<B>BRANDON, S.D. --</B> The debut of the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series at the historic Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D., Thursday night saw a large field featuring the toughest Modified teams in the country. The perfectly-prepared racetrack provided some great two- and three-wide racing throughout the evening for the hearty fans in attendance.

<img src="http://www.nitroquest.com/ClientFiles/images/news/072006-usmts.jpg" width="266" height ="400" align="right">Clear Lake, Iowa's Dean Mahlstedt started fourth, but “The Bullet” maneuvered his machine around front row starters Roger Nielsen and Tommy Myer to lead the first lap of the 40-lap Holley “A” Main.

While Mahlstedt worked the low side of the high-banked oval to pace the first seven laps, seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, was chewing away at the cushion on the high side of the track. Shryock reeled in Mahlstedt, then captured the lead on lap 8. Despite three cautions and a slew of maneuvering behind him, Shryock was able to maintain the top spot to the finish to collect his 21st win of the season and pocket the $2,000 top prize.

Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., also used the high line to his advantage as he powered from the 16th starting spot to take second at the finish line. Passing 14 cars earned Tesch the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors.

Mahlstedt hung on to take home third-place money, with Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, fourth and Blooming Prairie, Minn.'s Myer rounding out the top five finishers.

Following Shryock's sixth straight victory, two sponsors emerged to offer an incentive to any driver that can stop the Skyrocket steamroller. Borco Motorsports has offered $100 for the remaining races of the season to any driver that can win and beat Shryock. Yeager Machine will award $250 to any nationally-licensed O’Reilly USMTS driver (there are 88 of them) that can pick up their first main event win of 2006 (there are 80 drivers eligible).

The first-ever race at Huset's Speedway also signaled the completion of the events in the Western Region. Shryock added an additional $2,000 to his season-long earnings by capturing the Western Region title, and joined 10 other drivers as the first competitors to qualify into ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly National Championship.

‘The Hunt’ will be comprised of the final 20 races of the season. The O’Reilly USMTS points system will be used at all regional events, with the top-10 in the final standings for each of the four regions earning 10 points for first place, 9 points for second and so forth, descending to 1 point for tenth place in the region. Each driver who competed at all events within a region will also earn 5 bonus points. The total points earned for all regions will serve as the base points that each driver will start with in ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly National Championship. The normal O’Reilly USMTS points system is then used during ‘The Hunt’ to determine the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Champion. Any driver finishing among the top-10 in the final points standings in one or more regions, as well as any driver with perfect attendance in any region, will qualify to be in ‘The Hunt’ and thereby earn a legitimate shot at becoming the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Champion.

The drivers that have qualified for ‘The Hunt’ are: Kelly Shryock (15 pts.), John Tesch (14), Tommy Myer (13), Ryan Ruter (12), Brad McEwan (10), Al Hejna (9), Zack VanderBeek (8), Mark Noble (6), Jay Poidinger (6), Mike Lineberry (5) and Dean Mahlstedt (2).

Four straight nights of O’Reilly USMTS action wraps up tomorrow (Friday, July 21) with the 5th Annual Gopher Summer Challenge at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn., and the final points race in the Reich Concrete/Yeager Machine Northeast Region. Due to the cancellation of the July 28-29 event at the Batesville (Ark.) Speedway, the rugged road warriors are off duty until Tuesday, Aug. 1, for the 2nd Annual Hawkeye Classic at the Benton County Speedway in Vinton, Iowa.

For more information, or 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

Inaugural Event

Huset's Speedway, Brandon, S.D.

Thursday, July 20, 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 (10 laps):</B>

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

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

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)

4. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (8)

5. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (4)

6. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN (9)

7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (7)

8. 21L - Jim Larson -- Rushmore, MN (6)

9. 35x - Jeff Berens -- Dakota Dunes, SD (5)

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

1. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (3)

2. 9 - Roger Nielsen -- Estherville, IA (5)

3. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (9)

4. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (7)

5. 1z - Kelly Harmelink -- Brookings, SD (8)

6. 82 - Howard Baartman -- Sioux Falls, SD (2)

7. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (6) DNF

8. m80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (1) DNF

9. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (4) DQ (underweight)

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

1. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (2)

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (7)

3. 48 - Bob Moore -- Sioux City, IA (1)

4. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (6)

5. 86 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (4)

6. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (8)

7. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (5)

8. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fontanelle, NE (3)

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

1. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (2)

2. 7 - Eric Dailey -- Armstrong, IA (3)

3. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (1)

4. 1s - John Klynsma -- Hospers, IA (7)

5. 28 - Brent Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (4)

6. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (8)

7. 21x - Larry Kracht -- Magnolia, MN (6) DNF

8. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (5) DNF

<B>REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (15 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (1)

2. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (2)

3. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (7)

4. 28 - Brent Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (5)

5. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fontanelle, NE (10)

6. 35x - Jeff Berens -- Dakota Dunes, SD (11)

7. 11c - Chris Prussman -- Brookings, SD (8)

8. 21L - Jim Larson -- Rushmore, MN (9)

9. 7t - Jim Gregoire -- Lake Benton, MN (6)

10. 1z - Kelly Harmelink -- Brookings, SD (3) DNF

11. 17 - Garry Oskerson -- Fairmont, MN (4) DNF

<B>REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (15 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

1. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (2)

2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (10)

3. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (5)

4. 48 - Bob Moore -- Sioux City, IA (1)

5. 86 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (4)

6. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (11)

7. 82 - Howard Baartman -- Sioux Falls, SD (6)

8. m80 - Jim Mathieson -- Sioux City, IA (9)

9. 21x - Larry Kracht -- Magnolia, MN (8)

10. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN (3) DNF

11. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (7) DNS

<B>HOLLEY “A” MAIN (40 laps):</B>

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5)

2. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (16)

3. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (4)

4. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (13)

5. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)

6. 7k - Jason Krohn -- Slayton, MN (8)

7. 10 - Mike Steensma -- Luverne, MN (10)

8. 86 - Willy Kraft -- Lakefield, MN (22)

9. 98 - Josh Reisch -- Luverne, MN (15)

10. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (23)

11. 9 - Roger Nielsen -- Estherville, IA (1)

12. 23 - Matt Gilbertson -- Montevideo, MN (24)

13. 19 - Marlin Kracht -- Luverne, MN (7)

14. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (3)

15. 7 - Eric Dailey -- Armstrong, IA (9)

16. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (17)

17. 1s - John Klynsma -- Hospers, IA (12)

18. 48 - Bob Moore -- Sioux City, IA (20) DNF

19. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (18) DNF

20. 72 - Mike Lineberry -- Fontanelle, NE (21) DNF

21. 02 - Tommy Weder Jr. -- Woodward, OK (6) DNF

22. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (14) DNF

23. 28 - Brent Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (19) DNF

24. 54 - Ted Anderson -- Springfield, MN (11) DNS

<B>AMSOIL Lap Leaders:</B> Mahlstedt 1-7. Shryock 8-40.

<B>Total Laps Led:</B> Shryock 33, Mahlstedt 7.

<B>Provisional Starters:</B> Hejna (regional), Gilbertson (national).

<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Tesch (started 16th, finished 2nd).

<B>Next Race:</B> Friday, July 21, Murray County Speedway, Slayton, Minn.

<B>O’Reilly National Driver Points (top 10):</B> Shryock 3419, Myer 2938, Tesch 2681, Mark Noble 2628, VanderBeek 2618, Ruter 2528, McEwan 2432, Mahlstedt 2247, Hejna 2222, Poidinger 1736.

<B>Western Region Points (FINAL top 10):</B> Shryock 1255, Tesch 1185, Myer 1039, Ruter 992, Mark Noble 979, McEwan 964, Hejna 956, VanderBeek 928, Mahlstedt 737, Poidinger 691.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - National (top 5):</B> Shryock 136.5, Ruter 121.5, Hejna 111.0, Myer 102.0, Tesch 99.0.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - Western (FINAL top 5):</B> Ruter 69.0, Tesch 48.0, Shryock 48.0, Hejna 46.5, McEwan 46.5.

<B>Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points (top 5):</B> Poidinger 501, Jason Friesen 409, Gilbertson 316, Weder 291, Brent Bohmont 280.

<B>UNIJIG Builders Championship Points (top 5):</B> Skyrocket 335, Kraft 259, Hughes 248, GRT 218, Bullet 163.

<B>Contingency Awards:</B>

Bassett Racing Wheel – Mahlstedt.

Belleville Motorsports – Myer, Hejna, Dailey, Lineberry.

Boyer’s Engine Development – Shryock.

Edelbrock – Shryock, Tesch.

Fast Shafts – Myer.

GRT Race Cars – Krohn.

Isky Racing Cams – Shryock.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – VanderBeek.

KSE Racing Products – Kraft.

Larson Racing Specialists – Kracht.

Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Steensma.

RaceQuest – Shryock, Berens, Prussman.

Real Racing Wheels – VanderBeek, Neal.

T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – Hejna.

UNIJIG – Krohn.