<B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="GRAY">by Todd Staley</FONT></B>

OWATONNA, MN (August 8, 2000) &#151; The United States Modified Touring Series will be coming to the Steele County Fair for two shows. The first night of racing will be Wednesday August 16th for the Wholesale Tire 30. The second night of racing will be the very next night for the Steele 30 on Thursday. Both of these races will pay the winner $2000 and any driver making the A-main will receive $200 each night. Any driver failing to qualify for the A-main will receive $75 in tow money each night. This race will also be a qualifier for the Mr. Midwest race that is held at the Driver's Dream Race Labor Day Weekend.

The Mr. Midwest race that will feature the top drivers in the Midwest racing against each other for $5000 to win. This race will be held on Sunday September 3rd. The driver that scores the most USMTS points for the two days in Owatonna will be the driver that represents that track. This race will be the 22nd and 23rd race for the USMTS.

This year the series has had one of it's most competitive as there has been twelve different winners. Series point leader Kelly Shryock has been a consistent runner all year and still is one of the drivers without a win. Kevin Peters Monmouth, IL is leading the points in the Midwest Motorsports Rookie of the Year award that pays the winner at the end of the year $2000 plus a $1000 certificate. Dan Daniels Humboldt, KS is second in the Rookie of the Year. Kelly Shryock leads the Home Pride Companies Passing Points award and also the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger Award.

This year the race in Owatonna will allow Hoosier tires or the American Racer run. Any Hoosier A or H-40 is allowed. The American Racer is the G-60.

Some of the expected drivers for this event are some of the best in modified racing and that includes: Minnesota drivers: Mark Noble, Ron Jones, Tommy Myer, Mike Sorensen, Steve Wetzstein, Willy Kraft, Tim Donlinger, Doug Hillson, Ricky Kluver. Wisconsin drivers Mike Mashl, Brian Mullen, Mike Wedelstadt, Ron Schreiner, Les Duelmann. Iowa drivers Kelly Shryock, John VanDenBerg, Corey Dripps, Dan Bohr, Rick Gustin, Todd Ihde, Brandon Monson. Illinois and Nebraska drivers Mike Chasteen, Kevin Peters, John Anderson, Joe Kosiski, Johnny Saathoff. This is just some of the names of drivers that have said they were planning on running. The fair race in 1999 saw fifty-seven drivers checked in for racing action and Mark Noble was the winner with Ron Jones finishing second.

This race should be better than 1999 as adding another day of racing giving drivers that travel the opportunity to race two nights in a row. For more information call Todd Staley at (515) 832-6321 or Jerry Ingvalson at (507) 583-2968.