Landis Musser TUSA Mod Lite Winner Thursday  @  East Bay Raceway Park       2.18.10

 By Charlie Brown, Tampa, FL – Landis Musser of Laurel, Del. barely made the starting grid for the “B” Main in Thursday night’s TUSA Mod Lite Winter Nationals. His front brake broke just before the field took to the track and his crew just shut off the brake line and sent him out. Musser finished third to transfer to the “A” Main starting in 24th spot. The only lap he would lead was the important one as he took the lead from Apollo, Pa.’s Rick Ament coming off the final turn for the checkered.

Matt Hay started on the pole but Steve White quickly took control of the caution plagued 20 lap event. Fourteen year old James Hill went three wide to take second on lap two and then scrapped by White to take the lead on lap four. Hill’s chances ended one lap later when he got around collecting Bud Grossenbacher.

 Steve White was back out front for the restart with Curt Miles, Jr. in second and Landis Musser up from 24th to third. White seemed to be struggling with his car as Miles, Jr. took the lead on lap seven. Musser followed into second one lap later. White brought out the yellow on lap nine and was done for the night.

 At the halfway sign the top five were Miles, Jr., Musser, Kevin McKinney, Ament and Tracy Fritter. Ament worked his way into third as cautions continued to keep the field tightly bunched. With five to go it was a five car battle up front with Miles, Jr. leading followed by McKinney, Musser, Ament and Tim White.

 Musser got back by McKinney and with three laps to go crossed the line almost dead even with Miles. The two made contact in the fourth turn and Ament shot by both to take the lead. Hill got around bringing out the yellow with two laps to go. Ament held the lead on the restart with Jimmy Wills got by Paul McGinley for fourth.

 McGinley got around on the final lap in the first turn collecting McKinney, Landon Cling and Scott Tessman. This set up a one lap shootout.

 Ament controlled the single file restart with Musser following him down the back straight into three. Ament elected to stay in the high groove and Musser shot to the bottom of turn four to take the lead and the checkered.

 “It seemed like when I was running second they were pushing up in front of me,” said Musser. “I waited until the last lap then shoved it to the bottom to take it!”

 Ament finished a close second with Miles, Jr. third. Fourth went to Wills and Erik McKinney rounded out the top five.

 In the Junior Mod Lite 15-lap feature, Brandon Sturgis and Zac Weller picked up where they left off in the heat but this time it was Sturgis getting the upper hand early in the race. A late race caution would give Weller one more shot but Surgis would make no mistakes as he drove to the win followed by Weller, Nick Nash and Stacy Roberts.

 RESULTS: (3 Transfer from each) Heat 1 – 1. Matt Hay; 2. Paul McGinley; 3. Curt Miles, Jr.; 4. Jimmy Wills; 5. Matt Glanden; 6. Tex Myers; 7. Wally Billing; 8. Ken Gross.

 Heat 2 – 1. Steve White; 2. Ken Meadows; 3. Dylan Evans; 4. Scott Tessman; 5. Kirk Miles; 6. George Eglert; 7. Phil Asseff; 8. Jay Dye.

 Heat 3 – 1. James Hill; 2. Landon Cling; 3. Kevin McKinney; 4. Tim White; 5. Erik McKinney; 6. Rick Brubacher; 7. Mike Morrill; 8. Dusty Masolini

 Heat 4 – 1. Mark Marcucci; 2. Alan Knepper; 3. Shawn Sliter; 4. Bob Charland; 5. Chris Jestice; 6. Johnny Mordock; 7. James Parker; 8. Josh Sliter.

 Heat 5 – 1. Rick Ament; 2. Tracy Fritter; 3. Tim Hinneger; 4. Dallas Caldwell; 5. Jason Musser; 6. Mikey Hay; 7. Eric Hendrickson; 8. T.J. Williams.

 Heat 6 – 1. Bud Grossenbacher; 2. Ryan Charland; 3. Joel Huggins; 4. Landis Musser; 5. Lynn Knepper; 6. Shane Pfeuffer; 7. Scott Stenzel; 8. Ricky Yelle, Jr.

 Junior Heat – 1. Zac Weller; 2. Brandon Sturgis; 3. Nick Nash; 4. Stacy Roberts.

 First “B” Main (4 to transfer): 1. Tim White; 2. Jimmy Wills; 3. Matt Glanden; 4. Erik McKinney; 5. Mikey Hay; 6. Dusty Masolini; 7. Dallas Caldwell; 8. Mike Morrill; 9. Rick Brubacher; 10. Tex Myers; 11. Jason Musser; 12. Wally Billing; 13. Kenny Gross; 14. T.J. Williams; DNS: Eric Hendrickson

 Second “B” Main: 1. Lynn Knepper; 2. Chris Jestice; 3. Landis Musser; 4. Scott Tessman; 5. Kirk Miles; 6. Shane Pfeuffer; 7. George Eglert; 8. Jay Dye; 9. Josh Sliter; 10. James Parker; 11. Bob Charland; 12. Johnny Mordock; 13. Jason Musser; 14. Scott Stenzel; DNS: Phil Asseff

 Junior “A” Main: 1. Brandon Sturgis; 2. Zac Weller; 3. Nick Nash; 4. Stacy Roberts.

 20-Lap TUSA Mod Lite “A” Main – 1. Landis Musser; 2. Rick Ament; 3. Curt Miles, Jr.; 4. Jimmy Wills; 5. Erik McKinney; 6. Matt Hay; 7. Dylan Evans; 8. Tracy Fritter; 9. Tim White; 10. Ken Meadows; 11. Joel Huggins; 12. Kevin McKinney; 13. Landon Cling; 14. Paul McGinley; 15. Shawn Sliter; 16. Scott Tessman; 17. James Hill; 18. Steve White; 19. Mark Marcucci; 20. Bud Grossenbacher; 21. Ryan Charland; 22. Alan Knepper; 23. Matt Glanden; 24. Tim Henniger; 25. Lynn Knepper; 26. Chris Jestice.