<B>BOLIVAR, Mo. --</B> The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series invaded the Bolivar Speedway on Friday, Sept. 9, for Round 1 of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Missouri Nationals tripleheader in the southern half of the Show-Me State.

The "Best of the Best" from eight States and Canada were on hand to teach a lesson to the regular racers, but it was a local ace who showed the fast way around the high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval.

Jason Hughes of Colcord, Okla., led the 38-car field in Home Pride Passing Point earned in the heat races, then secured the pole position with the first redraw for the 35-lap main event. At the drop of the green, Hughes squirted out to a four-car-length advantage over the field, then padded his lead to nearly 10 car-lengths by the mid-point of the race.

The first caution of the race flew on lap 23, erasing Hughes' advantage and giving second-place runner Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., a shot at the top spot. Myer used the restart to his advantage, scooting past Hughes on the bottom of the racetrack to take the lead.

Myer paced the next seven laps while several drivers swapped positions running high and low. By lap 28, Terry Beckham Jr. of Webb City, Mo., had moved into position to challenge Myer, while Johnny Bone Jr. of Pea Ridge, Ark., slipped around Hughes for third. Two laps later, Bone made the pass on Beckham, then set his sights on Myer.

As the field raced past the flagstand to complete lap 31, Bone moved around Myer to take the top spot. Bone appeared to have the field covered, but riding the thin cushion near the wall was Jesse Stovall of Galena, Mo., who had charged into the third spot from his 11th starting position.

Stovall raced around the outside of Myer down the backstretch to take over second on lap 32, and followed Bone across the line to complete lap 33. Stovall angled off of turn 2 and his momentum carried him to the inside of Bone as the pair raced down the backstretch. Stovall dove low in turn 3 and slid up ahead of Bone in turn 4. Bone cranked his Modified left and drove back underneath Stovall as the two exited turn 4.

Stovall nosed ahead of Bone as they raced beneath the white flag. With Bone low and Stovall high, the two stayed side by side through the first turns and down the backstretch in front of the "Wild Side" fans. With Stovall continued to ride the cushion into turn 3 while Bone dove in low to return the favor to Stovall with a "slide job" in turn 4.

Bone's car slid up the track, but the veteran racer left just enough room for Stovall to cling to the remaining cushion and power around the outside to take his career-first O’Reilly USMTS win and pocket the $2,000 top prize to the crowd's approval.

"Man, this is huge," said Stovall as he received hugs from his family and crew in victory lane. "That win is bigger than the Super Nationals to me. It doesn't get any better than this."

Bone settled for the runner-up spot while Myer, Hughes and Beckham completed the top-5 finishers.

Six-time defending O’Reilly USMTS champion and current points leader Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, suffered a flat tire late in the race while battling among the top-5 in the main event. He battled back for a 12th-place finish -- just his fourth finish outside of the top-10 in 42 races this season.

With his 10th-place finish, Dean Mahlstedt of Garner, Iowa, claimed the points lead in the season-ending, 10-race AFCO Challenge.

Friday's Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors went to Randy Zimmerman of Ft. Scott, Kan. Zimmerman, who won last year's O’Reilly USMTS event at Bolivar, started 19th and finished eighth in the Holley "A" main.

The O’Reilly USMTS travels to the Lebanon I-44 Speedway on Saturday, followed by a return to the Monett Speedway on Sunday for Rounds 2 and 3 of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Missouri Nationals.

For more information, call the USMTS headquarters at 515-297-3870, or visit www.USMTS.com online.

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<B>O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series

O’Reilly Auto Parts Missouri Nationals - Round 1

Bolivar Speedway, Bolivar, Mo.

Friday, September 9, 2005</B>

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 (8 laps):</B>

1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (4)

2. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (3)

3. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (1)

4. m21 - Steven Martin -- Willard, MO (6)

5. 3D - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (2)

6. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Ft. Scott, KS (7)

7. 00 - Steve Arpin -- Ft. Frances, ON, Canada (5)

8. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (8) DNF

<B>HEAT #2 (8 laps):</B>

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (2)

2. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (3)

3. 12x - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (4)

4. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (7)

5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)

6. 19 - Mike Striegel -- Reeds Spring, MO (1)

7. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (8)

8. 6 - Jim Small -- Rogers, AR (5)

<B>HEAT #3 (8 laps):</B>

1. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (1)

2. 66 - Brandon Maggard -- Willard, MO (5)

3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (6)

4. L75 - Scott Allen -- Urbana, MO (3)

5. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (4)

6. 20 - Tyson Twedt -- Springfield, MO (7)

7. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (2) DNF

<B>HEAT #4 (8 laps):</B>

1. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (2)

2. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (3)

3. 00x - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (4)

4. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (7)

5. 31s - Kent Schoeck -- Highland, IL (6)

6. X2 - Brian Bolin -- Ft. Scott, KS (5)

7. 71 - Dave Elson -- Springfield, MO (1) DNF

<B>"B" MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

1. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (1)

2. m21 - Steven Martin -- Willard, MO (2)

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (3)

4. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Ft. Scott, KS (5)

5. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (7)

6. 19 - Mike Striegel -- Reeds Spring, MO (6)

7. 3D - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (4)

8. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (8)

9. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (9) DNS

<B>"B" MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

1. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (1)

2. L75 - Scott Allen -- Urbana, MO (2)

3. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (4)

4. X2 - Brian Bolin -- Ft. Scott, KS (6)

5. 00 - Steve Arpin -- Ft. Frances, ON, Canada (7)

6. 31s - Kent Schoeck -- Highland, IL (3)

7. 6 - Jim Small -- Rogers, AR (9)

8. 20 - Tyson Twedt -- Springfield, MO (5)

9. 71 - Dave Elson -- Springfield, MO (8) DNS

<B>HOLLEY "A" MAIN (35 laps):</B>

1. 00x - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (11)

2. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (6)

3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)

4. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (1)

5. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (7)

6. 12x - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (10)

7. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (17)

8. z28 - Randy Zimmerman -- Ft. Scott, KS (19)

9. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (9)

10. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Garner, IA (12)

11. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (21)

12. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (3)

13. 8 - Joe Bradshaw -- Sedalia, MO (13)

14. 3D - Dan Daniels -- Humboldt, KS (23)

15. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Kanawha, IA (4)

16. m21 - Steven Martin -- Willard, MO (15)

17. x2 - Brian Bolin -- Ft. Scott, KS (20) DNF

18. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (14) DNF

19. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (18) DNF

20. L75 - Scott Allen -- Urbana, MO (16) DNF

21. 00 - Steve Arpin -- Ft. Frances, ON, Canada (22) DNF

22. 66 - Brandon Maggard -- Willard, MO (2) DNF

23. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (5) DNF

Lap Leaders: Hughes 1-23, Myer 24-31, Bone 32-33, Stovall 34-35.

Provisional Starter: Daniels.

Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger: Zimmerman (started 19th, finished 8th).

Next Race: Sept. 10, Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, Mo.