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Goliad, TX.(Feb., 14th, 2015) A Valentines Day special concluded the big three-day USMTS weekend at Shady Oaks Speedway that already had two drivers snagging USMTS victories in the previous two shows.(Steve Whiteaker jr. and Dereck Ramirez) In the support classes, JJ Jennings and Shane Hoefling won in the Limited Modifieds, while Mike Trigg and Edward Oakes took home honors in the Street Stocks.

To call the weekend a success would probably be an understatement for a show that took place on short notice, on a track that many of the USMTS regulars had never even seen before, let alone turned a lap on.

Drivers had two different surfaces to race on, with a dry slick track on Thursday night and heavier track Friday. This kept the crews on their toes watching conditions and making changes throughout the weekend.

Gustin Grabs USMTS Gold
Becoming the third different winner in the three nights, Ryan Gustin(Marshalltown, Ia.) showed he still could wheel a USMTS Modified. The former USMTS Champion, who has also been running Late Models during the 2014 season, improved his position each night finding his way to Saturday nights Winners Circle.

Gustin got past polesitter, and early leader Adam Penn on lap 3, then had rookie Austin Arneson on his tail throughout the the 40-lapper. Gustin's only challenge seemed to be the rear brakes that would glow red on long runs. A late restart gave A. Arneson and Cade Dillard one last shot, but it was Gustin going unchallenged to the checkers.

As the 24-car USMTS Modified blasted to the green flag, Penn was first into turn 1 with Gustin on the high side. Penn held the lead on lap 1 trailed by Gustin, Johnny Scott, Dillard and A. Arneson. Gustin got along side Penn on lap 2 with Scott, Dillard and A, Arneson going three wide and trading some paint.

The lead duo were still wheel to wheel on lap 2 as A, Arneson secured third. Gustin inched ahead to lead lap 3 by a nose. The caution waved on lap 4 for Scott, who jumped the infield berm and spun in turn 4. Last nights winner, Dereck Ramirez would pit under the yellow.

On the restart A. Arneson got by Penn for second while Dillard had Jake Gallardo along side fighting for fourth. A. Arneson gave Gustin a little tap in turn 2 on lap 5. A. Arneson lost ground and gave second back to Penn with Gallardo following to third. A. Arneson quickly regained his lost spots, but Gustin was inching away.

Dillard got around Penn for fourth while Thursdays winner, Steve Whiteaker jr. and Jesse Sobbing were swapping eighth. Lap 17 saw Jason Hughes jump the cushion in turn 2 giving positions to Sobbing and Whiteaker. Gustin ran up on traffic coming to halfway with his brakes getting hot. At halfway it was Gustin, A. Arneson, Gallardo, Dillard and Philip Houston getting by Penn for fifth.

Gustin still held a good advantage over A. Arneson as they cleared some slower cars on lap 25. Penn, and the lapped car of Rory Jordan, tangled on lap 28 sending both around on the front stretch. Gallardo gave up third under yellow going to the hot pits and Gustin was able to cool his brakes. As green waved again Gustin, A. Arneson and Dillard were three wide in turn 1, but sorted out quickly.

With ten to go Gustin had about a five car edge on A. Arneson while Houston and Sobbing exchanged slide jobs for fifth. As the laps wound down Hughes got along side Dillard with Houston and Sobbing side by side and Jimmy Ray, Whiteaker and Daniel Hilsabeck three wide for seventh. Gustin's brakes were again bright red with five to go and A. Arneson making up a couple car lengths.

Donovan Lodge looped his ride on lap 38 setting up a final shootout to the checkers. Gustin quickly got away from the pack as A. Arneson held off Dillard for second. At the line it was Gustin in the Gressel Racing, McCartney Welding Service, Henryetta Ford, Sybesma Graphics, Eibach Springs, Integra Shocks, Larry's Carburetors, VP Race Fuels, Mullins powered, Hughes Racing Chassis, by a few car lengths.

"It's been a real good weekend," exclaimed Gustin. "We're just trying to learn this new car, on a track we've never been to before. A win, a second and a third, we'll take that any day. Starting up front helps a lot, especially on tonight's track. It kind of got one lane there in (turns) 3-4. I'd much rather have that, than have it get rough about halfway through. We're really happy with it."

"On a new car and new track you probably try to find the gear you want first thing. You eyeball the track and take an educated guess and adjust from there. The right front spring and shock is really important too. These cars are on the right front pretty hard and right side tires. You've got a lot of traction and have to be able to turn too."

"This is the first time I've driven one of his(Jason Hughes) new cars. He's been in his a couple years now. We've shared a lot of information back and forth. You can see that we've both been really fast."

"We're going to do both the Modified and Late Model this year. Mainly the Late Model and some of the bigger Modified shows."

USMTS Modifieds
19r Ryan Gustin, 10 Austin Arneson, 97 Cade Dillard, 12 Jason Hughes, 99 Jesse Sobbing, 71 Philip Houston, 89c Steve Whiteaker jr, 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, 9 Jimmy Ray, 1st Johnny Scott, 33z Zack VanderBeek, 2j Grant Junghans, 1* Adam Penn, 2 Casey Arneson, 83 Eddie Martin, 7d Austin Thiess, j17 Jake Gallardo, 72d Donovan Lodge, 5 Shane Sprinkle, 91 Joe Duvall, 7x Rory Jordan, 21t Lance Town, 4 Cody Bauman, 4r Dereck Ramirez

USMTS B-mains(Top 5 to A-main)
B-main 1; 89c Steve Whiteaker jr., 2 Casey Arneson, 83 Eddie Martin, 2j Grant Junghans, 91 Joe Duvall, 38 Ronnie Gould III, 12 Cody Leonard, 65 Buck McFarlin, 37 Bill Pittaway, 123 Logan Robertson, 23k Ben Kates---DNS

B-main 2; 33z Zack VanderBeek, 73d Donovan Lodge, 21t Lance Town, 9 Jimmy Ray, 4 Cody Bauman, 9L Vince Lucas, 5 Shane Sprinkle, 6 Brock Bauman, 7x Rory Jordan, 32b Brandon Nichols

USMTS heats(Top 12 in passing points to A-main)
Heat 1; j17 Jake Gallardo, 19r Ryan Gustin, 99 Jesse Sobbing, 33z Zack VanderBeek, 21t Lance Town, 12 Cody Leonard, 2 Casey Arneson, 65 Buck McFarlin, 123 Logan Robertson

Heat 2; 1* Adam Penn, 4r Dereck Ramirez, 12 Jason Hughes, 89c Steve Whiteaker jr., 91 Joe Duvall, 9 Jimmy Ray, 9L Vince Lucas, 32b Brandon Nichols

Heat 3; 22d Daniel Hilsabeck, 10 Austin Arneson, 7d Austin Thiess, 4 Cody Bauman, 83 Eddie Martin, 38 Ronnie Gould III, 37 Bill Pittaway, 23k Ben Kates

Heat 4; 97 Cade Dillard, 71 Philip Houston, 1st Johnny Scott, 2j Grant Junghans, 73d Donovan Lodge, 6 Brock Bauman, 5 Shane Sprinkle, 7x Rory Jordan

Jennings Rebounds for Limited Modified Weekend Double
After winning Thursday night, then spinning himself out on Friday night, Corpus Christi's JJ Jennings went from hero to zero and back to hero. But the win wasn't easy. Jennings who jumped out front on lap 1 had Fridays victor Shane Hoefling on his tail throughout the 20-lap feature. In the final laps the duo ran up on traffic with Hoefling giving Jennings his best shot. Jennings cut through the slower cars while Hoefling ended up spinning through the infield, recovering to salvage fourth.

On the initial start Jennings beat Hoefling into turn 1 as the 19-car field fired off. Trouble in the back of the pack brought the yellow back out for a complete restart. Jennings again out-raced Hoefling into the first turn with Vince Louden, Eddy Ross and Roly Rodriguez in pursuit. As Jennings and Hoefling began to ease ahead, Dean Hollier got into Bo Beckner sending him around and Hollier to the pits.

On the restart Michael Maraschick got by Rodriguez and Louden for third. Beckner and Dustin Butcher closed in on Louden making a three car scrap for fifth. Coming to the crossed flags Jennings and Hoefling had checked out, with Maraschick, Rodriguez and Beckner rounding out the top five. Beckner and Rodriguez continued to swap the spot.

With five to go Hoefling changed his line, moving up a lane, as he and Jennings approached the back of the field. Hoefling was able to show Jennings the nose on lap 18 as they went three wide around Bill Pittaway. Hoefling sailed it off into turns 3-4 on the final lap, but lost it leaving Jennings in the Skip & Cheryl Gray owned, Big Dog Racing, Grays Recycling, ASI powered, Express by 89 Motorsports Chassis to take the checkers.

"This weekend's been hero or zero," replied Jennings. "Tonight I was the hero again. This makes up for spinning myself last night. We come to run in the top three or four every night. The track was heavy last night. Once I see that I already hate it. I got hit in the heat and feature, then spun. I hate seeing stuff get torn up on a heavy track and that's usually what you get. I'm glad it was dried up tonight and look forward to the March race here."

"I really didn't hear Shane(Hoefling) back there until about two or three to go. Once we got up to those lapped cars he drove up along side. I didn't know how that was going to go. Bill Pittaway was on the bottom and I was going outside of him one way or the other. I know anytime I race with Shane I have to be on my game. He'll drive you as clean as you drive him and you never have to worry about getting run over."

"I have to thank Skip and Cheryl(Gray) for giving me the chance to drive this car. I'm glad the Stacy's had this race and I'm ready for Baytown next week. We'll be taking my car there. We have a brand new motor and the front end geometry is different, brand new body and wrap, so we're pretty excited."

Limited Modifieds
bd2 JJ Jennings, 17 Michael Maraschick, 12r Roly Rodriguez, 63 Shane Hoefling, 175 Bo Beckner, 6 Vince Louden, 53 Craig Oakes, 90 Dustin Butcher, 56 Broc Bowen, 57x Dale Flanagan, 23 Michael Gay, bd1 Eddy Ross, 11t Tom Grothues, 24 Jacob Burnett, 48m Max Calles, 37 Bill Pittaway, 94 Nick Hardcastle, 18 Larry Jernigan, 211 Dean Hollier---BF, 26b Jon Bonneau---DNS

Limited Modified heats
Heat 1; 63 Shane Hoefling, 6 Vince Louden, bd1 Eddy Ross, 17 Michael Maraschick, 23 Michael Gay, 90k Dustin Butcher, 56 Broc Bowen, 57x Dale Flanagan, 48m Max Calles

Heat 2; bd2 JJ Jennings, 12r Roly Rodriguez, 175 Bo Beckner, 37 bill Pittaway, 211 Dean Hollier, 24 Jacob Burnett, 26b John Bonneau, 94 Nick Hardcastle, 53 Craig Oakes

Oakes Scores Street Stock Double
The 10-lap Street Stock feature looked like it might pit the two previous winners head to head at the start. Mike Trigg led the pack into turn 1, but it was Oakes off turn 2 taking the lead. Trigg slipped back on the somewhat greasy track after a light misting of water following the USMTS B-mains. This put Marcus Mikulencak up to second followed by Johnny Torres and Tony Blankenship.

Trigg and Torres would tangle on lap 2 ending Triggs night, with Torres retiring after the restart. Oakes would distance himself from the pack in the Performance Racing Products, Express Chassis, Chevy from there going on the take the victory unchallenged.

Street Stocks
53 Edward Oakes, 9m Marcus Mikulencak, 35 Tony Blankenship, 5 Brad Hayes, 7 Frank Okruhlik, 17 Johnny Torres, 4t Mike Trigg

Street Stock heat
Heat 1; 4t Mike Trigg, 35 Tony Blankenship, 53 Edward Oakes, 9m Marcus Mikulencak, 17 Johnny Torres, 5 Brad Hayes, 7 Frank Okruhlik