Donlinger ends six-year O’Reilly USMTS drought at Allison

ALLISON, Ia (Aug 30) - When the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series was formed in 1999, Tim Donlinger was one of the frequent flyers with the fledgling open-wheel modified series. When he won the main event on July 21, 2001, at the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., to complete a two-race sweep in the Dairy State, little did he (or his competition) know it would be more than six years before he returned to the winners circle with the O’Reilly USMTS.

Before a packed house Thursday night at the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa, Donlinger ended the drought after a hard-fought, start-to-finish battle with Kelly Shryock — the winningest O’Reilly USMTS driver over those past six years.

Donlinger cruised to victory in his heat race, then drew the pole position for the 30-lap Holley “A” Main. Donlinger found the low side of the half-mile oval to his liking as he paced the first five circuits, but Shryock screamed by on the top side to lead lap 6. Looking to snap a 12-race winless drought himself, Shryock held the top spot for the next 11 laps before Donlinger powered back into the lead on lap 18 as the yellow flag waved for Jon Tesch, who suffered a broken driveshaft after climbing from ninth to third.

After the restart, Donlinger held tight to the bottom groove while Shryock slipped to fourth behind Jason Hughes and Jason Krohn. Krohn moved past Hughes for second on lap 20 with Shryock picking off Hughes one lap later. On lap 22, Shryock got by Krohn and gave chase to Donlinger. A final caution with four laps remaining narrowed the gap between Donlinger and Shryock, but the eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS had to settle a runner-up finish behind Donlinger, who pocketed $2,000 for his victory.

Krohn held on for third while Tommy Myer clawed his way to a fourth-place finish after starting 15th. Hughes slipped to sixth behind teammate Tommy Weder Jr. with one lap to go, but regained the fifth spot as he nipped Weder at the checkered flag. Kevin Pittman, who started 20th, finished seventh and earned the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors. Richie Gustin Jr. started 18th and finished eighth, with Jeff Schluetter ninth and Zack VanderBeek rounding out the top-10 finishers.

With his runner-up finish, coupled with Tesch's mechanical misfortune and last-place finish, Shryock moved up to third in the points at the conclusion of Race No. 9 in The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. Hughes continues to lead the standings with 889 points, while Krohn closed to within 13 points. Behind Shryock (810) and Tesch (791), Weder moved up to fifth with 724 points, followed by VanderBeek (715), Myer (711), Greg Skaggs (704), Steve Holzkamper (629) and Scott Green (590).

Up next, the rugged O’Reilly USMTS road warriors venture across the border into the Gopher State where they will remain for the final seven events. Friday night will find the Masters of Fast at the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., for the 10th race in The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. A top prize of $2,000 is up for grabs, with all main event starters earning at least $250.

No license is required to compete with the O’Reilly USMTS, but licensed drivers enjoy such benefits as pay scale bonuses, increased tow money, points fund eligibility and contingency awards. The superior American Racer KK-704 racing tire is the Official Tire of the O’Reilly USMTS, but top-flight drivers who simply want to chase the cash and the glory (no points) are welcome to utilize the Hoosier G60 tire.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with the first green flag waving at 7:30. For more information, call the track at (507) 433-4578 or visit them online at www.chateauraceway.net. The Chateau Raceway is a 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval located 5.0 miles north of Austin on US 218 to the Lansing exit, then 1.3 miles eat on CR 2, then 0.4 mile south on CR 25, then 0.3 mile east.

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

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship (Race 9 of 16)
Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa
Thursday, Aug. 30, 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 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (2)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
3. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (3)
4. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (7)
5. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (6)
6. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (1)
7. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (4) DNF

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (1)
2. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (2)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)
4. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (4)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)
6. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (7)
7. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (6)

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (3)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (7)
3. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (1)
4. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (6)
5. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (2)
6. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (5)
7. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4)
2. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
3. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (3)
4. 00 - J.D. Auringer -- Waterloo, IA (7)
5. 19g - Richie Gustin Jr. -- Gilman, IA (2)
6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)
7. 41p - Keith Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (6)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (2)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
3. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (1)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
6. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (4)
7. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (7)
8. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (3)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (2)
2. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (1)
3. 19g - Richie Gustin Jr. -- Gilman, IA (4)
4. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (7)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)
6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
7. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (5)
8. 41p - Keith Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (8)

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (4)
4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)
5. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (6)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (13)
7. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (20)
8. 19g - Richie Gustin Jr. -- Gilman, IA (18)
9. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (12)
10. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (21)
11. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (5)
12. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (8)
13. 00 - J.D. Auringer -- Waterloo, IA (11)
14. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (14)
15. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (19)
16. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (22)
17. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (16)
18. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (10)
19. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (17)
20. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
21. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (24)
22. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (23)
23. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (7) DNF
24. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (9) DNF

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Donlinger 1-5, Shryock 6-17, Donlinger 18-30.
Total Laps Led: Donlinger 18, Shryock 12.
AFCO Pole Award: Dripps
Provisional Starters: Poidinger, Vesely.
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Kevin Pittman (started 20th, finished 7th).
Next Race: Friday, Aug. 31, Chateau Raceway, Lansing, Minn.
O’Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: Hughes 889, Krohn 876, Shryock 810, Tesch 791, Weder 724, VanderBeek 715, Myer 711, Skaggs 704, Holzkamper 629, Green 590.
Home Pride Passing Points: Shryock 190½, Hughes 144, VanderBeek 129, Al Hejna 120, Weder Jr. 99.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Green 862, Lodge 422, Ryan Gustin 339, Richie Gustin Jr. 273, Jeremy Rasmussen 254.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 462, Hughes 385, Harris 241, GRT 235, TRE 183.

Contingency Awards:
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Donlinger.
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Hawk Performance – Gustin.
Isky Racing Cams – Hughes.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Hughes.
KSE Racing Products – Shryock, Myer.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Krohn.
Quarter Master – Donlinger, Schluetter.
QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.
Real Racing Wheels – Weder, Schrader.

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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).