OSKALOOSA, Iowa -- The United States Modified Touring Series kicked off its north region series this last weekend at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, IA. Seventy-one modifieds checked in for the racing action on Friday night with a good crowd witnessing some exciting modified action. Hobby Stocks and Stock Cars were also running on Friday night.

In modified action five-time national champion Kelly Shryock continued his early season dominance picking up his fifth win of the season by beating out Al Hejna. Shryock had to work hard for the win as Corey Dripps and Al Hejna give him everything they had. The racing action got underway with seven heat races on Friday night. In Kevko Inc. heat race action Joe McBirnie bested Dan Bohr in heat one, heat two saw Jason Krohn come from tenth to take the top spot over Brian Edel, Heat three went to John Vandenberg who also started tenth.

Vandenberg didn’t waste anytime getting to the front and wheeled his Raider modified around the high side of the speedway in turns 1-2 and was leading coming out of turn four on the first lap. Heat four went to Mark Burgtorf who started seventh beating Mike Hejna, heat five went to Kelly Shryock beating Dan Chapman, heat six was won by Al Hejna over Tommy Myer and the final heat race went to Corey Dripps beating Darin Duffy. The stage was set for the three Harris Auto Racing B-mains. Dan Bohr picked up B-main one over Adam Larson, B-main 2 went to Dean Mahlstedt who started 14th over Justen Yeager. Mahlstedt lost his driveshaft coming across the line tearing up his Kraft modified.

The final B-main of the night went to Tom Goble from his third row outside starting spot over Johnny Bone. The stage was set for the twenty-five lap Griener Buildings Main event. Jason Krohn was the first to pick after picking up the AFCO Passing points award. Krohn redrew seven. Al Hejna took the top spot redraw with John Vandenberg getting the front row outside spot. Al Hejna would jump into the early lead with a lot of heat coming from John Vandenberg and Corey Dripps. As the race progressed so did the pressure. Corey Dripps had a great run on lap sixteen and give Hejna a nice bump to getting him going.

The field would be bunched up several times and Dripps would take the inside with Kelly Shryock to the outside. Shryock would get the jump on Dripps and would work his Skyrocket past Hejna one lap later. Hejna would get a couple more chances at taking the top spot, but Shryock would not give up and Hejna would have to settle for second. Mark Noble got by Corey Dripps on the last lap to take the third spot after starting at the tail. Rounding out the top five was Jon Tesch. The hobby stock feature went to Colt Mather with Mark Steinke and Doug Gordon rounding out the top three. In USRA stock car action TJ Criss showed that he was going to be a force with Ross McCombs and Brian Mitrisin rounding out the top three.

Saturday Night

Once the wind quit blowing the weather was actually warmer than Friday night. Sixty cars checked in for the racing action in the USMTS modified class. Dan Bohr who was one of the fastest cars on Friday night before the bad luck bug bit him had everything going for him on Saturday night and picked up his first ever USMTS win and his biggest payday of his racing career taking home the $4000 payday. Brad Bakken picked up the AFCO passing points award on this night but would redraw four.

Mark Burgtorf would redraw the pole with Brad Pinkerton to the outside. Pinkerton would jump into the early lead before Dan Bohr would take the top spot away from Pinkerton. Kelly Shryock would bring out the first caution of the night with a flat tire. The racing action would continue with a hard charging Jon Tesch coming up through the field with Tommy Myer following Tesch through the field. Tesch who started 16th and Myer started 14th worked there way to the front. A big pile up in turn two took out several top runners as Bruce Hanford, Mark Noble, Al Hejna, Tom Goble all ended up in the pit. Several of the drivers involved in this accident would come back out for the racing action.

Racing would continue till lap seventeen when two more of the top runners would get together Corey Dripps would have a run on Brad Pinkerton who lost his brakes and was trying to get to the high side right where the #31 car was running Dripps would get into the back of Pinkerton ending both of their evenings. The race would resume and Dan Bohr and Jon Tesch would pull away from the field Tesch would get a couple of runs at Bohr but would have to settle with a second place finish.

Tommy Myer, Mark Burgtorf, and Kelly Shryock would round out the top five. Heat races were won by Brad Bakken, Dan Bohr, Kelly Shryock, Mark Burgtorf, Bruce Hanford, and Brad Pinkerton. Harris Auto Racing B-mains went to Jason Krohn and Ryan Meyer. Hobby Stock action went to Doug Gordon, beating Mark Steinke and Jim Lampe.

The Stock car action went to Brandon Bandstra beating Matt Greiner and Zack Vanderbeek. Weekly racing action will get underway at the Southern Iowa Speedway on April 14th for the Aaron Brown Classic. The USRA Hobby Stocks will pay $250 to win, The USRA Stock Cars will pay $400 to win with the USRA modifieds paying $600 to win. For more information call the Southern Iowa Speedway office at 515-832-7944.

<B><FONT SIZE="4">Results</FONT></B>

<b>Friday</b>

Heat Finish #1: 82 McBirnie, 66 Bohr, 2* Gumke, 12b Bone Jr., 33z VandeerBeek, 8 Haldemann, 5 Shute, 21m Mahlstedt, 7s Francis, 67 Larson

Heat Finish #2: 7k Krohn, 9 Edel, 33y Yeager, 40 Dickey, 69 Logue, 15jj Schlueter, 71s Siercks, 10j Gillenwater, 9g Gustin, n1 Archambault

Heat Finish #3: 10 VanDenBerg, 555 Ruter, 69 Goble, 20 Boney, 3d Olson, 13t Hofbauer, 12e Elliott, 18 Walker, 14r Redmann, 23 Gilbertson

Heat Finish #4: 69m Burgtorf, 7ii Hejna, 7e Eckhart, 82 Meyer, 71b Siercks, 64 Frieden, 2b Null, 02 Green, 67 Ennis, 74 Noble

Heat Finish #5: 3 Shryock, 1 Chapman, 1x Woods, 96 Herring, 1d Saffran, 68 Gustafson, 77 Lynch, 157 Roach, 25c Paris, 10s Schraufnagel

Heat Finish #6: 7 Hejna, 65 Myer, 14 Tesch, 17p Pinkerton, 26p Pittman, 4r Ver Beek, 99 Bennett, 1m McDermid, 26 Fetters, 1r VanDusseldorp

Heat Finish #7: 31 Dripps, 19 Duffy, 7x7 Wedelstadt, 2l Larson, 61 Hanford, 50 Bakken, 19b Bengard, 29 Greiner, 37 Quick, 13 Lemay

B Main #1: 66 Bohr, 2l Larson, 9g Gustin, 7e Eckhart, 50 Bakken, 96 Herring, 17p Pinkerton, 64 Frieden, 68 Gustafson, 26 Fetters, 12e Elliott, n1, Archambault, 10s Schraufnagel, 20 Greiner, 2* Gumke, 1m McDermid, 71b Siercks, 77 Lynch, 18 Walker

B Main #2: 21m Mahlstadt, 33y Yeager, 33z Vanderbeek, 4r Ver Beek, 14r Redmann, 71s Siercks, 02 Green, 1r VanDusseldorp, 1d Saffran, 1x Woods, 61 Hanford, 7x7 Wedelstadt, 9 Edel, 2b Null, 40 Dickey, 19b Bengard, 7s Francis, 37 Quick, 23 Gilbertson

B Main #3: 69 Goble, 12b Bone Jr, 69 Logue, 74 Noble, 82m Meyer, 15jj Schlueter, 5 Shute, 99 Bennett, 8 Haldemann, 20 Boney, 25c Paris, 13 Lemay, 157 Roach, 10j Gillenwater, 26p Pittman, 67 Larson, 3d Olson, 13t Hofbauer, 67 Ennis

A Main Finishes: 3 Shyrock, 7 Hejna, 74 Noble, 31 Dripps, 14 Tesch, 10 VanDenBerg, 69 Goble, 65 Myer, 711, Hejna, 69m Burgtorf, 69 Logue, 7e Eckhart, 12b Bone Jr, 66 Bohr, 7k Krohn, 2l Larson, 9g Gustin, 33y Yeager, 33z VanderBeek, 1 Chapman, 82 McBirnie, 19 Duffy, 555 Ruter, 21m Mahlstadt

<b>Saturday</b>

Heat #1: 50 Bakken, 555 Ruter, 82M Meyer, 71B Siercks, 10s Schraufnagel, 77 Lynch, 14 Tesch, 68 Gustafson, 20 Boney.

Heat #2: 66Bohr, 7II Hejna, 7K Krohn, 2* Gumke, 33Y Yeager, 19 Duffy,1x Woods,33z VanderBeek 13Lemay, 14R Redmann.

Heat #3: 3 Shryock, N1 Archambault, 45 Fraise, 40 Dickey, 82 McBirnie, 1M McDermid, 99 Bennett, 69G Goble, 52 Wasmund, 71s Siercks.

Heat #4: 69M Burgtorf, 4D Diercks, 12E Elliott, 2B Null, 157 Roach, 1R VanDusseldorp, 8 Haldemann, 4R VerBeek, 65 Myer, 1D Saffran.

Heat #5: 61Hanford, 74Noble, 31Dripps, 9G Gustin, 69 Logue, 9 Edel, 7E Eckhart, 43 Foote, 02 Green, 23Gilbertson.

Heat #6: 17P Pinkerton, 7 Hejna, 10 VanDenBerg, 98 Stoa, 7x7 Wedelstadt, 10 VanDenBerg, 18 Walker, 29 Menzer, 26 Fetters, 1 Chapman.

B Main #1: 7k Krohn, 45 Fraise, 7e Eckhart, 2* Gumke, 10 VanDenBerg, 9 Edel, 40 Dickey, 12e Elliott, 33y Yeager, 19 Duffy, 33z VanderBeek, 29 Menzer, 13 Lemay, 02 Green, 82 McBirnie, 1x Woods, 1m McDermid, 20 Boney, 4r VerBeek, 8 Haldemann, 71s Siercks, 52, Wasmund, 7x7 Wedelstadt, 23 Gilbertson

B Main #2: 82m Meyer, 65 Myer, 14 Tesch, 9g Gustin, 99 Bennett, 69g Goble, 77 Lynch, 10s Schraufnagel, 18 Walker, 43 Foote, n1 Archambault, 1r VanDusseldorp, 1 Chapman, 10m Mills, 69 Logue, 1d Saffran, 26 Fetters, 71b Siercks, 14r Redmann, 157 Roach, 98 Stoa, 12b Bone Jr, 2b Null, 68 Gustafson

A-Main Finishes:

66 Bohr, 14 Tesch, 65 Myer, 69m Burgtorf, 3 Shryock, 711Hejna, 45 Fraise, 7k Krohn, 12e Elliott, 4d Diercks, 69 Logue, 61 Hanford, 74 Noble, 7e Eckhart, 555 Ruter, 69g Goble, 99 Bennett, 31 Dripps, 17p Pinkerton, 2* Gumke, 10 VanDenBerg, 7 Hejna, 82m Meyer, 50 Bakken, 9g Gustin

Hobby Stock A Main:

77 Doug Gordon, 67 Mark Steinke, 22 Jim Lampe, 52 Nathan Wood, 32t Bobby Greene, 97 Dustin Versteeg, 60t Rick Landgrebe, 27 Doug Seidl, 8j Curtis Glover, 06 Steve Langrebe, 8 Colt Mather, 9 Jimmy Hayes, 4m Chase Mitrisin, 33a Chace Pruismann, 14 Partner Maschmann, 21 Jamie Odor, 68 Jason Fisher, 0 Tyler Ford, 00 Mark Ford, x3s Steve Allen, 3s Bryan Snell, 83 Curtis Claver, 16 Mike Shelton

Stock Car A Main:

22 Brandon Bandstra, 29 Matt Greiner, 33z Zack VanderBeek, 14 Jeremy Miller, 12 Eric Flander, 20n Lorne Parks, 43s Greg Shepherd, 42 Darrin Thompson, 69 Jon Snyder, 54 Jim Brown, 33 Josh Newell, 11n Ross McCombs, 94 Corey Stout, 17p Brad Pinkerton, 77m Jeff Mueller, 99 Robert Greiner Jr., 4 Mike Wiemann, 3 Dan Gordon, 4b Brian Mitrisin, 12j TJ Criss, 78r Mike Robinson