<B>LEBANON, Mo. --</B> After two weeks of rain in Southern Missouri, the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series brought skilled drivers, fast driving and a bit of sunshine Saturday night to the Lebanon I-44 Speedway.

Forty-five touring and local drivers alike competed in the $2,000-to-win 3rd Annual Missouri Nationals. Sven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, took home the victory.

Area late model drivers Jack Sullivan and Terry Phillips also brought modifieds to compete with the open-wheeled cars.

"I tell you," Shryock said after his win, "there's just a lot of good cars and it's hard not to get intimidated when you see the likes of Phillips, and with him being here, it can kind of get you motivated a little bit."

Some might say the likes of Shryock could intimidate some of the best.

"We just try hard and try to keep doing what we do and what we know and when we can pull a win off like this, it's pretty cool," he said.

Phillips understands the competition. He brought both his modified and late model to get a few more laps on his cars before bigger, later-season races.

"To run against these modified guys, that's a pretty serious bunch," Phillips said. "You got to know where you stand. I enjoy running with them, so you might as well bring the late model and try some things."

For the feature, Shryock started on the pole with Terry Beckham Jr. on his outside. Dustin Boney, Gary Blackburn Jr. and Al Hejna rounded out the top five starters.

Beckham latched on to the high side of the track and grabbed the lead, followed by Shryock and Blackburn, who all kept their spots for several laps while Boney, Hejna and Steve Holzkamper battled for the fourth and fifth place spots.

By the fifth lap, Dean Mahlstedt moved up a few spots from his seventh start to join the battle for fifth. On the ninth lap he had passed Blackburn to take fourth.

Ryan Ruter, who won the feature the previous night in Bolivar, was also on a charge. Ruter started the feature ninth, and on lap 11 was running in sixth place. Two laps later, he secured fifth.

Green flag racing went uninterrupted until lap 16 when Boney got turned around in turn 3. After the caution, Beckham still held the lead, followed by Shryock, Hejna, Ruter and Mahlstedt.

With the restart, Hejna began pouring a little pressure on the leader, dipping down on the inside and going side by side with Beckham. Beckham kept his lead but Hejna took second from Shryock.

Hejna continued his charge on the inside, taking first on lap 20. A lap later, Beckham fell to third and Ruter slipped a bit from fourth and fell to sixth as Phillips and Mahlstedt took over. Phillips qualified through the second Real Racing Wheels "B" Main to start 18th in the Holley "A" Main.

A lap later, Shryock took his turn on the outside and took first from Hejna. Phillips was preparing to make another charge, but got too high on the cushion and dropped half the field to 12th.

On lap 23, a caution stalled the action. Beckham, who was in third place, rolled off the track after losing a left rear spring and problems with his oil pan.

Although he said he hates to see misfortune, Shryock said you have to take advantage of it when it happens.

"Terry's always fast," he said about Beckham. "Early, it seemed like he was getting away from me. I was just going to try and save my tires a little bit and let the track blow off a little more.

"He was going to be there at the end if he hadn't broke," he added.

After traveling the high groove, Ruter found himself in third place on lap 28 as current O’Reilly USMTS points leader Mark Noble of Blooming Prairie, Minn., and Phillips were battling door to door for fifth.

Shryock, Hejna and Ruter were able to hold their top three positions to the finish while Phillips gained a spot to fourth and Mahlstedt secured fifth.

After winning the last O’Reilly USMTS race at I-44 Speedway last season, Hejna had high hopes for the night.

"I didn't need that long caution," Hejna said. "I wasn't ready for it; it affected the car, it affected the tires and the track. If I could have kept racing and kept my tires hot, I think I would have been ok."

Ruter said patience kept him going as his field status changed several times during the feature.

"You've got to search a little bit," Ruter said. "At the beginning I was pretty good right in the middle and it seemed like that kind of got burned off so I had to move to the top a little bit. I definitely figured out the bottom wasn't good for my car."

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 2 of 3

Lebanon I-44 Speedway, Lebanon, Mo.

Saturday, May 13, 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. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (2)

2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (9)

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

4. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (7)

5. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (4)

6. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (6)

7. 14n - Justin Neuman -- Waynesville, Mo (1)

8. 23 - Mookie Cunningham -- St. James, MO (3)

9. 18b - Terry Belcher -- Phoenix, AZ (5) DNF

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

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

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

3. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (6)

4. 50 - Doug Buzzard -- Nevada, MO (1)

5. 44 - David Grigg -- Springdale, AR (5)

6. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (7)

7. 4 - Brantlee Gotschall -- Nevada, MO (8)

8. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (4)

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

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

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

2. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (2)

3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (8)

4. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (7)

5. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (5)

6. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (1)

7. 02 - Tommy Weder -- Woodward, OK (9)

8. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (6)

9. 2s - Steve Roberts -- Ashland, MO (4)

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

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

2. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (3)

3. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (9)

4. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (7)

5. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (4)

6. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (1)

7. 71a - Dave Elson -- Springfield, MO (5)

8. 12w - Wade Bates -- West Fork, AR (6) DNF

9. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (8) DNF

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

1. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (1)

2. 14x - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (4)

3. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (2)

4. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (9)

5. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (6)

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

7. 00z - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (5)

8. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (3)

9. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (7) DNF

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

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

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

3. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (2)

4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)

5. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (3)

6. 35 - Jeff Schluetter -- New Hampton, IA (4)

7. 00s - Jesse Stovall -- Galena, MO (8)

8. 13 - David Mitchell -- Ashdown, AR (9)

9. 12d - Scott Drake -- Webb City, MO (17)

10. 14n - Justin Neuman -- Waynesville, Mo (11)

11. 02 - Tommy Weder -- Woodward, OK (10)

12. 12w - Wade Bates -- West Fork, AR (14)

13. 44 - David Grigg -- Springdale, AR (6)

14. 18b - Terry Belcher -- Phoenix, AZ (15) DNF

15. 00z - Steve Picou -- High Ridge, MO (12) DNS

16. 71 - David Holder -- Clarence, MO (13) DNS

17. 2s - Steve Roberts -- Ashland, MO (16) DNS

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

1. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (1)

2. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (2)

3. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (8)

4. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (5)

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

6. 4 - Brantlee Gotschall -- Nevada, MO (10)

7. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (3)

8. 4g - Gary Clark -- Walker, MO (13)

9. X - Mike Wedelstadt -- Hortonville, WI (6)

10. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (9)

11. b29 - Tammy Small -- Pea Ridge, AR (14)

12. 26p - Patrick Linn -- Little Rock, AR (15) DNF

13. 50 - Doug Buzzard -- Nevada, MO (4) DNF

14. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (16) DNF

15. 23 - Mookie Cunningham -- St. James, MO (12) DNF

16. 71a - Dave Elson -- Springfield, MO (11) DNF

<B>HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):</B>

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

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

3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (9)

4. 75 - Terry Phillips -- Springfield, MO (18)

5. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (7)

6. 74 - Mark Noble -- Blooming Prairie, MN (15)

7. 5 - Steve Holzkamper -- Gentry, AR (6)

8. 98 - Jeff Cutshaw -- Cross Timbers, MO (16)

9. 26b - Gary Blackburn Jr. -- Fulton, MO (4)

10. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (13)

11. 12b - Johnny Bone Jr. -- Pea Ridge, AR (11)

12. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (21)

13. 88 - Chad Wheeler -- Muskogee, OK (17)

14. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (23)

15. 25 - Scott Roberts -- Columbia, MO (12)

16. 14x - Jack Sullivan -- Greenbrier, AR (10)

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

18. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (19)

19. 118 - Terry Beckham Jr. -- Webb City, MO (2) DNF

20. 11 - Brandon Morton -- Coweta, OK (14) DNF

21. 20 - Dustin Boney -- Shawnee, KS (3) DNF

22. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (8) DNF

23. 31 - Corey Dripps -- Waterloo, IA (20) DNF

24. m21 - Steven Martin -- Ozark, MO (22) DNF

<B>AMSOIL Lap Leaders:</B> Beckham 1-20, Hejna 21-22, Shryock 23-35.

<B>Total Laps Led:</B> Beckham 20, Shryock 13, Hejna 2.

<B>Provisional Starters:</B> Wedelstadt (regional), Friesen (national).

<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Phillips (started 18th, finished 4th).

<B>Next Race:</B> May 14, Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.

<B>O’Reilly National Driver Points (top 10):</B> Noble 1093, Shryock 1004, Tesch 967, Ruter 899, Friesen 831, Myer 816, McEwan 773, Hejna 752, Mahlstedt 751, VanderBeek 725.

<B>Southern Region Points (top 10):</B> Mahlstedt 275, Shryock 274, Noble 272, Ruter 270, Tesch 242, Myer 241, Friesen 228, Morton 209, VanderBeek 204, Drake 184.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - National (top 5):</B> Friesen 60.0, Myer 58.5, Ruter 55.5, McEwan 46.5, Hejna 42.0.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - Dirt Works Southern Region (top 5):</B> Friesen 21.0, Myer 19.5, McEwan 12.0, Noble 10.5, Bone 10.5, Mahlstedt 10.5, Shryock 10.5.

<B>Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points (top 5):</B> Friesen 245, Mike Steensma 150, Schluetter 146, Matt Gilbertson 115, Jay Poidinger 111.

<B>UNIJIG Builders Championship Points (top 5):</B> Skyrocket 103, Kraft 93, GRT 75, Hughes 70, BMS 54.

<B>Contingency Awards:</B>

Bassett Racing Wheel – Ruter.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

Boyer’s Engine Development – Shryock.

Dynatech Racing Exhaust – Shryock, Hejna.

Edelbrock – Shryock, Hejna.

Fast Shafts – Mahlstedt.

GRT Race Cars – Noble.

Isky Racing Cams – not awarded.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – not awarded.

KSE Racing Products – not awarded.

Larson Racing Specialists – Wheeler.

Marsh Racing Wheels –

QuickTime Performance Parts – not awarded.

RaceQuest – Shryock, Schluetter, Gotschall.

Real Racing Wheels – Tesch, Morton.

T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – Tesch.

UNIJIG – Myer.