WATERTOWN, S.D. – People often refer to “home field” advantage when a driver gets to compete at his hometown track, but sometimes the pressure can be even greater than normal.

Such was the case for Jon Tesch Thursday night at the Casino Speedway in his hometown of Watertown, S.D.

Tesch, a three-time track champion (1998, 2000-01) at Casino Speedway, captured the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour main event two years ago at the 3/8-mile clay oval but spun out on the first lap of the Holley "A" Main last year and wound up last in front of family, friends and sponsors. Another Watertown racer, Scott Ward, won the race.

Tesch was in the spotlight again Thursday, but this time he shined brightly.

After starting ninth, Tesch chased down race-long leader Kelly Shryock on lap 33, then paced the final seven laps to send the standing-room-only Casino Speedway crowd into a frenzy with his late-race pass and narrow victory in the 4th Annual Team Electronics Summer Slam. The win was worth $2,000 to Tesch, who became a first-time father less than two months ago and turned 32 years old last week.

Shryock, who is still looking for his first win at the Casino Speedway, settled for the runner-up paycheck while Jason Hughes took home third-place money. Al Hejna was fourth and Zack VanderBeek rounded out the top-5 finishers.

Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Tommy Weder Jr., Dereck Ramirez, Corey Dripps, Brandon Kenny and Watertown's Chad Williamson.

Last year's winner, Ward finished in the 12th spot - one lap down to Tesch.

With the win, Tesch also narrowed the gap in the Great Plains Region points standings, but still trails Shryock (637 points) and VanderBeek (620) with 586 markers. Weder is fourth with 538 points, followed by Kenny (535), Hejna (528), Ramirez (501), Scott Green (482), defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Krohn (451) and Bryan Rowland (436).

The action continues tomorrow (Friday, June 27) as the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour invades the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons at the Casey's General Store location at 709 1st Ave. in Rock Rapids. Zack VanderBeek and his Cheetos/Casey's General Stores #33z Skyrocket Modified will be on hand to meet and greet fans at Casey's from 1 to 3 p.m.

Rapid Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 0.5 mile east of US 75 on SR 9, then 0.5 mile south on South Tama St. (at the Lyons County Fairgrounds). For more information, call the track hotline at (712) 472-3742.

Friday's race will be another Great Plains Region battle and the fifth 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. (winner: Jon Tesch)
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)
4th Annual Team Electronics Summer Slam
Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D.
Thursday, June 26, 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. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (8)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (2)
4. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (1)
5. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (4)
6. 10x - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (7)
7. 30 - D.J. Tesch -- Clear Lake, SD (5)
8. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (9) DNF
9. 83 - Joe Waba -- Watertown, SD (3) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)
2. 37 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (1)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
4. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (7)
5. 33 - Todd Stark -- Watertown, SD (3)
6. 54 - Danny Hall -- Watertown, SD (9)
7. 100 - J.R. Ward -- Watertown, SD (8)
8. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (6) DNF
9. 87 - Curt Kranz -- Watertown, SD (2) DNF

HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)
3. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (9)
4. 57 - Chad Williamson -- Watertown, SD (3)
5. 3a - Arne Anderson -- Watertown, SD (8)
6. 13 - Ryan Engels -- Arlington, SD (7)
7. 22 - Matt Steen -- Watertown, SD (5)
8. 12b - Chad Becker -- Aberdeen, SD (4) DNF
9. 20 - Jordan Foster -- Henry, SD (6) DNF

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)
3. 9 - Kent Arment -- Aberdeen, SD (1)
4. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (6)
5. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (8)
6. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (9)
7. 72 - Dustin Beebe -- Watertown, SD (4)
8. 7f - Josh Fleming -- Florence, SD (5)
9. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (2) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 9 - Kent Arment -- Aberdeen, SD (1)
2. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (3)
3. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (9)
4. 83 - Joe Waba -- Watertown, SD (11)
5. 3a - Arne Anderson -- Watertown, SD (2)
6. 100 - J.R. Ward -- Watertown, SD (7)
7. 54 - Danny Hall -- Watertown, SD (4)
8. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (5)
9. 10x - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (6)
10. 12b - Chad Becker -- Aberdeen, SD (10) DNF
11. 22 - Matt Steen -- Watertown, SD (8) DNF
12. 20 - Jordan Foster -- Henry, SD (12) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (1)
2. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (2)
3. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (4)
4. 57 - Chad Williamson -- Watertown, SD (3)
5. 13 - Ryan Engels -- Arlington, SD (6)
6. 72 - Dustin Beebe -- Watertown, SD (8)
7. 87 - Curt Kranz -- Watertown, SD (11)
8. 30 - D.J. Tesch -- Clear Lake, SD (7)
9. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (12)
10. 7f - Josh Fleming -- Florence, SD (10) DNF
11. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (9) DNF
12. 33 - Todd Stark -- Watertown, SD (5) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (9)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (2)
4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (6)
7. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (12)
8. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (7)
9. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (11)
10. 57 - Chad Williamson -- Watertown, SD (20)
11. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (18) -1 Lap
12. 37 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (8) -1 Lap
13. 9 - Kent Arment -- Aberdeen, SD (13) -1 Lap
14. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (23)
15. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (24)
16. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1) DNF
17. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (14) DNF
18. 3a - Arne Anderson -- Watertown, SD (21) DNF
19. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (15) DNF
20. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (10) DNF
21. 7n - Jay Noteboom -- Hinton, IA (16) DNF
22. 13 - Ryan Engels -- Arlington, SD (22) DNF
23. 83 - Joe Waba -- Watertown, SD (19) DNF
24. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (17) DNF

Lap Leaders: Shryock 1-33, Tesch 34-40.
Total Laps Led: Shryock 33, Tesch 7.
AFCO Pole Winner: Shryock.
Provisional Starters: Mathieson.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Hughes (713.21 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Williamson (started 20th, finished 10th).
Next Race: Friday, June 27, Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa (Great Plains Region).
Great Plains Region Points: Shryock 637, VanderBeek 620, Tesch 586, Weder 538, Kenny 535, Hejna 528, Ramirez 501, Green 482, Krohn 451, Rowland 436.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 532, Ramirez 508, Rowland 404, Gary Langworthy Jr. 161, Rodney Sanders 132.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 230, Mullins 197, A.S.I. 166, Wanders 166, JR 157.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 241, Hughes 209, Harris 165, Kraft 130, GRT 69.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Shryock.
American Racer – VanderBeek.
Belleville Motorsports – VanderBeek, Lineberry, Krohn.
BSB Manufacturing – not awarded.
Hawk Performance – Tesch, Kenny.
Isky Racing Cams – Hejna.
KSE Racing Products – not awarded.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Prussman.
New Vision Graphics – Weder.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Hughes.
Quarter Master – Tesch, Dripps.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Ramirez.
Real Racing Wheels – Mann, Reisch.
Ruter Farms – Hughes.
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.