SLAYTON, Minn. – Al Hejna captured his second consecutive USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour main event Friday night with a wire-to-wire win in the 6th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge presented by DeBoer Chevrolet at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn.

Hejna has been excellent on the track as of late, but has had to overcome poor starting spots. He started eighth on Thursday en route to his first win of the season, but on Friday night he drew the pole position for the Sunoco "A" Main and that would be the closest anybody would get to him all night.

The 46-year-old from Clear Lake, Iowa, extended his consecutive laps led to 54 after leading all of Friday night's 30-lapper and the final 24 circuits in Thursday night's victory.

While a handful of cautions kept the pace slow during the first few laps of the main event, Jon Tesch could not get the yellow flag he needed late in the race to make a charge on the leader. Coming from the 14th starting spot, Tesch earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award with a runner-up finish as he ran out of laps in his attempt to run down Hejna.

Tommy Myer finished third, Kelly Shryock was fourth and Mike Steensma grabbed the fifth spot. Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year points leader Grant Junghans, Corey Dripps, AFCO Pole Award winner Josh Reisch, Anthony Mann and Mike Lineberry.

Slayton resident and 2007 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn continued to struggle. After starting on the outside of the front row in the feature, Krohn was the first driver out of the race and pocketed a disappointing 24th-place paycheck.

Myer continues to lead the Great Plains Region standings by 19 points over Tesch (301 to 282). Shryock fell to third with 275 markers, with Hejna (268), Dripps (264), Rich Lewerke (221), Jake Neal (213), Lineberry (211), Scott Green (210) and Steensma (204) rounding out the top-10 in the rankings.

SATURDAY NIGHT'S ALRIGHT FOR FIGHTING ...

The fight for the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region title fires up again on Saturday as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invades the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa.

Pit gates open at 4:00 and the grandstand gates will swing open at 5:00. Hot laps are slated to begin at 6:00 and the first green flag waves at 6:30. Also on the racing card will be USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars, USRA Karl Chevrolet B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks racing for track and national points in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series.

Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons on Saturday at Casey's General Stores locations in Cresco, Decorah and New Hampton.

The Upper Iowa Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval located 1.8 miles east of US 52 on SR 9, then 1.0 mile northwest on Montgomery St., then northeast on E. Main St. (at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds). For day-of-race information, call the track hotline at 563-382-9984 or check out www.upperiowaspeedway.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 (Great Plains Region)
6th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge presented by DeBoer Chevrolet
Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn.
Friday, June 5, 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. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (3)
2. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (9)
3. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)
4. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (2)
5. 3b - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (1)
6. 41 - Chad Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (5) DNF
7. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (8) DNF
8. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (7) DNF
9. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (4) DNF

BRODIX HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (3)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
3. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (1)
4. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (2)
5. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (8)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (7)
7. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (4)
8. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (6) DNF

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
2. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (1)
3. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (6)
4. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (7)
5. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (3)
6. 7w - Kenneth Will -- Windom, MN (8)
7. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (4)
8. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (5) DNF

INTERCOMP HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
2. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (3)
3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (7)
4. 29g - Rich Hesse -- Hinton, IA (5)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (8)
6. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (6)
7. 10 - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (1)
8. 14i - Jay Ireton -- Slayton, MN (4)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (2)
2. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (9)
3. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (7)
4. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (1)
5. 7w - Kenneth Will -- Windom, MN (5)
6. 3b - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (4) DNF
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (3) DNF
8. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (11) DNF
9. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (8) DNF
10. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (10) DNF
11. 41 - Chad Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (6) DNS

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 4 advance):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)
2. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (5)
3. 29g - Rich Hesse -- Hinton, IA (1)
4. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (9)
5. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (6)
6. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (7)
7. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (4)
8. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (3)
9. 10 - Jay Triplett -- Brookings, SD (8)
10. 14i - Jay Ireton -- Slayton, MN (10)

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (14)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)
5. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (11)
6. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (7)
7. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (16)
8. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (8)
9. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (10)
10. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (4)
11. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (9)
12. 97 - Rich Lewerke -- Garner, IA (20)
13. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (22)
14. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (15)
15. 3b - Allen Barber -- Tyler, MN (23)
16. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (17)
17. 29g - Rich Hesse -- Hinton, IA (18)
18. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (21)
19. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (19)
20. 25 - Scott Green -- Derby, KS (13) DNF
21. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6) DNF
22. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (24) DNF
23. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (12) DNF
24. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2) DNF

Lap Leader: Hejna 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Hejna 30.
AFCO Pole Winner: Reisch.
Provisional Starters: Albertsen, Gerritsen, Barber (track), Luitjens (track).
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Junghans (414.46 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Tesch (started 14th, finished 2nd).
Next Race: Saturday, June 6, Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region).
Great Plains Region Points: Myer 301, Tesch 282, Shryock 275, Hejna 268, Dripps 264, Lewerke 221, Neal 213, Lineberry 211, Green 210, Steensma 204.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: Junghans 269, Hansen 209, Lewerke 172, Tate Cole 124, Tim Shields 109.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 184, Mullins 149, a.s.i. 139, JR 78, Pro Power 58.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 180, Ramirez 168, Hughes 162, GRT 84, Harris 84.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Reisch.
American Racer – Overgaard.
Isky Racing Cams – Lineberry.
KSE Racing Products – Reisch
PBM Performance Products – Tesch.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Krohn.
Nitroquest – Myer.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Neal.
Quarter Master – Hejna, Reisch.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Dripps.
Real Racing Wheels – Barber, Luitjens.
Ruter Farms – Junghans.

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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.