usmts

Stellar week nets third O’Reilly USMTS “Swing” title for Shryock


<B>WEBSTER CITY, Iowa --</B> As Mother Nature turned up the heat in July, Kelly Shryock turned up the heat on his O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series competitors. After five races, he found himself in an unfamiliar position, trailing in the 10-race Pro-Environmental Abatement Swing #3 standings. After the next five races, Shryock was back on familiar ground with yet another crowning achievement added to his resumé.

With temperatures topping 100-degree mark during the week, the six-time defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion grabbed another gear and rattled off five straight wins to secure his third “Swing” title of the season.

Shryock's run was even more impressive given his performances came at venues in stark contrast of each other. He won on semi-banked and high-banked tracks. He won on sweeping half-mile ovals and quarter-mile bullrings. On two occasions he earned the most Home Pride Passing Points, then pulled out his lucky horseshoe to draw the pole position and lead every lap of the main event. One other time, he started 14th then passed 13 cars in 30 laps en route to victory. On another occasion, he used lapped traffic to make a last-lap pass for the win. His triumphs came at five tracks in three different States.

In addition to his six National crowns, Shryock also owns all three of the “series-within-the-series” crowns contested during the 2005 season. He remains the only driver in possession of an O’Reilly USMTS points championship trophy and, barring any divine intervention over the final 22 events remaining on the schedule, Shryock is set to attain legendary status as one of only a handful of seven-time national champions in the history of American motorsports.

Shryock's stellar week started on Wednesday, July 13, at the Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where the race belonged to the #3 Skyrocket from start to finish. Three days later, Shryock bested O’Reilly USMTS Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., with a last-lap pass to win the Jackson Nationals at the Jackson (Minn.) Speedway. Sunday, July 17, found Shryock in the winners circle at the Cresco (Iowa) Speedway after a tough battle with veteran Mike Chasteen on the 3/8-mile clay oval. Wednesday and Thursday, July 20-21, were dominating performances as Shryock led every lap at the fast half-mile Crawford County Speedway in Denison, Iowa, as well as leading all 40 laps from the pole at the tight quarter-mile Interstate Speedway in Jefferson, S.D., where he wrapped up the Pro-Environmental Abatement Swing #3 crown.

The Fertile, Iowa pilot's week to remember finished up at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn., on Friday, July 22, as he captured his sixth straight O’Reilly USMTS main event and grabbed the early lead in the Dirt Works Race Cars Swing #4 points standings.

Shryock's amazing run ended (mercifully for his fellow competitors) on Sunday night at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa. Although he challenged for the lead, Shryock had finally met his match as Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, sped to his career-first O’Reilly USMTS victory while Shryock settled for a third-place finish behind runner-up Ryan Ruter of Kanawha, Iowa.

With two races in the books, and eight more to go in Dirt Works Race Cars Swing #4, Shryock is back atop the rankings. Al Hejna, Ruter, VanderBeek and Brad McEwan round out the top-5 in the “Swing” standings as the series dubbed the “Best of the Best” heads back to the Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway on Wednesday, Aug. 3, where Shryock has won nine of the 16 O’Reilly USMTS main events contested there, including the all three this season.

Following their return to the Oskaloosa speedplant, the O’Reilly USMTS road warriors will do battle three straight nights, beginning at the Knox County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Ill., on Thursday, Aug. 4. On Friday, Aug. 5, the Series moves to the Quincy (Ill.) Raceways before winding up the week at the Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo., on Saturday, Aug. 6.

A lightning-fast field of 24 cars will start the "A" main each night, with a $2,000 top prize on the line for each of the four events, plus $200 just to start the feature race. A big field is expected for each event, including O’Reilly National Championship drivers Kelly Shryock, Brad McEwan, Corey Dripps, Tommy Myer, Jason Hughes, Jon Tesch, Zack VanderBeek, Al Hejna, Ryan Ruter, Mike Sorensen, Jason Krohn, Mark Noble, Alan Mondus, Mike Hejna, Willy Kraft, Bruce Hanford, Mike Wedelstadt, Roger Hadan, Julie McDermid, Brad Bakken, Jay Poidinger, Tommy Weder Jr., Jeremy Keller, Brian Mullen, Jake Neal, Dean Mahlstedt, Gary Clark, Dustin Boney, Jodi Olson, Greg Metz, Scott Drake, Lynn Nillson, Jesse Frericks, Steve Holzkamper, Bub Lerette, Justin Cooper, Steve Wetzstein, Bob Timm, Gary March, Jeff Schluetter, Matt McDermid, Brandon Morton, Jeremy Payne, Mike Chasteen, Doug Hillson, Scott Mullen, Ray Guss Jr., Neil Eckhart, Jeff James, Tony Fraise, Sean Jerovetz, Jordy Nelson, Mark Eliott, Dan Fetters, Nate Wasmund, Kevin Stoa, Brad Waits, Matt Gilbertson, Johnny Bone Jr., Darin Duffy, Joe McBirnie, Steve Stewart, Russell Stewart, Martin Bennett, Brent Bohmont, Mark Dotson, Todd Dart, Tim Vogt, Danny Concelman, Mike Bennett, David Murray, Dan Daniels, Danny McKeighan, Ryan Meyer, John Vandenberg, Mike Spaulding and Mark Burgtorf.

For more information, call 515-832-7944 or log on to www.USMTS.com for all the latest news and information from the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series.

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<B>O’REILLY NATIONAL DRIVER STANDINGS:</B>

(as of July 25, 2005)

1. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa .... 3,060

2. Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa .... 2,615

3. Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn. ....2,553

4. Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa .... 2,425

5. Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D. ....2,331

6. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa .... 2,253

7. Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla. .... 2,034

8. Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa ....1,952

9. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa .... 1,895

10. Jason Krohn, Slayton, Minn. .... 1,311

<B>DIRT WORKS RACE CARS SWING #4 STANDINGS:</B>

(after 2 of 10 events)

1. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa ....210

2. Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 188

3. Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa .... 187

4. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ....180

5. Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa ....177

6. Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn. .... 161

7. Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D. ....138

8. Alan Mondus, Lakeville, Minn. ....121

9. Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa .... 110

10. Willy Kraft, Lakefield, Minn. ....92

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

<B>2005 O’REILLY USMTS SCHEDULE:</B>

(as of July 25, 2005)

<B>Wanders Automotive & Machine Swing #1 (10 Races):</B>

March 11 - Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, Neb. (winner: Corey Dripps)

March 12 - Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, Neb. (winner: Johnny Saathoff)

March 18 - Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kan. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

March 19 - Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kan. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

April 1 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa (winner: Corey Dripps)

April 2 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa (winner: Jon Tesch)

April 8 - Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)

April 9 - Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)

May 14 - Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, Mo. (winner: Chad Kinder)

May 15 - Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo. (winner: Terry Phillips)

Swing #1 Champion: Kelly Shryock

<B>Pro-Line Buildings Swing #2 (10 races):</B>

May 26 - Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D. (winner: Jay Noteboom)

May 27 - Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn. (winner: Mike Sorensen)

May 28 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. (canceled)

May 29 - Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn. (winner: Mike Sorensen)

May 30 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa (winner: Jason Hughes)

June 6 - Adams County Speedway, Corning, Iowa (winner: Tony Fraise)

June 7 - I-80 Speedway @ Nebraska Raceway Park, Greenwood, Neb. (winner: Tommy Myer)

June 16 - Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D. (winner: Tommy Myer)

June 17 - Dacotah Speedway, Mandan, N.D. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

June 18 - Jamestown Speedway, Jamestown, N.D. (winner: Jason Hughes)

Swing #3 Champion: Kelly Shryock

<B>Pro-Environmental Abatement Swing #3 (10 races):</B>

June 21 - Langlade County Speedway, Antigo, Wis. (winner: Al Hejna)

June 22 - Thunderhill Raceway, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (winner: Jon Tesch)

June 23 - Luxemburg Speedway, Luxemburg, Wis. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

June 24 - Fox Ridge Speedway, Arcadia, Wis. (winner: Tommy Myer)

July 12 - Mineral City Speedway, Ft. Dodge, Iowa (winner: Tommy Myer)

July 13 - Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)

July 16 - Jackson Speedway, Jackson, Minn. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

July 17 - Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)

July 20 - Crawford County Speedway, Denison, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)

July 21 - Interstate Speedway, Jefferson, S.D. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

Swing #3 Champion: Kelly Shryock

<B>Dirt Works Race Cars Swing #4 (10 races):</B>

July 22 - Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

July 23 - Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa (winner: Zack VanderBeek)

Aug. 3 - Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Aug. 4 - Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, Ill.

Aug. 5 - Quincy Raceways, Quincy, Ill.

Aug. 6 - Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, Mo.

Aug. 17 - Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, Minn.

Aug. 18 - Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa

Aug. 19 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa

Aug. 20 - Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa

<B>AFCO Challenge (12 races):</B>

Aug. 21 - Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa

Sept. 2 - Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, Minn.

Sept. 3 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Sept. 4 - Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn.

Sept. 9 - Bolivar Speedway, Bolivar, Mo.

Sept. 10 - Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, Mo.

Sept. 11 - Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.

Sept. 15 - Adams County Speedway, Corning, Iowa

Sept. 16 - Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Sept. 17 - Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Oct. 21 - Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, Mo.

Oct. 22 - Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, Mo.

<B>Non-points events:</B>

May 30 - Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, Minn. (winner: Kelly Shryock)

Sept. 22 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Sept. 23 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Sept. 24 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Sept. 29 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa

Sept. 30 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa

Oct. 1 - Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE



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