ALLISON, Iowa – The O'Reilly USMTS National Tour swings back into action this week with four races in Northern Iowa and Southern Minnesota. This week's quadrupleheader will serve as the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth events of the Casey’s General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship.

The season-ending title chase format is in it's third year, and the points battle has never been closer. Six different drivers from five different States emerged victorious in the first six events, which featured just about every style, size and shape of dirt oval racetrack possible.

WHERE THEY'VE BEEN …

The Casey’s General Stores Hunt for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship kicked off on Friday, Aug. 8 at Midway Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., where Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D. captured the opening event of ’The Hunt’ for the third straight year.

After rain-outs at the Springfield (Mo.) Raceway on Saturday and Monett (Mo.) Speedway on Sunday, the rugged O'Reilly USMTS road warriors returned to the Belleville (Kan.) High Banks after a six-year hiatus. John Allen of nearby Chanute, Kan., picked up the win at the "World's Fastest Half-Mile Dirt Track" on Monday to complete a four-for-four sweep of Modified events there in 2008.

U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Mo., was the venue on Tuesday as Tim Donlinger of Rochester, Minn., put himself back in the mix for the title with a win on the high-banked 1/3-mile oval. After rain forced the postponement of Wednesday's show at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, a jam-packed grandstand of fans at the Steele County Speedway in Owatonna, Minn., witnessed Woodward, Okla.'s Tommy Weder Jr. hold off Donlinger for the win.

On Friday, Aug. 15, the teams made their second stop of the season at the unique and exciting Tri-Oval Speedway in Fountain City, Wis. Al Hejna of Clear Lake, Iowa took the win and solidified his position as a threat to win the crown in 2008. Back in Decorah on Saturday, Zack VanderBeek out-maneuvered Kelly Shryock on the quarter-mile bullring and strengthened his grip on the points lead.

VanderBeek leads Tesch by 27 points (585 to 558) while Shryock is just five more back in third. Fourth is Donlinger with 546 and Hejna is a mere five behind Donlinger in fifth. The rest of the top-10 include Allen (494), Dereck Ramirez of Woodward, Okla. (492), Weder (464), Alan Mondus of Lakeville, Minn. (438) and current Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar Rookie of the Year points leader Brandon Kenny of Woodward, Okla. (416).

WHERE THEY'RE GOING …

Although Shryock is winless in ’The Hunt’ so far, a betting man would be a wiser betting man if he put his money on the eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion to make some noise at the next four tracks where he has logged 15 of his 100+ career wins with the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour.

Three of those wins have come at the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa during the month of August, and that's where race fans will find the titans of the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour this Thursday, Aug. 28 for the 4th Annual Hawkeye Summer Classic. This will be the 13th USMTS-sanctioned event since 1999 at the 1/2-mile oval at the Butler County Fairgrounds.

Pits open at 4 p.m., grandstand gates open at 5, hot laps are at 6:30 and racing starts at 7. Also running Thursday evening will be the USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks racing for national points in the Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series.

The Highway 3 Raceway is located 0.3 miles north of SR 3 on S. Main St. (at the Butler County Fairgrounds). For more information, check out the track's website at www.highway3raceway.com.

On Friday, it's off to the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn. for another wheel-to-wheel battle in the 3rd Annual Cedar River Races. This will be the fifth time the O'Reilly USMTS National Tour has visited the 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval. Five different drivers have tasted victory, including Mike Chasteen (2001), Kelly Shyrock (2001), Jon Tesch (2006), Tommy Myer (2007) and Jason Krohn (2008).

Also on the race card will be Midwest Modified, Street Stock and Pure Stocks. Grandstand gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the first green flag waves at 7:30. The Chateau Raceway is located 5.0 miles north of Austin on US 218 to the Lansing Exit, then 1.3 miles east on CR 2, then 0.4 mile south on CR 25, then 0.3 mile east. For more information, call the track hotline at (507) 433-4578 or log on to www.chateauraceway.net.

Saturday will find the Modified Monsters at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the 5th Annual Labor Day Dual, and the final tune-up race before the 10th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree, Sept. 17-20. A huge field of cars is expected, along with a jam-packed grandstand as the WDRL Late Model Series will also make an appearance.

Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. and the grandstands will begin filling up at 3, with hot laps slated for 5 and racing at 5:30. The 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval is located off of I-90 at Exit 209, then 11.3 miles south on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16). Day-of-race info is available by calling (507) 346-2342 or check out www.deercreekspeedway.com online.

The four-race weekend wraps up on Sunday, Aug. 31 at the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn. for the 7th Annual Kasson Klash—the 22nd USMTS event staged at the 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval. Gates open at 3 p.m. and the mud starts flying at 5 p.m. Late Models, Super Stocks, Midwest Mods and Street Stocks will also be featured.

The Dodge County Speedway (formerly Kasson Speedway) is located 1.1 miles north of US 14 on SR 57 (at the Dodge County Fairgrounds). For more information, call Track: (507) 634-4281 or check out www.dodgecountyspeedway.com.

Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons at several Casey's General Stores locations throughout the weekend. On Thursday, you can get 'em in Allison, Applington and Clarksville, Iowa for the show at Highway 3 Raceway. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, coupons will be available at all Casey's General Stores locations in Austin, Owatonna, Rochester and Stewartville, Minn.

Kelly Shryock will be on hand at area Casey's stores all four days. On Thursday, fans can find him at the Casey's General Store located at 100 Cherry St. in Allison from 12-2 p.m. On Friday, the eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion will be on hand to meet and greet fans in Austin, Minn. at the Casey's store at 1702 12th St. SW from 12-2 p.m. Saturday will find the Skyrocket pilot at 605 S. Main St. in Stewartville from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and on Sunday Shryock fans can meet Shryock at the Casey's General Store location at 4500 18th Ave. NW in Rochester from 12-2 p.m.

All four events will pay $2,000 to the winner of the O'Reilly USMTS main event.

POINTS AS OF AUG. 25, 2008:

1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA … 585 points (1 win)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD … 558 (1 win)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA … 553
4. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN … 546 (1 win)
5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA … 541 (1 win)
6. 98 - John Allen -- Chanute, KS … 494 (1 win)
7. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK … 492
8. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK … 464 (1 win)
9. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN … 438
10. 21b - Brandon Kenny -- Woodward, OK … 416
11. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA … 411
12. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE … 406
13. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA … 405
14. 18 - Justin Boney -- Leavenworth, KS … 387
15. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS … 376
16. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK … 301
17. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN … 298
18. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK … 296
19. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN … 282
20. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX … 172
21. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA … 148
22. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR … 103
23. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN … 86
24. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA … 73
25. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA … 56
26. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR … 54
27. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX … 50
28. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX … 12
29. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX … 11
30. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL … 10
31. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA … 8
32. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX … 5
32. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR … 5
32. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA … 5
32. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX … 5
32. 38r - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK … 5
32. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX … 5
32. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN … 5
39. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA … 4

PAST WINNERS AT HIGHWAY 3 RACEWAY:

June 2, 1999 - Kevin Pittman
June 8, 2000 - John Logue
April 7, 2001 - Mike Sorensen
June 19, 2001 - Johnny Saathoff
Aug. 15, 2001 - Kelly Shryock
July 22, 2002 - Kevin Pittman
Aug. 21, 2002 - Kelly Shryock
Aug. 18, 2005 - Ryan Ruter
June 20, 2006 - Mark Noble
Aug. 31, 2006 - Kelly Shryock
June 12, 2007 - Mike Hejna
Aug. 30, 2007 - Tim Donlinger

PAST WINNERS AT CHATEAU RACEWAY:

June 28, 2001 - Mike Chasteen
Aug. 22, 2001 - Kelly Shyrock
Sept. 1, 2006 - Jon Tesch
Aug. 31, 2007 - Tommy Myer
May 23, 2008 - Jason Krohn

PAST WINNERS AT DEER CREEK SPEEDWAY:

May 25, 2002 - Kelly Shryock
June 19, 2002 - Steve Wetzstein
Aug. 31, 2002 - Kelly Shryock
Sept. 19, 2002 - Jason Hughes
Sept. 20, 2002 - Kelly Shryock
Sept. 21, 2002 - Mark Noble
May 24, 2003 - Darin Walker
June 18, 2003 - Kelly Shryock
Aug. 30, 2003 - Kelly Shryock
Sept. 18, 2003 - Corey Dripps
Sept. 19, 2003 - Tony Fraise
Sept. 20, 2003 - Dan Daniels
May 29, 2004 - Dan Chapman
June 15, 2004 - Corey Dripps
Sept. 4, 2004 - Les Duellman
Sept. 23, 2004 - Mike Hejna
Sept. 24, 2004 - Ryan Ruter
Sept. 25, 2005 - Kelly Shryock
May 28, 2005 - feature canceled due to crash
Sept. 3, 2005 - Mike Spaulding
Sept. 22, 2005 - Brad McEwan
Sept. 23, 2005 - Kelly Shryock
Oct. 2, 2005 - Jason Hughes
May 27, 2006 - Ryan Ruter
Sept. 2, 2006--Kelly Shryock
Sept. 22, 2006 - Mark Burgtorf
Sept. 23, 2006 - Chad Kinder
Sept. 24, 2006 - Steve Arpin
May 26, 2007 - Kelly Shryock
Sept. 1, 2007 - Tim Donlinger
Sept. 6, 2007 - Jason Krohn
Sept. 7, 2007 - Jon Tesch
Sept. 8, 2007 - Dean Mahlstedt
May 24, 2008 - Jason Hughes

PAST WINNERS AT DODGE COUNTY SPEEDWAY:

June 21, 2001 - Mike Chasteen
Aug. 23, 2001 - Kelly Shryock
May 26, 2002 - Todd Scharkey
Aug. 13, 2002 - Chris Spieker
Sept. 1, 2002 - Scott Megonigle
May 25, 2003 - Nate Wasmund
Aug. 31, 2003 - Dan Chapman
Sept. 1, 2003 - Dan Chapman
May 30, 2004 - Jason Hughes
July 4, 2004 - Corey Dripps
Sept. 6, 2004 - John Tesch
May 29, 2005 - Mike Sorensen
Sept. 4, 2005 - Kelly Shryock
May 28, 2006 - Tommy Myer
July 12, 2006 - Todd Scharkey
Sept. 4, 2006 - Mike Hejna
May 27, 2007 - Brad Waits
July 18, 2007 - Tommy Myer
Sept. 2, 2007 - Kelly Shryock
May 25, 2008 - Jason Hughes
July 24, 2008 - Brad Waits

CASEY’S GENERAL STORES HUNT FOR THE O’REILLY USMTS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

Friday, Aug. 8 … Midway Speedway, Lebanon, MO (winner: Jon Tesch)
Monday, Aug. 11 … Belleville High Banks, Belleville, KS (winner: John Allen)
Tuesday, Aug. 12 … U.S. 36 Raceway, Osborn, MO (winner: Tim Donlinger)
Thursday, Aug. 14 … Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, MN (winner: Tommy Weder Jr.)
Friday, Aug. 15 … Tri-Oval Speedway, Fountain City, WI (winner: Al Hejna)
Saturday, Aug. 16 … Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA (winner: Zack VanderBeek)
Thursday, Aug. 28 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA
Friday, Aug. 29 … Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN
Saturday, Aug. 30 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN
Sunday, Aug. 31 … Kasson Speedway, Kasson, MN
Saturday, Sept. 13 … Marshalltown Speedway, Marshalltown, IA
Sunday, Sept. 14 … Fayette County Speedway, West Union, IA
Thursday, Sept. 18 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN
Friday, Sept. 19 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN
Saturday, Sept. 20 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN

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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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.