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A late afternoon downpour during the annual Steele County Free Fair event caused a lengthy delay, with the first heat race taking the green flag after 9:30 p.m. Shortly after midnight, Tommy Weder Jr. had survived a tough racetrack and an even tougher field of Modified competitors to capture his third O’Reilly USMTS National Tour victory in his last six starts.
From the pole position, Weder held off several challenges throughout the race, but his biggest challenge came when eighth-starting Tim Donlinger blitzed Weder from the outside to take over the top spot on lap 12.
Rather than settling for a solid second-place finish, Weder fought back strong and reclaimed the lead with three laps to go. The 23-year-old from Woodward, Okla., never gave up the lead again as he sped to a $2,000 payday.
Donlinger, who won the Memorial Day stop for the O'Reilly USMTS at Owatonna earlier this year, came up one spot short of making it back-to-back wins in the Hunt, while John Allen continued his string of strong performances by claiming the third-place paycheck.
Ron Ver Beek battled with Weder early in the contest and finished fourth in the main event, while Jon Tesch came from 14th to finish fifth. The KSE Racing Products HArd Charger Award went to Dean Mahlstedt, who raced from 18th on the 24-car starting grid to sixth at the checkered flag.
Seventh through tenth, respectively, went to Jason Cummins, Steve Wetzstein, Zack VanderBeek and Al Hejna.
With eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock out of the race with mechanical troubles, VanderBeek's ninth-place finish was good enough to move him back into the points lead in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship. Tesch moved up to second and is just 12 points behind "The Z-Man" (393 to 381) while Shryock dropped to third with 372. Donlinger jumped three spots to fourth with 360 markers, followed by Allen (356), Weder (340), Hejna (338), Ver Beek (336), Dereck Ramirez (325) and Jason Hughes (301).
Eleven drivers failed to finish the Holley "A" Main, including five who found their machines bent and loaded in the trailer after a seven-car tangle on lap 3. The crash sidelined Bob Timm, Tom Paulson, Jason Miller, Bryan Rowland and Scott Green, who rolled his car in the melee. Although expensive for equipment, no drivers were hurt.
While battling among the top-10 late in the race, Dan Bohr's Modified lost a driveshaft while racing next to Hejna. Chasing the pair into the corner, Hughes had nowhere to go when Bohr's car slowed and smacked the front end of Bohr's car with the rear of his, taking both of them out of the race. Despite a DNF and finishing 14th, Hughes popped back into the top-10 in points thanks to Rowland's early exit from the feature and Jason Krohn's DNS.
Krohn, the defending O'Reilly USMTS National Champion, dropped to 11th in the standings—93 points out of first place.
In less than 18 hours after the checkers waved in Owatonna, the rugged O'Reilly USMTS road warriors will be battling at the Tri-Oval Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., for round 5 of the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship. Gates will open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7:30.
Mark Noble and his Casey's General Stores/Miller Lite #74 DirtDueler Modified will be on hand to meet 'n' greet fans at the Casey's General Store location at 1600 Eastwood Rd. SE in Rochester, Minn., from 12-2 p.m. Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons all day long at both Casey's locations in Rochester, as well as Sparta, Wis.
The Tri-Oval Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay tri-oval located 3.0 miles north of Fountain City on SR 35. For more information, check out www.triovalspeedway.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
Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, Minn.
Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008
Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.
ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (2)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)
3. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (6)
4. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
5. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (8)
6. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (4)
7. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (7)
8. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5) DNS
NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (1)
2. 71 - Jason Cummins -- New Richland, MN (2)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
6. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (5)
7. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
8. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (7)
Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (2)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (3)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)
5. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (6)
6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
7. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (4)
HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (7)
2. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (2)
3. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (1)
4. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (3)
5. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
6. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
7. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (4) DNF
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (8 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)
2. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (2)
3. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (1)
4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)
5. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (7)
6. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)
7. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (4) DNF
8. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (8) DNF
9. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (9) DNS
REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (8 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
3. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (4)
4. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (3)
5. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (5)
6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
7. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (8)
8. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (9)
9. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6) DNF
HOLLEY “A” MAIN (20 laps):
1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (1)
2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (8)
3. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (6)
4. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (3)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (14)
6. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (18)
7. 71 - Jason Cummins -- New Richland, MN (9)
8. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (17)
9. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (16)
10. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (11)
11. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (4)
12. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (15)
13. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (23)
14. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (5) DNF
15. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (21) DNF
16. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (13) DNF
17. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (10) DNF
18. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (12) DNF
19. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2) DNF
20. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (19) DNF
21. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (24) DNF
22. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (20) DNF
23. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (22) DNF
24. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (7) DNF
Lap Leaders: Weder 1-11, Donlinger 12-17, Weder 18-20.
Total Laps Led: Weder 14, Donlinger 6.
AFCO Pole Winner: Kenny.
Provisional Starters: Ramirez, Rowland.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Kenny (774.16 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Mahlstedt (started 18th, finished 6th).
Next Race: Friday, Aug. 15, Tri-Oval Speedway, Fountain City, Wis.
Points Standings: VanderBeek 393, Tesch 381, Shryock 372, Donlinger 360, Allen 356, Weder 340, Hejna 338, Ver Beek 336, Ramirez 325, Hughes 301.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 931, Ramirez 915, Rowland 647, Rodney Sanders 193, Colt Mather 191.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 396, Mullins 330, Wanders 307, A.S.I. 284, JR 245.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 412, Hughes 346, Kraft 278, Harris 248, GRT 112.
Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Kenny.
American Racer – draw.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Hejna.
Hawk Performance – Weder, VanderBeek.
Isky Racing Cams – Timm.
KSE Racing Products – Mahlstedt.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Timm.
New Vision Graphics – Allen.
Nitroquest Web Solutions – Allen.
Quarter Master – Weder, Wetzstein.
QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.
Real Racing Wheels – Noble, Tesch.
Ruter Farms – Kenny.
TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.
