CRESCO, Iowa -- In winning the CPU/I Wireless Shootout at the Cresco (Iowa) Speedway on Sunday night, Al Hejna made history as he became just the second driver in the seven-year history of the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series to capture a points title.

Through the first six seasons of the O’Reilly USTMS, Kelly Shryock was the one and only champion. In 2005, the rigorous O’Reilly USMTS schedule was divided into five segments, with each "Swing" carrying a $1,000-to-win points fund on top of the season-long $10,000-to-win O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. With three Swings in the books, Shryock had added another trio of titles to his list of accomplishments.

While the Fertile, Iowa, ace is well on his way to capturing an unprecedented seventh straight National Championship crown in 2005, Sunday night was all about "Big Al."

"You don't really ever plan to beat Kelly (Shryock)," Hejna commented. "To be honest, it's something that just happened. We had a good run through Illinois, and I think that really helped us get a jump in the points."

But while the Dirt Works Race Cars Swing #4 trophy became the only championship hardware not sitting on Shryock's mantle, it was one of his creations that Hejna steered to victory.

"That's what it's all about," added Hejna. "Kelly is always helping anyone in a Skyrocket Chassis. It's a great family to be apart of."

Hejna's victory at the 3/8-mile Cresco speedplant was his fourth win and eighth top-5 finish in the nine-race Swing. Along with his Swing earnings, Hejna's take home pay on Sunday was worth $3,000.

In Sunday's CPU/I Wireless-sponsored 35-lap main event, Hejna started on the outside of the front row, with Cresco regular Kevin Pittman of Waterloo, Iowa, on the pole. Pittman beat Hejna to the first corner and took control of the lead for the first five laps. A few early caution flags gave Hejna several chances to wrestle the lead away from Pittman.

"I figured I didn't have to many more shots on the high side," Hejna said after the race. "I couldn't see making a pass on the low side where everyone else was racing, so I went into the corner on the high side and didn't lift until I could set the car."

Hejna's Rookies Rockin' Sports Bar/Budweiser/Skyrocket #7 Modified powered around Pittman for the lead. Once Hejna was at the point, he ran uncontested to the checkered flag for the win.

Ryan Ruter of Kanawha, Iowa, made a late-race pass on Pittman to grab the runner-up finish, while Pittman settled for third-place money. Shryock finished fourth while Brad McEwan of Storm Lake, Iowa, rounded out the top 5 finishers.

The Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors went to Jeff Schluetter of New Hampton, Iowa, who started 20th and finished ninth.

RaceRPM.com has an encore playback available of the O’Reilly USMTS race at Cresco Speedway. It is an audio file that race fans can listen to for free thanks to Casey's General Stores. Log on to www.RaceRPM.com to hear the 35-lap main event.

Up next for the O’Reilly USMTS will be a Minnesota doubleheader, with a $2,000-to-win show at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley on Saturday, Sept. 3, followed by a return to the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson on Sunday, Sept. 4.

For more information, call 515-832-7944 or log on to www.USMTS.com for all the latest news and information from the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series.

RESULTS

OFFICIAL RESULTS

O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series

CPU/I Wireless 40

Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa

Sunday, August 21, 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.

HOLLEY "A" MAIN (35 laps):

1. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA

2. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA

3. 26p - Kevin Pittman -- Waterloo, IA

4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA

5. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA

6. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA

7. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN

8. 35k - Ron Konkel -- Caledonia, MN

9. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA

10. 10h - Todd Hanson -- Clear Lake, IA

11. 1r - Ryan York -- Racine, MN

12. 19x - Darin Duffy -- Hazleton, IA

13. 99 - Martin Bennett -- Ankeny, IA

14. 5w - Darrin Walch -- Postville, IA

15. 33Z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA

16. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (DNF)

17. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (DNF)

18. 00 - Steve Arpin -- Ft. Francis, Ont., Canada (DNF)

19. 93h - Craig Haupt -- Sumner, IA (DNF)

20. 66 - Dan Bohr -- Decorah, IA (DNF)

21. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (DNF)

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

23. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (DNF)

24. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (DNS)

Lap Leaders: Pittman 1-5, A. Hejna 6-35.

Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Schluetter (started 20th, finished 9th).

Next Race: Sept. 3, Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.

Contingency Awards:

Edelbrock - A. Hejna, Ruter.

TCI Automotive - M. Hejna.

ISKY Racing Cams - not awarded.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components - Shryock.

GRT Race Cars - McEwan.

QuickTime Performance Race Parts - Myer.

KSE Racing Products - not awarded.

AERO Race Wheels - Dripps.