Krohn snaps O’Reilly USMTS drought in dominating fashion at Humboldt
by: Jeff Nun

HUMBOLDT, Kan. -- It's been a long time coming for Jason Krohn -- 2 years, 7 months and 6 days to be exact.

Making his first O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series start of the season, Krohn slipped by polesitter Jason Hughes at the drop of the green flag in Saturday night's 40-lap main event at the Humboldt (Kan.) Speedway and never looked back as he captured his first O’Reilly USMTS checkered flag since Aug. 18, 2004. The win, worth $2,000, was the fourth overall for the driver from Slayton, Minn., who recorded 10 top-5 and 20 top-10 finishes without a victory over the course of the last two seasons.

While Krohn raced in his own zip code for most of the contest, a caution flag with 12 laps to go bunched up the field for a chance at the leader. Current national points leader and eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, held the runner-up spot for the restart, but Bixby, Okla.'s Greg Skaggs snagged the spot away as the race returned to green flag racing. Krohn sped away from the pack uncontested while Shryock got back around Skaggs with three laps to go to secure his fourth second-place finish in five starts this season.

Krohn's advantage at the line was about 2 seconds -- a big cushion in Saturday night's Holley “A” Main, but a drop in the bucket compared to the 81,907,200 seconds since his last visit to victory lane.

Despite a punctured oil pan and smoke spilling from his Modified, Skaggs nursed his mount home in third. Fifteenth-starting Steve Holzkamper of Gentry, Ark., finished fourth while 14th-starting Tommy Weder Jr. of Woodward, Okla., rounded out the top-5 finishers.

Rochester, Minn.'s Mike Sorensen came from 13th to take sixth. Nonetheless, the movers and shakers in the field were provisional starters Al Hejna of Clear Lake, Iowa, and Mark Dotson of Cameron, Mo. The pair finished seventh and ninth, respectively, after coming from 23rd and 24th on the starting grid. Johnny Bone Jr. of Pea Ridge, Ark., separated the two at the finish line with an eighth-place finish.

POST-RACE NOTES:

• Green Day: For the second time this season, the top-finishing Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year contender was Scott Green of Derby, Kan. His 10th-place finish was his third top-10 paycheck of the season and moved him up to sixth in the O’Reilly USMTS national standings. Jay Noteboom, who won last week's main event at the West Siloam (Okla.) Speedway, maintained his spot at the top of the rookie standings with 109 points. Cale Sponsler holds down the second spot with 91 markers while Green sits one point back in third.

• Reeling Rookies: It's been a tough start to the season for the last three Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year recipients. Last year's top rookie, Jay Poidinger of Somerset, Wis., blazed his way into the main event at the season opener, but has not found his way into the big dance in the last four races. 2005 RRSBRoY Brad McEwan came into the season with a new car, new sponsor and high hopes. But three DNF's and two DNQ's have left the Storm Lake, Iowa, star staggered. And finally, while the year got off to a good start for 2004 Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, last year's national title runner-up has missed the cut for one main event and missed the finish for the other in the last two shows. With the Series heading to familiar territory for the next five National Events, all three drivers are hoping to get back to more familiar form as well.

• Blues for Hughes: Jason Hughes was “one of the guys to beat” for the second week in a row. But, for the second week in a row, the chassis builder from Colcord, Okla., suffered mechanical woes and found himself in the trailer early in the main event. Fellow Sooner Stater Tommy Weder Jr. was the highest-finishing Hughes creation in fifth. Of the Oklahoma posse, 2002 O’Reilly NCRA Modified Series titleist Greg Skaggs of Bixby has had the hot hand. After missing the first two events of the season, Skaggs has recorded two top-5 finishes in three races. He currently holds down the 10th spot in the national standings and ranks third in the tough Southern Region.

• Afternoon Delight: Skyrockets were in flight Saturday night, but while Kelly Shryock didn't get the victory, one of his customers did. Jason Krohn became the third different driver in the first five races to win one for “Skyrocket Nation” this season. Along with Krohn and Shryock, Al Hejna captured both nights of the season-opening doubleheader at the Junction Motor Speedway to give Skyrocket Chassis the early lead in the O’Reilly USMTS Builders Championship. Freshman fighter Razor Chassis by Clark is second while the Hughes Chassis contingent ranks third.

• Return to Odessa: Saturday night's race at Humboldt was supposed to be on Friday, but Mother Nature had other plans. The race was moved to Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. and was supposed to be the second half of a grueling daily double. Rain forced a change in plans again as the 2 p.m. show at the I-70 Speedway Dirt Track in Odessa, Mo., was washed out and the two-hour rush down the highway between shows was averted. The inaugural event at the historic I-70 Speedway has been rescheduled for Sunday, April 22.

• Top Dogs: Any driver ranked among the top-10 in national points is guaranteed $400 against winnings at each event where that driver is among the top-10 in national points. In a tight points race, the Top Dogs heading into Sunday's tilt at the Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan., are Kelly Shryock (511 pts.), Al Hejna (462), Jay Noteboom (414), Zack VanderBeek (363), Cale Sponsler (350), Scott Green (342), Jeremy Rasmussen (316), Mark Dotson (310), Steve Holzkamper (263) and Greg Skaggs (260).

UP NEXT:

On Sunday, March 25, the 5th Annual Kansas Spring Fling will take place at the Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan. Last year at the super-fast 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval, Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., ended a two-year drought with a victory on the first of two days at Thunderhill. Saturday’s checkers waved for Clear Lake, Iowa’s Dean Mahlstedt. Other past winners at Thunderhill include Dustin Boney, Tommy Myer and Kelly Shryock, who won five straight at the facility from March 19, 2004 to March 19, 2005.

Once again, $2,000 is up for grabs for the winner of the Holley “A” Main in this Western Region tilt. Fresh off back-to-back season-opening wins at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb., March 9-10, Clear Lake, Iowa’s Al Hejna leads the Western Region rankings heading into Sunday’s battle.

Gates open at 1 p.m. Hot laps are slated for 3:30 and the mud starts flying at 4 p.m. Adult tickets are $15, kids ages 6-12 are $5 and children under 6 are admitted FREE. The O’Reilly USMTS Modified aces will be joined by Thunderhill’s own highly-competitive Factory Stock and Hobby Stock classes.

The Thunderhill Speedway is located 14.6 miles north of U.S. Hwy. 24 on U.S. Hwy. 75 to 142nd St., then 2.2 miles west. The track’s business office can be reached at (785) 966-2575 and race day info is available by calling the track hotline at (785) 966-2844. Thunderhill Speedway is on the World Wide Web at www.thunderhillmayetta.com.

To learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters office 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
2nd Annual Event
Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Saturday, March 24, 2007

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the Heats are locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (10 laps):
1. 12 - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (1)
2. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (2)
3. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- W. Concord, MN (4)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (7)
5. 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (5)
6. 63 - Ryan Whitworth -- Humboldt, KS (3)
7. 9d - Scott Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (9)
8. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (8)
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (6) DNF

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (2)
2. 37 - Jeremy Chambers -- Oswego, KS (3)
3. 68 - Dean Wille -- Warrensburg, MO (5)
4. 3d - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (7)
5. 93 - Cale Sponsler -- Grimes, IA (8)
6. 54w - Dena Wilson -- Coweta, OK (9)
7. 2k - Darrick Klima -- Belleville, KS (6)
8. 1 - Scott Mullen -- Seymour, WI (4) DNF
9. 48m - Rick Murcko -- Iola, KS (1) DNF

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (4)
3. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (2)
4. 1j- Justin Boots -- Welda, KS (5)
5. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (6)
6. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (8)
7. 8m - James McMillin -- Warrensburg, MO (7)
8. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (9)
9. 11h - Jim Hernandez -- Topeka, KS (3) DNF

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (3)
2. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (2)
3. L99 - Loren Dauer -- Lindsborg, KS (4)
4. 19x - Curt Drake -- Moran, KS (5)
5. 27 - Clint Homan -- Bellevue, NE (6)
6. 7 - Nate Caruth -- Ames, IA (1)
7. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (8)
8. 7d - Danny Holt -- Topeka, KS (7) DNF

HEAT #5 (10 laps):
1. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (4)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)
3. 18r - Rodney Sigg -- Iola, KS (1)
4. 22 - Brian McGowen -- Wichita, KS (8)
5. 6 - Justin “Whitey” Folk -- Iola, KS (5)
6. 54 - Paul Snyder -- Wellswell, KS (6)
7. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
8. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (3) DNF

HEAT #6 (10 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (2)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (8)
4. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (5)
5. 71 - Mike Hoover -- Mexico, MO (4)
6. 40 - Jessy Willard -- Pleasanton, KS (7) DNF
7. 13 - Steven Shadden -- Hume, MO (3) DNF
8. 7jr - Jess Folk Jr. -- Iola, KS (6) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (5)
2. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (7)
3. 19x - Curt Drake -- Moran, KS (4)
4. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (11)
5. L99 - Loren Dauer -- Lindsborg, KS (2)
6. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (12)
7. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (10)
8. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (3)
9. 68 - Dean Wille -- Warrensburg, MO (1) DNF
10. 7 - Nate Caruth -- Ames, IA (8) DNF
11. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (9) DNF
12. 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (6) DNF
13. 48m - Rick Murcko -- Iola, KS (13) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (2)
2. 22 - Brian McGowen -- Wichita, KS (1)
3. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (4)
4. 6 - Justin Folk -- Iola, KS (6)
5. 18r - Rodney Sigg -- Iola, KS (3)
6. 27 - Clint Homan -- Bellevue, NE (5)
7. 1 - Scott Mullen -- Seymour, WI (11)
8. 54 - Paul Snyder -- Wellswell, KS (8)
9. 11h - Jim Hernandez -- Topeka, KS (13)
10. 2k - Darrick Klima -- Belleville, KS (9) DNF
11. 40 - Jessy Willard -- Pleasanton, KS (7) DNS
12. 13 - Steven Shadden -- Hume, MO (10) DNS
13. 7jr - Jess Folk Jr. -- Iola, KS (12) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (12 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- W. Concord, MN (1)
2. 93 - Cale Sponsler -- Grimes, IA (4)
3. 3d - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (2)
4. 54w - Dena Wilson -- Coweta, OK (5)
5. 63 - Ryan Whitworth -- Humboldt, KS (7)
6. 8m - James McMillin -- Warrensburg, MO (9)
7. 9d - Scott Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (8)
8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (12)
9. 71 - Mike Hoover -- Mexico, MO (6) DNF
10. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (10) DNF
11. 1j - Justin Boots -- Welda, KS (3) DNF
12. 7d - Danny Holt -- Topeka, KS (11) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
3. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (17)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (15)
5. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (14)
6. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (13)
7. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (23)
8. 12 - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (5)
9. 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (24)
10. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (12)
11. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (21)
12. 3d - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (22)
13. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (3)
14. 93 - Cale Sponsler -- Grimes, IA (19)
15. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (10) DNF
16. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (4) DNF
17. 22 - Brian McGowen -- Wichita, KS (18) DNF
18. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7) DNF
19. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1) DNF
20. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (11) DNF
21. 37 - Jeremy Chambers -- Oswego, KS (9) DNF
22. 19x - Curt Drake -- Moran, KS (20) DNF
23. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (8) DNF
24. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- W. Concord, MN (16) DNF

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Krohn 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Krohn 40.
AFCO Pole Award: D. Boney.
Provisional Starters: Hejna (regional), Dotson (national).
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Hejna (started 23rd, finished 7th).
Next Race: Sunday, March 25, Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kan.
O’Reilly National Points: Shryock 511, Hejna 462, Noteboom 414, VanderBeek 363, Sponsler 350, Green 342, Rasmussen 316, Dotson 310, Holzkamper 263, Skaggs 260.
Southern Region Points: Shryock 318, Holzkamper 263, Skaggs 260, Hejna 252, Noteboom 244, Green 214, Sponsler 214, Bone 199, Weder 193, Allen 184, Rasmussen 184.
Home Pride Passing Points (National): Shryock 33, Green 27, Mark Noble 24, Noteboom 22½, Hejna 18, Hughes 18.
Home Pride Passing Points (Southern Region): Hughes 18, Bone 15, Shryock 13½, Holzkamper 12, Green 10½, Morton 10½.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Noteboom 109, Sponsler 91, Green 90, Rasmussen 77, Klima 48.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 49, Razor 33, Hughes 33, TRE 22, Kraft 18.

Contingency Awards:
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Krohn.
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Hawk Performance – Bone.
Isky Racing Cams – Bone.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Weder, D. Boney.
KSE Racing Products – Shryock, Holzkamper.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Halfway leader if using Marsh Racing Wheels.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Skaggs.
Quarter Master – Krohn, Dotson.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Hejna.
Real Racing Wheels – Weder, Holzkamper, Wetzstein.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, AMSOIL, Fast Company Performance, Holley Performance Products, Home Pride Companies, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Marsh Racing Wheels, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Olympic Fire Protection, Real Racing Wheels, Reich Concrete, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, UNIJIG, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Bell Racing, Belleville Motorsports, Bert Transmission, Bilstein Shocks, BORCO LP, Boyer’s Engine Development, Day Motor Sports, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Edelbrock, Fast Shafts, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Hyperco, Intensitee Custom Clothing, Isky Racing Cams, Kraft Kars, KSE Racing Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Racer’s Choice (RCI).
POINTS STANDINGS
After March 24, 2007



1. Kelly Shryock .... 511
2. Al Hejna .... 462
3. Jay Noteboom .... 414
4. Zack VanderBeek .... 363
5. Cale Sponsler .... 350
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1. Jay Noteboom .... 109
2. Cale Sponsler .... 91
3. Scott Green .... 90
4. Jeremy Rasmussen .... 77
5. Darrick Klima .... 48
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1. Kelly Shryock .... 33
2. Scott Green .... 27
3. Mark Noble .... 24
4. Jay Noteboom .... 22½
5. Al Hejna .... 18
5. Jason Hughes .... 18
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1. Skyrocket .... 49
2. Razor .... 33
2. Hughes .... 33
4. TRE .... 22
5. Kraft .... 18
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1. Al Hejna .... 47
2. Jason Krohn .... 40
3. Kelly Shryock .... 39
4. Jay Noteboom .... 37
5. Greg Skaggs .... 14
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1. Kelly Shryock .... 165
2. Johnny Bone Jr. .... 55
3. Jason Hughes .... 53
4. Dustin Boney .... 51
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