CLEVELAND, Texas — One year ago, Chris Brown dominated the field on his home track as he captured the inaugural O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series event at 105 Speedway in Cleveland, Texas. Friday night, the result was the same as last year but the path to glory was quite different.

With 49 top-of-the-food-chain Modified cars and drivers entered for the event at the 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval, just making the main event was a difficult task. Drenching rains on Thursday wreaked havoc on the racing surface, which made just getting to the checkered flag in one piece seem like a victory in itself.

Nonetheless, race fans enjoyed a multi-grooved racetrack that provided plenty of action with a lot of passing and a wild finish to end the night.

Brennan Poole started the 30-lap Holley “A” Main from the pole, and looked to be on his way to his first O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series win. Rodney Sanders and Dustin Hyde pressured Poole early on before Timothy Culp moved into the second spot to challenge for the lead. Before he could make a move for the lead, however, Culp lost the handle of his Modified and saw his chance at his first victory slip away.

Wes Armstrong, who started eighth, and Brown, who started tenth, sliced their way to the front of the field with just a handful of laps remaining as hey chased down Poole. With the white flag waving, Armstrong snuck underneath Poole to lead the 29th lap. Brown followed Armstrong past Poole in the next turn, then closed the gap on Armstrong as the pair rocketed down the back stretch.

What was a bumpy battle that saw just 12 of the 24 starters finish the race, it was fitting that it ended with a bumpy finish as well. As the leaders entered the final turn, Armstrong and Brown collided. Brown got the long end of the stick and was able to power ahead of Armstrong to take the win and the $2,000 top prize.

Poole followed Armstrong across the finish line, while Sanders grabbed fourth and AFCO Pole Award winner Steve Holzkamper finished fifth. Steven Whiteaker Jr. was sixth, and defending O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series points champion Kelly Shryock finished seventh behind the wheel of David Horner’s Skyrocket sponsored by Houston Specialty Products. Veteran Howard Willis won the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series season opener last month and finished eighth on Friday night. Hyde and Tracy Denby rounded out the top-10 finishers.

Despite being unable to run in his Real Racing Wheels “B” Main and/or take a provisional starting spot in the main event, Jason Hughes continues atop the points rankings over Holzkamper (733 to 700). Tommy Weder Jr. sits third with 606 markers, followed by Paul White (566), John O. Whittington (553), Shane Hebert (534), Bryan Rowland (523), Hyde (511), David Mitchell (509), and Dereck Ramirez (498).

On Saturday, Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, will be the locale for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Showdown at Baytown. Houston Raceway Park is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 798, then 3.0 miles south on SR 146, then 0.8 mile southeast on FM 1405, then 1.5 miles northeast on FM 565. For more information, call 281-383-RACE or visit www.houstonraceway.com online.

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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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series
2nd Annual O’Reilly Auto Parts 105 “30”
105 Speedway, Cleveland, Texas
Friday, May 16, 2008

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 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 (10 laps):
1. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (5)
2. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (10)
3. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (9)
4. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (1)
5. 32 - Doug Byrns -- Willis, TX (3)
6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (7)
7. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (6)
8. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (4) DNF
9. 129 - Bryan Vollmer -- Tomball, TX (8) DNF
10. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (2) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 117 - Brennan Poole -- The Woodlands, TX (2)
2. 51 - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (1)
3. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (9)
4. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)
5. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (3)
6. 97j - Jeff Hoegh -- New Caney, TX (10)
7. 781 - Trevor Egbert -- Salado, TX (5)
8. 2s - Stormy Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (7)
9. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (4) DNF
10. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (8)

HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (6)
2. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (5)
3. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (3)
4. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (4)
5. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (9)
6. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (1)
7. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (10)
8. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (8)
9. 71 - Jonathan Johnson -- Houston, TX (2)
10. 56 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7) DNF

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (2)
2. 1w - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (3)
3. 22 - Tracy Denby -- Vidor, TX (6)
4. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA (4)
5. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (8)
6. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX (7)
7. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (9)
8. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (1)
9. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (10)
10. 12x - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (5)

HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (4)
2. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (7)
3. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX
4. 99h - Danny Hebert -- Duson, LA (2)
5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (6)
6. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (9)
7. 78 - Ty Russell -- Montgomery, TX (8)
8. 38 - Adam Epperson -- Onalaska, TX (1) DNF
9. 51 - Benny Perry -- Liberty, TX (3) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (3)
2. 51 - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (1)
3. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX (9)
4. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (2)
5. 97j - Jeff Hoegh -- New Caney, TX (6)
6. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (7)
7. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (15)
8. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA (5)
9. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (18)
10. 2s - Stormy Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (13)
11. 12x - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (19)
12. 51 - Benny Perry -- Liberty, TX (17)
13. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (8)
14. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (10)
15. 781 - Trevor Egbert -- Salado, TX (12) DNF
16. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (16) DNF
17. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (14) DNF
18. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (4) DNF
19. 78 - Ty Russell -- Montgomery, TX (11) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)
2. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (1)
3. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (4)
4. 56 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (18)
5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (6)
6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (8)
7. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (12)
8. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (10)
9. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (9)
10. 129 - Bryan Vollmer -- Tomball, TX (15)
11. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (13)
12. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (17) DNF
13. 38 - Adam Epperson -- Onalaska, TX (14) DNF
14. 99h - Danny Hebert -- Duson, LA (5) DNF
15. 32 - Doug Byrns -- Willis, TX (7) DNF
16. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (3) DNS
17. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (11) DNS
18. 71 - Jonathan Johnson -- Houston, TX (16) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (10)
2. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (8)
3. 117 - Brennan Poole -- The Woodlands, TX (1)
4. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (2)
5. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (4)
6. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (16)
7. 56 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (20)
8. 1w - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (11)
9. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (3)
10. 22 - Tracy Denby -- Vidor, TX (12)
11. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (22)
12. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (13)
13. 97j - Jeff Hoegh -- New Caney, TX (21) DNF
14. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (23) DNF
15. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (6) DNF
16. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (24) DNF
17. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX (17) DNF
18. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (19) DNF
19. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (14) DNF
20. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (5) DNF
21. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (18) DNF
22. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (7) DNF
23. 51 - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (15) DNF
24. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (9) DNF

Lap Leaders: Poole 1-28, W. Armstrong 29, Brown 30.
Total Laps Led: Poole 28, W. Armstrong 1, Brown 1.
AFCO Pole Award: Holzkamper.
Provisional Starters: Rowland, Ross.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award: Shryock (started 20th, finished 7th).
Next Race: Saturday, May 17, Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas.
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series Points: Hughes 733, Holzkamper 700, Weder 606, White 566, Whittington 553, S. Hebert 534, Rowland 523, Hyde 511, Mitchell 509, Ramirez 498.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Whittington 133, Bagley 119, S. Hebert 118, Hyde 114, Mitchell 113, Ramirez 113.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer - Culp.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing - Denby.
Hawk Performance - Brown, Hyde.
Isky Racing Cams – Hyde.
Marsh Racing Wheels – J. Scott.
New Vision Graphics - Poole.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Poole.
Quarter Master – Brown, Willis.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Shryock.
Real Racing Wheels – White, Ramirez.
TrackTek Racing Fuel - Horner.

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TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, Awesome Race Suits, Bear Tire Company, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Childhelp, Gressel Racing, Houston Specialty Products Co., KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Q.E.M., Inc., TrackTek Racing Fuel, Western Flyer Xpress.

PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Day Motor Sports, Kraft/Ramirez 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.