WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (Oct. 17, 2005) -- With the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series having this past weekend off before the season finale at the Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22, many of the top O’Reilly USMTS drivers hit the road in search of a big payday.
The final round of the Xtreme Super Nationals took place at the State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City, Okla., where Saturday's main event winner walked away with $25,000. At the Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo., top Modified pros battled in a USRA-sanctioned event with a $5,000-to-win top prize at the inaugural Memphis Nationals.
In Oklahoma City, six-time O’Reilly USMTS champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, sat on the front row for Saturday's main event, and used the cushion at the top of the track to take the initial lead and open a big gap over the field. Behind Shryock, all eyes were on ninth-starting Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., as he began working his way to the front. Phillips, who captured an O’Reilly USMTS win earlier this season at the Monett (Mo.) Speedway, took the runner-up spot on lap 16, then set his sights on Shryock. On lap 19, Phillips dove low entering turn 3 and slid up across the track in front of the leader but Shryock kept the momentum up top and kept the lead. Phillips tried the slide job one last time in turns 3-4 and got a bite coming out of the corner to take the lead on lap 22. From then on it was all Phillips as he pulled away and took a six-car-length victory over Shryock. Polesitter Jeremy Payne held on for a third-place finish.
FINISH (O’Reilly USMTS drivers in Bold): 1. Terry Phillips, 2. Kelly Shryock, 3. Jeremy Payne, 4. Paul White, 5. Tommy Myer, 6. Bill Frye, 7. Jon Tesch, 8. Denny Schwartz, 9. Brad McEwan, 10. Brian Franz, 11. Jared Landers, 12. Sean Jones, 13. Johnny Bone Jr., 14. Jason Hughes, 15. Randy Timms, 16. Ricky Stephan, 17. George White, 18. Tim Crawley, 19. John Allen, 20. Jack Sullivan, 21. Rob Fuqua, 22. Trey Robb, 23. Tristian Dycus, 24. Scott Drake, 25. Al Hejna.
At the USRA-sanctioned Memphis Nationals, O’Reilly USMTS drivers Tony Fraise of Donnellson, Iowa, and Dean Mahlstedt of Garner, Iowa, led the field to the drop of the green in the 30-lap feature, with Fraise moving out front on lap 1. Mahlstedt jumped to his outside to take over the lead on lap 2, then maneuvered flawlessly through lapped traffic over the final 28 laps to go on and pick up the win. The win was worth $5,000 to Mahlstedt, who is the current points leader in the AFCO Challenge -- a $3,000-to-win "mini-series" comprised of the final 10 points events completing the O’Reilly USMTS season. Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., came home second, Bruce Hanford of Davenport, Iowa, was third, giving a top-4 sweep to the O’Reilly USMTS crew.
FINISH (O’Reilly USMTS drivers in Bold): 1. Dean Mahlstedt, 2. Mark Burgtorf, 3. Bruce Hanford, 4. Brad Pinkerton, 5. Kevin Cale, 6. Michael Long, 7. Hank Delonjay, 8. Jeremy Mills, 9. Mike Zemo Jr., 10. Ryan Meyer, 11. Jim Gillenwater, 12. Rick Gustin, 13. Brad Bakken, 14. Gary Blackburn Jr., 15. Jesse Stovall, 16. Tony Fraise, 17. Tom Goble, 18. Scott Stecher, 19. Ron VerBeek, 20. Zack VanderBeek, 21. Jeremy Tibben, 22. Martin Bennett, 23. Bob Dale, 24. Bill Roberts, 25. Darin Duffy, 26. Darin Thye.
The town of Memphis, Mo., remains quiet for five days before the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series roars into town for the Pepsi/Mt. Dew Mid-America Nationals. Two complete shows are slated for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22, with all of the regular Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway classes also in action.
While Fertile, Iowa's Kelly Shryock has already locked up his seventh consecutive O’Reilly USMTS national points championship, the battles for the remaining top 10 positions are wide open. The best of the best in Modified racing will be on hand in the final event of 2006 for race fans to see the stars and cars of the O’Reilly USMTS.
For more information, contact the USMTS offices at 515-832-7944, or visit www.USMTS.com online.
The final round of the Xtreme Super Nationals took place at the State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City, Okla., where Saturday's main event winner walked away with $25,000. At the Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo., top Modified pros battled in a USRA-sanctioned event with a $5,000-to-win top prize at the inaugural Memphis Nationals.
In Oklahoma City, six-time O’Reilly USMTS champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, sat on the front row for Saturday's main event, and used the cushion at the top of the track to take the initial lead and open a big gap over the field. Behind Shryock, all eyes were on ninth-starting Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., as he began working his way to the front. Phillips, who captured an O’Reilly USMTS win earlier this season at the Monett (Mo.) Speedway, took the runner-up spot on lap 16, then set his sights on Shryock. On lap 19, Phillips dove low entering turn 3 and slid up across the track in front of the leader but Shryock kept the momentum up top and kept the lead. Phillips tried the slide job one last time in turns 3-4 and got a bite coming out of the corner to take the lead on lap 22. From then on it was all Phillips as he pulled away and took a six-car-length victory over Shryock. Polesitter Jeremy Payne held on for a third-place finish.
FINISH (O’Reilly USMTS drivers in Bold): 1. Terry Phillips, 2. Kelly Shryock, 3. Jeremy Payne, 4. Paul White, 5. Tommy Myer, 6. Bill Frye, 7. Jon Tesch, 8. Denny Schwartz, 9. Brad McEwan, 10. Brian Franz, 11. Jared Landers, 12. Sean Jones, 13. Johnny Bone Jr., 14. Jason Hughes, 15. Randy Timms, 16. Ricky Stephan, 17. George White, 18. Tim Crawley, 19. John Allen, 20. Jack Sullivan, 21. Rob Fuqua, 22. Trey Robb, 23. Tristian Dycus, 24. Scott Drake, 25. Al Hejna.
At the USRA-sanctioned Memphis Nationals, O’Reilly USMTS drivers Tony Fraise of Donnellson, Iowa, and Dean Mahlstedt of Garner, Iowa, led the field to the drop of the green in the 30-lap feature, with Fraise moving out front on lap 1. Mahlstedt jumped to his outside to take over the lead on lap 2, then maneuvered flawlessly through lapped traffic over the final 28 laps to go on and pick up the win. The win was worth $5,000 to Mahlstedt, who is the current points leader in the AFCO Challenge -- a $3,000-to-win "mini-series" comprised of the final 10 points events completing the O’Reilly USMTS season. Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., came home second, Bruce Hanford of Davenport, Iowa, was third, giving a top-4 sweep to the O’Reilly USMTS crew.
FINISH (O’Reilly USMTS drivers in Bold): 1. Dean Mahlstedt, 2. Mark Burgtorf, 3. Bruce Hanford, 4. Brad Pinkerton, 5. Kevin Cale, 6. Michael Long, 7. Hank Delonjay, 8. Jeremy Mills, 9. Mike Zemo Jr., 10. Ryan Meyer, 11. Jim Gillenwater, 12. Rick Gustin, 13. Brad Bakken, 14. Gary Blackburn Jr., 15. Jesse Stovall, 16. Tony Fraise, 17. Tom Goble, 18. Scott Stecher, 19. Ron VerBeek, 20. Zack VanderBeek, 21. Jeremy Tibben, 22. Martin Bennett, 23. Bob Dale, 24. Bill Roberts, 25. Darin Duffy, 26. Darin Thye.
The town of Memphis, Mo., remains quiet for five days before the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series roars into town for the Pepsi/Mt. Dew Mid-America Nationals. Two complete shows are slated for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22, with all of the regular Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway classes also in action.
While Fertile, Iowa's Kelly Shryock has already locked up his seventh consecutive O’Reilly USMTS national points championship, the battles for the remaining top 10 positions are wide open. The best of the best in Modified racing will be on hand in the final event of 2006 for race fans to see the stars and cars of the O’Reilly USMTS.
For more information, contact the USMTS offices at 515-832-7944, or visit www.USMTS.com online.
