What many would call a dream season so far is considered an up-and-down start when you’re the three-time and defending champion of the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s, but Rodney Sanders was on the upside Thursday with a decisive victory on opening night of the 21st Annual Masters at the Cedar Lake speedway in New Richmond, Wis.

“It’s been pretty good,” Sanders said of his familiar orange and blue Hatfield-powered No. 20 MB Customs USMTS Modified. “I’ve felt like I screwed it up the last few races but it was good at Tri-State and we were good tonight.”

Thursday night’s effort by the 30-year-old from Happy, Texas, was worth $3,000 and was career win number 101. His 100th USMTS triumph happened June 6 at the Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., in the last event leading up to the Masters.

“We started off good and we just got kind of got a slump there and I think we got off on what we’re doing so just had to regroup and we’ve been going good lately.”

Shooting for his fourth Masters trophy, Sanders started the 30-lap main event from the second row behind his chassis builder, Jimmy Mars, and Dustin Sorensen—last year’s Thursday night feature winner.

Sorensen got the jump on Mars to take the initial lead and Sanders snuck past to take second with five laps in the books. Five laps later, Sanders disposed of Sorensen and that was as close as anybody would get the rest of the way in the caution-free nightcap.

“I knew it was going to be tough,” Sanders added. “Dustin’s been really good and Jimmy’s always good. I didn’t know really where to be but we were good around the bottom. I saw a little bit of a lead there and I was just trying to ride—on the board I saw I had like a four-second lead.”

Indeed, Sanders crossed the finish line with 4.68 seconds to spare ahead of Sorensen. Mars held off Michael Truscott for third and four-time USMTS national champion Jason Hughes rounded out the top five.

Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year points leader Calvin was sixth, former USRA Modified national champ Lucas Schott scored a seventh-place finish, Clayton Wagamon came home in eighth, Zack VanderBeek nabbed a ninth-place paycheck and the final racer in the top ten was A.J. Diemel.

More Masters: The undisputed best of the best in the world of dirt racing return for two more nights of action. On Friday, both USMTS Modifieds and CLS Late Models battle for a $5,000 top prize with USRA Late Models competing for $600 to win.

Friday’s general admission tickets are $30 for adults (17+), $15 for students (6-16) and free for kids 5 and under. Pit passes are $40. The pits open at 2 p.m., grandstands open at 5 and racing gets underway at 7.

It all leads up to Saturday's mega-finale which offers $10,000 to the winners in both the USMTS Modifieds and CLS Late Models while USRA Late Models will also run a complete program for $1,000 to win.

Tickets on Saturday are $35 for adults (17+), $17 for students (6-16) and free for kids 5 and under. Pit passes are $45. The pits open at 2 p.m., grandstands open at 4 and racing gets underway at 7.

If you aren’t able to be there in person, RacinDirt.TV will have the entire production live.

The Cedar Lake Speedway was founded in 1957. A field of 12 cars and 85 spectators were on hand for the opening show on a flat clay oval. Today, Cedar Lake’s state-of-the-art 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval has developed into one of the nation's leading short track facilities featuring a successful weekly racing program on Saturday evenings and many nationally-sanctioned and premier special events.

The track is located 1.0 mile east of SR 35 on SR 64, then 4.2 miles north on CR C to CR CC, then left 1.8 miles. For more information, call (612) 363-0479 or (715) 248-7119 or visit CedarLakeSpeedway.com.

Currently, the 2020 schedule for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s is highlighted by 42 nights of racing at 27 unique dirt ovals for the 22nd season of competition 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
21st Annual Masters presented by Allstar Performance – Night 1 of 3
Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis.
Thursday, June 11, 2020

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

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (2) 24 Brandon Dolman (R), Alexandria, Minn.
3. (3) 00 Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford, Wis.
4. (5) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
5. (7) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
6. (4) 26G Ryan Gierke (R), Villard, Minn.
7. (6) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
8. (9) F15 Devin Fouquette (R), St. Cloud, Minn.
9. (8) 13X McKenzie Gerdes (R), Alexandria, Minn.
10. (10) 13 Nick Koehler (R), Bloomer, Wis.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (3) 28 Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
2. (5) 5K Tyler Kaeter (R), St. Cloud, Minn.
3. (4) 15W Alex Williamson (R), Rushford, Minn.
4. (8) 89 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis.
5. (1) 55W Jeffrey Wood, Chisholm, Minn.
6. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
7. (9) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
8. (7) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis.
9. (10) 12G Jason Gross, Cushing, Wis.
10. (2) 32 Jon Tollakson (R), Montevideo, Minn.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (5) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
3. (7) 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn.
4. (10) 21X Jake Smith (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis.
5. (6) 04JR Adam Ayotte, St. Paul, Minn.
6. (3) W Cory Williams (R), Spring Valley, Wis.
7. (9) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
8. (8) 65 Jake Miller (R), Somerset, Wis.
9. (4) 26D Chad Dawson (R), Isanti, Minn.
10. (2) 2X Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (5) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis.
2. (3) 49JR Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
3. (7) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (9) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
5. (4) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
6. (6) 99L Steve Lavasseur (R), River Falls, Wis.
7. (10) 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
8. (8) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.
9. (1) 55 Jeff Wood, Chisholm, Minn.
10. (2) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 2C Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
2. (10) 22T Michael Truscott (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis.
3. (2) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
4. (3) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
5. (7) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
6. (6) 6X Zach Johnson, Lowry, Minn.
7. (9) 65B Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan.
8. (4) 15 Joey Miller (R), Lakeville, Minn.
9. (8) 37X Skeeter Estey (R), Kelly Lake, Minn.
10. (5) 51 Blake Arndt (R), Brownsdale, Minn.

WRISCO INDUSTRIES HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (5) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. (1) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.
3. (2) 96 Taton Hansen (R), Spicer, Minn.
4. (7) 44N Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.
5. (9) 53 Chris Mensen (R), Carlos, Minn.
6. (3) 23G Matt Gilbertson, Montevideo, Minn.
7. (4) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
8. (6) 9E Don Eischens, Richmond, Minn.
9. (8) 7J Corey Jones (R), Zimmerman, Minn.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2. (1) 21X Jake Smith (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis.
3. (3) 44N Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.
4. (7) 50III Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn.
5. (6) 04JR Adam Ayotte, Wyoming, Minn., Shaw/Mullins, $200.
6. (9) 23 Matt Gilbertson, Montevideo, Minn., Victory/JRM, $175.
7. (16) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz., LG2/Cornett, $150.
8. (12) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo.
9. (4) 96 Taton Hansen (R), Spicer, Minn., MBCustoms/Sturdy, $120.
10. (5) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustoms/ECE, $115.
11. (10) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan.
12. (8) W Cory Williams (R), Spring Valley, Wis., RidgeRunner/MAS, $105.
13. (11) F15 Devin Fouquette (R), St. Cloud, Minn., SSR/Adams, $100.
14. (14) 55 Jeff Wood, Chisholm, Minn., Shaw/Sput’s, $90.
15. (13) 12 Jason Gross, Osceola, Wis., BeakBuilt/Adams, $80.
16. (15) 13 Nick Koehler (R), Bloomer, Minn., SSR/Baxter, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 89 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis.
2. (3) 00 Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford, Wis.
3. (1) 24 Brandon Dolman (R), Alexandria, Minn.
4. (9) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (4) 53 Chris Mensen (R), Carlos, Minn., GRT/Saurer, $200.
6. (10) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustoms/Stoen, $175.
7. (6) 55W Jeffrey Wood, Chisholm, Minn., Shaw/ChevPerf, $150.
8. (11) 44 Adam Hensel, Baldwin, Wis., DirtDueler/OFI, $125.
9. (14) 37 Skeeter Estey (R), Kelly Lake, Minn., TRC/Tim’s, $120.
10. (13) 13X McKenzie Gerdes, Alexandria, Minn., SSR/Stoen, $115.
11. (16) 51 Blake Arndt (R), Brownsdale, Minn., Shaw/KSE, $110.
12. (15) 32 Jon Tollakson (R), Montevideo, Minn., MBCustoms/KSE, $105.
13. (12) 15 Joey Miller (R), Lakeville, Minn., Lynx/Tesar, $100.
14. (5) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis., Hughes/Sput’s, $90.
15. (8) 99 Steve Lavasseur (R), River Falls, Wis., SSR/Labbs, $80.
16. (7) 26G Ryan Gierke (R), Villard, Minn., SSR/Tim’s, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (5) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
2. (7) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (2) 15W Alex Williamson (R), Rushford, Minn.
4. (8) 6X Zach Johnson, Kensington, Minn.
5. (3) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis., MBCustoms/Stoen, $200.
6. (6) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
7. (4) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., VanderBuilt/OFI, $150.
8. (1) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D.
9. (15) 2X Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn., SSR/Stoen, $120.
10. (12) 9E Don Eischens, Richmond, Minn., SSR/Adams, $115.
11. (9) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustoms/Stoen, $110.
12. (10) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn., VanderBuilt/KSE, $105.
13. (13) 26D Chad Dawson (R), Coon Rapids, Iowa, Arrow/Adams, $100.
14. (11) 65 Jake Miller (R), Somerset, Wis., SSR/KSE, $90.
15. (14) 7J Corey Jones (R), Zimmerman, Minn., VanderBuilt/Tim’s, $80.

CASEY’S “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustoms/Hatfield, $3200, 30.
2. (2) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., MBCustoms/Action, $1500, 30.
3. (1) 28 Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim’s, $1000, 30.
4. (3) 22T Michael Truscott (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim's, $800, 30.
5. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $900, 30.
6. (8) 27X Calvin Iverson (R), Eleva, Wis., MBCustoms/Tim’s, $800, 30.
7. (11) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustoms/Stoen, $550, 30.
8. (10) 14W Clayton Wagamon, Ramsey, Minn., MasterSbilt/Wagamon, $500, 30.
9. (13) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Stoen, $650, 30.
10. (14) 89 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis., MBCustoms/KSE, $400, 30.
11. (16) 21X Jake Smith (R), Chippewa Falls, Wis., BeakBuilt/Tim’s, $375, 30.
12. (9) 2C Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn., MBCustoms/KSE, $350, 30.
13. (15) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn., Lethal/Scott’s, $325, 30.
14. (6) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D., BlackWidow/ProPower, $300, 30.
15. (22) 50III Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn., Tri-Built/KSE, $275, 30.
16. (5) 5K Tyler Kaeter (R), St. Cloud, Minn., SSR/Sower, $250, 29.
17. (20) 24 Brandon Dolman (R), Alexandria, Minn., SSR/Adams, $250, 29.
18. (23) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/Cornett, $450, 29.
19. (18) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, $250, 29.
20. (25) 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo., Rage/KSE, $450, 29.
21. (17) 00 Robby Bunkelman, Abbotsford, Wis., Rocket/Baxter, $250, 29.
22. (28) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan., Jet/Speedway, $90, 29.
23. (26) 65 Tyler Davis (R), Haysville, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, $450, 29.
24. (24) 6X Zach Johnson, Kensington, Minn., MBCustoms/Sturdy, $250, 29.
25. (27) 6 Casey Skyberg (R), Rapid City, S.D., Lethal/Mullins, $290, 29.
26. (12) 49JR Jake Timm, Minnesota City, Minn., MBCustoms/OFI, $250, 23.
27. (21) 15W Alex Williamson (R), Rushford, Minn., SSR/KSE, $250, 20.
28. (19) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., MBCustoms/Tim’s, $250, 16.

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

Lap Leader: Sanders 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 30.
Margin of Victory: 4.68 seconds.
Time of Race: 8 minutes, 28.893 seconds (no cautions).
Provisional Starters: Marriott, T. Davis, Skyberg, Kates.
Eibach Spring Forward Award: B. Davis (advanced 13 positions).
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: B. Davis (started 22nd, finished 15th).
Entries: 59.
Next Race: Friday, June 12, Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis.
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s Points: Sanders 973, Ramirez 918, Hughes 869, Iverson 808, Marriott 786, VanderBeek 782, T. Davis 768, Phillips 672, Skyberg 663, Duvall 613.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Iverson 808, T. Davis 768, Skyberg 663, Nathan Hagar 540, Shayne Bailey 395.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 97, Hughes 95, VanderBuilt 65, Rage 58, GRT 53.
Compstar/JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Hatfield 79, Cornett 75, Mullins 67, Stoen 59, KSE 56.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Jeff Wood.
Beyea Custom Headers – Truscott.
BigDeal Car Care – Truscott, Sanders.
Bryke Racing – B. Davis.
BSB Manufacturing – Nelson.
Champ Pans – Hughes.
Deatherage Opticians – Cain.
Edelbrock – Sanders.
Eibach – B. Davis.
Fast Shafts – Mars.
FK Rod Ends – B. Davis.
Forty9 Designs – Peterson, Phillips.
Hooker Harness – Sabraski.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Ramirez.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Dolman.
K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports – Leer.
Keyser Manufacturing – Diemel.
KSE Racing Products – VanderBeek.
Maxima Racing Oils – Sanders.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – O’Neil.
Penske Racing Shocks – Sabraski.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Diemel.
QA1 – Hughes.
RacerWebsite.com – Truscott.
Simpson Performance Products – Hughes.
Spyder High Performance Filters – Iverson.
Summit Racing Equipment – Crapser, O'Neil, Williamson.
Super Clean – Sanders.
Swift Springs – Sanders, Truscott.
Sybesma Graphics – Mars.
Tire Demon – Koehler.
VP Racing Fuels – Sanders.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Jake Miller.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Schott.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s, Chevrolet Performance, Compstar Performance Engine Components by Callies, CP-Carrillo, Dirt Draft, Eibach, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, KS Engineering, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, MSD Performance, MTN DEW Zero Sugar, MyRacePass, Nitroquest Media, 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, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Racing.