Phillips pockets top prize in O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Classic
<B>MONETT, Mo. --</B> After settling for a runner-up finish on Saturday night at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Terry Phillips of Springfield did one better Sunday and captured the 35-lap O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series feature race at the Monett Speedway.
Phillips, who qualified for Saturday's main event by virtue of grabbing the final transfer spot from the second "B" Main, took no chances on Sunday as he captured his heat race, then went on to pocket the $2,000 top prize in the Holly "A" Main.
Johnny Bone Jr. of Pea Ridge, Ark., Mike Sorensen of Rochester, Minn., Tommy Weder Jr. of Woodward, Okla., and Terry Beckham II of Webb City, Mo., rounded out the top-5 finishers.
The Olympic Hard Charger Award went to Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., who started 21st and climbed 14 spots to finished seventh.
By virtue of his third-place finish, along with mechanical gremlins handing Colcord, Okla.'s Jason Hughes a DNF, Sorensen moved into second in the O’Reilly USMTS national standings, and also closed the gap on current points leader Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, who finished 13th.
The stars and cars of the O’Reilly USMTS get 10 days off before returning to action for five straight nights of racing, beginning with the "Harris Auto Racing All Star Challenge" on Thursday, May 26, at the Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D.
For more information, check out www.USMTS.com.
<B>====================================
OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
"O’Reilly Auto Parts Spring Classic"
Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.
Sunday, May 15, 2005</B>
<I>(Top 12 in Home Pride Passing Points earned in the Heats advance to the Holley "A" Main; Top 8 re-draw for starting position)</I>
<B>HEAT #1 (10 laps):</B>
1. 83 Willy Kraft, Lakefield, Minn.
2. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa
3. 118 Terry Beckham II, Webb City, Mo.
4. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
5. 21 Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo.
6. 14x Jeff Roth, Rogers, Ark.
7. 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo.
8. 4e Josh Essary, Rogers, Ark.
9. 52 Mitch Keeter, Webb City, Mo.
10. 21w Jason Woolard, Afton, Okla.
<B>HEAT #2 (10 laps):</B>
1. 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.
2. 5k Kenneth Cox, Greenland, Ark.
3. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
4. 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.
5. 11 Brandon Morton, Coweta, Okla.
6. 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa
7. 44k J.D. Kelley, Walnut Grove, Mo.
8. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
9. 1100 Steven Richardson, Monett, Mo.
10. F4 Farrel Skelton, Alvord, Texas
<B>HEAT #3 (10 laps):</B>
1. 2 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla.
2. 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.
3. 44 David Grigg, Springdale, Ark.
4. 25 Rex Merritt, Billings, Mo.
5. 12d Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo.
6. 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa
7. 1h Jerry Hoffman, Oronogo, Mo.
8. 0 Jesse Stovall, Galena, Mo.
9. 91 Eddie Moser, Cave Springs, Ark.
<B>HEAT #4 (10 laps):</B>
1. 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa
2. 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan.
3. 31m Erik Maggard, Springfield, Mo.
4. 4j Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan.
5. 99t Eric Turner, Hermitage, Mo.
6. 33C Chad Smith, Springdale, Ark.
7. 19X Mike Striegel, Reeds Spring, Mo.
8. 55 Alan Mondus, Lakeville, Minn.
9. 5x D.J. Gilmore, Aurora, Mo.
<B>HEAT #5 (10 laps):</B>
1. 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo.
2. 12 Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla.
3. 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark.
4. 4 Billy Street, Joplin, Mo.
5. 4g Gary Clark, Walker, Mo.
6. 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
7. 26l Patrick Linn, Little Rock, Ark.
8. 7x Rick Wallis, Springdale, Ark.
9. 5m Gary March, Hinton, Iowa
<B>Home Pride Passing Points (top 12):</B>
Mike Sorensen, 69.5
Brad McEwan, 65.0
Willy Kraft, 63.5
John Allen, 62.5
Terry Phillips, 62.0
Jon Tesch, 61.0
Jason Hughes, 59.5
Tommy Weder Jr., 59.0
David Grigg, 58.5
Johnny Bone Jr., 58.5
Kenneth Cox, 58.0
Kelly Shryock, 56.5
<B>B MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):</B>
1. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
2. 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark.
3. 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa
4. 25 Rex Merritt, Billings, Mo.
5. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.
6. 4 Billy Street, Joplin, Mo.
7. 11 Brandon Morton, Coweta, Okla.
8. 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo.
9. 4g Gary Clark, Walker, Mo.
10. 4e Josh Essary, Rogers, Ark.
11. 55 Alan Mondus, Lakeville, Minn.
12. 52 Mitch Keeter, Webb City, Mo.
13. F4 Farrel Skelton, Alvord, Texas
14. 33C Chad Smith, Springdale, Ark.
DNS - 44k J.D. Kelley, Walnut Grove, Mo.
DNS - 19X Mike Striegel, Reeds Spring, Mo.
DNS - 91 Eddie Moser, Cave Springs, Ark.
DNS - 5m Gary March, Hinton, Iowa
<B>B MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):</B>
1. 118 Terry Beckham II, Webb City, Mo.
2. 31m Erik Maggard, Springfield, Mo.
3. 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa
4. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa
5. 4j Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan.
6. 26l Patrick Linn, Little Rock, Ark.
7. 7x Rick Wallis, Springdale, Ark.
8. 0 Jesse Stovall, Galena, Mo.
9. 99t Eric Turner, Hermitage, Mo.
10. 14x Jeff Roth, Rogers, Ark.
11. 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa
12. 1100 Steven Richardson, Monett, Mo.
13. 21 Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo.
14. 5x D.J. Gilmore, Aurora, Mo.
15. 21w Jason Woolard, Afton, Okla.
16. 1h Jerry Hoffman, Oronogo, Mo.
17. 12d Scott Drake, Webb City, Mo.
<B>HOLLEY "A" MAIN (40 laps):</B>
<i>Showing finishing position, starting position in parentheses, car number, driver, hometown, laps completed and reason out (if any):</i>
1. (3) 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo., 40.
2. (10) 12b Johnny Bone Jr., Pea Ridge, Ark., 40.
3. (8) 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn., 40.
4. (6) 2 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla., 40.
5. (14) 118 Terry Beckham II, Webb City, Mo., 40.
6. (4) 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa, 40.
7. (21) 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn., 40.
8. (1) 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D., 40.
9. (19) 25 Rex Merritt, Billings, Mo., 40.
10. (2) 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan., 40.
11. (24) 4g Gary Clark, Walker, Mo., 40.
12. (13) 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn., 40.
13. (12) 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa, 40.
14. (11) 5k Kenneth Cox, Greenland, Ark., 40.
15. (9) 44 David Grigg, Springdale, Ark., 40.
16. (17) 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa, 40.
17. (22) 4j Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan., 40.
18. (25) 33 Stephen Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo., 40.
19. (15) 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark., 40.
20. (20) 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa, 40.
21. (23) 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa, 20, mechanical.
22. (5) 83 Willy Kraft, Lakefield, Minn., 15, steering box.
23. (18) 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa, 14, accident.
24. (16) 31m Erik Maggard, Springfield, Mo., 8, mechanical.
25. (7) 12 Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla., 8, drive shaft.
<B>Lap Leaders:</B> Tesch 1-11, Phillips 12-40.
<B>Provisional Starters:</B> Ruter, Clark.
<B>Track Provisional:</B> Muilenburg.
<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Myer (started 21st, finished 7th).
<B>Next Race:</B> May 26, Park Jefferson (S.D.) Speedway, "Harris Auto Racing All Star Challenge."