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USMTS REVEALS CASEY’S CREW LINE-UP & DATES WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (March 3) — United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) officials revealed today the drivers that will comprise the Casey’s Crew — five competitors that represent the best of the best in O’Reilly USMTS National Tour history. Al Hejna, Jason Hughes, Mark Noble, Kelly Shryock and Zack VanderBeek were selected based on their series-leading attendance during the first nine seasons of the USMTS. All five will carry sponsorship from Casey’s General Stores (www.caseys.com) and their associated vendors for at least 10 races each during the 2008 season. An historic marketing partnership was formed last month between the USMTS and Casey’s General Stores (NASDAQ: CASY), which owns and operates more than 1,450 convenience stores in nine Midwestern states: Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. As part of the agreement, Casey’s General Stores — the Official Convenience Store of the USMTS — will reign as the Title Sponsor of “The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship” and four O’Reilly USMTS National Tour events, with marketing objectives to drive incremental sales at Casey’s General Stores retail locations and execute brand reinforcement at O’Reilly USMTS National Tour events, including driver sponsorships and appearances. In what may be a first in motorsports, the agreement also directly impacts the bottom line of USMTS competitors’ racing budget. Throughout the racing season, fans can enjoy appearances by these drivers at local Casey’s General Stores locations, as well as related branded spin-off merchandise such as apparel, die-cast, autograph cards and more. Each driver will utilize a branded Awesome Race Suit (www.awesomeracesuits.com) during their sponsorship period. While all five drivers will be among the most loyal USMTS drivers over the past decade, they’re also among the fan favorites. Each driver’s racecar will be professionally detailed with the latest vehicle wrap technology from New Vision Graphics (www.newvisiongraphics.cc) to give a bright, multi-colored and stand-out appearance. AL HEJNA - CLEAR LAKE, IA CASEY’S GENERAL STORES #7 HARRIS CHASSIS Al Hejna, from Clear Lake, Iowa, will be the first driver to compete as part of the Casey’s Crew, kicking off at the season opening 5th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw on Friday and Saturday, March 7-8, at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. Hejna is the defending champion of the event, which he swept in 2007. The “A Train” will carry the Casey’s colors through each O’Reilly USMTS National Tour event through the April 13 stop at the Quad City Raceway in East Moline, Ill. Hejna will be driving the Casey’s General Stores #7 Harris Chassis at the following events: Fri Mar 7 … Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE Sat Mar 8 … Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE Fri Mar 14 … U.S. 36 Raceway, Osborn, MO Sat Mar 15 … Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS Sun Mar 16 … Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, KS Fri Mar 28 … LA Raceway, LaMonte, MO Sat Mar 29 … Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, MO Sun Mar 30 … Monett Speedway, Monett, MO Fri Apr 4 … West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, OK Sat Apr 5 … West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, OK Fri Apr 11 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA Sat Apr 12 … LaSalle Speedway, LaSalle, IL Sun Apr 13 … Quad City Raceway, East Moline, IL JASON HUGHES - WESTVILLE, OK CASEY’S GENERAL STORES #12 HUGHES CHASSIS Jason Hughes, from Westville, Okla., will be in the spotlight beginning June 10 at Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, and ending July 25 at the Tri-Oval Speedway in Fountain City, Wis. The runner-up in last season's final points standings, Hughes will be driving the Casey’s General Stores #12 Hughes Chassis at the following events: Tue Jun 10 … Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA Wed Jun 11 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA Thu Jun 12 … Fayette County Speedway, West Union, IA Fri Jun 13 … Tri-Oval Speedway, Fountain City, WI Tue Jul 22 … Kasson Speedway, Kasson, MN Wed Jul 23 … Clay County Fair Speedway, Spencer, IA Thu Jul 24 … Independence Motor Speedway, Independence, IA Fri Jul 25 … Tri-Oval Speedway, Fountain City, WI Mon Aug 4 … Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS Tue Aug 5 … 81 Speedway Wichita, KS Wed Aug 6 … Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, KS Thu Aug 7 … Nevada Speedway, Nevada, MO MARK NOBLE - BLOOMING PRAIRIE, MN MILLER LITE #74 KRAFTKAR CHASSIS Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., will carry sponsorship from Miller Lite during his trek, which begins close to home on Friday, May 23, at the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., for the 11th Annual Guttormson Memorial. The veteran fan favorite will wind the season down for the Casey’s Crew during the 10th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., Sept. 18-20. Noble will be driving the Miller Lite #74 KraftKar Chassis at the following events: Fri May 23 … Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN Sat May 24 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN Sun May 25 … Kasson Speedway, Kasson, MN Mon May 26 … Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, MN Sun Jun 1 … Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN Mon Jun 2 … Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines, IA Fri Jun 20 … U.S. 36 Raceway, Osborn, MO Fri Sep 12 … Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines, IA Sat Sep 13 … Marshalltown Speedway, Marshalltown, IA Thu Sep 18 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN Fri Sep 19 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN Sat Sep 20 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN KELLY SHRYOCK - FERTILE, IA CASEY’S GENERAL STORES #3 SKYROCKET CHASSIS Fertile, Iowa's Shryock will look to capture his ninth O’Reilly USMTS National Tour crown in 10 seasons while he carries the Casey’s banner throughout the Casey’s General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship, beginning Aug. 8 at the Midway Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., and ending on Labor Day, Sept. 1, at the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minn. Shryock will pilot the Casey’s General Stores #3 Skyrocket Chassis at the following events: Fri Aug 8 … Midway Speedway, Lebanon, MO Sat Aug 9 … Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, MO Sun Aug 10 … Monett Speedway, Monett, MO Mon Aug 11 … Belleville High Banks, Belleville, KS Tue Aug 12 … U.S. 36 Raceway, Osborn, MO Wed Aug 13 … Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA Thu Aug 14 … Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, MN Thu Aug 28 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA Fri Aug 29 … Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN Sat Aug 30 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN Sun Aug 31 … Kasson Speedway, Kasson, MN Mon Sep 1 … Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, MN ZACK VANDERBEEK - NEW SHARON, IA FRITO-LAY #33Z SKYROCKET CHASSIS Zack VanderBeek, from New Sharon, Iowa, will take the stage on June 17 when the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour visits the Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa. The curtain call for the 2005 Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar Rookie of the Year will be Aug. 2 at the 24 Raceway in Moberly, Mo. VanderBeek will steer the Frito-Lay #33z Skyrocket Chassis at the following events: Tue Jun 17 … Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, IA Wed Jun 18 … Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, SD Thu Jun 19 … Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, KS Tue Jun 24 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, IA Wed Jun 25 … Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, SD Thu Jun 26 … Casino Speedway, Watertown, SD Fri Jun 27 … Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, IA Tue Jul 29 … Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA Wed Jul 30 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA Thu Jul 31 … Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, IL Fri Aug 1 … Bloomfield Speedway, Bloomfield, IA Sat Aug 2 … 24 Raceway, Moberly, MO For the fifth straight year, the O’Reilly USMTS National Events campaign will kick off with a doubleheader at the state-of-the-art Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. The 5th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw is slated for Friday and Saturday, March 7-8, 2008. Friday’s event will pay $2,000 to win while the victor in Saturday’s main event will pocket $3,000. More than 70 entries are once again expected for the annual lidlifter at the 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval. The O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series season will start on Friday, April 18, at Golden Triangle Raceway Park (formerly Motorama Speedway) in Beaumont, Texas, and move over to the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas, on Saturday night, April 19. The USMTS is celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season in 2008 with many special promotions to show thanks to the fans, drivers, team members, families and sponsors who have helped make the USMTS the premier dirt modified series in the nation. To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS — America's Hottest Ticket on Dirt. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts. PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores. OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Awesome Race Suits, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions, TrackTek Racing Fuel. PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Day Motor Sports, Houston Specialty Products Co., Kraft Kar Race Cars, Olympic Fire Protection, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Ruter Farms, Yeager Machine. CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, Bert Transmission, COMP Cams, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, Marsh Racing Wheels, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake. |