SLAYTON, Minn. - The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series kicked off the Memorial Day Weekend at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn., Friday for the 4th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge and the first National Event since April 21. The month-long hiatus did nothing to slow down Fertile, Iowa's Kelly Shryock, however, as he survived a night of attrition to score his fifth O’Reilly USMTS National Event win in 10 starts.

Despite drawing the pole position after garnering the most Home Pride Passing Points among the 44 entrants in five heat races, the road to victory was anything but easy for the eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion.

Waterloo, Iowa's Corey Dripps challenged for the top spot, but while it appeared he had the quicker machine, Dripps made contact with Shryock's rear tire when the leader briefly slowed in the turn. The resulting damage to the nose of Dripps’ car ended his bid for a victory in his 2007 O’Reilly USMTS debut, watching the remainder of the Holley “A” Main from the pits with a 13th-place finish.

Shryock navigated the treacherous 3/8-mile dirt oval to pace the first 18 laps but surrendered the top spot to Steve Holzkamper of Gentry, Ark., on lap 19. Entering the ensuing corner, Holzkamper's TRE Modified bobbled and allowed Shryock to edge his No. 3 Skyrocket back ahead to lead the 20th circuit. From there, Shryock held on for the final five orbits to pocket the $2,000 top prize and garner the initial points lead in the Yeager Machine Northeast Region.

Tommy Weder, Jr., of Woodward, Okla., took the runner-up spot while USMTS Southern Series star Chris Brown made the long haul from Cleveland, Texas, pay off with a third-place finish. Holzkamper hung on for fourth while 17-year-old Jake Neal of Omaha, Neb., scored his career-best O’Reilly USMTS finish and a fifth-place paycheck.

Tomorrow (Saturday, May 26) will see the first event of 2007 at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley for the 5th Annual Greenway Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge. Gates at "The Creek" will open at 2 p.m., with hot laps at 4:45 and racing at 5. The Deer Creek Speedway is a 3/8-mile high-banked dirt oval located 11.3 miles south of I-90 (exit 209) on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16). For more info, call toll-free 877-DCS-RACE or (507) 346-2342 on raceday or visit www.deercreekspeedway.com online.

Set your TIVO to record the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 because the best racing on Sunday, May 27, will be at the Kasson Speedway for the 6th Annual Minnesota Spring Fling. Located less than 42 miles from the Deer Creek Speedway, gates at the Dodge County Fairgrounds in Kasson will open at 2 p.m., with hot laps at 4:45 and racing at 5. The Kasson Speedway is a 1/3-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 1.1 mile north of US 14 on SR 57 (at the Dodge County Fairgrounds). For more info, call (651) 226-3706 or (507) 634-6400 on raceday or visit www.kassonspeedway.com online.

Just a short 28-mile drive down the road from Kasson, the whirlwind weekend will wrap up with the triumphant return of the O’Reilly USMTS for the 4th Annual Memorial Day Shootout at the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna on Monday, May 28. Gates are slated to open at 3 p.m., hot laps are at 5 and the mud starts flying at 5:30. The Steele County Speedway is a 1/2-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 1.0 mile east of I-35 on US 14, then 1.2 miles north on CR 45 (at the Steele County Fairgrounds). For more info, call (507) 583-5050 or (507) 363-9124 on raceday or visit www.steelecountyspeedway.com online.

All four Memorial Day Weekend shows will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start each main event. To learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters office at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
4th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge
Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn.
Friday, May 25, 2007

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the Heats are locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (10 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (4)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)
3. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (5)
4. 19K - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (1)
5. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
6. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (6) DNF
7. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (9) DNF
8. 31 - Andy Kotek -- Wood Lake, MN (2) DNS
9. 7c - Nate Caruth -- Ames, IA (3) DNS

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (3)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder, Jr. -- Woodward, OK (5)
3. 1dk - Kelly Harmelink -- Brookings, SD (6)
4. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (9)
5. 27 - Don Gerritsen, Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (8)
6. 10 - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (7) DNF
7. 14 - Jay Ireton -- Slayton, MN (4) DNF
8. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (2) DNF
9. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN (1) DNS

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 55 - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (1)
2. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (3)
3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
4. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (9)
5. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (5)
6. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (8)
7. 3B - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (4)
8. 15x - Brett Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (2)
9. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (7) DNF

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
2. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (8)
3. 83 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (9)
4. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)
5. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (4)
6. 15p - Dean Palmer -- Beresford, SD (7)
7. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (2) DNF
8. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (6) DNF
9. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (1) DNF

HEAT #5 (10 laps):
1. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (1)
2. 7K - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)
3. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (6)
4. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
5. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (8)
6. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (4)
7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (3) DNF
8. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (7) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (1)
2. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
3. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (16)
4. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (5)
5. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (12)
6. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (7)
7. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (9)
8. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (2) DNF
9. 10 - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (8) DNF
10. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (10) DNF
11. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (3) DNF
12. 3B - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (11) DNF
13. 7c - Nate Caruth -- Ames, IA (15) DNF
14. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (13) DNF
15. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (4) DNF
16. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (14) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 7K - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (1)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)
3. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (7)
4. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (2)
5. 19K - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (5)
6. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (6)
7. 15p - Dean Palmer -- Beresford, SD (8)
8. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (9)
9. 15x - Brett Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (13)
10. 14 - Jay Ireton -- Slayton, MN (10) DNF
11. 31 - Andy Kotek -- Wood Lake, MN (12) DNF
12. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (14) DNF
13. 27 - Don Gerritsen, Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (4) DNF
14. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (11) DNF
15. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN (15) DNS
16. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (16) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (25 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder, Jr. -- Woodward, OK (2)
3. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (9)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (7)
5. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (10)
6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (16)
7. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (17)
8. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (20)
9. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (24)
10. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3) DNF
11. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (18) DNF
12. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (19) DNF
13. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8) DNF
14. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (23) DNF
15. 55 - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (6) DNF
16. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (5) DNF
17. 19K - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (22) DNF
18. 7K - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (14) DNF
19. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (13) DNF
20. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (12) DNF
21. 1dk - Kelly Harmelink -- Brookings, SD (11) DNF
22. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15) DNF
23. 83 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (4) DNF
24. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (21) DNS

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Shryock 1-18, Holzkamper 19, Shryock 20-25.
Total Laps Led: Shryock 24, Holzkamper 1.
AFCO Pole Award: Shryock.
Provisional Starters: Poidinger (regional), Bohmont (national).
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Bohmont (started 24th, finished 10th).
Next Race: Saturday, May 26, Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley Minn.
O’Reilly National Points: Shryock 1031, VanderBeek 757, Al Hejna 746, Jay Noteboom 651, Cale Sponsler 557, Holzkamper 557, Poidinger 513, Mark Dotson 506, Weder 495, Hughes 476.
Yeager Machine Northeast Region Points: Shryock 103, Brown 97, Weder 95, Holzkamper 91, Tesch 91, Neal 89, Reisch 88, Oskerson 88, Skaggs 75, Bohmont 74.
Home Pride Passing Points (National): Shryock 69, Scott Green 33, VanderBeek 33, Al Hejna 31, Cale Sponsler 30.
Home Pride Passing Points (Yeager Machine Northeast Region): Shryock 9, Holzkamper 9, Kraft 9, Mondus 7½, Oskerson 7½.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Jay Noteboom 187, Cale Sponsler 158, Scott Green 109, Jeremy Rasmussen 87, Donovan Lodge 71.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 99, Hughes 67, Razor 47, TRE 42, Kraft 39.

Contingency Awards:
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Shryock.
GRT Race Cars – Tesch.
Hawk Performance – Oskerson.
Isky Racing Cams – Hughes.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Neal, Dripps.
KSE Racing Products – Weder, Holzkamper.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Brown.
Quarter Master – Shryock, Bohmont.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Reisch.
Real Racing Wheels – Boney, Krohn.