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WEDER WINS A LATE WET ONE AT OWATONNA
OWATONNA, Minn. (Aug. 14) - Mother Nature played havoc
with the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour for the fourth time
in six days Thursday at the Steele County Speedway, but
officials and track workers were able to put the fourth
race of the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly
USMTS National Championship in the books.
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.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
TITLE SPONSOR: O'Reilly Auto Parts.
PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey's General Stores.
OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Arizona Sport
Shirts, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, Bear Tire Company, BRODIX
Cylinder Heads, Childhelp, Gressel Racing, Houston
Specialty Products Co., Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans &
Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions,
Q.E.M., Inc., TrackTek Racing Fuel, Western Flyer Xpress.
PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Buzzard Racing
Engines, Day Motor Sports, Kraft/Ramirez Race Cars,
Olympic Fire Protection, Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar, Ruter
Farms, Yeager Machine.
CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville
Motorsports, Bert Transmission, BSB Manufacturing, COMP
Cams, Duralite Racing Wheels, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT
Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Holley Performance Products,
Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh
Racing Wheels, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race
Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake.
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