SLAYTON, Minn. – Tim Donlinger of Rochester, Minn., took the lead from Al Hejna on lap 10, then kept his Modified out front and out of trouble for the final 25 laps to win the 5th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge presented by DeBoer Chevrolet at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn.

Several cautions kept the field close throughout the race, including runner-up Kelly Shryock, but Donlinger refused to buckle under the pressure and held on to score the $2,000 top prize and his second O'Reilly USMTS National Tour event of the season.

While Shryock had to settle for second, it was good enough for the eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion to capture the Great Plains Region championship and a spot in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship.

Rookie contender Dereck Ramirez finished third while Jon Tesch kept the crowd entertained by racing from 23rd on the 24-car starting grid to fourth at the checkered flag. Tommy Myer grabbed fifth, with Zack VanderBeek, Marlin Kracht, Mike Steensma, Scott Green and Hejna completing the top-10. Chris Prussman finished 11th as the last car left running at the end of the attrition-riddled main contest.

VanderBeek finished second in the Great Plains Region final standings and joins Shryock as qualifiers for 'The Hunt.' Also garnering a coveted spot in the season-ending title chase are the rest of the top-10 in Great Plains Region points: Tesch, Ramirez, Hejna, Brandon Kenny, Green, Tommy Weder Jr., Jason Krohn and Jason Hughes. Also earning a berth in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship are Josh Reisch and Corey Dripps via their perfect attendance in the nine-race region.

These 12 drivers join 14 others who had already qualified for 'The Hunt' based on their performance in the O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series.

The O'Reilly USMTS National Tour rolls on tomorrow at the Kasson (Minn.) Speedway. Thursday's Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region clash will once again feature Kenny Wallace as he competes in his third straight with America's Hottest Ticket on Dirt. Pit gates will open at 4:30 p.m., hot laps begin at 6:45 and the first heat race is slated for 7:15. Hornets, Pure Stocks, Midwest Mods and Supers will round the evening's racing program.

Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons at the Casey's General Stores locations in Owatonna, Rochester and Zumbrota. Jason Hughes and his Casey's-sponsored #12 Hughes Chassis Modified will meet and greet fans from 1-3 p.m. at the Casey's General Store located at 1600 Eastwood Rd. SE in Rochester.

The Kasson Speedway is a 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval located 1.1 miles north of US 14 on SR 57 (at the Dodge County Fairgrounds). For day-of-race information, call the track hotline at (507) 634-6400 or visit their Official Website at www.kassonspeedway.com.

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.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

OFFICIAL RESULTS
United States Modified Touring Series
O’Reilly USMTS National Tour (Great Plains Region)
5th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge presented by DeBoer Chevrolet
Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn.
Wednesday, July 23, 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. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
3. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (3)
4. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (7)
5. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (5)
6. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)
7. 20r - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (8)
8. 12x - Nick Johansen -- Russell, MN (4)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)
2. 22k - Steve Kosiski -- Papillion, NE (1)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)
4. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (4)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)
6. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)
7. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (5)
8. 7w - Kenneth Will -- Windom, MN (8)

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
2. 21 - Jim Horejsi -- Echo, MN (3)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6)
4. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (8)
5. 41 - Scott Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (1)
6. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (7)
7. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (2)
8. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (4)

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (6)
2. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (5)
3. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)
4. 10x - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (3)
5. 3b - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (2)
6. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (4)
7. 14i - Jay Ireton -- Slayton, MN (7)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (5)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
3. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (2)
4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (10)
5. 20r - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (7)
6. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)
7. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
8. 41 - Scott Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (4)
9. 12x - Nick Johansen -- Russell, MN (9)
10. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (8)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (5)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)
3. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (3)
4. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (7)
5. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (6)
6. 7w - Kenneth Will -- Windom, MN (9)
7. 14i - Jay Ireton -- Slayton, MN (8)
8. 10x - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (2)
9. 3b - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (4)

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (2)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (14)
4. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (23)
5. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
6. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (15)
7. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (18)
8. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (13)
9. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (16)
10. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
11. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (10)
12. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (22) DNF
13. 22K - Steve Kosiski -- Papillion, NE (9) DNF
14. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (17) DNF
15. 20r - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (21) DNF
16. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (6) DNF
17. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (19) DNF
18. 21 - Jim Horejsi -- Echo, MN (7) DNF
19. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (3) DNF
20. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (20) DNF
21. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (12) DNF
22. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (24) DNF
23. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (11) DNF
24. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (4) DNF

Lap Leaders: Hejna 1-10, Donlinger 11-35.
Total Laps Led: Donlinger 25, Hejna 10.
AFCO Pole Winner: Donlinger.
Provisional Starters: Tesch, Neal.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Kenny (723.62 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Ramirez (started 14th, finished 3rd).
Next Race: Thursday, July 24, Kasson Speedway, Kasson, Minn. (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region).
Great Plains Region Points (final): Shryock 830, VanderBeek 784, Tesch 771, Ramirez 689, Hejna 688, Kenny 679, Green 631, Tommy Weder Jr. 623, Krohn 604, Hughes 576.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 597, Ramirez 583, Bryan Rowland 425, Gary Langworthy Jr. 161, Colt Mather 149.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 257, Mullins 220, Wanders 189, A.S.I. 188, JR 176.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 271, Hughes 231, Harris 185, Kraft 156, Specialty 77.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Donlinger.
American Racer – Neal.
Belleville Motorsports – Myer, Hejna, Kenny.
BSB Manufacturing – Hejna.
Hawk Performance – Donlinger, Green.
Isky Racing Cams – Dripps.
KSE Racing Products – Ramirez.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Krohn.
New Vision Graphics – Krohn.
Nitroquest Web Solutions - Ramirez.
Quarter Master – Donlinger, Steensma.
QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.
Real Racing Wheels – Steensma, Ramirez.
Ruter Farms – Kenny.
TrackTek Racing Fuel – not awarded.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, 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, Buzzard Racing Engines, 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.