Auto racing: Sanders wins race, national title at Jamboree

SPRING VALLEY—Rodney Sanders left little doubt all season as to who the best driver in the United States Modified Touring Series is.

He cemented it on Thursday.

Sanders could have turned right all night and still captured the USMTS national championship for a second consecutive season.

Instead, the 24-year-old from Happy, Texas, decided to make some history.

He won the USMTS national title when he took a green flag in the first heat race, locking up a $20,000 check. Three hours later, Sanders topped a star-studded field in the 40-lap USMTS A Main to earn $5,000 on the opening night of the 16th annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at Deer Creek Speedway.

"It's been a great year all year long," Sanders said in Victory Lane. "I couldn't have dreamed of having a season like this."

The A-Main victory gave Sanders 25 this season, the second-most ever in a season by a USMTS driver. Former nine-time national champion Kelly Shryock won 30 races in 2006.

Sanders captured his first national title last season, when he had to hold off two other drivers on the final night of the season. He was able to breathe easier this year.

"It was a big weight off our shoulders knowing we didn't have to worry about points this weekend," he said. "We can just come here and have a good time. It sure feels good to come away with a win."

Sanders started sixth in the 30-car A-Main. He slowly worked his way through the top five, moving up to fourth on lap four, third on lap 11 and second on lap 16. Zack VanderBeek, who finished as the runner-up, tried to hold Sanders off by running the low side of the track, but Sanders worked the high side and passed VanderBeek with 15 laps remaining.

"We've been used to following that No. 20 around all year," VanderBeek said of Sanders, "but we had a good hot rod tonight, too. We're not too far off. We'll work on it and come back (today)."

Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., finished third, followed by Rochester's Nate Wasmund and Jeremy Payne of Springfield, Mo. Wasmund earned the hard charger award by turning in an impressive run, finishing fourth after starting 23rd.

Crapser rules B-Mods field

Cory Crapser finished fourth in the season points standings at Deer Creek, more than 100 points back of Chatfield teenager Jacob Bleess.

Crapser got the better of Bleess Thursday, edging the young driver to win the 20-lap USRA B-Modifieds A-Main on Night 1 of the Fall Jamboree.

"I didn't know if it would happen tonight," Crapser said. "It was a good battle with (Bleess), he's a good buddy. The track was really good. You could run anywhere. It looks dry, but it had a lot of traction."

Night 2 of the Fall Jamboree is set to start at 6:30 p.m. today.

USMTS MODIFIEDS

A Main (top 10)— 1. Rodney Sanders (Happy, Texas); 2. Zack VanderBeek (New Sharon, Iowa); 3. Jason Krohn (Slayton); 4. Nate Wasmund (Rochester); 5. Jeremy Payne (Springfield, Mo.); 6. Stormy Scott (Las Cruces, N.M.); 7. Terry Phillips (Springfield, Mo.); 8. Tommy Myer (Blooming Prairie); 9. Cade Dillard (Robeline, La.); 10. Brandon Davis (Medford).

B Main 1 (top 3 advance to 'A')— 1. Steven Whiteaker Jr. (Corpus Christi, Texas); 2. Brad Dierks (Clarence, Iowa); 3. Austin Arneson (Fargo, N.D.). B Main 2 (top 3 advance to 'A')— 1. Joey Jensen (Forest Lake); 2. Stormy Scott (Las Cruces, N.M.); 3. Jason Miller (Osceola, Wis.). B Main 3 (top 3 advance to 'A')— 1. Jason Krohn (Slayton); 2. Brent Larson (Lake Elmo); 3. Jason Cummins (New Richland). B Main 4 (top 3 advance to 'A')— 1. Lucas Schott (Chatfield); 2. Brandon Beckendorf (Danube); 3. Tim Setzer (Archie, Mo.). B Main 5 (top 3 advance to 'A')— 1. Steve Wetzstein (West Concord); 2. Nate Wasmund (Rochester); 3. Brandon Davis (Medford); 4. Brad Waits (Rochester); 5. Dereck Ramirez (Woodward, Okla).

Heat winners— Joe Duvall (Chelsea, Okla.); Tyler Townsend (Longview, Texas); Terry Phillips (Springfield, Mo.); John Webb (Pauls Valley, Okla.); Jesse Glenz (Cadott, Wis.); Jeremy Payne (Springfield, Mo.); Zack VanderBeek (New Sharon, Iowa).

USRA B-MODIFIEDS

A Main (top 10) — 1. Cory Crapser (Chippewa Falls); 2. Jacob Bleess (Chatfield); 3. Dan Wheeler (Savage); 4. Shaun Walski (Winona); 5. Jerry Young (Blooming Prairie); 6. Erik Kanz (Winona); 7. Cole Queensland (Grand Meadow); 8. AJ Zvorak (Blooming Prairie); 9. Dan Hovden (Decorah, Iowa); 10. Dustin Sorensen (Rochester).

B Main 1(top 5 advance to 'A')— 1. Dustin Kruse (Brandon, S.D.); 2. Mike Striegel (Wheatland, Mo.); 3. Scott Demmer (Ellendale), 4. Dan Hovden (Decorah, Iowa); 5. Taylor Ausrud (Hayfield). B Main 2 (top 5 advance to 'A')— 1. Kylie Kath (Owatonna); 2. Jeremiah Christensen (Sioux Falls, S.D.); 3. Chad Rosendahl (Houston); 4. Bill Stettner (Inver Grove Heights); 5. Brett Bumgardner (Hawkeye, Iowa). B Main 3 (top 5 advance to 'A')— 1. Alex Williamson (Rushford); 2. Cullen DeRuyter (Ruthton); 3. Brandon Hare (Elma, Iowa); 4. Rich Pavlicek (Casselton, N.D.); 5. Aaron Wiersma (Sioux Falls, S.D.).

Heat winners— Jared Boumeester (Waseca); Chad Clancy (Smithville, Mo.); Jerry Young (Blooming Prairie); Shaun Walski (Winona); Brady Joynt (Spencer, Iowa); Dan Wheeler (Columbia Heights).