6/25/2016
Derrik Lusk Captures First UMSS Win at Deer Creek Speedway
A hot, windy afternoon with the threat of storms later in the evening set of stage for the 2nd Annual Sprints at the Creek UMSS event on Pink-Out Night at the Deer Creek Speedway. Derrik Lusk of Jackson led the final 18 laps for his first career UMSS feature win. Lusk was kind of "on the fence" as to whether they should come over given the predicted bad weather. His dad, Gabby (Gary), told him they were heading east and if Derrik wasn't along they would have to find a driver. Derrik figured he better ride along. Very good decision and later in the evening he put his #2L sprinter in Rock Auto Victory Lane. Like Richert had done the year before, Lusk joined right in on the Pink-Out Night theme of breast cancer awareness and did 20 push-ups following his winner's interview which helped add to the donations received throughout the evening at this popular event. Lusk earned $2,000 for his first UMSS win thanks to added sponsorship help from Midwest Power Equipment and GRP Motorsports in the top seven finishing positions.
The hot weather with the threat of storms kept the car count down just a bit, as (16) UMSS sprints were on hand. Running their usual double round of qualifying races, UMSS heat wins went to Norem and Lusk. A crash on the opening lap of the second heat involving Leigh Thomas, Chris Graf and Brandon Halverson knocked those cars out of the heat, but all three would return for their Challenge race and the feature. The Challenge races were won by Jamey Ogston and Ryan Bowers. Bowers was making his second appearance of the season in the DDR #2 sprinter, having won the previous Saturday night at Brainerd. The top four in passing and finishing points drew for starting positions in the first two rows of the 25 lap feature race. Bowers and Norem drew the front row with Lusk and Ogston in row two.
Norem rocketed into the early lead from his outside front row starting spot with Bowers in second followed by Lusk. A flat left rear tire on Anna Hippe's car saw the yellow wave with four laps scored. Lusk was running second with seven laps scored when race leader Tony Norem attempted to lap Roger McVitty. Contact on the backstretch sent Norem's car flipping wildly. Norem cleared the turn three concrete wall and came to rest against a large billboard just outside of turn three with the tail of the car on the ground and the front end pointing skyward. Norem walked away from the crash, but his car was heavily damaged. Russ Hall dropped out of the race under the red flag with no brakes and Roger McVitty went pit side with a flat right front tire. Lusk was now the leader, a lead he would not relinquish for the remainder of the race with a margin of victory of .747 seconds over Bowers.
Lusk blasted around the high side, coming dangerously close to the turn two wall on several occasions. In fact, he jokingly commented afterwards that he tried to knock it down a couple of times as he bumped off the concrete more than once. Following a spin by Bob McVitty with 14 laps in the books, last year's winner Jerry Richert, Jr. was not as fortunate a lap later with his contact with the turn four wall. Richert's night ended on the wrecker with front end damage to his sprinter. The race clicked off the final ten laps under green, as lightning was flashing in the western sky and a storm was approaching. Lusk was like "lightning" on the track during his 18 lap run to the checkers, as Bowers could only muster a couple of failed attempts for the lead and had to settle for second and a $1,000 payout. Cody Hahn was strong in third with Jamey Ogston also turning in a solid performance in fourth. Veteran racer Dean Brown overcame some gremlins earlier in the night to earn his first top five finish of the season. Rounding out the top ten finishers was Chris Graf, Jeff Pellersels, Brandon Halverson, Leigh Thomas and Anna Hippe. All four previous UMSS Champions (Thomas, Hahn, Graf and Richert) were in attendance.
A huge thanks to Brian Madsen and BP Trading Company for several added $100 bonus awards. Jeff Pellersels earned the BP Trading Company Hard Charger Award, coming from his 14th starting spot to seventh in the feature. Jamey Ogston picked up the BP Trading Company Longest Tow award, edging out Leigh Thomas in distance. Reed Allex was awarded the BP Trading Company Perseverance/Support Award for his dedication to the series. Tony Norem received the BP Trading Company Hard Luck Award for his feature race accident. And one additional $100 Hard Luck award from GRP Motorsports was given to Leigh Thomas for his heat race crash and hard work to make repairs and be ready for the remainder of the evening. GRP indicated it was kind of like a Hard Luck and Long Tow all in one, as Thomas was about 10 miles closer to Deer Creek than Ogston but both made long hauls to get to the track.
Following a weekend off for the July Fourth Holiday, the UMSS winged sprints are back in action twice during the World of Outlaws weekend at the Cedar Lake Speedway. The UMSS winged and Traditional sprints are on the program on Friday night July 8 for the 24th Annual Kouba Memorial which will see the winged sprint feature pay $2,000 to win thanks to contributions from several sponsors. The following night July 9 the UMSS winged and Traditional sprints are once again part of the World of Outlaws show, as it will be an all sprint car program for the entire weekend on July 8-9 at the Cedar Lake Speedway. Sprint car fans will certainly want to make plans to attend this exciting event at the popular western Wisconsin dirt oval. Last year there were strong car counts in both UMSS divisions.
UMSS Race Results - Deer Creek Speedway June 25, 2016 (Race #4)
Midwest Power Equip & GRP Motorsports A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 2L-Derrik Lusk[3]; 2. 2-Ryan Bowers[1]; 3. 34-Cody Hahn[5]; 4. 03-Jamey Ogston[4]; 5. 1D-Dean Brown[7]; 6. 20G-Chris Graf[10]; 7. 1-Jeff Pellersels[14]; 8. 13MJ-Brandon Halverson[11]; 9. 29-Leigh Thomas[13]; 10. 5-Anna Hippe[6]; 11. 91A-Reed Allex[15]; 12. 7M-Bob McVitty[12]; 13. (DNF) 34DD-Jerry Richert Jr[9]; 14. (DNF) 29H-Russ Hall[8]; 15. (DNF) 74-Roger McVitty[16]; 16. (DNF) B1ST-Tony Norem[2].
Lap Leaders: Norem 1-7, Lusk 8-25. Cautions: (3) yellows & (1) red. 1st yellow with 4 laps scored for 5 stopped turn 2 with left rear tire flat. Red flag for B1st wild ride over turn 3 wall and into billboards after contact with 74 with 7 laps scored. 2nd yellow with 14 laps scored for 7M spin turn 2. 3rd yellow with 15 laps scored for 34DD into turn 4 wall and out of race with front end damage.
Midwest Power Equip & GRP Motorsports Challenge Race 1 (8 Laps): 1. 03-Jamey Ogston[4]; 2. 1D-Dean Brown[2]; 3. 29H-Russ Hall[3]; 4. 2L-Derrik Lusk[6]; 5. 34DD-Jerry Richert Jr[5]; 6. 20G-Chris Graf[8]; 7. 1-Jeff Pellersels[1]; 8. 91A-Reed Allex[7].
Lap Leaders: Pellersels 1, Ogston 2-8. No cautions.
Midwest Power Equip & GRP Motorsports Challenge Race 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2-Ryan Bowers[2]; 2. B1ST-Tony Norem[6]; 3. 34-Cody Hahn[4]; 4. 5-Anna Hippe[5]; 5. 13MJ-Brandon Halverson[1]; 6. 29-Leigh Thomas[7]; 7. 7M-Bob McVitty[3]; 8. 74-Roger McVitty[8].
Lap Leader: Bowers 1-8. No cautions.
Track Rat Photos Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. B1ST-Tony Norem[1]; 2. 34DD-Jerry Richert Jr[2]; 3. 34-Cody Hahn[3]; 4. 29H-Russ Hall[5]; 5. 2-Ryan Bowers[7]; 6. 1-Jeff Pellersels[4]; 7. 91A-Reed Allex[6]; (DNS) 74-Roger McVitty.
Lap Leader: Norem 1-8. No cautions.
Meeks Video Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 2L-Derrik Lusk[2]; 2. 5-Anna Hippe[1]; 3. 03-Jamey Ogston[3]; 4. 7M-Bob McVitty[4]; 5. 1D-Dean Brown[7]; 6. (DNF) 13MJ-Brandon Halverson[5]; 7. (DNF) 20G-Chris Graf[8]; 8. (DNF) 29-Leigh Thomas[6].
Lap Leader: Lusk 1-8. Cautions: (1) yellow on opening lap when 29 contacted backstretch wall and collected 20G & 13MJ. All three cars out or race.
Victory Lane Photo courtesy of Vince Peterson at Track Rat Photos.
Article Credit: Greg Parent, UMSS Media Director
