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O’REILLY USMTS NATIONAL TOUR READIES FOR CENTRAL STATES REGION OPENERS AT OSKALOOSA, LASALLE, EAST MOLINE

OSKALOOSA, Iowa (April 7) — Eight shows are already in the books for the 2008 racing season, but the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour is not slowing down. In fact, they're gaining speed as yet another thrilling tripleheader is on tap for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 11-13.

Already, six different drivers from five different States representing four different chassis manufacturers have muscled their way into victory lane in what is shaping up to be the closest, hardest-fought battle ever for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship crown.

And everybody's tied at zero (points, that is) again as this weekend's action kicks off Central States Region competition. All three events will pay $2,000 to the Holley "A" Main winner, with a minimum $250 to start the main event each night.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11 - SOUTHERN IOWA SPEEDWAY

Friday, April 11, will find the fearless lead-footed Modified pilots at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the 7th Annual Spring Classic. The event will mark the 26th time the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour has churned the clay at the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster, with eight-time O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, laying claim to 11 of the previous 25.

Last year, however, it was defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champ Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., who swept the pair of stops at Osky en route to becoming the first driver other than Shryock to take the coveted title. Fellow drivers with multiple USMTS wins at the Southern Iowa Speedway include Tommy Myer, John Vandenberg and Chris Spieker with two wins each. Other former winners at Oskaloosa include Tony Fraise, Dan Bohr, Bruce Hanford, Brad Pinkerton, Mark Noble and Zack VanderBeek.

This will also be the season opener for the Karl Performance Parts USRA Stock Cars, Karl Performance Parts USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks as they race for track and national points in the USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series.

Pit gates and grandstands open at 5 p.m., with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30. O’Reilly USMTS National Tour standout Al Hejna and his Modified will make an appearance at the Casey's General Stores location on A Ave. West (just a few blocks south of the racetrack) from 2-4 p.m. Race fans can pick up $2-off grandstand admission coupons on race day at any of the three Casey's General Store locations in Oskaloosa.

The Southern Iowa Speedway is a semi-banked half-mile dirt oval located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92 (A Ave. West), then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). Day-of-race information is available by calling 641-673-7004 or online at www.rlpromtions.com/oskaloosa.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12 - LASALLE SPEEDWAY

From familiar territory to new frontiers, the rugged USMTS road warriors trek to the LaSalle (Ill.) Speedway for the first time ever on Saturday, April 12, for the inaugural Frostbuster.

First-year LaSalle Speedway promoter Brian Stuart is expecting a huge field of heavy-hitters for this event as local hotshoes Jeff Leka, Chad Kinder and others try to defend their home turf against the Best of the Best in Modified racing.

Also on the racing card will be the exciting Northern All-Stars Late Models in an accompanying $2,000-to-win headline event.

Pit gates will open at 3 p.m., grandstand tickets go on sale at 4 p.m., hot laps begin at 5:30 and the first heat race is at 6 p.m. Hejna will again be making an appearance and signing autographs from 12-2 p.m. on Saturday at the Casey's General Store location at 1302 5th St. in LaSalle.

The LaSalle Speedway is a high-banked quarter-mile clay oval located south of I-80 on I-39 to Exit 57, then 1.5 miles east on US 6. For more information, call 815-223-6900 or visit www.lasallespeedway.com online.

SUNDAY, APRIL 13 - QUAD CITY RACEWAY

A packed house looked on last year as Kelly Shryock held off Chad Kinder and Brad Pinkerton to win the inaugural Spring Clash at the Quad City Raceway in East Moline, Ill. This year's event is sure to provide even more wheel-to-wheel action as O’Reilly USMTS National Tour superstars fight for valuable Central States Region points while local aces like Donovan Lodge and Jeff Morris eye their first USMTS victory.

The Northern All-Stars Late Models will once again share the spotlight with the USMTS Modifieds for back-to-back $2,000-to-win main events. Also on the racing card will be UMP-sanctioned Four-Cylinders.

Pit gates will open at 3 p.m. while the grandstands open at 4 p.m. Hot laps begin at 5:30 and the first green flag is slated to wave at 6 p.m. Hejna will be making his third meet-n-greet appearance of the weekend at the Casey's General Store location at 6278 N. Pine in Davenport, Iowa, from 12-2 p.m.

The Quad City Raceway is a high-banked quarter-mile clay oval located off I-80 at Exit 7, then 0.9 mile west, then right, then 4.2 miles west on Colona Rd., then east on Archer St. (at the Rock Island County Fairgrounds). For race day information, call 309-644-1977 or visit the track's Official Website at www.quadcityraceway.com.

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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TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Bear Tire Company, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Gressel Racing, Houston Specialty Products Co., KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Q.E.M., Inc., TrackTek Racing Fuel.

PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, 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.