Spaulding scores O’Reilly USMTS win at Deer Creek
<B>SPRING VALLEY, Minn. --</B> The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series visited the Deer Creek Speedway on Saturday for their first trip back to the 3/8-mile high-banked oval since May 28. That event was cancelled after a multi-car crash in the main event resulted in five drivers being transported to the hospital, and Mother Nature did her best to keep the O’Reilly USMTS 0-for-2 at the Spring Valley, Minn., speedplant.
Despite heavy rains that soaked the facility shortly after heat races were complete, track and series officials -- along with several fans who donated their time and trucks to pack the rain-soaked track -- worked to get the racing surface back in shape. The result was a late-night finish, but a thrilling show for the fans who packed the grandstands Saturday night.
After getting a late start with the O’Reilly USMTS this season, Mike Spaulding of Bemidji, Minn., has been among the top runners the past month, and finally broke into the winner's circle with a masterful drive Saturday night in the Trimble's Cycle Center Labor Day Duel.
After starting seventh in the Holley "A" Main, Spaulding methodically picked off cars as he worked his way to the front en route to a $2,000 payday.
Dean Mahlstedt of Garner, Iowa, turned in his best performance of the season with a runner-up finish while Brad Waits of Zumbrota, Minn., took third.
Mike Hejna of Clear Lake, Iowa -- one of the drivers hospitalized in the May 28 crash at Deer Creek -- stormed from the 13th starting spot to finish fourth in the main event. Rounding out the top-5 finishers was Bob Timm of Rolling Stone, Minn.
Tim Donlinger of Rochester, Minn., grabbed the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors by finishing ninth after starting 21st.
Six-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, struggled to an eighth-place finish after some hard-fought racing among the top 5 runners early in the race.
The O’Reilly USMTS will return to the Deer Creek Speedway Sept. 22-24 for the 7th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree. Thursday's main event will pay $2,000 with $4,000 going to the winner of Friday's "A" main. On Saturday, the winner will pocket a whopping $12,000! All O’Reilly USMTS rules will apply for this non-points race. This race will also have no provisional starters -- all drivers must race their way into the feature events. The top 20 in passing points will be in the "A" main each night with the rest coming from the "B" mains. Thirty cars will start the feature each night. On Saturday night, 30 cars will be in the non-qualifiers feature. The Saturday night main event will be three-wide. Pre-Entries due by Sept. 18, and are available online at http://www.usmts.com/entry.asp.
For more information call the USMTS office at 515-832-7944 or visit www.USMTS.com.
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<B>OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
Trimble's Cycle Center Labor Day Duel
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Saturday, September 3, 2005</B>
Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses.
The top 12 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the heat races will be locked into the Holley "A" Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for their starting positions.
<B>HEAT #1:</B>
1. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (1)
2. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (4)
3. 90 - Steven L. Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (8)
4. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (9)
5. 1R - Ryan York -- Racine, MN (6)
6. 3D - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (10)
7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)
8. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (3)
9. 30 - Russ Quinnell -- Kasson, MN (2)
10. 28c - Bill C. Clemens -- Chatfield, MN (5) DNS
<B>HEAT #2:</B>
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
2. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (2)
3. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (6)
4. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (5)
5. 45T - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (4)
6. 00 - Steve Arpin -- International Falls, MN (7)
7. 54L - Benji LaCrosse -- Lexemburg, WI (9)
8. 99 - Martin Bennett -- Ankeny, IA (8)
9. 14 - Scott Gronvold -- Grand Meadow, MN (3)
10. 26f - Dan Fetters -- Montour, IA (10) DNS
<B>HEAT #3:</B>
1. 59 - Hank Rollinger -- Buffalo City, WI (1)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (5)
3. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rolling Stone, MN (8)
4. 7II - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (9)
5. 35W - Albert Wytaske -- Lansing, MN (3)
6. 99 - Bruce Angst -- Winona, MN (4)
7. 75 - James Parker -- Dodge Center, MN (10)
8. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (6)
9. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (7)
10. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (2) DNF
<B>HEAT #4:</B>
1. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (2)
2. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (3)
3. 99f - Karl Fenske -- Winona, MN (1)
4. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (9)
5. 02a - Matt Aarsvold -- Oronoco, MN (4)
6. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (7)
7. 45 - Jerry Connors -- Pleasant Valley, IA (5)
8. 57 - James King -- Hastings, MN (8) DNF
9. 0 - Craig Scott -- Rosemount, MN (6) DNF
<B>HEAT #5:</B>
1. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (2)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)
4. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (1)
5. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
7. 52 - Jesse Frericks -- Pine Island, MN (7)
8. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (9)
9. 55x - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, Mn (6)
<B>"B" MAIN #1:</B>
1. 7II - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
2. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (4)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
4. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
5. 3D - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (5)
6. 45T - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (6)
7. 99 - Bruce Angst -- Winona, MN (10)
8. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (9)
9. 52 - Jesse Frericks -- Pine Island, MN (12)
10. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (14)
11. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (16)
12. 02a - Matt Aarsvold -- Oronoco, MN (7)
13. 26f - Dan Fetters -- Montour, IA (18)
14. 30 - Russ Quinnell -- Kasson, MN (15)-2laps
15. 55x - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, Mn (17) DNF
16. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (11) DNF
17. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (1) DNF
18. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (13) DNS
<B>"B" MAIN #2:</B>
1. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (1)
2. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (2)
3. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (4)
4. 00 - Steve Arpin -- International Falls, MN (8)
5. 45 - Jerry Connors -- Pleasant Valley, IA (11)
6. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
7. 0 - Craig Scott -- Rosemount, MN (16)
8. 28c - Bill C. Clemens -- Chatfield, MN (17)
9. 14 - Scott Gronvold -- Grand Meadow, MN (15) -1 Lap
10. 75 - James Parker -- Dodge Center, MN (9) DNF
11. 99f - Karl Fenske -- Winona, MN (3) DNF
12. 1R - Ryan York -- Racine, MN (5) DNF
13. 54L - Benji LaCrosse -- Lexemburg, WI (10) DNF
14. 99 - Martin Bennett -- Ankeny, IA (13) DNF
15. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (18) DNF
16. 35W - Albert Wytaske -- Lansing, MN (6) DNS
17. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (12) DNS
18. 57 - James King -- Hastings, MN (14) DNS
<B>HOLLEY "A" MAIN:</B>
1. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (7)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (4)
3. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (2)
4. 7II - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (13)
5. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rolling Stone, MN (8)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (5)
7. 90 - Steven L. Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (3)
8. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (11)
9. 3D - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (21)
10. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (9)
11. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (19)
12. 00 - Steve Arpin -- International Falls, MN (20)
13. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (17)
14. 59 - Hank Rollinger -- Buffalo City, WI (1)
15. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (18)
16. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (6)
17. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (12)
18. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (24)
19. 45 - Jerry Connors -- Pleasant Valley, IA (22) DNF
20. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (23) DNF
21. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (14) DNF
22. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (16) DNF
23. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (10) DNF
25. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (15) DNF