BRANDON, S.D. – Jason Krohn got a much-needed shot in the arm Thursday night at the Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., as he captured his first USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour main event of the season.

It was the 12th start of the season for the 2007 USMTS National Champion from Slayton, Minn., but just his first top-10 finish of the year.

Josh Reisch of Luverne, Minn., led the first seven laps of the 35-lap Sunoco “A” Main from the pole position before fellow Luverne resident Mike Steensma snagged the top spot away on lap 8.

Around this time, Krohn moved his line to the high side of the track and began reeling in Steensma, taking the lead away on lap 12.

From there, Krohn's extended is lead to eight car-lengths before a caution with eight laps to go slowed the pace. After the restart, Krohn returned to the low side of the racing surface and built another six-car-length cushion before the yellow flag waved for the final time with just two laps remaining.

With Krohn leading the bunched-up double-file field to the green-white-checkered conclusion, Steensma chose the inside line for the restart while third-running Kelly Shryock took the outside line behind Krohn.

Shryock disposed of Steensma as they raced to the white flag, then closed up on Krohn's rear bumper as the pair entered the final turn to the finish. Coming to the checkered flag, Shryock swung outside of Krohn and the pair crossed beneath the checkered flag wheel to wheel with Krohn getting the win by half a car-length.

Shryock, who started 13th after winning the first Real Racing Wheels "B" Main, earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award for bettering his position by 11 spots during the feature race.

Steensma held on for third with Tommy Myer fourth and Jake Neal finishing fifth. Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Corey Dripps, Jay Poidinger, Chris Prussman, Jim Mathieson and Justin Elmer, who pocketed an additional $100 from Ruter Farms to help pay his fuel bill in traveling more than 500 miles from Buffalo, Wyo.

Drivers from six different States comprised the top-10 finishers, which were the only cars running at the finish of the attrition-riddled contest.

Despite dropping out of the main event late in the race while running third, Jon Tesch hung on to the points lead in the Great Plains Region. His advantage, however, is just eight points (562 to 554) over Tommy Myer heading into Sunday's Great Plains Region finale at the Nobles County Speedway in Worthington, Minn. Al Hejna is third with 527 points, followed by Dripps (519), Shryock (493), Mike Lineberry (453), Neal (442), Mike Hansen (378), DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year points leader Grant Junghans (368) and Dereck Ramirez (366), who missed Thursday's show due to a death in the family back in his hometown of Woodward, Okla.

COMING EVENTS ...

The fight for the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region title fires up again this Saturday, June 20, as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invades the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, for the inaugural “Donnybrook in Decorah,” which was rained out two weeks earlier.

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. Check out www.caseys.com for more information.

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.

Saturday's event will be the first of seven $2,000-to-win race nights across eight days before the tireless sultans of swift get a well-deserved month-long summer vacation:

Sat Jun 20 … Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region)
Sun Jun 21 … Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN (Great Plains Region)
Mon Jun 22 … Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines, IA (Central States Region)
Tue Jun 23 … Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, IA (Central States Region)
Wed Jun 24 … I-35 Speedway, Mason City, IA (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region)
Fri Jun 26 … LA Raceway, La Monte, MO (Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region)
Sat Jun 27 … Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO (Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region)

Sunday's event at the Nobles County Speedway will wrap up the Great Plains Region battle while the Lucas Oil Speedway show shall serve as the venue for crowning the Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region champion.

After that, the engines will remain silent until Thursday, July 23, when the second half of the season explodes with a stop at the fast Fayette County Speedway in West Union, Iowa.

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)
3rd Annual Event
Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, S.D.
Thursday, June 18, 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. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (3)
2. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (9)
3. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (7)
4. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (5)
5. 4e - Justin Elmer -- Buffalo, WY (1)
6. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (2)
7. 34 - Brett Larsen -- Viborg, SD (8)
8. 41 - Scott Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (4) DNF
9. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (6) DNF

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (2)
2. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (5)
3. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (7)
4. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (4)
5. 25 - John Reiners -- Sioux Falls, SD (6) DNF
6. 14r - Randy Rosenboom -- Rock Rapids, IA (8) DNF
7. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (3) DNF
8. 1m - Matt Sheesley -- Rapid City, SD (9) DNF
9. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (1) DNF

BRODIX HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (3)
2. 29g - Rich Hesse -- Hinton, IA (1)
3. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (4)
4. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (6)
5. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (2) DNF
6. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5) DNF
7. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (7) DNF
8. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (8) DNF

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 32 - Steven Pfeifer -- Bowbells, ND (3)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
4. B1 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (5)
5. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (2)
6. 48 - Bobby Moore -- Sioux City, IA (6)
7. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (7) DNF
8. 28x - Josh Klay -- Magnolia, MN (8) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (11)
3. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (10)
4. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (8)
5. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (4)
6. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (1)
7. 1m - Matt Sheesley -- Rapid City, SD (9) DNF
8. 34 - Brett Larsen -- Viborg, SD (7) DNF
9. B1 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (2) DNF
10. 14r - Randy Rosenboom -- Rock Rapids, IA (5) DNF
11. 25 - John Reiners -- Sioux Falls, SD (3) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (2)
2. 4e - Justin Elmer -- Buffalo, WY (3)
3. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (5)
4. 48 - Bobby Moore -- Sioux City, IA (6)
5. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (4)
6. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (1) DNF
7. 41 - Scott Overgaard -- Luverne, MN (9) DNF
8. 28x - Josh Klay -- Magnolia, MN (10) DNF
9. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (11) DNF
10. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (7) DNS
11. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (8) DNS

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (35 laps):
1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (13)
3. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (6)
4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (12)
5. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (3)
6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8)
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (24)
8. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (2)
9. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (11)
10. 4e - Justin Elmer -- Buffalo, WY (16)
11. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (17) DNF
12. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (15) DNF
13. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (22) DNF
14. 36 - Kenny Wallace -- Concord, NC (19) DNF
15. Z3 - Mike Albertsen -- Audubon, IA (7) DNF
16. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (4) DNF
17. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (1) DNF
18. 11 - Aaron Betz -- Avoca, MN (18) DNF
19. 29g - Rich Hesse -- Hinton, IA (10) DNF
20. 32 - Steven Pfeifer -- Bowbells, ND (9) DNF
21. 48 - Bobby Moore -- Sioux City, IA (20) DNF
22. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (23) DNF
23. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (21) DNF
24. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (14) DNF

Lap Leaders: Reisch 1-7, Steensma 8-11, Krohn 12-35.
Total Laps Led: Krohn 24, Reisch 7, Steensma 4.
AFCO Pole Winner: Prussman.
Provisional Starters: G. Junghans, Poidinger.
Ruter Farms Long Tow: Elmer (559.63 miles).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Shryock (started 13th, finished 2nd).
Next Race: Saturday, June 20, Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region).
Great Plains Region Points: Tesch 562, Myer 554, Hejna 527, Dripps 519, Shryock 493, Lineberry 453, Neal 442, Hansen 378, G. Junghans 368, Ramirez 366.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: G. Junghans 330, Hansen 282, Rich Lewerke 201, Albertsen 151, Tate Cole 124.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 212, Mullins 165, a.s.i. 139, JR 98, AEM 71.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 197, Ramirez 189, Hughes 174, GRT 107, Harris 104.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Prussman.
American Racer – G. Junghans.
Isky Racing Cams – Albertsen.
KSE Racing Products – Dripps.
PBM Performance Products – Shryock.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Anderson.
Nitroquest – Steensma.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Hansen.
Quarter Master – Krohn, Prussman.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Poidinger.
Real Racing Wheels – Poidinger, Kracht.
Ruter Farms – Elmer.

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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, New Vision Graphics, 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, Dirthead.com, Gressel Oil Field Service, Just Say Yes, Ramirez Race Cars, Lone Star Super Gas, Olympic Fire Protection, Ruter Farms, WatchModsLive.com, 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.