MEMPHIS, Mo. — Drivers competing in the ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship were put on notice Saturday night … Jon Tesch has his new ride figured out. In just his fifth outing with a brand-spanking-new GRT Chassis, Tesch overpowered the field at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway to win the Ed Sheckler Memorial at Memphis presented by Pepsi.

The 31-year-old from Watertown, S.D., dominated his heat race, but drew the eighth spot for the start of the 35-lap Holley "A" Main. Passing one car every three laps, Tesch moved around track points leader Michael Long of Quincy, Ill., on lap 22, then sped away to a $2,000 payday and his second win of the 2007 season.

Tesch debuted his new Modified on Tuesday and came home with a 14th-place finish. On Wednesday, mechanical troubles relegated the newlywed to a 24th-place finish, but the week just got better from there as he scored a seventh on Thursday and a third-place showing Friday night before winning Saturday's nightcap at the 4/10-mile semi-banked clay oval in Memphis, Mo.

Eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock took home a runner-up paycheck, while Long held on for a career-best third against the best the division has to offer. New Sharon, Iowa's Zack VanderBeek wound up fourth after starting 11th, while Ron Ver Beek of Oskaloosa, Iowa, was the fifth to cross the finish line.

Al Hejna, AFCO Pole Award winner Mark Van Winkle, Jason Hughes, Dean Mahlstedt and Mark Burgtorf finished sixth through 10th, respectively. Hejna earned the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors after passing eight cars from his 14th-place starting spot on the 24-car grid.

REMEMBERING ED: Saturday's events at Memphis paid tribute to the memory of Ed Sheckler. Ed aided in the development of the USMS, which was started by his son, Doug, in 1994 and sold three years later to Todd and Janet Staley, who renamed it the USMTS. Ed also played an instrumental role in the success of the United States Racing Association (USRA), Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Mountain Dew Bloomfield (Iowa) Speedway and the O’Reilly USMTS. Most importantly, Ed's genuine respect and care for the drivers and fans that surrounded him was always evident. Ed came closer than anybody to dispelling the phrase ‘You can’t please all the people all the time.’

MEMPHIS SHOWBOATS: Including Saturday's show, the O’Reilly USMTS has competed 21 times at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway. Kelly Shryock owns six wins while Jason Hughes has four. Other former winners include Al Hejna (3), Scott Megonigle (2), Mike Hejna, Dean Mahlstedt, Tommy Myer, Johnny Bone Jr. and Mike Spaulding, who won the first O’Reilly USMTS event at Memphis on Aug. 4, 2001 … oh, and add Jon Tesch to the list now.

CRUNCH TIME: Action in two regions are now complete, with the other two regions wrapping up this coming Tuesday and Wednesday. The rugged O’Reilly USMTS road warriors take two days off before getting back down to business on Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan. The $2,000-to-win contest will be the ninth and final meeting in the Southern Region. On Wednesday, Aug. 8, it's on to the Beatrice Speedway in Beatrice, Neb., for another $2,000-to-win clash. The event at the Gage County Fairgrounds will be the 10th and final race in the tough Western Region, and will qualify the last batch of drivers into ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship.

Along with drivers qualified from the USMTS Southern Series, there are currently 23 drivers from 10 different States in ‘The Hunt’ after Saturday night's show:

1. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, IA … 45
2. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA … 37
3. Jason Hughes, Colcord, OK … 34
4. Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, OK … 27
5. Al Hejna, Clear Lake, IA … 16
6. Randy Timms, Woodward, OK … 14
7. Greg Skaggs, Bixby, OK … 13
8. Jon Tesch, Watertown, SD … 12
8. Jay Poidinger, Somerset, WI … 12
10. Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, AR … 10
10. Donovan Lodge, Moline, IL … 10
12. Rodney Sanders, Happy, TX … 8
13. Jamie Burford, Keatchie, LA … 7
14. Scott Green, Derby, KS … 6
14. Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, MN … 6
14. Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, IA … 6
17. Brandon Morton, Coweta, OK … 5
17. Bobby Malchus, Red Oak, TX … 5
17. Dena Wilson, Coweta, OK … 5
17. Scott Vesely, Mosinee, WI … 5
21. Corey Dripps, Waterloo, IA … 3
21. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA … 3
23. Richie Gustin Jr., Gilman, IA … 2

There are three additional drivers in the Southern and Western Regions who are mathematically still alive to join this elite list.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED: ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship begins on Thursday, Aug. 9, at the Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan. — the first of 15 events that will crown the ninth O’Reilly USMTS National Champion and close the curtain on the most exciting season ever for America's Premier Modified Touring Series. The remainder of ‘The Hunt’ schedule looks like this:

Fri Aug 10 … Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sat Aug 11 … Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sun Aug 12 … Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($2,000 to win)
Tue Aug 14 … Farley Speedway, Farley, IA ($2,000 to win)
Wed Aug 15 … Echo Valley Speedway, West Union, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thu Aug 16 … Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, MN ($2,000 to win)
Fri Aug 17 … Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thu Aug 30 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($2,000 to win)
Fri Aug 31 … Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sat Sep 1 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sun Sep 2 … Kasson Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)
Mon Sep 3 … Steele County Fairgrounds, Owatonna, MN ($2,000 to win)
Thu Sep 6 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)
Fri Sep 7 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($4,000 to win)
Sat Sep 8 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($6,000 to win)

The season will conclude and the O’Reilly USMTS National Champion will be crowned at the conclusion of the 9th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree, Sept. 6-8 at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley Minn.

UP NEXT: The next event for the O’Reilly USMTS is this Tuesday, Aug. 7, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan. The Holley "A" Main will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start the main event. Gates open at 5 p.m., with hot laps at 7:15 and racing at 7:30. The Humboldt Speedway is a quarter-mile semi-banked clay oval located off of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.1 mile west, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east.

Qualifying will be done via Home Pride Passing Points in the heat race and the Real Racing Wheels “B” Mains. Draw for heat race starting spots ends at 7 p.m. No license is required to race with the USMTS. License benefits include provisionals, points funds and contingencies, plus bonus payouts in the Holley “A” Main and for tow. American Race Tires is the Official Tire of the USMTS, and the American Racer KK704 or G60 tire is recommended. The Hoosier G60 tire is also allowed, but no points or contingencies will be awarded.

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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OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
Ed Sheckler Memorial at Memphis presented by Pepsi
National Event - Central Region
Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, Mo.
Saturday, Aug. 4, 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. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
2. 18L - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (5)
3. 69m - Mark Burgtorf -- Quincy, IL (7)
4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6)
5. 40 - Scott Dickey -- Packwood, IA (3)
6. 21 - Jeff Gerhardt -- Niota, IL (4)
7. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1) DNF
8. 5s - David Snyder -- Greentop, MO (8) DNS

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 4R - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (3)
2. 13 - Jim Roach -- Kahoka, MO (2)
3. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (5)
4. 97 - Jerry Asher -- Kirksville, MO (1)
5. 46 - Toby Vandekamp -- Winsfield, MO (6) DNF
6. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (4) DNF
7. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (7) DNS

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (5)
3. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (7)
4. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (2)
5. 76 - Bill Tuckwell -- Metamore, IL (3)
6. 4 - Tony Dunker -- Quincy, IL (6)
7. 2r - Jerry Reese -- Baring, MO (1)

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (2)
3. 99 - Martin Bennett -- Ankeny, IA (7)
4. 17p - Brad Pinkerton -- New Sharon, IA (3)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5)
6. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (4)
7. 45h - Mitch Higdon -- Fort Madison, IA (6)

HEAT #5 (10 laps):
1. 24v - Mark Van Winkle -- Hannibal, MO (5)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
3. 82m - Ryan Meyer -- Liberty, IL (1)
4. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (2)
5. 05 - David Wietholder -- Liberty, IL (4)
6. M50 - Darin Thye -- Burlington, IA (7) DNF
7. 105 - Kevin Peters -- Monmouth, IL (6) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (1)
2. 82m - Ryan Meyer -- Liberty, IL (2)
3. 76 - Bill Tuckwell -- Metamore, IL (6)
4. 21 - Jeff Gerhardt -- Niota, IL (8)
5. 105 - Kevin Peters -- Monmouth, IL (12)
6. 4 - Tony Dunker -- Quincy, IL (9)
7. 97 - Jerry Asher -- Kirksville, MO (3)
8. 2r - Jerry Reese -- Baring, MO (11)
9. 17p - Brad Pinkerton -- New Sharon, IA (4) DNF
10. 05 - David Wietholder -- Liberty, IL (7) DNF
11. 46 - Toby Vandekamp -- Winsfield, MO (5) DNS
12. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (10) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)
3. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (3)
4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (6)
5. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (9)
6. 40 - Scott Dickey -- Packwood, IA (5)
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (1)
8. 45h - Mitch Higdon -- Fort Madison, IA (11)
9. M50 - Darin Thye -- Burlington, IA (7) DNS
10. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (8) DNS
11. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (10) DNS
12. 5s - David Snyder -- Greentop, MO (12) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
3. 18L - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (3)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (11)
5. 4R - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (7)
6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (14)
7. 24v - Mark Van Winkle -- Hannibal, MO (5)
8. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1)
9. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (4)
10. 69m - Mark Burgtorf -- Quincy, IL (2)
11. 76 - Bill Tuckwell -- Metamore, IL (17)
12. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (16)
13. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (20)
14. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (9)
15. 105 - Kevin Peters -- Monmouth, IL (21)
16. 21 - Jeff Gerhardt -- Niota, IL (19) DNF
17. 99 - Martin Bennett -- Ankeny, IA (10) DNF
18. 82m - Ryan Meyer -- Liberty, IL (15) DNF
19. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (18) DNF
20. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (23) DNF
21. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (13) DNF
22. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (22) DNF
23. 13 - Jim Roach -- Kahoka, MO (12) DNF
24. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (24) DNF

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Hughes 1-19, Long 20-21, Tesch 22-35.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 19, Tesch 14, Long 2.
AFCO Pole Award: Van Winkle.
Provisional Starters: Dripps (regional), Ryan Gustin (national).
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Hejna (started 14th, finished 6th).
Next Race: Tuesday, Aug. 7, Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan. (Southern Region).
O’Reilly National Points: Shryock 3644, VanderBeek 2975, Hughes 2938, Hejna 2858, Weder 2472, Poidinger 1933, Tesch 1917, Green 1896, Dripps 1803, Jason Krohn 1748.
Central Region Points - FINAL: Shryock 1067, VanderBeek 903, Hughes 886, Hejna 817, Weder 748, Lodge 725, Mahlstedt 645, Ryan Gustin 629, Richie Gustin Jr. 578, Poidinger 558.
Home Pride Passing Points (National): Shryock 148½, Hughes 118½, VanderBeek 114, Hejna 112½, Green 78.
Home Pride Passing Points (Central - FINAL): VanderBeek 43½, Hejna 33, Hughes 33, Shryock 31½, Jason Krohn 25½.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Green 635, Ryan Gustin 299, Lodge 257, Cale Sponsler 235, Richie Gustin Jr. 225.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 362, Hughes 290, Harris 208, GRT 159, Bullet 137.

Contingency Awards:
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – Tesch.
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Hawk Performance – Hughes.
Isky Racing Cams – Mahlstedt.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Ver Beek, Green.
KSE Racing Products – Shryock, VanderBeek.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Long.
Quarter Master – Tesch, Mahlstedt.
QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.
Real Racing Wheels – Hanford, Hejna.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, AMSOIL, Arizona Sport Shirts, BRODIX, Fast Company Performance, Holley Performance Products, Home Pride Companies, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Marsh Racing Wheels, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Olympic Fire Protection, Real Racing Wheels, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Yeager Machine.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Borco LP, Day Motor Sports, Gressell Oil Field Services, Hughes Racing Chassis, KraftKar Race Cars, McVicker Oil Fields, Rinehart Trucking.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, Bilstein Shocks, Boyer’s Engine Development, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Hyperco, Isky Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Racer’s Choice (RCI).