MEMPHIS, Mo. — Zack VanderBeek put a new car in victory lane for the first time Saturday, capturing his 52nd career USMTS victory and a $5,000 top prize during the 10th annual Mid-America Nationals at Scotland County Speedway.
The 40-lap main event was a thrilling affair. Polesitter Joe Duvall led the first two laps before surrendering the lead to Jim Chisholm.
Chisholm appeared to be in control until VanderBeek, who started seventh, began to reel him in.
VanderBeek, 41, took the lead on lap 25 and pulled away over the final laps to seal the win, while Chisholm nipped points leader Rodney Sanders at the flagstand for second.
“This is a new car that we’ve been working on, and really had high hopes of coming out here this year and showcasing it, and we haven’t had the opportunity. This just showed it, and we were finally able to get on the road here a little bit,” VanderBeek declared. “We had a really good car last night (at Callaway Raceway), and I knew it, but the track wasn’t letting us really get there.”
VanderBeek got to second place with 10 laps complete, and then chased down Chisholm, taking the lead around the high side of the race track .
Tanner Mullens, who climbed from the 19th spot on the starting grid into the top five on lap 24 when the race’s second caution flag waved. Meanwhile, Kyle Strickler, who was disqualified after his heat race win, started 22nd and was close behind in the seventh spot with 15 laps remaining.
Mullens earned the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award with a sixth-place finish while Strickler had problems late in the race and fell out and wound up 16th.
It was Vanderbeek’s 52nd career USMTS triumph—fifth on the all-time wins list. His last one happened May 28, 2023, at the Fayette County Speedway in West Union, Iowa.
The finish:
Zack VanderBeek, Jim Chisholm, Rodney Sanders, Reece Solander, Gary Christian, Tanner Mullens, Joe Chisholm, Trevor Hughes, Austen Becerra, Joe Duvall, Terry Phillips, A.J. Hoff, Dean Wille, Lee Hibner, Cayden Carter, Kyle Strickler, Fisher Reese, Tyler Grooms, Kyle Brown, Tyler Hibner, Preston Dawson
