“Z-MAN” THE MAN AT DECORAH, EXTENDS POINTS LEAD

[rebelracewriter]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, August 16, 2008

 

“Z-MAN” THE MAN AT DECORAH, EXTENDS POINTS LEAD IN CASEY'S

GENERAL STORES HUNT FOR THE O’REILLY USMTS NATIONAL

CHAMPIONSHIP

 

DECORAH, Iowa (Aug. 16) – Zack VanderBeek notched his

fourth victory of the season Saturday night at the Upper

Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, as the O'Reilly USMTS

National Tour wrapped up a hardcore swing of events that

began on June 29 just a few miles away in Cresco, Iowa.

 

With the budgets, equipment, nerves and energy of the

teams running on life support, VanderBeek out-dueled Kelly

Shryock in a caution-free 40-lap main event that saw all

22 starters finish the feature race on the tricky

quarter-mile oval.

 

The 4th Annual Summer Challenge was the 15th event in 18

days, and the sixth race in the Casey's General Stores

Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship. Teams

will get nearly two weeks to catch their breath before

returning to action on Thursday, Aug. 28, a the Highway 3

Raceway in Allison, Iowa.

 

Tim Donlinger grabbed the lead from polesitter John Allen

at the drop of the green flag Saturday night, but

fourth-starting Shryock zipped into the lead one lap

later.

 

The eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion stayed up

front until lap 12 when VanderBeek, who started seventh,

shot into the lead.

 

With no yellow flags to slow the pace, lapped traffic was

thick and heavy throughout the last half of the race, and

allowed Shryock to regain the lead on lap 21. Five laps

later, VanderBeek returned the favor and maneuvered his

way through the pack over the final 14 circuits to take

the win.

 

VanderBeek, who won the first O'Reilly USMTS race at the

Upper Iowa Speedway in 2005, pocketed $2,000 for his efforts and padded his points lead in his quest to become

the 2008 O'Reilly USMTS National Champion.

 

Shryock hung on for second, Jon Tesch came from 10th to

finish third, Al Hejna from 11th to fourth and Donlinger

rounded out the top-5 finishers which, ironically, also

entered the event as the top-5 in points.

 

Alan Mondus garnered was sixth, Dereck Ramirez came from

15th to finish seventh and earn the KSE Racing Products

Hard Charger Award, Corey Dripps finished eighth, Allen

slipped to ninth and Darrin Walch completed the top-10.

 

In the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS

National Championship, VanderBeek leads Tesch by 27 points

(585 to 558), while Shryock sits third with 553. Donlinger

is fourth with 546 markers, followed by Hejna (541), Allen

(494), Ramirez (492), Tommy Weder Jr. (464), Mondus (438)

and Brandon Kenny (416).

 

Before the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour gets things

cranked back up in a dozen days, the O'Reilly USMTS

Southern Series returns to action with a doubleheader in

the Lone Star State.

 

On Friday, Aug. 22, the O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series

returns to the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont,

Texas, then invades the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas,

on Saturday, Aug. 23.

 

The Golden Triangle Raceway Park is a 1/4-mile high-banked

clay oval located 9.5 miles west of I-10 on US 90 (SSR).

For race day information, call the track hotline at (409)

752-7200 or visit www.gtraceway.com on the World Wide Web.

 

The Gator Motorplex is a 1/4-mile high-banked clay oval

located off I-45 to Shepherd Hill (Exit 98), then east,

then 1.4 miles south on SR 75. The track's official

website is online at www.gatormotorplex.net.

 

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 - Casey's General Stores Hunt

for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship

4th Annual Summer Challenge

Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa

Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008

 

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown

and starting position in parentheses. The top 8 drivers in

passing points accumulated in the heat races re-draw for

starting positions 1-8 in the Holley "A" Main.

 

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

1. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (2)

2. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (5)

3. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)

4. 19 - Richie Gustin Jr. -- Gilman, IA (3)

5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (7)

6. 30 - Mark Massey -- Worthington, IA (1)

7. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (6)

8. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (8) DNF

 

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

1. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)

2. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA (1)

3. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4)

4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6)

5. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (5)

6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)

7. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (3)

 

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

1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)

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

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (5)

4. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)

5. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)

6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)

7. 70 - Matt Sweeney -- Waukon, IA (3)

 

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):

1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)

3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (10)

4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (11)

5. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (2)

6. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (3)

7. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (15)

8. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (9)

9. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (1)

10. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA (8)

11. 19 - Richie Gustin Jr. -- Gilman, IA (12)

12. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (16)

13. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (5) -1 Lap

14. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (14) -1 Lap

15. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (13) -1 Lap

16. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (19) -1 Lap

17. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (22) -1 Lap

18. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (18) -1 Lap

19. 30 - Mark Massey -- Worthington, IA (17) -1 Lap

20. 70 - Matt Sweeney -- Waukon, IA (21) -1 Lap

21. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (20) -1 Lap

22. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (6) -2 Laps

 

Lap Leaders: Donlinger 1, Shryock 2-11, VanderBeek 12-20,

Shryock 21-26, VanderBeek 27-40.

Total Laps Led: VanderBeek 23, Shryock 16, Donlinger 1.

AFCO Pole Winner: Mondus.

Provisional Starters: none.

Ruter Farms Long Tow: Green (593.03 miles).

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Ramirez (started 15th,

finished 7th).

Next O'Reilly USMTS National Tour Event: Thursday, Aug.

28, Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa.

O'Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: VanderBeek

585, Tesch 558, Shryock 553, Donlinger 546, Hejna 541,

Allen 494, Ramirez 492, Weder 464, Mondus 438, Kenny 416.

Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points:

Kenny 977, Ramirez 965, Bryan Rowland 647, Rodney Sanders

193, Colt Mather 191.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 413,

Mullins 341, Wanders 322, A.S.I. 299, JR 262.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 431,

Hughes 358, Kraft 294, Harris 266, GRT 120.

 

Contingency Awards:

AFCO Racing Products – Mondus.American Racer – Schluetter.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

BSB Manufacturing – not awarded.

Hawk Performance – VanderBeek, Allen.

Isky Racing Cams – Mondus.

KSE Racing Products – Ramirez.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Pittman.

New Vision Graphics – Green.

Nitroquest Web Solutions – Tesch.

Quarter Master – VanderBeek, Dripps.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Ramirez.

Real Racing Wheels – not awarded.

Ruter Farms – Green.

TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.