<B>ALLISON, Iowa -–</B> It took 32 races, but Ryan Ruter's "Club Nickel" finally had to get out their checkbooks Thursday night.

The members of Club Nickel -- a group of sponsors, fans and followers of Ruter's racing efforts -- donate money to the Victory Junction Gang Camp each time Ruter wins a race. After eight top-5 finishes this season with the O'Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, Ruter finally put it all together at Highway 3 Raceway and made his first trip to victory lane this season with the O’Reilly USMTS in the Dirt Works Race Cars Hawkeye Summer Classic.

"I've just got a really good crew and a lot of good people behind me," Ruter said in victory lane. "I just can't thank them enough."

Ruter, from Kanawha, Iowa, used a mid-race caution to put his #555 into position to make a move for the lead, then raced ahead of Clear Lake, Iowa's Al Hejna one lap later en route to a $2,000 payday.

Polesitter Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, was able to get by Hejna in the closing laps to finish second, while Hejna continued his streak of strong runs with a third-place showing, giving a sweep of the first three positions to Skyrocket Chassis machines.

Shryock moved closer to securing his fourth straight "Swing" title this season with his runner-up finish. The six-time defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion is now tied with Hejna for the $1,000-to-win "series within a series" with two races left to decide the title for Dirt Works Race Cars Swing #4.

In his first outing in a new Hughes Chassis, Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., picked up the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors after coming from the 18th starting spot and finishing fourth in the 30-lap main event.

Running a limited schedule this season, Dan Bohr finished fifth after surrendering the fourth spot to Myer near the end of the contest. Last Sunday, Bohr pocketed $1,500 at the Cresco (Iowa) Speedway by racing from last to first in the USRA Modified feature race and collecting the Budweiser Back Row Challenge bonus money. The O’Reilly USMTS road warriors will be at Cresco this Sunday, Aug. 21.

The O’Reilly USMTS moves on to the Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway in Britt, Iowa, on Friday, Aug. 19, before moving on to Cresco on Sunday.

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.

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OFFICIAL RESULTS

O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series

Dirt Works Race Cars Hawkeye Summer Classic

Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, Iowa

Thursday, August 18, 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.

"A" MAIN (30 laps):

1. Ryan Ruter (3)

2. Kelly Shryock (1)

3. Al Hejna (2)

4. Tommy Myer (18)

5. Dan Bohr (5)

6. Mike Hejna (4)

7. Jason Krohn (14)

8. Mark Elliott (7)

9. Brad McEwan (8)

10. Bruce Hanford (9)

11. Kevin Pittman (11)

12. Jeff Schluetter (17)

13. Ron VerBeek (21)

14. Brad Bakken (19)

15. Mike Hughes (15)

16. Zack VanderBeek (12)

17. Jake Neal (23)

18. Dan Fetters (22)

19. Troy Cordes (20) DNF

20. Steve Wetzstein (10) DNF

21. Corey Dripps (13) DNF

22. Dean Mahlstedt (16) DNF

23. Rick Gustin (6) DNF

24. Mike Spaulding (24) DNF

Lap Leaders: A. Hejna 1-14, Ruter 15-30.

Provisional Starters: Neal, Spaulding.

Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Myer (started 18th, finished 4th).

Next Race: Aug. 19, Pritchard Family Auto Stores Hancock County Speedway, Britt, Iowa

Contingency Awards:

Edelbrock - Ruter, Shryock.

TCI Automotive - Shryock, M. Hejna.

ISKY Racing Cams - Shryock.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components - Myer.

GRT Race Cars - not awarded.

QuickTime Performance Race Parts - Krohn.

KSE Racing Products - Elliott.

AERO Race Wheels - VanderBeek.