MAGNOLIA, Miss. — On Friday night, O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series points leader Jason Hughes picked up his second win of the season and let it be known that he is the man to beat this year.

Just in case some were not listening, he repeated his message loud and clear on Saturday night as he picked up his third win in seven starts as the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series visited the Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss., for the inaugural I-55 Modified Challenge.

Scott Green of Derby, Kan., set the tone early on with an impressive seventh-to-first run in his heat race to earn the AFCO Pole Award. The 2007 Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year on the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour then redrew the outside of row 2 for the 30-lap Holley “A” Main on the exquisite 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval.

Veteran Louisiana racers Jerry Cassano and three-time O’Reilly SUPR Late Model Series champion David Ashley sat on the front row for the main event, but Green swiped the top spot from Cassano with just one lap in the books. Green paced the next nine laps before giving way to Tommy Weder Jr., who relinquished the point eight laps later to Hughes, who started seventh.

From there it was all Hughes as the Westville, Okla., ace led a 1-2-3 sweep by drivers in Hughes Chassis Modifieds. Weder hung on for second, followed by Green, Cassano and Morgan Bagley. Shane Hebert, Dereck Ramirez, Steve Holzkamper, Brandon Kenny and Bryan Rowland rounded out the top-10 finishers.

The win was worth $2,000 to Hughes as he extended his points lead over Holzkamper (688 to 616 points) after completion of the seventh of 25 O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series events scheduled for the 2008 racing season. Weder jumped up one spot to third with 554 points, followed by John O. Whittington (499), Paul White (497), Kyle Pleasant (491), Hebert (481), David Mitchell (464), Rowland (459) and Bagley (445).

The rugged road warriors of the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series wrap up their five-week spring swing next weekend with a doubleheader in the Lone Star State. On Friday, May 16, the 105 Speedway in Cleveland, Texas, plays host to the hottest modified drivers in the South, while Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, will be the locale on Saturday, May 17.

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 I-55 Modified Challenge
Pike County Speedway, Magnolia, Miss.
Saturday, May 10, 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. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (7)
2. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (2)
3. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (3)
4. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (1)
5. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
6. 211 - Richie Ginn -- Baton Rouge, LA (4)
7. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (8)
8. 50 - Joe Credidio -- Paulina, LA (9)
9. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA (6)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 19a - David Ashley -- Zachary, LA (7)
2. C24 - Jerry Cassano -- Baton Rouge, LA (3)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (1)
4. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (5)
5. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (8)
6. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (4)
7. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (6)
8. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (2)

HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (1)
2. 3j - Kevin Dupont -- Carencro, LA (6)
3. 2s - Stormy Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (2)
4. L88 - Mark Herbert -- Monticello, MS (8)
5. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Natchitoches, LA (3)
6. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (4)
7. 8 - George Gilbert -- Biloxi, MS (7)
8. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (5) DNF

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (2)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)
3. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (6)
4. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (5)
5. 008 - Gregg Hollingsworth -- Lawrence, MS (8)
6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (1)
7. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (7)
8. 37 - Johnny Breeland -- Sumrall, MS (4) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 008 - Gregg Hollingsworth -- Lawrence, MS (3)
2. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (2)
3. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (4)
4. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (10)
5. 211 - Richie Ginn -- Baton Rouge, LA (5)
6. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (7)
7. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (6)
8. 01 - Billy Robinson -- Blanchard, LA (11)
9. 2s - Stormy Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (1) DNF
10. 50 - Joe Credidio -- Paulina, LA (9) DNF
11. 8 - George Gilbert -- Biloxi, MS (8) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (1)
2. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM (3)
3. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Natchitoches, LA (4)
4. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (5)
5. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (6)
6. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK (8)
7. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (2)
8. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (7)
9. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (9) DNF
10. 37 - Johnny Breeland -- Sumrall, MS (10) DNS

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK  (7)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK  (8)
3. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS  (4)
4. C24 - Jerry Cassano -- Baton Rouge, LA  (1)
5. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX  (9)
6. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA  (15)
7. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK  (12)
8. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR  (17)
9. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- East Woodward, OK  (24)
10. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK  (22)
11. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM  (6)
12. L88 - Mark Herbert -- Monticello, MS  (10)
13. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX  (3)
14. 19a - David Ashley -- Zachary, LA  (2)
15. 3j - Kevin Dupont -- Carencro, LA  (5)
16. 6x - Kyle Pleasant -- Natchitoches, LA  (18)
17. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX  (11)
18. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR  (20)
19. 1st - Johnny Scott -- Las Cruces, NM  (16)
20. 211 - Richie Ginn -- Baton Rouge, LA  (21) DNF
21. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA  (14) DNF
22. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA  (23) DNF
23. 008 - Gregg Hollingsworth -- Lawrence, MS  (13) DNF
24. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX  (19) DNF

Lap Leaders: Cassano 1, Green 2-10, Weder 11-18, Hughes 19-30.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 12, Green 9, Weder 8, Cassano 1.
AFCO Pole Award: Green.
Provisional Starters: Burford, Kenny.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award: Rowland (started 22nd, finished 10th).
Next Race: Friday, May 16, 105 Speedway, Cleveland, Texas.
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series Points: Hughes 688, Holzkamper 616, Weder 554, Whittington 499, White 497, Pleasant 491, Hebert 481, Mitchell 464, Rowland 459, Bagley 445.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Whittington 122, Bagley 109, Hebert 107, Pleasant 105, Mitchell 103.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer - Cassano.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing - Rowland.
Hawk Performance - Hughes, Kenny.
Isky Racing Cams – Green.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Sanders.
New Vision Graphics - not awarded.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Green.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Holzkamper.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Ramirez.
Real Racing Wheels – Culp.
TrackTek Racing Fuel - Herbert.

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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.