BRITT, Iowa – Reigning USMTS National Champion Tim Donlinger left the Hancock County Speedway $2,000 richer Tuesday night after capturing the 6th Annual Ruter Farms Iowa Spring Challenge for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour.

The win was much-needed in a feast-or-famine season for the Rochester, Minn., veteran and his first ever at the 3/8-mile oval in Britt, Iowa. In six starts so far, Donlinger has two wins, two additional top-5 finishes and two events where a damaged racecar kept him out of the main event.

It was a close one Tuesday night, however, as Donlinger nipped polesitter Jon Tesch by just half a car length at the end of the 35-lap Sunoco "A" Main which saw five lead changes among three drivers.

The first swap for the top spot came when Steve Wetzstein powered ahead of Tesch to lead the ninth lap. Tesch returned fire and led lap 10, but Wetzstein fought back and regained the lead on lap 11. It was another short-lived stay, however, as Tesch came roaring back to the point two laps later.

Donlinger got around Wetzstein on lap 14, then moved underneath Tesch to take the lead on the 16th lap. From there, Tesch kept Donlinger within striking distance, but the two-time Hancock County Speedway winner had to settle for the runner-up paycheck.

Al Hejna came from the ninth starting spot to finish third while Wetzstein hung on for the fourth position and his sixth top-10 finish in six starts. Zack VanderBeek rounded out the top-5 at the finish line.

Dean Mahlstedt picked up the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award by racing to a sixth-place showing from 20th on the 24-car grid. Ryan Gustin, Mike Hansen, 21st-starting Corey Dripps and Scott Green completed the top-10.

HUMPDAY AT HIGHWAY 3 ...

The action moves 83 miles southeast on Wednesday as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invades the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa, for the 8th Annual Butler County Spring Clash.

The event will be a points race in the highly-competitive Central States Region where Jason Hughes holds just a two-point advantage over Tesch in the standings.

Past winners at the Highway 3 Raceway include Kelly Shryock (3 wins), Kevin Pittman (2 wins), John Logue, Mike Sorensen, Johnny Saathoff, Ryan Ruter, Mark Noble, Mike Hejna, Tim Donlinger and, most recently, Ryan Gustin, who won his first USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour event on Aug. 28, 2008.

Pit gates will open at 4:30, grandstands open at 5:30, hot laps begin at 6:30 and the first heat race is scheduled to take the green flag at 7:00. Also on the racing card will be USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks racing for track and national points in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series, plus Hornets.

Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons on race day at the Casey's General Stores locations in Allison, Aplington and Clarksville.

The Highway 3 Raceway is a half-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.3 miles north of SR 3 on S. Main St. (at the Butler County Fairgrounds). For more information, call 319-267-9977 or check out www.highway3raceway.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)
6th Annual Ruter Farms Iowa Spring Challenge
Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa
Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses. The top 16 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. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (1)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)
3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (4)
4. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (3)
5. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (6)
6. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5) DNF
7. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (7) DNS

BRODIX HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (2)
2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
4. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (4)
5. 5w - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (3)
6. 8 - Wesley Summers -- Wellington, MO (6) DNF
7. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) DNS

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (1)
2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
3. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (3)
4. 3f - Jeff Feaster -- Dakota City, IA (4)
5. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
6. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (6)
7. 55d - Nick Deal -- Walnut, IA (7) DNS

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (2)
2. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (3)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
4. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (4)
5. 68 - J.J. Wise -- Manly, IA (1)
6. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
7. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (6)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (10 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 5w - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (2)
2. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
4. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
5. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
6. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (12)
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (1)
8. 55d - Nick Deal -- Walnut, IA (11) DNF
9. 68 - J.J. Wise -- Manly, IA (4) DNF
10. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (10) DNF
11. 8 - Wesley Summers -- Wellington, MO (7) DNF
12. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (9) DNS

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (5)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (1)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (9)
4. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (6)
5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4)
6. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (20)
7. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (3)
8. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (12)
9. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (21)
10. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (18)
11. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (19)
12. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (8)
13. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (16)
14. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
15. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (11)
16. 5w - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (17)
17. 21 - Layne Meyer -- West Union, IA (13)
18. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (22)
19. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (2)
20. 3f - Jeff Feaster -- Dakota City, IA (15)
21. 68 - J.J. Wise -- Manly, IA (23) DNF
22. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (14) DNF
23. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (24) DNF
24. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (10) DNF

Lap Leaders: Tesch 1-8, Wetzstein 9, Tesch 10, Wetzstein 11-12, Tesch 13-15, Donlinger 16-35.
Total Laps Led: Donlinger 20, Tesch 12, Wetzstein 3.
AFCO Pole Winner: Donlinger.
Provisional Starters: Dripps, Hillson, Wise (track), Noble (promoter).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Ramirez (730.14 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Mahlstedt (started 20th, finished 6th).
Next Race: Wednesday, June 3, Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa (Central States Region).
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Wetzstein 546, Tesch 531, Shryock 493, VanderBeek 492, Ramirez 489, Hejna 449, Donlinger 447, Gustin 433, Bohr 427, Dripps 382.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Junghans 204, Hansen 159, Tate Cole 124, Lewerke 113, Tim Shields 109.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 156, Mullins 138, a.s.i. 122, Pro Power 53, JR 51.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 155, Hughes 152, Ramirez 142, GRT 71, TRE 68.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Donlinger.
American Racer – Hejna.
Isky Racing Cams – Gustin.
KSE Racing Products – Graham
PBM Performance Products – Mahlstedt.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Krohn.
Nitroquest – Hejna.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Shryock.
Quarter Master – Donlinger, Hansen.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Gustin.
Real Racing Wheels – Mondus.
Ruter Farms – Ramirez.

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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.