LOCUST GROVE, Ark. -- Peyton Taylor of Desha, Ark., won the biggest race in his career Saturday, taking the 100-lap Modified Madness feature event worth $15,000. Taylor had been plagued by bad luck during the qualifying phase and had to rely on his time to make the event, putting him 29th out of 30 starters in the field.

Taylor took the lead from Randy Timms on lap 44. Timms had suffered an accident on a 4-wheeler in the pits Friday night, and was questionable to even race on Saturday. Timms ended up with a $10,000 third-place finish. Seven-time defending O'Reilly USMTs champion Kelly Shryock looked to be the man to beat early, but had a flat tire after contact with a lapped car early rallied to finish second, taking a $12,000 payday.

There was attrition in the top names in the field before a green flag lap had recorded. Jeff Taylor and Zack VanderBeek got together on an original start. Taylor’s night was finished. While the field was re-lining Bill Frye and Terry Phillips pitted, with Phillips not returning. Mark Noble also rode the wrecker to the pits during that caution, and was finished for the night.

Shryock powered to the lead as the race finally got underway with Michael Robertson second and Timms third. Timms slipped sideways in turn two allowing Jeremy Payne by. Shrycok was 10 car-lengths ahead by lap three and had opened a half straightaway margin by lap five.

Sean Jones brought out the caution on lap seven. Payne moved to second on the restart. Shryock was back to a half straightaway lead by lap 10. Randy Timms moved past Payne to second on lap 11. Jon Tesch and Payne dueled for third on lap 18.

Disaster struck for Shryock on lap 20 as he was attempting to lap lottery provisional starter Curt Smith. The pair made contact, and Shryock was forced to pit for fresh rubber.

Randy Timms was the leader on the restart. Wayne Brooks had worked his way into the top five, and passed Tesch for second spot on lap 24. Shawn Walsh moved by Tesch for third on lap 26, then went to work on Brooks. After a lap 29 caution, Walsh was able to get by Brooks on the restart taking second place.

Peyton Taylor had marched through the field, and worked his way to fifth on lap 32. Taylor got by Payne for fourth in turn two on lap 35, then drove past Walsh on the backstretch for third on lap 38. Taylor and Brooks raced side by side for second on lap 40, but the caution flag appeared for Sean Jones on lap 41.

Taylor used the outside to power past Brooks for second on the restart, then worked past Timms for the lead in turn two on lap 44. Taylor had opened a 10 car length advantage on the field by lap 50.

Kelly Shryock came from the rear back to fifth by lap 51. Up front, Taylor had moved out to a half straightaway lead over Timms by lap 56. Shryock moved past Brooks for fourth on lap 57.

Peyton Taylor was starting to look at traffic by lap 63 and had cleared two hurdles by lap 68. Behind Taylor, Timms, Walsh, and Shryock were nose to tail battling for those positions. By lap 75, Taylor had three lapped cars between himself and Timms, and still had a half straightaway of real estate.

Shryock moved by Walsh for third on lap 79, then got around Timms for second five laps later. Taylor still had three lapped cars and enough track to keep Shryock from becoming a threat to his lead, and went the rest of the way in taking the win. Shryock, Timms, Walsh and Brooks made up the top five. Wendell Wallace, Brad Waits, Ryan Ruter, Steve Arpin and Jeremy Payne rounded out the top ten.

The O'Reilly USMTS will visit the Batesville Speedway on Friday and Saturday, July 28-29.

RESULTS

MODIFIED MADNESS "A" FEATURE (100 laps):

1) Peyton Taylor, $15,000

2) Kelly Shryock, $12,000

3) Randy Timms, $10,000

4) Shawn Walsh, $5,000

5) Wayne Brooks, $4,000

6) Wendell Wallace, $3,000

7) Brad Waits, $2,975

8) Ryan Ruter, $2,950

9) Steve Arpin, $2,925

10) Jeremy Payne, $2,900

11) Kevin Salter, $2,875

12) Nicholas Littlejohn, $2,850

13) Jon Tesch, $2,825

14) Mike Bowers, $2,800

15) Michael Robertson, $2,775

16) Curt Barnett, $2,750

17) Chris Brown, $2,725

18) David Murray, $2,700

19) John Whittington, $2,675

20) Sean Jones, $2,650

21) Curt Smith, $2,625

22) Michael Murphree, $2,600

23) Chad Kinder, $2,575

24) Chris Moore, $2,550

25) Bill Frye, $2,525

26) Zack VanderBeek, $2,500

27) Mark Noble, $2,500

28) Jeff Taylor, $2,500

29) Terry Phillips, $2,500

30) Jared Landers, $2,500

STATES RACE (20 laps): 1) Jason Hughes, 2) Brad McEwan, 3) Royal Jones, 4) B.J. Robinson, 5) Ron Grundel, 6) Judas Bowling, 7) Jeff Howell, 8) Kevin Peel, 9) Brandon Ball, 10) Paul White, 11) Dustin Jenks, 12) Nathan Sugg, 13) Brandon Smith, 14) Tommy Myer, 15) Randy Zimmerman.

MANUFACTUER’S RACE (20 laps): 1) George White, 2) Kyle Pleasant, 3) Greg Waugh, 4) Chuck McGinty, 5) Phil Dixon, 6) Brian Boram, 7) David Horner, 8) Jason Wilkey, 9) Corey Neal.