MAYETTA, Kan. — Everybody stepped up their game Thursday as the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series kicked off the The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship at the Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan. Jon Tesch stepped it up more than anybody.

The 31-year-old from Watertown, S.D., dominated Thursday's Holley “A” Main, leading every lap and lapping all but five cars. The race's only caution flew on lap 13 to bunch up the field, otherwise he may have lapped the field. In fact, when Tesch streaked underneath the checkered flag, fourth-place finisher Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, was just exiting turn 2.

The win was worth $2,000 and catapulted Tesch from eighth to fourth in ‘The Hunt’ standings. Runner-up Dean Mahlstedt of Clear Lake, Iowa, made the biggest jump among the title chasers, leaping from 18th to 6th in points. following in his footsteps, Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., also made a big move from 16th to 7th in the rankings with a third-place finish.

Shryock, who came into ‘The Hunt’ as the points leader, finished fourth and maintained his spot at the top of the rankings as he chases his ninth O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. Jason Hughes of Colcord, Okla., finished fifth, with Tommy Myer, Zack VanderBeek, Tommy Weder Jr., Steve Holzkamper and Scott Green rounding out the top-10 finishers.

Weder, who started deep in the field (21st) earned the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors.

VanderBeek, who led the title chase last season with three races remaining, sits second behind Shryock (151 to 135) in the current standings. the rest of the top-10 are Hughes (133), Tesch (126), Weder (124), Mahlstedt (101), Krohn (100), Myer (98), Al Hejna (97) and Holzkamper (95).

While 15 races still remain to determine the O’Reilly USMTS National Champion, one title was wrapped up Thursday night as Green clinched the 2007 Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year award.

UP NEXT: The rugged O’Reilly USMTS road warriors head to Southern Missouri for three big shows at three unique venues. On Friday, Aug. 10, the action heats up at Bolivar Speedway USA for the first race of ‘The Hunt’ and first $2,000-to-win event of the Show-Me State tripleheader. Saturday finds the O’Reilly USMTS Modifieds at the Lebanon I-44 Speedway for the third race of ‘The Hunt’ and another $2,000-to-win race. The weekend wraps up at the Monett Speedway for the fourth race of ‘The Hunt’ and another $2,000 top prize up for grabs.

Gates open at 5 p.m. and racing starts at 7:30 for all three shows.

To learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship (Race 1 of 16)
Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kan.
Thursday, Aug. 9, 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. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (2)
2. 05 - Tom Grist -- Topeka, KS (4)
3. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
4. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)
5. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
6. 5c - Don Crnkovich -- Lenexa, KS (1)
7. 11h - Jim Hernandez -- Topeka, KS (8)
8. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (6)

HEAT #2 (10 laps):
1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (1)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
3. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
4. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (8)
5. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (4)
6. 77 - Steven Bowers -- Topeka, KS (6)
7. 10c - Travis Tenpenny -- Topeka, KS (3)
8. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (5) DNF

HEAT #3 (10 laps):
1. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (1)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)
3. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (3)
4. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (2)
5. 42 - Gene Claxton -- Kansas City, KS (7)
6. 12p - Jeff Herbers -- Holton, KS (6)
7. 99t - Eric Turner -- Hermitage, MO (4)

HEAT #4 (10 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
2. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (3)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (7)
4. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (6)
5. 70 - Justin Becker -- Holton, KS (1)
6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (4) DNF
7. M80 - Mat Stallbaumer -- Tecumseh, KS (2) DNF

HEAT #5 (10 laps):
1. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)
2. 95 - Dylan Smith -- Osceola, NE (3)
3. 14p - Travis Patch -- Holton, KS (7)
4. 28 - John Kampsen -- Mariven, KS (6)
5. k27 - Kyle Stallbaumer -- Tecumseh, KS (4)
6. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (5)
7. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (2) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
2. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (2)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)
4. 77 - Steven Bowers -- Topeka, KS (8)
5. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)
6. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (12)
7. 31j - Jeremy Rasmussen -- Bentonville, AR (13)
8. 11h - Jim Hernandez -- Topeka, KS (10)
9. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (6)
10. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (3) DNF
11. k27 - Kyle Stallbaumer -- Tecumseh, KS (7) DNF
12. 99t - Eric Turner -- Hermitage, MO (11) DNF
13. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (9) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (2)
2. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (1)
3. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (4)
4. 42 - Gene Claxton -- Kansas City, KS (5)
5. 70 - Justin Becker -- Holton, KS (6)
6. 12p - Jeff Herbers -- Holton, KS (8)
7. 28 - John Kampsen -- Mariven, KS (3)
8. 10c - Travis Tenpenny -- Topeka, KS (10)
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (9)
10. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (12) -1 Lap
11. M80 - Mat Stallbaumer -- Tecumseh, KS (11) DNF
12. 5c - Don Crnkovich -- Lenexa, KS (7) DNF
13.. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (4) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)
5. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (9)
6. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (17)
7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (13) -1 Lap
8. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (21) -1 Lap
9. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (16) – 1 Lap
10. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (7) -1 Lap
11. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (11) -1 Lap
12. 77 - Steven Bowers -- Topeka, KS (19) – 1 Lap
13. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (15) -1 Lap
14. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (24) -1 Lap
15. 70 - Justin Becker -- Holton, KS (22) -2 Laps
16. 42 - Gene Claxton -- Kansas City, KS (20) -2 Laps
17. 05 - Tom Grist -- Topeka, KS (6) DNF
18. 95 - Dylan Smith -- Osceola, NE (12) DNF
19. 14p - Travis Patch -- Holton, KS (10) DNF
20. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (23) DNF
21. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (3) DNF
22. 222 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (14) DNF
23. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (3) DNF
24. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (18) DNF

AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Tesch 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Tesch 40.
AFCO Pole Award: Shryock.
Provisional Starters: Hejna, Skaggs.
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Weder (started 21st, finished 8th).
Next Race: Friday, Aug. 10, Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, Mo.
O’Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: Shryock 151, VanderBeek 135, Hughes 133, Tesch 126, Weder 124, Mahlstedt 101, Krohn 100, Myer 98, Hejna 97, Holzkamper 95.
Home Pride Passing Points: Shryock 165, Hughes 127½, VanderBeek 118½, Hejna 115½, Weder 82½.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Green 706, Ryan Gustin 299, Lodge 280, Cale Sponsler 235, Richie Gustin Jr. 225.
Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 389, Hughes 316, Harris 220, GRT 180, Bullet 146.

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

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

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).