O’REILLY SPONSOR,
CURRY CROWNED
USA CHAMPION
01.20.07
Angola, IN

The USA Modified Series 2006 Championship Banquet was held at the Redwood Lounge, Angola, Indiana on Saturday night, January 20th. USA Modified Teams, fans, family and friends gathered to give tribute to the top fifteen in the 2006 USA Points Chase, along with a group of special awards.
Those in attendance were treated to cocktails, followed by a buffet meal and desert. Entertainment was provided by a comedian, Tim Costello, who drew audience participation for a very good time. Earlier that afternoon racers gathered at nearby Rapid Raceway to take on USA Officials in go kart races, with USA Racers showing the Officials some great driving moves!
Wes Parrish was the awards M.C., with USA Director Keith Beeching assisting. The top fifteen in USA Points were presented trophies and awards, with Bob Curry of Kalamazoo, Michigan taking home not only the top award, but a Demon Carburetor and a Hoosier Tire leather jacket. Tim Burkett was second, followed by team mate Brian Nester third, and Brad Springer fourth.
Sponsor Awards were up next as Steve Curry, son of USA Champ Bob Curry, was awarded the Lincoln Welders Rookie of the Year award for 2006 along with a brand new Lincoln Welder. There was a three way tie for the Firebottle Fast Time Award with Brent Hook, Bob Curry, and Steve Minich Jr. all receiving a Firebottle from Safety Systems Inc. The Allstar Performance Hard Charger Award went to Indy “Young Gun” Mike Hadley Jr. for the most Allstar Hard Charger Awards through out the season.
Special Awards were given to Terri Popielarz for Most Improved Driver, while Tim Burkett took home the Sportsmanship Award. Tony Dager’s Crew received the Best Appearing Crew Award and Phyllis Burkett received the Dedication Award for her everlasting support of her son’s racing effort. The final award for the night was a Special Dedication Award for Steve and Sherre’ Ellis, owners of the USA Modified Series, for their dedication to modified racing.
With the awards out of the way, Steve Ellis talked about the USA Modified Series in 2007 and beyond. With the schedule 90% done new tracks M-40, South Bend, and Flat Rock Speedway were added to this year’s schedule, with returns to Anderson, Salem, Angola, and Toledo Speedways for 2007. Special paying races at Kalamazoo, Winchester, O’Reilly Raceway Park, and the Music City Motorplex, made great news for USA Modified Teams.
The best news of the night came with the long awaited announcement of a title sponsor for 2007. “O’Reilly Auto Parts will be the title sponsor for the USA Modified Series through 2009 and the series will be known as the O’Reilly USA Modified Series. With O’Reilly on board, it will stabilize our point fund for the next three years and will give us a much needed boost into the future” said Steve “We look forward to a long and productive relationship with O’Reilly Auto Parts and we are very excited to make this public at this time!”
O’Reilly Auto Parts is a Missouri based company that sells automotive replacement parts and supplies through a net work of O’Reilly Auto Parts stores. They just recently built a new distribution hub in Indianapolis to service Indiana, Michigan and Ohio as they expand. For more info or to find a store near you, go to www.oreillyauto.com.