Local Headlines

(Goliad, TXm 2-12-14) Just when it looked like south Texas would lose the United States Modified Touring Series season opener, Shady Oaks Speedway stepped up. With less than two weeks notice, Shady Oaks Speedway and the Stacy family took on its biggest challenge picking up a race originally scheduled for Corpus Christi's South Texas Speedway, who had to cancel after rain washed out part of their retaining wall.

USMTS Promoter, Todd Staley was left with a decision on where to transfer the race to Shady Oaks Speedway or two other out of state tracks. The Stacy's took on the task and with the help of sponsors, plus some marketing advice from NASCAR Promoter Humpy Wheeler, they pulled it together. Social media quickly picked up the buzz, #teamshadyoaks.

USMTS drivers and teams from all over rolled through the gates for the start of the tours points season. Seven states were represented in the ground pounding Modified division on the 1/3 mile, semi-banked, clay oval just north of town. Limited Modifieds and Street Stocks filled the support role with several out-of-town drivers in the Limited Modified class. All classes would run a complete show each night.

Whiteaker Wins One for Home Team
Corpus Christi's Steve Whiteaker jr. outran some of toughest Modified drivers in the country to take home the opening night win in the USMTS Modifieds. Whiteaker led all but the first lap coming from row two to get by Daniel Hilsabeck(Adel, Ia.) on the second circuit. Whiteaker had a brief mid-race challenge from Jason Hughes(Watts, Ok) but was able to pull out to a half straightaway lead as the race wound down to its conclusion.

Hilsabeck jumped out front going into turn 1 with Whiteaker up top followed by Jesse Sobbing, Adam Penn and Hughes. The lead duo were wheel to wheel at the line with Whiteaker getting the advantage on lap 2. Hughes made quick work of Penn for fourth, with Sobbing getting under Hilsabeck for second on lap 4.

Ryan Gustin and Dereck Ramirez were on a roll as they both picked off Penn, then Hilsabeck for fourth and fifth. Hughes was looking under Sobbing when yellow waved for a spin by Austin Arneson that saw Joe Duvall get out of shape trying to avoid him. On the restart Hughes got the pass on Sobbing for second, while Gustin got by Ramirez for fourth.

Coming to halfway it was Whiteaker by 5 car lengths over Hughes, Gustin getting third from Sobbing and Ramirez rounding out the top five. A. Arneson brought out another yellow looping his ride, this time, in turn 3. Hughes stuck his nose in under Whiteaker on the restart, but Whiteaker used the momentum off the top to hold the point.

Zack VanderBeek was on a late charge getting by Ben Kates for sixth, then Sobbing for fifth, with Philip Houston, Penn and Johnny Scott three wide for eighth. Whiteaker then began inching away from Hughes as the lap clicked off and held a good margin at the checkers in his D&SS Construction, Cottrell Racing, 89 Motorsports, WW Bodies, Nasty Cookers, Larry's Carburetors, five1seven Designs, John Lieta Farms, Protech, KSG, Swenson Racing Products, Churchs Chicken, Mullins powered, GRT by Phillips.

"It took six years of practice," joked Whiteaker. "That's the last time we won a race here. The car has really felt good. We tried a couple of things last night, but not too much because I don't have my regular rig with all my stuff in it. I'm kind of limited to what we have on the car. The car was good all night and good at Ark-La-Tex last weekend. I got a good start and into the lead early. The only car I ever saw was Jason(Hughes) ducking under me, so I picked up the pace."

"Even with some experience here I don't think I had any advantage. I really never ran here that much and the times that I did it was heavy with a cushion around the top. The Stacy's really did an amazing job on the track tonight."

"It always makes you a bit nervous when someone like Jason ducks under you. I've been watching him my whole life and he's probably only ever made three mistakes. He's phenomenal. You know he's not going to make a mistake so you can't make one. Then you have to hold him off. He preying on you, watching you and trying something different."

"We won because we were fast. When you look at the results and see Hughes and Gustin behind you, it doesn't get any better than that. Winning against those two is icing on the cake. They're the best in the business."

USMTS Modifieds
89c Steve Whiteaker jr., 12 Jason Hughes, 19r Ryan Gustin, 4r Dereck Ramirez, 33z Zack VanderBeek, 99 Jesse Sobbing, 23k Ben Kates , 1st Johnny Scott, 71 Philip Houston, 1* Adam Penn, 91 Joe Duvall, 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, 2 Casey Arneson, 5 Shane Sprinkle, 83 Eddie Martin, 10 Austin Arneson, 7d Austin Thiess, 7x Rory Jordan, 2j Grant Junghans, 9 Jimmy Ray, 65 Buck McFarlin, 21t Lance Town, j17 Jake Gallardo, 97 Cade Dillard

USMTS B-mains(Top 5 to A-main)
B-main 1; 21t Lance Town, j17 Jake Gallardo, 2 Casey Arneson, 2j Grant Junghans, 65 Buck McFarlin, 137 Bill Pittaway, 7x Rory Jordan, 9L Vince Lucas, 12 Cody Leonard, 7d Austin Thiess

B-main 2; 1st Johnny Scott, 97 Cade Dillard, 10 Austin Arneson, 91 Joe Duvall, 9 Jimmy Ray, 73 Donovan Lodge, 6 Brock Bauman, 123 Logan Robertson, 38 Ronnie Gould III, 4 Cody Bauman

USMTS heats(Top 14 in passing points to A-main)
Heat 1; 89c Steve Whiteaker jr., 23k Ben Kates, 1* Adam Penn, 91 Joe Duvall, 1st Johnny Scott, 2 Grant Junghans, 7x Rory Jordan, 7d Austin Thiess

Heat 2; 99 Jesse Sobbing, 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, 83 Eddie Martin, 21t Lance Town, 137 Bill Pittaway, 72 Donovan Lodge, 4 Cody Bauman, 6 Brock Bauman

Heat 3; 5 Shane Sprinkle, 33z Zack VanderBeek, 71 Philip Houston, 2 Casey Arneson, 10 Austin Arneson, 9l Vince Lucas, 126 Cody Leonard, 65 Buck McFarlin

Heat 4; 4r Dereck Ramirez, 12 Jason Hughes, j17 Jake Gallardo, 19r Ryan Gustin, 97 Cade Dillard, 9 Jimmy Ray, 38 Ronnie Gould III, 123 Logan Robertson

Jennings Jammin' in Limited Modified
Another Corpus Christi driver scored the victory in the 20-lap Limited Modified feature when JJ Jennings went wire to wire for the win. Jennings beat team mate Johnny Torres into turn 1 and never looked back. The beginning of the race saw all three Skip Gray cars up front before Shane Hoefling broke up the trio. Hoefling challenged Torres late, but no one had anything for Jennings as he cruised through traffic to the checkers.

Torres edged out front on the initial start but a spin by Dean Hollier quickly brought the yellow back out. On the second try Jennings, from the outside, beat Torres off the corner for the top spot. Torres fell in line second with Eddy Ross, Hoefling and Michael Maraschick in pursuit. Dustin Butcher moved past both Vince Louden and Maraschick for fifth.

Yellow waved on lap 1 for a spin by Broc Bowen in turn 4. Coming to green the back of the pack stacked up scattering those drivers and bringing the yellow right back out. Once back green, Hoefling was trying the high side of Ross while Louden and Maraschick swapped sixth. Hoefling completed the pass a lap later while Louden and Maraschick continued to slug it out until Maraschick took a side trip through the infield.

At halfway it was Jennings, Torres, Hoefling, Ross and Butcher in the top five. Jennings ran up on traffic, but wasn't slowed while Hoefling ran down Torres. The duo were side by side on lap 12 with Torres holding the spot. Jennings had no trouble with slower cars increasing his advantage to the checkers in the Skip & Cheryl Gray owned, Big Dog Racing, Grays Recycling, ASI powered, Express by 89 Motorsports Chassis.

"This is the best track I've ever been on here," said Jennings. "Running this track dry is the only way to go. I don't know what everyone in the stands thought, but where I sat, it was damned good track. We got in lap traffic for a little bit and were able to miss those guys. Pretty much every one held their line."

"I want to beat Johnny(Torres) as much as he wants to beat me. We don't have any(team) orders. We got out there to race each other. Whoever came out of (turn) 2 got it, there's no holding back. This is the same Express car I was in last year. All three of us ran good, so I know Skip's happy."

"We've got some competition here from Shane(Hoefling) and Vince Louden is always fast here. You can never count them out. We come to win every weekend whether its in my car or Skips car. Of course you may not do something dumb on the first night as you would the last night and end up working on the car all weekend."

"Steve jr. has really helped me a lot on setting this car up. He'll answer any question I've got and I appreciate everything he's done. He will out-drive me any day of the week so I don't think he's got to worry about that. He's done some stuff on my own car too."

Limited Modifieds
bd2 JJ Jennings, bd3 Johnny Torres, 63 Shane Hoefling, bd1 Eddy Ross, 90k Dustin Butcher, 175 Bo Beckner, 6 Vince Louden, 137 Bill Pittaway, 161 Hector Aguirre, 31 Jamie Campbell, 56 Broc Bowen, 26b John Bonneau, 211 Dean Hollier, 23 Michael Gay, 85 Larry Lewis, 87 Lew Lewis, 115 Chuck Perry, 17 Michael Maraschick

Limited Modified heats
Heat 1; bd3 Johnny Torres, bd1 Eddy Ross, 17 Michael Maraschick, 90k Dustin Butcher, 23 Michael Gay, 211 Dean Hollier, 115 Chuck Perry, 31 Jamie Campbell, 56 Broc Bowen

Heat 2; bd2 JJ Jennings, 6 Vince Louden, 63 Shane Hoefling, 37 Bill Pittaway, 161 Hector Aguirre, 95 Larry Lewis, 26b John Bonneau, 175 Bo Beckner, 87 Lew Lewis

Trigg Tallies Street Stock Sweep
After being out of the area for a while, Mike Trigg(Midland) made his way back to the south Winners Circle leading flag to flag in the 10-lap Street Stock feature. Trigg and Tony Blankenship ran door to door at the start, but Trigg motored away and went unchallenged to the victory in the Mac Tools, Willimack Insurance, Chevy.

Street Stocks; 4t Mike Trigg, 35 Tony Blankenship, 7 Johnny Torres, 34h Michael Harp, 355 Joe Boop, 51 Brad Hayes, 3d Robby Minten

Street Stock heat
Heat 1; 4t Mike Trigg, 35 Tony Blankenship, 355 Joe Boop, 7 Johnny Torres, 34h Michael Harp, 3d Robby Minten, 51 Brad Hayes

To keep racing updates flowing to your InBox, add your email address here:

<br>