MONTICELLO, Ark. – Jason Hughes garnered his fifth O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series win of the season Friday night with a victory at the Monticello Speedway in Monticello, Ark. The veteran from Westville, Okla., hustled past polesitter Jack Sullivan to lead the third lap, then paced the remaining 27 circuits to pocket the $2,000 top prize and his first Southern Speedweek checkered flag.

With the win, Hughes increased his points lead in the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series as the season surpassed the halfway mark in events completed and also regained the momentum he lost on Wednesday night when he failed to finish the main event at the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark.

Sullivan, who on the Little Rock event, faded to twelfth in Friday's Holley "A" Main, while eight-time O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award with a second-place finish after clawing his way from 16th on the 24-car starting grid. Still looking for that first O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series win of 2008, it was Shryock's third runner-up finish in the last four contests.

Johnny Bone Jr. of Pea Ridge, Ark., continued his solid string of performances with a third-place finish and young Timothy Culp of West Monroe, La., was impressive in his run to fourth from a 13th-place starting spot. Scott Green of Derby, Kan., took fifth to put drivers from five different States in the top-5 final running order.

It was too close to call at the line, so Tommy Weder Jr. and Brandon Kenny – both of Woodward, Okla. – shared sixth place money and points. Another Woodward wheelman, Dereck Ramirez, grabbed an eighth-place paycheck with Steven Whiteaker of Corpus Christi, Texas, in ninth.

After struggling in his heat race and failing to finish the second Real Racing Wheels "B" Main, Steve Holzkamper of Gentry, Ark., needed a provisional to get into the main event. "Mr. Consistency" turned it around in the nightcap and raced from 23rd to 10th to earn his twelfth top-10 finish in thirteen starts.

Hughes remains the points leader with a 54-point cushion (1196 to 1142) over Holzkamper. Weder sits third with 1050 points, followed by Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year points leader John O Whittington (925), Paul White (890), Shane Hebert (845), Ramirez (845), Bryan Rowland (823), Kenny (821) and Burford (789).

UP NEXT:

Southern Speedweek will wrap up on Saturday, June 7, with a return to Fast Trax Speedway. The 3/8-mile semi-banked red clay oval is located 4.0 miles southeast of SR 34 on SR 4 in Chatham, La. The office number is (318) 325-4562 and the track phone will ring by calling (318) 249-2443. More info is also available online at www.fasttraxspeedway.net.

After Saturday, the next event for the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series won't take place until Friday, Aug. 22. Therefore, the top-10 points-earners, along with all other drivers with perfect attendance in the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series after Saturday's event at Fast Trax Speedway will be the first group of competitors qualified for the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship.

The Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship season-ending title chase will begin on Friday, Aug. 8, at the Midway Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., and concludes with the 10th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., on Saturday, Sept. 20.

For the fans, the ‘The Hunt’ serves as a “playoff” for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. While handicapping gives a slight advantage to the drivers that compete on the entire O’Reilly USMTS National Tour circuit, any of the qualified drivers have a legitimate shot at capturing the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship.

The USMTS is celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season in 2008 with many special promotions to show thanks to the fans, drivers, team members, families and sponsors who have helped make the USMTS the premier dirt modified series in the nation.

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
Southern Speedweek - Race #4 of 5
Monticello Speedway, Monticello, Ark.
Friday, June 6, 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. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (2)
2. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (3)
3. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5)
4. 15w - Lee Walchli -- Lavaca, AR (1)
5. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (7)
6. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (4)
7. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (6)
8. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (8) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (2)
2. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (1)
3. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (5)
4. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
5. 90 - Jody Davidson -- West Monroe, LA (6)
6. 6d - Rick Duke -- Pineville, LA (4)
7. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (7)
8. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (8) DNF

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (2)
2. 17f - Casey Findley -- Bryant, AR (1)
3. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (3)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
5. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (4)
6. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
7. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (8)
8. 88 - A.J. Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (7)

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (2)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (8)
4. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (1)
5. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (7)
6. 011 - Mac Harmon -- Hewitt, TX (4)
7. 555 - Jeff Marks -- Crossett, AR (6) DNF
8. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Tulsa, OK (5) DNF

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX
2. 26 - Brian Williams -- Fayetteville, AR (6)
3. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (2)
4. 60 - William Gould -- Fort Smith, AR (4)
5. 1 - Brett Frazier -- Haughton, LA (7)
6. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (3)
7. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (5)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (5)
2. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (1)
3. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (7)
4. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (4)
5. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (10)
6. 6d - Rick Duke -- Pineville, LA (8)
7. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (11)
8. 15w - Lee Walchli -- Lavaca, AR (3)
9. 011 - Mac Harmon -- Hewitt, TX (9)
10. 5w - John O. Whittington -- Vidor, TX (12)
11. 1 - Brett Frazier -- Haughton, LA (6)
12. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (2) DNF
13. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (13) DNS
14. 27 - Greg Skaggs -- Tulsa, OK (14) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)
3. 90 - Jody Davidson -- West Monroe, LA (6)
4. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (1)
5. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (10)
6. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (12)
7. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (5)
8. 60 - William Gould -- Fort Smith, AR (4)
9. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (9)
10. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (7)
11. 555 - Jeff Marks -- Crossett, AR (11)
12. 88 - A.J. Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (13) DNF
13. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (2) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (5)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (16)
3. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (7)
4. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (13)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (12)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (9)
6. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (2)
8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (14)
9. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)
10. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (23)
11. 26 - Brian Williams -- Fayetteville, AR (6)
12. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (1)
13. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (19)
14. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (8)
15. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (15)
16. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (24)
17. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (10)
18. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (3)
19. 90 - Jody Davidson -- West Monroe, LA (18) DNF
20. 17f - Casey Findley -- Bryant, AR (11) DNF
21. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (22) DNF
22. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (21) DNF
23. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (20) DNF
24. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (17) DNF

Lap Leaders: Sullivan 1-2, Hughes 3-30.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 28, Sullivan 2.
AFCO Pole Winner: Williams.
Provisional Starters: Holzkamper, Whittington.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Shryock (started 16th, finished 2nd).
Next Race: Saturday, June 7, Fast Trax Speedway, Chatham, La.
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series Points: Hughes 1196, Holzkamper 1142, Weder 1050, Whittington 925, White 890, Hebert 845, Ramirez 845, Rowland 823, Kenny 821, Burford 789.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Whittington 240, Ramirez 212, Hebert 198, Rowland 191, Bagley 190.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 118, Shinook 95, Sput’s 70, Wells 68, Wall 2 Wall 54.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 118, TRE 107, Skyrocket 92, Kraft 72, Shaw 62.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – not awarded.
American Racer – Martin.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Holzkamper.
Hawk Performance – Hughes, Whiteaker.
Isky Racing Cams – Kenny.
KSE Racing Products – Shryock.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Martin.
New Vision Graphics – Sullivan.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Bone.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Ramirez.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Weder, Kenny.
Real Racing Wheels – Culp, Ramirez.
Ruter Farms – not awarded.
TrackTek Racing Fuel – Harmon.

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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., Karl Chevrolet, 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.