NASCAR stars to battle O’Reilly USMTS at Iowa State Fair Speedway June 4
By: Jeff Nun

DES MOINES, Iowa (May 30) - When the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series invades the Iowa State Fair Speedway for the first time ever next Monday, June 4, drivers will have some added incentive to find victory lane and fans will have a chance to see three of the biggest names in stock car racing take on the biggest names in modified racing.

NASCAR stars Ken Schrader, Clint Bowyer and Kenny Wallace strap on the helmets and stand on the gas as they compete with the O’Reilly USMTS on the Des Moines dirt. While they are best known for circling America's superspeedways with the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, all three are prolific dirt track racers with a pedigree.

They won't be looking for show up points, they'll be looking to win.

Ken Schrader: It was on the dirt tracks where Schrader's career began. He started out driving mostly open-wheel cars and won in every division he raced, including two USAC championships -- 1982 Silver Crown and '83 Sprint Car. Schrader is a veteran second-generation racer, and currently drives the #21 Motorcraft/Little Debbie Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. He appears as a television analyst on Inside Nextel Cup on the SPEED Channel, and is also the owner of Ken Schrader Racing, which fields entries for himself in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and the Whelen All-American Series for Chris Bristol. Schrader is also the owner of I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Mo.

Clint Bowyer: Bowyer, who turns 28 on May 30, currently pilots the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and the #2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NASCAR Busch Series, both for Richard Childress Racing, as well as the #2 Chevrolet Silverado for Kevin Harvick Incorporated in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Bowyer captured more than 200 wins and numerous championships during his dirt track racing career. In 1996, he began racing street stocks at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kan., and won the Modified championship there in 2000. He racked up 18 wins and 32 top-five finishes on his way to capturing the 2001 Modified track championships at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., and Heartland Park Topeka. Bowyer competed in an open Modified race last year at Heartland Park Topeka where he finished second to eight-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock.

Kenny Wallace: Wallace currently drives the #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. He also works as an on-air personality for SPEED Channel on shows such as NASCAR RaceDay and NASCAR Victory Lane. He was also featured on the show NASCAR Drivers: 360 on FX. He has two brothers who are also current or former NASCAR drivers: Rusty Wallace and Mike Wallace. As a child, Wallace’s boisterous behavior earned him the nickname “Herman,” after a mischievous cartoon character named Herman the German. Last week, Wallace was voted in by fans to compete in the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Wallace has already tasted victory on dirt this season, beating O’Reilly USMTS competitor Steve Arpin at the Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., in February, and, most recently, winning a UMP Modified feature at the Peoria Speedway in Peoria, Ill., last Wednesday, May 23.

The rugged road warriors of the O’Reilly USMTS will be led into battle by Shryock as the current national points leader seeks his unprecedented ninth crown. Other drivers expected for this Central Region tilt include Zack VanderBeek, Donovan Lodge, Brad Pinkerton, Ryan Gustin, Tommy Myer, Al Hejna, Richie Gustin, Jr., Mark Burgtorf, Jay Noteboom, Jason Hughes, Alan Mondus, Jay Poidinger, Joey Schaefer, Jake Durbin, Michael Long, Tommy Weder, Jr., Tony Fraise, Mike Hejna, Dustin Boney, Cale Sponsler, Jeff Schluetter, Steve Holzkamper, Jake Neal, Dean Mahlstedt, Brent Bohmont, Mark Dotson, Garry Oskerson, Barry Sandeman, Chase Allen, Steve Arpin, Mark Schulte, Ryan Meyer, Mark Noble and Nate Caruth.

Pit gates will open at 4:30 p.m. and grandstand gates will swing open at 5:00. Schrader, Bowyer and Wallace will be signing autographs for the fans from 5:30 to 6:30. After that, all three NASCAR stars will suit up for hot laps. The first green flag is scheduled to wave at 7:00. Tickets are available at the track, and all grandstand seating will be general admission only, so get there early to grab your seat for this one-of-a-kind event.

Also on the racing card will be Stock Cars, B-Mods and Hobby Stocks. Cars legal under USRA or IMCA rules will be able to compete, but there will be no points awarded and the claim rule will not be in effect.

The Iowa State Fair Speedway is a half-mile semi-banked dirt oval located on the east side of Des Moines at 30th St. and University Ave. For more information, call (515) 201-5526 or visit www.jjam.2y.net/statefair.html  online.

To learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters office at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com  online.

National Standings (as of May 29):
1. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, IA ... 1302
2. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA ... 1007
3. Al Hejna, Clear Lake, IA ... 800
4. Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, AR ... 794
5. Jason Hughes, Colcord, OK ... 740
6. Greg Skaggs, Bixby, OK ... 710
7. Jay Poidinger, Somerset, WI ... 655
8. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, IA ... 651
9. Tommy Weder, Jr., Woodward, OK ... 640
10. Cale Sponsler, Grimes, IA ... 557

Central Region Standings:
1. Kelly Shryock, Fertile, IA ... 321
2. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, IA ... 269
3. Donovan Lodge, Moline, IL ... 241
4. Brad Pinkerton, New Sharon, IA ... 239
5. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA ... 214
6. Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, MN ... 206
6. Al Hejna, Clear Lake, IA ... 206
8. Richie Gustin, Jr., Gilmar, IA ... 201
9. Mark Burgtorf, Quincy, IL ... 191
10. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, IA ... 186

Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Standings:
1. Jay Noteboom, Hinton, IA ... 187
2. Cale Sponsler, Grimes, IA ... 158
3. Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, IA ... 140
4. Scott Green, Derby, KS ... 109
4. Richie Gustin, Jr., Gilmar, IA ... 109

Upcoming National Events:
Tue Jun 5 ... Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA
Wed Jun 6 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA
Thu Jun 7 ... Dubuque Speedway, Dubuque, IA
Fri Jun 8 ... Tri-Oval Speedway, Fountain City, WI
Tue Jun 12 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA
Wed Jun 13 ... I-70 Speedway Dirt Track, Odessa, MO
Thu Jun 14 ... L A Raceway, LaMonte, MO
Fri Jun 15 ... Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, MO
Sat Jun 16 ... Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, MO
Sun Jun 17 ... Monett Speedway, Monett, MO
Tue Jun 19 ... Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, SD
Wed Jun 20 ... Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, SD
Thu Jun 21 ... Casino Speedway, Watertown, SD
Fri Jun 22 ... Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, IA
Sat Jun 23 ... Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN

Remaining Central Region Schedule:
Tue Jun 5 ... Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA
Wed Jun 6 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA
Thu Jun 7 ... Dubuque Speedway, Dubuque, IA
Tue Jun 12 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA
Tue Jul 31 ... West Liberty Raceway, West Liberty, IA
Wed Aug 1 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA
Thu Aug 2 ... Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, IL
Fri Aug 3 ... Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway, Bloomfield, IA
Sat Aug 4 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO