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WEST PLAINS, Mo. (May 5) – With 176 career wins, there’s not many race tracks on the United States Modified Touring Series schedule that Kelly Shryock hasn’t won at.

One of those tracks was the West Plains Motor Speedway where the USMTS Modifieds paid their first visit in the series’ 14-year history Saturday night, and now the nine-time USMTS National Champion can add the legendary 3/8-mile red clay oval to his résumé.

Although he started on the pole and led all 40 laps of the USMTS National Championship Series main event Saturday night, Shryock’s series-best 177th USMTS victory didn’t come easy as he had to fight back the challenges of hard-charging Terry Phillips in the closing laps to seal the deal.

Phillips, who started on the outside of the sixth row, methodically worked his way to the front and got up to challenge Shryock’s teammate Chris Brown near the halfway point of the race. Cautions on laps 24 and 32 helped keep the field tight, and Phillips eventually got by Brown and set his sights on the leader.

With Phillips closing in, Shryock adjusted his line to take away Phillips’ preferred route. In doing so, however, the bottom groove opened up for Brown and he took full advantage of the clear track in front of him to challenge for the lead himself.

But the veteran from Fertile, Iowa, was flawless over the final handful of laps and held on to cross the finish line ahead of Phillips and Brown. The win – Shryock’s first of the year- was worth $5,000 which included a $1,000 bonus from Hanson Tire Service.

With his runner-up finish, Phillips also collected a $500 bonus from Hanson Tire Service as the hard charger of the race.

2007 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn finished fourth for the second straight night, and Ryan Gustin passed ten cars competitors en route to a fifth-place finish. Sixth through tenth went to Zack VanderBeek, Dereck Ramirez, Brandon Ball, Mike Sorensen and West Plains resident Jason Hughes.

The other Jason Hughes in attendance – the 2010 USMTS National Champion from Watts, Okla. – followed up his win on Friday night in La Monte, Mo., with a disappointing last-place finish when he suffered a flat tire on lap 5 after contact from another car.

USMTS Casey’s Cup points leader Rodney Sanders wound up eleventh – his first finish outside of the top-10 in the first fourteen USMTS points races so far this season.

Next weekend, the series heads back to the Lone Star State for a tripleheader on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 10-12. On Thursday, the USMTS Modifieds return to the Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Elm Mott for the second straight year, and then on Friday it’s on to Crandall, Texas, for the first-ever event at the RPM Speedway. The weekend wraps up Saturday at the Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale.

One driver could walk away with more than $10,000 during the 50-hour stretch. Friday’s event at the RPM Speedway will be a $2,000-to-win USMTS Casey’s Cup Series race sandwiched between two USMTS National Championship Series shows paying $4,000 to win each.

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 and follow us on Twitter.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS National Championship Series
Inaugural Event presented by Mr. Dent Collision & Mega Motorsports
West Plains Motor Speedway, West Plains, Mo.
Saturday, May 5, 2012

Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, chassis/engine builder, laps completed, reason out (if any) and money won. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (2) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn.
2. (1) 32 Brandon Ball (R), West Plains, Mo.
3. (4) 8h Jason A. Hughes, West Plains, Mo.
4. (9) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
5. (5) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
6. (8) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
7. (3) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
8. (10) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
9. (7) 5* Casey Penn (R), Shreveport, La.
10. (6) 99r Justin Roberts (R), Paragould, Ark.

HOOKER HARNESS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (2) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (4) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
3. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
4. (8) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
5. (3) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
6. (6) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
7. (9) 25 Ron Keith (R), Shawnee, Kan.
8. (1) 15r Jamie Ragland, Lebanon, Mo.
9. (10) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
10. (5) 11n Gene Nicholas (R), Lowell, Ark.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (8) 0x Steve Picou, High Ridge, Mo.
2. (4) 22 Brad Buck (R), Paragould, Ark.
3. (3) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Stewartsville, Mo.
4. (9) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
5. (2) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo.
6. (6) 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
7. (7) 7h Greg Hughes, West Plains, Mo.
8. (1) D97 Daryl Hay (R), Doniphan, Mo.
9. (10) 0 Scott Crigler (R), Alton, Mo.
10. (5) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (3) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
2. (6) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas.
3. (4) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (9) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
5. (2) M1 Rustin Miller (R), Houston, Mo.
6. (1) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa.
7. (5) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo.
8. (8) 36m Logan Martin (R), West Plains, Mo.
9. (7) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr. (R), Wellston, Okla.
10. (10) 63 Joey Smith (R), Pomona, Mo.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (1) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla.
2. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (2) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (3) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
5. (6) 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
6. (9) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa.
7. (14) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
8. (11) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
9. (4) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo., TRE/Ruble, $100.
10. (7) 25 Ron Keith (R), Shawnee, Kan., GRT/Mullins, $100.
11. (12) 5* Casey Penn (R), Shreveport, La., Hughes/Geddes, $100.
12. (8) 7h Greg Hughes, West Plains, Mo.
13. (10) D97 Daryl Hay (R), Doniphan, Mo., Allens/Robinson, $100.
14. (13) 99r Justin Roberts (R), Paragould, Ark., Predator/RPM, $100.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Stewartsville, Mo.
2. (1) 8h Jason A. Hughes, West Plains, Mo.
3. (7) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa.
4. (4) M1 Rustin Miller (R), Houston, Mo.
5. (3) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa.
6. (5) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
7. (10) 36m Logan Martin (R), West Plains, Mo., GRT/GMPP, $100.
8. (9) 15r Jamie Ragland, Lebanon, Mo., Allens/Richmont, $100.
9. (8) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo.
10. (12) 85 Thomas Tillison Jr. (R), Wellston, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, $100.
11. (6) 22d Daniel Hilsabeck (R), Waukee, Iowa, GRT/Mullins, $100.
12. (14) 63 Joey Smith (R), Pomona, Mo., /, $100.
13. (11) 0 Scott Crigler (R), Alton, Mo., Shaw/Patriot, $100.
14. (13) 11n Gene Nicholas (R), Lowell, Ark., Lightning/Kelly, $100.

SWAN ENERGY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (1) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 40, $5000.
2. (12) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., GRT/Hatfield, 40, $2700.
3. (3) 21 Chris Brown, Spring, Texas, Skyrocket/RoushYates, 40, $1600.
4. (4) 7k Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $1200.
5. (15) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $1000.
6. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $800.
7. (11) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $700.
8. (9) 32 Brandon Ball (R), West Plains, Mo., GRT/Smith, 40, $550.
9. (19) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., Hughes/Action, 40, $550.
10. (16) 8h Jason A. Hughes, West Plains, Mo., GRT/Mullins, 40, $450.
11. (7) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 40, $475.
12. (21) 12 Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark., TRE/Homegrown, 40, $450.
13. (6) 0x Steve Picou, High Ridge, Mo., TRE/SCP, 40, $425.
14. (8) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $400.
15. (23) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, BC/Mullins, 40, $400.
16. (5) 22 Brad Buck (R), Paragould, Ark., TRE/SCP, 40, $400.
17. (25) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $400.
18. (28) 7h Greg Hughes, West Plains, Mo., GRT/Ellison, 40, $300.
19. (13) 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla., Hughes/Geddes, 40, $400.
20. (24) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., GRT/Mullins, 40, $400.
21. (20) M1 Rustin Miller (R), Houston, Mo., Nullynski/Hood Performance, 40, $300.
22. (27) 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo., Hughes/Geddes, 40, $100.
23. (26) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins, 40, $100.
24. (22) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, BC/JRM, 39, $400.
25. (17) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ProPower, 39, $400.
26. (18) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, Sidebiter/Sput’s, 27, flat tire, $400.
27. (14) 2s Stormy Scott (R), Stewartsville, Mo., GRT/Yeoman, 24, mechanical, $400.
28. (10) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 9, mechanical, $400.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Integra Lap Leader: Shryock 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Shryock 40.
Margin of Victory: 0.448 second.
Dominator Race Products Hard Luck: Jason Hughes.
Provisional Starters: Junghans, Siebert, Davis, G. Hughes.
Next Race: Thursday, May 10, Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Elm Mott, Texas.
USMTS National Championship Series Points: Gustin 518, Shryock 494, Sanders 491, Jason Hughes 480, Phillips 464, S. Scott 450, J. Scott 432, Junghans 417, Krohn 415, Ramirez 410.
Rookie of the Year Points: S. Scott 1119, Hilsabeck 551, Keith 516, Penn 451, Tillison 306.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 116, Geddes 105, ProPower 95, Yeoman 85, Hatfield 74.
Tiger Rear Ends Manufacturers Championship Points: Hughes 131, GRT 124, Skyrocket 95, TRE 57, Impressive 34, Shaw 34.

Contingency Awards:
AERO Race Wheels – Jason Hughes.
American Racer – Shryock.
Dominator Race Products – Jason Hughes.
Eibach Springs – Picou.
Forty9Designs.com – Krohn, Sorensen.
Hooker Harness – Sanders.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Shryock.
KSE Racing Products – Rowland.
Marsh Racing Wheels – S. Scott.
Nitroquest – Roberts, Nicholas.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – not awarded.
PBM Performance Products – VanderBeek.
R2C Performance Products – Phillips.
Real Racing Wheels – Timms, S. Scott.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Swan Energy.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Cheetos, Dominator Race Products, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, SLAP Energy, Snickers.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arbor Masters, Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, Beebe Heating & Air Conditioning, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Erson Cams, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Hanson Tire Service, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Mesilla Valley Transportation, O’Brien Enterprises, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Motorsports, Road Runner Trucking, Ruter Farms, Sybesma Graphics, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, COMP Cams, CPD Racing Tools, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Harness, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Tiger Rear Ends.