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Rookie Crapser rocks Rapid Speedway for first USMTS win!

ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa—Cory Crapser got a wakeup call on lap 28, so he “got up on the wheel” and took control for the final seven laps to score his first-ever United States Modified Touring Series victory Tuesday night at the Rapid Speedway.
Crapser, in his rookie season of USMTS competition, beat Jesse Glenz to the first turn when the green flag waved to start the 35-lap main event and proceeded to lead the next 27 laps until fellow Rookie-of-the-Year contender Jesse Sobbing issued a challenge.
Following a caution with eight laps to go, Sobbing pulled alongside of Crapser on the restart and was the leader when the pair crossed the start-finish line on lap 28.
But Crapser fought back, regained the advantage the next time around and then proceeded to sail away from his pursuers to the checkered flag.
“Sobbing got up next to my door on that restart but I got him coming out of the corner. Then he pulled me in the next turn and was ahead of me going into (turn) one,” Crapser recalled. “He really made me drive it a lot harder; I had to go faster and there was some good bite up there but it wasn’t like it was wide open.”
The 29-year-old from Chippewa Falls, Wis., has won more than his fair share of feature races in USRA B-Mod and Wissota Midwest Mod competition, but this year’s plans didn’t include going to victory lane in a USMTS event.
“Honestly, I was just hoping to maybe get a USRA win or two this year,” he said. “This is a really good win for us and it was an all around pretty good night.”
Sobbing held on for the runner-up finish in the first and only USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental event this season at the Lyon County Fairgrounds in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Steve Whiteaker Jr. of Corpus Christi, Texas, claimed the third spot by holding off white hot Rodney Sanders, who came from the 16 starting position to garner fourth at the end.
Glenz, who challenged Crapser for the lead on lap 24, settled for a fifth-place finish, while Daniel Hilsabeck, Brent Larson, Zack VanderBeek, Dan Ebert and Casey Arneson rounded out the top 10.
Crapser’s first win was worth $3,000 and marked the final event in the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Northern Region presented by Day Motor Sports.
Sanders had already clinched the regional crown prior to Tuesday’s race and wound up with a 147-point cushion (926 to 779) over second-place Ebert in the final standings.
Third through tenth went to Larson (771), Sobbing (762), VanderBeek (746), Glenz (738), Arneson (672), Crapser (623), Joey Jensen (586) and Chris Oertel (582).
Five of the top 10 in final points—Ebert, Sobbing, Glenz, Arneson and Crapser—are USMTS Rookie-of-the-Year contenders in 2015.
This Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 23-25, the Best of the Best dirt modified drivers on the planet will converge on the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the 5th Annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship presented by Red Tail Tackle.
Race fans will witness a complete program of group qualifying, heat races and main events for the USMTS Modifieds each day as drivers try to claw their way into Saturday’s $20,000-to-win championship race.
In addition to the USMTS Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars and Wissota Midwest Mods will also share the spotlight with a complete program of heat races and main events each day.
There will be an open practice for all drivers on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. with free admission to the grandstands for early bird race fans.
USMTS drivers will qualify on Thursday and Friday. Points will be awarded for time trials, heat races and qualifying features with each driver’s total combined points for the two days determining the feature race line-ups on Saturday.
Saturday will feature an “alphabet soup” of main events and last-chance races with the top 12 points-earners locked into the championship “A” main. The 13th-highest points-earner from the first two days will be on the pole of the “B” main and so forth.
Saturday’s championship race will be divided into two segments. The first segment will be 25 laps and pay a minimum of $5,000 to win and $500 to start. At the conclusion of the first segment, competitors will have a maximum of ten minutes to make any needed changes to the racecar. The second segment will be 40 laps, start heads-up by the finishing order of the first segment and pay a minimum of $15,000 to win and $1,000 to start.
Two-time defending USMTS National Champion Rodney Sanders is also the defending champion of the World Modified Dirt Track Championship. Jason Hughes conquered the 2014 event while Ryan Gustin blistered the field in 2012. The inaugural event in 2011 went to Brad Waits.
USRA Stock Cars will battle for $500 to win Thursday, $600 to win Friday and $750 to win Saturday. WISSOTA Midwest Mods will be racing for $400 to win Thursday, $500 to win Friday and $600 to win Saturday.
Racing starts at 6:30 p.m. both Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s show gets started at 6 p.m.
Thursday and Friday reserved seats are $25 and general admission tickets are $20 each day. On Saturday, reserved seats are $30 and general admission is $25. A three-day reserved seat is $70. Kids get in for $10 each day. Pit passes are $40 each day or $110 for a three-day pit pass. Pit passes are $20 for Wednesday’s practice.
For race fans unable to attend the event, every lap of every race all three nights will be broadcast via pay-per-view by RacinDirt. Single-day broadcasts are just $21.95 on Thursday, $24.95 on Friday and $29.95 on Saturday. Visit www.racindirt.com today to order your three-day package for just $59.95 and save.
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental begins Thursday, Aug. 6, at the 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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