KASSON, Minn. – Jason Hughes of Westville, Okla., picked up where he left off on Saturday with a win in Sunday night's 7th Annual Stars & Stripes Shootout at the Kasson Speedway in Kasson, Minn. Starting on the outside of the second row, Hughes powered his Casey's General Stores #12 Hughes Chassis into the lead on lap 2 and never looked back en route to a $2,000 payday and his fourth O’Reilly USMTS National Tour victory of 2008.

Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, started on the pole of the Holley “A” Main with Decorah, Iowa's Dan Bohr to his right. VanderBeek led the first orbit in the 35-lapper while Hughes got around Bohr for second. In the next turn, Hughes scooted around the outside of VanderBeek to record the final lead change of the race.

Although Hughes went unchallenged the rest of the way, the action was thick behind him and three cautions kept the field within striking distance. VanderBeek and Bohr raced side by side for more than 10 laps before Brad Waits of nearby Zumbrota, Minn., joined the battle.

Waits disposed of VanderBeek and Bohr on lap 20, then started reeling in Hughes. Within a car length of the leader, a caution with nine laps to go wiped out the distance but Waits bobbled on the restart to let VanderBeek and Bohr sneak back ahead. Waits disposed of both three laps later, but time ran out as Hughes took the checkered flag first while Waits had to settle for his second straight runner-up finish behind Hughes and his fourth second-place finish in four O’Reilly USMTS National Tour starts.

Corey Dripps of Waterloo, Iowa, made a late-race charge to garner a season-best third-place finish, while Bohr took fourth and VanderBeek finished fifth for the third straight night and fourth time in the last five races.

Dean Mahlstedt picked up the KSE Hard Charger Award for his charge from 16th on the 24-car starting grid to a sixth-place finish. Eight-time O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock was seventh, Mike Sorensen eighth, Mark Noble ninth and Tim Donlinger rounded out the top-10 finishers.

With the win, Hughes jumped from sixth to second in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region points standings, just three points behind Shryock (365 to 362). Donlinger sits second in the rankings with 353 markers, followed by VanderBeek (348), Al Hejna (335), Tommy Myer (320), Steve Wetzstein (281), Jason Krohn (274), Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year points leader Brandon Kenny (273) and Dripps (264).

UP NEXT:

Just a short 28-mile drive down the road from Kasson, the whirlwind weekend will wrap up with the long-awaited return of the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour for the 5th Annual Memorial Day Shootout at the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minn., on Monday, May 26. Pit gates are slated to open at 2 p.m. and grandstands begin filling up at 3. Hot laps are at 5 and the mud starts flying at 4:30. WISSOTA-sanctioned Midwest Mods will also be racing.

Hughes will make his final on-site salute to the fans on Monday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Casey's General Stores location at 475 18th St. SE in Owatonna, just a few blocks from the track. Race fans can pick up $2-off grandstand admission coupons on race day at Casey's General Store locations in Austin, Stewartville, Rochester and Owatonna.

The Steele County Speedway is a 1/2-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 1.0 mile east of I-35 on US 14, then 1.2 miles north on CR 45 (at the Steele County Fairgrounds). For more info, call 507-451-5305 or 507-456-1034 or visit www.scff.org online.

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 National Tour
7th Annual Stars & Stripes Shootout
Kasson Speedway, Kasson, Minn.
Sunday, May 25, 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 (8 laps):
1. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (4)
2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (8)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
4. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (2)
5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (6)
6. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
7. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (7)
8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (9)
9. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (1) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (1)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
3. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (4)
4. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (9)
5. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (8)
6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (5)
8. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (3)
9. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (7)

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)
2. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (1)
3. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (5)
4. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (9)
5. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (2)
6. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (8)
7. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (4)
8. 75 - James Parker -- Dodge Center, MN (7)
9. 27s - Jason Schlangen -- Cresco, IA (3) DNF

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (3)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (8)
3. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (6)
4. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
5. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (4)
6. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)
7. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
8. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (5)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (2)
2. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
3. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
4. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (4)
5. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (7)
6. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (5)
7. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (11)
8. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (1)
9. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (8)
10. 27s - Jason Schlangen -- Cresco, IA (12)
11. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (9)
12. 75 - James Parker -- Dodge Center, MN (10)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (2)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
3. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (1)
4. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (4)
5. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (3)
6. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (7)
8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)
9. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (9)
10. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (10)
11. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (11) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (4)
2. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (5)
3. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)
4. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (2)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
6. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (16)
7. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (12)
8. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (11)
9. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)
10. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (10)
11. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
12. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (23)
13. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (14)
14. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (13)
15. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (18)
16. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (22)
17. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (20)
18. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (17)
19. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (9)
20. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (24) -4 Laps
21. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (7) DNF
22. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (21) DNF
23. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA (19) DNF
24. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (8) DNS

Lap Leaders: VanderBeek 1, Hughes 2-35.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 34, VanderBeek 1.
AFCO Pole Winner: Dripps.
Provisional Starters: Myer, Ramirez.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: VanderBeek (216.88 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award: Mahlstedt (started 16th, finished 6th).
Next Race: Monday, May 26, Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, Minn.
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Shryock 365, Hughes 362, Donlinger 353, VanderBeek 348, Hejna 335, Myer 320, Wetzstein 281, Jason Krohn 274, Kenny 273, Dripps 264.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 298, Ramirez 205, Rowland 172, Gary Langworthy Jr. 128, Rodney Sanders 90.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 112, A.S.I. 98, Mullins 92, Wanders 80, JRM 64.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 120, Hughes 105, Harris 79, GRT 53, Kraft 45.

Contingency Awards:
American Racer – Rowland.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Donlinger.
Hawk Performance – Hughes, Noble.
Isky Racing Cams – Mondus.
KSE Racing Products – Mahlstedt.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Mondus.
New Vision Graphics – Bohr.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Dripps.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Sorensen.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Shryock.
Real Racing Wheels – Wetzstein.
Ruter Farms – VanderBeek.
TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.

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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.