When Jason Hughes was asked last month at the USMTS awards banquet what the plans were for him and his new teammate, Ryan Gustin, his answer was “win every race.”

So far, so good.

After struggling to notch a top-ten finish in Thursday night’s Summit Racing Southern Region opener, the two-time defending USMTS national champion looked like Friday night’s show might be more of the same.

Both Hughes and Gustin finished near the back of their heat races, and then worked their way into the 40-lap main event through the Real Racing Wheels “B” Mains.

Starting 16th and 21st, respectively, on the 26-car grid, the ‘dynamic duo’ had their work cut out for them with a swarm of like-talented pilots standing in their way.

But like he has done many times before, everything clicked for Hughes when the big money was on the line.

The first half of the feature race was a dandy with Johnny Scott setting a torrid pace while his twin brother, Stormy Scott, and Travis Saurer battled back and forth for second place right behind him.

After methodically working his way to the front for the first half of the race, Hughes was third when the yellow flag waved with 20 laps complete.

On the restart, Johnny Scott went to the high side to take away the top line, but Hughes ducked underneath and passed both drivers to steal the lead.

From there it was all Hughes as he shrugged off a chasing Stormy Scott and pulled away to score his first win of the season and 147th of his USMTS career.

“It’s a lot of work,” Hughes said of his night. “You start out in the back of a heat race and can’t pass, then you got to work your way up through a “B” but we had a really good race car.

“I’m looking forward to the rest of the year doing this with Ryan, and hopefully we can keep going like we are.”

Meanwhile, Stormy led Johnny to a Scott Brothers 2-3 finish while Chris Brown held off Sybesma Graphics Pole Award winner R.C. Whitwell for the fourth spot.

Gustin, who led every lap of Thursday’s race, mirrored the passing performance of Hughes by passing 15 of his fellow competitors to finish sixth.

Ricky Thornton Jr. was seventh, Travis Saurer nailed another top-ten in eighth, Cade Dillard nabbed the ninth finishing position and Tyler Wolff rounded out the top ten at the flagstand.

Summit Racing USMTS Winter Speedweeks continues Saturday at the Cotton Bowl Speedway with a $4,000 top prize up for grabs.

Pits open at 3 p.m., grandstands open at 4, hot laps begin at 6:10 and racing starts at 6:30.

General admission spectator tickets are $20. Youth ages 11-16 are $8 and kids ages 10 and under get in for free all three days. Pit passes are $40.

Limited Mods and CBS Stock Cars will join the card Saturday.

The Cotton Bowl Speedway is a 3/8-mile, high-banked clay oval located east of Paige at the intersection of US 290 and CR 202. For more information, call (512) 589-2738 or visit www.cottonbowlspeedway.com online.

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 and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – Summit Racing Southern Region presented by Production Jars
Cotton Bowl Speedway, Paige, Texas
Friday, Feb. 10, 2017

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won.

PRODUCTION JARS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (6) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (3) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
4. (8) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas.
5. (4) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
6. (5) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas.
7. (9) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
8. (2) 26 Austin Huskey, Lubbock, Texas.
9. (7) 137 William Pittaway (R), Corpus Christi, Texas.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
2. (5) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas.
3. (8) 715 J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas.
4. (1) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla.
5. (3) 29 Jamie Campbell, Adkins, Texas.
6. (4) 4 Billy Vogel, West Fargo, N.D.
7. (6) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas.
8. (7) 64 Jay Sale, Edmond, Okla.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (3) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
2. (6) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas.
3. (4) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla.
4. (2) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
5. (8) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M.
6. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
7. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
8. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.

CP-CARRILLO HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (4) 91 R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (1) 4w Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (8) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas.
5. (6) 141 Rob Sanderson, San Antonio, Texas.
6. (5) 18 Terry Tussey Jr. (R), Texarkana, Ark.
7. (7) 23 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas.
8. (2) 48 Chris Swenson, Boerne, Texas.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (2) 1s Travis Saurer, Elizabeth, Minn.
2. (4) 1 Eddie Ingram, Linn Valley, Kan.
3. (8) 78 Corey Weir, Nixa, Mo.
4. (5) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (3) J41 Monte Bolton, Wolfforth, Texas.
7. (1) 65 Carlos Ahumada Jr., Canutillo, Texas.
8. (7) 33f Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas.
2. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (5) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La.
4. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
5. (11) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
6. (8) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas.
7. (12) 65 Carlos Ahumada Jr., Canutillo, Texas, LG2/BMS, $70.
8. (4) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M., DeVilbiss/DeVilbiss, $90.
9. (7) 29 Jamie Campbell, Adkins, Texas, DirtWorks/AARE, $70.
10. (15) 137 William Pittaway (R), Corpus Christi, Texas, Shaw/Wells, $90.
11. (10) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Rocket/LRE, $70.
12. (9) 18 Terry Tussey Jr. (R), Texarkana, Ark., GRT/Mullins, $90.
13. (2) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr., Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, $90.
14. (13) 64 Jay Sale, Edmond, Okla., MBCustom/Mullins, $70.
15. (14) 48 Chris Swenson, Boerne, Texas, Kraft/GMPP, $70.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
2. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (3) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
4. (8) 4 Billy Vogel, West Fargo, N.D.
5. (6) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
6. (13) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (1) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas.
8. (9) J41 Monte Bolton, Wolfforth, Texas, MBCustom/Sput’s, $90.
9. (11) 23 Logan Robertson (R), Shamrock, Texas, MBCustom/PPE, $90.
10. (10) 12 Cody Leonard (R), Sinton, Texas, Harris/Wells, $90.
11. (5) 141 Rob Sanderson, San Antonio, Texas, DirtWorks/Cotton’s, $70.
12. (12) 26 Austin Huskey, Lubbock, Texas.
13. (4) 34 Mickey Lassiter (R), Piedmont, Okla., Hughes/Sput’s, $90.
14. (14) 33f Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo., Hughes/Mullins, $90.

SUMMIT RACING "A" MAIN (40 laps):
1. (16) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $3000.
2. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Mullins, 40, $1600.
3. (4) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Durham, 40, $1200.
4. (3) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, MBCustom/Durham, 40, $900.
5. (1) 91 R.C. Whitwell, Tucson, Ariz., GRT/GMPP, 40, $800.
6. (21) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $700.
7. (8) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $600.
8. (2) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustom/Dakota, 40, $500.
9. (14) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 40, $450.
10. (12) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustom/Hatfield, 40, $400.
11. (6) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, MBCustom/KPE, 40, $375.
12. (18) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, 40, $350.
13. (15) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sput’s, 40, $325.
14. (20) 4 Billy Vogel (R), West Fargo, N.D., LG2/Durham, 40, $300.
15. (9) 715 J.P. Dowell, Killeen, Texas, GRT/Geddes, 40, $275.
16. (24) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Sput’s, 40, $275.
17. (25) 717 George Egbert IV, Salado, Texas, Rocket/Mullins, 39, $275.
18. (13) 78 Trevor Egbert, Salado, Texas, GRT/Mullins, 39, $275.
19. (23) 9 Kevin Rutherford (R), Flower Mound, Texas, MBCustom/Mullins, 39, $275.
20. (11) 1 Eddie Ingram (R), Linn Valley, Kan., BillsBuilt/GMPP, 39, $275.
21. (10) 78 Corey Weir (R), Nixa, Mo., Shaw/Yeoman, 39, $275.
22. (17) 6x Kyle Pleasant, Natchitoches, La., MBCustom/Hatfield, 29, $275.
23. (19) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Hatfield, 19, $275.
24. (7) 24 Sean Jones, Mansfield, Texas, LG2/M&M, 17, $275.
25. (22) 89c Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, LG2/Durham, 16, $275.
26. (26) 26 Austin Huskey (R), Lubbock, Texas, Shaw/Dubose, 3, $275.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: J. Scott 1-20, Hughes 21-40.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 20, J. Scott 20.
Margin of Victory: 3.116 seconds.
Time of Race: 25 minutes, 21.149 seconds (3 cautions).
Provisional Starters: G. Egbert, Huskey.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Hughes (started 16th, finished 1st).
Entries: 41.
Next Race: Saturday, Feb. 11, Cotton Bowl Speedway, Paige, Texas.
Summit Racing Southern Region Points: Gustin 226, S. Scott 186, Hughes 174, Dillard 169, J. Scott 167, Thornton 162, Saurer 157, Duvall 157, Brown 155, Whitwell 154.
Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Saurer 157, Wolff 138, Vogel 119, Rutherford 108, Lassiter 105.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 20, ASI 15, Dakota 14, Durham 14, GMPP 12.
Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 20, MBCustoms 17, GRT 17, VanderBuilt 13, LG2 13.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Saurer.
American Racer – Sanders.
Beyea Custom Headers – Duvall.
BigDeal Car Care – Hughes.
Day Motor Sports – Jones, Whiteaker.
Deatherage Opticians – Wolff.
E3 Spark Plugs – J. Scott.
Edelbrock – Brown.
Fast Shafts – Thornton.
Forty9Designs.com – Vogel, Rutherford.
GRT Race Cars – J. Scott.
Hooker Custom Harness – VanderBeek.
Integra Shocks & Springs – T. Egbert.
Keyser Manufacturing – Wolff.
KSE Racing Products – Hughes.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Duvall.
QA1 – Brown.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Sweet Manufacturing – Pleasant.
Sybesma Graphics – Whitwell.
Tire Demon – Houston.
VP Racing Fuels – Hughes.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Hughes.
Wilwood Engineering – Thornton.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey’s General Stores, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, MSD, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, Summit Racing Equipment, The Joie of Seating, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oreo, Production Jars, Rancho Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Custom Headers, BigDeal Car Care, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Integra Shocks & Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Sweet Manufacturing, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.