FORT DODGE, Iowa -- Getting to the front and holding on to the lead was a tough thing to do Tuesday at Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa. But what was even tougher, was finding an empty seat in the grandstands.

O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series made their debut at the new half-mile speedplant, and race fans turned out in droves to catch the "Best of the Best" go to war on the tricky clay oval ... and the drivers did not disappoint.

After a series of hard fought heat races and a "B" main, a full field of the toughest Modified pilots lined up for the nightcap. After battling for Home Pride Passing Points in the heat races, the top eight points-getters filed onto the front stretch to draw for their starting position. After the final number had been drawn, a pair of Boone, Iowa, pilots -- John Logue and Joe McBirnie -- found themselves on the front row for the 30-lap finale.

After a dazzling fireworks display accompanied the traditional O’Reilly USMTS four-wide parade lap, the green flag was unfurled and polesitter Logue quickly found himself in trouble, drifting back to the fourth spot on lap 1 as McBirnie paced Brad Bakken and Kelly Shryock across the stripe to lead the first circuit.

After disposing of Bakken on lap 2, Shryock closed in to challenge McBirnie for the lead. After several peeks to the inside of "Smokin' Joe" and his #82 Modified, Shryock bobbled in turn 4 to give McBirnie a five-car-length advantage on lap 9.

On the 11th lap, fourth- and fifth-running Bakken and Tommy Myer moved to the high side of the racetrack in search of a way around third-place Jason Krohn. Myer found his way around Bakken on lap 14, while Krohn continued in third as McBirnie and Shryock held a comfortable cushion over the rest of the field.

As McBirnie exited turn 4 to complete lap 15, the rear end of hi Modified broke loose, allowing Shryock to close in on his bumper. One lap later, rookie pilot Jake Neal's spin in turn 4 had the flagman reaching for the yellow flag for the first time in the race.

The restart was not kind to Shryock as Krohn moved to the inside and Myer to the outside exiting turn 2. Racing three-wide at the flagstand, Shryock found himself shuffled back to the fourth spot as caution waved again for a two-car tangle in turn 4.

Another restart and another move to the high side of the racetrack put Myer door to door with McBirnie down the backstretch, with Myer being scored the leader on lap 17, while Bakken and Shryock both picked off Krohn for third and fourth. One lap later, caution waved again and this time Myer would have the challenge of keeping his challengers at bay on the restart.

The restart, however, provided yet another caution as Corey Dripps (from 11th) made contact with Shryock as the field took the green. While both drivers kept their machines going, the contact caused middle-of-the-pack drivers to check up, resulting in a broken front end for Gary Oskersen's Modified, which collected Bob Sutherland's car as well.

With 19 laps in the books, the O’Reilly USMTS field got the green again with Myer easily handling the first two turns to stretch out a five-car-length lead at the completion of lap 20. Shryock moved to third around Bakken and took aim at McBirnie, claiming the second spot and setting his sights on Myer with 8 laps to go.

Running the high line with precision, there was no catching Myer as he took the checkered flags going away with Shryock settling for the runner-up spot at the finish.

"I guess we gotta just bring out the junk," exclaimed Myer as he exited his familiar #65 Sputt's Racing Engines/KraftKar Modified in victory lane. The win was Myer's third triumph since returning from a horrible accident at Deer Creek Speedway on May 28 where he "junked" a brand new (three races old) race car.

Behind Shryock, McBirnie hung on for a third-place finish, while Krohn took the fourth spot and Willy Kraft completed the top-5.

The Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors went to Jeff Feaster, who started 21st and finished 11th.

Next up for the O’Reilly USMTS road warriors is Wednesday night (July 13) at the Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa. For more information, consult www.USMTS.com, or call 515-297-3870 for more information.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series

O’Reilly Auto Parts Fort Dodge Modified Nationals

Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, Iowa

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Showing finishing position, car number, driver, hometown and starting position in parentheses.

The top 12 drivers in Home Pride Passing Points accumulated in the heat races will be locked into the Holley "A" Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for their starting positions.

HEAT #1 (8 laps):

1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)

2. 82 - Joe McBirnie -- Boone, IA (2)

3. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)

4. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (6)

5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (8)

6. 3f - Jeff Feaster -- Dakota City, IA (7)

7. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (3)

8. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (1) DNS

HEAT #2 (8 laps):

1. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (2)

2. 69 - John Logue -- Boone, IA (3)

3. 83 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (5)

4. 10 - Jeremy Mills -- Garner, IA (4)

5. 4ord - Bob Sutherland -- Blairsburg, IA (6)

6. 5m - Gary March -- Hinton, IA (1) DNF

7. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (7) DNF

8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (8) DNF

HEAT #3 (8 laps):

1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (7)

2. 85 - Dave Doughty -- Fort Dodge, IA (1)

3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (8)

4. 14J - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (3)

5. 98 - Kevin Stoa -- Polk City, IA (5)

6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)

7. 12E - Mark Elliott -- Webster City, IA (6) DNF

8. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (2) DNF

HOLLEY "A" MAIN (30 laps):

1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)

2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)

3. 82 - Joe McBirnie -- Boone, IA (2)

4. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (7)

5. 83 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (9)

6. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (11)

7. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (3)

8. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (15)

9. 85 - Dave Doughty -- Fort Dodge, IA (6)

10. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (19)

11. 3f - Jeff Feaster -- Dakota City, IA (21)

12. 10 - Jeremy Mills -- Garner, IA (12) DNF

13. 69 - John Logue -- Boone, IA (1) DNF

14. 12E - Mark Elliott -- Webster City, IA (22) DNF

15. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (17) DNF

16. 14J - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (13) DNF

17. 4ord - Bob Sutherland -- Blairsburg, IA (14) DNF

18. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (10) DNF

19. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (18) DNF

20. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (8) DNF

21. 98 - Kevin Stoa -- Polk City, IA (20) DNF

22. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (16) DNF

23. 5m - Gary March -- Hinton, IA (23) DNS

24. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (24) DNS

Lap Leaders: McBirnie 1-17, Myer 18-30.

Provisional Starters: none.

Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Feaster (started 21st, finished 11th).

Next Race: July 13, Carriker Ford Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Fort Dodge Modified Nationals Contingency Awards:

Edelbrock - Myer, Shryock.

TCI Automotive - McBirnie, Dripps.

ISKY Racing Cams - McBirnie.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components - Krohn.

GRT Race Cars - Kraft.

QuickTime Performance Race Parts - Bakken.

KSE Racing Products - McEwan.

AERO Race Wheels - Neal.