MAYETTA, Kan. (March 18, 2005) -- Kelly Shryock's drive for an unprecedented seventh O'Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series title took a big step forward Friday night as he captured his fourth straight win at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan. The victory was the first of the season for the Fertile, Iowa, pilot on the 58-race slate for America's premier dirt modified series.

Coming into Friday's preliminary event for the two-day USMTS Kansas Spring Fling, the defending O'Reilly USMTS champion had the numbers on his side. After a third-place finish in last week's Holley "A" Main, Shryock entered the third race of the season sitting third in the O'Reilly USMTS National points, and he had won the previous three O'Reilly USMTS events at the wicked-fast high-banked clay oval. After finishing third in his heat race, any numerologist worth his or her salt could have predicted that car No. 3 would be in victory lane.

In the early stages of Friday's 30-lapper, however, it didn't appear that victory was in the cards for Shryock. Polesitter Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., jumped to the lead with Roger Hadan of Omaha, Neb., breathing down his neck. During the first 15 laps, Hadan was able to show his nose to Tesch but never make the pass.

While Tesch was busy holding Hadan at bay, Shryock and O'Reilly USMTS points leader Corey Dripps were running nose to tail on the high side of the race track. By lap 12, they had caught the leaders, with Shryock making the pass to lead lap 16.

From there on, it was Shryock's race to lose. Both he and Dripps ran dangerously close to Thunderhill Speedway's concrete wall, with Dripps taking a look to the inside of Shryock nearly every lap. Shryock, however, never bobbled as he held off Dripps to score the $2,000 top prize.

Tesch scored a third-place finish while Brad McEwan came through the field to finish fourth after winning the "B" Main. O'Reilly USMTS rookie sensation Jeremy Payne of Cave City, Ark., rounded out the top-5 finishers. Hadan wound up sixth and Hughes was seventh at the finish.

Greg Metz of Washington, Kan., picked up the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger Award by advancing from his 24th-place starting spot to finish 11th in the Holley "A" Main.

The second half of the O'Reilly USMTS Kansas Spring Fling doubleheader continues on Saturday at Thunderhill Speedway. Gates open at 12 noon, hot laps begin at 3 p.m. and flagman Todd Staley drops the green flag at 3:30. General admission grandstand tickets are just $15 for adults and kids are $5. Pit pass are $25.

For more information, contact the USMTS office by calling 515-832-7944. The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series is online at www.USMTS.com.

RESULTS

FIRST HEAT (10 laps):

1. 186 Jeremy Payne, Cave City, Ark.

2. 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa

3. 61 Bruce Hanford, Davenport, Iowa

4. 29 Greg Metz, Washington, Kan.

5. 3L Bub Lerette, Council Bluffs, Iowa

6. 89 Tyler Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.

7. 71j Jeff James, Stanton, Iowa

8. 44 Randy Grimmett, Lathrop, Mo.

9. 5M Gary March, Hinton, Iowa

10. 22y Yancy Shepard, Smithville, Mo.

SECOND HEAT (10 laps):

1. 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa

2. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa

3. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa

4. 52 Jesse Frericks, Pine Island, Minn.

5. 51 Robert Shepard, Ogden, Kan.

6. 77 Steven Bowers, Topeka, Kan.

7. 14J Jake Neal, Omaha, Neb.

8. 1 Scott Mullen, Seymour, Wis.

9. 2 Jim Hernandez, Hoyt, Kan.

10. 1F Bill Flegg, Omaha, Neb.

THIRD HEAT (10 laps):

1. 4 Roger Hadan, Omaha, Neb.

2. 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.

3. 7II Mike Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa

4. 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa

5. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

6. 3x Barry Underdahl, Cannon Falls, Minn.

7. 53 Jerry White, Tarkio, Mo.

8. 20t Mike Tanner, Kansas City, Mo.

9. 4J Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan.

FOURTH HEAT (10 laps):

1. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

2. 90 Steven L. Wetzstein, W. Concord, Minn.

3. 1F Jason Friesen, Sutton, Neb.

4. 1m Julie McDermid, Fremont, Wis.

5. 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Garner, Iowa

6. 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa

7. 22 Brian McGowen, Wichita, Kan.

8. 1x Justin Boots, Welda, Kan.

9. 71 Mike Folk, Iola, Kan.

FIFTH HEAT (10 laps):

1. 1K Tim Karrick, Bashor, Kan.

2. 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

3. 3D Dan Daniels, Humboldt, Kan.

4. 12N Lynn Nilson, Nunda, S.D.

5. 11m Brandon Morton, Coweta, Okla.

6. 40 Danny Concelman, Erie, Colo.

7. 88 Lonnie Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.

8. 61x Rick Carver, Raymore, Mo.

9. 52 Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.

SIXTH HEAT (10 laps):

1. 12 Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla.

2. 20 Dustin Boney, De Soto, Kan.

3. X Mike Wedelstadt, Hortonville, Wis.

4. 18 Justin Boney, Lansing, Kan.

5. 99 Lee Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.

6. 11 Steve Burch, Junction City, Kan.

7. c40 Mike Chasteen, Creve Coeur, Ill.

8. x4 Tim Vogt, Elmwood, Neb.

9. 12x Trent Jackson, Corning, Iowa

FIRST "B" MAIN (12 laps):

1. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa

2. 18 Justin Boney, Lansing, Kan.

3. X Mike Wedelstadt, Hortonville, Wis.

4. 7II Mike Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa

5. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

6. 29 Greg Metz, Washington, Kan.

7. 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Garner, Iowa

8. 71j Jeff James, Stanton, Iowa

9. 4J Jordy Nelson, Marysville, Kan.

10. 1 Scott Mullen, Seymour, Wis.

11. 555 Ryan Ruter, Kanawha, Iowa

12. 99 Lee Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.

13. 5M Gary March, Hinton, Iowa

14. 53 Jerry White, Tarkio, Mo.

15. 44 Randy Grimmett, Lathrop, Mo.

16. 61x Rick Carver, Raymore, Mo.

17. 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa

18. 22y Yancy Shepard, Smithville, Mo.

19. 52 Nate Wasmund, Rochester, Minn.

20. 89 Tyler Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.

21. 88 Lonnie Hibner, Chillicothe, Mo.

22. 3L Bub Lerette, Council Bluffs, Iowa

SECOND "B" MAIN (12 laps):

1. 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa

2. 52 Jesse Frericks, Pine Island, Minn.

3. 20 Dustin Boney, De Soto, Kan.

4. 1F Jason Friesen, Sutton, Neb.

5. 11 Steve Burch, Junction City, Kan.

6. 11m Brandon Morton, Coweta, Okla.

7. 77 Steven Bowers, Topeka, Kan.

8. 3x Barry Underdahl, Cannon Falls, Minn.

9. 22 Brian McGowen, Wichita, Kan.

10. 12x Trent Jackson, Corning, Iowa

11. 12N Lynn Nilson, Nunda, S.D.

12. 71 Mike Folk, Iola, Kan.

13. 2 Jim Hernandez, Hoyt, Kan.

14. 14J Jake Neal, Omaha, Neb.

15. 40 Danny Concelman, Erie, Colo.

16. 1x Justin Boots, Welda, Kan.

17. 51 Robert Shepard, Ogden, Kan.

18. c40 Mike Chasteen, Creve Coeur, Ill.

19. x4 Tim Vogt, Elmwood, Neb.

20. 20t Mike Tanner, Kansas City, Mo.

21. 1m Julie McDermid, Fremont, Wis.

22. 1F Bill Flegg, Omaha, Neb.

HOLLEY "A" MAIN (30 laps):

1. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa

2. 31 Corey Dripps, Waterloo, Iowa

3. 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D.

4. 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa

5. 186 Jeremy Payne, Cave City, Ark.

6. 4 Roger Hadan, Omaha, Neb.

7. 12 Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla.

8. 20 Dustin Boney, De Soto, Kan.

9. 19 Mike Sorensen, Rochester, Minn.

10. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

11. 29 Greg Metz, Washington, Kan.

12. 52 Jesse Frericks, Pine Island, Minn.

13. 1K Tim Karrick, Bashor, Kan.

14. 7II Mike Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa

15. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn.

16. 11 Steve Burch, Junction City, Kan.

17. 1m Julie McDermid, Fremont, Wis.

18. 1F Jason Friesen, Sutton, Neb.

19. X Mike Wedelstadt, Hortonville, Wis.

20. 61 Bruce Hanford, Davenport, Iowa

21. 90 Steven L. Wetzstein, W. Concord, Minn.

22. 18 Justin Boney, Lansing, Kan.

23. 3D Dan Daniels, Humboldt, Kan.

24. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa

Lap Leaders: Tesch 1-15, Shryock 16-30.

Provisional Starters: McDermid, Metz.

Hard Charger: Metz (started 24th, finished 11th).

Next Race: March 19, Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, Kan.