WEBSTER CITY, Iowa -- Officials from the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series made several major announcements today, including the regional alignment for the 2006 season as well as the addition of several major events to form the most exciting slate of races in the eight-year history of the premier modified touring series in America.

Among today's big news is the worst-kept secret of the year: the O’Reilly USMTS will sanction the 2nd Annual Xtreme Super Nationals at the State Fair Speedway in Oklahoma City, Okla. The event will be held Thursday-Saturday, October 12-14, and will feature a record-setting $25,000 top prize for the winner of Saturday's main event. Last year's inaugural event saw O’Reilly USMTS drivers sneak away with five of the top nine spots as Terry Phillips held off seven-time O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock for the win.

The 2nd Annual Xtreme Super Nationals will be one of the final races in ‘The Hunt’ to determine the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Champion.

Even more fireworks were launched today with the official announcement of a three-day major event during the Fourth of July weekend at the all-new Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. On Friday, June 30, Lucas Oil Speedway will host an open practice day for O’Reilly USMTS teams, with preliminary events scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 1-2. The finale will be held on Monday, July 3. A minimum of $5,000 has been earmarked for the winner of Monday's main event, Lucas Oil Speedway officials said.

The O’Reilly USMTS will return to Lucas Oil Speedway on Friday and Saturday, August 11-12, for a doubleheader paying $2,000 and $3,000 to win, respectively.

Three additional new dates bolstered the 2006 slate today, including first-ever scheduled visits to Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, June 23, and the legendary Huset's Speedway in Brandon (Sioux Falls), S.D., on Wednesday, June 28. After much hoopla surrounding the recently-announced April 14-15 events at the Blackbird Bend Speedway in Onawa, Iowa, track officials there have added a second stop at the 3/8-mile oval on Thursday, July 20.

"We feel that the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS schedule will be popular with both fans and competitors," said Todd Staley, President of the O’Reilly USMTS. "The support from O’Reilly Auto Parts and our other great sponsors, as well as the growing popularity of the Series has permitted us to assemble a schedule that includes return events at our most popular venues, as well as bolstering the menu with some new racetracks which are the finest you'll find in the Midwest."

"We also appreciate the operators of the racing facilities hosting our events this season," added Staley. "We are working with some of the finest event promoters in motorsports and we look forward to another great O’Reilly USMTS season in 2006."

Today's O’Reilly USMTS schedule announcement brings the total nights of racing to 73, with scheduled appearances at 35 of the most popular racetracks throughout 10 states in the Great Plains.

The finalizing of the 2006 schedule was accompanied by the release of this season's regional alignment and the final swing of events comprising ‘The Hunt’ to determine this year's O’Reilly USMTS National Champion. Each region will consist of 13-14 events. A winner's share of $2,000 will be awarded to the points champion of each region, while the top-10 drivers in the final points standings for each region will qualify for ‘The Hunt’ and a chance at the National Championship crown.

The following is the regional alignment for the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS season:

WESTERN REGION

Fri Mar 10 ... Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE ($2,000 to win)

Sat Mar 11 ... Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE ($3,000 to win)

Fri Mar 17 ... Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, KS ($2,000 to win)

Sat Mar 18 ... Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, KS ($3,000 to win)

Fri Apr 14 ... Blackbird Bend Speedway, Onawa, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Apr 15 ... Blackbird Bend Speedway, Onawa, IA ($3,000 to win)

Thu May 25 ... Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, SD ($2,000 to win)

Thu Jun 22 ... Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA ($2,000 to win)

Fri Jun 23 ... Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, IA ($2,000 to win)

Tue Jun 27 ... Interstate Speedway, Jefferson, SD ($2,000 to win)

Wed Jun 28 ... Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, SD ($2,000 to win)

Thu Jun 29 ... Casino Speedway, Watertown, SD ($2,000 to win)

Wed Jul 19 ... Eagle Raceway, Eagle, NE ($2,000 to win)

Thu Jul 20 ... Blackbird Bend Speedway, Onawa, IA ($2,000 to win)

SOUTHERN REGION

Sat Apr 1 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($2,000 to win)

Fri May 12 ... Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sat May 13 ... Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sun May 14 ... Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($2,000 to win)

Fri Jun 16 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS ($2,000 to win)

Sat Jun 17 ... Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sun Jun 18 ... Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sat Jul 1 ... Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO (Preliminaries)

Sun Jul 2 ... Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO (Preliminaries)

Mon Jul 3 ... Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO ($5,000 to win)

Fri Jul 28 ... Batesville Speedway, Batesville, AR ($2,000 to win)

Sat Jul 29 ... Batesville Speedway, Batesville, AR ($3,000 to win)

Sat Aug 5 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($2,000 to win)

Fri Aug 11 ... Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sat Aug 12 ... Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO ($3,000 to win)

CENTRAL REGION

Fri Mar 31 ... Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway, Bloomfield, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Apr 1 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($2,000 to win)

Fri Apr 7 ... Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Apr 8 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)

Mon May 29 ... Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, IA ($2,000 to win)

Tue Jun 20 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($2,000 to win)

Tue Aug 1 ... Benton County Speedway, Vinton, IA ($2,000 to win)

Wed Aug 2 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)

Thu Aug 3 ... Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, IL ($2,000 to win)

Fri Aug 4 ... Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway, Bloomfield, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Aug 5 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($2,000 to win)

Tue Aug 15 ... West Liberty Raceway, West Liberty, IA ($2,000 to win)

Wed Aug 16 ... Farley Speedway, Farley, IA ($2,000 to win)

NORTHEAST REGION

Fri May 26 ... Murray County Speedway, Slayton, MN ($2,000 to win)

Sat May 27 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)

Sun May 28 ... Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)

Tue Jun 6 ... Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway, Oshkosh, WI ($2,000 to win)

Wed Jun 7 ... Thunderhill Raceway Sturgeon Bay, WI ($2,000 to win)

Thu Jun 8 ... Langlade County Speedway, Antigo, WI ($2,000 to win)

Fri Jun 9 ... Fox Ridge Speedway, Arcadia, WI ($2,000 to win)

Wed Jun 21 ... Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($2,000 to win)

Wed Jul 12 ... Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)

Thu Jul 13 ... Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($2,000 to win)

Fri Jul 14 ... Fox Ridge Speedway, Arcadia, WI ($2,000 to win)

Sat Jul 15 ... Jackson Speedway, Jackson, MN ($2,000 to win)

Fri Jul 21 ... Murray County Speedway, Slayton, MN ($2,000 to win)

‘THE HUNT’

Thu Aug 17 ... Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA ($2,000 to win)

Fri Aug 18 ... Fox Ridge Speedway, Arcadia, WI ($2,000 to win)

Sat Aug 19 ... Jackson Speedway, Jackson, MN ($2,000 to win)

Fri Sep 1 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Sep 2 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)

Sun Sep 3 ... Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)

Fri Sep 15 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Sep 16 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)

Thu Sep 21 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN (Preliminaries)

Fri Sep 22 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN (Preliminaries)

Sat Sep 23 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN (TBD)

Fri Oct 6 ... Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Oct 7 ... Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA ($3,000 to win)

Thu Oct 12 ... State Fair Speedway, Oklahoma City, OK (Preliminaries)

Fri Oct 13 ... State Fair Speedway, Oklahoma City, OK (Preliminaries)

Sat Oct 14 ... State Fair Speedway, Oklahoma City, OK ($25,000 to win)

Fri Oct 20 ... Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sat Oct 21 ... Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, MO ($3,000 to win)

Fri Oct 27 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($2,000 to win)

Sat Oct 28 ... Pepsi Scotland County Speedway, Memphis, MO ($3,000 to win)

‘The Hunt’ will be comprised of the final 20 races of the season, with 16 points-paying events available. Three-day shows at Deer Creek Speedway and State Fair Speedway will award points based on a driver's best night from each of the three nights of racing. The same points award structure will also be used for the July 1-3 Southern Region event at Lucas Oil Speedway. All other events will award full points for each race night.

The O’Reilly USMTS National Championship points system will be used at all regional events, with the top-10 in the final standings for each region earning 10 points for first place, 9 points for second place and so forth, descending to 1 point for tenth place in the region. Each driver who competed at all events within a region will also earn 5 bonus points. The total points earned for all regions will serve as the base points that each driver will start with in ‘The Hunt’.

EXAMPLE: If a driver finishes first in two regions, second in one region and fourth in another region, that driver will earn 37 regional points (10-10-9-7) and be in ‘The Hunt’ with 36 points. If that driver also had “perfect attendance” in each region, he/she will earn an additional 20 bonus points (5 per region) and begin ‘The Hunt’ with 57 base points.

The O’Reilly USMTS National Championship points system will be used at the remaining events for the drivers in ‘The Hunt’ to determine the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS national champion.

Any driver finishing among the top-10 in the final points standings in one or more regions will qualify to be in ‘The Hunt’ and thereby earn a legitimate shot at becoming the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Champion.

“We are really excited about the 2006 points system for our fans and competitors,” said O’Reilly USMTS President Todd Staley. “While it has become increasingly expensive, time-consuming and physically taxing for teams to travel the entire O’Reilly USMTS circuit, we feel we have come up with a way to encourage more drivers to participate in our National Championship battle, while not penalizing those drivers who support us week in and week out.”

As few as 10 and as many as 40 different drivers could be in ‘The Hunt’ when the final National Championship swing begins on Thursday, August 17, at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa.

For the fans, the ‘The Hunt’ will serve as a “playoff” for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. While handicapping gives a slight advantage to the drivers that compete on the entire national tour, each of the top-10 drivers in any of the four regions has a legitimate shot at capturing the national crown. Without question, the eighth anniversary season for the O’Reilly USMTS will be the most exciting and talked-about subject for Modified drivers and fans everywhere.

The 2006 season is scheduled to begin with the 3rd Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb., on Friday and Saturday, March 10-11.

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.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, Holley Performance Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, R.A. Benson Motorsports, Real Racing Wheels, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, UNIJIG Chassis Fabrication Equipment.

USMTS EVENT SPONSORS: CasinOmaha, Featherlite, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: Belleville Motorsports, Bert Transmission, Boyer’s Engine Development, Edelbrock, Fast Shafts, GRT Race Cars, Hyperco, Isky Racing Cams, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, KSE Racing Products, Larson Racing Specialists, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, RaceQuest, T.A.R. Race Car Bodies, US Brake.