HOUSTON, Texas — Officials from the United States Modified Touring Series announced today that Houston Specialty Products Co. will be the Official Oilfield Products of the USMTS for the 2008 racing season.

“Since launching the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series last year, we've formed a lot of great relationships with new drivers, fans and sponsors alike. None better than the folks at Houston Specialty Products,” said USMTS President Todd Staley. “Thanks to their commitment to the sport and to the drivers, we've been able to significantly increase the year-end points fund for the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series in 2008.”

The O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series points champion will earn a minimum $10,000 paycheck in 2008. Although he failed to defend his O’Reilly USMTS National Championship for the first time in eight years, Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, reigns as the defending O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series titleist.

“We at Houston Specialty Products Co. are proud to be an Official Sponsor with USMTS, the greatest show on dirt,” said Leon Horner, an official with Houston Specialty Products Co. (HSPC). “We have attended numerous USMTS races and find they have a large following and feel this generates widespread exposure for our company and our race program. With the series popularity and exposure, this can only mean good things for our company in the future.”

Houston Specialty Products Co. was founded in 1985 to service the South Texas regional oil field industry. Since then, HSPC has grown in production size as well as national sales coverage. They pride themselves on creating the finest rubber products that money can buy.

Manufactured from formulas created for specific applications, HSPC molds a wide line of rubber products to serve your needs no matter what the condition. They bring the best materials together to create the very best product.

For more information about Houston Specialty Products Co., call toll-free 800-519-2333 or visit www.houstonspecialtyproducts.com online.

Like each of the four regions comprising the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour, the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series will boast a separate points fund and awards. Drivers competing in the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series will have the opportunity to qualify to compete in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship. The top-10 drivers in O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series points at the start of the ‘Hunt’ on Aug. 8 are qualified, along with all other drivers that have perfect attendance at O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series events through Aug. 7.

The USMTS will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season in 2008 with many special promotions to show thanks to the fans, drivers, team members, families and sponsors who have helped make the USMTS the premier dirt modified series in the nation.

The sophomore season of the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series will begin on Friday, April 18, at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park (formerly Motorama Speedway) in Beaumont, Texas, for a $2,000-to-win event, followed up on Saturday, April 19, with another $2,000-to-win show at the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas.

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.

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TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Bear Tire Company, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Gressel Racing, Houston Specialty Products Co., KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions, TrackTek Racing Fuel.

PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Day Motor Sports, Kraft Kar Race Cars, Olympic Fire Protection, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Ruter Farms, Yeager Machine.

CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, Bert Transmission, BSB Manufacturing, COMP Cams, Duralite Racing Wheels, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake.