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By Ryan Neuharth (Tucson, AZ) — Ryan Gustin’s edition of the 2015 Keyser Manufactuing Wild West Shootout certainly wasn’t going according to plan. Having experienced multiple engine failures in both his Modified and Late Model, the winner of the 2014 finale in the Late Models had high hope entering this year’s mini-series. The young driver from Marshalltown, IA would go winless until the he captured the USRA Modified main event on Sunday night after a spirited battle with first Rodney Sanders and then Ricky Thornton, Jr.
On this night, Gustin would benefit from another’s misfortune to land his Gressel Racing, McCartney Trucking, Hughes Chassic in victory lane.
At the drop of the green, Thornton lead away from the pole followed by Sanders, Fito Gallardo, Mike Sterns, Grant Junghans, and Gustin. Stearns and Junghans each wasted little time in moving forward as both passed Sterns on lap two with Junghans also moving by Gallardo on lap three. Gustin also would get past the 24s machine on lap four and then Junghans for third on lap six.
Stearns and Gallardo would race side by side for position while just outside of the top five Blake Jegtvig and Jake Gallardo were duking it out for seventh. With those two races taking place farther back, the leaders were blasting around the tricky USA Raceway cushion, and when Sanders jumped-it on lap seven, Gustin shot underneath to take the runner up spot. However, that move would be negated when the caution flew for a slowing Rich Mann.
On the restart Thornton lead Sanders, Gustin, Junghans, Fito Gallardo, Stearns, Jake Gallardo, Jetgvit, Joey Moriarty and Alex Stanford.
Gustin would get the advantage of Sanders when the Happy, TX driver made contact with the outside wall as the cushion inched ever closer to the concrete lap after hair-raising lap. The races next yellow would fly on lap fourteen when Junghans slowed from fourth with terminal problems.
Thornton would again lead away from the green as Gustin began to apply the pressure with Sanders, Jake Gallardo, Jegtvig, Fito Gallardo and Stearns all giving chase. Gustin was in the tire tracks of Thornton as the duo raced in turns one and two, however, he was beginning to enter turn three on the low side and drifting to the outside is attempt to pull the side-job on the leader.
Several time between laps fifteen and twenty Gustin would pull along-side in turns three and four only to see Thornton fend off the challenge and continue up front. Gustin slid job attempts began to increase in intensity with just five laps remaining as he was trying to pull them off at both ends of the speedway.
As the top two raced into turn three on lap twenty-three, Thornton inexplicitly pulled low giving the high line to the 19r. The race long leader had experience heartbreak as he slowed and could do nothing about except pull to the infield as Gustin sailed past for the lead.
No one could mount a challenge over the final two laps and Gustin streak to his second career Wild West Shootout Modified win.
A-Main
Ryan Gustin, Rodney Sanders, Jake Gallardo, Mike Stearns, Fito Gallardo, Blake Jegtvig, Dan Hilsabeck, Alex Stanford, Christy Georges, Warm Imrie, Brady Gerdes, Royal Jones, Vince Lucas, Jimmy Ray, Dane Jorgenson, Rick Spencer, Dusty Riggs, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Grant Junghans, Matt Gilbertson, Joey Moriarty, Rich Mann, Chad Olsen, Brad Diercks (DNS)
Points Champion: Jake Gallardo
Heat 1
Joey Moriarty, Mike Stearns, Blake Jegtvig, Grant Junghans, Alex Stanford, Christy Georges, Dane Jorgenson, Brad Diercks (DNS)
Heat 2
Fito Gallardo, Royal Jones, Ricky Thornton, Jr., Chad Olsen, Ward Imrie, Matt Gilbertson, Dusty Riggs, Rich Mann
Heat 3
Ryan Gustin, Jake Gallardo, Brady Gerdes, Rodney Sanders, Dan Hilsabeck, Vince Lucas, Jimmy Ray, Rick Spencer