LAKEVILLE, Minn. -- Seventeen-year-old Alan Mondus of Lakeville, Minn., will join the Coca-Cola Young Guns Shoot-Out field along with fellow O'Reilly USMTS regular Zack VanderBeek -- the defending Coca-Cola Young Guns Shoot-Out champion.

Mondus joined America's Premier Modified Series as a regular in 2005, and although the season did not go as hoped, he gained incredible experience and knowledge sharing the track with legendary seven-time O'Reilly USMTS champion Kelly Shryock, and chasing top modified veterans Tommy Meyer, Mark Noble, Cory Dripps and some of the best drivers in the country.

Mondus, who is finishing his senior year in high school with honors, hopes to capitalize on that experience he gained on the prestigious O'Reilly USMTS series and follow in the footsteps of VanderBeek.

The team is excited to get its brand new B&B Chassis "open special" to the track. The car is a new design by Paul Berger, a veteran builder of dirt modifieds.

"We've been working with Alan and his dad (Scott) for the past couple of years, and this car is the result of the team's input and us building a car designed for the USMTS rules and style of racing," said Berger. "We are very excited about the new car and can't wait to see it hit the track."

Mondus also re-affirmed his excitement about the new car and the Young Guns event.

"While I know the field will be filled with a talented group of drivers and the best equipment, it will be refreshing to compete with a field of drivers that do not have 20 to 30-plus years of modified racing experience and seat time, as I do regularly on the USMTS Series," said Mondus. "Boy, those guys are tough, regardless of the outcome."

The 2nd Annual Coca-Cola Young Guns Shoot-Out presented by Stock Car Racing and Circle Track Magazines is scheduled for Feb. 2-4 at the Oglethorpe Speedway Park in Savannah, Ga. The event will include Young Guns racing action in the open wheel modified and late model divisions. Drivers ages 23 and younger are eligible to compete in the event that attracts professional teams scouting new talent. The event also offers seminars on media relations, public relations, sponsor communication, portfolio creation and professionalism at the track.

To learn more about Alan Mondus, visit online at www.alanmondus.com.

To learn more about America's Premier Dirt Modified Series, call the O’Reilly USMTS headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.USMTS.com on the World Wide Web.