MAHLSTEDT TURNS LUCK AROUND, CAPTURES ‘SPRING FLING’ FINALE
by: Jeff Nun

Mayetta, Kan. (March 25, 2006) - After failing to finish the first three O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series main events of the 2006 season, things just had to turn around for Dean Mahlstedt. On Saturday, the Clear Lake, Iowa, pilot went from rags to riches as he dominated the final night of the 4th Annual Kansas Spring Fling at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan.

Mahlstedt, 32, scored his career first O’Reilly USMTS victory in the 2005 season finale at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo., en route to winning the season-ending AFCO Challenge mini-series and $3,000. Saturday night, Mahlstedt pocketed $3,000 for the win against a field of 66 entrants, and climbed nine spots to eighth in the points standings.

Polesitter Jay Noteboom of Hinton, Iowa, grabbed the lead at the start of Saturday's 35-lap nightcap, but relinquished the lead to Parkville, Mo.'s Kerry Davis after just four laps. Davis' reign was even more short-lived as Mahlstedt wrestled away the top spot one lap later. From that point, it was all Mahlstedt as he paced the final 30 circuits to the checkered flag.

Ryan Ruter of Forest City, Iowa, finished second after a crowd-pleasing drive from 14th in the 24-car main event field. The drive earned Ruter the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors.

Friday night's winner, Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., scored his fourth consecutive top-5 finish by taking home a third-place paycheck on Saturday. Noteboom held on for fourth while 16th-starting Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., rounded out the top-5 finishers.

By leading lap 17 and riding on Marsh Racing Wheels, Mahlstedt also cashed in on the Marsh Racing Wheels Halfway Leader Award.

Ruter's runner-up finish in his Skyrocket Chassis helped the chassis manufacturer move into a tie with Kraft Kar Race Cars in the UNIJIG Builders Championship points standings.

Up next for the O’Reilly USMTS will the inaugural event at the Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway in Bloomfield, Iowa, on Friday, March 31, for the first race of the season for drivers in the Central Region. On Saturday, April 1, the rugged road warriors travel 30 miles south to the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo., for a two-region race that will award points in both the Central and Southern Regions. Both events will pay $2,000 to win.

For more information, call the O’Reilly USMTS headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
4th Annual Kansas Spring Fling - Night 2 of 2
Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kan.
Saturday, March 25, 2006

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses.

The top 13 drivers in Home Pride 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 #1 (8 laps):
1. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (2)
2. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (4)
3. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (1)
4. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (5)
5. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (9)
6. 24x - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (7)
7. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (8)
8. 23L - Brett LaFollette -- Kansas City, KS (10)
9. 96x - Jim Johnson -- Wichita, KS (6)
10. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (3) DNF

HEAT #2 (8 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)
2. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (3)
3. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Fort Scott, KS (6)
4. 89 - Tyler Hibner -- Chillicothe, MO (7)
5. 77 - Steven Bowers -- Topeka, KS (10)
6. 11L - Ricky Stangl Jr. -- Raytown, MO (5)
7. 810 - Jesse Wheeler -- Independence, MO (8)
8. 21mx - Steven Martin -- Willard, MO (1) -1 Lap
9. 23w - Jim Wooton -- Belton, MO (4) DNF
10. 70h - Steve Hawks -- Topeka, KS (9) DNF

HEAT #3 (8 laps):
1. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (1)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)
3. 02x - Delbert Smith -- Great Bend, KS (4)
4. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (10)
5. 57 - Chad Williamson -- Watertown, SD (2)
6. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (6)
7. 86jr - Dirk Kirk -- Sloan, IA (9)
8. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fontanelle, NE (5)
9. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN (7)
10. 12h - Jim Hernandez -- Hoyt, KS (8)

HEAT #4 (8 laps):
1. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (6)
2. 2k - Darrick Klima -- Belleville, KS (1)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)
4. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (2)
5. 35x - Tim Echevarria -- Junction City, KS (9)
6. 03 - Conner Ward -- Wichita, KS (4)
7. 83 - Zack Wood -- Wichita, KS (7)
8. 6 - Jason Schoenberger -- Gorham, KS (8)
9. 1m - Julie McDermid -- Fremont, WI (5)

HEAT #5 (8 laps):
1. 68 - Kerry Davis -- Parkville, MO (4)
2. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (2)
3. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (6)
4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
5. 96 - Chad Lyle -- Long Jack, MO (9)
6. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (1)
7. 15w - Will Brack -- Mead, CO (7)
8. 37 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (5)
9. 10c - Justin Cooper -- Prescott, IA (3)

HEAT #6 (8 laps):
1. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
2. 4x - Kevin Larkins -- Greenwood, NE (3)
3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (9)
4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
5. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (6)
6. 4j - Jordy Nelson -- Marysville, KS (4)
7. 21k - Kevin Sloan -- Kansas City, KS (2)
8. 17 - Jeremy Tibben -- Stanton, IA (7)
9. 21z - Mark Zorn -- Russell, KS (8) DNF

HEAT #7 (8 laps):
1. 86 - Brian Franz -- Hallstead, KS (6)
2. 29 - Greg Metz -- Washington, KS (3)
3. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (8)
4. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (9)
5. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (5)
6. 4 - Chevy Hadan -- Waterloo, NE (4)
7. q37 - Allison Quick -- Redding, IA (2)
8. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (1)
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (7)

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA ()
2. 96 - Chad Lyle -- Long Jack, MO ()
3. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR ()
4. 77 - Steven Bowers -- Topeka, KS ()
5. 29 - Greg Metz -- Washington, KS ()
6. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO ()
7. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN ()
8. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN ()
9. 89 - Tyler Hibner -- Chillicothe, MO ()
10. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK ()
11. 21z - Mark Zorn -- Russell, KS ()
12. 15w - Will Brack -- Mead, CO ()
13. 6 - Jason Schoenberger -- Gorham, KS ()
14. 23L - Brett LaFollette -- Kansas City, KS ()
15. 70h - Steve Hawks -- Topeka, KS ()
16. 4j - Jordy Nelson, Marysville, KS ()
17. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS ()
18. 35 - Tim Echevarria -- Junction City, KS () DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN ()
2. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI ()
3. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO ()
4. 2k - Darrick Klima -- Belleville, KS ()
5. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS ()
6. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK ()
7. 03 - Conner Ward -- Wichita, KS ()
8. 4 - Chevy Hadan -- Waterloo, NE ()
9. 37 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD ()
10. 21mx - Steven Martin -- Willard, MO ()
11. 1m - Julie McDermid -- Fremont, WI ()
12. 12h - Jim Hernandez -- Hoyt, KS ()
13. 96x - Jim Johnson -- Wichita, KS ()
14. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI ()
15. 810 - Jesse Wheeler -- Independence, MO ()
16. 21k - Kevin Sloan -- Kansas City, KS () DNF
17. 24x - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN () DNF
18. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA () DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD ()
2. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS ()
3. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Fort Scott, KS ()
4. 02x - Delbert Smith -- Great Bend, KS ()
5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA ()
6. 86jr - Dirk Kirk -- Sloan, IA ()
7. 57 - Chad Williamson -- Watertown, SD ()
8. 17 - Jeremy Tibben -- Stanton, IA ()
9. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE ()
10. 83 - Zack Wood -- Wichita, KS ()
11. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fontanelle, NE ()
12. q37 - Allison Quick -- Redding, IA ()
13. 11L - Ricky Stangl Jr. -- Raytown, MO ()
14. 10c - Justin Cooper -- Prescott, IA () DNF
15. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA () DNF
16. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN () DNF
17. 23w - Jim Wooton -- Belton, MO () DNF

HOLLEY "A" MAIN (35 laps):
1. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
2. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (14)
3. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
4. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (1)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (16)
6. 68 - Kerry Davis -- Parkville, MO (2)
7. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)
8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)
9. 86 - Brian Franz -- Hallstead, KS (6)
10. 96 - Chad Lyle -- Long Jack, MO (17)
11. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (9)
12. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (18)
13. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (20)
14. 1F - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (11)
15. 4x - Kevin Larkins -- Greenwood, NE (13)
16. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (12)
17. 2k - Darrick Klima -- Belleville, KS (23)
18. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Fort Scott, KS (22)
19. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (5)
20. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (21)
21. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (10)
22. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4) DNF
23. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (19) DNF
24. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (24) DNF

Lap Leaders: Noteboom 1-4, Davis 5, Mahlstedt 6-35.
Total Laps Led: Mahlstedt 30, Noteboom 4, Davis 1.
Provisional Starters: Klima, McEwan.
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Ruter (started 14th, finished 2nd).
Next Race: March 31, Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway, Bloomfield, Iowa.
O’Reilly National Driver points (top 10): Noble 412, Tesch 372, Ruter 346, Shryock 343, Friesen 305, Myer 301, McEwan 268, Mahlstedt 265, Larkins 258, VanderBeek 233.
Western Region points (top 10): Noble 412, Tesch 372, Ruter 346, Shryock 343, Friesen 305, Myer 301, McEwan 268, Mahlstedt 265, Larkins 258, Klima 247.
Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar Rookie of the Year points (top 5): Friesen 50, Larkins 34, Arpin 28, Timms 24, Weder 22.
UNIJIG Builders Championship points (top 5): Kraft 35, Skyrocket 35, GRT 29, Hughes 23, BMS 22.

Contingency Awards:
Bassett Racing Wheel – Noble.
Belleville Motorsports – Tesch, Larkins, Beckham.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Mahlstedt.
Dynatech Racing Exhaust – Mahlstedt, Ruter.
Edelbrock – Mahlstedt, Ruter.
Fast Shafts – Tesch.
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Isky Racing Cams – Noteboom.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Noteboom.
KSE Racing Products – VanderBeek.
Larson Racing Specialists – Drake.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Mahlstedt.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Myer.
RaceQuest – Mahlstedt, Bowers, D. Boney, Smith.
Real Racing Wheels – Ruter, Myer, Tesch.
T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – not awarded.
UNIJIG – VanderBeek.