Such was the case for Jon Tesch Thursday night at the Casino Speedway in his hometown of Watertown, S.D.

Tesch, a three-time track champion (1998, 2000-01) at Casino Speedway, captured the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour main event two years ago at the 3/8-mile clay oval but spun out on the first lap of the Holley “A” Main last year
and wound up last in front of family, friends and sponsors. Another Watertown racer, Scott Ward, won the race.

Tesch was in the spotlight again Thursday, but this time he shined brightly.

After starting ninth, Tesch chased down race-long leader Kelly Shryock on lap 33, then paced the final seven laps to send the standing-room-only Casino Speedway crowd into a frenzy with his late-race pass and narrow victory in the
4th Annual Team Electronics Summer Slam. The win was worth $2,000 to Tesch, who became a first-time father less than two months ago and turned 32 years old last week.

Shryock, who is still looking for his first win at the Casino Speedway, settled for the runner-up paycheck while Jason Hughes took home third-place money. Al Hejna was fourth and Zack VanderBeek rounded out the top-5
finishers.

Sixth through tenth, respectively, went to Tommy Weder Jr., Dereck Ramirez, Corey Dripps, Brandon Kenny and Watertown’s Chad Williamson.

Last year’s winner, Ward finished in the 12th spot - one lap down to Tesch.

With the win, Tesch also narrowed the gap in the Great Plains Region points standings, but still trails Shryock (637 points) and VanderBeek (620) with 586 markers. Weder is fourth with 538 points, followed by Kenny (535), Hejna
(528), Ramirez (501), Scott Green (482), defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Krohn (451) and Bryan Rowland (436).

The action continues tomorrow (Friday, June 27) as the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour invades the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons at the Casey’s General Store location at 709 1st
Ave. in Rock Rapids. Zack VanderBeek and his Cheetos/Casey’s General Stores #33z Skyrocket Modified will be on hand to meet and greet fans at Casey’s from 1 to 3 p.m.

Rapid Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 0.5 mile east of US 75 on SR 9, then 0.5 mile south on South Tama St. (at the Lyons County Fairgrounds). For more information, call the track hotline at (712) 472-3742.

Friday’s race will be another Great Plains Region battle and the fifth of six straight nights of racing through Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota:

Mon Jun 23 … Independence Motor Speedway, Independence, Iowa (winner: Shryock)
Tue Jun 24 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa (winner: Shryock)
Wed Jun 25 … Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, S.D. (winner: Hejna)
Thu Jun 26 … Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D. (winner: Tesch)
Fri Jun 27 … Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa
Sat Jun 28 … Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, Minn.

Afterwards, the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour teams get a well-deserved Summer Break before returning to action on Tuesday, July 22, at the Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa, for the final stretch run to the Casey’s General
Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship.

The USMTS is celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season in 2008 with many special promotions to show thanks to the fans, drivers, team members, families and sponsors who have helped make the USMTS the premier dirt modified
series in the nation.

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 — America’s Hottest Ticket on Dirt.

Arment could smell victory Thursday night, but his quest was squashed as another local favorite found his way to the winners circle instead. After
leading 36 laps, Watertown’s Scott Ward slipped past Arment on the high side of the racetrack with two laps to go, then edged Arment at the finish to
score his first O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series
win.

Thursday’s victory in the 40-lap Holley “A” Main was Ward’s first with the
O’Reilly USMTS, and just his second top-10 finish in eight career starts.
His other was a 10th-place finish on June 16, 2005 during the inaugural
O’Reilly USMTS event at Casino Speedway.

After a tussle in the second heat race with Jason Hughes of Colcord, Okla.,
Ward found himself in the first Real Racing Wheels “B” Main, which he won to
give himself a 13th-place starting position in the main event. It took him
38 laps and several caution flags, but Ward’s persistence paid off with a
$2,000 paycheck while Arberdeen’s Arment settled for the runner-up finish.

Hughes, who failed to finish the second Real Racing Wheels “B” Main, had to
use a provisional to get into the main event, but he made the most of it by
passing 21 cars en route to a third-place finish. His teammate, Tommy Weder
Jr. of Colcord, Okla., finished fourth and Watertown’s Dustin Beebe place
fifth to give the locals three of the top-5 spots.

Al Hejna bounced back from an early-race mishap to finish sixth, while South
Dakota pilots Curt Kranz, Chad Becker, Joe Waba and Jay Triplett completed
the top-10 in front of a packed house at the 3/8-mile semi-banked oval.

The feature race saw just 10 of the 24 starters reach the checkered flag,
and many of the regular O’Reilly USMTS road warriors suffered wither
mechanical or mental breakdowns. Watertown’s Jon Tesch, a three-time past
champion at his hometown track, spun out on the first lap of the main event
and wound up 24th on the final score card. While running second with five
laps to go, Kelly Shryock slid off of turn 2 and ended his chance at a third
straight O’Reilly USMTS victory.

The most expensive night, however, belonged to Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar
Rookie of the Year points leader Scott Green. After rolling his Hughes
Chassis in the second heat race, Green got out his back-up car and qualified
for the main event through the second Real Racing Wheels “B” Main. A tangle
in the Holley “A” Main ended his night early anyway, finishing 20th.

Up next, the rugged road warriors of the O’Reilly USMTS trek to the Rapid
Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa, on Friday for another $2,000-to-win Western
Region tilt. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., with hot laps at 7:00 and racing at
7:30. Rapid Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.5 mile
east of US 75 on SR 9, then 0.5 mile south on South Tama St. (at the Lyons
County Fairgrounds). For raceday information, call (712) 472-3742 or visit
www.husets-speedway.com/rapid 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.