MANY, La. — Jason Hughes sent a loud and clear message Friday night that he is the man to beat in 2008 on the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series trail.

The chassis builder from Westville, Okla., took just 12 laps to take the lead from his fifth-row starting spot, working his way around the likes of Morgan Bagley, B.J. Robinson, Dustin Hyde, Paul White, Steve Holzkamper and polesitter Tommy Weder Jr. on his way to the front.

Hughes pocketed the $2,000 top prize for his second O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series triumph of the season as he padded his points lead with his fourth top-5 finish in six starts. But the truly bad news for his competition is that Friday night's 10th-place starting spot was Hughes' best so far this season — his previous five starts were 12th twice, 15th twice and 19th.

Steve Holzkamper of Gentry, Ark., claimed the runner-up position in the Holley "A" Main to keep the points damage to a minimum and remain runner-up to Hughes in the current rankings. Weder held on for third, with Paul White taking fourth and Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year points leader John O. Whittington coming from 23rd on the 24-car starting grid to score a fifth-place paycheck.

Dereck Ramirez, Chris Henigan, Bryan Rowland, Lee Patton and 22nd-starting Jeremy Ross rounded out the top-10 finishers.

While Hughes expanded his points lead over Holzkamper to 48 points (579 to 531), Whittington's strong run kept him in third with a two-point cushion over Weder (454 to 452). Kyle Pleasant is fifth with 429 markers, followed by David Mitchell (406), Shane Hebert (391), Dustin Hyde (379) and Rowland (375).

The O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series wraps up the tripleheader weekend on Saturday with an inaugural event at the Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS — America's Hottest Ticket on Dirt.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series
Inaugural Event
Sabine Speedway, Many, La.
Friday, May 9, 2008

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 12 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR  (2)
2. 1 - Brett Frazier -- Haughton, LA  (1)
3. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK  (5)
4. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX  (3)
5. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX  (6)
6. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX  (7)
7. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR  (4)
8. 2 - Kenny Gaddis -- Hallsville, TX  (8) DNS

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA  (2)
2. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX  (4)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK  (6)
4. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA  (5)
5. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX  (7)
6. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX  (3)
7. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX  (8)
8. 71 - Richard Harmon -- Evans, LA  (1)

HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX  (2)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK  (3)
3. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX  (1)
4. 99 - Derick Grigsby -- Marshall, TX  (4)
5. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA  (6)
6. 2s - Stormy Scott -- Las Cruces, NM  (7)
7. 99h - Danny Hebert -- Duson, LA  (5) DNF
8. 30 - Greg Williams -- Florien, LA  (8) DNS

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK  (2)
2. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX  (1)
3. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA  (4)
4. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Natchitoches, LA  (6)
5. 05 - Michael Robertson -- Minden, LA  (5)
6. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA  (8)
7. 7g - Mark Smith -- Lufkin, TX  (7)
8. R24 - Danny Weber -- Zwolle, LA  (3)

HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX  (2)
2. 97 - Cade Dillard -- Robeline, LA  (6)
3. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA  (3)
4. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK  (4)
5. 1r - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX  (8)
6. K9 - Adam Willis -- Boyce, LA  (5)
7. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK  (7)
8. 28 - Kevin Maddox -- Alexandria, LA  (1) DNF

HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX  (3)
2. JP5 - Lee Patton -- Quitman, LA  (4)
3. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM  (1)
4. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS  (6)
5. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX  (8)
6. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM  (7)
7. 35 - Luke Graves -- Atlanta, LA  (2)
8. 15p - John Parker -- Many, LA  (5) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX  (1)
2. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA  (9)
3. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA  (2)
4. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Natchitoches, LA  (4)
5. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA  (3)
6. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX  (8)
7. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK  (15)
8. 2s - Stormy Scott -- Las Cruces, NM  (11)
9. 28 - Kevin Maddox -- Alexandria, LA  (18)
10. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX  (13)
11. 99 - Derick Grigsby -- Marshall, TX  (7) DNF
12. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA  (10) DNF
13. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX  (12) DNF
14. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX  (6) DNF
15. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA  (5) DNF
16. 99h - Danny Hebert -- Duson, LA  (14) DNS
17. 2 - Kenny Gaddis -- Hallsville, TX  (16) DNS
18. 30 - Greg Williams -- Florien, LA  (17) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK  (1)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS  (4)
3. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX  (6)
4. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM  (11)
5. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK  (7)
6. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX  (10)
7. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX  (8)
8. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR  (13)
9. 1r - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX  (5)
10. R24 - Danny Weber -- Zwolle, LA  (17)
11. 05 - Michael Robertson -- Minden, LA  (9) DNF
12. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM  (3) DNF
13. 71 - Richard Harmon -- Evans, LA  (16) DNF
14. 7g - Mark Smith -- Lufkin, TX  (14) DNF
15. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX  (2) DNF
16. K9 - Adam Willis -- Boyce, LA  (12) DNF
17. 35 - Luke Graves -- Atlanta, LA  (15) DNF
18. 15p - John Parker -- Many, LA  (18) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK  (10)
2. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR  (2)
3. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK  (1)
4. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX  (7)
5. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX  (23)
6. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK  (11)
7. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX  (13)
8. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK  (14)
9. JP5 - Lee Patton -- Quitman, LA  (9)
10. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK  (22)
11. 97 - Cade Dillard -- Robeline, LA  (6)
12. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS  (16)
13. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX  (5)
14. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Natchitoches, LA  (19)
15. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX  (3)
16. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR  (24)
17. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA  (8)
18. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX  (4) DNF
19. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA  (15) DNF
20. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA  (17) DNF
21. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM  (20) DNF
22. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA  (21) DNF
23. 1 - Brett Frazier -- Haughton, LA  (12) DNF
24. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX  (18) DNF

Lap Leaders: Weder 1-13, Hughes 14-35.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 22, Weder 13.
AFCO Pole Award: Hyde.
Provisional Starters: Whittington, Mitchell.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award: Ross (started 22nd, finished 10th).
Next Race: Saturday, May 10, Pike County Speedway, Magnolia, Miss.
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series Points: Hughes 579, Holzkamper 531, Whittington 454, Weder 452, White 431, Pleasant 429, Mitchell 406, S. Hebert 391, Hyde 379, Rowland 375.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Whittington 112, Mitchell 92, Pleasant 90, Robertson 87, Bagley 84, S. Hebert 84.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer - Graves.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing - Ross.
Hawk Performance - Hughes.
Isky Racing Cams – Holzkamper.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Sanders.
New Vision Graphics - B.J. Robinson.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Weder.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Rowland.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Henigan.
Real Racing Wheels – Henigan, Rowland.
TrackTek Racing Fuel - Jones.

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TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, Awesome Race Suits, Bear Tire Company, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Childhelp, Gressel Racing, Houston Specialty Products Co., KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Q.E.M., Inc., TrackTek Racing Fuel, Western Flyer Xpress.

PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Day Motor Sports, Kraft/Ramirez Race Cars, Olympic Fire Protection, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Ruter Farms, Yeager Machine.

CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, Bert Transmission, BSB Manufacturing, COMP Cams, Duralite Racing Wheels, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake.