Shryock clobbers America's best in 1st Annual “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” Nationals
<B>WHEATLAND, Mo. --</B> With the best of the best in Modified racing invading the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., this past weekend, seven-time defending O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series national champ Kelly Shryock set himself apart from the field with a steamroller of domination that solidly positioned himself as the best Modified pilot in America.
After a preliminary win on Saturday, Shryock captured Monday's Pole Dash to put himself on the point for Monday night's $5,000-to-win main event at the 1st Annual “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” Nationals. Despite several cautions and 40 laps for the other 25 drivers to give Shryock a run for his money, the night belonged to the Fertile, Iowa, veteran as he sailed to his 15th O’Reilly USMTS victory of the season.
The Holley "A" Main got off to a slow start as three tries were needed to begin the race. On the initial start, Jason Hughes of Colcord, Okla., stopped on the track in turn 2 to bring out the first yellow of the race. Hughes entered the pit area and returned to the race on the lead lap. The race needed two more attempts before the first lap was complete. When the green flag finally waved, Shryock jumped into the lead and never looked back.
Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., finished second, with Chad Kinder of Newton, Ill., in third and Donnellson, Iowa's Tony Fraise finishing fourth. Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., came from 17th on the grid to grab fifth-place money.
The Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors went to Peyton Taylor of Batesville, Ark., who started 24th and finished 8th.
The O’Reilly USMTS road warriors get a nine-day break before returning to action on Wednesday, July 12, at the Dodge County Raceway in Kasson, Minn., for the first of eight races in ten days.
For more information, or to learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call (515) 832-7944 or visit www.USMTS.com online.
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<B>OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
1st Annual “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” Nationals
Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, Mo.
Monday, July 3, 2006</B>
Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 3 finishers in the heat races advanced to the Holley "A" Main, while the 4th- through 8th-place finishers transferred to the Real Racing Wheels "B" Main.
<B>ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (10 laps):</B>
1. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Fort Scott, KS (1)
2. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (5)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (6)
4. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (9)
5. 27t - Bob Test -- Jefferson City, MO (12)
6. 188d - Matt Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (11)
7. 8m - James McMillin -- Warrensburg, MO (3) DNF
8. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (2) DNF
9. 18t - Tony Fatino -- Wheatland, MO (7) DNF
10. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4) DNF
11. 87 - Kenny Pike -- Nevada, MO (8) DNF
12. c3 - Chad Staus -- Otterville, MO (10) DNS
<B>HEAT #2 (10 laps):</B>
1. 06 - Jared Landers -- Bentonville, AR (2)
2. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (1)
3. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (5)
4. 01 - Peyton Taylor -- Batesville, AR (7)
5. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (3)
6. 55 - Terry Kirk -- Urbana, MO (4)
7. 5j - Matt Johnson -- Archie, MO (10)
8. 88d - Rusty Dukes -- Fair Grove, MO (6)
9. 9e - Evan Hubert -- Cross Timbers, MO (9)
10. 6h - Robbie Ott -- Wheatland, Mo (8) DNF
11. 90 - Terry Schultz -- Sedalia, MO (11) DNF
<B>HEAT #3 (10 laps):</B>
1. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (1)
2. 25 - Rex Merritt -- Billings, MO (2)
3. 6 - Jim Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (3)
4. 84 - Billy Street -- Joplin, MO (6)
5. 35 - Kevin Kaiser -- Cole Camp, MO (5)
6. 7j - J.D. Hubert -- Cross Timbers, MO (8)
7. 7m - Brandon Melton -- Longview, TX (4)
8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (9)
9. 51 - Joe Walker -- Harrisonville, MO (11)
10. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (7) DNF
11. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (10) DNF
<B>HEAT #4 (10 laps):</B>
1. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (1)
2. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (7)
3. 96 - Chad Lyle -- Long Jack, MO (11)
4. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (10)
5. 68 - Dean Wille -- Warrensburg, MO (2)
6. 50 - Brantlee Gotschall -- Nevada, MO (4)
7. 10p - Jason Pursley -- Wheatland, MO (3)
8. 23 - Lucas Dobbs -- El Dorado Springs, MO (8)
9. 10 - Paul Parker -- Kaukauna, WI (5)
10. 29 - Rick Dobbs -- Eldro Spring, MO (9)
11. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (6) DNF
<B>POLE DASH (8 laps, finish determined the starting line-up for the Holley "A" Main):</B>
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 186 - Jeremy Payne -- Cave City, AR (2)
3. 99t - Eric Turner -- Hermitage, MO (5)
4. 22s - Chad Kinder -- Newton, IL (4)
5. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (8)
6. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
7. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (7)
8. 1h - Jerry Hoffman -- Oronogo, MO (6)
<B>REAL RACING WHEELS "B" MAIN (15 laps, top 4 advance):</B>
1. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (19)
2. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (4)
3. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
4. 01 - Peyton Taylor -- Batesville, AR (2)
5. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (17)
6. 5j - Matt Johnson -- Archie, MO (14)
7. 8m - James McMillin -- Warrensburg, MO (13)
8. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (6)
9. 7m - Brandon Melton -- Longview, TX (15)
10. 23 - Lucas Dobbs -- El Dorado Springs, MO (20)
11. 35 - Kevin Kaiser -- Cole Camp, MO (7) DNF
12. 7j - J.D. Hubert -- Cross Timbers, MO (11) DNF
13. 88d - Rusty Dukes -- Fair Grove, MO (18) DNF
14. 55 - Terry Kirk -- Urbana, MO (10) DNF
15. 68 - Dean Wille -- Warrensburg, MO (8) DNF
16. 27t - Bob Test -- Jefferson City, MO (5) DNF
17. 188d - Matt Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (9) DNF
18. 50 - Brantlee Gotschall -- Nevada, MO (12) DNF
19. 10p - Jason Pursley -- Wheatland, MO (16) DNF
<B>HOLLEY "A" MAIN (40 laps):</B>
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
3. 22s - Chad Kinder -- Newton, IL (4)
4. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (12)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (17)
6. 25 - Rex Merritt -- Billings, MO (15)
7. 186 - Jeremy Payne -- Cave City, AR (2)
8. 01 - Peyton Taylor -- Batesville, AR (24)
9. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (16)
10. 06 - Jared Landers -- Bentonville, AR (10) -1 lap
11. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (13) -1 lap
12. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (25) -1 lap
13. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (22) -1 lap
14. 96 - Chad Lyle -- Long Jack, MO (20) -1 lap
15. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (26) DNF
16. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (7) DNF
17. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Fort Scott, KS (9) DNF
18. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (5) DNF
19. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (23) DNF
20. 84 - Billy Street -- Joplin, MO (19) DNF
21. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (18) DNF
22. 99t - Eric Turner -- Hermitage, MO (3) DNF
23. 1h - Jerry Hoffman -- Oronogo, MO (8) DNF
24. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (11) DNF
25. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (14) DNF
26. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (21) DNF
<B>AMSOIL Lap Leaders:</B> Shryock 1-40.
<B>Total Laps Led:</B> Shryock 40.
<B>Provisional Starters:</B> McEwan (regional), VanderBeek (national).
<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Taylor (started 24th, finished 8th).
<B>Next Race:</B> Wednesday, July 12, Dodge County Raceway, Kasson, Minn.
<B>O’Reilly National Driver Points (top 10):</B> Shryock 2678, Myer 2353, Mark Noble 2297, Tesch 2171, Ryan Ruter 2107, VanderBeek 2069, McEwan 1921, Mahlstedt 1771, Al Hejna 1704, Mike Wedelstadt 1531.
<B>Dirt Works Southern Region Points (top 10):</B> Shryock 675, Mahlstedt 600, Myer 595, Tesch 568, VanderBeek 508, Mark Noble 507, Ryan Ruter 497, Hughes 436, McEwan 435, Mike Wedelstadt 371.
<B>Home Pride Passing Points - National (top 5):</B> Shryock 118.5. Ryan Ruter 108.0. Mark Noble 87.0. Myer 84.0. McEwan 79.5. Al Hejna 79.5.
<B>Home Pride Passing Points - Southern (top 5):</B> Shryock 33.0, Myer 31.5, Jason Friesen 25.5, VanderBeek 25.5, Mahlstedt 24.0, Tesch 24.0.
<B>Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points (top 5):</B> Poidinger 407, Jason Friesen 388, Matt Gilbertson 295, Bohmont 267, Mike Steensma 225.
<B>UNIJIG Builders Championship Points (top 5):</B> Skyrocket 265, Kraft 213, Hughes 197, GRT 173, Bullet 125.
<B>Contingency Awards:</B>
Bassett Racing Wheel – not awarded.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Shryock.
Dynatech Racing Exhaust – Shryock, Myer.
Edelbrock – Shryock, Myer.
Fast Shafts – Tesch.
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Isky Racing Cams – Zimmerman.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Fraise.
KSE Racing Products – not awarded.
Larson Racing Specialists – Blackburn.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.
RaceQuest – Shryock, Roberts.
Real Racing Wheels – Poidinger.
T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – not awarded.
UNIJIG – not awarded.