NEW RICHMOND, Wis. – The last USMTS win for Terry Phillips came last November in a rain-shortened Summit USMTS Southern Nationals, and his next came in a rain-delayed 40-lap feature Saturday evening at Cedar Lake Speedway.
Phillips’ triumph came during the conclusion of the second night of the 20th annual Masters presented by Allstar Performance.
A heavy downpour around 10 p.m. Friday night forced officials to postpone the main events for both the USMTS Modifieds and Super Late Models until Saturday around 5 p.m.
Lance Hofer won the USRA Late Model feature Friday before the rains came.
Saturday kicked off with a $5,000-to-win main event in the Spike Hardcore Energy USMTS Northern Lights Series, with Phillips standing in victory lane in the end.
Defending Masters champion Rodney Sanders sat on the pole for the start of the race, but it was Dereck Ramirez squirting into the lead from the outside of the front row.
While Ramirez led the first 30 laps, Sanders was relentless in his pursuit. Both drivers tested every inch of the high-banked three-eighths-mile clay oval’s surface before Phillips came into the picture near the halfway mark.
The trio were three-wide when Phillips made the pass coming out of turn four, with Ramirez going from first to third in the blink of an eye.
By the time they came to the flagstand again, Phillips had a commanding lead and cruised to his 27th career USMTS triumph and first of the 2019 campaign.
Sanders held on for second with Ramirez third and Michael Truscott finishing fourth in just his second career USMTS start.
Brad Waits was fifth, while Jimmy Mars, Jason Hughes, Thursday night winner Dustin Sorensen, Adam Hensel and Darrell Nelson rounded out the top 10.
The finish:
1. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $5000.
2. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, 40, $2500.
3. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, 40, $2000.
4. (3) 22t Michael Truscott (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim’s, 40, $1500.
5. (9) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn., VanderBuilt/Stoen, 40, $1000.
6. (10) 4/4 Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim’s, 40, $800.
7. (6) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $600.
8. (11) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, 40, $500.
9. (16) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis., DirtDueler/OFI, 40, $600.
10. (5) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., MBCustoms/Tim’s, 40, $390.
11. (18) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, 40, $380.
12. (24) 0 Jake O’Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, 40, $370.
13. (15) 35 Grant Southworth (R), Bloomer, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim’s, 40, $360.
14. (25) 62 Hunter Marriott (R), Brookfield, Mo., Rage/KSE, 40, $350.
15. (13) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan., MBCustoms/Driskell, 39, $350.
16. (17) 4w Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/Hill, 39, $340.
17. (21) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., LG2/Speedway, 39, $330.
18. (12) 16 Jason VandeKamp (R), Scandia, Minn., Dominator/Hampton, 39, $320.
19. (23) 19sb Lance Mari, Imperial, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, 39, $310.
20. (7) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., VanderBuilt/Troy’s, 37, $300.
21. (14) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/TriStar, 18, $300.
22. (22) 04jr Adam Ayotte (R), Wyoming, Minn., MBCustoms/Tim’s, 16, $300.
23. (20) 96t R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz., Lethal/Mullins, 8, $300.
24. (19) 14w Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn., MasterSbilt/Wagamon, 7, $300.
25. (8) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE, 5, $300.