<B>BOLIVAR, Mo. --</B> Forty-five of the toughest modified drivers in America gathered at Bolivar Speedway USA Friday night for round 1 of the 3rd Annual Missouri Spring Nationals -- the 10th of 75 races on the 2006 schedule for the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series.

From the outside of the front row, Gary Clark of Walker, Mo., jumped into the early lead with some hard racing going on throughout the pack of 25 starters. Clark raced side by side with polesitter Terry Phillips for the first six laps before Phillips nudged ahead to lead the sixth circuit.

Soon after, Clark's modified bounced off the backstretch wall and dropped back to fifth behind seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa. With Phillips out front, Ryan Ruter began to pressure the veteran from Springfield, Mo., while Shryock, Jesse Stovall and Dean Mahlstedt were on the move as well.

As the field crossed the line to complete the eighth of 30 laps, Ruter moved ahead of Phillips for the top spot. The caution flag waved, however, before the field could complete another lap as Phillips came to a stop on the high-banked clay oval with a flat tire. Phillips headed for the pits and did not return for the restart.

Clark, who changed motors between his heat race and the main event, also dropped out of the event soon thereafter.

After the restart, Ruter began putting distance between himself and the pack before a flurry of yellow flags kept his competition close. Caution flew on lap 18 for Brandon Morton's spin in turn 2, then again on lap 19 for Brad McEwan, who stopped then pulled to the pit area. Jesse Stovall, who won last year's event at Bolivar, went spinning out of turn 4 on lap 20 when he and Shryock got together, sending both cars to the rear of the restart line-up. Lap 22 saw Terry Beckham Jr. and Johnny Bone Jr. got together in a racing accident, ending each drivers evening.

From there, the race went green to the checkers with Ruter outgunning the field for his first win of the 2006 season and pocketing $2,000. Mahlstedt took the runner-up spot, followed by Scott Drake, Steve Holzkamper and Tommy Myer.

Mahlstedt and Myer left the track tied for the points lead in the Southern Region while Mark Noble, who finished seventh, retained his spot atop the O’Reilly USMTS national points despite his first finish of the season outside the top-5. After starting 23rd on the grid, Noble passed 16 cars and earned the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors.

With his win, Ruter helped Skyrocket Chassis extend the points lead in the UNIJIG Builders Championship.

Tomorrow (Saturday, May 13), the tireless O’Reilly USMTS aces head for the Lebanon I-44 Speedway in Lebanon, Mo., for round 2 of the 3rd Annual Missouri Nationals and another exciting battle at the 4/10-mile high-banked clay oval. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30. Adult general admission tickets are $13, kids ages 13-15 are $5 and children 12 and under are admitted FREE. Tier parking on the "Wild Side" of the Speedway is just $15. The track is located 6 miles northeast of Lebanon on I-44 to exit 135 (Sleeper), then north to Outer Dr., then 1.1 miles west on Historic US 66.

The three-race weekend wraps up on Sunday, May 14, at the Monett (Mo.) Speedway's 3/8-mile semi-banked oval. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30. Adult general admission tickets are $13, kids ages 13-15 are $5 and children 12 and under are admitted FREE. The track is located 1 mile east of SR 37 on US 60, then north on Chapel Dr. Gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing at 7:30 p.m.

To learn more about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call (515) 832-7944 or visit www.USMTS.com online.

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<B>OFFICIAL RESULTS

O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series

3rd Annual Missouri Nationals - Round 1 of 3

Bolivar Speedway USA, Bolivar, Mo.

Friday, May 12, 2006</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 are locked into the Holley “A” Main, with the top 8 re-drawing for starting positions 1-8.

<B>ISKY RACING CAMS HEAT #1 (8 laps):</B>

1. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (2)

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

3. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)

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

5. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (6)

6. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (9)

7. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (8)

8. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (5)

9. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)

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

1. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (1)

2. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (3)

3. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (2)

4. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (8)

5. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (5)

6. m21 - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (7)

7. 4 - Brantlee Gotschall -- Nevada, MO (4)

8. 00 - Jim Fulp -- Aurora, MO (9) DNF

9. 18b - Terry Belcher -- Phoenix, AZ (6) DNF

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

1. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (2)

2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4)

3. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (9)

4. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (5)

5. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (1)

6. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (3)

7. 72w - Jake Williams -- Lockwood, Mo (7)

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

9. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (6) DNF

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

1. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (2)

2. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (1)

3. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (7)

4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8)

5. 66 - Brandon Maggard -- Republic, MO (4)

6. 71a - Dave Elson -- Springfield, MO (9)

7. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (6)

8. 160 - Michael Maggard -- Republic, MO (5)

9. 50 - Doug Buzzard -- Nevada, MO (3) DNF

<B>HEAT #5 (8 laps):</B>

1. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (3)

2. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (2)

3. 12w - Wade Bates -- West Fork, AR (1)

4. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (4)

5. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (8)

6. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (6)

7. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (9)

8. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (7)

9. 42 - James Flood -- Billings, MO (5)

<B>REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (12 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (2)

2. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)

3. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (4)

4. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (6)

5. 66 - Brandon Maggard -- Republic, MO (8)

6. 12w - Wade Bates -- West Fork, AR (3)

7. 4 - Brantlee Gotschall -- Nevada, MO (11)

8. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (13)

9. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (10)

10. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (5)

11. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (16)

12. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (7)

13. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)

14. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (12)

15. 42 - James Flood -- Billings, MO (17)

16. 160 - Michael Maggard -- Republic, MO (14)

17. 18 - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (9) DNF

<B>REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (12 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

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

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (10)

3. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (2)

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

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

6. m21 - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (8)

7. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (3)

8. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (9)

9. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (7)

10. 71a - Dave Elson -- Springfield, MO (6)

11. 18b - Terry Belcher -- Phoenix, AZ (15)

12. 50 - Doug Buzzard -- Nevada, MO (16)

13. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (13) DNF

14. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (14) DNF

15. 72w - Jake Williams -- Lockwood, Mo (11) DNF

16. 00 - Jim Fulp -- Aurora, MO (12) DNS

<B>HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):</B>

1. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (4)

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (16)

3. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (6)

4. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (14)

5. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (7)

6. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (18)

7. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (23)

8. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (19)

9. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (15)

10. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)

11. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (13)

12. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (9)

13. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (12)

14. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (10)

15. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (20)

16. 66 - Brandon Maggard -- Republic, MO (21)

17. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (17)

18. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (11)

19. m21 - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (25)

20. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (24)

21. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (3) DNF

22. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (5) DNF

23. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (22) DNF

24. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (2) DNF

25. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (1) DNF

<B>AMSOIL Lap Leaders:</B> Clark 1-5, Phillips 6-7, Ruter 8-30.

<B>Total Laps Led:</B> Ruter 23, Clark 5, Phillips 2.

<B>Provisional Starters:</B> Noble (regional), Wedelstadt (national), Martin (track).

<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Noble (started 23rd, finished 7th).

<B>Next Race:</B> May 13, Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, Mo.

<B>O’Reilly National Driver Points (top 10):</B> Noble 1003, Shryock 903, Tesch 892, Ruter 802, Myer 764, Friesen 758, McEwan 696, VanderBeek 668, Mahlstedt 665.

<B>Southern Region Points (top 10):</B> Myer 189, Mahlstedt 189, Noble 182, Shryock 173, Ruter 173, Tesch 167, Morton 155, Friesen 155, VanderBeek 147, Drake 139.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - National (top 5):</B> Friesen 55½, Myer 51, Ruter 48, McEwan 42, Mike Steensma 40½, A. Hejna 40½.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - Dirt Works Southern Region (top 5):</B> Friesen 16½, Myer 12, Mike Steensma 9, Noble 9, Tesch 9, Boney 9, Bone 9.

<B>Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points (top 5):</B> Friesen 222, Mike Steensma 150, Schluetter 135, Matt Gilbertson 115, Jay Poidinger 111.

<B>UNIJIG Builders Championship Points (top 5):</B> Skyrocket 93, Kraft 85, GRT 68, Hughes 65, BMS 50.

<B>Contingency Awards:</B>

Bassett Racing Wheel – Drake.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

Boyer’s Engine Development – Ruter.

Dynatech Racing Exhaust – Ruter, Mahlstedt.

Edelbrock – Ruter, Mahlstedt.

Fast Shafts – not awarded.

GRT Race Cars – not awarded.

Isky Racing Cams – not awarded.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Myer.

KSE Racing Products – Friesen.

Larson Racing Specialists – Wheeler.

Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Noble.

RaceQuest – Ruter.

Real Racing Wheels – Tesch, Myer.

T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – VanderBeek.

UNIJIG – VanderBeek.