Hunter Marriott returned to Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s victory lane for the first time since June 1, 2019, after besting Dereck Ramirez in a fierce battle to close out the 10th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals at the Big O Speedway in Ennis, Texas.

Current Wrisco Points Leader and defending USMTS national champion Rodney Sanders earned the Sybesma Graphics Pole Award and led the field to the green flag but it was Ramirez who took control from the outside of the front row.

Primarily churning the dirt atop the 3/8-mile dirt oval, Ramirez was in control through the first 18 laps but Marriott, who started ninth, used the low side of the racing surface and slowly reeled in Ramirez.

Maneuvering through heavy lapped traffic, Marriott got the advantage to lead lap 19 while Jason Hughes, Zack VanderBeek and Sanders chased Ramirez.

As the laps wore on, Marriott extended his lead but Ramirez began to shorten the gap and pulled alongside Marriott with 28 or 40 laps in the books, but back-markers again forced Ramirez to wait for his moment to pounce.

That moment arrived with three laps to go but Marriott sensed his lane was slowing and jumped to the high side of the track, effectively blocking Ramirez from making the pass and securing the top spot for good.

“I knew it was time to get going. I couldn’t pass (Ramirez) on the bottom so I was trying to get up there and see what we were made of,” Marriott said of his late-race strategy. “Just hoping to stay consistent so we can run with these guys. It’s been kind of hit and miss here in the first part of the USMTS swing, but I’m glad to be here in victory lane.”

While Marriott stashed $3,000 in his pocket for his efforts, Ramirez was forced to ponder a third runner-up finish in the first five races of the 2020 campaign.

Meanwhile, Zack VanderBeek scored a season-best third while Hughes finished fourth for the fourth time this season. Sanders completed the top five.

Tenth-starting Philip Houston moved up to finish sixth and Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year contender Calvin Iverson earned the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger Award after racing from 20th on the starting grid to seventh at the checkered flag.

Louisiana’s David Winslett earned an eighth-place paycheck, Bobby Malchus registered his first top-10 of the year by nabbing ninth and the plucky plumber Kevin Sustaire grabbed the final spot inside the top 10 after taking the green flag from the 23rd spot.

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From left to right: runner-up Dereck Ramirez, winner Hunter Marriott and third-place Zack VanderBeek.

With five races complete, the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s shows Sanders with a four-point advantage (443 to 439) over Hughes with Ramirez just another five points back in third. Marriott sits fourth with 415 markers followed by Tyler Davis (397), Houston (380), Iverson (364), Tyler Wolff (336), Casey Skyberg (333) and Kevin Rutherford (330).

The engines scream again when the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., hosts King of America X powered by Summit on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 26-28, for the first of five crown jewels this season. Update March 17, 2020: King of America X has been postponed.

The 2020 schedule for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s is highlighted by 58 nights of racing at 33 unique dirt ovals as part of the 22nd season for the world’s Best of the Best in dirt modified racing.

To connect with the USMTS check out USMTS.com, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, check us out on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Keep up to speed by joining our email list

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s
10th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals – Night 2 of 2
Big O Speedway, Ennis, Texas
Saturday, March 7, 2020

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown and chassis/engine builder. The top 12 in heat race passing points advance to the Casey’s “A” Main.

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 21W David Winslett, Bossier City, La.
2. (3) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas
3. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (1) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas
5. (7) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis.
6. (4) 19C Chad Guest (R), Waxahachie, Texas
7. (8) 54 Carlos Ahumada Sr., El Paso, Texas
8. (5) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (4) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
2. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (3) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (8) 12T Tyler Townsend, Diana, Texas
5. (2) 4M Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas
6. (6) 55 Nathan Hagar (R), Adair, Okla.
7. (5) 24 Rick Ortega (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (1) 17 Jason Sartain (R), Royce City, Texas

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2. (2) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
3. (6) 88R A.J. Vasquez, Garden City, Mich.
4. (5) 0 Cody Jolly (R), Jasper, Mo.
5. (8) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas
6. (3) 99 Jeff Needham (R), Rice, Texas
7. (4) 55D Michael Dotson, Lathrop, Mo.
8. (7) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas
2. (6) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (8) 88XXX Clyde Dunn Jr., Rockwall, Texas
4. (4) 71K Kevin Sustaire, Emory, Texas
5. (1) 47 Jack Sartain, Terrell, Texas
6. (7) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
7. (3) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas
8. (5) 2GX Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (6) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (1) 28 Wendall Bolden (R), Greenville, Texas
3. (8) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.
4. (4) 4D Bo Day (R), Greenville, Texas
5. (2) 7G Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas
6. (7) F2R Chris Reed (R), Rison, Ark.
7. (3) 7 Shayne Bailey (R), Lathrop, Mo.
8. (5) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
2. (5) 4D Bo Day (R), Greenville, Texas.
3. (6) 4M Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
4. (3) 0 Cody Jolly (R), Jasper, Mo.
5. (4) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas.
6. (7) 7G Sean Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS.
7. (8) F2R Chris Reed (R), Rison, Ark., Lethal/Mullins.
8. (12) 7 Shayne Bailey (R), Lathrop, Mo., GRT/ChevPerf.
9. (11) 55D Michael Dotson, Lathrop, Mo., GRT/ChevPerf.
10. (10) 54 Carlos Ahumada Sr., El Paso, Texas, Hughes/BMS.
11. (2) 12T Tyler Townsend, Diana, Texas, Lethal/ChevPerf.
12. (14) 2GX Brandon Givens (R), Wichita, Kan., Hughes/Mullins.
13. (9) 55 Nathan Hagar (R), Adair, Okla.
14. (13) 17 Jason Sartain (R), Royce City, Texas, IRP/3D.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (1) 28 Wendall Bolden (R), Greenville, Texas.
2. (3) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas.
3. (2) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (5) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis.
5. (7) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
6. (11) 2G Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas, MBCustoms/PTS.
7. (6) 47 Jack Sartain, Terrell, Texas, IRP/3D.
8. (4) 71K Kevin Sustaire, Emory, Texas.
9. (14) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.
10. (10) 24 Rick Ortega (R), Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/BMS.
11. (12) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr., El Paso, Texas, GRT/BMS.
12. (13) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
13. (9) 99 Jeff Needham (R), Rice, Texas, Skyrocket/Wells.
14. (8) 19C Chad Guest (R), Waxahachie, Texas, BillsBuilt/Allard.

CASEY’S “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (9) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., Rage/KSE.
2. (2) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett.
3. (6) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen.
4. (8) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins.
5. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield.
6. (10) 71 Philip Houston, Odessa, Texas, MBCustoms/PPE.
7. (20) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim's.
8. (3) 21W David Winslett, Bossier City, La., GRT/TwinCity.
9. (17) 4M Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Rocket/Wells.
10. (23) 71K Kevin Sustaire, Emory, Texas, Rage/Fisher.
11. (19) 0 Cody Jolly (R), Jasper, Mo., MBCustoms/Yeoman.
12. (22) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan., Hughes/Mullins.
13. (16) 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas, MBCustoms/Wells.
14. (11) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham.
15. (25) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D., Lethal/Mullins.
16. (13) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/Stoen.
17. (12) 88R A.J. Vasquez, Garden City, Mich., Hughes/Farris.
18. (24) 55 Nathan Hagar (R), Adair, Okla., GRT/ChevPerf.
19. (7) 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas, GRT/Stoen.
20. (4) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/ECE.
21. (5) 88XXX Clyde Dunn Jr., Rockwall, Texas, MBCustoms/Mullins.
22. (26) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., Jet/Speedway.
23. (14) 28 Wendall Bolden (R), Greenville, Texas, MBCustoms/Bullet.
24. (15) 4D Bo Day (R), Greenville, Texas, MBCustoms/Mullins.
25. (21) D25 David Tanner, Wichita Falls, Texas, WesternFlyer/Hatfield.
26. (18) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE.

(R) = Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leaders: Ramirez 1-18, Marriott 19-40.
Total Laps Led: Marriott 22, Ramirez 18.
Margin of Victory: 0.513 second.
Time of Race: 22 minutes, 34.374 seconds (2 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Sustaire, Hagar, Skyberg, Kates.
Eibach Spring Forward Award: Iverson (advanced 16 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Iverson (started 20th, finished 7th).
Entries: 40.
Next Race: April 2-4, Red Dirt Raceway, Meeker, Okla.
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s Points: Sanders 443, Hughes 439, Ramirez 434, Marriott 415, Davis 397, Houston 380, Iverson 364, Wolff 336, Skyberg 333, Rutherford 330.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Davis 397, Iverson 364, Skyberg 333, Hagar 281, Bailey 255.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 45, Hughes 44, Rage 42, GRT 27, Lethal 26.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 41, Hatfield 35, Cornett 34, KSE 31, Stoen 29.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Winslett.
Beyea Custom Headers – Dunn.
BigDeal Car Care – VanderBeek, Marriott.
Bryke Racing – Skyberg.
BSB Manufacturing – Dunn.
Champ Pans – Sanders.
Deatherage Opticians – Davis.
Edelbrock – VanderBeek.
Eibach – Iverson.
Fast Shafts – Wolff.
FK Rod Ends – Iverson.
Forty9 Designs – Phillips, Henigan.
Hooker Harness – Davis.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Hagar.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Duvall.
K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports – K. Gaddis.
Keyser Manufacturing – Sustaire.
KSE Racing Products – Malchus.
Maxima Racing Oils – Marriott.
Penske Racing Shocks – Rutherford.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Houston.
QA1 – VanderBeek.
RacerWebsite.com – Marriott.
Simpson Performance Products – Winslett.
Spyder High Performance Filters – Houston.
Summit Racing Equipment – Ahumada Jr., Ahumada Sr., Bailey.
Super Clean – Marriott.
Swift Springs – Marriott, Bolden.
Sybesma Graphics – Sanders.
Tire Demon – Jason Sartain.
VP Racing Fuels – Marriott.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Needham.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Iverson.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s, Chevrolet Performance, Compstar Performance Engine Components by Callies, CP-Carrillo, Eibach, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, MSD Performance, MTN DEW Zero Sugar, MyRacePass, Nitroquest Media, Pace Performance, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, Summit Racing Equipment, Super Clean, VP Racing Fuels, Wrisco Industries.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, Eagle Moon Farm, JE Pistons, Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, Rivers Edge Scrap Management, Tony Moro Powder Coat, Top of the World Ranch, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Headers, BigDeal Car Care, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Deatherage Opticians, Edelbrock, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hooker Harness, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Maxima Racing Oils, Penske Racing Shocks, QA1, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Spyder High Performance Filters, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Racing.