Three Titles Still Up For Grabs This Saturday at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway
by Brian Neal

MEMPHIS, MO (Aug. 21) - It's hard to believe that it is season championship time of the season already, but this Saturday, August 25 will be Cunningham Fertilizer Season Championship Night at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway.

Two close track points battles will be decided in the USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series Hobby Stocks and Outlaw Hobby Stocks, while the first ever Late Model national champion will be honored at the track where the season began back in April. The other four divisions, the USRA Modifieds, USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Modifieds and Hornets, have all but locked up there 2007 titles.

In the battle for first ever USRA Late Models National Champion, Chad Simpson of Mount Vernon, IA currently leads Lancaster, Missouri's Chris Smyser by a mere one point, while two time winner for 2007 Tommy Elston of Keokuk, IA sits third. Jeff Aikey of Cedar Falls, IA holds a 6 point lead over Des Moines, Iowa's Curt Schroeder for the fourth position. Todd McKee of Massena, IA, Chris Fontana of Pella, IA and Oxford, Iowa's Chris Simpson rest in the 7th thru 9th place in points. While Columbus Junction, Iowa's Jason Utter has a slim 4 point lead over Justin Reed of Quincy, IL for the battle for the tenth place finish in the national championship. But all this could change before they reach the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO, as they will do battle on Wednesday night at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, IA and then head to the Mt. Dew Bloomfield Speedway in Bloomfield, IA on Friday.

Michael Long of Quincy, IL has to sign in for competition on Saturday and his first ever USRA Modified Track Title at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway will be his for 2007. Long currently leads Ankeny, Iowa's Martin Bennett by 66 points, with 45 show up points for Long being good enough for him to earn the title. The defending track champion, Ryan Meyer of Liberty, IL holds down the third spot, with Tony Fraise of Donnellson, IA leading Mt. Ayr, Iowa's Dennis Elliott by 11 points for the battle for fourth. Elliott, who sits fifth in points, has a 21 point advantage over Jody Wood of Donnellson, IA for the spot. Gorin, Missouri's Bob Dale currently holds a 15 point lead over Matt Greiner of Washington, IA for the battle for seventh in points. While David Snyder of Greentop, MO has a 22 point advantage over Kirksville, Missouri's Jerry Asher for the ninth place finish in points. Asher who will try to over come Snyder for 9th has, will also have to try to hold off Jerry Reese of Baring, MO for the tenth place finish in points.

The USRA Stock Car Champion for 2007 is Matt Greiner of Washington, IA, his 288 point advantage over Mark Holt of Memphis, MO is more then enough to lock up the title for 2007. But Holt has to work to hold off Troy Alexander of Memphis, MO for the second place finish in points, as the two are separated by 29 points. Quincy, Illinois' Kale Foster leads Colt Mather of Webster, IA by 30 points for the battle for fourth. While Clell Evans of Kirksville, MO holds a 13 point cushion over Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, IA for sixth in points, with Novelty, Missouri's Butch Bailey leading Kyle Chinn of Clarence, MO by 13 points for the battle for ninth. But Chinn has to work to hold off Doug Huls of Carthage, IL and Kirksville, Missouri's Mark White for a top ten finish, as 14 points separate the three drivers.

Wyatt Lantz of Bowen, IL has locked up his first ever USRA B-Modified track title at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, as he leads Canton, Missouri's Adam Birck by 159 points, more then enough to give him the title. But Birck, a rookie in the B-Modified class for 2007, has to work to hold off Quincy, Illinois driver Jeff Waterman for the second place finish, with 15 points separating the two drivers. Jason Riegel of Memphis, MO holds a 13 point advantage over Keokuk, Iowa's Jim Gillenwater for the battle for fourth in points, with Jared Fuller of Memphis, MO, Brian Clark of Canton, MO, another rookie driver in the B-Modified class, Keokuk, Iowa's Josh Larson, Ron York of Edina, MO holding down the sixth thru ninth place in points. While Larry Newman of Kirksville, MO will work to hold off Mendon, Illinois' Joe Hooper for a top ten in points, with 26 points separating the two drivers.

One title still up for grabs is the USRA Hobby Stock division, as Mike Shelton of Ottumwa, IA and Knoxville, Iowa's Bill Gibson are separated by 19 points. Shelton needs a fifth place finish or better and the 2007 title will be his, a sixth place finish a a win by Gibson will have the two drivers dead locked. Derek Kirkland of Centerville, IA holds down the third place in points, with Oskaloosa, IA driver Steve Allen currently sitting in fourth. The battle for the fifth place in points will be a hot one, as Curtis Barnes of Greentop, MO, Tim Kraber of Ottumwa, IA, Bob Lynch of Ottumwa, IA and Eldon, Iowa's Jason McDaniel are all separated by 11 points. With Robby Sands of Centerville, IA and Clayton Robbins of Liberty, MO will battle for the ninth and tenth place in points, with only one point dividing the two drivers.

The other title up for grabs is the Outlaw Hobby Stocks, with Kahoka, Missouri's Jeff Soper holding a 8 point lead over Brandon Symmonds of Keokuk, IA. Many possibilities will give either driver the title for 2007. Rodger Dresden of Keokuk, IA will work to hold off Donnellson, Iowa's Jim Lynch, as the two drivers are separated by 21 points. The defending track champion, Beau Taylor of Canton, MO hold down the fifth spot, while Josh Soper of Kahoka, MO and Larry Hooper of Wyaconda, MO are divided by 7 points in the battle for a sixth place finish. Tim Pettibone of Moravia, IA and Hamilton, Illinois' driver Justin Hamelton have a 5 points difference for the battle for eighth, with Brian Howerton of Hurdland, MO rounding out the top ten.

Luke Davidson of Argyle, IA has to sign in for competition on Saturday and his first Hornet title will be his, as he has a 78 point lead over J.D. Murphy of Cincinnati, IA. Defending tack champion, Andrew Hustead of Rutledge, MO sits in third, with Ethen Hustead of Rutledge, MO, Lew Aikman of Hannibal, MO and Brian Lemen of Cincinnati, IA holding down fourth thru sixth in points. Ottumwa, Iowa's Jim Garrett and Kirksville, MO Dalton McCartney are separated by one point in the battle for seventh, while Michael Grossman of Keokuk, IA and Dale Porter of Pulaski, IA are divided by 5 points in the battle for ninth and tenth.

The final race for the USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series track points will be one you won't want to miss. Gates will open at 4:30 p.m., hot laps at 6:30 p.m. and racing to follow this Saturday at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway.

Current Top Ten In Points as of August, 18, 2007:

USRA Modifieds
Rank Car # Driver's Name Points
1 18 Michael Long 1014
2 99 Martin Bennett 948
3 82m Ryan Meyer 887
4 45 Tony Fraise 812
5 29 Dennis Elliott 801
6 z4 Jody Wood 780
7 12 Bob Dale 716
8 29x Matt Greiner 701
9 5s David Snyder 578
10 97 Jerry Asher 556


USRA Stock Cars
Rank Car # Driver's Name Points
1 29 Matt Greiner 1246
2 11 Mark Holt 958
3 7a Troy Alexander 929
4 44 Kale Foster 697
5 8 Colt Mather 667
6 13 Michael Browning 623
7 1L Clell Evans 404
8 33z Zack VanderBeek 391
9 111 Butch Bailey 337
10 81c Kyle Chinn 322


USRA B-Modifieds
Rank Car # Driver's Name Points
1 22 Wyatt Lantz 1225
2 12 Adam Birck 1066
3 71 Jeff Waterman 1051
4 19 Jason Riegel 961
5 10 Jim Gillenwater 948
6 77 Jared Fuller 852
7 88 Brian Clark 780
8 44 Josh Larson 731
9 6y Ryan York 623
10 20 Larry Newman 473


USRA Hobby Stocks
Rank Car # Driver's Name Points
1 16 Mike Shelton 1178
2 38 Bill Gibson 1159
3 2k Derek Kirkland 905
4 3s Steve Allen 841
5 21x Curtis Barnes 686
6 27k Tim Kraber 683
7 4j Bob Lynch 680
8 85 Jason McDaniel 675
9 34f Robby Sands 614
10 8r Clayton Robbins 613


Outlaw Hobby Stocks
Rank Car # Driver's Name Points
1 43s Jeff Soper 1190
2 8 Brandon Symmonds 1182
3 1 Rodger Dresden 1154
4 4L Jim Lynch 1133
5 2t Beau Taylor 1023
6 8s Josh Soper 918
7 23 Larry Hooper 911
8 47 Tim Pettibone 771
9 24j Justin Hamelton 766
10 89 Brian Howerton 721


Hornets
Rank Car # Driver's Name Points
1 6 Luke Davidson 1172
2 77q J.D. Murphy 1088
3 20 Andrew Hustead 1022
4 62 Ethan Hustead 901
5 66 Lew Aikman 454
6 84L Brian Lemen 281
7 26 Jim Garrett 240
8 11d Dalton McCartney 239
9 2 Michael Grossman 200
10 31 Dale Porter 195