EDNA, Texas – The thunder of horsepower roared at Texana Raceway Park Thursday as the O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series rolled into town with nearly 50 Modifieds on hand for opening night of the Inaugural Texas Winter Challenge.

Drivers and teams from nine States packed the pits for the first of three big nights of racing on the 5/16-mile black clay track in Edna, Texas.

Five heat races helped set the field for the 25-lap, $1,000-to-win opener, with the top 12 in passing points transferring to the main event and the rest delegated to one of two Real Racing Wheels "B" Mains, with the top-5 from each of those joining the Holley "A" Main grid, plus two provisionals added to fill the 24-car field.

Last year's O'Reilly USMTS National Tour Rookie of the Year, Scott Green, made the long tow from Derby, Kan., pay off early as he took round 1 of three-day show by holding off points contender Steve Holzkamper of Gentry, Ark., and Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year points leader Morgan Bagley of Longview, Texas.

From the outside of the front row, Green got out front at the drop of the green, going wire to wire his career-first victory under the USMTS banner.

"It was a good smooth race track," commented Green. "That helped a lot. We were fortunate enough to qualify good and start up front, and we had an awful good racecar. After we hot-lapped we made a couple of adjustments and were fortunate enough to get the car right and get a good starting spot."

At the start of the 25 lapper, Green out-raced polesitter Dustin "Tater" Hyde into turn 1 for the lead, while Hyde was challenged by Holzkamper on the low side for second. Hyde dropped another position on the next lap when Bagley got by for third.

Back in the pack, Shawn Brassfield, Jamie Burford and O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series points leader Jason Hughes of Westville, Okla., battled three wide for 12th.

Eddie Martin of Stilwell, Okla., was next to put Hyde back a spot, grabbing fourth on lap 2.

Yellow waved on lap 3 after the middle of the pack checked up, causing a chain reaction that left Tommy Weder Jr., Allen Chickering, Tim Culp, Randy Timms and Derrick Ramirez wadded up in turn 1.

The green was just about to wave again when Burford stopped on the back stretch just short of the pit exit.

Once back to green, Holzkamper took a quick look under Green but fell back into line while Martin and Bagley stayed wheel to wheel for third.

As the duo slugged it out on lap 4, eight-time O'Reilly USMTS National Champion and defending O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series champ Kelly Shryock snuck a peek on both, but Bagley secured the spot on lap 5.

Shane Hebert brought out yellow on lap 9 when he slowed with a flat, then pitted for repairs.

On the restart Shryock got by Martin for fourth, while Hughes and Jack Sullivan ran side by side for eighth. By lap 10 the top-9 had sorted out single file with Hyde, Paul White, John O Whittington and NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader battling for 10th on back.

At the halfway point it was Green inching away from Holzkamper, who had a small gap back to Bagley, Shryock and Hughes sneaking into the mix.

As the laps clicked off, the top-3 stayed separated by three to four car-lengths. Green got a little more breathing room after Holzkamper slipped in turn 4, allowing Bagley to close the gap.

Just out of the top-5, Martin and local hotshoe Steve Whiteaker Jr. swapped sixth.

Coming to the checkers it was Green taking the win over Holzkamper and Bagley, with Shryock fourth and Hughes racing from 14th to finish fifth.

"We'll usually try to compare tracks to others with similar configurations to help find our set up," Green said. "We looked at this as kind of a longer South Texas Speedway. The straight-aways are a little longer, but the corners about the same. So we went with that set up. We changed gears three times before we came up with the right one.

"In the race we usually try to take care of ourselves and not worry about the locals or guys we race with frequently. That's a pretty full-time job."

Action continues on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, gates will open at 4 p.m. with racing at 7. Gates will open at 3 p.m. on Saturday and the mud starts flying at 6.

O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series drivers will battle for $2,000 to win on Friday, with $3,000 awaiting the winner of Saturday's main event. Limited Mods will also be racing for $1,000 to win both nights.

The Texana Raceway Park is a 5/16-mile high-banked clay oval located 2 miles east of Edna on SR 111, then left on Haines Rd. (FM 412). For more information, call the track's business office at (979) 758-4440 or (361) 781-0411 on race day. More details can also be found online at www.texanaracewaypark.org.

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 Southern Series
Inaugural Texas Winter Challenge - Night 1 of 3
Texana Raceway Park, Edna, Texas
Thursday, November 20, 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. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)
2. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (9)
3. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (4)
4. 91b - Shawn Brassfield -- Ada, OK (10)
5. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (8)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (7)
7. 1 - Adan Arambula -- Harlingen, TX (1)
8. 14x - Chad Wilson -- Lubbock, TX (6)
9. 117 - Brennan Poole -- The Woodlands, TX (5)
10. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (2)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (1)
2. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (2)
3. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX
4. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (5)
5. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (7)
6. 38 - David Schury -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)
7. 94 - Nick Hardcastle -- Corpus Christi, TX (8)
8. 57 - Dale Flanagan -- Corpus Christi, TX (3)
9. 174 - Mickey Helms -- Victoria, TX (10)
10. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (9)

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)
2. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (3)
3. 26x - Allen Chickering -- Okarche, OK (2)
4. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA (5)
5. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (7)
6. 39 - Jed Rollins -- Corpus Christi, TX (6)
7. 37 - Brian Spindelman -- Brookshire, TX (9)
8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (8)
9. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (1)
10. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (10)

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
2. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (4)
3. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (8)
4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (9)
5. 88d - Matt Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (7)
6. 55 - Christopher Brown -- Corpus Christi, TX (6)
7. 13 - Ken Hobbs -- Corpus Christi, TX (1)
8. 51p - Benny Perry -- Liberty, TX (3)
9. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (2)

HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (1)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (6)
3. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (3)
4. 71a - Ryan Aho -- Chisholm, MN (7)
5. 8 - Steve Miller -- Georgetown, TX (2)
6. 54 - Dena Wilson -- Coweta, OK (9)
7. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX (5)
8. 95 - Kevin Pratt -- Houston, TX (8)
9. 39t - Derrick Flora -- Ingram, TX (4)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (1)
2. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (4)
3. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (2)
4. 26x - Allen Chickering -- Okarche, OK (3)
5. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (5)
6. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (8)
7. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (6)
8. 54 - Dena Wilson -- Coweta, OK (7)
9. 39 - Jed Rollins -- Corpus Christi, TX (9)
10. 57 - Dale Flanagan -- Corpus Christi, TX (13)
11. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX (12)
12. 174 - Mickey Helms -- Victoria, TX (15)
13. 1 - Adan Arambula -- Harlingen, TX (11)
14. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (18)
15. 51p - Benny Perry -- Liberty, TX (14)
16. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (16)
17. 37 - Brian Spindelman -- Brookshire, TX (10)
18. 39t - Derrick Flora -- Ingram, TX (17)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (1)
2. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (3)
3. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (5)
4. 71a - Ryan Aho -- Chisholm, MN (2)
5. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (13)
6. 8 - Steve Miller -- Georgetown, TX (7)
7. 38 - David Schury -- Corpus Christi, TX (8)
8. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (18)
9. 94 - Nick Hardcastle -- Corpus Christi, TX (10)
10. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (16)
11. 55 - Christopher Brown -- Corpus Christi, TX (9)
12. 95 - Kevin Pratt -- Houston, TX (14)
13. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (17)
14. 117 - Brennan Poole -- The Woodlands, TX (15)
15. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA (4)
16. 88d - Matt Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (6)
17. 13 - Ken Hobbs -- Corpus Christi, TX (11)
18. 14x - Chad Wilson -- Lubbock, TX (12)

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (25 laps):
1. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)
2. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (3)
3. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (4)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7)
5. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (14)
6. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (5)
7. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (12)
8. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (9)
9. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
10. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (15)
11. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (17)
12. 71a - Ryan Aho -- Chisholm, MN (20)
13. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (23)
14. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (6)
15. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (21)
16. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (1)
17. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (16)
18. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (22)
19. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (10)
20. 26x - Allen Chickering -- Okarche, OK (19)
21. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (18)
22. 91b - Shawn Brassfield -- Ada, OK (11)
23. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (24)
24. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (13)

Lap Leaders: Green 1-25.
Total Laps Led: Green 25.
AFCO Pole Winner: White.
Provisional Starters: Weder, Culp.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Hughes (started 14th, finished 5th).
Next Race: Friday, Nov. 21, Texana Raceway Park, Edna, Texas.
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series Points: Hughes 1448, Holzkamper 1379, Weder 1263, Whittington 1107, White 1092, Ramirez 1054, Bagley 1020, Hebert 1011, Green 979, Hyde 951.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Whittington 288, Ramirez 265, Bagley 250, Hebert 242, Hyde 228.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 139, Shinook 112, Sput’s 94, Wells 74, Wall2Wall 58.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 143, TRE 131, Skyrocket 115, Ramirez 89, Shaw 87.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – White.
American Racer – Brown.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Whittington.
Hawk Performance – Green, Tesch.
Isky Racing Cams – Tesch.
KSE Racing Products – Hughes.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Burford.
New Vision Graphics – Bagley.
Nitroquest Web Solutions – Bagley.
Quarter Master – Green, Sullivan.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Whiteaker.
Real Racing Wheels – Burford, Hughes.
Ruter Farms – not awarded.
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.