FANS SEEING DOUBLE AS VANDERBEEK, TESCH FINISH IN DEAD HEAT AT 24 RACE

[rebelracewriter]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, August 2, 2008

 

FANS SEEING DOUBLE AS VANDERBEEK, TESCH FINISH IN DEAD

HEAT AT 24 RACEWAY

 

MOBERLY, Mo. (Aug. 2) – And the winner is ...

 

Scratch that.

 

And the winners are ...

 

The mud-slinging Modifieds of the O'Reilly USMTS National

Tour invaded the 24 Raceway in Moberly, Mo., for the first

time ever on Saturday and the result was a typical

action-packed battle that wound up with a not-so-typical

first time ever finish.

 

Jon Tesch has been one of the hottest drivers of late, and

he continued his surge by leading the first 33 laps of

Saturday's 35-lapper. Slowly but surely, Zack VanderBeek

closed in on Tesch throughout the race as he clawed his

way from the 12th starting spot.

 

As the white flag waved, VanderBeek ducked underneath

Tesch to lead the next-to-last lap. They raced side by

side through the next turn, with Tesch nosing ahead as

they raced down the back stretch and into turn 3.

 

Again they were door to door as they exited turn 4, with

the pair crossing the finish line in a dead heat.

 

Flagman Ryne Staley, both scorekeepers and the officials

in the infield all shrugged their shoulders as they looked

for an answer to who had the advantage at the line.

 

According to the naked eye, it looked like a tie.

 

And so it was.

 

Although there have been countless nail-biters throughout

the ten-year history of the United States Modified Touring

Series, none have been this close ... and none could ever

be any closer. Both drivers were credited with the win in

the first-ever tie for first place in a USMTS event.

Both drivers agreed with the decision and both were

awarded first-place points while they split the total

prize money for first and second place.

 

Local ace and part-time Series competitor David Holder

recorded his career-best O'Reilly USMTS National Tour

finish in third, with rookie Bryan Rowland scoring his

best with a fourth. Eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National

Champion Kelly Shryock rounded out the top-5.

 

Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Brandon Lennox,

Brandon Kenny, Dean Mahlstedt, Michael Long and Donovan

Lodge.

 

VanderBeek picked up the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger

Award, but despite the abundance of passing points and the

win, Shryock hung on to claim the Central States Region

title for the third straight season. Rounding out the

top-10 in points and securing a slot in the prestigious

Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National

Championship were Dereck Ramirez, Al Hejna, Ron Ver Beek,

Lodge, Ryan Gustin, Jason Hughes, Mahlstedt and Scott

Green.

 

UP NEXT:

 

After five straight nights of circling speedways in Iowa,

Illinois and Missouri, the rugged road warriors of the

O'Reilly USMTS National Tour get one day to relax before

heading back into battle on Monday, Aug. 4, for the first

of twelve more straight nights of mud-slinging excitement.

 

Monday will be the first of three straight nights

featuring NASCAR veterans Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace,

beginning with at the Humboldt (Kan.) Speedway with the

2nd Annual NASCAR Modified Challenge presented by The

Grain Bin of Chanute, Kan. The event will also be the

first of four straight events that will decide the Mo-Kan

Region championship, and propel he final group of drivers

into the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS

National Championship.

 

Pit gates will open at 4 p.m., hot laps begin at 7 and the

first heat race is at 7:30. Adult ticket prices are just $15, kids ages 6-12 are $5 and children 5 and under get in

for free. B-Mods and Factory Stocks will also be on the

racing card.

 

The Humboldt Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval

located on US 169 to the Humboldt Exit, then 0.1 mile

west, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east. For

day-of-race information, call the track hotline at (620)

473-3694 or check out www.humboldtspeedway.com online.

 

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.

 

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

 

OFFICIAL RESULTS

United States Modified Touring Series

O’Reilly USMTS National Tour (Central States Region)

3rd Annual Iowa-Missouri Border War (Round 2 of 2)

24 Raceway, Moberly, Mo.

Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008

 

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown

and starting position in parentheses. All drivers are

locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing

for starting positions 1-8.

 

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):

1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)

2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)

3. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)

4. 66 - Darryl Turner -- Columbia, MO (3)

5. 0x - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (5)

6. 07 - Kenny Mudd -- Winfield, MO (4)

7. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (9)

8. 82 - Kelly Smith -- Kirksville, MO (6)

9. 9j - Darrell Jones -- Ashland, MO (8)

 

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):

1. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (2)

2. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (5)

3. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (3)

4. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (7)5. 18L - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (6)

6. 03b - Bill Baker -- Hannibal, MO (8)

7. 06 - Virgil Jeffery -- Ashland, MO (1)

8. 67 - Tim Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (4) DNF

 

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)

2. 22c - Brandon Lennox -- New London, MO (3)

3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6)

4. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (5)

5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)

6. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (7)

7. 7s - Craig Spegal -- New London, MO (1)

8. 3w - Bob Woodrow -- Hannibal, MO (4)

 

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):

(tie) 1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (12)

(tie) 1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)

3. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (7)

4. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (10)

5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)

6. 22c - Brandon Lennox -- New London, MO (3)

7. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (16)

8. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (14)

9. 18L - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (13)

10. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (11)

11. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (9)

12. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (2)

13. 0x - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (15)

14. 7s - Craig Spegal -- New London, MO (21)

15. 67 - Tim Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (22)

16. 03b - Bill Baker -- Hannibal, MO (25)

17. 06 - Virgil Jeffery -- Ashland, MO (19)

18. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (4) DNF

19. 3w - Bob Woodrow -- Hannibal, MO (24) DNF

20. 82 - Kelly Smith -- Kirksville, MO (18) DNF

21. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (1) DNF

22. 9j - Darrell Jones -- Ashland, MO (20) DNF

23. 07 - Kenny Mudd -- Winfield, MO (17) DNF

24. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6) DNF

25. 66 - Darryl Turner -- Columbia, MO (23) DNF

 

Lap Leaders: Tesch 1-33, VanderBeek 34, VanderBeek and

Tesch 35.

Total Laps Led: Tesch 34, VanderBeek 2.AFCO Pole Winner: Tesch.

Provisional Starters: none.

Ruter Farms Long Tow: Shryock (332.93 miles).

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: VanderBeek (started

12th, finished 1st).

Next Race: Monday, Aug. 4, Humboldt (Kan.) Speedway

(Mo-Kan Region).

Central States Region Points (final): Shryock 997,

VanderBeek 963, Ramirez 854, Hejna 845, Ver Beek 769,

Lodge 728, Ryan Gustin 726, Jason Hughes 655, Mahlstedt

655, Green 606.

Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points:

Kenny 749, Ramirez 733, Rowland 490, Colt Mather 191, Gary

Langworthy Jr. 161.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 324,

Mullins 266, Wanders 252, A.S.I. 236, JR 220.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 341,

Hughes 273, Kraft 217, Harris 217, Specialty 94.

 

Contingency Awards:

AFCO Racing Products – Tesch.

American Racer – Jones.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

BSB Manufacturing – Lodge.

Hawk Performance – VanderBeek, Tesch, Long.

Isky Racing Cams – Ramirez.

KSE Racing Products – VanderBeek.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Hejna.

New Vision Graphics – Boney.

Nitroquest Web Solutions - Holder.

Quarter Master – VanderBeek, Tesch, Mahlstedt.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Kenny.

Real Racing Wheels – not awarded.

Ruter Farms – Shryock.

TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.