VIVIAN, La.—He had been close several times this season, but Cade Dillard waited until the United States Modified Touring Series returned to his home state Thursday to notch his career-first USMTS win on opening night of the 8th Annual USMTS Winter Nationals at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La.

From the outside of the front row, the 23-year-old from Robeline grabbed the lead at the drop of the green flag and was the first driver to cross the start-finish line for all 30 laps of the main event.

Although he led them all, the 2014 USMTS Rookie of the Year was challenged throughout every lap by polesitter Triston Dycus and fourth-starting Kelly Shryock.

Despite his best efforts, Shryock was about a car-length short at the end and had to settle for the runner-up paycheck while Dillard collected the $2,000 top prize.

Dycus held of Tennessee’s Lucas Lee for third while USRA Modified National Champion Fito Gallardo rounded out the top five. Jason Hughes, Jake Gallardo, Steve Whiteaker Jr., Jason Ingalls and Dereck Ramirez finished sixth through tenth, respectively.

Jake Gallardo, who finished second behind Dillard in this year’s USMTS rookie points, passed 16 cars during the 30-lapper.

Action continues Friday and Saturday. Friday’s victor will pocket $3,000 and Saturday’s finale will award $4,000 to the winner.

On Friday, spectator tickets are $15 and pit passes are $35. On Saturday, tickets are $20 and pit passes are $40. Kids ages 10 and under get in for free both days.

Factory Stocks and Limited Mods will also be competing for $700 to win Friday and $1,000 to win Saturday in each class.

RacinDirt will carry the action live via pay-per-view all three days with complete coverage of all three divisions from the first lap to the last. For ordering information check out www.racindirt.com.

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 or check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
8th Annual USMTS Winter Nationals – Night 1 of 3
Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.
Thursday, November 6, 2014

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races were locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

C&R RACING HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (4) 12 Lucas Lee, Paris, Tenn.
2. (2) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (5) 25 Dougie Murphrey, Tullos, La.
4. (8) 12T Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas.
5. (11) 431 Kyle Cummings, Sibley, La.
6. (3) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.
7. (1) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
8. (7) 28 Josh Mitchell, Many, La.
9. (6) 4C James Harper, Monroe, La.
10. (10) 16X Jason Beasley, Vivian, La.
11. (9) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.

JRi SHOCKS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (5) 77 Brian Craighead, Farmerville, La.
2. (3) 12 Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas.
3. (1) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
4. (7) 4s T.J. Steele, Winnsboro, Texas.
5. (8) 5W John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas.
6. (2) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La.
7. (11) 117 Eoin Dunn, Belcher, La.
8. (6) 21T Lance Town, Louisburg, Kan.
9. (10) 33L Charlie Kruithof, Haughton, La.
10. (4) 1* Adam Penn, Shreveport, La.
11. (9) 140 Greg Garrett, Texarkana, Texas.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (1) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas.
3. (2) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (11) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (9) 22 Ronald Pilkington, Marshall, Texas.
6. (8) 27 Chase Delrio, West Monroe, La.
7. (6) 20 Robbie McClain, Hot Springs, Ark.
8. (10) 10 Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
9. (4) 5* Casey Penn, Shreveport, La.
10. (5) 14 Rusty Harris, Shreveport, La.
11. (7) 44 Christy Barnett-Georges, El Paso, Texas.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (2) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
3. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (9) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (10) 51 Tim Setzer, Archie, Mo.
6. (1) 43J B.J. Cook, Shreveport, La.
7. (4) 15G Geoff Lary, Dubberly, La.
8. (5) 27L Tony Lindsey, Keithville, La.
9. (11) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
10. (8) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
11. (6) 81 Randy Warner, Bossier City, La.

DAY MOTOR SPORTS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 44 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
2. (4) 14t Triston Dycus, Waxahachie, Texas.
3. (3) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
4. (11) 21 Van Gemmill, Ponca City, Okla.
5. (9) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.
6. (6) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas.
7. (10) 5A Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas.
8. (7) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas.
9. (2) 13B Clint Bates, Bossier, La.
10. (8) L1 Larry Clevenger, Greenwood, La.
11. (5) c8 Timothy Culp, Sheridan, Ark.

RACINDIRT.COM HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (6) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
3. (2) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas.
4. (10) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
5. (7) 77 Garrett Gregory, Tomball, Texas.
6. (3) 96 Michael Knighten, Keithville, La.
7. (9) 5A Glen Perry, Bossier City, La.
8. (8) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
9. (4) 84 Nicholas Brown, Quitman, La.
10. (11) 76 Jesse Manning, Brazoria, Texas.
11. (5) 5A Josh Beckham, Choudrant, La.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
2. (1) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
3. (4) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
4. (6) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas.
5. (13) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, LG2/PPE, $75.
6. (9) 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas, GRT/Sput’s, $75.
7. (5) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas, LG2/Brooks, $75.
8. (7) 27 Chase Delrio, West Monroe, La., Hughes/Delrio, $75.
9. (3) 12T Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas, Hughes/PTS, $75.
10. (12) 27L Tony Lindsey, Keithville, La., TRE/Lindsey, $75.
11. (10) 22B Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., MBCustom/Mullins, $75.
12. (15) 76 Jesse Manning, Brazoria, Texas, GRT/105, $75.
13. (16) 14 Rusty Harris, Shreveport, La., /, $75.
14. (18) 81 Randy Warner, Bossier City, La., /, $75.
15. (14) 5* Casey Penn, Shreveport, La., Hughes/Mullins, $75.
16. (11) 10 Cayden Carter, Oskaloosa, Iowa, LG2/Midstate, $75.
17. (8) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas, TRE/Mullins, $75.
18. (17) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (1) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (5) 51 Tim Setzer, Archie, Mo.
4. (4) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (6) 5W John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas, Pierce/CB, $75.
6. (18) c8 Timothy Culp, Sheridan, Ark., Hughes/Sput’s, $75.
7. (8) 21 David Winslett, Bossier City, La., IRP/TwinCity, $75.
8. (9) 96 Michael Knighten, Keithville, La., Kraft/Knighten, $75.
9. (12) 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas, CAM/Mullins, $75.
10. (10) 20 Robbie McClain, Hot Springs, Ark., Shaw/Craft, $75.
11. (14) 13B Clint Bates, Bossier, La., Kraft/PTS, $75.
12. (7) 117 Eoin Dunn, Belcher, La., Skyrocket/, $75.
13. (16) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., MBCustom/Sput’s, $75.
14. (11) 28 Josh Mitchell, Many, La., /, $75.
15. (13) 33L Charlie Kruithof, Haughton, La., /, $75.
16. (3) 431 Kyle Cummings, Sibley, La., Impressive/PTS, $75.
17. (15) 16X Jason Beasley, Vivian, La., GRT/WCH, $75.
18. (17) 140 Greg Garrett, Texarkana, Texas, Shaw/Best, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas.
2. (4) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
3. (5) 22 Ronald Pilkington, Marshall, Texas.
4. (3) 4s T.J. Steele, Winnsboro, Texas.
5. (11) 21T Lance Town, Louisburg, Kan., Hughes/Driskell, $75.
6. (6) 77 Garrett Gregory, Tomball, Texas, LG2/Durham, $75.
7. (10) 15G Geoff Lary, Dubberly, La., IRP/PTS, $75.
8. (12) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, LG2/Durham, $75.
9. (15) 1* Adam Penn, Shreveport, La., Hughes/Mullins, $75.
10. (8) 43J B.J. Cook, Shreveport, La., Hughes/, $75.
11. (7) 5A Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas, TRE/PTS, $75.
12. (14) 84 Nicholas Brown, Quitman, La., Harris/RPM, $75.
13. (9) 5A Glen Perry, Bossier City, La., IRP/Craft, $75.
14. (2) 25 Dougie Murphrey, Tullos, La., Hughes/Mullins, $75.
15. (13) 4C James Harper, Monroe, La., Hughes/Pitts, $75.
16. (16) L1 Larry Clevenger, Greenwood, La., Skyrocket/PTS, $75.
17. (18) 5A Josh Beckham, Choudrant, La., GRT/Sput’s, $75.
18. (17) 44 Christy Barnett-Georges, El Paso, Texas, GRT/Barnett, $75.

“A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. (2) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., LG2/105, 30, $2000.
2. (4) 44 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ASI, 30, $1500.
3. (1) 14t Triston Dycus, Waxahachie, Texas, GRT/Wells, 30, $1000.
4. (7) 12 Lucas Lee, Paris, Tenn., Brucebilt/Mullins, 30, $800.
5. (3) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/AOS, 30, $700.
6. (6) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 30, $600.
7. (23) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/AOS, 30, $500.
8. (8) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 30, $450.
9. (12) 12 Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas, IRP/PTS, 30, $400.
10. (11) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/Cornett, 30, $350.
11. (14) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, 30, $325.
12. (17) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Ramirez/Cornett, 30, $300.
13. (5) 77 Brian Craighead, Farmerville, La., LG2/Sput’s, 30, $275.
14. (18) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 30, $250.
15. (15) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas, MBCustom/Mullins, 30, $240.
16. (21) 22 Ronald Pilkington, Marshall, Texas, GRT/AMS, 30, $230.
17. (10) 21 Van Gemmill, Ponca City, Okla., Skyrocket/Sput’s, 30, $220.
18. (16) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark., IROC/Homegrown, 30, $210.
19. (19) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., LG2/Mullins, 30, $200.
20. (20) 51 Tim Setzer, Archie, Mo., Hughes/Driskell, 30, $200.
21. (9) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 19, $200.
22. (22) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas, GRT/Sput’s, 19, $200.
23. (24) 4s T.J. Steele, Winnsboro, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 13, $200.
24. (13) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La., MBCustom/Hatfield, 12, $200.

Lap Leader: Dillard 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Dillard 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.315 second.
Sybesma Graphics Pole Award: Craighead.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: J. Gallardo (started 23rd, finished 7th).
Next Race: Friday, Nov. 7, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – not awarded.
Beyea Custom Headers – Pleasant.
Brass Monkey Racing Products – Bone.
C&R Racing – Lee.
Edelbrock – Dillard.
FK Rod Ends – Dunn.
Forty9Designs.com – Tillison, Hebert.
Fuel Safe – Hughes.
GRT Race Cars – various.
Hooker Harness – Craighead.
JRi Shocks – Craighead.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Ingalls.
Keyser Manufacturing – Ramirez.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Steele.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – not awarded.
MSD Ignition – Dillard, Shryock.
PBM Performance Products – F. Gallardo, Dillard.
Power Lift Racing Products – Gemmill.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Sybesma Graphics – Craighead.
VP Racing Fuels – Dillard.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AMP Energy, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, SpiderWeb Modular Storage Solutions, Swan Energy, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Double H Bands, ElbowsUp.com, Erson Cams, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Major League Bowhunter, Mesilla Valley Transportation, New Vision Graphics, Olympic Fire Protection, Penn Transport, Road Runner Crane, Road Runner Trucking, S&S Fishing & Rental, United Cellular Services, Widow Wax.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, Brass Monkey Racing Products, C&R Racing, CPD Racing Tools, Edelbrock, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Power Lift Racing Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends.