NOBLE WEIGHS IN FOR O’REILLY USMTS WIN AT MONETT
by: Jeff Nun

MONETT, Mo. (May 14, 2006) - Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., didn't lead a lap Sunday at the Monett Speedway, but the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series national points leader earned his fourth win of the season when apparent winner Terry Beckham Jr. of Webb City, Mo., failed the post-race weigh-in.

Beckham, who had a dominant car on Saturday at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway before a broken spring cost him a shot at victory, saw another $2,000 paycheck slip away when he rolled across the scales 11 pounds underweight after leading all 35 laps of Sunday's 3rd Annual Missouri Nationals finale.

With the win, Noble padded his O’Reilly USMTS national points lead and climbed to within two points of current Dirt Works Southern Region points leader Dean Mahlstedt of Clear Lake, Iowa, who posted two runner-up finishes and a fifth-place showing during the weekend tripleheader.

The next Southern Region race will take place on Friday, June 16, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., followed by return trips to the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday, June 17, and the Monett Speedway on Sunday, June 18. All three events will pay $2,000 to win.

Terry Phillips of Springfield, Mo., finished third in Sunday's main event, followed by Johnny Bone Jr. of Pea Ridge, Ark., in fourth and seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, fifth. The three drivers started the Holley "A" Main in the 13th, 10th and 16th starting spots, respectively.

After an 11-day recovery period, the rugged O’Reilly USMTS road warriors get back in action on Thursday, May 25, at Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., for the 2nd Annual All-Star Challenge, and the first Western Region event since April 14.

The Park Jeff battle will kick off five straight nights of Memorial Weekend excitement. On Friday, May 26, the O’Reilly USMTS stars and cars invade the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn., for the 3rd Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge and the first event in the Reich Concrete/Yeager Machine Northeast Region. Then, the Series returns to Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the 4th Annual Justice Brothers Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge. On Sunday, May 28, the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn., hosts America's Premier Modified Tour for the 5th Annual Minnesota Spring Fling. The pentathlon of racing concludes on Monday, May 29, at the Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway for the Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Memorial Day Shootout, and the final show of the 2006 season at the popular Britt, Iowa, facility.

All five Memorial Weekend events will pay $2,000 to win.

For more information, or 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
3rd Annual Missouri Nationals - Round 3 of 3
Monett Speedway, Monett. Mo.
Sunday, May 14, 2006

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses.

The top 12 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the heat races 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. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
2. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (6)
3. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (7)
4. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (2)
5. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (8)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (5)
7. 43 - Rusty Rickard -- Shellknob, MO (9)
8. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (1)
9. 84 - Billy Street -- Joplin, MO (10) DNF
10. 33rm - Roy Maynard -- LaRussel, MO (4) DNF

HEAT #2 (8 laps):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
2. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (5)
3. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (1)
4. 14x - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (9)
5. 52 - Mitch Keeter -- Webb City, MO (2)
6. 21 - Jackie Dalton -- Carthage, MO (6)
7. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (7)
8. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (4)
9. 59 - Jimmy Bellamy Jr. -- Aurora, MO (10)
10. 26px - Bobby Pearish -- Oronogo, MO (8) DNF

HEAT #3 (8 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (4)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
4. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (7)
5. 99 - Mike Striegel -- Reeds Spring, MO (9)
6. 5k - Kenneth Cox -- Greenland, AR (8)
7. 44 - David Grigg -- Springdale, AR (6)
8. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentwood, AR (5)
9. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (3) DNF

HEAT #4 (8 laps):
1. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (3)
2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
3. 91b - Eddie Martin -- Stillwell, OK (4)
4. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
5. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
6. 25 - Rex Merritt -- Billings, MO (8)
7. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (9)
8. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (6)
9. 45 - Marvin Forrest -- Eagle Rock, MO (2) DNS

HEAT #5 (8 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (2)
2. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (1)
3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (6)
4. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (9)
5. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (3)
6. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (8)
7. 18b - Terry Belcher -- Phoenix, AZ (4)
8. 60 - Wayne Johnston -- Nixa, MO (5)
9. 7w - Rick Wallis -- Springdale, AR (7)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (11)
2. 14x - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (1)
3. 25 - Rex Merritt -- Billings, MO (8)
4. 99 - Mike Striegel -- Reeds Spring, MO (4)
5. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (13)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (9)
7. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (14)
8. 52 - Mitch Keeter -- Webb City, MO (6)
9. 43 - Rusty Rickard -- Shellknob, MO (10)
10. 26px - Bobby Pearish -- Oronogo, MO (18)
11. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (5) DNF
12. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (7) DNF
13. 7w - Rick Wallis -- Springdale, AR (17) DNF
14. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (3) DNF
15. 91b - Eddie Martin -- Stillwell, OK (2) DNF
16. 18b - Terry Belcher -- Phoenix, AZ (12) DNS
17. 84 - Billy Street -- Joplin, MO (15) DNS
18. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (16) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (1)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
3. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (4)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (6)
5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (5)
6. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (2)
7. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (10)
8. 21 - Jackie Dalton -- Carthage, MO (9)
9. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (8)
10. 59 - Jimmy Bellamy Jr. -- Aurora, MO (15)
11. 5k - Kenneth Cox -- Greenland, AR (7)
12. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentwood, AR (13)
13. 60 - Wayne Johnston -- Nixa, MO (14)
14. 33rm - Roy Maynard -- LaRussel, MO (17) DNF
15. 44 - David Grigg -- Springdale, AR (11) DNS
16. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (12) DNS
17. 45 - Marvin Forrest -- Eagle Rock, MO (16) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (9)
3. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (13)
4. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (10)
5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (16)
6. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
7. 14x - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (15)
8. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (22)
9. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (6)
10. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (21)
11. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (14)
12. 25 - Rex Merritt -- Billings, MO (17)
13. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (20)
14. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (23)
15. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (12)
16. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (24)
17. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (18) DNF
18. 99 - Mike Striegel -- Reeds Spring, MO (19) DNF
19. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7) DNF
20. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (11) DNF
21. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (1) DNF
22. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5) DNF
23. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (8) DNF
24. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (2) DQ

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Beckham 1-35.
Total Laps Led: Beckham 35.
Provisional Starters: Myer (regional), Schluetter (national).
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Dripps (started 22nd, finished 8th).
Next Race: May 25, Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.
O’Reilly National Driver Points (top 10): Noble 1196, Shryock 1088, Tesch 1022, Ruter 953, Friesen 905, Myer 880, Mahlstedt 853, McEwan 835, VanderBeek 806, Hejna 804.
Southern Region Points (top 10): Mahlstedt 377, Noble 375, Shryock 358, Ruter 324, Myer 305, Friesen 302, Tesch 297, VanderBeek 285, Morton 254, Dripps 250.
Home Pride Passing Points - National (top 5): Friesen 64.5, Myer 61.5, Ruter 60.0, Hejna 49.5, McEwan 46.5.
Home Pride Passing Points - Dirt Works Southern Region (top 5): Friesen 25.5, Myer 22.5, Bone 16.5, Hejna 15.0, Noble 13.5, Mahlstedt 13.5, Ruter 13.5.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points (top 5): Friesen 270, Schluetter 169, Mike Steensma 150, Boney 118, Matt Gilbertson 115.
UNIJIG Builders Championship Points (top 5): Skyrocket 110, Kraft 103, GRT 78, Hughes 74, BMS 59, Bullet 59.

Contingency Awards:
Bassett Racing Wheel – not awarded.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Noble.
Dynatech Racing Exhaust – Noble, Mahlstedt.
Edelbrock – Noble, Mahlstedt.
Fast Shafts – Shryock.
GRT Race Cars – VanderBeek.
Isky Racing Cams – Noble.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Bone.
KSE Racing Products – Dripps.
Larson Racing Specialists – not awarded.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.
RaceQuest – Noble, Weder, Morton.
Real Racing Wheels – not awarded.
T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – Wedelstadt.
UNIJIG – Hughes.