ALLEN AWESOME AT BELLEVILLE!

BELLEVILLE, Kan. – Only 5 of the 31 entries that competed in the last O'Reilly USMTS National Tour event at the Belleville High Banks in 2002 were on hand for Monday's running of the 2nd Annual Belleville Modified Nationals: Kelly Shryock, Jason Hughes, Justin Boney, Steve Burch and John Allen.

During those six years, few drivers—if any—have circled the World's Fastest Half-Mile Dirt Track more times than Allen.

And it showed on Monday night as the 39-year-old from Chanute, Kan., scored a wire-to-wire win in the Holley "A" Main.

Allen finished second in his heat race, then drew the outside of the front row for the main event. From the drop of the green flag to the waving of the checkered flags, Allen's experience on the Belleville clay helped him maintain about a four-car-length cushion over polesitter Jon Tesch throughout the contest.

The race's third caution with 4 laps to go allowed Tesch to show his nose to the leader in the first corner, but Allen powered away exiting turn 2 and went on to win going away.

The win, Allen's first since topping the second night of the season-opening doubleheader at the Junction Motor Speedway back in March, was worth $2,000 and propelled him into the top-10 of the points in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship.

Tesch came up one spot short of claiming both of the Hunt races so far, while defending O'Reilly USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn brought home a third-place paycheck. Al Hejna was fourth and Ron Ver Beek raced from 11th on the starting grid to finish fifth.

Scott Green came from 23rd to finish sixth while Jason Friesen finished seventh despite tagging the rear of the field on lap 5 after suffering a flat tire. Jake Neal, Jon Thompson and NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace rounded out the top-10 finishers.

Wallace, who passed 14 cars after starting last in the main event, had the field covered in his heat race but blew a motor on the final lap. His lead was large enough that he was nearly able to coast to victory in the final half-lap, but Hejna motored by for the win just a few feet from the flagstand.

Despite finishing 12th, Zack VanderBeek maintained his points lead after Monday's event ... but just barely. Tesch is second after moving ahead of Shryock, with just four points separating the top-3 in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship. Hejna is only nine points behind Shryock, while Dereck Ramirez, Bryan Rowland, Hughes, Allen, Krohn and Ver Beek complete the top-10 in the rankings.

The rugged O'Reilly USMTS road warriors will travel a couple hours east on U.S. Highway 36 for Tuesday's event at the U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Mo. After visiting their for the first time earlier this year, Shryock will be looking to make it two straight at Mike Franks' high-banked lightning-fast facility.

Wallace will make his 13th and final appearance with the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour on Tuesday, with gates opening at 5 p.m. and racing at 7:30. B-Mods and Factory Stocks will also be competing.

Shryock and his Casey's-sponsored #3 Skyrocket Modified will meet and greet fans at the Casey's General Store located at 2332 S. 22nd St. in St. Joseph from 12-2 p.m. Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons at Casey's General Stores locations in Cameron, Hamilton, Lathrop, Maysville And St. Joseph.

The U.S. 36 Raceway is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval located 50 miles northeast of Kansas City on I-35 to Exit 54, then 6.3 miles west on US 36, then 0.1 mile north on SR 33 or about 30 miles east of St. Joseph on US 36. For race day information, call the track hotline at (816) 675-2279 or visit www.us36raceway.com online.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS — America's Hottest Ticket on Dirt.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
O’Reilly USMTS National Tour (Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship)
2nd Annual Belleville Modified Nationals
Belleville High Banks, Belleville, Kan.
Monday, Aug. 11, 2008

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 15 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 7 re-drawing for starting positions 1-7.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (3)
2. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (6)
3. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (5)
4. 75 - Jon Thompson -- Superior, NE (8)
5. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (7)
6. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (4)
7. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (1)
8. 8 - Justin Bell -- Deshler, NE (2) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (2)
3. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (4)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7)
5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (5)
6. J2 - Micaah Johnson -- Courtland, KS (6) DNF
7. 9 - Brandon Blochlinger -- Concordia, KS (3) DNF

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (1)
2. 94 - Dustin Huehl -- Salina, KS (2)
3. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (4)
4. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (7)
7. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5) DNF

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (5)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (4)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)
4. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (1)
5. 11 - Steve Burch -- Junction City, KS (6)
6. 17t - Tyler Henderson -- Palmer, KS (2)
7. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (3) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (8 laps, top 6 advance):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
2. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4)
3. 11 - Steve Burch -- Junction City, KS (3)
4. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (6)
5. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (9)
6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (5)
7. 17t - Tyler Henderson -- Palmer, KS (8)
8. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (11) DNF
9. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1) DNS
10. J2 - Micaah Johnson -- Courtland, KS (7) DNS
11. 9 - Brandon Blochlinger -- Concordia, KS (10) DNS
12. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (12) DNS
13. 8 - Justin Bell -- Deshler, NE (13) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (20 laps):
1. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (2)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (3)
4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
5. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (11)
6. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (23)
7. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (5)
8. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (12)
9. 75 - Jon Thompson -- Superior, NE (10)
10. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (24)
11. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (13)
12. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (16)
13. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (14)
14. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (21)
15. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (15)
16. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (20)
17. 11 - Steve Burch -- Junction City, KS (18)
18. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (9) DNF
19. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (17) DNF
20. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (4) DNF
21. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (6) DNF
22. 94 - Dustin Huehl -- Salina, KS (8) DNF
23. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (19) DNF
24. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (22) DNF

Lap Leaders: Allen 1-20.
Total Laps Led: Allen 20.
AFCO Pole Winner: Hyde.
Provisional Starters: Mondus.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Hyde (606.38 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Rowland (started 21st, finished 14th).
Next Race: Tuesday, Aug. 12, U.S. 36 Raceway, Osborn, Mo.
Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: VanderBeek 225, Tesch 224, Shryock 221, Hejna 212, Ramirez 189, Rowland 187, Hughes 183, Allen 178, Krohn 173, Ver Beek 166.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 881, Ramirez 869, Rowland 609, Rodney Sanders 193, Colt Mather 191.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 377, Mullins 311, Wanders 293, A.S.I. 272, JR 236.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 393, Hughes 327, Kraft 263, Harris 242, GRT 104.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Hyde.
American Racer – Bell.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Wallace.
Hawk Performance – Allen.
Isky Racing Cams – Hughes.
KSE Racing Products – Rowland.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Mondus.
New Vision Graphics – Hejna.
Nitroquest Web Solutions – Krohn.
Quarter Master – Allen, Neal.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Friesen.
Real Racing Wheels – VanderBeek.
Ruter Farms – Hyde.
TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.