WEST SILOAM SPRINGS, Okla. (April 30) — A late-race caution and a little home field advantage helped defending USMTS National Champion Jason Hughes get to the winner’s circle Saturday night as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy invaded the West Siloam Speedway.

With the 36-year-old’s race shop just a few miles down the road, it was a fitting location for Hughes to score his seventh win of the season and 100th career USMTS feature win in his backyard.

First-year track promoter Joey Ross welcomed the USMTS Modifieds back to the 3/8-mile high-banked red clay oval after a one-year hiatus, and provided the drivers and fans with a smooth racing surface that produced two- and three-wide racing throughout the field during the 40-lap main event.

From the outside of the front row, Brian Williams shot past polesitter Austin Siebert to take the lead in the WIX Filters “A” Main while Hughes and Ryan Gustin – who have a combined 11 feature wins coming into the contest – started side by side in the fourth row.

Williams paced the field for the first eight laps but relinquished the lead on lap nine to Rodney Sanders. From that point on, Sanders extended his lead as the front-runners encountered lapped traffic and built nearly a full straight-away advantage when the race’s first and only yellow flag waved with four laps to go.

With Hughes, Williams and Gustin now glued to his rear bumper, Sanders led the pack back to the green flag for the restart and maintained his position for the next two laps.

Hughes, kept the pressure on, however, and moved alongside Sanders to lead by a nose at the white flag. Sanders bobbled slightly in the first turn which allowed Hughes to race away with the top spot and secure his second victory in three nights.

The win was worth $2,000 to Hughes as he joined Kelly Shryock as the only two drivers to eclipse the century mark in career USMTS triumphs. While Shryock claims a series-best 165 victories, the nine-time USMTS National Champion has won just eight main events since the start of the 2009 season while Hughes has accumulated 32 wins in the same time period.

Hughes also swept both nights of action at the West Siloam Speedway in 2009 en route to capturing his second consecutive USMTS Southern Series crown that year.

Sanders, Williams, Gustin and Bobby Malchus completed the top-five finishers in Saturday’s nightcap, giving Hughes Racing Chassis a sweep of the first five spots.

Tommy Myer finished sixth after starting 16 on the 26-car grid and pocketed the Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger Award bonus money.

Bryan Rowland, Jon Tesch, Zack VanderBeek and Dustin Boney finished seventh through tenth, respectively.

The event slated for Sunday, May 1, at the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo., has been postponed because of wet weather and a dismal forecast for Sunday. Officials hope to announce a replacement date in the near future to make up the Schwab’s Tinker Shop Mo-Kan Region finale.

The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy just completed the first weekend of a four-week campaign of high-paying, high-horsepower events. The USMTS $pring $wing will continue over the next three weekends with ten more shows paying $2,000 to win and a minimum of $250 to start the main event.

The series returns to the Lone Star and Sooner States next weekend for a trio of Day Motor Sports Southwest Region battles. Action kicks off on Thursday, May 5, at the Heart O’ Texas Speedway near Waco where drivers and fans are hoping to finally get their first USMTS fix at the popular dirt oval after the inaugural event was rained out the previous two seasons.

On Friday, May 6, the touring titans invade the Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas, for the first time in two years. The last time the series rolled into the high-banked bullring, local drivers turned away the USMTS road warriors and swept the top three spots with local favorite George White taking home the win.

On what has been heralded as one of the smoothest and raciest dirt tracks in America, Virgil Page’s Lake Country Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., will host the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy on Saturday, May 7.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour powered by Swan Energy
4th Annual Event
West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, Okla.
Saturday, April 30, 2011

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.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. (1) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas.
2. (2) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla.
3. (3) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
4. (6) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City, Mo.
5. (4) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan.
6. (7) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo.
7. (8) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
8. (5) 44 Barry Robinson, Kansas, Okla.

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. (1) 88xx Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas.
2. (4) 4 Ronnie Barbee (R), Siloam Springs, Ark.
3. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla.
4. (5) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
5. (6) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
6. (2) 76 Jeff Rowland (R), Pauls Valley, Okla.
7. (3) 24t Glenn Bratti, Springdale, Ark.

EIBACH SPRINGS HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. (2) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo.
2. (1) 10 Kyle Schmidt, Farmington, Ark.
3. (5) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa.
4. (3) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
5. (4) 71h Philip Houston (R), Odessa, Texas.
6. (6) 58 Nathan Bichsel (R), Amarillo, Texas.
7. (7) 112 Randall Irvin, Uniontown, Ark.

PBM PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. (2) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La.
2. (5) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa.
3. (4) 74 Robert Janes, Springdale, Ark.
4. (1) 15L Chris Lewis, Springdale, Ark.
5. (6) 87 John Webb (R), Pauls Valley, Okla.
6. (7) 12e Eric Beshoner, Pocola, Okla.
7. (3) 2 Jerry Standifer (R), Howe, Okla.

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):1. (1) 26 Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark.
2. (2) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa.
3. (4) 9 Jimmy Ray (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (5) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
5. (7) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
6. (6) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas.
7. (3) 707 P.J. Egbert (R), Copperas Cove, Texas.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance):
1. (2) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
2. (3) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M.
3. (5) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa.
4. (4) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan.
5. (7) 71h Philip Houston (R), Odessa, Texas.
6. (9) 58 Nathan Bichsel (R), Amarillo, Texas.
7. (6) 87 John Webb (R), Pauls Valley, Okla., Hughes/Shoulders, $90.
8. (11) 112 Randall Irvin, Uniontown, Ark., Hunter/BMS, $75.
9. (1) 74 Robert Janes, Springdale, Ark., TRE/Dickens, $75.
10. (10) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan.
11. (12) 707 P.J. Egbert (R), Copperas Cove, Texas, Hughes/Lingo, $90.
12. (8) 12e Eric Beshoner, Pocola, Okla., DirtWorks/RiverValley, $75.

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance):1. (2) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City, Mo.
2. (3) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
3. (1) 9 Jimmy Ray (R), Las Cruces, N.M.
4. (9) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas.
5. (7) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo.
6. (10) 24t Glenn Bratti, Springdale, Ark.
7. (8) 76 Jeff Rowland (R), Pauls Valley, Okla., Hughes/Boyd’s, $90.
8. (6) 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan., Ramirez/Cline, $75.
9. (11) 2 Jerry Standifer (R), Howe, Okla., Evolution/KSE, $90.
10. (5) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla.
11. (12) 44 Barry Robinson, Kansas, Okla., Hughes/Ora’s, $75.
12. (4) 15L Chris Lewis, Springdale, Ark., MRC/GNS, $75.

WIX FILTERS “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $2000.
2. (4) 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas, Hughes/Geddes, 40, $1500.
3. (2) 26 Brian Williams, Fayetteville, Ark., Hughes/Shinook, 40, $1000.
4. (8) 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $900.
5. (3) 88xx Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, Texas, Hughes/Wells, 40, $800.
6. (16) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $800.
7. (9) 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla., Hughes/ProPower, 40, $650.
8. (13) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., GRT/Sput’s, 40, $600.
9. (11) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, Skyrocket/Sput’s, 40, $550.
10. (14) 22 Dustin Boney, Platte City, Mo., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $500.
11. (15) 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M., Hughes/ASI, 40, $450.
12. (12) 56 Chris Spieker, Massena, Iowa, IROC/PerfMach, 40, $425.
13. (6) 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La., Hughes/ASI, 40, $400.
14. (20) 88xxx Clyde Dunn Jr. (R), Sunnyville, Texas, Hughes/Mullins, 40, $375.
15. (18) 9 Jimmy Ray (R), Las Cruces, N.M., AOS/AOS, 40,  $350.
16. (19) 18 Chase Junghans, Manhattan, Kan., Hughes/Sput’s, 40, $300.
17. (25) 22b Rick Beebe, Shawnee, Kan., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $400.
18. (10) 10 Kyle Schmidt, Farmington, Ark., Hughes/Mullins, 40, $300.
19. (21) 71h Philip Houston (R), Odessa, Texas, SRP/JR, 40, $300.
20. (5) 4 Ronnie Barbee (R), Siloam Springs, Ark., Hughes/Ora’s, 36, mechanical, $300.
21. (1) 16 Austin Siebert, Grandview, Mo., GRT/Mullins, 36, mechanical, $300.
22. (17) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, Skyrocket/ProPower, 32, rocker arm, $300.
23. (26) 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla., Ramirez/ProPower, 26, mechanical, $90.
24. (24) 24t Glenn Bratti, Springdale, Ark., TRE/Homegrown, 15, mechanical, $250.
25. (23) 58 Nathan Bichsel (R), Amarillo, Texas, Hughes/PPE, 11, mechanical, $300.
26. (22) 73 Mickey Burrell, Fair Grove, Mo., TRE/Ruble, 7, mechanical, $300.

(R) = Rookie of the Year contender.

Integra Lap Leaders: Williams 1-8, Sanders 9-38, Hughes 39-40.
Total Laps Led: Sanders 30, Williams 8, Hughes 2.
Margin of Victory: 1.268 seconds.
AFCO Pole Winner: Siebert.
Mesilla Valley Transportation Hard Charger: Myer (started 16th, finished 6th).
Provisional Starters: Beebe, Ramirez.
Next Race: Thursday, May 5, Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Elm Mott, Texas.
Day Motor Sports Southwest Region Points: .
Schwab’s Tinker Shop Mo-Kan Region Points: Gustin 641, Hughes 610, Shryock 561, Scott 548, Boney 543, Sanders 516, Tesch 494, VanderBeek 472, Myer 457, Beebe 451.
Rookie of the Year Points: Dunn 675, Ray 612, Egbert 606, J. Rowland 593, Houston 533.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 149, ProPower 113, ASI 106, Sput’s 76, Geddes 67.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 157, Skyrocket 123, GRT 93, TRE 67, Ramirez 62.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Junghans.
CPD Racing Tools – not awarded.
Eibach Springs – Siebert.
Forty9Designs.com – Gustin, VanderBeek.
Hooker Harness – Spieker.
Integra Racing Shocks & Springs – Sanders.
ISKY Racing Cams – Sanders.
KSE Racing Products – Gustin.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Burrell.
New Vision Graphics – Malchus.
Nitroquest – Egbert, Standifer.
Mesilla Valley Transportation – Myer.
PBM Performance Products – Hebert.
Real Racing Wheels – Webb, J. Rowland.
Ruter Farms – not awarded.
WIX Filters – not awarded.

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

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

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, DAY Motor Sports, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Dirt Track Racing School, DrySlik Dirt Trak Racewear, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Karl Performance Parts, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Race Cars, Ruter Farms, Schwab’s Tinker Shop, Sybesma Graphics, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, COMP Cams, CPD Racing Tools, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Harness, Hypercoil Springs, ISKY Racing Cams, The Joie of Seating, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, RHS – Racing Head Service, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, WIX Filters.