LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The fans at the I-30 Speedway were treated to an action-filled USMTS Southern Series main event Saturday as drivers throughout the field jockeyed for position using every inch of the high-banked quarter-mile clay oval.

Unfortunately for Johnny Bone Jr., he didn't get to enjoy seeing any of the battles. However, his $5,000 check should help him get over it.

Bone started on the outside of the second row for the start of the 40-lap Sunoco "A" Main as 24 of the best Modified drivers in America lined up for the championship event of the 10th Annual GRT Race Cars Topless Modified Nationals. By the end of the first lap, Bone was in front and was never challenged again.

Seven caution flags slowed the main event, but on each restart the Pea Ridge, Ark., veteran pulled away from the pack with ease.

Perhaps the only driver who may have had the muscle to challenge Bone was defending USMTS Southern Series champion Jason Hughes. After starting 12th, Hughes had clawed his way into second place by lap 16 but exited the track one lap later with a broken driveshaft.

Tommy Myer, who won the season-opening event for the USMTS Casey's General Stores National Tour two weekends ago, came from 11th on the grid to grab the runner-up spot at the checkered flag.

Steven Whiteaker Jr. took third while Steve Holzkamper charged from 22nd to fourth during the ten-mile sprint, finishing ahead of 2001 GRT Race Cars Topless Modified Nationals winner Jack Sullivan.

Rodney Sanders was sixth, Patrick Linn seventh, Dereck Ramirez bounced back to finish eighth after restarting at the tail during a mid-race mishap, and 2007-08 “Topless” titleist Mike Bowers finished ninth ahead of Texan Wes Armstrong.

Buddy Pifer earned the AFCO Pole Award for earning the most passing points among the 72 competitors in eight heat races, but failed to finish the main event and was scored in 22nd place.

Myer earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award for passing nine cars in the feature race. Although Holzkamper passed twice as many cars in a Herculean effort, he had to use a provisional qualify for the main event, thus being ineligible for the award.

Provisional starters also do not earn bonus points for passing in the main event, and those 18 points would have put Holzkamper in the points lead of the USMTS Southern Series East Region. However, Sullivan tops the rankings (189 to 176) on the strength of his pair of top-5 finishes over the two days. Whiteaker is third with 170 points, followed by Linn 169, Friday night's winner Michael Robertson (167), Sanders (166), Ramirez (143), Chris Henigan (141), Kelly Shryock (132) and Hughes (127).

Linn leads the chase for the Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Award by two markers over Robertson (48 to 46). Henigan is third with 36 points, Wes Armstrong is fourth (33) and Mike Dillard is tied with Jason Armstrong for fifth with 29 rookie points earned.

In the COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year points, Sput’s Racing Engines Owatonna, Minn., leads the way while event sponsor GRT Race Cars holds down the top spot in the Chassis Builders Championship.

COMING EVENTS ...

• The USMTS Casey's General Stores National Tour is back in action next weekend with a stop at the LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo., on Friday, March 27, followed by the 7th Annual Kansas Spring Fling at the Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan., on Saturday, March 28. Both shows carry a $2,000 top prize for the Sunoco "A" Main winner.

• Up next for the USMTS Southern Series is a doubleheader on Friday and Saturday, April 3-4, at the West Siloam Speedway near West Siloam Springs, Okla. The third annual event will be the first points race in the West Region, with $2,000 and $3,000 to win, respectively, up for grabs. A power-packed field of entries are expected as this event will also be a points race in the Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region of the USMTS Casey's General Stores National Tour.

• The next East Region points race for the USMTS Southern Series will be a three-night, three-track swing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 24-26. On Friday, action will take place at the Texarkana 67 Speedway in Texarkana, Ark., as the USMTS banner flies there for the first time ever. Saturday will find the tough-as-nails touring titans at the Champion Park Speedway in Haughton, La., before wrapping up the weekend on Sunday at the Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La. All three shows will pay $2,000 to win.

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.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS
USMTS Southern Series (East Region)
10th Annual GRT Race Cars Topless Modified Nationals - Night 2 of 2
I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, Ark.
Saturday, March 21, 2009

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown, money won and starting position in parentheses. The top 14 drivers in passing points accumulated in the heat races are locked into the “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (10 laps):
1. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (2)
2. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX (1)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)
4. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX (3)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)
6. 52 - Chad Davis -- Tulsa, OK (7)
7. 76 - Troy Taylor Jr. -- Dallas, TX (4)
8. 92 - Chad Mallett -- Greenbrier, AR (6)
9. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (9) DNS

HEAT RACE #2 (10 laps):
1. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)
2. 11 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (3)
3. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (6)
4. F1 - Randy Weaver -- Little Rock, AR (8)
5. 30 - David Baser -- Jacksonville, AR (2)
6. 44 - Ricky Anderson -- Bald Knob, AR (7)
7. 2 - Tyler Stevens -- Searcy, AR (5) DNF
8. 1 - Brett Frazier -- Haughton, LA (1) DNF
9. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (9) DNF

HEAT RACE #3 (10 laps):
1. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (4)
2. ME2 - Buddy Pifer -- Little Rock, AR (8)
3. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX (2)
4. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (3)
5. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (6)
6. 15w - Lee Walchli -- Lavaca, AR (1)
7. 31c - Tom Campbell -- Oppelo, AR (5) DNF
8. 48 - Alan Brown -- Alexander, AR (7) DNF
9. 601 - Curtis Cook -- Conway, AR (9) DNS

HEAT RACE #4 (10 laps):
1. 05 - Michael Robertson -- Minden, LA (2)
2. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (3)
3. 94 - Chris Shown -- Hooks, TX (1)
4. 11s - Mike Sellers -- Little Rock, AR (6)
5. 14t - Tristan Dycus -- Midlothian, TX (4)
6. 17f - Casey Findley -- Bryant, AR (7)
7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (5)
8. 1t - T.J. Herndon -- Atwood, TN (9)
9. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX (8) DNF

HEAT RACE #5 (10 laps):
1. 71 - Robert Baker -- Benton, AR (2)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (3)
3. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (9)
4. 0 - Andy Brown -- Mabelvale, AR (4)
5. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- W. Concord, MN (5)
6. 19x - Jeremy Kester -- Mapleville, AR (6)
7. XXX - Rick Hearnsberger -- Arkadelphia, AR (8)
8. 02s - Arlen Stewart -- Benton, AR (7)
9. 20x - Randy Smith -- Benton, AR (1)

HEAT RACE #6 (10 laps):
1. 26 - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (2)
2. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (1)
3. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (3)
4. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (7)
5. 68 - Brandon Watson -- Denison, TX (6)
6. 17x - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR (9)
7. C8 - Timothy Culp -- W. Monroe, LA (8)
8. 10k - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR (5)
9. 34 - Ben Stephens -- Hattiesburg, MS (4)

HEAT RACE #7 (10 laps):
1. 29 - Jeremy Kuykendall -- Little Rock, AR (2)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
3. 71k - Kevin Sustaire -- Emery, TX (6)
4. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA (7)
5. 39 - Gary Langworthy Jr. -- Coffeyville, KS (9)
6. 1010 - Shawn Blees -- Mountain Pine, AR (3)
7. 88s - Donnie Stringfellow -- Heber Springs, AR
8. 8h - Bryan Harton -- Little Rock, AR (5)
9. 60 - William Gould -- Calera, OK (8) DNF

HEAT RACE #8 (10 laps):
1. 60b - Mike Bowers -- N. Little Rock, AR (2)
2. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (1)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (7)
4. 10 - George White -- Fort Worth, TX (3)
5. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA (4)
6. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (5)
7. 66x - Mike Dillard -- Allen, TX (6)
8. 89x - Tate Cole -- Muskogee, OK (8)
9. 38 - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK (9) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 2 advance):
1. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (1)
2. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (3)
3. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX (2)
4. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA, $250 (5)
5. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR, $250 (4)
6. 60 - William Gould -- Calera, OK, $250 (15)
7. 76 - Troy Taylor Jr. -- Dallas, TX, $250 (10)
8. 68 - Brandon Watson -- Denison, TX, $250 (6)
9. 88s - Donnie Stringfellow -- Heber Springs, AR, $250 (11)
10. 1010 - Shawn Blees -- Mountain Pine, AR, $250 (9)
11. 44 - Ricky Anderson -- Bald Knob, AR, $250 (8)
12. 8h - Bryan Harton -- Little Rock, AR, $250 (13)
13. 14t - Tristan Dycus -- Midlothian, TX, $250 (7) DNF
14. 1 - Brett Frazier -- Haughton, LA, $250 (12) DNS
15. 601 - Curtis Cook -- Conway, AR, $250 (14) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 2 advance):
1. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (2)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (1)
3. 19 - Jamie Burford -- Keatchie, LA, $250 (3)
4. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- W. Concord, MN, $250 (7)
5. 17x - Michael Murphree -- Little Rock, AR, $250 (6)
6. 66x - Mike Dillard -- Allen, TX, $250 (11)
7. 89x - Tate Cole -- Muskogee, OK, $250 (13)
8. 48 - Alan Brown -- Alexander, AR, $250 (12)
9. 0 - Andy Brown -- Mabelvale, AR, $250 (5)
10. 11s - Mike Sellers -- Little Rock, AR, $250 (4)
11. 17f - Casey Findley -- Bryant, AR, $250 (8)
12. 12h - Jeff Huckaby -- Texarkana, TX, $250 (14) DNF
13. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX, $250 (9) DNF
14. 2 - Tyler Stevens -- Searcy, AR, $250 (10) DNF
15. 38 - Jeremy Ross -- Locust Grove, OK, $250 (15) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #3 (15 laps, top 2 advance):
1. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (1)
2. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (2)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD, $250 (6)
4. 39 - Gary Langworthy Jr. -- Coffeyville, KS, $250 (4)
5. 12t - Tyler Townsend -- Longview, TX, $250 (3)
6. 10 - George White -- Fort Worth, TX, $250 (5)
7. L1 - Larry Clevenger -- Greenwood, LA, $250 (7)
8. 1t - T.J. Herndon -- Atwood, TN, $250 (11)
9. XXX - Rick Hearnsberger -- Arkadelphia, AR, $250 (9)
10. 15w - Lee Walchli -- Lavaca, AR, $250 (8)
11. 31c - Tom Campbell -- Oppelo, AR, $250 (10)
12. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO, $250 (13)
13. 20x - Randy Smith -- Benton, AR, $250 (14)
14. 02s - Arlen Stewart -- Benton, AR, $250 (12) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #4 (15 laps, top 2 advance):
1. F1 - Randy Weaver -- Little Rock, AR (2)
2. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA (5)
3. 94 - Chris Shown -- Hooks, TX, $250 (3)
4. 8j - Dustin Hyde -- Texarkana, TX, $250 (4)
5. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK, $250 (13)
6. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (10)
7. 52 - Chad Davis -- Tulsa, OK, $250 (7)
8. 30 - David Baser -- Jacksonville, AR, $250 (6)
9. C8 - Timothy Culp -- W. Monroe, LA, $250 (9)
10. 92 - Chad Mallett -- Greenbrier, AR, $250 (11)
11. 19x - Jeremy Kester -- Mapleville, AR, $250 (8)
12. 34 - Ben Stephens -- Hattiesburg, MS, $250 (14)
13. 10k - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR, $250 (12)
14. 71k - Kevin Sustaire -- Emery, TX, $250 (1) DNF

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR, $5000 (4)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN, $2500 (11)
3. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX, $2000 (1)
4. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR, $1500 (22)
5. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR, $1000 (14)
6. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX, $900 (5)
7. 26 - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR, $800 (2)
8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK, $750 (9)
9. 60b - Mike Bowers -- N. Little Rock, AR, $700 (8)
10. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX, $600 (18)
11. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS, $575 (19)
12. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK, $550 (20)
13. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA, $525 (10)
14. 05 - Michael Robertson -- Minden, LA, $500 (7)
15. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK, $500 (15)
16. 11 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX, $500 (13)
17. 02x - B.J. Robinson -- Shreveport, LA, $500 (21)
18. 29 - Jeremy Kuykendall -- Little Rock, AR, $500 (3)
19. 16 - Chris Henigan -- Marshall, TX, $500 (23) DNF
20. F1 - Randy Weaver -- Little Rock, AR, $500 (17) DNF
21. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX, $500 (16) DNF
22. ME2 - Buddy Pifer -- Little Rock, AR, $500 (6) DNF
23. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK, $500 (12) DNF
24. 71 - Robert Baker -- Benton, AR, $500 (24) DNS

Lap Leaders: Bone 1-40.
Total Laps Led: Bone 40.
AFCO Pole Winner: Pifer.
Provisional Starters: Holzkamper, Henigan.
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Myer (started 11th, finished 2nd).
Next Race: Friday, April 3, West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, Okla. (West Region).
East Region Points: Sullivan 189, Holzkamper 176, Whiteaker 170, Linn 169, Robertson 167, Sanders 166, Ramirez 143, Henigan 141, Shryock 132, Hughes 127.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: Linn 48, Robertson 46, Henigan 36, W. Armstrong 33, Dillard 29, J. Armstrong 29.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 17, BMS 15, PTS 13, Shinook 13, A.S.I. 12.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: GRT 18, TRE 17, Ramirez 16, Skyrocket 15, Hughes 14.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Pifer.
American Racer – Mallett.
Isky Racing Cams – Bone.
KSE Racing Products – Myer.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Baker.
Nitroquest – Whiteaker.
Quarter Master – Bone, Ramirez.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Linn.
Real Racing Wheels – Gould, Dillard, White, Holzkamper.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Racewear, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, COMP Cams, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Nitroquest, PBM Performance Products, Sunoco Race Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ASi Racewear, Bear Tire, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Diamond Oil Company, Gressel Oil Field Service, Just Say Yes, Ramirez Race Cars, Lone Star Super Gas, Olympic Fire Protection, Ruter Farms, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Big Dog Chassis & Fabrication, ButlerBuilt Safety Systems, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake..