SLAYTON, Minn. -- The United States Modified Touring Series north region continued with three nights of racing scheduled for the Independence Holiday weekend. Racing got underway with the rescheduled race at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, MN on Friday July 2nd. The racing action was very exciting as Al Hejna jumped into the early lead and looked as if he might pick up his first win of the season, but his bad luck bug continued with seven laps to go in the feature event and after leading twenty-eight laps fuel pressure was the problem ending his evening and leaving Hejna with a sixteenth place finish. This was not the only bad luck for the Hejna family as Mike Hejna had a very strong run going and his motor expired around lap twenty. This left the top spot to Tommy Myer who started the race from the eighth starting spot and had worked his way up to second and was challenging Hejna before the fuel problems occurred. Myer would pull away from Kelly Shryock the final few laps enroute to his fourth win of the season. Mark Noble who had motor troubles in his heat would change motors and start 23rd in the feature and move all the way to third and was all over the #3 Shryock car the last four laps, but would settle for a third place finish. Rounding out the top five was John Tesch and Bruce Hanford. Picking up heat race wins was Willy Kraft, Marlin Kracht, Mike Steensma, and Jason Krohn. Harris Auto Racing B-mains went to Bruce Hanford and Jon Tesch. The series was off Saturday and returned to Dodge County Speedway on Sunday July 4th.

Sunday July 4, 2004

Some of the best racing of the year was witnessed at the Dodge County Speedway on Sunday night July 4th. Corey Dripps started the race from the fifth row and used the outside of the speedway to his advantage all evening. In heat race action four Johnny Bone and Corey Dripps raced side by side for the first seven laps before Dripps finally got by Bone. Thinking the win was going to the Dripps car along came Ron Schreiner using the bottom of the track and cruised right on by Dripps on the last lap and picked up the win. The first three heat races were picked up by Todd Sharkey, Jesse Frerichs and Bruce Angst. Harris Auto Racing B-mains were won by John Vandenberg and Tommy Myer. This set the stage for some great modified action. After the redraw Dan Chapman started the race from the AFCO pole with USMTS national point leader Kelly Shryock too the outside of Chapman. Chapman would jump into the early lead with several hard chargers behind him. The yellow flag was thrown three times in the first two laps, which kept the field bunched up. Once we got past the first few laps the racing got hot. Chapman jumped into the lead again until lap seven when Shryock would get by Chapman. Dripps who started tenth and was running the high side worked his way to second by lap eight. Dripps and Shryock would race side by side for several laps with lap traffic coming Shryock and Dripps would exchange the top spot several times in the first twenty laps. A yellow would come out on lap eighteen bunching the field back together. Dripps who had the top spot the previous three laps had given the top spot back to Shryock. At the restart Shryock would jump back into the lead with Dripps and Ron Schreiner right behind. Shryock would move up on the track making it a little tougher for Dripps to get around. As Shryock slid up to another line Dripps seized the opportunity and went to the inside and the two cars touched. Dripps would take the top spot and led lap thirty two. As they went back in turns 1-2 Shryock would get a run and slide up the track and catch the #31 car giving himself a flat tire bringing out the fifth yellow of the race. Racing action would continue and Dripps did everything he could to hold off a late hard charging Ron Schreiner to pick up his second win of the season. Rounding out the top five was Neil Eckhardt best USMTS finish, Tommy Myer and Mike Sorensen.

Monday July 5, 2004

Mother Nature ruined what may have been the nicest Steele County Speedway race track in a long time as persistent rain started falling on the speedway around 5:15. This forced the cancellation of the races and this race will be rescheduled for Monday September 6th. All tickets and armbands will be good at that race.

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

<B>(Friday July 2, 2004) Slayton, MN</B>

Heat 1- Willy Kraft, Mike Hejna, Craig Scott, Aaron Betz, Chris Prussman, John Klynsma, Jeff Maasch, Lynn Nillson

Heat 2- Marlin Kracht, Greg Porth, Al Hejna, Bruce Hanford, Josh Reisch, Jim Richert, Kevin Pospisil, , Mark Noble

Heat 3- Mike Steensma, Gary March, Johnny Bone, Chad Muecke, Chris Palsrock, Nate Wasmund, Ron Luitjens

Heat 4- Jason Krohn, Tommy Myer, Kelly Shryock, Jon Tesch, Jason Briese, RD Flaws, Scott March

B-main 1- Bruce Hanford, James Richert, Kevin Pospisil, Lynn Nillson, Chris Prussman

B-main 2- Jon Tesch, Aaron Betz, Josh Reisch, Jason Briese, Nate Wasmund

A-main- Tommy Myer, Kelly Shryock, Mark Noble, Jon Tesch, Bruce Hanford, Jason Krohn, Mike Steensma, Marlin Kracht, Nate Wasmund, John Klynsma, Johnny Bone, James Richert, Lynn Nillson, Aaron Betz, Kevin Pospisil, Chad Muecke, Al Hejna, Jason Briese, Josh Reisch, Chris Palsrock, Mike Hejna, Chris Prussman, Craig Scott, Greg Porth, Willy Kraft, Gary March

<B>Sunday July 4, 2004 Kasson, MN</B>

Heat 1- Todd Sharckey, Dean Mahlstedt, Mike Sorensen, Nate Wasmund, Tim Donlinger, Doug Hillson, Jon Tesch, Martin Bennett, Kenny Wytaske

Heat 2- Jesse Frericks, Dan Chapman, Neil Eckhardt, John Vandenberg, Tommy Myer, Karl Fenske, Brad Moriarty, Mike Spaulding, Brian Shaw

Heat 3- Bruce Angst, Kelly Shryock, Mark Noble, Bobby Sorensen, David Siercks, Garry Oskerson, Paul Hamernik, Kenny Hainka

Heat 4- Ron Schreiner, Corey Dripps, Johnny Bone, Bruce Hanford, Bob Timm, Jay Ihrke, Todd Klees, Steve Wetzstein

B-main 1- John Vandenberg, Nate Wasmund, Johnny Bone, Jon Tesch, Doug Hillson

B-main 2- Tommy Myer, Todd Klees, Bob Timm, Steve Wetzstein, Mark Noble

A-main- Corey Dripps, Ron Schreiner, Neil Eckhardt, Tommy Myer, Mike Sorensen, Dan Chapman, Bruce Hanford, Mark Noble, Bruce Angst, Johnny Bone, Steve Wetzstein, Jesse Frericks, Doug Hillson, Kelly Shryock, Brian Shaw, Bob Timm, Nate Wasmund, David Siercks, Martin Bennett, Bobby Sorensen, Todd Sharckey, Jay Ihrke, Todd Klees, John Vandenberg, Jon Tesch, Dean Mahlstedt