SPRING CREEK, Minn. (September 3, 2002) - The United States Modified Touring Series made a return visit to the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, MN and Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, MN on Saturday and Sunday. Forty-six drivers were on hand for the racing action at Deer Creek getting ready for the 4th Annual Featherlite Jamboree that will be coming up later this month. This was the third visit of the season to the speedway and Kelly Shryock picked up his second USMTS win of the season at the speedway.

Shryock also took over the top spot in the north region point standings as Tommy Myer had trouble right after the introductions and pulled off the speedway.

The racing at Deer Creek was very exciting as drivers had to tackle a very tough track as the track was ripped up two weeks before the USMTS visit and persistent rain over the last two weeks made for a rough track, which will be back in shape before the Jamboree starts.

The next race will be the 4th Annual Featherlite/USMTS Fall Jamboree at the speedway September 19-21.

Kelly Shryock Forest City, IA showed why he is leading the USMTS National Points as he picked up his eighth win of the season taking the top spot from Mark Noble Blooming Prairie, MN on lap thirty-two of the forty lap event. Shryock started the race from the fifth spot and worked his way to second by lap eight. Noble and Shryock battled several laps and Noble was very content with keeping the top spot.

The racing behind these two was very exciting as Ron Schreiner, Tim Donlinger and Todd Klees was battling it out for third spot. In the end Schreiner did take the third spot with Klees fourth. Shryock tried numerous times to get by the #74 Dirt Works of Mark Noble finally on lap 30 Noble went into turns 1-2 a little hard and almost lost it, but held the line. Shryock went to the bottom and Noble went right back to the front with a fast lap around the outside of three and four. Shryock would take the top spot one lap later and pull away taking home the $2000 paycheck. This would put Shryock with more than $43,000 for the season with the USMTS.

Ron Schreiner was the Olympic Hard Charger of the race after starting in the ninth row. Jason Hughes Colcord, OK used a provisional to get into the race started twenty-first and worked his way to sixth. Mark Noble was the AFCO Passing Points leader. Picking up heat race wins was Dean Mahlstadt, Kevin Peters, Mike Hernke, Jsutin Boney, and Mark Noble. B-mains were won by Tommy Myer and Mike Sorensen. The series will make its final appearance of the season for the Jamboree. Practice will start at 6:30 on Wednesday night. This will be the only night for hot laps.

The series moved to the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, MN on Sunday for its third and final appearance of the season. Scott Megonigle Cedar Rapids, IA made his first ever appearance at the speedway and picked up the $2000 paycheck. The win was not made easy though. Jason Hughes Colcord, OK started the race from the AFCO pole and jumped out into the early lead. Hughes would use the bottom of the speedway to his advantage as several other drivers would use different line of the speedway. Justin Boney who started on the outside of row ten.

By lap ten Boney had worked his was to tenth. By lap twelve Megonigle had worked his way into second from his fifth starting spot. Megonigle worked the next three laps on Hughes before the two drivers would tangle. The yellow flag was thrown as the #12 Hughes Chassis was sitting at the bottom of turn four.

Megonigle was penalized for the accident that would also send Hughes to the rear. Racing would continue with Todd Scharkey taking the point with Todd Klees and Boney right at the rear bumper. Boney would try several times to take the spot, but was denied as Scharkey was not giving the spot up. By lap 30 Scott Megonigle had worked his way back to seventh and had his sights set on his third USMTS win of the season.

By lap thirty five Scharkey was leading with Boney, Bruce Hanford, Mike Sorensen and Megonigle rounding out the top five. All drivers were using different spots on the track with Megonigle using the middle of the speedway. By lap thirty eight Boney tried the inside of Scharkey while Megonigle went around on the high side and took the top spot at the white flag. At the checkered it was Megonigle, Scharkey, Boney, Sorensen, and Hanford. The Dodge County Speedway announced that in 2003 the USMTS will visit the track three times with the first visit being the Sunday before Memorial Day and the final visit being the Sunday before Labor Day. This was the last one-day show of the season for the USMTS north region.

Three more point nights for the USMTS north region. Each night of the Fall Jamboree USMTS points will be awarded. Tickets for the Featherlite USMTS Fall Jamboree are on sale now and can be picked up for one-day or all three days. The new format should bring in a lot of new cars with it being possible for one driver to win $12,000.

For more information call the USMTS office at 515-832-7944 or check out Deer Creek Speedway or USMTS websites at

www.usmts.com or www.deercreekspeedway.com. Hope to see everyone at the Jamboree September 19-21.

Results:

Deer Creek Speedway

Heat 1- Dean Mahlstadt, Todd Klees, Tim Donlinger, Bruce Angst, Les Duellman

Heat 2- Kevin Peters, Kelly Shryock, Mike Sorensen, Jason Hughes, Dan Chapman

Heat 3- Mike Hernke, Nate Wasmund, Willy Kraft, Tommy Myer, Todd Scharkey

Heat 4- Justin Boney, Steve Wetzstein, Russ Olson, Bobby Sorensen, Leroy Scharkey

Heat 5- Mark Noble, David Siercks, Bruce Hanford, Mick Glenn, Ron Schreiner

B-main 1- Tommy Myer, Willy Kraft, Ron Schreiner, Jay Ihrke, Darin Duffy

B-main 2- Mike Sorensen, Bobby Sorensen, Jim Arnold, Dan Chapman, Dan Bohr

A-main- Kelly Shryock Forest City, IA (5), Mark Noble Blooming Prairie, MN (2), Ron Schreiner Hudson, WI (17), Todd Klees Rochester, MN (4), Tim Donlinger Rochester, MN (10), Jason Hughes Colcord, OK (21), Mike Hernke Cannon Falls, MN (8), Bruce Hanford Davenport, IA (11), Jay Ihrke Dover, MN (19), David Siercks Mounds View, MN (12), Dean Mahlstadt Garner, IA (3), Kevin Peters Monmouth, IL (6), Jim Arnold Rochester, MN (18), Jordan Steier Rochester, MN (24), Nate Wasmund Rochester, MN (9), Steve Wetzstein West Concord, MN (7), Dan Chapman Clarence, IA (20), Doug Hillson Blooming Prairie, MN (22), Mike Sorensen Rochester, MN (14), Willy Kraft Lakefield, MN (15), Bobby Sorensen Rochester, MN (16), Justin Boney Desota, KS (1), Bruce Angst Winona, MN (23), Tommy Myer Blooming Prairie, MN (14).

Dodge County Speedway

Heat 1- Bruce Hanford, Todd Scharkey, Steve Wetztsein, Todd Klees, Kelly Shryock

Heat 2- Scott Megonigle, Jason Hughes, Ron Schreiner, Justin Boney, Randy Geisler

Heat 3- Tommy Myer, Bobby Sorensen, Bret Frieden, Jay Ihrke, Nate Wasmund

Heat 4- Chad Behne, Corey Dripps, Mike Mehling, Jim Arnold, Kevin Peters

B-main 1- Jay Ihrke, Kelly Shryock, Jim Arnold, David Siercks, Mark Noble

B-main 2- Mike Sorensen, Steve Wetztsein, Randy Geisler, Justin Boney, Dean Mahlstadt

A-main- Scott Megonigle Cedar Rapids, IA (5), Todd Scharkey Kasson, MN (9), Justin Boney Desota, KS (20), Mike Sorensen Rochester, MN (14), Bruce Hanford Davenport, IA (4), Tommy Myer Blooming Prairie, MN (7), David Siercks Mounds View, MN (19), Todd Klees Rochester, MN (11), Jay Ihrke Dover, MN (13), Randy Geisler St Charles, MN (18), Bobby Sorensen Rochester, MN (3), Ron Schreiner Hudson, WI (8), Jason Hughes Colcord, OK (1), Chad Behne Claremont, MN (2), Kevin Peters Monmouth, IL (22), Mike Mehling Grand Weadow, MN (6), Jordan Steier Rochester, MN (24), Leroy Scharkey Rochester, MN (23), Kelly Shryock Forest City, IA (15), Mark Noble Blooming Prairie, MN (21), Corey Dripps Cedar Falls, IA (10), Bret Frieden Walford, IA (12), Steve Wetzstein West Concord, MN (16), Jim Arnold Rochester, MN (15).