BAYTOWN, Texas — It was the second night of the inaugural Texas Winter Nationals Friday as the toughest Modified pilots in the Lone Star State and throughout the South converged on the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, but it was the two drivers who ventured the most miles to get there that basked in the limelight.

In the 35-lap USMTS Southern Series main event, Alan Mondus made his long tow from Lakeville, Minn., pay off as he led every lap to capture his career-first USMTS main event win and the $2,000 that went along with it. The 19-year-old beat polesitter Jamie Burford of Keatchie, La., through the first turn at the drop of the green flag, then cruised to victory from there.

Burford held firmly to the second spot for the next 34 laps, but exiting the final turn with the checkered flag in sight, Burford tagged the tire barrier at the bottom of the racetrack. Jason Hughes of Westville, Okla., had followed Burford throughout the race, and had nowhere to go in the melee as he and Burford skidded to a stop and wound up finishing 18th and 19th, respectively.

That opened the door for fourth-running Shane Hebert of Scott, La., who crossed the finish line in the runner-up position. After the race, however, Hebert's Modified came up too light at the scales and he was disqualified. That gave the second-place paycheck to Willy Kraft, who was looking at a fifth-place finish with one left-hand turn remaining the feature.

Howard Willis of Dayton, Texas, had the best showing of the Lone Star State drivers, garnering third after starting 14th. Chris Henigan of Marshall, Texas, was fourth while Fertile, Iowa's Kelly Shryock rounded out the top-5.

With his fifth-place finish, Shryock earned enough points to clinch the title to become the first USMTS Southern Series champion. It was a measure of vindication for Shryock, who also won the first O'Reilly USMTS National Championship in 1999. The veteran racer and Skyrocket Chassis builder proceeded to win eight straight O'Reilly USMTS National Championship titles before relinquishing his throne for the first time this season.

Thursday's opening night winner, Paul White, finished sixth after qualifying for the main event by winning the third Real Racing Wheels “B” Main. Scott Green started 20th and finished seventh, followed by Bobby Malchus in eighth, John O. Whittington, ninth, and Morgan Bagley was 10th.

While Shryock has locked up the top spot in the USMTS Southern Series points heading into Saturday's finale at Houston Raceway Park, Randy Timms will secure the runner-up spot when he fires his motor on Saturday. The battle for third in the rankings is up for grabs, however, as three drivers enter the last race of the season separated by a mere 11 points. Steve Holzkamper, who was sixth coming into Thursday's show, moved up to third on Friday with 1665 points. Greg Skaggs is fourth with 1659 markers while Hughes dropped two spots to fifth with 1654 points. Sixth through 10th are Tommy Weder Jr. (1648), Green (1399), Zack VanderBeek (1166), Rodney Sanders (1152) and Steven Whiteaker Jr. (1097). Burford's late-race mishap cost him a spot in the top-10, but nonetheless trails Whiteaker by just 13 points.

The action continues on Saturday with the inaugural Texas Winter Nationals finale. Gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6 and racing at 6:30. The USMTS Southern Series main event will pay $3,000 to win and $250 to start. Limited Mods will also be running for $1,000 to win and $60 to start.

Houston Raceway Park is a state-of-the-art 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval located east of Houston on I-10 to Exit 798, then 3.0 miles south on SR 146, then 0.8 mile southeast on FM 1405, then 1.5 miles northeast on FM 565 in Baytown, Texas. For more information, call the track office at (281) 383-RACE or visit www.houstonraceway.com online.

All USMTS rules will apply. American Racer is the Official Tire of the USMTS, and any driver seeking to receive USMTS Southern Series points and/or contingency awards must use the American Racer KK-704 racing tire. The Hoosier G60 tire will also be allowed for this race, but must be mounted on all four wheels with no grooving allowed.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS Southern Series
Inaugural Texas Winter Nationals - Night 2 of 3
Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas
Friday, Nov. 30, 2007

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 13 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the Heats are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (8 laps):
1. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX (2)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (10)
3. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (8)
4. 9 - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (1)
5. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA (7)
6. 125 - Andy Clower -- Grand Saline, TX (3)
7. 70 - Tom Barben -- Andleton, TX (4)
8. 12x - Dennis Lecroy -- Houston, TX (11)
9. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5) DNF
10. 8j - Charlie Morrow -- Deville, LA (6) DNF
11. 98 - Darryl Seals -- Vidor, TX (9) DNF

HEAT #2 (8 laps):
1. 55m - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (1)
2. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (3)
3. 721 - Doug Cameron -- San Antoino, TX (5)
4. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (4)
5. 8 - Steve Miller -- Georgetown, TX (7)
6. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (9)
7. 17 - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (6)
8. 3g - Glen Grant -- Houston, TX (8)
9. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (2)
10. 15p - John Parker -- Many, LA (10) DNS

HEAT #3 (8 laps):
1. 9h - Shane Hebert -- Scott, LA (2)
2. 50m - Mark McKim -- Friendswood, TX (3)
3. 4 - Tom Hameka -- Dickson, TX (1)
4. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (7)
5. 99 - Derick Grigsby -- Marshall, TX (9)
6. 4$ - Kalif Selier -- Katy, TX (4)
7. 40f - Steven Fite -- Bastrop, TX (6)
8. 127 - Edward Wickham -- Baytown, TX (8)
9. 121 - Dan Sikes -- Crosby, TX (10)
10. 7jr - Chad Ewell -- Forney, TX (5) DNF

HEAT #4 (8 laps):
1. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (1)
2. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (2)
3. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (7)
4. 1w - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (10)
5. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (3)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (8)
7. 117 - Brennan Poole -- Woodlands, TX (4)
8. 18 - Pete Sagmiller -- Spring, TX (6)
9. 88xxx - Clyde Dunn Jr. -- Sunnyville, TX (5)
10. 96 - Foster Ellison -- Richwood, TX (9)

HEAT #5 (8 laps):
1. 83 - Willy Kraft -- Woodwood, OK (7)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)
3. 51 - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (5)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (10)
5. 10 - Kenny Battarbee -- Houston, TX (9)
6. 96x - Michael Knighten -- Shreveport, LA (4)
7. 7 - Robert Corbello -- Beaumont, TX (3)
8. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (1)
9. 7x - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (6) DNF
10. 3j - Kevin Dupont -- Carencro, LA (8) DNF

HEAT #6 (8 laps):
1. 19b - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (3)
2. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (4)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (9)
4. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (1)
5. 5r - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (10)
6. 15 - Kevin Battarbee -- Housto, TX (6)
7. 9x - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (2)
8. 129 - Bryan Vollmer -- Tomball, TX (8)
9. 118 - John Arthur -- Sour Lake, TX (5) DNF
10. 211 - Chad Fitzgerald -- Baytown, TX (7) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 1w - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (1)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (7)
3. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)
4. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
5. 99 - Derick Grigsby -- Marshall, TX (4)
6. 117 - Brennan Poole -- Woodlands, TX (10)
7. 96x - Michael Knighten -- Shreveport, LA (8)
8. 8 - Steve Miller -- Georgetown, TX (6)
9. 70 - Tom Barben -- Andleton, TX (9)
10. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (12)
11. 3g - Glen Grant -- Houston, TX (11) DNF
12. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (5) DNF
13. 7x - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (14) DNF
14. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (13) DNF
15. 3j - Kevin Dupont -- Carencro, LA (16) DNF
16. 15p - John Parker -- Many, LA (15) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
2. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (5)
3. 17 - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (9)
4. 4 - Tom Hameka -- Dickson, TX (3)
5. 721 - Doug Cameron -- San Antoino, TX (2)
6. 15 - Kevin Battarbee -- Housto, TX (8)
7. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (13)
8. 7 - Robert Corbello -- Beaumont, TX (10)
9. 125 - Andy Clower -- Grand Saline, TX (7)
10. 127 - Edward Wickham -- Baytown, TX (11)
11. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (6) DNF
12. 10 - Kenny Battarbee -- Houston, TX (4) DNF
13. 129 - Bryan Vollmer -- Tomball, TX (12) DNF
14. 7jr - Chad Ewell -- Forney, TX (15) DNF
15. 118 - John Arthur -- Sour Lake, TX (14) DNS
16. 211 - Chad Fitzgerald -- Baytown, TX (16) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (1)
2. 5r - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (3)
3. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (6)
4. 51 - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (2)
5. 9 - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (4)
6. 88xxx - Clyde Dunn Jr. -- Sunnyville, TX (13)
7. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA (5)
8. 4$ - Kalif Selier -- Katy, TX (7)
9. 18 - Pete Sagmiller -- Spring, TX (11)
10. 9x - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (10)
11. 8j - Charlie Morrow -- Deville, LA (14)
12. 40f - Steven Fite -- Bastrop, TX (9)
13. 96 - Foster Ellison -- Richwood, TX (15)
14. 121 - Dan Sikes -- Crosby, TX (12)
15. 12x - Dennis Lecroy -- Houston, TX (8) DNF
16. 98 - Darryl Seals -- Vidor, TX (16) DNS

“A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 55m - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (3)
2. 83 - Willy Kraft -- Woodward, OK (4)
3. 1w - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (14)
4. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX (8)
5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
6. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (16)
7. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (20)
8. 5r - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (19)
9. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (10)
10. 17 - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (21)
11. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Bixby, OK (12)
12. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (23)
13. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (7)
14. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (15)
15. 4r - Derek Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (24)
16. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (17)
17. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (18)
18. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (2) DNF
19. 19b - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (1) DNF
20. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (9) DNF
21. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (22) DNF
22. 50m - Mark McKim -- Friendswood, TX (13) DNF
23. 21 - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (11) DNF
24. 9h - Shane Herbert -- Scott, LA (5) DQ - Light

Lap Leaders: Mondus 1-35.
Total Laps Led: Mondus 35.
Pole Award: Kraft.
Provisional Starters: Holzkamper, Ramirez.
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Green (started 20th, finished 7th).
Next USMTS Southern Series Event: Saturday, Dec. 1, Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas.
USMTS Southern Series Points: Shryock 1899, Timms 1743, Holzkamper 1665, Skaggs 1659, Hughes 1654, Weder 1648, Green 1399, VanderBeek 1166, Sanders 1152, Whiteaker 1097.
USMTS Southern Series Home Pride Passing Points: Weder 88½, Shryock 87, Hughes 79½, Skaggs 75, Timms 63.

Contingency Awards:
GRT Race Cars – not awarded.
Hawk Performance – Malchus.
Isky Racing Cams – Henigan.
Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Shryock, Timms.
KSE Racing Products – Kraft, Henigan.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded..
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Willis.
Quarter Master – Mondus, Whittington.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Green.
Real Racing Wheels – Willis, VanderBeek, White.

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USMTS SOUTHERN SERIES OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, Fast Company Performance, Holley Performance Products, Home Pride Companies, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Marsh Racing Wheels, Nitroquest Web Solutions, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Olympic Fire Protection, Real Racing Wheels.

USMTS SOUTHERN SERIES 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 SOUTHERN SERIES 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).