Sanders sweeps USMTS Spring Classic

NewsApril 12, 2025

Sanders sweeps USMTS Spring Classic

The Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa, was the venue for the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt for a second straight night on Saturday, closing out the 15th Annual Spring Classic with a gripping 40-lap main event.

The racing and the racing surface were much different than Friday night's show, but the result was the same with five-time USMTS National Champion Rodney Sanders earning the top step on the Featherlite Trailer Top-3 podium.

Joe Chisholm grabbed the lead on lap 1, fending off Tom Berry Jr., but Berry countered on lap 2, swinging high to take control.

By lap 3, Sanders passed Chisholm for second before a lap-5 caution flew when Alex Williamson hit the pits with a flat tire, echoing his prior night's trouble.

On lap 10, Zack VanderBeek used the low side to overtake Keith Foss for third. Meanwhile, Sanders pressed Berry by lap 12, going side by side, but VanderBeek slipped past Sanders for second on lap 13.

Running eighth, Kyle Strickler's car smoked heavily on lap 19, signaling issues that surfaced later in the race. A lap-20 caution reshuffled the field after a lapped car clipped Berry, flattening his tire and giving Sanders the lead.

After the restart, Sanders led VanderBeek, Jim Chisholm, Foss and Joe Chisholm, with Jim Chisholm passing Foss for third on lap 21. Tanner Mullens reached fourth by lap 23, while Sanders built a three-second gap with 10 laps left.

Mullens overtook Jim Chisholm for third on lap 33, but a lap-36 caution erased Sanders' lead. Mullens faded on the lap 37 restart with a flat tire, and though Strickler surged to third, his engine expired on lap 38, prompting another yellow.

For the final three-lap dash, VanderBeek chose the outside, Jim Chisholm the inside, but Sanders stayed untouchable, clinching his 123rd USMTS win and a $10,000 weekend sweep.

“We were pretty good again,” Sanders said. “It was definitely smoother than last night, so hats off to Todd (Staley) and all of them. It feels good.

“There's a lot of great cars here. It just feels good to be competitive with them and have a good run.”

Sanders took the victory, followed by VanderBeek in second and Jim Chisholm in third. Williamson stormed from 16th to fourth, earning the FK Rod Ends Hard Charger award for the second night in a row.

Joe Chisholm finished fifth, trailed by Kyle Brown in sixth, Terry Phillips in seventh, Trevor Hughes in eighth and Tanner Mullens ninth despite his late issue. Keith Foss rounded out the top 10.

Sanders' win pushed him to 701 points in the standings, just a single marker ahead of Jim Chisholm's 700. Mullens held third with 636, Williamson has 619 and Joe Chisholm completed the top five with 614.

With eight races in the books, the USMTS road warriors are off until Memorial Day Weekend when the series returns for four straight nights of racing in Iowa and Minnesota which begins a grueling stretch of 13 races in 31 nights that spans seven states.

On Thursday, May 22, the Fayette County Speedway hosts the 12th Annual War in West Union (Iowa) before traveling two hours west on Highway 18 to the Hancock County Speedway in Britt, Iowa, on Friday after an 11-year hiatus.

The 21st Annual Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge happens at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., on Saturday, May 24, and the weekend wraps up on Sunday with the 12th Annual North Iowa Nationals featuring the Jerry Hejna Memorial at the Pritchard Family Auto Stores Mason City (Iowa) Motor Speedway.

Of course, if for some crazy reason you can't attend any of these shows, RacinDirt.TV will have every lap of every USMTS event live online.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt
15th Annual Spring Classic – Night 2 of 2
Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa
Saturday, April 12, 2025

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. Heat race lineups are determined via group qualifying. The top 14 in heat race passing points advance to the Summit Racing Equipment “A” Main.

HODGES FARMS & DREDGING QUALIFYING:
1. 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn., 19.014
2. 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla., 19.226
3. 80XX Jason Langford, Palestine, Texas, 19.257
4. 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, 19.301
5. 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, 19.333
6. 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla., 19.350
7. 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C., 19.414
8. 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn., 19.426
9. 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, 19.457
10. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, 19.510
11. 11X Tom Berry Jr., Marshalltown, Iowa, 19.532
12. 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn., 19.568
13. 4TW Tim Ward, Mesa, Ariz., 19.687
14. 17 Lee Beemer, Fairmont, Minn., 19.833
15. 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., 19.860
16. 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn., 19.899
17. 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa, 19.936
18. 97 Cole Anderson, Le Center, Minn., 19.948
19. 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., 20.068
20. 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D., 20.151
21. 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis., 20.168
22. 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn., 20.186
23. 35 Bill Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa, 20.208
24. 16B Kaylin Lopez, Chowchilla, Calif., 20.244
25. 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D., 20.285
26. 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn., 20.302
27. 92 Tyler Grooms, Trenton, Mo., 20.832
DNS – 84 Christopher Elliott, Webster City, Iowa

SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
2. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (3) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (4) 4TW Tim Ward, Mesa, Ariz.
5. (5) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn.
6. (7) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
7. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
8. (8) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
DNS – 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.
DNS – 84 Christopher Elliott, Webster City, Iowa

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Marshalltown, Iowa
2. (2) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
3. (3) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
4. (4) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
5. (6) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
6. (5) 17 Lee Beemer, Fairmont, Minn.
7. (9) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
8. (7) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
9. (8) 35 Bill Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
2. (1) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
3. (3) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
4. (4) 80XX Jason Langford, Palestine, Texas
5. (5) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
6. (7) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
7. (6) 97 Cole Anderson, Le Center, Minn.
8. (8) 16B Kaylin Lopez, Chowchilla, Calif.
9. (9) 92 Tyler Grooms, Trenton, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, top 8 advance):
1. (1) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
2. (2) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
3. (6) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
4. (7) 97 Cole Anderson, Le Center, Minn.
5. (5) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
6. (8) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
7. (9) 16B Kaylin Lopez, Chowchilla, Calif.
8. (13) 35 Bill Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa
9. (12) 84 Christopher Elliott, Webster City, Iowa
10. (4) 17 Lee Beemer, Fairmont, Minn.
11. (10) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.
12. (11) 92 Tyler Grooms, Trenton, Mo.
13. (3) 99L Steve Lavasseur, River Falls, Wis.
DNS – 50III Brandon Davis, Hayfield, Minn.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
2. (5) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
3. (3) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
4. (16) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
5. (1) 25 Joe Chisholm, Osage, Iowa
6. (14) 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa
7. (17) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
8. (9) 712 Trevor Hughes, Westville, Okla.
9. (15) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
10. (6) 95 Keith Foss, Winona, Minn.
11. (10) 58X Gary Christian, Broken Bow, Okla.
12. (12) 4TW Tim Ward, Mesa, Ariz.
13. (22) 35 Bill Crimmins, Fort Dodge, Iowa
14. (11) 80XX Jason Langford, Palestine, Texas
15. (13) 29H Joe Horgdal, Mantorville, Minn.
16. (21) 16B Kaylin Lopez, Chowchilla, Calif.
17. (20) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
18. (26) 92 Tyler Grooms, Trenton, Mo.
19. (19) 23 Darwin Karau, Kasson, Minn.
20. (25) 17 Lee Beemer, Fairmont, Minn.
21. (7) 8 Kyle Strickler, Mooresville, N.C.
22. (18) 97 Cole Anderson, Le Center, Minn.
23. (8) 55H A.J. Hoff, Mantorville, Minn.
24. (2) 11X Tom Berry Jr., Marshalltown, Iowa
25. (24) 84 Christopher Elliott, Webster City, Iowa
26. (23) 2G Troy Girolamo, Williston, N.D.

Lap Leaders: Joe Chisholm 1, Berry 2-20, Sanders 21-40.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 20, Berry 19, Joe Chisholm 1.
Margin of Victory: 0.930 second.
Time of Race: 29 minutes, 48.549 seconds (5 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Girolamo, Elliott, Beemer, Grooms.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: Williamson (started 16th, finished 4th).
Entries: 28.
Next Race: Thursday, May 22, Fayette county Speedway, West Union, Iowa.
Summit USMTS National Championship Points: Sanders 701, Jim Chisholm 700, Mullens 636, Williamson 619, Joe Chisholm 614, Strickler 597, Phillips 585, Hughes 563, Brown 534, Christian 496.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Joe Chisholm 540, Hughes 491, Henry Chambers 340, Reece Solander 336, Girolamo 333.
FK Rod Ends USMTS Hard Charger Points: Williamson 43, Phillips 34, Sanders 33, Jim Chisholm 33, Hughes 29.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 66, Skyrocket 65, CDR 59, Mullens 45, SSR 43.
JE Pistons USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: KSE 70, Hatfield 61, Mullins 51, ECE 50, Stoen 45.

Contingency Awards:
Aero Race Wheels – Girolamo.
American Racer – Mullens.
Bear Graphix – Anderson.
Beyea Custom Headers – Williamson.
Bryke Racing – Horgdal.
BSB Manufacturing – Beemer.
Champ Pans – Joe Chisholm.
Danny Crane Racing Engines – Brown.
Dynamic Drivelines – Davis.
Edelbrock – Jim Chisholm.
Fast Shafts – Berry.
Featherlite Trailers – Sanders, VanderBeek, Jim Chisholm.
FK Rod Ends – Williamson.
Gorsuch Performance Solutions – Sanders.
Harris Auto Racing – Strickler.
Hodges Farms & Dredging – Davis.
Hooker Harness – Ward.
Hyperco – Hughes.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Grooms.
Keyser Manufacturing – Foss.
KSE Racing Products – Williamson.
MD3 – Sanders.
MSD Performance – Williamson.
Penske Racing Shocks – Crimmins.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Grooms.
QA1 – Davis.
Quarter Master – Mullens.
RaceQuip – Hoff.
RacerWebsite – Christian.
Real Racing Wheels – Phillips.
Rush RaceGear by Austin Witt – Williamson.
Simpson Race Products – Strickler.
Sweet Manufacturing – Lopez.
Swift Springs – Mullens, Crimmins, Sanders.
Sybesma Graphics – Joe Chisholm.
Total Power – Christian.
VP Racing – Sanders.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Elliott.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Phillips.

The USMTS is the ultimate proving ground where only the fiercest, most skilled dirt slingers in North America dare to tread. This is where legends are forged, battles are won and the roar of engines drowns out the weak.

Since 1999, this is where the elite meet, and every driver from the top guns to the local heroes get a shot at glory at some of America's most brutal dirt tracks. This is where the Best of the Best in dirt modified racing come to show their mettle.

When it comes to outlaw dirt modified racing, the USMTS has no equal. USMTS is the Real Deal. Don't be afraid of the fast.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Beyea Headers, Fast Shafts, Featherlite Trailers, FK Rod Ends, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt, Summit Racing Equipment, VP Racing - Heartland, Wieland.