<B>KNOXVILLE, Ill. --</B> The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series made a stop at the Knox County Fair in Knoxville, Ill., on Thursday for the Illinois Challenge presented by J&J Steel and 34 Raceway. Al Hejna of Clear Lake, Iowa, took home the feature event win.

Hejna drew the pole for the 30-lap Holley "A" Main, with Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., to his outside. Hejna moved out front on lap 1 with Noble, Ryan Ruter of Kanawha, Iowa, and Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., following close behind for second, third and fourth.

By lap 5, Hejna had pulled to a straight-away lead, leaving Ruter, Myer and Jason Krohn, who started eighth, battling for second. By lap 12, Hejna had entered lapped traffic, but that didn't slow him down as he continued to set a torrid pace.

The feature's only caution came out on lap 21, pulling everybody back to Hejna's bumper. But on the restart, Hejna once again pulled out to the lead. Hejna went on to lead the final 9 laps to pick up the $2,500 top prize.

Krohn finished second, Kenneth Cox came from 11th on the restart to finish third and Myer was fourth, with Noble hanging on for fifth.

Bruce Hanford picked up the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors, as he started 24th in the feature and passed eight cars to finish in 16th.

Corey Dripps, Noble, Myer and Cox claimed wins in the heat races, while Dean Mahlstedt and Mike Hughes picked up the "B" main wins.

The O’Reilly USMTS remains in Illinois on Friday, Aug. 5, as the Quincy Raceways welcomes the O’Reilly USMTS for the first time since the 2003 season. The four-day swing wraps up on Saturday, Aug. 6, with the Dirt Works Race Cars Memphis Shootout presented by Walker Collision & Spillman Auto at the Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo.

For more information, check us out online at www.USMTS.com or call 515-297-3870 for up-to-the-minute schedule and weather information.

<B><FONT size="4">RESULTS</FONT></B>

OFFICIAL RESULTS

O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series

Illinois Challenge presented by J&J Steel and 34 Raceway

Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, Ill.

Thursday, Aug. 4, 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.

<B>HEAT #1 (10 laps):</B>

1. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)

2. 77 - Ray Bollinger -- Kewanee, IL (7)

3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (10)

4. 71 - Dennis LaVeine -- Burlington, IA (1)

5. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (9)

6. 19c - Bill Reick -- Davenport, IA (8)

7. 11 - Mike Hughes -- Rose Hill, IA (5) – 1 Lap

8. 6 - Stanley Vervynck -- Kewanee, IL (4) – 1 Lap

9. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (2) DNF

10. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (3) DNF

<B>HEAT #2 (10 laps):</B>

1. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)

2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (9)

3. 105 - Kevin Peters -- Monmouth, IL (1)

4. 5d - Bob Dominacki -- Bettendorf, IA (6)

5. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (3)

6. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (4)

7. z71 - Jim Sandusky -- Coalvalley, IL (8)

8. 75 - Thad Wilson -- Moline, IL (10) DNF

9. 60 - Robbie VerBeck -- Cambridge, IL (5)

10. 24 - Darin Walker -- Bowling Green, MO (7) DNS

<B>HEAT #3 (10 laps):</B>

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

2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)

3. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (4)

4. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (9)

5. 11k - Jeremy Keller -- Bismark, ND (3)

6. A1 - Rich Smith -- Davenport, IA (6)

7. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (7)

8. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (8)

9. 6p - Larry Bantz -- Toulon, IL (2)

<B>HEAT #4 (10 laps):</B>

1. 5k - Kenneth Cox -- Greenland, AR (1)

2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5)

3. C40 - Mike Chasteen -- Creve Coeur, IL (7)

4. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (4)

5. M50 - Darin Thye -- Burlington, IA (6)

6. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (8)

7. 1d - Mel Saffran -- Farley, IA (3)

8. 2B - Steve Potter -- Bonneville, MO (2)

9. 9 - Charles Baker -- Labelle, MO (9) DNF

<B>"B" MAIN #1 (12 laps):</B>

1. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (3)

2. 105 - Kevin Peters -- Monmouth, IL (1)

3. z71 - Jim Sandusky -- Coal Valley, IL (7)

4. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (8)

5. 75 - Thad Wilson -- Moline, IL (9)

6. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (13)

7. 32 - Donovan Lodge -- Moline, IL (6)

8. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (10)

9. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (2)

10. 19c - Bill Reick -- Davenport, IA (5)

11. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (4) DNF

12. 6p - Larry Bantz -- Toulon, IL (12) DNF

13. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (11) DNS

<B>"B" MAIN #2 (12 laps):</B>

1. 11 - Mike Hughes -- Rose Hill, IA (7)

2. M50 - Darin Thye -- Burlington, IA (3)

3. 71 - Dennis LaVeine -- Burlington, IA (2)

4. A1 - Rich Smith -- Davenport, IA (6)

5. 5d - Bob Dominacki -- Bettendorf, IA (1)

6. 1d - Mel Saffran -- Farley, IA (8)

7. 60 - Robbie VerBeck -- Cambridge, IL (11)

8. 11k - Jeremy Keller -- Bismark, ND (4)

9. 2B - Steve Potter -- Bonneville, MO (10)

10. 9 - Charles Baker -- Labelle, MO (12)

11. 6 - Stanley Vervynck -- Kewanee, IL (9) DNF

12. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (5) DNF

13. 24 - Darin Walker -- Bowling Green, MO (13) DNS

<B>HOLLEY "A MAIN (30 laps):</B>

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

2. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (8)

3. 5k - Kenneth Cox -- Greenland, AR (9)

4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)

5. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)

6. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (4)

7. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6)

8. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (11)

9. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (12)

10. C40 - Mike Chasteen -- Creve Coeur, IL (10)

11. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (7)

12. M50 - Darin Thye -- Burlington, IA (16)

13. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (13)

14. 105 - Kevin Peters -- Monmouth, IL (15)

15. 11 - Mike Hughes -- Rose Hill, IA (14)

16. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (24)

17. z71 - Jim Sandusky -- Coal Valley, IL (17)

18. A1 - Rich Smith -- Davenport, IA (20)

19. 77 - Ray Bollinger -- Kewanee, IL (3)

20. 5d - Bob Dominacki -- Bettendorf, IA (22)

21. 75 - Thad Wilson -- Moline, IL (21) DNF

22. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (19) DNF

23. 71 - Dennis LaVeine -- Burlington, IA (18) DNF

24. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (23) DNF

<B>Lap Leader:</B> Hejna 1-30.

<B>Provisional Starters:</B> Spaulding, Hanford.

<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Hanford (started 24th, finished 16th).

<B>Next Race:</B> Aug. 5, Quincy (Ill.) Raceways.

<B>Contingency Awards:</B>

Edelbrock - Hejna, Krohn.

TCI Automotive - Ruter.

ISKY Racing Cams - not awarded.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components - Myer.

GRT Race Cars - Noble.

QuickTime Performance Race Parts - Dripps.

KSE Racing Products - Shryock.

AERO Race Wheels - Hanford.