Shryock returns to winners circle with Monett triumph

MONETT, Mo. (June 17) - Kelly Shryock returned to familiar territory Sunday night: victory lane.

The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series invaded the Monett Speedway for Round 3 of the 4th Annual Missouri Nationals with 12 different winners scoring victories in the previous 12 events. That streak came to an end the same way it began as the eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion notched his eighth National Event win of the season.

Coming into Sunday's $2,000-to-win show, oddsmakers might have tabbed Johnny Bone Jr. and Jason Hughes as the favorites. Bone captured the main event at Bolivar Speedway USA on Friday, Hughes won Saturday at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway and the last two races at Monett were won by Bone and Hughes. But all bets were off on lap 12 when Shryock took the lead from Eddie Martin in the 40-lap Holley “A” Main, then cruised to the checkered flag at the 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval.

Bone and Hughes were both fast as they finished third and fourth after starting eighth and 12th, respectively, but neither had enough muscle to run down Shryock.

Louisiana's Kyle Pleasant recorded his career-best O’Reilly USMTS payday with a runner-up finish, while Corey Dripps rounded out the top-5 finishers. Sixth through 10th were 20th-starting Tommy Weder Jr., polesitter Alan Sharpensteen, Brandon Morton, Mike Roach and Al Hejna.

Up next, the rugged road warriors of the O’Reilly USMTS trek north to the Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., on Tuesday where they can expect some added heat from NASCAR stars Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace. Both drivers will be signing autographs for fans prior to strapping into their Modifieds to take on the best the division has to offer.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 7:00 and racing at 7:30. Schrader and Wallace will host an autograph session for fans from 5:30-6:30. The Park Jefferson Speedway is a half-mile slightly-banked dirt oval located just off of I-29 at Exit 4, then 0.2 mile east to SR 105, then 1.8 miles north (east side of SR 105). For raceday information, call (605) 966-5517 or visit www.parkjeffersonspeedway.com online.

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.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Tue Jun 19 ... Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, SD ($2,000 to win)
Wed Jun 20 ... Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, SD ($2,000 to win)
Thu Jun 21 ... Casino Speedway, Watertown, SD ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jun 22 ... Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, IA ($2,000 to win)
Sat Jun 23 ... Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN ($2,000 to win)

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
National Event - Southern Region
Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.
Sunday, June 17, 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 (8 laps):
1. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (1)
2. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (4)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (3)
4. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8)
5. 6m - Andy Milliken -- Greenwood, AR (6)
6. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)
7. 52 - Trevor Latham -- Rogers, AR (5)
8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (9)
9. 16 - Jeff Johnson -- Joplin, MO (7)

HEAT #2 (8 laps):
1. 777 - Jared Landers -- Batesville, AR (1)
2. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (5)
3. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (3)
4. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (7)
5. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (6)
6. 7gk - Ken McCarty -- Rogers, AR (2)
7. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (4) DNF
8. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (8) DNS
9. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (9) DNS

HEAT #3 (8 laps):
1. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Robeline, LA (2)
2. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (1)
3. 33R - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (3)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
5. 21 - A.J. Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (7)
6. 00 - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (5) DNF
7. 60 - William Gould -- Fort Smith, AR (4) DNF
8. 357 - Clayton Wormington -- Springdale, AR (8) DNS

HEAT #4 (8 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)
2. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (1)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
4. 26 - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (8)
5. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (7)
6. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (4)
7. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5)
8. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (6)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
2. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (1)
3. 21 - A.J. Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (3)
4. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (9)
5. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (5)
6. 6m - Andy Milliken -- Greenwood, AR (4)
7. 16 - Jeff Johnson -- Joplin, MO (11)
8. 00 - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (6) DNS
9. 52 - Trevor Latham -- Rogers, AR (7) DNS
10. 60 - William Gould -- Fort Smith, AR (8) DNS
11. 357 - Clayton Wormington -- Springdale, AR (10) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
2. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (3)
3. 33R - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (1)
4. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8)
6. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (10)
7. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (7)
8. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (6)
9. 7gk - Ken McCarty -- Rogers, AR (5) DNF
10. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (9) DNS
11. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (11) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)
2. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Robeline, LA (6)
3. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (8)
4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (12)
5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (9)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (20)
7. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (1)
8. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (7)
9. 33R - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (18)
10. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (13)
11. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (11)
12. 26 - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (10)
13. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (22)
14. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (15)
15. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (14)
16. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (23)
17. 21 - A.J. Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (17)
18. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (5) DNF
19. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (2) DNF
20. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (19) DNF
21. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (24) DNF
22. 777 - Jared Landers -- Batesville, AR (3) DNF
23. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (21) DNF
24. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (25) DNF
25. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (16) DNS

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Martin 1-11, Shryock 12-40.
Total Laps Led: Shryock 29, Martin 11.
AFCO Pole Award: Pleasant.
Provisional Starters: Kenny (regional), Bohmont (national) Jackson (track).
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Weder (started 10th, finished 6th).
Next Race: Tuesday, June 19, Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.
O’Reilly National Points: Shryock 2344, VanderBeek 1827, Hejna 1685, Hughes 1679, Steve Holzkamper 1496, Weder 1432, Poidinger 1253, Skaggs 1127, Dripps 1047, Green 958.
Southern Region Points: Shryock 786, Hejna 680, Skaggs 677, Bone 650, VanderBeek 571, Hughes 566, Weder 537, Green 535, Steve Holzkamper 531, Rasmussen 467.
Home Pride Passing Points (National): Shryock 112½, VanderBeek 79½, Hejna 66, Hughes 64½, Weder 49½.
Home Pride Passing Points (Southern): Hughes 24, Shryock 24, VanderBeek 22½, Skaggs 21, Bone 18, Steve Holzkamper 18, Morton 18.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Green 297, Cale Sponsler 225, Jay Noteboom 187, Ryan Gustin 186, Richie Gustin Jr. 186.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 234, Hughes 174, TRE 128, Harris 103, Bullet 81.

Contingency Awards:
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Shryock.
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Hawk Performance – Morton.
Isky Racing Cams – Bone.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Dripps, Green.
KSE Racing Products – Hughes.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Bone.
Quarter Master – Shryock, Roach.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Alan Sharpensteen.
Real Racing Wheels – Hejna, VanderBeek.