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WEST LIBERTY, FARLEY TO HOST CENTRAL REGION FINALES AS ‘THE
HUNT’ LOOMS
WEST LIBERTY, IA (Aug. 14, 2006) - The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States
Modified Touring Series gets back to business this week with a full slate of
action scheduled at five racetracks in five days.
The stars and cars of the O’Reilly USMTS make their long-awaited debut at the
West Liberty Raceway on Tuesday, Aug. 15, for a $2,000-to-win battle royale at
the historic Muscatine County Fairgrounds. Then on Wednesday, Aug. 16, the
rugged road warriors roll into the “Palace of Speed” at the Farley Speedway for
another $2,000-to-win, $200-to-start tilt.
Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 both nights. Hornets and USRA-sanctioned
Stock Cars will join the program at West Liberty, while Farley will see Pro
Stocks and Farley Flyers on the menu. The West Liberty Raceway is located 2
blocks west of downtown West Liberty (at the junction of US 6 and SR 70) on 3rd
Ave., then 2 blocks south on Calhoun St. (at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds).
The Farley Speedway is located just south of U.S. Hwy. 20 at Exit 300 on
frontage road, then 0.8 mile west on Olde Farley Rd.
With 14 drivers already qualified in ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National
Championship, the final table will be set after this pair of Central Region
curtain-closers at two of Iowa's legendary half-mile dirt ovals. Seven-time
defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, has
locked up the Central Region title, giving him a sweep of all four regions this
season. However, the rest of the top 10 remains wide open as drivers scratch and
claw to earn every possible point to start ‘The Hunt’ with.
CURRENT POINTS STANDINGS:
‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship:
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa .... 45
2. 65 - Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn. .... 40
3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa .... 33
4. 26 - Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa .... 29
5. 555 - Ryan Ruter, Forrest City, Iowa .... 24
6. 14 - Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D. .... 23
7. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 16
8. 74 - Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn. .... 14
9. 7 - Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 12
10. 49x - Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis. .... 7
11. 72 - Mike Lineberry, Fontanelle, Neb. .... 5
12. 12 - Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla. .... 4
13. 7ii - Mike Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 2
14. 1f - Jason Friesen, Sutton, Neb. .... 1
O’Reilly USMTS Central Region (top 20):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock .... 1180
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt .... 1010
3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek .... 978
4. 65 - Tommy Myer .... 908
5. 555 - Ryan Ruter .... 898
6. 7 - Al Hejna .... 830
7. 26 - Brad McEwan .... 811
8. 7ii - Mike Hejna .... 784
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger .... 745
10. 55 - Alan Mondus .... 682
11. 12 - Jason Hughes .... 576
12. 74 - Mark Noble .... 566
13. 17p - Brad Pinkerton .... 502
14. 1f - Jason Friesen .... 488
15. 12 - Mark Elliott .... 476
16. 45 - Tony Fraise .... 471
17. X - Mike Wedelstadt .... 456
18. 17 - Steve Stewart .... 456
19. 14 - Jon Tesch .... 441
20. 18 - Michael Long .... 429
Drivers ranked 11th through 20th are still mathematically alive to finish in the
top 10 in the Central Region. If Mondus attends the final two Central Region
events, however, Hughes and Noble will have a slim mathematical chance of
placing in the final top 10 while the others ranked 13th through 20th will be
eliminated.
The O’Reilly USMTS points system will be used at all regional events, with the
top-10 in the final standings for each of the four regions earning 10 points for
first place, 9 points for second and so forth, descending to 1 point for tenth
place in the region. Each driver who competed at all events within a region will
also earn 5 bonus points. The total points earned for all regions will serve as
the base points that each driver will start with in ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly
National Championship. The normal O’Reilly USMTS points system is then used
during ‘The Hunt’ to determine the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Champion. Any
driver finishing among the top-10 in the final points standings in one or more
regions, as well as any driver with perfect attendance in any region, will
qualify to be in ‘The Hunt’ and thereby earn a legitimate shot at becoming the
2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Champion.
‘The Hunt’ will be comprised of the final races of the season beginning Aug. 17
at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, for the 2nd Annual Budweiser Summer
Challenge presented by NAPA and Decorah Bank & Trust.
The five-race week continues on Friday, Aug. 18, for the Inaugural Miller Lite
Thunder at Fox Ridge Speedway in Arcadia, Wis., the wraps up on Saturday, Aug.
18 at the Jackson (Minn.) Speedway for Pepsi “Let's Make a Deal” Night.
All five events during the five-race swing will pay 2,000 to win and $200 to
start.
For more information, or to learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United
States Modified Touring Series, call (515) 832-7944 or visit
www.USMTS.com online.
NOTE: At West Liberty on Tuesday, the USRA Stock Cars will be awarded national
points toward the USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series. Rules for
this event will be one of the following: West Liberty weekly competitors may use
weekly rules and also utilize a Motorcraft/Rochester or Holley 500 carb (must
follow Oskaloosa carb rules if using the 500). Call USRA Technical Director Ron
Reefer at 515-341-8803 for more information. Weekly Oskaloosa rules will be used
for other USRA cars. These cars will be allowed to weigh 3,000 pounds and may
groove their tires. The main event will pay $350 to win.