OGILVIE, Minn. (Aug. 17) – Jason Krohn found his groove just in time and emerged with the victory Saturday night at the Ogilvie Raceway in one of the most dramatic feature races of the 2013 Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup.

Krohn, who won the ‘Hunt’ opener at the Batesville Motor Speedway two weeks ago, battled with fellow Gopher State standout Dave Mass for the majority of the race before he found some traction on the low side of the racing surface and pulled away over the final six laps to take the win.

After a quick caution on the first lap that sent Lucas Schott and Stormy Scott to the back of the 24-car field, polesitter Krohn beat Mass to the first turn and grabbed the lead at the onset of the 40-lapper.

Mass followed close behind and used the high line around the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval to power into the lead as they completed the seventh lap.

Krohn quickly jumped up to follow in Mass’s tire tracks.

Meanwhile, two-time defending USMTS National Champion Ryan Gustin was charging through the field. After starting 12th, he was fighting Dave Cain for the third spot by lap 7 and finally secured the spot on lap 19.

With lapped traffic now in play, Krohn was able to slide up in front of Mass and took control of the race with 23 laps in the books. One lap later, Real Racing Wheels “B” Main winner Jason Hughes drove underneath Cain to move up to fourth from his seventh-row starting position.

While Krohn and Mass ran nose-to-tail with their right rear tires polishing the outside wall, Gustin ran the middle of the track and Hughes hugged the lowest line around the track. For the next ten laps it looked like any of the four could take home the trophy.

Hughes edged ahead of Gustin at the flagstand on lap 30 and then added Mass to his victim list one lap later. Seeing the blue #12 Hughes Chassis beneath him, Krohn steered his #7k MB Customs machine down to the low line on the 32nd lap.

Racing into turn 3, Krohn and Mass went high around the lapped car of Daniel Hilsabeck while Hughes and Gustin tried to pass underneath. The result was Gustin and Hilsabeck making contact, with Gustin nearly getting airborne as he skidded to a stop in between turns 3 and 4 to bring out the race’s second and final caution.

Frustrated with what had just transpired, Gustin tagged and turned Hilsabeck’s car while the race was under caution, eliciting an ejection from the race director.

On the restart, Krohn remained on the low side of the track to thwart the advances of Hughes. He was able to pull away from there while the high-flying Mass charged back ahead of Hughes for second.

While the long way around the track was running out of steam, the shortest route was gathering rubber and gaining speed. Hughes slipped back into second on lap 36 and Jeremy Payne was able to maneuver into the third spot with three laps to go.

Krohn drove away in the end to score a $5,000 paycheck. It was the 29th career USMTS win for the 41-year-old from Slayton, Minn.

Hughes, Payne and Mass finished second, third and fourth while Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup points leader Johnny Scott rounded out the top five finishers. Sixth through tenth, respectively, were Dereck Ramirez, Zack VanderBeek, Rodney Sanders, Jon Tesch and Stormy Scott, who rebounded nicely from his first-lap skirmish.

In addition to a cool $2,000 for his runner-up effort, Hughes pocketed an additional $100 through the USMTS loyalty program and another $100 for earning the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award after passing 11 competitors in the 40-lapper.

Johnny Scott continues to lead the points and, just like one night earlier, the top four are separated by a mere 30 markers. Hughes is second in the standings and just 19 behind Johnny Scott (784 to 765). Stormy Scott sits third with 760 and Sanders is fourth with 754. The rest of the top 10 spots are held by Payne (677), VanderBeek (645), Kelly Shryock (596), Chris Brown (590), Ramirez (575) and Schott (568).

The five-day work week for the rugged USMTS road warriors wraps up on Sunday, Aug. 18, with an encore performance at the Granite City Speedway in Sauk Rapids, Minn. Midwest Modifieds, Hobby Stocks, Hornets, Street Stocks and Mod Fours will also be on the racing card presented by Viking Coca-Cola and Luther Honda.

Doors open at 3:00 with races getting underway at 5:30. Also, fans don’t forget that the track will be giving away a trip to the NASCAR race at the Chicagoland Speedway courtesy of Viking Coca-Cola tonight. Come and get registered and maybe win a trip to Chicago in September.

Adult grandstand tickets are $17, seniors and military personnel are $15, students ages 7-17 are $5 and children ages 6 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

On race day, race fans can find coupons good for $2 off adult admission at the Casey’s General Stores locations in Foley, St. Cloud, St. Joseph and Waite Park. Steve Whiteaker Jr. and his Cheetos car will be hanging around the Casey’s located at 656 Lincoln Ave. SE in St. Cloud from 12:00-2:00 on Sunday.

The Granite City Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located 2.5 miles north of SR 23 on US 10, then 2 miles east on Golden Spike Rd. (CR 3). For more information, call 715-497-8916 or check out www.gcspeedway.com online.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts or check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup – Round 8 of 17
Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, Minn.
Saturday, Aug. 17, 2013

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

BEYEA CUSTOM HEADERS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn.
2. (2) 2m Dave Mass, Brainerd, Minn.
3. (5) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo.
4. (7) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (6) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
6. (4) 12m Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis.
7. (3) 1x Cody Erickson (R), Ulen, Minn.
8. (9) 11x Rich Lofthus, Bloomer, Wis.
9. (8) 00 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada.

JRi SHOCKS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (3) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo.
2. (2) 2c Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn.
3. (1) 31t Trent Follmer, Princeton, Minn.
4. (6) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (4) 9m Dale Mathison (R), Clearwater, Minn.
6. (7) V2 Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, Minn.
7. (8) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
8. (5) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
2. (1) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada.
3. (7) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (3) 14w Clayton Wagamon, Blaine, Minn.
5. (4) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
6. (5) 21b Brandon Jensen, Hammond, Wis.
7. (8) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn.
8. (6) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (1) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas.
2. (5) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (2) 40 Charlie Hillukka, Monticello, Minn.
4. (7) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
5. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
6. (8) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
7. (3) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis.
8. (6) 24jr Jeff Lien Jr. (R), Mora, Minn.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (2) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
2. (1) 31t Trent Follmer, Princeton, Minn.
3. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
4. (5) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
5. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
6. (4) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa.
7. (6) 12m Jason Miller, Osceola, Wis., Matrix/PowerPlus, $80.
8. (8) 1x Cody Erickson (R), Ulen, Minn., Impressive/Mullins, $100.
9. (11) 00 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada.
10. (9) 11x Rich Lofthus, Bloomer, Wis., Hughes/Tim’s, $80.
11. (10) 51 Tim Thomas, West Fargo, N.D., Hughes/G-Force, $80.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (2) 14w Clayton Wagamon, Blaine, Minn.
3. (3) 9m Dale Mathison (R), Clearwater, Minn.
4. (5) V2 Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, Minn.
5. (6) 21b Brandon Jensen, Hammond, Wis.
6. (9) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, $400.
7. (8) 91 Craig Thatcher, Knapp, Wis., GRT/TriStar, $100.
8. (7) 10 Mike Steensma, Luverne, Minn., MBCustom/Sput’s, $100.
9. (10) 24jr Jeff Lien Jr. (R), Mora, Minn., Matrix/Sput’s, $100.
10. (1) 40 Charlie Hillukka, Monticello, Minn., SSR/Newgard, $80.

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., MBCustom/Sput’s, 40, $5000.
2. (13) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2200.
3. (8) 186 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo., GRT/RoushYates, 40, $1500.
4. (2) 2m Dave Mass, Brainerd, Minn., Shaw/Wheeler, 40, $1000.
5. (6) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/ProPower, 40, $1000.
6. (11) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $800.
7. (17) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $800.
8. (14) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, MBCustom/Geddes, 40, $650.
9. (19) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $600.
10. (7) 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., GRT/ProPower, 40, $550.
11. (20) V2 Joey Jensen, Forest Lake, Minn., GRT/Tim’s, 40, $500.
12. (10) 99h Trevor Hunt (R), Kearney, Mo., GRT/Geddes, 40, $550.
13. (15) 31t Trent Follmer, Princeton, Minn., Shaw/Tim’s, 40, $325.
14. (3) 69 Lucas Schott, Chatfield, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $400.
15. (21) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $500.
16. (9) 01 Joey Galloway (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, 40, $450.
17. (24) 00 Masen Big Eagle (R), Manor, Sask., Canada, GRT/Tim’s, 40, $425.
18. (18) 9m Dale Mathison (R), Clearwater, Minn., MBCustom/Tim’s, 40, $300.
19. (22) 21b Brandon Jensen, Hammond, Wis., SSR/Scott’s, 40, $275.
20. (23) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, Adel, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 39, $300.
21. (12) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 33, $300.
22. (5) 2c Dave Cain, Corcoran, Minn., Shaw/Tim’s, 33, $300.
23. (4) 89 Steve Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 32, $300.
24. (16) 14w Clayton Wagamon, Blaine, Minn., Wheeler/Wagamon, 2, $300

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Lap Leaders: Krohn 1-6, Mass 7-23, Krohn 24-40.
Total Laps Led: Krohn 23, Mass 17.
Margin of Victory: 0.794 second.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Hughes (started 13th, finished 2nd).
Next Race: Sunday, Aug. 18, Granite City Speedway, Sauk Rapids, Minn.
Points Standings: J. Scott 784, Hughes 765, S. Scott 760, Sanders 754, Payne 677, VanderBeek 645, Shryock 596, Brown 590, Ramirez 575, Schott 568.
Rookie of the Year Points: Hunt 1642, Galloway 1542, Big Eagle 1248, Jeff Conner 855, Adam Penn 598.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: ProPower 353, Mullins 316, RoushYates 311, Geddes 302, Sput’s 290.
Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 386, GRT 362, MBCustom 333, Skyrocket 262, LG2 214.

Contingency Awards:
AERO Race Wheels – Wagamon.
American Racer – Schott.
Beyea Custom Headers – Schott.
BSB Manufacturing – S. Scott, VanderBeek.
Buck Monson Photos – Krohn.
Crane Cams – Krohn.
Dominator Race Products – Hilsabeck.
Edelbrock – Payne.
Eibach Springs – Krohn.
FK Rod Ends – Shryock.
Forty9Designs.com – Schott, B. Jensen.
Fuel Safe – Ramirez.
GRT Race Cars – Payne.
Hooker Harness – Follmer.
JRi Shocks – Payne.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Tesch.
Keyser Manufacturing – S. Scott.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Whiteaker.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Hughes.
MSD Ignition – Krohn.
PBM Performance Products – Whiteaker, Krohn.
Power Lift Racing Products – Big Eagle.
Real Racing Wheels – all non-qualifiers.
VP Racing Fuels – Krohn.