SPRING VALLEY, Minn. – Tim Donlinger was back in victory lane at the Deer Creek Speedway Saturday night as he captured the 7th Annual A&A Electric & Underground Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge on the same track where he nailed down the 2008 USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship last September with a win in the Featherlite Fall Jamboree.

Skill and experience has carried Donlinger to the winner's circle on many occasions at the Spring Valley, Minn., speedplant, but the veteran from nearby Rochester, Minn., mixed in a dose of good fortune in taking down Saturday's $2,000 top prize.

Donlinger started on the pole for the 35-lap Sunoco “A” Main and jumped out to lead the first lap of the race, but relinquished the lead the next time around to eight-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock — a nine-time winner at the Queensland family's 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval.

Shryock continued to hold the point through the early stages of the main event as he led the field through the next 15 orbits, but young Jason Cummins came charging through the field to power by Donlinger then wrestle the lead away from Shryock on lap 17.

Within four laps, Cummins had extended his advantage to nearly a straight-away as he threatened to run away and hide from the field. On lap 22, however, a broken radiator hose crippled his machine and he pulled to a stop on the racetrack to bring out the caution flag with hopes of collecting his first USMTS checkers gone up in smoke.

Meanwhile, Donlinger had inched ahead of Shryock and led the field for the double-file restart. AFCO Pole Award winner Ryan Gustin battled with Shryock for the second spot while Donlinger maintained a narrow advantage over the final 13 laps.

Shryock disposed of Gustin in the closing laps and pressured Donlinger for the lead, but had to settle for the runner-up spot as he continues to seek his first feature win of the season.

Gustin held on for his third third-place finish in the last four races while Jason Hughes, who won on Wednesday and Friday night, came from the tenth starting spot to finish fourth. Dan Bohr rounded out the top-5 finishers, with Al Hejna, Steve Wetzstein, Zack VanderBeek, Jon Tesch and Rodney Sanders finishing sixth through tenth, respectively.

A sub-par performance in his heat race and Real Racing Wheels "B" Main forced VanderBeek to take a provisional starting spot in the main event, but by feature time he may have had the fastest car on the track. After passing several cars in the first few laps of the race, VanderBeek spun and was forced to tag the tail of the 26-car field for the restart. The ’Z-Man’ passed an additional 18 cars during the final 27 laps en route to an eighth-place finish.

Since provisionals are not eligible for the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award, that distinction went to Tesch, who was nearly as impressive with a run from 22nd to ninth and pocketed an additional $300 from Hanson Tire.

Donlinger is back atop the rankings in his quest to repeat as champion in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region. Donlinger leads Wetzstein by 20 markers (295 to 275) with VanderBeek close behind with 270 points. Tesch is fourth with 263, followed by Shryock (257), Hughes (247), Dereck Ramirez (235) and Bohr (226), with Hejna and Sanders tied for tenth with 210 each.

Fellow multi-time winners at the Dodge County Speedway include Brad Waits, Jason Hughes, Todd Scharkey and Dan Chapman as two-time winners. Other winners under the USMTS banner include Mike Hejna, Tommy Myer, Mike Sorensen, Jon Tesch, Corey Dripps, Nate Wasmund, Scott Megonigle, Chris Spieker and Mike Chasteen, who won the first-ever USMTS-sanctioned show at Kasson on June 21, 2001.

On Sunday, the pits will open at 2:00 with grandstand gates opening at 3:00. Hot laps are slated for 4:30 and the first heat race is scheduled to take the track at 5:00. Also on the racing card will be WISSOTA Midwest Mods, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks, Pure Stocks and Hornets.

The Dodge County Speedway is located 1.1 mile north of US 14 on SR 57 (at the Dodge County Fairgrounds). For more information, call 507-634-4281 or check out www.dodgecountyspeedway.com 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)
7th Annual A&A Electric & Underground Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge
Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Saturday, May 23, 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. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
2. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (5)
3. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (6)
4. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (4)
5. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (9)
6. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (3)
7. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (8)
8. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
9. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) DNF

BRODIX HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (2)
2. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (6)
3. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (7)
4. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (1)
5. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (9)
6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
7. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8) DNF
8. 4a - Joel Alberts -- Mantorville, MN (3) DNF
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (5) DNF

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (3)
2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (4)
3. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (1)
4. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (5)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)
6. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (2)
7. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (8)
8. 1r - Ryan York -- Racine, MN (6)

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 71 - Jason Cummins -- New Richland, MN (1)
2. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (3)
3. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (5)
4. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (8)
5. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (4)
6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)
7. 96 - Greg Jensen -- Albert Lea, MN (2)
8. 88t - Terry Timmerman -- Spring Valley, MN (6)

AMERICAN RACER HEAT RACE #5 (8 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (2)
3. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (4)
4. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (6)
5. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
6. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
7. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8)
8. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (7)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (1)
2. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (2)
3. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (3)
4. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (4)
5. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (8)
6. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (7)
7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)
8. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (5)
9. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)
10. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (11)
11. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (9)
12. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (10)
13. 96 - Greg Jensen -- Albert Lea, MN (12)
14. 88t - Terry Timmerman -- Spring Valley, MN (14)
15. 4a - Joel Alberts -- Mantorville, MN (13) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (1)
2. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (3)
3. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (11)
4. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (4)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)
6. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (10)
7. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (6)
8. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (9)
9. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (14)
10. 1r - Ryan York -- Racine, MN (13)
11. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (15)
12. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
13. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (12) DNF
14. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (2) DNF
15. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (5) DNF

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)
3. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (5)
4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (10)
5. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (9)
6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (4)
7. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (13)
8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (23)
9. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (22)
10. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (15)
11. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (24)
12. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (14)
13. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (12)
14. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (20)
15. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (17)
16. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (16)
17. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (19) DNF
18. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (3) DNF
19. 71 - Jason Cummins -- New Richland, MN (6) DNF
20. 96 - Jay Ihrke -- Dover, MN (26) DNF
21. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (8) DNF
22. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (7) DNF
23. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (18) DNF
24. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (21) DNF
25. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (11) DNF
26. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (25) DNF

Lap Leaders: Donlinger 1, Shryock 2-16, Cummins 17-22, Donlinger 23-35.
Total Laps Led: Shryock 15, Donlinger 14, Cummins 6.
AFCO Pole Winner: Gustin.
Provisional Starters: VanderBeek, Ramirez, Hillson (track), Ihrke (track).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Drake (546.31 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Tesch (started 22nd, finished 9th).
Next Race: Sunday, May 24, Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn. (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region).
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Donlinger 295, Wetzstein 275, VanderBeek 270, Tesch 263, Shryock 257, Hughes 247, Ramirez 235, Bohr 226, Hejna 210, Sanders 210.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Tate Cole 124, Junghans 117, Tim Shields 109, Hansen 93, Brian Bolin 75, Colt Mather 75.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 111, Mullins 106, a.s.i. 88, Homegrown 39, AEM 37.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 114, Skyrocket 108, Ramirez 101, GRT 56, TRE 55.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Gustin.
American Racer – Junghans.
Hanson Tire – Tesch.
Isky Racing Cams – Shryock.
KSE Racing Products – Scharkey
PBM Performance Products – Tesch.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Hillson.
Nitroquest – Gustin.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Ramirez.
Quarter Master – Donlinger, VanderBeek.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Wetzstein.
Real Racing Wheels – Ramirez, Green.
Ruter Farms – Drake.

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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.