WORTHINGTON, Minn. – The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour wrapped up a four-race swing Sunday night in Worthington, Minn., for the final event in the Great Plains Region.

Jon Tesch came into the event atop the standings and left with an even bigger lead and the Great Plains Region title after winning the 40-lap Sunoco “A” Main in front of a jam-packed Nobles County Speedway grandstand.

Track points leader Mike Steensma drew the pole position for the main event and jumped out to the early lead with Nate Wasmund and Corey Dripps giving chase. Several caution flags slowed the pace during the first half of the race, but Steensma was able to hold off Wasmund on each restart.

Dripps, who slipped back to eighth during the first three laps, clawed his way back to third by lap 16 to challenge Wasmund for second but a problem under the hood of his Modified ended his chances for his first win of the season.

Meanwhile, Myer moved up to third with Tesch, Jason Krohn and Kelly Shryock jockeying for positions behind them. Tesch disposed of Myer on the restart and moved around the outside of Wasmund two laps later to take over the runner-up spot.

On lap 23, Tesch pulled even with Steensma down the back-stretch and powered ahead to lead lap 24. Four laps later, Krohn made his way into second place and began to challenge Tesch for the top spot.

With just three laps to go, Krohn edged ahead of Tesch in turn 4 but his Modified slid out from underneath him and the 2007 USMTS National Championship came to a stop to force the race's final caution.

Tesch was too strong for the rest of the field as he powered away to claim the $2,000 top prize and secure the Great Plains Region crown.

Tesch completed his Great Plains Region title run with a 53-point advantage over Myer (669 to 646). Dripps hung on for third with 569 points, followed by Shryock (546), Al Hejna (527), Mike Lineberry (517), Jake Neal (516), Hansen (459), Steensma (450) and Junghans (450).

All ten drivers are now qualified for The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship, along with four other drivers who had perfect attendance in the Great Plains Region: Jim Mathieson, Krohn, Reisch and Chase Junghans.

The quest for the crown begins on Tuesday, Aug. 11, with the first race of The Hunt at the LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo.. The Series will make it's final stop at the Deer Creek Speedway on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-26, for the 11th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree and the crowning of the 2009 USMTS National Champion.

THREE MORE REGIONAL FINALES KICK OFF BUSY AUGUST

The countdown to 'The Hunt' will continue next Monday, Aug. 3, at the Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa, for a Central States Region make-up of a rain-out back on June 23.

From there, it’s on to the Cresco Speedway in Cresco, Iowa, on Tuesday, Aug. 4, for the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region finale, then south through the Hawkeye State to the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Wednesday night, Aug. 5. NASCAR fan favorite Kenny Wallace, Daytona 500 winner Michael Waltrip and another to-be-announced driver will be in Cresco and Oskaloosa to sign autographs and race their own high-powered USMTS Modifieds.

The USMTS steamroller treks to the Knox County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Ill., for the 10th Annual UPS Store Illinois Challenge featuring the Ed Sheckler Memorial race on Thursday, Aug. 6, then on Saturday, Aug. 8, visits the 24 Raceway Park for the second time this season – this time to crown the Central States Region champion and advance the final group of drivers to compete in The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship.

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
Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, Minn.
Sunday, July 26, 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. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (3)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)
3. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (6)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (8)
5. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (7)
6. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (5)
7. 11 - Eugene Betz -- Avoca, MN (1)
8. 1a - Dwaine Hanson -- Lakefield, MN (4)

NEW VISION GRAPHICS HEAT RACE #2 (8 laps):
1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
2. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (2)
3. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (5)
4. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (4)
5. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (7)
6. Y69 - Michael Gregg -- Redwood Falls, MN (3)
7. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (6)

BRODIX HEAT RACE #3 (8 laps):
1. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (2)
2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)
4. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (3)
5. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (1)
6. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (4)
7. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (7) DNF

AWESOME RACEWEAR HEAT RACE #4 (8 laps):
1. 10x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (2)
2. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (5)
3. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (3)
4. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (1)
5. 24 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (7)
6. 72 - Baiden Heskett -- Alvarado, TX (4)
7. 28X - Josh Klay -- Magnolia, MN (6) DNF

REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN (12 laps, top 6 advance):
1. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (1)
2. 24 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (3)
3. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (2)
4. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (10)
5. 72 - Baiden Heskett -- Alvarado, TX (8)
6. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (7)
7. 11 - Eugene Betz -- Avoca, MN (9)
8. 1a - Dwaine Hanson -- Lakefield, MN (13)
9. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (4)
10. Y69 - Michael Gregg -- Redwood Falls, MN (5)
11. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (6)
12. 28x - Josh Klay -- Magnolia, MN (12) DNF
13. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (11) DNS

SUNOCO “A” MAIN (40 laps):
1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)
2. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (1)
3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)
4. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (3)
5. 10x - Brett DeJager -- Brandon, SD (5)
6. 12m - Jason Miller -- Osceola, WI (13)
7. 12h - Mike Hansen -- Alton, IA (10)
8. 4r - Dereck Ramirez -- Woodward, OK (8)
9. 2 - Grant Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (17)
10. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (6)
11. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (15)
12. 00 - Ron Luitjens -- Brewster, MN (25)
13. 18 - Chase Junghans -- Manhattan, KS (11)
14. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fremont, NE (23)
15. 27 - Don Gerritsen Jr. -- Rock Rapids, IA (22)
16. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (19)
17. M80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (24)
18. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (9) DNF
19. 72 - Baiden Heskett -- Alvarado, TX (21) DNF
20. 24 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (18) DNF
21. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (12) DNF
22. 01 - Brandon Aggen -- Rushmore, MN (16) DNF
23. 28x - Josh Klay -- Magnolia, MN (26) DNF
24. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (2) DNF
25. 20 - Anthony Mann -- Luverne, MN (14) DNF
26. 23b - Brandon Davis -- Castle Rock, CO (20) DNF

Lap Leaders: Steensma 1-24, Tesch 25-40.
Total Laps Led: Steensma 24, Tesch 16.
AFCO Pole Winner: Wasmund.
Provisional Starters: Lineberry, Mathieson, Luitjens (track), Klay (track).
PBM Performance Products Hard Charger: G. Junghans (started 17th, finished 9th).
Next Race: Monday, Aug. 3, Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, Iowa (Central States Region).
Great Plains Region Points (final): Tesch 669, Myer 646, Dripps 569, Shryock 546, Al Hejna 527, Lineberry 517, Neal 516, Hansen 459, Steensma 450, G. Junghans 450.
DandyLand Farms Rookie of the Year Points: G. Junghans 484, Hansen 410, Rich Lewerke 201, Mike Albertsen 193, C. Junghans 180.
COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Points: Sput’s 293, Mullins 212, ASI 164, JR 134, AEM 102.
Chassis Builders Championship Points: Skyrocket 281, Ramirez 255, Hughes 230, GRT 154, Harris 134.

Contingency Awards:
AFCO Racing Products – Wasmund.
American Racer – Davis.
Isky Racing Cams – Wasmund.
KSE Racing Products – Ramirez.
PBM Performance Products – G. Junghans.
Marsh Racing Wheels – Davis.
Nitroquest – Myer.
Out-Pace Racing Products – Neal.
Quarter Master – Tesch, Ramirez.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Hansen.
Real Racing Wheels – Gerritsen.

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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.