CRESCO, Iowa – Zack VanderBeek scored his first USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour win of the season Thursday night at the Cresco Speedway in the first race of the season in the ultra-competitive Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region.

The 24-year-old from New Sharon, Iowa, started third in the 35-lap Sunoco "A" Main, and was no match for polesitter Steve Wetzstein in the early stages of the race.

Wetzstein was untouchable in the early going, at times extending his lead to nearly a full straight-away over the rest of the field. Three caution flags during the first dozen laps provided optimism for his chasers, but each time Wetzstein would run off and hide when the green flag waved.

VanderBeek grabbed second place away from Ron Konkel on the first lap and settled in behind Wetzstein while AFCO Pole winner Dan Bohr snagged the third spot following the first caution on lap 2. At the same time, defending USMTS National Champion Tim Donlinger moved into the fifth position after starting eighth.

The second yellow flag waved on lap 10 and Donlinger used the ensuing restart to edge past Bohr for third. The third and final caution flew two laps later, which helped Donlinger scoot underneath VanderBeek for second and set his sights on Wetzstein.

Wetzstein was too strong for his fellow Gopher State ace, however, and again built a huge advantage as the race wore on.

VanderBeek began reeling in Donlinger on lap 20, making the pass for second on lap 25. From there, the distance between himself and Wetzstein began to evaporate and VanderBeek found himself on Wetzstein's bumper with six laps to go.

The pair completed lap 30 and entered the first turn nose to tail with Wetzstein hugging the bottom of the racetrack and VanderBeek moving to the middle groove. As they exited the second turn, Wetzstein's Modified crept to the right just enough to allow VanderBeek to execute a "crossover" move and slingshot past Wetzstein on the inside.

From there, the 'Z-Man' set his Skyrocket Chassis on cruise control and sailed to his first victory since claiming the USMTS Southern Series finale last December.

While VanderBeek earned the $2,000 top prize, Wetzstein hung on for a runner-up finish with Donlinger third, Konkel fourth and Bohr in fifth. Jon Tesch, Darrin Walch, Dereck Ramirez, Al Hejna and Kelly Shryock rounded out the top-10 at the finish line.

Walch, the defending Cresco Speedway USRA Modified track champion, started 18th and earned the PBM Racing Products Hard Charger Award.

Although Shryock could only muster a tenth-place finish, it was a successful night for the eight-time USMTS National Champion's company as seven of the top ten were Skyrocket Chassis pilots, including all of the top five finishers. It was also the first win of the season for the 'Skyrocket Nation.'

In the powerplant category, Sput's Racing Engines was even more dominant as every driver in the top eight spots were propelled by motors from the defending COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year.

UP NEXT:

The rugged road warriors head to the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., tomorrow (Friday, May 22) for the second round of action in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region.

Pits open at 5:00 and the grandstand gates open at 5:30. Hot laps are slated to begin at 7:00 and the first heat race will hit the track at 7:30. Also on the racing card will be WISSOTA Midwest Mods, Pure Stocks and Hornets.

Fans can pick up coupons good for $2 off adult general admission at Casey's General Stores locations in Austin, Owatonna, Rochester and Stewartville.

The Chateau Raceway is a 1/3-mile semi-banked oval located 5.0 miles north of Austin on US 218 to the Lansing Exit, then 1.3 miles east on CR 2, then 0.4 mile south on CR 25, then 0.3 mile east. For more information, call 507-433-4578 or check out www.chateauraceway.net online.

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 Casey’s General Stores National Tour (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region)
5th Annual Cresco Bowl
Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa
Thursday, May 21, 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. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)
2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (4)
3. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (3)
4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
5. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA (7)
6. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)
7. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
8. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (2)
9. 55 - Larry Hall -- Rochester, MN (9)

BRODIX HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 35k - Ron Konkel -- Caledonia, MN (4)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (6)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
4. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (8)
5. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (7)
6. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (5)
7. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
8. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (2)
9. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (9) DNF

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (5)
2. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
3. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (7)
4. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (3)
5. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
6. 88t - Terry Timmerman -- Spring Valley, MN (2)
7. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (4)
8. 55 - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (6)

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (5)
2. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (1)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (6)
4. 27s - Jason Schlangen -- Cresco, IA (3)
5. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (7)
6. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (8)
7. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (4)
8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (2)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (5)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
3. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7)
5. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (4)
6. 27s - Jason Schlangen -- Cresco, IA (3)
7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (9)
8. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (6)
9. 55 - Larry Hall -- Rochester, MN (11)
10. 55 - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (10) DNF
11. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (8) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (5)
3. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA (3)
4. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (4)
5. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (2)
6. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (8)
7. 88t - Terry Timmerman -- Spring Valley, MN (6)
8. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (9)
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (10) DNF
10. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) DNF
11. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (11) DNS

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
2. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (1)
3. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (8)
4. 35k - Ron Konkel -- Caledonia, MN (2)
5. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (5)
6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
7. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA (18)
8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (13)
9. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (14)
10. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (19)
11. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (11)
12. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (9)
13. 9 - Ken Schrader -- Concord, NC (6)
14. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (7)
15. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (16)
16. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (10)
17. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (17)
18. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)
19. 27s - Jason Schlangen -- Cresco, IA (23)
20. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (24)
21. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (20) DNF
22. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (21) DNF
23. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (22) DNF
24. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (12) DNF

Lap Leaders: Wetzstein 1-30, VanderBeek 31-35.
Total Laps Led: Wetzstein 30, VanderBeek 5.
AFCO Pole Winner: Bohr.
Provisional Starters: Noble, Poidinger, Schlangen (track), Schluetter (track).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Hughes (630.14 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Walch (started 18th, finished 7th).
Next Race: Friday, May 22, Chateau Raceway, Lansing, Minn. (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region).
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: VanderBeek 103, Wetzstein 98, Donlinger 96, Walch 89, Konkel 87, Bohr 84, Tesch 81, Ramirez 81, Shryock 81, Hejna 79.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Tate Cole 124, Tim Shields 109, Junghans 97, Brian Bolin 75, Colt Mather 75.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 92, Mullins 84, a.s.i. 72, Homegrown 39, AEM 37.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 95, Skyrocket 91, Ramirez 85, GRT 57, TRE 55.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Bohr.
American Racer – Donlinger.
Isky Racing Cams – VanderBeek.
KSE Racing Products – VanderBeek
PBM Performance Products – Walch.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Hughes.
Nitroquest – Donlinger.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Sorensen.
Quarter Master – VanderBeek, Ramirez.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Walch.
Real Racing Wheels – Schlangen, Meyer.
Ruter Farms – Hughes.

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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.