9/22/2019
Ramirez, Deer Creek bury the hatchet in Featherlite Fall Jamboree lid-lifter
SPRING VALLEY, Minn. --Dereck Ramirez watched the monkey on his back grow old, but the 32-year-old from Woodward, Okla., finally laid it to rest Thursday on opening night of the 21st Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
Ramirez started on the outside of the front row and followed polesitter Joel Alberts for the first six laps of Thursday's main event before powering to the front.
Besides Alberts, Ramirez was also challenged by Adam Hensel, Zack VanderBeek and Rodney Sanders during the first half of the 40-lapper but eventually he checked out with Sanders to settle it among themselves.
It seemed fitting since the pair are ranked first and second in both the Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship points battle and USMTS Hunt for the Casey's Cup powered by Summit which wraps up with the conclusion of Saturday's race.
Lapped traffic came into play during the final dozen laps, but despite his best efforts Sanders had to settle for the runner-up paycheck while Ramirez broke through for his third win of the season and eighth of his USMTS career.
In doing so, Ramirez also buried the hatchet with the Deer Creek Speedway.
"This is one of them places where in racing this is where you shine-Eldora for the Late Models; Deer Creek for the Modifieds-and it's so great to actually do it," an emotional Ramirez said in victory lane. "I've struggled and struggled here, and I finally got something figured out. I think we got something to work with."
Thursday's event was the 108th United States Modified Touring Series race at the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval near Spring Valley, Minn. For Ramirez, it was his 80th attempt but first trip to the winner's circle here.
"It was good," he said of his Cornett-powered No. 4r Hughes Chassis. "I'm so happy to run good here. You've got probably the greatest fans in dirt track racing for us, and I just never ran good here. I never showed my true talent to these people and I'm glad it shined tonight.
"I usually don't drink, but I think tonight's the night I probably get drunk."
While Ramirez avoided a 13th second-place finish this season and instead picked up his eighth career USMTS win, Sanders held off 2019 track champion Brandon Davis who clawed his way from 12th on the grid to finish third.
It ended a streak of seven straight wins at the track for Davis, including the Labor Day Weekend event which gave him his eighth career USMTS victory.
Top three (from left to right): second-place finisher Rodney Sanders, winner Dereck Ramirez and third-place finisher Brandon Davis.
Hunter Marriott made a late-race pass to steal fourth away from VanderBeek while Dustin Sorensen, Jake Timm, Alberts, Jake O'Neil and Brad Waits rounded out the top ten.
The 21st Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree continues Friday and Saturday. Race fans will witness a complete program both nights with $5,000 going to the winner on Friday while Saturday's champion will pocket $10,000.
New this year, Friday's program will feature the Stoen Racing Engines "Dash 4 Cash." The drivers with the fastest one-lap time in each heat race are eligible to compete in the 8-lap, $700-to-win sprint.
Saturday's 30-car Non-Qualifiers Race will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start. Thirty cars will start the main event each night, and Saturday's championship feature will go three-wide for the green flag start.
County Line Drive will be performing live on Friday night immediately following the races in the hospitality area behind the grandstands. The show is free for all race attendees, plus fans can partake in the annual Halloween Costume Contest during the live concert. To say it gets a bit crazy at times may be the understatement of the century.
Bragging rights for this year's Jamboree Bean Bag Tournament begins with sign-in at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday near the campground area. The battle begins at high noon.
On Friday, the pit gate opens and driver sign-in at the USMTS trailer begins at 2 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m. The drivers meeting will be held under the hospitality tent in the pit area at 6 p.m. Opening ceremonies begin at 6:45 and racing gets underway at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults or $10 for kids ages 12 and under. A three-day reserved ticket is $80 for adults or $30 for kids. Pit passes are $40. Students ages 6-15 are $25 for a pit pass while kids 5 and under are free.
On Saturday, the pit gate opens and driver sign-in at the USMTS trailer begins at 3 p.m. Grandstand gates open at 4 p.m. The drivers meeting will be held under the hospitality tent in the pit area at 5 p.m. Opening ceremonies begin at 5:45 and racing gets underway at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 for adults or $10 for kids ages 12 and under. A three-day reserved ticket is $80 for adults or $30 for kids. Pit passes are $40. Students ages 6-15 are $30 for a pit pass while kids 5 and under are free.
For fans unable to attend in person, all three nights of the 21st Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree will be broadcast live at RacinDirt.TV.
The Deer Creek Speedway is a high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval which sits on 60 acres with one of America's most popular state-of-the-art racing complexes and an adjoining campground. The track is located 11.3 miles south of I-90 at exit 209 on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16). The physical address for mapping is 25262 US Hwy 63, Spring Valley, MN 55975. For more information, call (507) 754-6107 or check out DeerCreekSpeedway.com online. Follow 'The Creek' on social media at facebook.com/DeerCreekSpeedway and twitter.com/DeerCreekSpeed.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS), visit USMTS.com online or call (515) 832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at facebook.com/USMTS, follow on Twitter at twitter.com/USMTS, check us out on Instagram at instagram.com/USMTS and subscribe to our YouTube channel at youtube.com/USMTSTV. Keep up to speed by joining our email list at USMTS.com/Subscribe.
Article Credit: Jeff Nunn