OSKALOOSA, Iowa – The month of May-hem continues as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour opens up action in the Central States Region Tuesday night, May 19, with the 8th Annual Spring Classic at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Tuesday's blockbuster event at the Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster may be just what the doctor ordered for eight-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock.

Sunday's race at the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo., was the 30th straight USMTS-sanctioned main event that did not find Shryock in victory lane — the longest dry spell of his career. The drought includes 10 straight National Tour events with his last victory coming last August at the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn.

But nobody is even close to Shryock in career wins at Oskaloosa. In the 27 United States Modified Touring Series races staged there, Shryock has reached the checkered flag first on 11 occasions. His last win, however, came six shows ago in 2006 — the longest dry spell of his career at Osky.

In 1999 when he won his first USMTS title during the debut season for Todd and Janet Staley's fledgling Modified series, Shryock didn't win a single points race. His only win came on Oct. 7, 1999, at the Fall Jamboree, which was a non-points race at the time. There were 18 races that season, and he didn't win his first USMTS points race until June 7, 2001, en route to his third straight series crown.

But since then he has garnered nearly 150 career wins in USMTS competition — almost three times as many as his closest rival, Jason Hughes.

Shryock's closest competitor on the career USMTS wins list at Osky is local favorite Brad Pinkerton of New Sharon, Iowa, who is the odds-on favorite coming into Tuesday's showdown after sweeping both events last season. In the August race last year, “Pinky” put on a rim-riding clinic as he raced from 16th on the starting grid to take the win without assistance from a single caution flag.

Two-time USMTS winners at the Southern Iowa Speedway include 2007 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn, Tommy Myer, John VandDenBerg and Chris Spieker, who swept the first two events at Oskaloosa in 2002. Other past winners include Zack VanderBeek, Mark Noble, Bruce Hanford, Dan Bohr and Tony Fraise.

The hottest driver right now is Hughes, who leads the points in the USMTS Southern Series as well as the Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region of the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour. He'll be looking to cash his ninth winner's paycheck of the season Tuesday night, and his career-first win at the Southern Iowa Speedway.

Other names expected to fill the cream-of-the-crop roster at Osky include Dustin Boney, Jon Tesch, Dereck Ramirez, Al Hejna, Donovan Lodge, Ryan Gustin, Dean Mahlstedt, Scott Green, Alan Mondus, Colt Mather, Richie Gustin Jr., Michael Long, Jake Neal, David Holder, Scott Dickey, Jeff Schluetter, Jesse Dennis, Brandon Banks, Mike Albertsen, Josh Truman, Corey Dripps, Nate Caruth, Matt Waugh, Carey Umbarger, Jerry King, Brad Moriarty, Steven Pfeifer, Steven Blattler, John Fellman, Bill Gibson, Stoney Stewart, Ron Ver Beek, Pat Graham and David Ott.

The main event will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start. Also on the racing card will be the USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars, Carter’s Manufacturing USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks.

Pits gates will swing open at 5:00 with grandstand gates opening at 5:30. Hot laps begin at 7:00 and the first heat race will take the green flag at 7:30. Adult tickets are $15, kids ages 6-12 are just $5 and children under 6 get in for free.

Fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons on Tuesday at all three Casey's General Store locations in Oskaloosa.

Drivers will have some added incentive to find victory lane and fans will have a chance to see NASCAR superstars Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace, who will strap on their helmets and compete against the USMTS Modifieds.

Wallace will also be competing at the Marshalltown (Iowa) Speedway on Wednesday, May 20, while Schrader has penciled-in the Cresco (Iowa) Speedway for Thursday, May 21.

The Southern Iowa Speedway a half-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, contact the RL Promotions offices at (515) 832-6000 or visit www.rlpromotions.com online. Race day info is available by calling the track hotline at (641) 673-7004.

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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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.