QUINCY, IL (Aug. 4, 2000) — The United States Modified Touring Series held three races in Illinois for the Illinois Summer Swing. The first night of racing action was Wednesday night, Aug. 2, at the 150th Knox County Fair in Knoxville, IL. The next night the series moved to the Peoria Speedway in Peoria, IL. The final night of racing was held at Quincy Raceway in Quincy, IL. This was the first visit of the 2000 season to the Illinois area for the USMTS and the racing and weather was all excellent. The A-main winner each night was paid $2,000 to win.

The final night of the racing action moved to the Quincy Raceway. A very good crowd witnessed modified racing at it best on this beautiful Friday night. The pit area was full of cars as thirty-six modifieds checked in for the racing action and well over seventy support class cars.

The race saw AFCO pole sitter Bill Gray driving a Bob Pierce modified jump out to the early lead with Mike Spaulding right on the rear bumper of Gray. Most of the drivers were racing the bottom of the track with a few drivers starting further back trying all kinds of different lines. The third caution of the race was when the leader of Gray lost the rear tire in front of the field and ended his night on lap twenty.

At the restart that put Spaulding in the front with Shryock and Chasteen on his rear bumper. The man that everyone had their eye on was the #15 car of Gary Wilson who races at the track on a regular basis. Wilson was one of the few drivers that was racing the top of the track. With a four car battle going into turn three Wilson went right by Chasteen, Spaulding, and Shryock coming out of turn four and was in command looking to make another new winner on the series.

Mike Chasteen found another spot on the track that his car worked and he went by Spaulding on lap 37 and was chasing down the leader of Wilson. Wilson took the white flag at the point with a lapped car right in front of him at the bottom of the track. Wilson went into three on the high side Chasteen was right beside Wilson with the lapped car at the bottom both drivers went into the corner hard and Wilson slid right off the top of the track and let Chasteen, Spaulding and Shryock all get by coming for the checkered flag Wilson finished fourth place. Bruce Hanford Davenport, IA rounded out the top five.

Chasteen has been "Mr. Consistent" of late as this race was his eleventh straight top five finish. In this run, Chasteen has three wins, three seconds, three thirds, one fourth and one fifth. For the season Chasteen has already won more than $22,000 not counting contingencies.

Heat races were won by Mike Karhoff, Bruce Hanford, Gary Wilson, Mike Spaulding. B-mains were won by Tommy Myer and Michael Long.

Kelly Shryock still maintains the point lead over Mike Chasteen and Kevin Peters. Shryock also leads the Home Pride Companies Passing Points and also the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger.

Kevin Peters still maintains the point lead in the Midwest Motorsports Rookie of the Year.

Next race on the USMTS schedule will be two one-day shows at the Steele County Fair in Owatonna, MN. Each event will pay $2000 to win. The date for these two races will be August 16-17. The series will move back to the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City on August 24th. This will be the last visit to Webster City before the 2nd Annual Fall Jamboree later in September.

For more information on the USMTS call Todd Staley at (515) 832-6321.

RESULTS

Heat 1 - Mike Karhoff, Jeff Waggoner, Tommy Myer, Tom Goble, Dick Crane.

Heat 2 - Bruce Hanford, Kelly Shryock, Bill Gray, Michael Long, Mike Delozier.

Heat 3 - Gary Wilson, Darren Bangert, Steve Grotz, Darin Thye, Larelee O’Leary.

Heat 4 - Mike Spaulding, Kevin Peters, Mike Chasteen, Jason Connoyer, Dan Daniels.

B-main 1 - Tommy Myer, Darin Thye, Dan Daniels, Larelee O’Leary, Tom Goble.

B-main 2 - Michael Long, Dick Crane, Jim Roach, Rodney Bowman, Mike Delozier.

A-main - Mike Chasteen, Mike Spaulding, Kelly Shryock, Gary Wislon, Bruce Hanford, Dan Daniels, Mike Karhoff, Tommy Myer, Dick Crane, Steve Grotz, Jason Connoyer, Mike Delozier, John VanDenBerg, Jeff Waggoner, Darren Bangert, Tom Goble, Bill Gray, Darin Thye, Larelee O’Leary, Rodney Bowman, Jim Roach.