Zack VanderBeek may not be thinking about what he’ll do with Saturday’s $50,000 winner’s share of the prize money, but he posted a convincing down payment worth $3,000 Thursday night to kick off Modified Masters weekend at the Cedar Lake Speedway.

The 32-year old from New Sharon, Iowa, drove away from the field at the start of Thursday’s RHRSwag.com USMTS Northern Region main event, survived three cautions—including one with 13 laps to go—and drove underneath the checkered flag with a nearly five-second cushion over runner-up Terry Phillips.

“We’ve really got a nice piece here,” VanderBeek said of his VanderBuilt Race Cars modified—a chassis creation of his own and J.D. Gresham they debuted back in February. “We made a few minor changes after the heat and the car was really good in the feature. No matter where we put it on the track, it responds well so that give us a lot of confidence out there.

“If we can avoid trouble and have some luck, I feel pretty confident going into Saturday.”

While tonight’s 40-lap main event put $3,000 in VanderBeek’s pocket, a win in Saturday’s 70-lap Modified Masters finale would pad that total by another $50,000. With two wins and nothing short of a fourth-place finish in the month of June, “The Z-Man” would be at the top of the Las Vegas odds-makers betting line.

While VanderBeek went uncontested the entire distance, Phillips and third-place finisher Rodney Sanders gave the fans their money’s worth with a spirited side-by-side battle that included a couple of slide jobs and lasted for most of the race.

Cade Dillard avoided disaster midway through the race when he checked up for a car in front of him and nearly spun. Instead, Dillard powered through the infield and back to the racing surface without bringing out the yellow flag. He rebounded to finish fourth in front of polesitter Travis Saurer.

Thirteenth-starting Lucas Schott was sixth and 14th-starting Jason Hughes claimed the seventh spot. Craig Thatcher—the winningest Modified driver in Cedar Lake Speedway’s history—was eighth, Darrell Nelson nabbed the ninth spot and Ryan Gustin claimed the final position inside the top ten.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Casey’s USMTS National Tour powered by S&S Fishing & Rental – RHRSwag.com USMTS Northern Region presented by Summit Racing Equipment
Prelude to The Modified Masters
Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis.
Thursday, June 15, 2017

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

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. (4) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark.
3. (5) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn.
4. (7) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
5. (3) 05 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis.
6. (8) 37 Kelly Estey (R), Hibbing, Minn.
7. (1) 29D Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa.
8. (6) 89x Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
9. (9) G3 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (4) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn.
3. (5) 2 Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
4. (1) 30 Pat Doar (R), New Richmond, Wis.
5. (3) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (8) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
7. (6) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D.
8. (7) 1st Austin Howes, Memphis, Mo.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (2) 2x Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn.
3. (4) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M.
4. (3) 05M Mike Mashl, DePere, Wis.
5. (6) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz.
6. (5) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C.
7. (7) 4B Cory Bruggeman (R), Stillwater, Minn.
8. (8) 37x Skeeter Estey, Kelly Lake, Minn.

THE JOIE OF SEATING HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis.
2. (3) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
3. (6) 21 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn.
4. (1) 2T Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
5. (8) 55 Cory Mahder (R), Eau Claire, Wis.
6. (7) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
7. (5) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
8. (4) 1g Pat Graham, Ankeny, Iowa.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
2. (4) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La.
3. (3) 48 Brent Dutenhoffer, Watertown, S.D.
4. (2) 94jr John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis.
5. (8) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
6. (7) R1 Jay Richardson (R), Spring Valley, Wis.
7. (6) 29 Tony Leiker, Gillette, Wyo.
8. (5) 32 Shaun Peterson (R), Alexandria, Minn.

RHRSWAG.COM HEAT RACE #6 (8 laps):
1. (1) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis.
2. (4) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis.
3. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
4. (6) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (2) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (9) 7 Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas.
7. (8) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn.
8. (7) 19sb Lance Mari (R), Imperial, Calif.
9. (3) 55 Jeff Wood, Chisholm, Minn.

SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT HEAT RACE #7 (8 laps):
1. (2) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn.
2. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
3. (5) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.
4. (1) 33F Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo.
5. (4) 12 Jason Gross, Osceola, Wis.
6. (9) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas.
7. (7) 00 Owen Grube (R), Cambridge, Minn.
8. (8) 04jr Adam Ayotte, St. Paul, Minn.
9. (6) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (3) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn.
3. (5) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis.
4. (4) 48 Brent Dutenhoffer, Watertown, S.D.
5. (10) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla., MBCustom/Hatfield, $90.
6. (9) 12 Jason Gross, Osceola, Wis., BeakBuilt/Adams, $75.
7. (6) 2T Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, $75.
8. (11) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn.
9. (12) 4B Cory Bruggeman (R), Stillwater, Minn., MBCustom/Tims, $90.
10. (13) 00 Owen Grube (R), Cambridge, Minn., SSR/KSE, $90.
11. (16) 55 Jeff Wood, Chisholm, Minn., Shaw/Sputs, $75.
12. (8) 05 A.J. Diemel, Elk Mound, Wis., MBCustom/Baril, $75.
13. (15) 19sb Lance Mari (R), Imperial, Calif., MRT/Yeoman, $90.
14. (7) 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz., Shaw/Mullins, $90.
15. (14) 37x Skeeter Estey, Kelly Lake, Minn., TRC/Tims, $75.
16. (2) 90 Steve Wetzstein, West Concord, Minn., MBCustom/Sputs, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (1) 21 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn.
3. (3) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M.
4. (7) 7 Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas.
5. (5) 30 Pat Doar (R), New Richmond, Wis., Rocket/Baxter, $90.
6. (13) 89x Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn., GRT/, $75.
7. (9) 37 Kelly Estey (R), Hibbing, Minn., SSR/Tims, $90.
8. (10) R1 Jay Richardson (R), Spring Valley, Wis., SSR/MAS, $90.
9. (15) 04jr Adam Ayotte, St. Paul, Minn., Shaw/Mullins, $75.
10. (16) 11N Gene Nicholas, Lowell, Ark., Hughes/Kelly, $75.
11. (2) 2 Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis., MBCustom/Tims, $75.
12. (11) 29D Brad Dierks, Clarence, Iowa., MasterSbilt/Sperry, $75.
13. (12) 4m Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas., Rocket/Wells, $75.
14. (14) 1g Pat Graham, Ankeny, Iowa., Victory/Karl, $90.
15. (6) 94jr John Doelle, Arcadia, Wis., Rocket/Sputs, $90.
16. (8) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Mullins, $400.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 4 advance):
1. (2) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
2. (3) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz.
3. (4) 55 Cory Mahder (R), Eau Claire, Wis.
4. (5) 05M Mike Mashl, DePere, Wis.
5. (11) 10 Austin Arneson, Fargo, N.D., GRT/GMPP, $90.
6. (8) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., LG2/Cornett, $400.
7. (10) 8 Kyle Strickler (R), Mooresville, N.C., Longhorn/VED, $90.
8. (14) 32 Shaun Peterson (R), Alexandria, Minn., MasterSbilt/Sputs, $90.
9. (15) G3 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M., LG2/ProPower, $75.
10. (12) 29 Tony Leiker, Gillette, Wyo., MasterSbilt/Mullins, $75.
11. (1) 2x Brady Gerdes, Villard, Minn., SSR/Sputs, $90.
12. (7) 2g Kenny Gaddis, Diana, Texas., MBCustom/PTS, $90.
13. (9) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn.
14. (6) 33F Jardin Fuller (R), Memphis, Mo., Hughes/Mullins, $90.
15. (13) 1st Austin Howes, Memphis, Mo., Harris/, $75.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, VanderBuilt/Sputs, 40, $3000.
2. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Durham, 40, $1700.
3. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Hatfield, 40, $1200.
4. (10) 97 Cade Dillard, Robeline, La., MBCustom/ASI, 40, $1000.
5. (1) 1s Travis Saurer (R), Elizabeth, Minn., MBCustom/Dakota, 40, $900.
6. (13) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., MBCustom/Sputs, 40, $800.
7. (14) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $700.
8. (5) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis., GRT/TriStar, 40, $650.
9. (16) 44 Darrell Nelson, Hermantown, Minn., MBCustom/Tims, 40, $500.
10. (15) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $550.
11. (9) 7A Shane Sabraski, Rice, Minn., SSR/Scotts, 40, $400.
12. (17) 21 Joey Jensen, Harris, Minn., MBCustom/Tims, 40, $450.
13. (11) 30 Matt Leer, Bruce, Wis., MBCustom/Sputs, 40, $425.
14. (19) 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis., MBCustom/Troys, 40, $400.
15. (7) 51 Chris Oertel, Marshfield, Wis., MBCustom/, 40, $375.
16. (18) 96 R.C. Whitwell (R), Tucson, Ariz., MBCustom/Mullins, 40, $350.
17. (22) 48 Brent Dutenhoffer, Watertown, S.D., Lethal/Sputs, 39, $325.
18. (23) 7 Tyler Townsend, Longview, Texas, MBCustom/PTS, 32, $250.
19. (21) 55 Cory Mahder (R), Eau Claire, Wis., MBCustom/PowerLine, 27, $300.
20. (12) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis., LG2/Sputs, 27, $300.
21. (8) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/Durham, 26, $300.
22. (20) 18z Zane DeVilbiss (R), Farmington, N.M., DeVilbiss/DeVilbiss, 21, $300.
23. (25) 49jr Jake Timm, Winona, Minn., MBCustom/Sputs, 15, $400.
24. (24) 05M Mike Mashl, DePere, Wis., MBCustom/Baril, 15, $250.
25. (6) 4w Tyler Wolff (R), Fayetteville, Ark., MBCustom/Mullins, 15, $300.
26. (26) 21 Jacob Bleess (R), Chatfield, Minn., MBCustom/Sputs, 6, $400.

(R) = Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year contender

Lap Leader: VanderBeek 1-40.
Total Laps Led: VanderBeek 40.
Margin of Victory: 4.613 seconds.
Time of Race: 19 minutes, 11.369 seconds (3 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Timm, Bleess.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Schott (started 13th, finished 6th).
Entries: 59.
Next Race: Friday-Saturday, June 16-17, Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis.
RHRSwag.com Northern Region Points: VanderBeek 574, Hughes 547, Dillard 462, Timm 457, Saurer 431, Gustin 418, Bleess 411, S. Scott 399, Whitwell 379, Crapser 365.
Grant Junghans Rookie of the Year Points: Whitwell 1894, Saurer 1766, Wolff 1685, Adam Kates 1328, Billy Vogel 982.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 303, ASI 253, Sputs 253, Durham 206, Hatfield 185.
Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 309, Hughes 300, GRT 266, VanderBuilt 257, LG2 205.

Contingency Awards:
Allstar Performance – Thatcher.
American Racer – Leiker.
Beyea Custom Headers – Phillips.
BigDeal Car Care – VanderBeek.
BSB Manufacturing – J. Scott.
Casey’s General Stores – Bruggeman.
Chix Gear Racewear – Nelson.
Day Motor Sports – Wolff, Bleess.
Deatherage Opticians – Jensen.
Dickson Racing Shocks – Oertel.
E3 Spark Plugs – Sanders.
Edelbrock – VanderBeek.
Fast Shafts – Sanders.
Forty9Designs.com – Crapser, Mahder.
Fuel Safe Racing Cells – Schott.
GRT Race Cars – Phillips.
Hooker Custom Harness – Leer.
Integra Shocks & Springs – Townsend.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Dutenhoffer.
Keyser Manufacturing – Gustin.
KSE Racing Products – Schott.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Whitwell.
QA1 – Thatcher.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
Simpson Performance Products – Phillips.
Sweet Manufacturing – DeVilbiss.
Swift Springs – VanderBeek.
Sybesma Graphics – Saurer.
Tire Demon – Sabraski.
Tyler Rinken Photography – Myers.
VP Racing Fuels – Phillips.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Dillard.
Wilwood Engineering – Hughes.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, MSD, Pace Performance, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, SToK Cold-Brew Coffee, 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, BSB Manufacturing, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Custom Harness, Integra Shocks & Springs, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.