SCHARKEY SHOCKS O’REILLY USMTS, WINS IN FRONT OF HOMETOWN CROWD
by: Jeff Nun

KASSON, MN. (July 12, 2006) - The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series invaded the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn., Wednesday with the invading Modified masters looking to get out of Dodge with the bulk of the prize money up for grabs in the 5th Annual Dodge County Shootout. However, it was local ace Todd Scharkey who stole the show and the $2,000 top prize.

Scharkey, who also conquered the O’Reilly USMTS main event at Dodge County Speedway on May 26, 2002, started on the outside of the front row and led every lap en route to a crowd-pleasing victory during the annual Dodge County Fair.

Making just his second start of the season with the O’Reilly USMTS, Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn., took the runner-up spot at the checkers while 16th-starting Brad Waits of Zumbrota, Minn., made it a 1-2-3 sweep for the Gopher State pilots.

Seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champ and current Reich Concrete/Yeager Machine Northeast Region points leader Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, came from the ninth starting spot to finish fourth, while Brad McEwan of Storm Lake, Iowa, rebounded from a rash of bad luck recently to take home a fifth-place paycheck.

Several drivers thrilled the fans in the jam-packed grandstands with strong runs from the back of the field. Al Hejna of Clear Lake, Iowa, finished sixth after starting 18th, while Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., finished ninth after starting 23rd on the grid. Despite Noble's show of power, the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors went to Rochester, Minn.'s Neil Eckhart, who raced from 25th to 10th over the course of the 35-lap main event.

Up next for the rugged O’Reilly USMTS road warriors is the 2nd Annual Featherlite Cresco Clash at the Cresco (Iowa) Speedway tomorrow (Thursday, July 13). The four-race weekend continues on Friday, July 14, at the Fox Ridge Speedway in Arcadia, Wis., before wrapping up on Saturday, July 15, at the Jackson (Minn.) Speedway for the 28th Annual Jackson Nationals.

For more information, or to learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call (515) 832-7944 or visit www.USMTS.com online.

ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (8 laps):

1. 1 - Dan Chapman -- Clarence, IA (2)
2. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (1)
3. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (9)
4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
5. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
6. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rolling Stone, MN (8)
7. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)
8. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (6)
9. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (5) DNF



HEAT #2 (8 laps):

1. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (6)
2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (1)
3. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
4. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (2)
5. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (8)
6. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (4)
7. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (7)
8. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (9)
9. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (5) DNF


HEAT #3 (8 laps):

1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (3)
2. 00eh - Steve Arpin -- Fort Frances, ON, CAN (1)
3. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (4)
4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (5)
5. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (7)
6. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (2)
7. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)
8. 68 - Tyler Clark -- Rochester, MN (6)


HEAT #4 (8 laps):

1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (1)
2. 2g - Troy Girolamo -- Eleva, WI (8)
3. 86 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (6)
4. 02 - Tommy Weder -- Woodward, OK (7)
5. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (3)
6. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (5)
7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (2)
8. 20jr - Dave Wytaske Jr. -- Austin, MN (4)


REAL WHEELS "B" MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):
1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2)
2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
3. 02 - Tommy Weder -- Woodward, OK (1)
4. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (4)
5. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (6)
6. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (9)
7. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rolling Stone, MN (5)
8. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)
9. 52w - Nate Wasmund -- Rochester, MN (8)
10. 68 - Tyler Clark -- Rochester, MN (10)
11. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (11) DNF

REAL WHEELS "B" MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):

1. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)
2. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (2)
3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (3)
4. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (11)
5. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (9)
6. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (6)
7. 20jr - Dave Wytaske Jr. -- Austin, MN (10)
8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (8)
9. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (4)
10. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (5) DNF
11. 72 - Doug Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7) DNF


HOLLEY "A" MAIN (35 laps):

1. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (2)
2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (5)
3. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (16)
4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (9)
5. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (11)
6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (18)
7. 00eh - Steve Arpin -- Fort Frances, ON, CAN (10)
8. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)
9. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (23)
10. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (25)
11. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (14)
12. 02 - Tommy Weder -- Woodward, OK (17)
13. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (13)
14. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (7)
15. 86 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (1)
16. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (19)
17. 42 - Tom Paulson -- Kasson, MN (22)
18. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (26)
19. 2 - Joey Schaefer -- Waterloo, IA (24) DNF
20. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (12) DNF
21. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (20) DNF
22. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (21) DNF
23. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (15) DNF
24. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3) DNF
25. 1 - Dan Chapman -- Clarence, IA (8) DNF
26. 2g - Troy Girolamo -- Eleva, WI (4) DNF



AMSOIL Lap Leaders: Scharkey 1-35.
Total Laps Led: Scharkey 35.

Provisional Starters: Noble (regional), Schaefer (national), Eckhart (track), B. Sorensen (track).
Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Eckhart (started 25th, finished 10th).
Next Race: Thursday, July 13, Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa.
O’Reilly National Driver Points (top 10): Shryock 2770, Myer 2403, Noble 2385, Tesch 2231, Ruter 2171, VanderBeek 2135, McEwan 2011, Mahlstedt 1822, A. Hejna 1785, Mike Wedelstadt 1531.
Reich Concrete/Yeager Machine Northeast Region Points (top 10): Shryock 606, Myer 528, VanderBeek 512, Ruter 481, McEwan 430, Noble 421, Mike Wedelstadt 348, M. Hejna 342, Poidinger 340, A. Hejna 337.
Home Pride Passing Points - National (top 5): Shryock 118.5, Ruter 108.0, Noble 88.5, Myer 88.5, McEwan 88.5.
Home Pride Passing Points - Northeast (top 5): Shryock 28.5, Noble 24.0, McEwan 22.5, VanderBeek 19.5, M. Sorensen 16.5.
Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points (top 5): Poidinger 418, Jason Friesen 388, Matt Gilbertson 295, Brent Bohmont 267, Mike Steensma 225.
UNIJIG Builders Championship Points (top 5): Skyrocket 275, Kraft 219, Hughes 206, GRT 178, Bullet 128.



Contingency Awards:
Bassett Racing Wheel – Waits.
Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.
Boyer’s Engine Development – not awarded.
Dynatech Racing Exhaust – Krohn.
Edelbrock – Krohn.
Fast Shafts – McEwan.
GRT Race Cars – A. Hejna.
Isky Racing Cams – Chapman.
KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Shryock.
KSE Racing Products – Dripps.
Larson Racing Specialists – VanderBeek.
Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.
QuickTime Performance Parts – Arpin.
RaceQuest – Poidinger, Hughes.
Real Racing Wheels – VanderBeek, M. Hejna.
T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – not awarded.
UNIJIG – Chapman.