LEBANON, Mo. – The Hunt is on … and for the third time, the first shot has been fired by Jon Tesch.

The Best of the Best in dirt Modified racing converged on the Midway Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., Friday night for the first of 18 events in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship.

The Hunt format to determine the O'Reilly USMTS National Champion was introduced for the 2006 season. Fifteen drivers qualified for the season-ending 16-race title chase with Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, garnering his unprecedented eighth straight O'Reilly USMTS National Championship.

In 2007, the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship was comprised of 15 events with 24 drivers earning a berth in the championship swing. Beginning the Hunt ranked 15th and with just seven points, Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., scored three victories and held off Jason Hughes and Shryock to claim the title.

A record 39 drivers qualified for this year's "Hunting Party" with 24 of them on hand for Friday night's opener.

One thing that hasn't changed, however, is Tesch's win percentage in Hunt openers: 100.

In 2006, Tesch claimed the Hunt opener at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, after a spirited battle with brothers Mike and Al Hejna. In 2007, Tesch won the first race of the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship by leading all 40 laps of the main event at the Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan.

Friday night's Holley "A" Main was another wire-to-wire whooping as Tesch collected the $2,000 top prize after leading all 40 laps around the 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval from the pole position. His take increased an additional $100 as he claimed the Ruter Farms Long Tow Award (Lebanon, Mo., is 651.15 miles from Tesch's hometown of Watertown, S.D.).

Rookie racer Bryan Rowland of Woodward, Okla., scored his career-best USMTS finish with a runner-up performance, while AFCO Pole Award winner Al Hejna of Clear Lake, Iowa, held on for third place. New Sharon, Iowa's Zack VanderBeek raced from 13th on the 25-car starting grid to fourth at the checkered flag and earned enough passing points to inch ahead of Shryock in the points (147 to 143). Shryock finished fifth in Friday's feature race.

Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Tim Donlinger, Steve Holzkamper, Hughes, Dereck Ramirez and Krohn.

Tesch, who finished fifth in the final standings in 2006 and fourth in last year's final rundown, sits third at the moment with 129 markers. Fourth is Hughes with 127 points, followed by Hejna (125), Ramirez (116), Rowland (110), Donlinger (106), Holzkamper (103) and Brandon Kenny (94).

Tomorrow night (Saturday, Aug. 9) will find the O'Reilly National Tour at the Springfield Raceway for the first time in Series history for the second event of the Casey’s General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship.

Pit gates open at 4 p.m. and grandstand gates open at 5, with hot laps slated for 6:15 and the first green flag scheduled to wave at 7 p.m.

Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons at all three Casey's General Stores locations in Springfield. Kelly Shryock will be at the 4124 W. Chestnut Expressway location from 12-2 p.m. to meet and greet fans.

The Springfield Raceway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval located off of I-44 at Exit 75, then south to Kearney Hwy., then 1.0 mile west to Westgate Ave., then 0.3 mile south. For more information, call the track hotline at (417) 863-0097 or check out www.springfieldraceway.com 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
Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship - Event 1 of 18
Midway Speedway, Lebanon, Mo.
Friday, Aug. 8, 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 (4)
2. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (2)
3. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (7)
4. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (1)
5. 15r - Jamie Ragland -- Lebanon, MO (8)
6. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (3)
7. 21 - Jackie Dalton -- Carthage, MO (9)
8. 87 - Jack Jones -- Lebanon, MO (5)
9. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (6) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)
2. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (5)
3. 56 - Tony Jackson Jr. -- Lebanon, MO (6)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)
5. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (9)
6. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (1)
7. 118 - Terry Beckham II -- Webb City, MO (4)
8. 65t - Tim Leiker -- Garden City, KS (3)
9. 6 - Donnie Powers -- Henderson, TX (7) DNF

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (2)
2. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (3)
3. 66 - Mike Paillou -- Pass Christian, MS (1)
4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (7)
5. 2h - Eric Hudson -- Rolla, MO (4)
6. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (8)
7. 19sb - Lance Mari -- El Centro, CA (6)
8. 19m - Aaron Mari -- El Centro, CA (5)

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
2. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (6)
3. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (5)
4. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (7)
5. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (2)
6. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8)
7. 15 - Nathan Mayes -- Springdale, AR (3)
8. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (4) DNF

HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (6)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (8)
4. 21m - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (5)
5. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX (2)
6. 117 - Jason Teague -- Tahlequah, OK (3)
7. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4) DNF
8. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (7) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
2. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (1)
3. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (4)
4. 15r - Jamie Ragland -- Lebanon, MO (5)
5. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (3)
6. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8)
7. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (9)
8. 2h - Eric Hudson -- Rolla, MO (6)
9. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX (7)
10. 21 - Jackie Dalton -- Carthage, MO (10)
11. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (14)
12. 65t - Tim Leiker -- Garden City, KS (13)
13. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (15) DNF
14. 19sb - Lance Mari -- El Centro, CA (11) DNF
15. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (12) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (2)
2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)
3. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (6)
4. 21m - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (4)
5. 118 - Terry Beckham II -- Webb City, MO (10)
6. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (8)
7. 15 - Nathan Mayes -- Springdale, AR (11)
8. 33 - Stephen Muilenburg -- Sparta, MO (14)
9. 117 - Jason Teague -- Tahlequah, OK (9)
10. 19m - Aaron Mari -- El Centro, CA (13)
11. 6 - Donnie Powers -- Henderson, TX (15)
12. 87 - Jack Jones -- Lebanon, MO (12)
13. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (7) DNF
14. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (5) DNF
15. 66 - Mike Paillou -- Pass Christian, MS (3) DNF

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
2. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (5)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (13)
5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7)
6. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (16)
7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (18)
8. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (14)
9. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (9)
10. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (6)
11. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (17)
12. 118 - Terry Beckham II -- Webb City, MO (22)
13. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS (25)
14. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (10)
15. 4rv - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (24)
16. 15r - Jamie Ragland -- Lebanon, MO (19)
17. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS (21)
18. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK (15)
19. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (23)
20. 21m - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (20) DNF
21. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (4) DNF
22. 56 - Tony Jackson Jr. -- Lebanon, MO (12) DNF
23. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (8) DNF
24. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (11) DNF
25. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (3) DNF

Lap Leaders: Tesch 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Tesch 40.
AFCO Pole Winner: Hejna.
Provisional Starters: Green, Boney.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Tesch (651.15 miles).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Holzkamper (started 18th, finished 7th).
Next Race: Saturday, Aug. 9, Springfield (Mo.) Raceway.
Casey's General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship Points: VanderBeek 147, Shryock 143, Tesch 129, Hughes 127, Hejna 125, Ramirez 116, Rowland 110, Donlinger 106, Holzkamper 103, Kenny 94.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points: Kenny 862, Ramirez 844, Rowland 586, Rodney Sanders 193, Colt Mather 191.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 368, Mullins 305, Wanders 286, A.S.I. 269, JR 228.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 385, Hughes 317, Kraft 254, Harris 235, GRT 100.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Hejna.
American Racer – Leiker.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Krohn.
Hawk Performance – Tesch, Ramirez.
Isky Racing Cams – Hejna.
KSE Racing Products – Holzkamper.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Neal.
New Vision Graphics – Krohn.
Nitroquest Web Solutions – Hejna.
Quarter Master – Tesch, Hughes.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Holzkamper.
Real Racing Wheels – VanderBeek, Hughes.
Ruter Farms – Tesch.
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, 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.