PONTOON BEACH, Ill. – Zack VanderBeek passed Jason Hughes on lap 21 Friday night, then held off Dereck Ramirez over the final 14 laps in winning the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour main event in the Inaugural Event presented by Budweiser at Kevin and Tammy Gundaker's historic Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill.

From the outside of the front row, Hughes followed polesitter Kelly Shryock for the first circuit before capturing the lead the second time around. Two laps later, Dereck Ramirez grabbed the top spot and held it until lap 12 when Hughes again powered to the point.

Looking to garner his sixth Hughes USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour victory of the season, Hughes paced the next eight laps before seventh-starting VanderBeek slipped past to lead lap 21.

From there, VanderBeek held a four-car-length advantage over Ramirez to the finish of the 35-lapper while Hughes failed to finish the Sunoco "A" Main due to mechanical troubles.

For VanderBeek, the win was worth $2,000 and was his second triumph in eight days.

Shryock hung on to the third spot, followed by Michael Long, who got as high as third before settling for a fourth-place finish ahead of Rodney Sanders.

Long, however, pocketed the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger after passing 13 competitors from his 17th starting position.

Jon Tesch, 22nd-starting Terry Phillips, Marty Smith Jr., Steve Lach and Dustin Boney rounded out the top-10.

Hughes now holds a slim 11-point lead in the Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region points over Shryock (717 to 706), while Sanders is third with 700. Fourth is VanderBeek (687), with Johnny Bone Jr. (684), Boney (659), Ramirez (635), Bryan Rowland (604), Scott Green (590) and Tesch (563) sitting sixth through tenth, respectively.

FROM THE BEACH TO THE LAKE ...

On Saturday, May 30, the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour will trek to unchartered territory again with a visit to the popular Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo.

The 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval offers a 75-foot-wide racing surface, with 10 degrees of banking in the corners and 5 degrees in the straight-aways.

Built in 2004, the state-of-the-art facility features seating for more than 5,000 fans, handicap parking and seating, a playground for children, MUSCO lighting and closed-circuit TV.

The USMTS was scheduled to christen the track one month after its opening on June 20, 2004, but that event was canceled due to inclement weather.

A top prize of $2,000 is up for grabs Saturday night with a minimum $250 to start the Sunoco "A" Main.

Danny Crane leads the Lake Ozark Speedway locals in to challenge the USMTS invaders, with Steve Cain, Jason Russell, Vance Wilson, Rowland Blythe, Dane Gundaker, Curt Potter, Howard Hall, Curt Rackers, Larry Winn and others expected to also take part in the inaugural event presented by Advantage Metals.

The pits will open at 4:00 and grandstands open at 5:00. Hot laps begin at 6:30 and the first green flag is scheduled to wave at 7:00. 360 Winged Sprints, , UMP Pro Late Models and Street Stocks join the action Saturday night.

Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons on race day at the Casey's General Stores locations in California, Eldon, Osage Beach and Versailles.

The Lake Ozark Speedway is a 1/3-mile semi-banked clay oval located south of Eldon on US 54, then 0.1 mile east on SR 52, then 0.5 mile north on Twiggy Ln. (frontage road). For more information call 800-617-9077 or check out www.lakeozarkspeedway.com on the World Wide Web.

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 (Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region)
Inaugural Event presented by Budweiser
Tri-City Speedway, Pontoon Beach, Ill.
Friday, May 29, 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. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
3. 22 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (6)
4. 4j - Scott Weber -- Festus, MO (8)
5. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (4)
6. 55 - Marty Smith Jr. -- Troy, IL (7)
7. 36 - Conrad Miner -- Arnold, MO (3)
8. 73 - Mark Leuck -- Bunker Hill, IL (2)
9. 49 - Craig Kern -- Vandalia, IL (9)

BRODIX HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
2. 3e - Robbie Eilers -- Lebanon, IL (2)
3. 16 - Rusty Griffaw -- Festus, MO (4)
4. 22s - Chad Kinder -- Newton, IL (5)
5. 1 - Tommy Seets Jr. -- Alton, IL (9)
6. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (3)
7. 11h - John Stanton -- Alton, IL (8)
8. 42 - Steve Lach -- Brownstown, IL (6)
9. 11 - Dane Gundaker -- Bridgeton, MO (7)

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 24h - Mike Harrison -- Highland, IL (1)
2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (7)
3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)
4. 1w - Ray Walsh -- St. Louis, MO (5)
5. 41g - Matt Goulden -- Springfield, IL (3)
6. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (4)
7. 14 - Richard Conoyer -- St. Peters, MO (9)
8. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (2)
9. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (6)DNF

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (1)
2. 41 - Brent Mullins -- Litchfield, IL (6)
3. 0x - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (3)
4. 4uw - Bobby Regot -- St. Peters, MO (4)
5. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (7)
6. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (9)
7. 87 - Derek DuBree -- Edwardsville, IL (8)
8. 117 - Mark Enk -- St. Ann, MO (5)
9. 5 - Joe Dresch -- Brighton, IL (2) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 0x - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (1)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (4)
3. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (12)
4. 4uw - Bobby Regot -- St. Peters, MO (3)
5. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (10)
6. 14 - Richard Conoyer -- St. Peters, MO (7)
7. 87 - Derek DuBree -- Edwardsville, IL (8)
8. 73 - Mark Leuck -- Bunker Hill, IL (9)
9. 22s - Chad Kinder -- Newton, IL (2) DNF
10. 41g - Matt Goulden -- Springfield, IL (5) DNF
11. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (6) DNF
12. 49 - Craig Kern -- Vandalia, IL (11) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 1w - Ray Walsh -- St. Louis, MO (2)
2. 55 - Marty Smith Jr. -- Troy, IL (5)
3. 1 - Tommy Seets Jr. -- Alton, IL (1)
4. 11 - Dane Gundaker -- Bridgeton, MO (11)
5. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (3)
6. 5 - Joe Dresch -- Brighton, IL (12)
7. 11h - John Stanton -- Alton, IL (7)
8. 42 - Steve Lach -- Brownstown, IL (9)
9. 36 - Conrad Miner -- Arnold, MO (8) DNF
10. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (4) DNF
11. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (6) DNF
12. 117 - Mark Enk -- St. Ann, MO (10) DNF

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)
2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (5)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
4. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (17)
5. 20 - Rodney Sanders -- Happy, TX (6)
6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
7. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (22)
8. 55 - Marty Smith Jr. -- Troy, IL (16)
9. 42 - Steve Lach -- Brownstown, IL (24)
10. 22 - Dustin Boney -- Tonganoxie, KS (9)
11. 16 - Rusty Griffaw -- Festus, MO (12)
12. 3e - Robbie Eilers -- Lebanon, IL (10)
13. 11 - Dane Gundaker -- Bridgeton, MO (20)
14. 0x - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (13)
15. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (15)
16. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Westville, OK (2) DNF
17. 4j - Scott Weber -- Festus, MO (11) DNF
18. 4uw - Bobby Regot -- St. Peters, MO (19) DNF
19. 1w - Ray Walsh -- St. Louis, MO (14) DNF
20. 20r - Bryan Rowland -- Woodward, OK (21) DNF
21. 5 - Joe Dresch -- Brighton, IL (23) DNF
22. 1 - Tommy Seets Jr. -- Alton, IL (18) DNF
23. 24h - Mike Harrison -- Highland, IL (3) DNF
24. 41 - Brent Mullins -- Litchfield, IL (4) DNF

Lap Leaders: Shryock 1, Hughes 2-3, Ramirez 4-12, Hughes 13-20, VanderBeek 21-35.
Total Laps Led: VanderBeek 15, Hughes 10, Ramirez 9, Shryock 1.
AFCO Pole Winner: Ramirez.
Provisional Starters: Rowland, Phillips, Dresch (track), Lach (track).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Sanders (804.48 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Long (started 17th, finished 4th).
Next Race: Saturday, May 30, Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon, Mo. (Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region).
Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region Points: Hughes 717, Shryock 706, Sanders 700, VanderBeek 687, Bone 684, Boney 659, Ramirez 635, Rowland 604, Green 590, Tesch 563.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Junghans 160, Tate Cole 124, Hansen 124, Tim Shields 109, Rich Lewerke 90.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 139, Mullins 124, a.s.i. 110, Pro Power 46, AEM 43.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Hughes 138, Skyrocket 136, Ramirez 126, GRT 63, TRE 61.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Ramirez.
American Racer – Ramirez.
Isky Racing Cams – Hughes.
KSE Racing Products – Tesch
PBM Performance Products – Long.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Mullins.
Nitroquest – Shryock.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Griffaw.
Quarter Master – VanderBeek, Smith.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Phillips.
Real Racing Wheels – Conoyer, Dresch.
Ruter Farms – Sanders.

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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.