HUMBOLDT, Kan. – Ryan Gustin continued to wreak havoc on the competition Friday, picking up his second win in as many nights with the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s.
As the United States Modified Touring Series invaded Humboldt Speedway for the seventh annual USMTS Hummer Hustle presented by Fast Shafts, Gustin was best in the second half.
The green flag waved to start the 40-lap main event and Gustin quickly disposed of Dustin Sorensen and went to work on Sybesma Pole Award winner Dereck Ramirez.
The matching green machines stayed that way for the first 20 laps when the second caution of the race occurred.
Gustin took charge with a brilliant move after the restart. The teammates remained that way until the 35th lap when Tucson’s Jake O’Neil picked off Ramirez following the contest’s fourth and final yellow flag.
O’Neil was able to run down Gustin, but the leader must’ve smelled him coming, because Gustin pulled away over the final two loops to claim his second win in as many nights.
For his 103rd career USMTS triumph, ‘The Reaper’ earned a $3,000 reward while O’Neil settled for the runner-up paycheck. Ramirez followed in third and Dustin Sorensen bested Jacob Bleess for fourth after their sporty battle throughout the race.
Rodney Sanders was sixth, Terry Phillips recorded a seventh-place finish, Tanner Mullens earned eighth-place money, R.C. Whitwell nabbed ninth and Hunter Marriott was the 10th driver to cross the finish line.
With his third-place finish and Sanders back in sixth, Ramirez regained the points lead and will sport the flourescent yellow Wrisco Points Leader spoiler.
The series wraps up a four-night swing Saturday at Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., during the sixth annual USMTS Juggernaut presented by Drive4JRT.com.
USRA B-Mods and Factory Stocks will join the show.
The finish:
Ryan Gustin, Jake O’Neil, Dereck Ramirez, Dustin Sorensen, Jacob Bleess, Rodney Sanders, Terry Phillips, Tanner Mullens, R.C. Whitwell, Hunter Marriott, Zack VanderBeek, Calvin Iverson, Jason Hughes, Chase Domer, Adam Kates, Brooks Strength, Tyler Davis, Joe Duvall, Austin Siebert, Dustin Hodges, Nathan Hagar, Michael Dotson, Casey Skyberg, Tyler Wolff, Shayne Bailey, Darron Fuqua.