BAYTOWN, Texas – What was billed as the ’Showdown in Baytown’ turned into a beat down Saturday night at Jason Hughes spanked the field to capture the checkered flags at the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, during the third night of the 3rd Annual Rinehart Texas Shootout.

The defending USMTS Southern Series champion is always a threat to win when he pulls through the gate at any event. But when he dominates his heat race then draws the pole position for the main event, your odds betting against him are about the same as winning Saturday night's $109 million Powerball jackpot (which, by the way, nobody won).

The green flag waved over a 26-car field Saturday night to kick off the 35-lap Sunoco “A” Main, and that was the only flag displayed until the white flag flew 34 laps later. By the time Hughes crossed the finish line at the end of the caution-free event, he was long gone from his closest competitor and had lapped 12 of the 23 finishers.

The win, worth $2,000, was the fifth of the season for Hughes and his fourth in six starts in the West Region of the USMTS Southern Series. It was also the second win of his career at the 3/8-mile clay oval as he became the first USMTS driver to record multiple wins at the facility.

Bryan Rowland survived to take home the runner-up paycheck ahead of AFCO Pole Award winner Jon Tesch, who turned his luck around this week with a third-place finish. Howard Willis was fourth and Dereck Ramirez grabbed the fifth spot.

Sixth through tenth, respectively, were Rodney Sanders, Bobby Malchus, Steven Whiteaker Jr., Shane Hebert and Kelly Shryock, who started 22nd after claiming the fifth and final transfer spot in the second Real Racing Wheels “B” Main. Between the two races, Shryock passed 21 cars in 50 laps and earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award.

Hebert also captured the 20-lap USRA Southern Limited Modified main event prior to the feature race for the USMTS Modifieds.

The USMTS Southern Series West Region points belongs to Hughes as he holds a 97-point advantage over Sanders (614 to 517). Shryock is third with 501 points, followed by Rowland (477), Whiteaker (469), Hebert (440), Tesch (436), Bumper Jones (397), Morgan Bagley (393) and Eddie Martin (387).

The four-night, four-track Rinehart Texas Shootout points has Hughes leading with 302 points, followed by Sanders (280), Rowland (278), Shryock (255), and John O Whittington (251). An extra $500 awaits the top points earner over the course of the four-race swing, with $300 going to second and $200 for third.

SUNDAY, MAY 10 - GATOR MOTORPLEX

The four-race weekend wraps up tomorrow (Sunday, May 10) with a $3,000-to-win show at the Gator Motorplex in Willis – a do-over for the rained-out show on April 18. Gates will open early at 12 noon, with hot laps slated for 3:30 and the first green flag flying 4:00. Also competing will be USRA Southern Limited Modifieds, Hobby Stocks and Pure Stocks.

Past USMTS Southern Series winners at the Gator Motorplex include Greg Skaggs (2007) and Steve Holzkamper (2008). Local favorites than fans can expect to see defending their home turf are Kevin Sturgess, Bryan Vollmer, Doug Byrns, Keith Wright, Monty Locke, Alan Drewry, Steve Pugh, Derek Knowles, Kalif Sellier, Jeff Wood and others.

The Gator Motorplex is a 1/4-mile high-banked clay oval located off I-45 to Shepherd Hill (Exit 98), then east, then 1.4 miles south on SR 75. The track's official website is online at www.gatormotorplex.net.

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 (West Region)
Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas
3rd Annual Rinehart Texas Shootout - Event #3 of 4
Saturday, May 9, 2009

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 Sunoco “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT RACE #1 (8 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (1)
2. 71k - Kevin Sustaire -- Emery, TX (2)
3. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (6)
4. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (5)
5. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX
6. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (4)
7. 18t - Tim Clonch -- Quinlan, TX (7)
8. 115 - Brian Stipe -- Baytown, TX (8)
9. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (3)
10. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (9)

HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 51 - Tracy Denby Jr. -- Vidor, TX (1)
2. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (3)
3. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (2)
4. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (7)
5. 10k - Kenny Battarbee -- Houston, TX (4)
6. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (5)
7. 91 - Robert Metz Jr. -- Lumberton, TX (9)
8. 18 - Cody Smith -- Kaufman, TX (10)
9. 05x - Garrett Durrett -- Simsboro, LA (6) DNF
10. 129 - Bryan Vollmer -- Tomball, TX (8) DNF

HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
2. E - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (5)
3. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (8)
4. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (7)
5. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (9)
6. 97j - Jeff Hoegh -- New Caney, TX (1)
7. 121 - Kevin Sturgess -- Tomball, TX (2)
8. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (6)
9. 7g - Mark Smith -- Lufkin, TX (3) DNF
10. 56 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (10) DNS

HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (2)
2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (4)
3. 14t - Tristan Dycus -- Midlothian, TX (3)
4. 60 - William Gould -- Calera, OK (6)
5. 71 - Tracy Denby Sr. -- Vidor, TX (7)
6. 10 - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR (9)
7. 9n - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (5)
8. 51w - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (8)
9. 07 - Keith Wright -- Conroe, TX (1)
10. 10j - Jeremy Ishmael -- Tyler, TX (10)

HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (4)
2. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (1)
3. 88xxx - Clyde Dunn Jr. -- Sunnyville, TX (6)
4. 12c - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (8)
5. 52 - Chad Davis -- Tulsa, OK (7)
6. 9 - Doug Begnaud -- Cypress, TX (5)
7. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (2)
8. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3) DNF
9. 00 - Darrel Dawson -- Midlothian, TX (9) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (2)
2. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (4)
3. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (3)
4. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (8)
5. 10 - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR (7)
6. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (1)
7. 75 - Alan Sharpensteen -- Amarillo, TX (5)
8. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (15)
9. 115 - Brian Stipe -- Baytown, TX (13)
10. 71 - Tracy Denby Sr. -- Vidor, TX (6)
11. 88b - Brian Boram -- Orange, TX (12)
12. 91 - Robert Metz Jr. -- Lumberton, TX (10)
13. 121 - Kevin Sturgess -- Tomball, TX (11)
14. 51w - Jeff Wood -- Willis, TX (14)
15. 97j - Jeff Hoegh -- New Caney, TX (9)
16. 7g - Mark Smith -- Lufkin, TX (16) DNF
17. 129 - Bryan Vollmer -- Tomball, TX (18) DNF
18. 00 - Darrel Dawson -- Midlothian, TX (17) DNS
19. 10j - Jeremy Ishmael -- Tyler, TX (19) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (5)
2. 12c - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (1)
3. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (2)
4. 10k - Kenny Battarbee -- Houston, TX (7)
5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (14)
6. 18t - Tim Clonch -- Quinlan, TX (10)
7. 60 - William Gould -- Calera, OK (4)
8. 14t - Tristan Dycus -- Midlothian, TX (3)
9. 9 - Doug Begnaud -- Cypress, TX (9)
10. 52 - Chad Davis -- Tulsa, OK (6)
11. 57 - Jason Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (8)
12. 9n - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (11)
13. 07 - Keith Wright -- Conroe, TX (16)
14. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (17) DNF
15. 68 - Danny Barringer -- Lufkin, TX (13) DNF
16. 18 - Cody Smith -- Kaufman, TX (12) DNS
17. 05x - Garrett Durrett -- Simsboro, LA (15) DNS
18. 56 - David Horner -- Houston, TX (18) DNS

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (1)
2. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (3)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
4. E - Howard Willis -- Dayton, TX (8)
5. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (7)
6. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (2)
7. 4m - Bobby Malchus -- Red Oak, TX (9)
8. 89 - Steven Whiteaker Jr. -- Corpus Christi, TX (15)
9. 9 - Shane Hebert -- Lafayette, LA (13)
10. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (22)
11. 12c - Corey Babbitt -- Channelview, TX (16)
12. 88xxx - Clyde Dunn Jr. -- Sunnyville, TX (11) -1 Lap
13. 5w - John O Whittington -- Vidor, TX (19) -1 Lap
14. 5r - Morgan Bagley -- Longview, TX (17) -1 Lap
15. 85d - Mark Dotson -- Cameron, MO (6) -1 Lap
16. 71k - Kevin Sustaire -- Emery, TX (12) -1 Lap
17. 51 - Tracy Denby Jr. -- Vidor, TX (5) -1 Lap
18. 5a - Wes Armstrong -- Marshall, TX (24) -1 Lap
19. 111 - Bumper Jones -- Mesilla Park, NM (23) -1 Lap
20. 10k - Kenny Battarbee -- Houston, TX (20) -1 Lap
21. 51 - Eddie Martin -- Stilwell, OK (10) -1 Lap
22. 10 - Kyle Schmidt -- Farmington, AR (21) -1 Lap
23. A1 - Phil Dixon -- Crosby, TX (18) -1 Lap
24. 5t - Randy Timms -- Wheatland, OK (14) DNF
25. 9n - Brent Nicholas -- Baytown, TX (26) DNF
26. 9 - Doug Begnaud -- Cypress, TX (25) DNF

Lap Leader: Hughes 1-35.
Total Laps Led: Hughes 35.
AFCO Pole Winner: Tesch.
Provisional Starters: Jones, W. Armstrong, Begnaud (track), Nicholas (track).
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger: Shryock (started 22nd, finished 10th).
Next Race: Sunday, May 10, Gator Motorplex, Willis, Texas (West Region).
West Region Points: Hughes 614, Sanders 517, Shryock 501, Rowland 477, Whiteaker 469, Hebert 440, Tesch 436, Jones 397, Bagley 393, Martin 387.
Rinehart Texas Shootout Points: Hughes 302, Sanders 280, Rowland 278, Shryock 255, Whittington 251.
Dustin Duncan Memorial “Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year Points: W. Armstrong 184, J. Armstrong 169, Sustaire 157, Schmidt 148, C. Davis 139.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: ASI 85, Mullins 82, Sput’s 53, Young’s 49, Rowland 41.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 93, Skyrocket 92, Ramirez 76, TRE 71, GRT 70.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Tesch.
American Racer – Whittington.
Isky Racing Cams – Hughes.
KSE Racing Products – Shryock.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Begnaud.
Nitroquest – Tesch.
Quarter Master – Hughes, Whiteaker.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Malchus.
Real Racing Wheels – Jones, Clonch.

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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, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Nitroquest, PBM Performance Products, Sunoco Race Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: ASi Racewear, Bear Tire, Big Dog Chassis & Fabrication, 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, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat 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.