GUSTIN GARNERS FIRST O’REILLY USMTS CHECKERS IN 4TH ANNUAL HAWKEYE SUM

[rebelracewriter]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, August 28, 2008

 

GUSTIN GARNERS FIRST O’REILLY USMTS CHECKERS IN 4TH ANNUAL

HAWKEYE SUMMER CLASSIC

 

ALLISON, Iowa (Aug. 28) – The O’Reilly USMTS National Tour

returned to the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa for the

13th time in 10 years Thursday night for the seventh event

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

National Championship.

 

Ryan Gustin was just eight years old when Kevin Pittman

won the first O'Reilly USMTS Modified race at Allison

(then called Butler County Speedway) in 1999. Now 17 years

old, the popular young gun from Marshalltown, Iowa claimed

his first O’Reilly USMTS National Tour victory with a

thrilling last-lap pass of Corey Dripps to become the

youngest winner in USMTS history.

 

Over an inch of rain in the preceding 24 hours made for a

rough racing surface, but Gustin was up to the challenge

all night long as he claimed the $2,000 top prize and the

4th Annual Hawkeye Summer Classic trophy in his 38th

career start.

 

After winning his heat race and earning the AFCO Pole

Award, Gustin drew the pole position for the start of the

Holley "A" Main. Gustin steered his #19 Harris Auto

Racing/ProPower Modified into the lead at the drop of the

green flag and led the first six circuits before Dripps

went high in turn 1 then blasted by Gustin on the low side

of turn 2 to lead the seventh lap.

 

From there, Dripps pulled away and looked to be on his

way to his first O'Reilly USMTS win since April 1, 2005.

But with four laps to go, Gustin closed the gap and began

pressuring Dripps. As the white flag waved, Gustin shot to

the high side of turn 1 and, like Dripps did on lap 6,

shot to the inside of turn 2 and motored into the lead.

 

Gustin carried his momentum through the next turn and

streaked under the checkered flags first while Dripps

settled for a season-best runner-up finish.

 

Eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock

came home third, with Tim Donlinger fourth and

13th-starting Al Hejna fifth. Alan Mondus, Jon Tesch,

Scott Green, Donovan Lodge and Ron Ver Beek rounded out

the top 10.

 

The race produced the seventh different winner in seven

races so far in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the

O'Reilly USMTS National Championship where the close

battles have created a razor-thin margin between the top 5

in the points.

 

Despite a disappointing 13th-place finish, Zack VanderBeek

hung on to the points lead, but Shryock jumped to second

in the standings and closed the gap between himself and

VanderBeek from 32 to just 8 points (655 to 647). Tesch is

only 11 back with 636 points, with Donlinger at 634 and

Hejna with 633. Dereck Ramirez is sixth with 554 markers,

followed by Tommy Weder Jr. (532), Mondus (519), Dripps

(505) and John Allen (494).

 

WHAT'S ON TAP?

 

FRIDAY, AUG. 29 – It's off to the Chateau Raceway in

Lansing, Minn. for another wheel-to-wheel battle in the

3rd Annual Cedar River Races. This will be the fifth time

the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour has visited the 1/3-mile

semi-banked clay oval. Five different drivers have tasted

victory, including Mike Chasteen (2001), Kelly Shyrock

(2001), Jon Tesch (2006), Tommy Myer (2007) and Jason

Krohn (2008).

 

Also on the race card will be Midwest Modifieds, Street

Stocks and Pure Stocks. Grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m.

and the first green flag waves at 7:30. The Chateau

Raceway is located 5.0 miles north of Austin on US 218 to

the Lansing Exit, then 1.3 miles east on CR 2, then 0.4

mile south on CR 25, then 0.3 mile east. For more

information, call the track hotline at (507) 433-4578 or

log on to www.chateauraceway.net.

 

SATURDAY, AUG. 30 – Saturday will find the Modified

Monsters at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley,

Minn., for the 5th Annual Labor Day Dual, and the final

tune-up race before the 10th Annual Featherlite Fall

Jamboree, Sept. 17-20. A huge field of cars is expected,

along with a jam-packed grandstand as the WDRL Late Model

Series will also make an appearance.

 

Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and the grandstands will

begin filling up at 3, with hot laps slated for 5 and

racing at 5:30. The 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval is

located off of I-90 at Exit 209, then 11.3 miles south on

US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16). Day-of-race info is

available by calling (507) 346-2342 or check out

www.deercreekspeedway.com online.

 

SUNDAY, AUG. 31 – The four-race weekend wraps up on

Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson,

Minn. for the 7th Annual Kasson Klash—the 22nd USMTS event

staged at the 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval. Gates open

at 3 p.m. and the mud starts flying at 5 p.m. Late Models,

Super Stocks, Midwest Mods and Street Stocks will also be

featured.

 

The Dodge County Speedway (formerly Kasson Speedway) is

located 1.1 miles north of US 14 on SR 57 (at the Dodge

County Fairgrounds). For more information, call Track:

(507) 634-4281 or check out www.dodgecountyspeedway.com.

 

Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons all weekend long

at Casey's General Stores locations in Austin, Owatonna,

Rochester and Stewartville, Minn.

 

On Friday, Kelly Shryock will be on hand to meet and greet

fans in Austin, Minn. at the Casey's General Store located

at 1702 12th St. SW from 12-2 p.m. Saturday will find the

Skyrocket pilot at 605 S. Main St. in Stewartville from 11

a.m. to 1 p.m., and on Sunday Shryock fans can meet the

man and his machine at the Casey's General Store location

at 4500 18th Ave. NW in Rochester from 12-2 p.m.

 

All four events will pay $2,000 to the winner of the

O'Reilly USMTS main event.

 

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 Hawkeye Summer Classic

Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008

 

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown

and starting position in parentheses. The top 16 drivers

in 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 RACE #1 (8 laps):

1. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA

3. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA

4. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN

5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS

6. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK

7. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA

8. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN

9. 25s - Shawn Fisher -- Garrison, IA

 

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA

2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD

3. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK

4. 91 - Shawn Ryan -- Waterloo, IA

5. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK

6. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA

7. 2 - Carey Umbarger -- Garner, IA

8. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK

9. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA

 

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):

1. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA

2. 4r - Ron Ver Beek-- Oskaloosa, IA

3. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA

4. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL

5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA

6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN

7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA

8. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA

9. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE

 

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, top 7 advance):

1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA

2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK

3. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA

4. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN

5. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA

6. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA

7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA

8. 2 - Carey Umbarger -- Garner, IA

9. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE

10. 25s - Shawn Fisher -- Garrison, IA

11. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK

 

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (20 laps):

1. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (1)

2. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4)

3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)

4. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (5)

5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (13)

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

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

8. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (16)

9. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (11)

10. 4r - Ron Ver Beek-- Oskaloosa, IA (7)

11. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (10)

12. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (12)

13. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (17)

14. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (24)

15. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (9)

16. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (18)

17. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (23)

18. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (19)

19. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (20)

20. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15) DNF

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

22. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA (21) DNF

23. 91 - Shawn Ryan -- Waterloo, IA (14) DNF

24. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (22) DNF

 

Lap Leaders: Gustin 1-6, Dripps 7-19, Gustin 20.

Total Laps Led: Dripps 13, Gustin 7.

AFCO Pole Winner: Gustin.

Provisional Starters: Rowland.

Ruter Farms Long Tow: Kenny (709.86 miles).

KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Hejna (started 13th,

finished 5th).

Next Event: Friday, Aug. 29, Chateau Raceway, Lansing,

Minn.

O'Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: VanderBeek

655, Shryock 647, Tesch 636, Donlinger 634, Hejna 633,

Ramirez 554, Weder 532, Mondus 519, Dripps 505, John Allen

494.

Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points:

Kenny 1002, Ramirez 988, Rowland 668, Rodney Sanders 193,

Colt Mather 191.

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 420,

Mullins 346, Wanders 326, A.S.I. 307, JR 268.

Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 439,

Hughes 364, Kraft 301, Harris 276, Specialty 126.

 

Contingency Awards:

AFCO Racing Products – Gustin.

American Racer – Bohr.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

BSB Manufacturing – Ver Beek.

Hawk Performance – Gustin, Lodge.

Isky Racing Cams – Mondus.

KSE Racing Products – Hejna.

Marsh Racing Wheels – Schaefer.

New Vision Graphics – Shryock.

Nitroquest Web Solutions – Shryock.

Quarter Master – Gustin, Green.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Tesch.

Real Racing Wheels – Hejna, Ryan.

Ruter Farms – Kenny.

TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.