ELKO, Minn. – The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour made its maiden voyage to the Elko Speedway Friday night as the historic asphalt track just south of Minnesota's Twin Cities was transformed into a clay-covered gridiron for the inaugural Dirt Nationals.

As with any highly-anticipated event at a state-of-the-art facility jam-packed with thousands of race fans, one can expect victory lane to be one of jubilation and high fives galore.

Such was not the case Friday night when eight-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock climbed from his Modified after winning the Sunoco "A" Main. Instead, the 44-year-old second-generation racer was subdued by a sense of relief like the weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders.

To say that Shryock got the monkey off his back would be an understatement. This was more like an 800-pound gorilla.

In 1999 when he won his first USMTS title during the debut season for Todd and Janet Staley's fledgling Modified series, Shryock didn't win a single points race. His only win came on Oct. 7, 1999, at the Featherlite Fall Jamboree, which was a non-points race at the time. There were 18 races that season, and he didn't win his first points race until June 7, 2001, en route to his third straight series crown.

But since then he has garnered an additional 149 victories on the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour — almost three times as many as his closest rival, Jason Hughes, who has 56 National event wins. Including his six USMTS Southern Series triumphs, Shryock's career win total climbed to 158 Friday night with what may have been his most satisfying win so far.

With the $2,000 victory Friday night, Shryock snapped a career-long winless drought dating back to Aug. 31, 2008, at the Dodge County Speedway in nearby Kasson, Minn. The dry spell included 32 National Tour races and 23 additional Southern Series shows since he was the first to cross beneath the checkered flags at a USMTS-sanctioned event.

Shryock debuted a newly-designed Skyrocket Chassis on June 20, but had yet to find the winners circle with his new creation until last weekend when he picked up back-to-back wins in a pair of USRA Modified races. On Thursday night, he came from the 13th starting spot to finish second in the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour event in West Union, Iowa, before continuing his current hot streak with the win at Elko.

In the New Vision Graphics Heat Race Friday night, the eight-time USMTS National Champion finished second to defending USMTS National Champion Tim Donlinger. That battle would continue in the Sunoco "A" Main as Donlinger drew the pole position for the 30-lapper with Shryock drawing the outside front row starting spot.

The third restart was no different as Shryock out-gunned Donlinger into the first turn to take the lead. This time, however, the green light stayed on as Shryock led the first circuit. Throughout the next 27 laps, Donlinger stayed with a car length of Shryock but was unable to mount a challenge until another caution slowed the pace with just three laps to go.

Donlinger stuck the nose of his machine under Shryock's as the took the green flag again, but was unable to make the pass. One lap later, the race's final caution waved to set up a two-lap sprint to the finish, but it made no difference in the outcome as Shryock maintained his advantage and rolled on to cross the finish line in front of Donlinger.

Just as he had during the previous 327 days since his last win, Shryock wasn't interested in discussing his winless streak. Instead, he deflected credit for the victory to his crew and a change in fortune.

"My business partner, Eric Kirschbaum, and everybody on my crew has worked their tails off on this new car," Shryock told USMTS announcer Todd Narveson after the win. "A lot of luck goes into winning these things, and we just haven't had any luck lately. The car was great tonight and we got lucky with our starting spots, which was really important here tonight."

Donlinger agreed.

"I knew I had to lead that first lap if I had a chance tonight," said Donlinger. "We were really good and Kelly was really good, but he was just too strong for us on those restarts.

"We've had some bad luck lately in the region, so we're happy with tonight. We'll just have to wait and see what happens when The Hunt gets going."

With two wins this season, the defending Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region titleist came into Friday night ranked seventh in the region despite missing one event and failing to start the main event in another.

Mike Steensma finished a solid third in the main event Friday night, with 2007 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn coming home in fourth. Corey Dripps earned the PBM Performance Products Hard Charger Award for finishing fifth after starting 16th on the 24-car grid.

Tommy Myer, who is third on the USMTS all-time wins list with 34, dropped a spot to sixth when he blew a tire coming out of the fourth turn for the checkered flag. Ryan Gustin, AFCO Pole Award winner Jeff Schluetter, Mark Noble and current Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region points leader Jon Tesch finished seventh through tenth, respectively. It was Tesch's tenth top-10 finish in ten starts in the region.

With the win, Shryock narrowed Tesch's advantage in the standings to just two points (873 to 871) with two races left in the fight for the regional crown. Steve Wetzstein, who failed to finish Friday's main event after suffering a flat tire with three laps to go, fell to third with 839 points. Zack VanderBeek sits fourth with 815 markers, followed by Al Hejna (756), Gustin (737), Donlinger (723), Dan Bohr (710), Dereck Ramirez (688) and Dripps (679).

SECOND ROUND OF “DIRT NATIONALS” SET FOR SATURDAY

Action continues Saturday at Elko Speedway with round 2 of the inaugural Dirt Nationals. The main event winner will pocket a cool $3,000 and drivers will again be battling for points in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region.

Pits will open at 4:00 with grandstand gates opening at 5:00, hot laps at 6:00 and racing at 7:00. The IRA Sprint Cars and INEX Legends Cars will also be on the racing card for the second straight night.

The Elko Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay (temporarily) oval located off of I-35 at Exit 76, then 1.6 miles west on CR 2, then 0.3 mile south on France Ave. in Elko, Minn. For more information, check out the track's Official Website at www.elkospeedway.com or call 952-461-7223.

GREAT PLAINS REGION WRAPS UP SUNDAY AT WORTHINGTON

On Sunday, the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour will return to the Nobles County Speedway in Worthington, Minn., for the final event in the Great Plains Region, with the first group of drivers getting qualified for The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship, which begins on Aug. 11. Currently, there are 17 drivers in the Great Plains Region who can make the cut for ‘The Hunt.’

Shryock found victory lane when the USMTS last visited the Nobles County Speedway in 2007. The 2008 event was rained-out.

Pit gates open at 3:00, grandstands open at 4:30, hot laps are scheduled for 5:30 and the first heat race takes to the track at 6:00.

A full program is on tap with 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 the local Sportsman division in action.

Race fans can pick up $2-off coupons on Sunday at both Casey's General Stores locations in Worthington. Check out www.caseys.com for more information or to find the Casey's General Store location nearest you.

The Nobles County Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval located off of I-90 at Exit 43, then 0.4 mile south on SR 59, then 0.4 mile west on Oxford St., then 0.2 mile north on McMullan (Pioneer Village) in Worthington, Minn. For more information, call the track hotline at 507-360-3825 or check out www.noblescountyspeedway.net 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 (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region)
Inaugural Dirt Nationals - Night 1 of 2
Elko Speedway, Elko, Minn.
Friday, July 24, 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. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (6)
2. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (3)
3. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (1)
4. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)
5. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (8)
6. 10x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (7)
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (4)
8. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (9)
9. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (2)
10. 4k - Kent Willms -- Willmar, MN (10)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (2)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)
3. 20 - Craig Scott -- Rosemount, MN (6)
4. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)
5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (4)
6. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (7)
7. 31v - Jason Voigt -- St. Cloud, MN (8)
8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (9)
9. 72 - Baiden Heskett -- Alvarado, TX (1)

BRODIX HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (2)
2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (6)
3. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (4)
4. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (7)
5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8)
6. 7s - Todd Stinehart -- Waseca, MN (9)
7. B1 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (5)
8. 30 - Tim Siercks -- Princeton, MN (3)
9. 29a - Tim Alexander -- Princeton, MN (1) DNF

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (1)
2. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (3)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)
4. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (5)
5. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (8)
6. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)
7. 6m - Ted Marrs -- Bethel, MN (4)
8. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (9)
9. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (7)

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
2. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (6)
3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)
4. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (4)
5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)
6. 02 - Jacob Dahle -- Morristown, MN (3)
7. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (11)
8. 31v - Jason Voigt -- St. Cloud, MN (7)
9. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (9)
10. B1 - Scott Ward -- Watertown, SD (8)
11. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (10)
12. 4k - Kent Willms -- Willmar, MN (13) DNF
13. 29a - Tim Alexander -- Princeton, MN (12) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1)
2. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (3)
3. 10x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (5)
4. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)
5. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (2)
6. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (7)
7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (9)
8. 30 - Tim Siercks -- Princeton, MN (10)
9. 6m - Ted Marrs -- Bethel, MN (8)
10. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (12)
11. 7s - Todd Stinehart -- Waseca, MN (4) DNF
12. 72 - Baiden Heskett -- Alvarado, TX (11) DNF

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (30 laps):
1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)
2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (1)
3. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (5)
4. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (11)
5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (16)
6. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (13)
7. 19r - Ryan Gustin -- Marshalltown, IA (15)
8. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (6)
9. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (14)
10. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (17)
11. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (22)
12. 10x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (18)
13. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (23)
14. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (10)
15. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (24)
16. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (20) DNF
17. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (7) DNF
18. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (4) DNF
19. 21w - Dano Ostrander -- Princeton, MN (12) DNF
20. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (8) DNF
21. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (19) DNF
22. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (21) DNF
23. 20 - Craig Scott -- Rosemount, MN (9) DNF
24. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (3) DNF

Lap Leaders: Shryock 1-30.
Total Laps Led: Shryock 30.
AFCO Pole Winner: Schluetter.
Provisional Starters: VanderBeek, Bohr.
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: Dripps (started 16th, finished 5th).
Next Race: Saturday, July 25, Elko Speedway, Elko, Minn. (Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region).
Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region Points: Tesch 873, Shryock 871, Wetzstein 839, VanderBeek 815, Hejna 756, Gustin 737, Donlinger 723, Bohr 710, Ramirez 688, Dripps 679.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: G. Junghans 440, Hansen 362, Rich Lewerke 201, Mike Albertsen 193, Tate Cole 174.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 272, Mullins 206, ASI 174, JR 134, AEM 93.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 262, Ramirez 239, Hughes 221, GRT 137, Harris 130.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Schluetter.
American Racer – G. Junghans.
Isky Racing Cams – Schluetter.
KSE Racing Products – Miller.
PBM Performance Products – Dripps.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Hansen.
Nitroquest – Steensma.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Mondus.
Quarter Master – Shryock, Schluetter.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Gustin.
Real Racing Wheels – Dahle, Poidinger.

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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, Fast Shafts, 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.