BRANDON, S.D. – Huset's Speedway had not been kind to Al Hejna in the previous two visits by the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour. Conversely, Kelly Shryock had cultivated a warm friendship with the 3/8-mile high-banked dirt oval in Brandon, S.D.

It was a reversal of fortune Wednesday night as Hejna scored his second O’Reilly USMTS National Tour victory of the season while Shryock's front-row start for the 40-lap main event turned into a last-place finish instead of a third straight win.

As the 24 starters stomped on their gas pedals to start the Holley "A" Main, Shryock and polesitter Scott Green banged wheels coming to the flagstand which resulted in Shryock's Modified smacking the wall and retiring him to the pit area without completing a lap.

After the restart, Green paced the first lap before relinquishing the top spot to Jay Noteboom. From that point, Noteboom set a blistering pace and led the next 30 laps before being challenged by defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn.

Krohn snagged the lead on lap 32, but as the pair raced into the first turn, the pair made contact which sent Noteboom spinning to a stop and bringing out a caution flag. Both drivers failed to return from the pits for the restart, which handed the lead to Hejna.

Two years ago, Hejna had to take a provisional just to get into the main event, but passed 13 cars en route to a 10th-place finish. Last year found Hejna in a Real Racing Wheels "B" Main again where he raced his way in to the Holley "A" Main but failed to finish the race.

After starting 12th Wednesday night, Hejna was in front and led lap 33, but his reign was short-lived as Jason Hughes passed Hejna on the outside two laps later to gain the lead with seven laps to go.

Hughes couldn't shake the “A-Train” and four laps later was back in second chasing Hejna's JDRF Lucky #7 Harris Modified.

Hejna was flawless for the last three laps as he took the checkered flag in front of Hughes to pocket the $2,000 top prize.

NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader, who blew and engine while leading last year's race, came from 13th on the starting grid to finish third.

Current Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar Rookie of the Year points leader Brandon Kenny wound up fourth, while Green (last year's rookie titleist) rounded out the top-5 at the finish line.

Tommy Weder Jr., Kenny Wallace, Zack VanderBeek, Jim Horejsi and Corey Dripps were sixth through tenth, respectively.

In the ever-tightening Great Plains Region points battle, Shryock held on to the lead but saw his advantage narrow to two points (538 to 536) over VanderBeek. Jon Tesch sits third with 477 markers, followed Kenny (459), Weder (457), Hejna (440), Green (422), Dereck Ramirez (418), Krohn (397) and Josh Reisch (375), who moved into the top-10 for the first time this season.

UP NEXT:

The action continues tomorrow (Thursday, June 26) as the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour invades the Casino Speedway in Watertown, S.D., for the 4th Annual Team Electronics Summer Slam. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the first green flag is scheduled to wave at 7 p.m. Also on the racing card will be the WISSOTA Street Stocks.

Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons at all three Casey's General Stores locations in Watertown. Zack VanderBeek and his Cheetos/Casey's General Stores #33z Skyrocket Modified will be on hand to meet and greet fans at the Casey's General Store located at 405 10th St. SW from 1 to 3 p.m.

The Casino Speedway is a 3/8-mile slightly-banked clay oval located 4.0 miles northwest of US 212 on SR 20, then 0.7 mile south on Stokes-Thomas Lake Rd. (next to the city park). For more information, call the track hotline at (605) 882-2855 or visit www.casinospeedway.com online.

Thursday's race will be another Great Plains Region battle and the fourth of six straight nights of racing through Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota:

Mon Jun 23 … Independence Motor Speedway, Independence, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)
Tue Jun 24 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa (winner: Kelly Shryock)
Wed Jun 25 … Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, S.D. (winner: Al Hejna)
Thu Jun 26 … Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D.
Fri Jun 27 … Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa
Sat Jun 28 … Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, Minn.

Afterwards, the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour teams get a well-deserved Summer Break before returning to action on Tuesday, July 22, at the Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, for the final stretch run to the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the 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 National Tour (Great Plains Region)
3rd Annual NASCAR Challenge
Huset's Speedway, Brandon, S.D.
Wednesday, June 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. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (4)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (9)
4. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (1)
5. 21 - Jim Horejsi -- Echo, MN (8)
6. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (7)
7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
8. 10x - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (5)
9. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (2)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (2)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)
3. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (3)
4. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (8)
5. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (1)
6. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (5)
7. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (7)
8. 14r - Randy Rosenboom -- Rock Rapids, IA (6)

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (4)
2. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (5)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (7)
4. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (1)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (6)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (2)
7. 48 - Bobby Moore -- Sioux City, IA (3) DNF
8. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (8) DNF

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (1)
2. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (4)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
5. 9x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (8)
6. 41 - Chad Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (2)
7. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (6)
8. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (5)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (1)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
3. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (5)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)
5. 21 - Jim Horejsi -- Echo, MN (2)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)
7. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (3)
8. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (10)
9. 10x - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (9)
10. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (11)
11. 48 - Bobby Moore -- Sioux City, IA (8)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 9x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (2)
2. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (3)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (1)
4. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (5)
5. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (8)
6. 41 - Chad Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (6)
7. 14r - Randy Rosenboom -- Rock Rapids, IA (9)
8. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (10)
9. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (4)
10. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (7)

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (12)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (9)
3. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (13)
4. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (6)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (10)
7. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (8)
8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (19)
9. 21 - Jim Horejsi -- Echo, MN (21)
10. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (23)
11. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (11)
12. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (4)
13. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (18)
14. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (7)
15. 9x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (14)
16. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (3) DNF
17. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5) DNF
18. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (17) DNF
19. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (24) DNF
20. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (22) DNF
21. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (20) DNF
22. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (15) DNF
23. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (16) DNF
24. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2) DNF

Lap Leaders: Green 1, Noteboom 2-31, Krohn 32, Hejna 33, Hughes 34-37, Hejna 38-40.
Total Laps Led: Noteboom 30, Hejna 4, Hughes 4, Green 1, Krohn 1.
AFCO Pole Winner: Green.
Provisional Starters: Dripps, Oskerson.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Ramirez (695.77 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Horejsi (started 21st, finished 9th).
Next Race: Thursday, June 26, Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D. (Great Plains Region).
Great Plains Region Points: Shryock 538, VanderBeek 536, Tesch 477, Kenny 459, Weder 457, Hejna 440, Green 422, Ramirez 418, Krohn 397, Reisch 375.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 509, Ramirez 483, Rowland 383, Gary Langworthy Jr. 161, Rodney Sanders 132.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 220, Mullins 188, A.S.I. 161, Wanders 159, JR 149.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 232, Hughes 201, Harris 158, Kraft 120, GRT 69.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Green.
American Racer – Ramirez.
Belleville Motorsports – Green, Dripps, Aggen.
BSB Manufacturing – Dripps.
Hawk Performance – Hejna.
Isky Racing Cams – Green.
KSE Racing Products – not awarded.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Shryock.
New Vision Graphics – Wallace.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Schrader.
Quarter Master – Hejna, VanderBeek.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Wallace.
Real Racing Wheels – Schrader, Steensma.
Ruter Farms – Ramirez.
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., 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.