Stormy Scott turned his season around in a big way with a thrilling victory in the fifth round of the 9th Annual Summit USMTS Winter Speedweeks presented by MSD Performance Saturday night at the Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian, MS.
After failing to even make it to the finish line in all four of the previous main events in this 2018 campaign, the 2-year-old from Las Cruces, N.M., put it all together at the ‘House of Hook’ after a spirited tussle with Cade Dillard in the caution-free 40-lapper.
Jason Krohn stepped up to the plate from his front row start and led most of the first half of the race with Dillard breathing down his neck and Scott lingering in third. With 15 laps down, Scott went by Dillard and then powered underneath Krohn for the lead as they came to the flagstand to complete lap 18.
Forced to navigate lapped traffic the rest of the way, Scott and Dillard sped away from the field with Scott showing the way on the bottom and Dillard on the gas around the high side.
With 13 laps to go, Dillard shot by Scott down the back-stretch and led for the first time this season with 28 orbits in the books.
Scott remained faithful to the short way around the smooth 3/8-mile of red clay and reeled Dillard back in, eventually taking the lead for good with just six laps left as he won going away for his 45th career USMTS triumph and a $3,000 payday.
Dillard was a solid second while the younger of the Scott twins-Johnny-clawed his way to third after starting 13th. Thirty minutes earlier, he came from last in his Real Racing Wheels “B” Main to win that and get a spot in the main event.
Krohn held off Lucas Schott for fourth with Dereck Ramirez, Lucas Lee, Jake O’Neil, Toby Hodge and Friday night’s winner, Zack VanderBeek, rounding out the top 10.
After five events in the Summit USMTS Southern Series powered by Production Jars, Johnny Scott remains the points leader by two markers over Dillard (466 to 464), followed by Ethan Dotson (394), Rodney Sanders (366), Dereck Ramirez (360), Joe Duvall (359), Bryan Rowland (341), Carlos Ahumada Jr. (335), Logan Robertson (334) and Zane Ferrell (324).
After two events in the USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental, Dillard is on top with 187 points followed by Schott (179), Johnny Scott (178), VanderBeek (172), O’Neil (160), Ramirez (157), Stormy Scott (155), Jake Timm (147), Krohn (142) and Robertson (130).
Sunday’s event at the Magnolia Motor Speedway in Columbus, Miss., has been rained out, so the next event on deck is the King of America VIII presented by Summit Racing Equipment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 15-17, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944.
-Photo and news release submitted by the United States Modified Touring Series, Inc.