EDNA, Texas – As the second day of Texana Raceway Park's inaugural Texas Winter Challenge kicked off, the already crowded pit area got a little cozier as 20 more race teams filed through gates. Both classes added 10 more cars to each class, with a few newcomers still expected on Saturday.

Unusually nippy south Texas temperatures may have helped engines create more horsepower but had the spectators bundled up like Eskimos. Action on the track quickly helped warm the masses as night two on the tricky 5/16-mile semi-banked clay oval kicked off with six heat races for the O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series.

Stilwell, Okla.'s chassis builder, Eddie Martin, showed he can still turn the wheel as he crept away from Jack Sullivan of Greenbrier, Ark., in Friday night's 30-lap Holley "A" Main.

Martin used a good starting position to his advantage as he beat Sullivan for the lead at the start of the $2,000-to-win main event.

The closest Sullivan got to Martin was under caution near midway, closing back up on Martin's rear bumper. Martin, builder of the Big Chief Chassis, also holds seminars on chassis set-up and shock technology, which he used to his advantage.

"I'd almost say we won that feature in the heat race," stated Martin. "The passing points we got in the heat put us in the top eight for the redraw and we drew the "ace" to put us on the pole. That was probably the key thing. You just have to earn enough passing points to put yourself in that position. It's critical on a tight track like this to get that front row starting spot."

As the green flag waved on the 24-car grid, Martin, from the pole, was first into turn 1. Sullivan fell into second from outside row 1, with Chris Brown third, with Tommy Weder Jr. and Thursday night's winner, Scott Green, side by side for fourth.

Weder secured fourth on lap 1, while Martin and Sullivan put some distance on Brown as the field quickly sorted out single file.

By lap 5, Martin and Sullivan had built their margin over Brown and Weder, who had a similar gap back to Green and Morgan Bagley.

Lap 6 saw Randy Timms get under local pilot Steven Whiteaker Jr. for ninth.

Martin and Sullivan continued to motor away from the field, getting nearly a full straight-away lead by lap 10.

Shane Hebert picked off a top-10 spot on lap 11 by getting by Whiteaker, who slipped high off the bottom groove.

At the halfway point it was Martin and Sullivan in their own area code, with Brown, Weder and Green rounding out the top-5. The lead duo lost their huge advantage on lap 16 when Jamie Burford spun to bring out the race's only caution.

During the yellow, Ryan Aho rolled to a stop on the front stretch and Hebert surrendered ninth, pulling to the infield.

Once back to green, Martin and Sullivan again eased away from Brown, Weder and Green.

Timms gave Jon Tesch a quick look low on lap 19 for seventh, but fell back in line while John O Whittington was able to make a pass on Whiteaker, taking ninth on lap 23.

With five to go, Martin had a three-car-length edge on Sullivan, with the rest of the top-6 separated out by equal margins.

As the white waved, Martin had a safe four car-lengths on Sullivan as he rode it out the final lap in the Sharp Racing Products/Brasswell Carburetors/SRP Shocks/Tim's Automotive Machine/Sharp Race Cars #51 for the victory.

"Last night we tried some experimental stuff on the car, that we've never done before. We learned off that and just went back to the basics," Martin said. "You can look at a track and kind of come up with a game plan, but more often you just go back to the basics. I just use my 26 years of racing experience and know the feel you want out of your car. Sometimes you might struggle with the line to run. I watched the B's to see what's working and what's not.

"This track is similar to one back home, but longer straights. The tricky part is getting it slowed down for the corners. It's real easy to overshot the corner here."

Action continues on Saturday for the finale of the Texas Winter Challenge. Gates will open at 3 p.m. and the mud starts flying at 6.

O'Reilly USMTS Southern Series drivers will battle for $3,000 to win Saturday's main event. Limited Mods will also be racing for $1,000 to win.

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 2 of 3
Texana Raceway Park, Edna, Texas
Friday, November 21, 2008

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 13 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 (1)
2. 55 - Danny Brown -- Corpus Christi, TX (2)
3. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (7)
4. 57 - Dale Flanagan -- Corpus Christi, TX (3)
5. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA (5)
6. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (6)
7. 97j - Jeff Hoegh -- New Caney, TX (8)
8. 39 - Jed Rollins -- Corpus Christi, TX (10)
9. 94 - Nick Hardcastle -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)
10. 76 - Jesse Manning -- Brazoria, TX (9)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (2)
2. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (9)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (4)
4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (5)
5. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (1)
6. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (10)
7. 37 - Brian Spindelman -- Brookshire, TX (7)
8. 91 - Robert Metz Jr. -- Lumberton, TX (3)
9. 148 - Russell Moore -- Conroe, TX (8)
10. 174 - Max Helms -- Victoria, TX (6)

Q.E.M., INC. HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (1)
2. 91b - Shawn Brassfield -- Ada, OK (2)
3. 54 - Dena Wilson -- Coweta, OK (3)
4. 14x - Chad Wilson -- Lubbock, TX (4)
5. 12x - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (6)
6. 88d - Matt Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (5)
7. E - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (9)
8. 71k - Kevin Sustaire -- Emery, TX (10)
9. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX (8)
10. 87 - Lawrence Mikuleneak -- Corpus Christi, TX (7)

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 71a - Ryan Aho -- Chisholm, MN (1)
2. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (8)
3. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (9)
4. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (6)
5. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (2)
6. 117 - Brennan Poole -- The Woodlands, TX (3)
7. 95 - Kevin Pratt -- Houston, TX (4)
8. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (7)
9. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (5)
10. 51p - Benny Perry -- Liberty, TX (3)

HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. 21c - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (3)
2. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (5)
3. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (1)
4. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (7)
5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)
6. 31 - Elias Anderson -- Austin, TX (4)
7. 26x - Allen Chickering -- Okarche, OK (9)
8. 38 - David Schury -- Corpus Christi, TX (2)
9. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (6)

HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)
2. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (3)
3. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (1)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (4)
5. 8 - Steve Miller -- Georgetown, TX (5)
6. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (8)
7. 66x - Mike Dillard -- Allen, TX (7)
8. 13 - Ken Hobbs -- Corpus Christi, TX (9)
9. 1 - Adan Arambula -- Harlingen, TX (6)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 91b - Shawn Brassfield -- Ada, OK (1)
2. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (3)
3. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (5)
4. 8 - Steve Miller -- Georgetown, TX (7)
5. 26x - Allen Chickering -- Okarche, OK (9)
6. 148 - Russell Moore -- Conroe, TX (13)
7. 71k - Kevin Sustaire -- Emery, TX (11)
8. 88d - Matt Dotson -- Sturgeon, MO (8)
9. C8 - Timothy Culp -- West Monroe, LA (12)
10. 57 - Dale Flanagan -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)
11. 174 - Max Helms -- Victoria, TX (15)
12. 54 - Dena Wilson -- Coweta, OK (2)
13. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA (6)
14. B29 - Tammy Mitchell -- Pea Ridge, AR (14)
15. 95 - Kevin Pratt -- Houston, TX (10)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 3 advance):
1. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (1)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
3. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (4)
4. E - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (8)
5. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (7)
6. 39 - Jed Rollins -- Corpus Christi, TX (10)
7. 51p - Benny Perry -- Liberty, TX (15)
8. 76 - Jesse Manning -- Brazoria, TX (14)
9. 94 - Nick Hardcastle -- Corpus Christi, TX (12)
10. 17 - Brad Lasater -- Garland, TX (13)
11. 91 - Robert Metz Jr. -- Lumberton, TX (11)
12. 12x - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (5)
13. 156 - Steve Pugh -- Willis, TX (2)
14. 561 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (6)
15. 37 - Brian Spindelman -- Brookshire, TX (9)

HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (1)
2. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (2)
3. 21c - Chris Brown -- Cleveland, TX (3)
4. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (5)
6. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (7)
7. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
8. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (11)
9. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (12)
10. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (9)
11. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (15)
12. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (17)
13. 55 - Christopher Brown -- Corpus Christi, TX (13)
14. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (16)
15. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (19)
16. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (21)
17. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (22)
18. 2w - Paul White -- Temple, TX (23)
19. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (20)
20. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (18)
21. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (24)
22. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (6)
23. 91b - Shawn Brassfield -- Ada, OK (14)
24. 71a - Ryan Aho -- Chisholm, MN (10)

Lap Leaders: Martin 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Martin 30.
AFCO Pole Winner: Weder.
Provisional Starters: White, Hyde.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Burford (started 17th, finished 12th).
Next Race: Saturday, Nov. 22, Texana Raceway Park, Edna, Texas.
O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series Points: Hughes 1522, Holzkamper 1442, Weder 1350, Whittington 1184, White 1148, Ramirez 1108, Bagley 1102, Green 1063, Hebert 1063, Whiteaker 1012.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Whittington 311, Ramirez 284, Bagley 275, Hebert 257, Hyde 245.
Engine Builder of the Year Points: Mullins 147, Shinook 114, Sput’s 101, Wells 80, Wall2Wall 59.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 150, TRE 134, Skyrocket 123, Ramirez 94, Shaw 93.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Weder.
American Racer – Hoegh.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
BSB Manufacturing – Whiteaker.
Hawk Performance – Martin, Whittington.
Isky Racing Cams – Tesch.
KSE Racing Products – Burford.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Aho.
New Vision Graphics – Sullivan.
Nitroquest Web Solutions – C. Brown.
Quarter Master – Martin, Timms.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Tesch.
Real Racing Wheels – Brassfield, Hughes, Schrader.
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.