HUMBOLDT, Kan.—An army of 82 drivers each took part in four 10-lap heat races during the last 28 hours, and Dereck Ramirez of Woodward, Okla., proved to be the Best of the Best as he earned to the pole position for the finale of the King of America V Modified Nationals presented by Chix Gear Racewear.

One month ago today, three drivers entered the final weekend of the MVT Gulf Coast Border Region with a shot at the first United States Modified Touring Series points title of the season.

After the dust settled following two nights of qualifying at the Humboldt Speedway Friday, those same three—Ramirez, Jason Hughes and Austin Arneson—will lead the field to the green flag in Saturday night’s 100-lap, $10,00-to-win battle royale.

Ramirez, who won two of his four qualifying heats and garnered two of his four career USMTS wins this past February, beat out Hughes by one-half of one point for the right to pace the start of the main event while Hughes will start on the outside of the all-Oklahoma front row.

Nobody can match the overall success of Hughes at ‘The Hummer.’ The 2010 USMTS National Champion has 123 career USMTS wins to his credit with 10 of them coming at Humboldt. But he has not been to victory lane here since 2012.

Last month, Arneson’s three wins catapulted him to the MVT Gulf Coast Border Region points title and his drive from eighth to third in his final qualifying heat late Friday propelled the USMTS Rookie of the Year points leader from Fargo, N.D., from 13th after three rounds to third in the final standings.

Jake Timm of Winona, Minn., topped the overall points chart after the first three rounds of qualifying, but the loss of two positions with three laps remaining in his final heat race was the difference between starting on the pole and starting outside of Arneson in row 2.

Altogether, the top 12 in overall points during the first two nights locked themselves into Saturday’s championship race. Joe Adams and Brandon Davis will fill the third row, Chris Brown and Philip Houston make up row 4, Terry Phillips and Dave Cain comprise row 5, and the sixth row will be comprised of Lucas Schott and Justin Rexwinkle.

The other 70 entrants will need to race their way in Saturday through the “B” Main, “C” Main or a Last Chance Race, including defending King of America winner Rodney Sanders. The two-time defending USMTS National Champion will start on the pole of the “B” Main after finishing one-half of one point behind Rexwinkle for the last automatic spot in the finale.

In fact, all four former wearers of the King of America crown can be found in the “B” Main and have yet to punch their ticket to Saturday’s main event.

2011 King of America winner Kelly Shryock will start fifth in the “B” Main and 2013 winner Ryan Gustin is next to him in the third row. Stormy Scott, who won the 2012 event and last Saturday’s USMTS MSD Central Region points race at Humboldt, will start 11th on the “B” Main grid.

While the winner of Saturday’s main event will earn $10,000 and the title of ‘King of America,’ every driver making the 100-lapper will pocket no less than $1,000 to take the green flag.

In addition, provisional starting spots will go to two of the eligible Mesilla Valley Transportation “Perfect Performers” from last month.

Each driver who competed in all of the MVT Gulf Coast Border Region events from Feb. 12 through March 8 are eligible for one of two provisionals at this year's King of America V presented by Chix Gear, as well as the 5th Annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship, July 23-25, at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., and the 16th Annual Fall Nationals, Oct. 22-24, at the Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, N.M.

Each of these events pays a minimum of $900 to start the championship main event, and the provisional starters will be selected randomly from all drivers in attendance at those events who also had perfect attendance in the MVT Gulf Coast Border Region.

Eligible drivers competing at the King of America this weekend and not already locked into the main event include Cade Dillard, Zack VanderBeek, Jake Gallardo, Daniel Hilsabeck, Grant Junghans, Casey Arneson, Ben Kates, Joe Duvall and Ronnie Gould III.

In addition to the USMTS Modifieds on Saturday, the Holley Iron Man Series featuring USRA B-Mods will run a complete show of heat races and main event with $1,000 going to the winner.

Racing starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, and general admission seats are still available while they last.

Although there is nothing like being there, we’ve got the next best thing. Saturday’s blockbuster finale will be broadcast live online by RacinDirt.com, so visit www.racindirt.com/livevideo and get your V.I.P. pass to all of the driver interviews, special features and every single lap of every single race of the final night of the King of America V Modified Nationals presented by Chix Gear Racewear.

The Humboldt Speedway is a located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. For more information call 620-431-2470 or visit www.humboldtspeedway.com. For camping, ATV and/or golf cart permits call 620-473-3694.

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 subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS)
King of America V Modified Nationals presented by Chix Gear Racewear – Night 2 of 3
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Friday, March 27, 2015

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Each driver ran four heat races over two days. Points for each driver used the best three of four attempts, with the top 12 drivers in overall combined points locked into the first six rows of Saturday’s “A” Main.

MAKE-UP ROUND #2, HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
2. (1) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
3. (6) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
4. (5) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
5. (9) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (7) 29 Preston Seratt, Dyersburg, Tenn.
7. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
8. (11) 52 Chad Davis, Tulsa, Okla.
9. (12) 66 Greg Burt, Enid, Okla.
10. (8) 2 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
11. (2) 30 Darin Wendt, Williston, N.D.
12. (4) 11s Scotty Bough, Nevada, Mo.

MAKE-UP ROUND #2, HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. (3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (4) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
3. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (1) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
5. (7) 218 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
6. (10) 96A Alex Engelstad, Beltrami, Minn.
7. (5) 4 Cody Bauman, Eureka, Ill.
8. (8) 49s Caleb Shown, Hooks, Texas.
9. (9) 99M Mike Mullen, Suamico, Wis.
10. (11) 1X Cody Erickson, Ulen, Minn.
11. (6) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

MAKE-UP ROUND #2, HEAT RACE #7 (10 laps):
1. (1) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
2. (2) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
3. (10) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
4. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (11) K6 Joe Adams, Enid, Okla.
6. (3) 42L Bud Longpine, Drummond, Okla.
7. (9) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
8. (4) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.
9. (6) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
10. (8) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
11. (7) 14 Aaron Olson, Mekinock, N.D.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (4) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
2. (1) 1X Cody Erickson, Ulen, Minn.
3. (7) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
4. (6) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
5. (2) 52 Chad Davis, Tulsa, Okla.
6. (10) 71s Dustin Strand, Grand Forks, N.D.
7. (5) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
8. (9) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.
9. (11) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
10. (3) 44 Jared Rogers, Tecumseh, Kan.
11. (12) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
12. (8) 42 Paul Niznik, Medford, Wis.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (2) 18 Tate Davenport, Vinton, Ky.
2. (1) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
3. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (3) 17 Jeremy Chambers, Parsons, Kan.
5. (9) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (6) C8 Timothy Culp, Sheridan, Ark.
7. (10) 29 Preston Seratt, Dyersburg, Tenn.
8. (12) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
9. (11) 2x Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
10. (4) 30 Darin Wendt, Williston, N.D.
11. (7) 86D Dagan Heim, Rosemount, Minn.
12. (5) 11s Scotty Bough, Nevada, Mo.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (4) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
2. (2) K6 Joe Adams, Enid, Okla.
3. (1) 68 Brandon Watson, Denison, Texas.
4. (3) 21K Kyle Brown, State Center, Iowa.
5. (8) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
6. (10) 21J Josh Everhart, Burlingame, Kan.
7. (6) 21x Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
8. (5) 05 Jake Hartung, Elmwood, Wis.
9. (7) 32 Shaun W Peterson, Alexandria, Minn.
10. (9) 2g Troy Girolamo, Eleva, Wis.
11. (11) 14 Aaron Olson, Mekinock, N.D.
12. (12) x Chris Moore, Madison, S.D.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (1) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
2. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (2) 96A Alex Engelstad, Beltrami, Minn.
4. (5) 2c Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
5. (10) 23 Justin Rexwinkle, South Coffeyville, Okla.
6. (8) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (12) 22D Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
8. (11) 2 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
9. (4) 42L Bud Longpine, Drummond, Okla.
10. (6) 1G Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
11. (9) 9d8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
12. (7) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (4) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (5) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
3. (6) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
4. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
5. (8) 71 Jim Body, Diamond, Mo.
6. (12) 24s Mike Stearns, Hecla, S.D.
7. (11) 99M Mike Mullen, Suamico, Wis.
8. (9) 40 Jessy Willard, Mound, Kan.
9. (10) 227 Chase Domer, Nevada, Mo.
10. (1) 38 Ronnie Gould III, Seminole, Okla.
11. (2) 4 Billy Vogel, West Fargo, N.D.
12. (3) g17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (3) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
3. (5) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (7) 19R Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
5. (1) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
6. (4) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
7. (11) 218 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
8. (6) 21 Robby Arnold, Marmaduke, Ark.
9. (8) 26G Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
10. (10) 49s Caleb Shown, Hooks, Texas.
11. (9) 6 Brock Bauman, Eureka, Ill.

ROUND #3, HEAT RACE #7 (10 laps):
1. (3) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
2. (2) 66 Greg Burt, Enid, Okla.
3. (5) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (4) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
5. (9) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
6. (1) 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo.
7. (6) 88D Matt Dotson, Hallsville, Mo.
8. (10) 23K Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
9. (7) 12 Lucas Lee, Paris, Tenn.
10. (8) 4 Cody Bauman, Eureka, Ill.
11. (11) 20 Trevor Anderson, Watertown, S.D.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. (1) 23 Justin Rexwinkle, South Coffeyville, Okla.
2. (2) 2x Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
3. (3) 99M Mike Mullen, Suamico, Wis.
4. (7) 21 Robby Arnold, Marmaduke, Ark.
5. (8) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
6. (9) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
7. (6) 7a Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
8. (11) 40 Jessy Willard, Mound, Kan.
9. (12) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
10. (4) 4 Billy Vogel, West Fargo, N.D.
11. (10) 42 Paul Niznik, Medford, Wis.
12. (5) 38 Ronnie Gould III, Seminole, Okla.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (6) 50iii Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
3. (2) 24s Mike Stearns, Hecla, S.D.
4. (5) 21x Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
5. (10) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
6. (4) 52 Chad Davis, Tulsa, Okla.
7. (8) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
8. (9) 24 Brad Waits, Rochester, Minn.
9. (1) 49s Caleb Shown, Hooks, Texas.
10. (7) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
11. (11) x Chris Moore, Madison, S.D.
12. (12) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. (1) 218 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
2. (2) 2 Casey Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
3. (6) 30 Jordan Grabouski, Beatrice, Neb.
4. (3) 227 Chase Domer, Nevada, Mo.
5. (9) 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
6. (12) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (4) 21k Kyle Brown, State Center, Iowa.
8. (10) g17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
9. (5) 68 Brandon Watson, Denison, Texas.
10. (7) 86d Dagan Heim, Rosemount, Minn.
11. (8) 1g Pat Graham, Ames, Iowa.
12. (11) 2g Troy Girolamo, Eleva, Wis.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. (1) 23K Ben Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
2. (2) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
3. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (3) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (4) 18 Tate Davenport, Vinton, Ky.
6. (6) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
7. (7) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
8. (12) 71s Dustin Strand, Grand Forks, N.D.
9. (10) 26g Bob Gierke, Westport, Minn.
10. (9) 30 Darin Wendt, Williston, N.D.
11. (5) 17 Jeremy Chambers, Parsons, Kan.
12. (11) 4 Cody Bauman, Eureka, Ill.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. (3) 21j Josh Everhart, Burlingame, Kan.
2. (8) 2c Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
3. (11) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (5) 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo.
5. (9) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
6. (6) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
7. (4) 96a Alex Engelstad, Beltrami, Minn.
8. (1) 29 Preston Seratt, Dyersburg, Tenn.
9. (7) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
10. (2) 20 Trevor Anderson, Watertown, S.D.
11. (10) 32 Shaun W Peterson, Alexandria, Minn.
12. (12) 12 Lucas Lee, Paris, Tenn.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. (1) 14 Aaron Olson, Mekinock, N.D.
2. (2) 71 Jim Body, Diamond, Mo.
3. (8) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
4. (4) 1X Cody Erickson, Ulen, Minn.
5. (3) 66 Greg Burt, Enid, Ok.
6. (10) 49 Bob Timm, Winona, Minn.
7. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
8. (7) C8 Timothy Culp, Sheridan, Ark.
9. (9) 05 Jake Hartung, Elmwood, Wis.
10. (5) 44 Jared Rogers, Tecumseh, Kan.
11. (11) 6 Brock Bauman, Eureka, Ill.

ROUND #4, HEAT RACE #7 (10 laps):
1. (1) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
2. (2) 99 Josh Angst, Winona, Minn.
3. (5) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
4. (3) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
5. (7) 88d Matt Dotson, Hallsville, Mo.
6. (4) K6 Joe Adams, Enid, Okla.
7. (10) 8t Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas.
8. (11) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
9. (9) 9d8 Paden Phillips, Chanute, Kan.
10. (6) 11s Scotty Bough, Nevada, Mo.
11. (8) 42l Bud Longpine, Drummond, Okla.

Final Points Standings:
1. 4r Dereck Ramirez ... 182.5
2. 12 Jason Hughes ... 182.0
3. 10 Austin Arneson ... 178.5
4. 49jr Jake Timm ... 177.5
5. K6 Joe Adams ... 176.5
6. 50iii Brandon Davis ... 176.5
7. 21 Chris Brown ... 174.5
8. 71 Philip Houston ... 174.5
9. 75 Terry Phillips ... 169.0
10. 2c Dave Cain ... 169.0
11. 69 Lucas Schott ... 169.0
12. 23 Justin Rexwinkle ... 169.0
13. 20 Rodney Sanders ... 168.5
14. 30 Jordan Grabouski ... 167.5
15. 87 Darron Fuqua ... 166.5
16. 97 Cade Dillard ... 166.5
17. 3 Kelly Shryock ... 166.0
18. 19r Ryan Gustin ... 164.0
19. 186 Jeremy Payne ... 163.5
20. 218 Chase Junghans ... 163.0
21. 21j Josh Everhart ... 162.0
22. 18 Tate Davenport ... 158.5
23. 2s Stormy Scott ... 156.5
24. 21x Travis Saurer ... 154.0
25. 49 Bob Timm ... 151.5
26. 2a Casey Arneson ... 150.0
27. C8 Timothy Culp ... 149.0
28. 24s Mike Stearns ... 146.5
29. 85 Thomas Tillison ... 145.5
30. 91 Joe Duvall ... 144.0
31. 16 Austin Siebert ... 143.5
32. 24 Brad Waits ... 143.0
33. 33z Zack VanderBeek ... 142.5
34. 99m Mike Mullen ... 140.5
35. 23k Ben Kates ... 140.0
36. 20r Bryan Rowland ... 139.0
37. 71s Dustin Strand ... 138.5
38. 21a Robby Arnold ... 135.5
39. 22d Daniel Hilsabeck ... 135.5
40. 2 Grant Junghans ... 135.0
41. 29 Preston Seratt ... 132.5
42. 96a Alex Engelstad ... 131
43. 88d Matt Dotson ... 130.0
44. 05 Jake Hartung ... 130.0
45. 40 Jessy Willard ... 129.5
46. 66 Greg Burt ... 129.5
47. 71b Jim Body ... 129.5
48. G17 Fito Gallardo ... 128.5
49. 8t Dustin Hyde ... 127.0
50. 1x Cody Erickson ... 126.5
51. J17 Jacob Gallardo ... 126.0
52. 2x Brady Gerdes ... 124.0
53. 227 Chase Domer ... 122.5
54. 68 Brandon Watson ... 122.5
55. 12 Lucas Lee ... 122.5
56. 7a Shane Sabraski ... 120.0
57. 98 John Allen ... 117.5
58. 36m Logan Martin ... 117.5
59. 21k Kyle Brown ... 117.5
60. 52 Chad Davis ... 117.5
61. 99 Josh Angst ... 113.0
62. 49s Caleb Shown ... 108.0
63. 42L James Longpine ... 105.5
64. 14 Aaron Olson ... 97.0
65. 6 Brock Bauman ... 93.0
66. 9d8 Paden Phillips ... 89.0
67. 86d Dagan Heim ... 89.0
68. 32 Shaun Peterson ... 85.0
69. 17 Jeremy Chambers ... 85.0
70. 26g Bob Gierke ... 82.5
71. 1g Pat Graham ... 77.0
72. 20t Trevor Anderson ... 77.0
73. 4 Cody Bauman ... 77.0
74. 2g Troy Girolamo ... 77.0
75. 44 Jared Rogers ... 77.0
76. 11s Scotty Bough ... 69.5
77. 38 Ronnie Gould ... 66.5
78. 30w Darin Wendt ... 65.0
79. 42 Paul Niznik ... 65.0
80. X Chris Moore ... 65.0
81. 4v Billy Vogel ... 61.0
82. 51 Tim Thomas ... 57.0

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, VP Racing Fuels.

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