KASSON, Minn. (May 26, 2002) - Todd Scharkey Kasson, MN won his first ever USMTS main event on Sunday night in grand fashion. Scharkey started the race in the tenth row inside and passed Mike Sorensen coming out of turn four for the checkered flag with a hard charging Tommy Myer from Blooming Prairie, MN flying on the outside.

Scharkey started the night out with trouble in the heat race and had to start at the back of the B-main.

In the B-main USMTS only took three cars out of each and Scharkey finished third. The race started with Steve Wetzstein and Joey Kates on the pole.

Kates jumped out to the early lead and led the first twenty-three laps before Mike Sorensen took the top spot.

The man on the move was national point leader Kelly Shryock who had worked his way to third.

On lap 28 the final yellow of the event was thrown with Shryock on the tail of Sorensen.

These two drivers would battle going into turns 1-2 Sorensen went low and they touched.

Shryock would hit some mud on the very bottom of the track and fade back to eighth place.

Another that was flying around the top of the speedway was Bob Timm who had worked his way up to second before breaking something in the rear end. Myer, Scharkey, and Sorensen would battle out for a great finish.

Sorensen was protecting the middle of the track when Scharkey came in on the bottom, Sorensen quickly moved to the bottom when the white flag flew. All three drivers was trying to make his move going down the backstretch. Going into turn three Sorensen was in the middle Scharkey on the bottom and Myer on the outside. Scharkey would win by a nose over Myer with Sorensen taking home a third place finish.

Myer started the race in the seventh row. Sorensen started sixth.

Winning the Harris Auto Racing heat races were Kates, Kevin Peters, Steve Wetzstein, Sorensen, Jason Miller.

B-mains were won by Tommy Myer, Jason Hughes, and Bob Timm. Fifty-six cars were on hand for the racing action and a packed grandstand witnessed the racing action. Next up for the north region will be the three-day 7 th Annual Fisher Motors Roughrider Classic in Minot, ND June 7-9. This race will pay $1000 on Friday and Saturday and $5000 to win Sunday’s Main Event. The next race for the USMTS will be the first ever visit to the Belleville Highbanks for the Belleville Modified National on Tuesday and Wednesday June 4-5.

This race will also pay $5000 to win. This race will be the first race of the USMTS national modified tour that will be fifteen nights of racing in seventeen days. For more info call the USMTS office at 515-832-7944.

<B><font face=verdana size=4>RESULTS</font></b>

Heat 1- Joey Kates, Mark Noble, Johnny Bone, Tommy Myer, Ron Schreiner

Heat 2- Kevin Peters, Steve Mueller, Doug Hillson, Rick Friendt, David Siercks

Heat 3- Steve Wetzstein, Kelly Shryock, Bret Frieden, Tim Donlinger, Nathan Kilwine

Heat 4- Mike Sorensen, Jason Hughes, Les Duellman, Randy Zimmerman, Bob Timm

Heat 5- Jason Miller, Darwin Karau, Jay Ihrke, Jay Poidinger, Dennis Hillson

B-Main 1- Tommy Myer, Jason Krohn, Todd Scharkey, Steve Mueller, Steve Holzkamper

B-main 2- Jason Hughes, Jay Poidinger, Rick Friendt, Jim Arnold, Denny Barwald

B-main 3- Bob Timm, Ron Schreiner, Dean Mahlstadt, Darwin Karau, Johnny Bone

A-main- 1) Todd Scharkey Kasson, MN, (19), 2) Tommy Myer Blooming Prairie, MN, (13), 3) Mike Sorensen Rochester, MN, (6), 4) Joey Kates Kansas City, KS (1), 5) Jason Krohn Slayton, MN, (16), 6) Jason Hughes Colcord, OK, (14), 7) Randy Zimmerman Fort Scott, KS, (10), 8) Kelly Shryock Lemars, IA, (9), 9) Ron Schreiner Hudson, WI, (18), 10) Jay Ihrke Dover, MN (4), 11) Dean Mahlstadt Garner, IA, (21), 12) Tim Donlinger Rochester, MN, (22), 13) Mark Noble Blooming Prairie, MN (3), 14) Jason Miller Duluth, MN (7), 15) Steve Holzkamper Gentry, AR, (26), 16) Dan Daniels Humboldt, KS (23), 17) Jim Arnold Rochester, MN (24), 18) Doug Hillson Blooming Prairie, MN (11), 19) Jay Poidinger Somerset, WI, (17) 20) Bob Timm Winona, MN (15), 21) Les Duellman Winona, MN (12), 22) Bret Frieden Walford, IA (5), 23) Kevin Stoa Polk City, IA, (25), 24) Steve Wetzstein West Concord, MN (2), 25) Rick Friendt St Paul, MN (20), 26) Kevin Peters Monmouth, IL (10).