5 17 - Lucas Conley -- Spring Hill, KS (6)
6 8 - Colt Mather -- Webster, IA (3)
7 31 - John Williams -- Haughton, LA (7)
8 1c - Chris Deaton -- Wann, OK (5)
9 63 - Ryan Whitworth -- Humboldt, KS (8)
10 22B - Rick Beebe -- Shawnee, KS (11)
11 11 - Josh Griggs -- Dewey, OK (10)
12 23 - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (13)
13 39 - Gary Langworthy Jr. -- Coffeyville, KS (14)
14 39 - Luke Driskell -- Stilwell, KS (12)


Casey's General Store - Modified
A Main Finish 3/14/2010
Finish Drive
1 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (6)
2 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (8)
3 20 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (5)
4 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
5 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (3)
6 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (9)
7 4R - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (13)
8 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (4)
9 x2 - Brian Bolin -- Fort Scott, KS (19)
10 90 - Terry Schultz -- Sedalia, MO (7)
11 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (21)
12 3d - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (14)
13 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (15)
14 47 - Melvin Pilcher -- Springdale, AR (23)
15 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (20)
16 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (10)
17 9D - Scott Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (16)
18 5c - Don Crnkovich -- Olathe, KS (11)
19 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (17)
20 17 - Lucas Conley -- Spring Hill, KS (24)
21 8 - Colt Mather -- Webster, IA (26)
22 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (18)
23 3B - Nic Bidinger -- Perry, KS (25)
24 11s - Scotty Bough -- Nevada, MO (12)
25 12H - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (22)
26 6 - Justin Folk -- Iola, KS (2)