More often than not, Derek Green is mild-mannered when he pulls into victory lane.
The Holley USRA Stock Car driver from Granada, Minn., wins regularly, so wild celebrations aren't typically part of his DNA.
His win Sunday night at Mason City Motor Speedway was not of the regular variety, however.
After he pulled his No. 32 machine into victory lane, his young child was there to greet him. Green celebrated. So did his child and family members. Then Green talked about why this 18-lap main event was different than many others.
“When it’s a tight race at the end, it’s exciting to be in the car,” Green said.
This one wasn’t only tight at the end.
Green started on the front row. It took a few laps, but then the race for the lead was on.
Josh Zieman, who started eighth, did everything in his power to steal one from Green.
The two raced door-to-door. They traded the lead. And then there was the final restart with four laps to go. Zieman had the lead coming to green with four to go. But coming out of turns 3 and 4, Green put his Stock Car on the cushion before darting to the bottom to reclaim the lead.
“That was about all I had,” Green said.
It turned out it was enough. Zieman’s tremendous race through the field earned him a second-place finish. Lynn Panos was third after starting 12th. Todd Staley and Jesse Brown rounded out the top five.
A quick look at the results would tell you Green started first and ended first. That doesn’t tell the story about how this race transpired.
It was only the second feature of the year at MCMS due to rainy Sunday nights.
For Green, it was his third USRA feature win of the season. He’s hoping for many more as he said he plans to race for points in Mason City.
In the Out-Pace URA B-Mod division, there was plenty of emotion from the camp of the winner, Nate Whitehurst. It just didn’t came from the race winner.
As Whitehurst crossed the finish line first, having withstood a late-race charge from weekly contender Jared Boumeester, there was a Whitehurst celebrating.
It just happened to be Nate’s dad, who was waving his son on while standing on the infield between turns three and four.
“I don’t pay attention to it. They get wound up. My dad and grandpa, that’s better excitement than the races,” the younger Whitehurst said with a laugh.
For Whitehurst, Sunday night was a breakthrough.
He had been knocking on the door of finding victory lane.
In the first two races of the season at MCMS, Whitehurst had finished fourth and third. With a front-row starting spot Sunday, Whitehurst broke through.
And he knew he'd have to hold off Boumeester to do it.
“He’s always good every week,” Whitehurst said of Boumeester. “He’s a big competitor. It’s an honor to beat him.”
Boumeester took second, followed by Alex Zwanziger, Alex Yohn and Ben Moudry.
The final big celebration of the night belonged to Derek Willert.
In terms of victory lane celebrations, they don’t come much bigger than the Willert fans.
Dozens of fans flooded victory lane after the Cook Racing Supplies USRA Hobby Stock driver from Rockford had some luck on his side in the final circuits.
It looked as though Eric Stanton was going to win for the third time in four starts at MCMS. But with four laps remaining, Stanton had mechanical issues coming out of turn four.
Enter Willert, who made the final circuits without any issues to claim his first win of the season at Mason City.
He beat Jamie Songer, Cory Gansen, Tyson Overton and Scott Dobel to the finish.
In the Rookies Rockin' URA Tuners, Nate Coopman made it 3-for-3 by winning the feature.
UP NEXT: Action continues at the Mason City Motor Speedway next Sunday, July 15, with the make-up features for the Iron Man Challenge event postponed by rain on June 17. The Holley USRA Stock Cars presented by Medievalk Chassis and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods presented by Pace Performance will both compete in $1,000-to-win main events.
Those races will be followed by a complete Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series program featuring Holley USRA Stock Cars, Out-Pace USRA B-Mods, Cook Racing Supplies USRA Hobby Stocks and Rookies Rockin' USRA Tuners plus a special appearance by the Vintage Cars.
The Mason City Motor Speedway is a half-mile clay oval located 5.1 miles east of I-35 at exit 194 on SR 122 (at the North Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, call (641) 424-6515 or check out www.MasonCityMotorSpeedway.com online. You can also like the track’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MasonCityMotorSpeedway follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RacinMasonCity.
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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Racing Association
Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
Mason City Motor Speedway, Mason City, Iowa
Sunday, July 8, 2018
Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver and hometown.
HOLLEY USRA STOCK CARS
Heat #1:
1. (1) 32X Derek Green, Granada, Minn.
2. (2) 38C Kellie Schmit, Britt, Iowa.
3. (4) 96 Joe Willier, Mason City, Iowa.
4. (3) 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa.
5. (5) 27 Jamie Anderson, Mason City, Iowa.
6. (6) 87 Dylan Suhr, Waterloo, Iowa.
Heat #2:
1. (3) 97 Lynn Panos, Calmar, Iowa.
2. (1) 46 Cody Frerichs, Bristow, Iowa.
3. (5) 24 Josh Zieman, Plymouth, Iowa.
4. (4) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn.
5. (6) 7T Rick Todd, Des Moines, Iowa.
6. (2) 2J Steve Jackson, Polk City, Iowa.
Heat #3:
1. (1) 21 Andrew Borchardt, Plymouth, Iowa.
2. (2) 87T Travis Shipman, Mason City, Iowa.
3. (4) 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua, Iowa.
4. (3) 60 Wyatt Medlin, Rockford, Iowa.
5. (6) 32 Dan Feltus, Allison, Iowa.
6. (5) 121G Arlen Hoy, Marble Rock, Iowa.
Feature:
1. (1) 32X Derek Green, Granada, Minn., $600.
2. (8) 24 Josh Zieman, Plymouth, Iowa, $450.
3. (12) 97 Lynn Panos, Calmar, Iowa, $350.
4. (4) 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa, $250.
5. (5) 11 Jesse Brown, Nashua, Iowa, $225.
6. (9) 38C Kellie Schmit, Britt, Iowa, $200.
7. (17) 2J Steve Jackson, Polk City, Iowa, $175.
8. (16) 87 Dylan Suhr, Waterloo, Iowa, $150.
9. (14) 7T Rick Todd, Des Moines, Iowa, $125.
10. (18) 121G Arlen Hoy, Marble Rock, Iowa, $110.
11. (7) 46 Cody Frerichs, Bristow, Iowa, $100.
12. (3) 98 Kevin Stoa, Albert Lea, Minn., $95.
13. (15) 32 Dan Feltus, Allison, Iowa, $90.
14. (2) 60 Wyatt Medlin, Rockford, Iowa, $85.
15. (10) 21 Andrew Borchardt, Plymouth, Iowa, $80.
16. (13) 27 Jamie Anderson, Mason City, Iowa, $75.
17. (11) 87T Travis Shipman, Mason City, Iowa, $75.
18. (6) 96 Joe Willier, Mason City, Iowa, $75.
OUT-PACE USRA B-MODS
Heat #1:
1. (2) 8 Jared Boumeester, Waseca, Minn.
2. (3) 85 Ben Moudry, Cottage Grove, Minn.
3. (4) 28 Autum Anderson, Mason City, Iowa.
4. (5) 69 Kyle Germundson, Mason City, Iowa.
5. (1) 52 Carter Koop, Rockwell, Iowa.
6. (6) 65J Josh Appel, Mason City, Iowa.
Heat #2:
1. (2) 66 Levi Chipp, Latimer, Iowa.
2. (1) 49 Nate Whitehurst, Mason City, Iowa.
3. (3) 56H Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa.
4. (4) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa.
5. (5) 56 Ty Griffith, Webster City, Iowa.
6. (6) 3A Taylor Ausrud, Hayfield, Minn.
Heat #3:
1. (2) 86 Dan Tenold, Northwood, Iowa.
2. (3) 97 Rich Lewerke, Mason City, Iowa.
3. (4) 11X Alex Yohn, Clear Lake, Iowa.
4. (5) 32Z Alex Zwanziger, Nashua, Iowa.
5. (1) 12B Rick Baxter, Nashua, Iowa.
6. (6) 5 Josh Ressler, Mason City, Iowa.
Feature:
1. (2) 49 Nate Whitehurst, Mason City, Iowa, $600.
2. (10) 8 Jared Boumeester, Waseca, Minn., $450.
3. (8) 32Z Alex Zwanziger, Nashua, Iowa, $350.
4. (1) 11X Alex Yohn, Clear Lake, Iowa, $250.
5. (11) 85 Ben Moudry, Cottage Grove, Minn., $225.
6. (4) 56H Brandon Hare, Elma, Iowa, $200.
7. (17) 3A Taylor Ausrud, Hayfield, Minn., $175.
8. (6) 97 Rich Lewerke, Mason City, Iowa, $150.
9. (7) 69 Kyle Germundson, Mason City, Iowa, $125.
10. (9) 86 Dan Tenold, Northwood, Iowa, $110.
11. (13) 52 Carter Koop, Rockwell, Iowa, $100.
12. (15) 12B Rick Baxter, Nashua, Iowa, $95.
13. (16) 65J Josh Appel, Mason City, Iowa, $90.
14. (18) 5 Josh Ressler, Mason City, Iowa, $85.
15. (14) 56 Ty Griffith, Webster City, Iowa, $80.
16. (5) 28 Autum Anderson, Mason City, Iowa, $75.
17. (3) 66 Levi Chipp, Latimer, Iowa, $75.
18. (12) 24C Jim Chisholm, Osage, Iowa, $75.
COOK RACING SUPPLIES USRA HOBBY STOCKS
Heat #1:
1. (2) 1 Derek Willert, Rockford, Iowa.
2. (4) 83W Matt White, Nashua, Iowa.
3. (3) 96R Jamie Songer, Waukee, Iowa.
4. (5) 83 Scott Dobel, Manly, Iowa.
5. (1) 01 Kory Adams, Stacyville, Iowa.
6. (6) 136 Tanner Green, Hampton, Iowa.
7. (7) 32 Tony Smidt, Britt, Iowa.
Heat #2:
1. (2) 14 Cory Gansen, Clear Lake, Iowa.
2. (3) 7B Eric Stanton, Carlisle, Iowa.
3. (6) 6 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D.
4. (4) 18Z Zac Smith, Mason City, Iowa.
5. (1) 42T Tyson Overton, Carlisle, Iowa.
6. (5) 55B Blaine Hanson, Klemme, Iowa.
Feature:
1. (2) 1 Derek Willert, Rockford, Iowa, $450.
2. (1) 96R Jamie Songer, Waukee, Iowa, $350.
3. (6) 14 Cory Gansen, Clear Lake, Iowa, $250.
4. (10) 42T Tyson Overton, Carlisle, Iowa, $200.
5. (4) 83 Scott Dobel, Manly, Iowa, $175.
6. (7) 18Z Zac Smith, Mason City, Iowa, $150.
7. (5) 6 Dustin Gulbrandson, Sioux Falls, S.D., $125.
8. (3) 83W Matt White, Nashua, Iowa, $100.
9. (11) 136 Tanner Green, Hampton, Iowa, $90.
10. (12) 55B Blaine Hanson, Klemme, Iowa, $80.
11. (9) 01 Kory Adams, Stacyville, Iowa, $70.
12. (13) 32 Tony Smidt, Britt, Iowa, $60.
13. (8) 7B Eric Stanton, Carlisle, Iowa, $55.
ROOKIE'S ROCKIN' USRA TUNERS
Heat:
1. (3) 9 Nate Coopman, Mankato, Minn.
2. (2) 13J Justin Nielson, Luverne, Iowa.
3. (1) 37 Ryan Bryant, Mason City, Iowa.
Feature:
1. (1) 9 Nate Coopman, Mankato, Minn., $150.
2. (2) 13J Justin Nielson, Luverne, Iowa, $125.
3. (3) 37 Ryan Bryant, Mason City, Iowa, $100.