Hughes bombs Lebanon, takes over top spot in ‘The Hunt’

LEBANON, Mo. (Aug 11) - On July 26 at the Batesville Speedway, Jason Hughes kicked off a four-race swing for the USMTS Southern Series with a DNF and an 18th-place paycheck. In the 16 days and 13 starts since then, he’s been a model of consistency with a seventh-place finish, an eighth and 11 top-5 finishes. During that stretch, he’s chalked up four wins — including a big one Saturday night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Mo.

Hughes’ first O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series win of the season came at Lebanon on June 16. His fifth happened last night and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the chassis builder from Colcord, Okla. In addition to pocketing the $2,000 top prize, Hughes also grabbed the points lead away from Fertile, Iowa’s Kelly Shryock in The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship.

While Hughes won his heat race from the pole, redrew the pole for the Holley “A” Main and led all 30 laps, Shryock had an uncharacteristically tough night. A runner-up finish in his heat race left him one spot out of an automatic main event starting spot, but he handily won the first Real Racing Wheels “B” Main. In the main event, however, nothing seemed to go right.

Three laps into the race, Johnny Bone Jr. and Matt Johnson tangled with Shryock getting caught in the melee as a helpless victim. He restarted at the tail of the field and was charging forward when he made contact with the inside tire barrier on lap 12, resulting in a damaged front end that left him with an ill-handling racecar. Shryock wound up finishing 13th — just the sixth time in 43 National Events that the eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion has finished outside of the top-10 this season.

Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., stormed from 16th on the 24-car starting grid to a runner-up finish at the end and also closed the gap on the points leaders in ‘The Hunt’ as he moved from eighth to third in the rankings. Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., garnered a third-place paycheck while local favorite Terry Beckham Jr. of Webb City, Mo., took fourth. Clear Lake, Iowa’s Dean Mahlstedt rounded out the top-5 finishers.

Sixth through 10th, respectively, went to Friday night’s winner, Greg Skaggs, followed by fellow Sooner Stater Tommy Weder Jr., 23rd-starting Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger Zack VanderBeek of Iowa, Michael Murphree of Arkansas and Louisiana’s Jamie Burford.

With three races in the books and 13 to go, Hughes holds a slim two-point lead over Shryock (323-321) in The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. The rest of the top-10 are Krohn (287), Skaggs (283), Tesch (279), Weder (279), VanderBeek (271), Mahlstedt (259), Tommy Myer (238) and Steve Holzkamper (230).

On Sunday, the whirlwind weekend wraps up at the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo., for the fourth race of ‘The Hunt’ and another $2,000 top prize up for grabs. Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30.

To learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship (Race 3 of 16)
Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, Mo.
Saturday, Aug. 11, 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. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)
2. 5j - Matt Johnson -- Archie, MO (1)
3. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (8)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
5. 33r - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (4)
6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (7) DNF
8. 87 - Jack Jones -- Lebanon, MO (5) DNF

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (6)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (2)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5)
5. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (3)
6. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (7)
7. 23 - Mookie Cunningham -- St. James, MO (1)
8. 357 - Clayton Wormington -- Springdale, AR (4)

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)
3. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (3)
4. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (7)
5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (6)
6. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (5)
7. 54 - David Hendrix -- Lakeway, MO (4)
8. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (8) DNF

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1)
2. 14n- Justin Neuman -- Waynesville, MO (5)
3. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
4. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (2)
5. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (8)
6. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (6)
7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (4)
8. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (7)

HEAT #5 (10 laps):
1. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (5)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
3. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (6)
4. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (1)
5. 66 - Mike Paillou -- Pass Christian, MS (4)
6. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (3)
7. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (2)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (8)
3. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (5)
4. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (2)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)
6. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (9)
7. 54 - David Hendrix -- Lakeway, MO (11)
8. 33r - Mike Roach -- Woodward, OK (6)
9. 66 - Mike Paillou -- Pass Christian, MS (7)
10. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (14)
11. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (12)
12. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (10)
13. 357 - Clayton Wormington -- Springdale, AR (13)
14. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 12B - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (1)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (13)
3. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)
4. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (9)
5. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (6)
6. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (8)
7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (11)
8. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (3)
9. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (7)
10. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (5)
11. 23 - Mookie Cunningham -- St. James, MO (10)
12. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (4) DNF
13. 87 - Jack Jones -- Lebanon, MO (12) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (16)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (9)
4. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (5)
5. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
6. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (6)
7. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (12)
8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (23)
9. 51m - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (17)
10. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (20)
11. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (13)
12. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (24)
13. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (15)
14. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (21)
15. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (18)
16. 56 - Tony Jackson -- Lebanon, MO (10)
17. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (4)
18. 5j - Matt Johnson -- Archie, MO (11) DNF
19. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) DNF
20. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8) DNF
21. 14n - Justin Neuman -- Waynesville, Mo (3) DNF
22. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (14) DNF
23. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (22) DNF
24. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (19) DNF

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Hughes 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 30.
AFCO Pole Award: Dripps.
Provisional Starters: VanderBeek, Holzkamper.
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started 23rd, finished 8th).
Next Race: Sunday, Aug. 12, Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.
O’Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: Hughes 323, Shryock 321, Krohn 287, Skaggs 283, Tesch 279, Weder 279, VanderBeek 271, Mahlstedt 259, Myer 238, Holzkamper 230.
Home Pride Passing Points: Shryock 169½, Hughes 129, VanderBeek 118½, Hejna 118½, Weder 85½.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Green 748, Lodge 309, Ryan Gustin 299, Cale Sponsler 235, Rasmussen 233.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 408, Hughes 335, Harris 227, GRT 192, Bullet 159.

Contingency Awards:
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Hughes.
GRT Race Cars – Skaggs.
Hawk Performance – VanderBeek.
Isky Racing Cams – Dripps.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Mahlstedt, Hejna.
KSE Racing Products – Krohn, Beckham.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Tesch.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Murphree.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Weder.
Real Racing Wheels – Shryock, Bone.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, AMSOIL, Arizona Sport Shirts, BRODIX, 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, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Yeager Machine.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Day Motor Sports, Gressell Oil Field Services, Hughes Racing Chassis, KraftKar Race Cars, McVicker Oil Fields, Rinehart Trucking.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, Bilstein Shocks, Boyer’s Engine Development, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Hyperco, Isky Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Racer’s Choice (RCI).