FOUNTAIN CITY, Wis. – The main event for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour was a bit slow to get going Monday night at Mississippi Thunder Speedway as back-to-back caution flags slowed the action before a single lap could be completed.

On the third try, however, the field got through the first turn clean and ran the full 30-lap Sunoco “A” Main without another yellow flag. That was unfortunate for 23 of the 24 starters because it was their only hope to catch Ryan Gustin.

From the outside of the front row, Gustin shot to the lead and never looked back as he literally disappeared from the pack. By the time he took the checkered flags, he had lapped half the field and his advantage was more than nine seconds over runner-up Dereck Ramirez.

The win was worth $2,000 to the 18-year-old from Marshalltown, Iowa, and his second career victory against the Best of the Best in Modified racing at the Fountain City, Wis., oval.

Mike Sorensen finished third behind Ramirez, with Zack VanderBeek fourth and Al Hejna in fifth. Kelly Shryock, Josh Angst, Jon Tesch, Grant Junghans and Steve Wetzstein rounded out the top-10 finishers.

Angst secured his career-first AFCO Pole Award by recording the most passing points during heat race action, then also picked up a contingency award from KSE Racing Products for having the worst draw (eighth) among the eight drivers qualified for the re-draw. The DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year contender also pocketed bonus awards from Isky Racing Cams and QuickTime Performance Parts.

Grant Junghans earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award by racing from 16th on the starting grid to ninth at the finish line. The 20-year-old from Manhattan, Kan., currently leads the DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year points over Tate Cole, Mike Hansen, Tim Shields and Rich Lewerke.

With his fifth top-10 finish in five races, Wetzstein remains the top dog in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region points standings, leading Tesch by 21 markers (456 to 435). Ramirez has 420 points and jumped up to third with his runner-up finish, while Shryock (415), VanderBeek (408), Sorensen (379), Dan Bohr (366), Rodney Sanders (362), Gustin (355) and Jason Hughes (354) complete the top-10.

In the COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year points battle, Sput’s Racing Engines leads over Mullins Race Engines, a.s.i. Racing Engines, Pro Power Racing and JR Motorsports.

Hughes Racing Chassis continues to hold a slight edge over Skyrocket Chassis in the Chassis Builders Championship, with Ramirez Race Cars, TRE Race Cars and GRT Race Cars in third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

WHAT'S ON TAP?

United States Modified Touring Series officials and fans are hoping the third time's a charm as up next for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour is a return trip to the LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo., after two rain-outs earlier this season at the 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval.

Jason Hughes is the points leader in the Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region with Johnny Bone Jr., Rodney Sanders, Kelly Shryock, Dustin Boney, Zack VanderBeek, Bryan Rowland, Dereck Ramirez, Chad Wheeler, Scott Green completing the top-10 rankings.

Other Modified specialists expected for this event include Jon Tesch, Tommy Myer, Terry Phillips, Tate Cole, Jeremy Payne, Tim Shields, Steve Holzkamper, Steven Martin, Don Crnkovich, Brian Bolin, Kip Hughes, Brian Green, Jason Krohn, Gary Langworthy Jr., Tony Jackson Jr., Daulton Greven, Tyler Schmidt, Ken Schrader, Jess Folk Jr., Justin Folk, John Allen, Brian McGowen, Dan Daniels, Pat McVicker, Ron Gould Jr., Jake Richards, Tim Setzer, Matt Waugh, Brian Wolfe, Austin Siebert, Tammy Mitchell, Justin Boney, Richard Payne, Curt Potter and Scott Drake.

The touring titans of the USMTS can expect some fierce competition from the home team drivers such as current track points leader Brian Ziegler, Hammer Williams, Bryan Montgomery, Dustin Seevers, Jamie Trimnal, John Brooks, Brad Smith, Jeremy Lile, Ernie Walker, James McMillin, Colt Cheevers, Gary Lewis, Sonny Grace, Randy Grimmett, Michael Mullins, Jay Lyle, Jason Gilmore and Ethan Mullins.

The $2,000-to-win event kicks off another nerve-testing swing that features nine races at nine different tracks over the course of ten days:

Thursday, May 28 … LA Raceway, La Monte, Mo.
Friday, May 29 … Tri-City Speedway, Granite City, Ill.
Sunday, May 30 … Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon, Mo.
Monday, June 1 … Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines, Iowa
Tuesday, June 2 … Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa
Wednesday, June 3 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa
Thursday, June 4 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa
Friday, June 5 … Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn.
Saturday, June 6 … Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa

The LA Raceway is located 3.5 miles west of SR 127 on Hwy Y. For more information call 660-620-1152 or 660-563-9878 on race day. The LA Raceway's official website is online at www.laraceway.com.

Pit gates will open at 3:00 and grandstand gates will open at 4:00. Hot laps are slated to begin at 6:30 with the event's first heat race taking to the track at 7:00. Also on the racing card will be local Street Stocks.

Fans can pick up coupons good for $2 off adult general admission on race day at Casey's General Stores locations in La Monte, Sedalia and Warrensburg.

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 Memorial Day Shootout
Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis.
Monday, May 25, 2009

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 14 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. 99 - Josh Angst -- Winona, MN (2)
2. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (5)
3. 59 - Adam Stockhausen -- Minnesota City, MN (3)
4. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (8)
5. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (4)
6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
7. 58 - Jeff Rollinger -- Winona, MN (6)
8. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (9)
9. 0 - Keith Foss -- Winona, MN (1) DNF

BRODIX HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)
3. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (2)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
5. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (4)
6. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (7)
7. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
8. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (9)
9. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (6)

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 4R - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (1)
2. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (3)
3. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (4)
4. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (2)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (9)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8)
7. 25 - Andy Bohnstengel -- Winona, MN (6)
8. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
9. 6t7 - Brian Albrecht -- Winona, MN (5)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (4)
2. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (1)
3. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)
4. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (10)
5. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (2)
7. 25 - Andy Bohnstengel -- Winona, MN (7)
8. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (9)
9. 0 - Keith Foss -- Winona, MN (11)
10. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (12)
11. 58 - Jeff Rollinger -- Winona, MN (6)
12. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (8) DNF
13. 6t7 - Brian Albrecht -- Winona, MN (13) DNF

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (2)
2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)
3. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (3)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4)
5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
6. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (12)
7. 99 - Josh Angst -- Winona, MN (8)
8. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (11)
9. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (16)
10. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (15)
11. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (10)
12. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (18)
13. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rollingstone, MN (7) -1 Lap
14. 59 - Adam Stockhausen -- Minnesota City, MN (9) -1 Lap
15. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (14) -1 Lap
16. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (19) -1 Lap
17. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (21) -1 Lap
18. 58 - Jeff Rollinger -- Winona, MN (24) -1 Lap
19. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (22) -1 Lap
20. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (17) DNF
21. 25 - Andy Bohnstengel -- Winona, MN (23) DNF
22. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (13) DNF
23. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (20) DNF
24. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (5) DNF

Lap Leaders: Gustin 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Gustin 30.
AFCO Pole Winner: Angst.
Provisional Starters: Meyer, Ostrander, Bohnstengel (track), Rollinger (track).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: VanderBeek (251.23 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Junghans (started 16th, finished 9th).
Next Race: Thursday, May 28, LA Raceway, La Monte, Mo. (Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region).
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Wetzstein 456, Tesch 435, Ramirez 420, Shryock 415, VanderBeek 408, Sorensen 379, Bohr 366, Sanders 362, Gustin 355, Jason Hughes 354.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Junghans 150, Tate Cole 124, Hansen 114, Tim Shields 109, Rich Lewerke 90.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 129, Mullins 120, a.s.i. 101, Pro Power 46, JR 42.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 132, Skyrocket 126, Ramirez 117, TRE 61, GRT 56.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Angst.
American Racer – Stockhausen.
Isky Racing Cams – Angst.
KSE Racing Products – Angst
PBM Performance Products – Junghans.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Sanders.
Nitroquest – Sorensen.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Hansen.
Quarter Master – Gustin, Tesch.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Angst.
Real Racing Wheels – Dripps.
Ruter Farms – VanderBeek.

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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.