Sorensen shines in USMTS finale at Hamilton County Speedway

April 3, 2021

Dustin Sorensen made the most of his opportunities Saturday night during the inaugural USMTS Spring Challenge powered by MSD at the Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway to score a $10,000 payday.

From the pole, Joe Duvall led the opening stages of the 40-lap main event with Wrisco points leader Terry Phillips providing the pressure for the first two laps before smacking the concrete wall in turn 1 on the third lap.

Phillips hit the wall even harder the next time around and the race’s second caution waved over the speedway while Phillips limped his damaged racecar into the pit area.

Back under green, Duvall once again drive away from the pack but Lucas Schott, who started 13th, began to reel in Duvall before his powerplant went up in smoke and left Duvall with a more-than-three-second cushion over second place Jason Hughes.

Duvall encountered heavy lapped traffic on lap 15 which allowed Hughes to narrow the advantage to less than two seconds by lap 20. Three laps later, Hughes was side by side with his fellow Oklahoman but Duvall remained ahead by a nose when they reached the start-finish line to complete the 23rd lap.

Able to slip by Duvall the next time around, Hughes took control of the fast-paced race while Duvall continued to battle back with a multitude of other racers below, beside and behind him. Jake O’Neil edged Duvall for second on lap 28 but ‘Big Daddy’ battled back to regain the runner-up spot one lap later.

Meanwhile, Hughes was cruising while Dan Ebert jumped past both Duvall and O’Neil. The next time around the historic half-mile dirt oval, Sorensen moved into contention with former USMTS national champs Rodney Sanders and Johnny Scott coming along for the ride.

The third and final yellow flag of the race was displayed on lap 34, which erased a sizable lead for Hughes. Four laps later, Sorensen blasted by Hughes on the outside and set sail for the checkered flag.

“When we first got to traffic there I thought I had something for Duvall and Hughes but I fell back to like sixth or seventh,” Sorensen said. “Then I got back to third on that restart and I found that slider line (in turn one) down here, and you could drive it in so far and it would stick. It just worked I guess.”

Although Sorensen had qualified for the feature in the five previous shows this season, the 20-year-old from Rochester, Minnesota, had yet to crack the top ten at the pay window.

“I think I just started driving harder. I was kind of being really conservative beforehand and I just kind of said ‘Screw it’ and give it my all,” he added after his $10,000 triumph. “It’s the most money I’ve ever won so that’s pretty cool.”

His fifth career USMTS victory also tied him with his father, Mike Sorensen, on the all-time USMTS wins list.

O'Neil held off Hughes for second with Ebert, who started 16th, finishing fourth. Mike McKinney and Johnny Scott finished fifth and six, respectively, after rolling off 21st and 22nd on the grid and defending series champ Rodney Sanders was seventh.

Eight place went to Dereck Ramirez, Tanner Mullens raced from 25th to finish ninth and Duvall rounded out the top 10,

Bayou Bound: The stars and cars Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s find themselves in the Louisiana bayou for their next excursion, Friday and Saturday, April 23-24. On Friday, the series visits the Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian for the 9th Annual USMTS Cajun Clash. Then on Saturday it’s a new frontier for all with the first-ever visit to the much-ballyhooed Revolution Park in Monroe. With a weekend sweep, one driver could be King of Creole country and go home with $20,000.

Taking dirt to a new level: The 2021 campaign for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s features 36 nights of racing with the winners of those main events set to take home over $300,000 in earnings from more than $1 million in prize money earmarked for those shows. Twenty-six of the 36 race nights will pay at least $10,000 to win while the other 10 carry a $5,000 top prize.

As if that weren’t enough, more than $230,000 is committed to the top ten finishers in the 2021 points standings with a record $70,000 reserved for the 2021 USMTS National Champion.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.

OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s
Inaugural Karl Chevrolet USMTS Spring Challenge powered by MSD – Night 2 of 2
Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa
Saturday, April 3, 2021

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown. 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) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
2. (3) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
3. (5) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
4. (2) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
5. (4) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
6. (6) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
7. (7) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
8. (8) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
9. (10) 3R Dusty Seitz, Madison, S.D.
10. (9) 99 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.

FAST SHAFTS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
2. (4) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
3. (3) 96M Mike McKinney, Plainfield, Ill.
4. (6) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (5) 37 Clint Johnson, Neosho, Mo.
6. (9) 1J Matt Jeratowski, Madison, S.D.
7. (10) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
8. (7) 89X Jesse Glenz, Cadott, Wis.
9. (8) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
10. (2) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.

EDELBROCK HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (1) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
2. (4) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
3. (3) 36 Kenny Wallace, St. Louis, Mo.
4. (2) 12L Lucas Lee, Paris, Tenn.
5. (7) 7II Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
6. (6) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
7. (8) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
8. (9) 211 Jesse Ely, Webster City, Iowa
9. (10) 49J Jason Murray, Hartford, Iowa
10. (5) 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.

MSD PERFORMANCE HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr.., El Paso, Texas
2. (3) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (8) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
4. (2) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
5. (7) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
6. (6) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa
7. (10) 3W Garett Wilson, Carlisle, Iowa
8. (4) 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
9. (5) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
10. (9) 8 Wesley Summers, Wellington, Mo.

VP RACING FUELS HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. (1) 6 Casey Skyberg, Rapid City, S.D.
2. (4) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
3. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
4. (6) K19 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
5. (2) 29 Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, Iowa
6. (5) 77 Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls, Iowa
7. (7) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
8. (9) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
9. (8) 55 Michael Lee, Paris, Tenn.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (3) K19 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
3. (9) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
4. (14) 89X Jesse Glenz, Cadott, Wis.
5. (1) 96M Mike McKinney, Plainfield, Ill.
6. (6) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
7. (4) 12L Lucas Lee, Paris, Tenn.
8. (12) G17 Fito Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
9. (8) 85 Jayson Good, Watertown, S.D.
10. (13) 57 Duke Erickson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
11. (11) 2G Brandon Givens, Wichita, Kan.
12. (5) 7II Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
13. (16) 55 Michael Lee, Paris, Tenn.
14. (10) 5D Devon Havlik, Waterloo, Iowa
15. (15) 49J Jason Murray, Hartford, Iowa
16. (7) 1J Matt Jeratowski, Madison, S.D.
DNS – 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
DNS – 15W Alex Williamson, Rushford, Minn.
DNS – 8 Wesley Summers, Wellington, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
2. (4) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
3. (1) 36 Kenny Wallace, St. Louis, Mo.
4. (5) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
5. (18) 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
6. (11) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
7. (10) 77 Jeff Aikey, Cedar Falls, Iowa
8. (3) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
9. (13) 1TPO Tyler Peterson, Hickson, N.D.
10. (6) 29 Dennis Elliott, Mt. Ayr, Iowa
11. (17) 19SB Lance Mari, El Centro, Calif.
12. (9) 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan.
13. (7) 37 Clint Johnson, Neosho, Mo.
14. (16) 99 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla.
15. (12) 211 Jesse Ely, Webster City, Iowa
16. (15) 8C Chris Clark, Jackson, Wyo.
17. (8) 3W Garett Wilson, Carlisle, Iowa
18. (14) 3R Dusty Seitz, Madison, S.D.

CASEY’S “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (3) 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. (8) 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz.
3. (5) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (16) 60 Dan Ebert, Lake Shore, Minn.
5. (21) 96M Mike McKinney, Plainfield, Ill.
6. (22) 1ST Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
7. (10) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas
8. (14) 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
9. (25) 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan.
10. (1) 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla.
11. (23) 444 Brooks Strength, Raymond, Miss.
12. (20) 87 Darron Fuqua, Mayetta, Kan.
13. (4) 6 Casey Skyberg, Rapid City, S.D.
14. (6) 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
15. (7) 65X Carlos Ahumada Jr.., El Paso, Texas
16. (18) 36 Kenny Wallace, St. Louis, Mo.
17. (11) J17 Jake Gallardo, Las Cruces, N.M.
18. (9) 1M Curt Myers, Cameron, Wis.
19. (26) 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan.
20. (19) 89X Jesse Glenz, Cadott, Wis.
21. (24) 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn.
22. (12) 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark.
23. (17) 18A Landon Atkinson, Little Falls, Minn.
24. (15) K19 Will Krup, Mt. Carmel, Ill.
25. (13) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
26. (2) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.

Lap Leaders: Duvall 1-23, Hughes 24-37, Sorensen 38-40.
Total Laps Led: Duvall 23, Hughes 14, Sorensen 3.
Margin of Victory: 0.847 second.
Time of Race: 23 minutes, 16.487 seconds (3 cautions).
Provisional Starters: Mullens, Davis.
FK Rod Ends Hard Charger: McKinney (started 21st, finished 5th).
Entries: 49.
Next Race: Friday, April 23, Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.
Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s Points: Phillips 515, Ramirez 505, Sanders 498, Mullens 453, O'Neil 452, Hughes 438, Ebert 433, Schott 425, Sorensen 422, Scott 422, Ahumada 421, Wolff 421.
Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Points: Strength 378, Glenz 336, Lee 302, Krup 301, Good 294.
Miller Welders USMTS Manufacturers Championship Points: MBCustoms 62, Hughes 56, GRT 44, LG2 35, Lethal 34.
Compstar USMTS Engine Builder of the Year Points: Cornett 51, Durham 42, Mullins 41, Stoen 33, Hatfield 31.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Elliott.
Beyea Custom Headers – Ebert.
BigDeal Car Care – Sorensen.
Bryke Racing – Ahumada.
BSB Manufacturing – Bleess.
Champ Pans – McKinney.
Deatherage Opticians – VanderBeek.
Edelbrock – VanderBeek.
Eibach – Scott.
Fast Shafts – O’Neil.
FK Rod Ends – McKinney.
Hooker Harness – Fuqua.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Davis.
Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts – Myers.
K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports – L. Lee.
Keyser Manufacturing – Duvall.
KS Engineering – Strength.
KSE Racing Products – Mullens.
Maxima Racing Oils – Sorensen.
Penske Racing Shocks – Skyberg.
PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain – Wallace.
QA1 – Williamson.
RacerWebsite.com – Wilson.
Simpson Performance Products – Duvall.
Summit Racing Equipment – Ely, Elliott, Aikey, Mullens.
Super Clean – Sorensen.
Swift Springs – Sorensen, Hejna.
Sybesma Graphics – Duvall.
Tire Demon – Jeratowski.
VP Racing Fuels – Sorensen.
Wehrs Machine & Racing Products – Hagar.
Wilwood Disc Brakes – Sanders.