<B>OSKALOOSA, Iowa --</B> A field of 31 cars checked in for battle Wednesday as the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series invaded the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the 3rd Annual Southern Iowa Challenge.

When the green flag dropped, polesitter Jason Hughes of Colcord, Okla., and Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, went wheel-to-wheel for the lead with Shryock taking command to lead lap 1. Shryock began to pull away from the field before a caution on lap 12 slowed the field and bunched the field up for a restart to finish the final 18 circuits.

Dean Mahlstedt of Clear Lake, Iowa, passed Shryock for the top spot when the green flag fell and led lap 13, but Shryock would power back around Mahlstedt one lap later, then cruised to his record-setting ninth straight O’Reilly USMTS victory. The win was worth $2,000 to the seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champ as he notched his record-setting 24th feature win for the 2006 season.

Mahlstedt hung on for second, followed by Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa. Hughes took fourth and Mark Burgtorf of Quincy, Ill., rounded out the top five finishers.

Tomorrow (Thursday, Aug. 3), the long-awaited return of the O’Reilly USMTS at the Knox County Fairgrounds in Knoxville, Ill., is on tap with the 4th Annual UPS Store Illinois Challenge at the big half-mile speedplant. A $2,500 top prize is up for grabs with $250 to start the feature race. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the green flag flies at 7:30. The Knox County Fairgrounds are located just south of I-74 (exit 51) on the north side of Knoxville. For event info call (515) 832-7944 or call (309) 289-4806 on race day.

The Mountain Dew Bloomfield Speedway in Bloomfield, Iowa, hosts the modified masters for the second time this season on Friday, Aug. 5, with a $2,000-to-win, $200-to-start event on tap. Also on the racing card will be the USRA Casey’s General Stores Weekly Racing Series featuring Hougland's Repair Shop USRA Stock Cars, Kirkland Auto USRA Hobby Stocks and Kollision Korner Hornets. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the mud starts flying at 7:30. For event info call (515) 832-7944 or call (641) 664-2500 for race day information.

On Saturday, Aug. 5, the five-race swing winds down with a Central-Southern co-regional race at the Pepsi Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, Mo. the winner of the 2nd Annual Memphis Shootout presented by Walker Motor & Collision and Spilman Auto Parts will pocket $2,000. USRA Casey’s General Stores Weekly Racing Series action featuring USRA Stock Cars, Advance Trading USRA B-Mods, USRA Hobby Stocks, Outlaw Hobbies and Hornets are also on the menu. Gates open at 4 p.m., hot laps at 6:15 and racing starts at 6:30. For event info call (515) 832-7944 or call (660) 465-8948 for race day information.

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

3rd Annual Southern Iowa Challenge

Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Wednesday, August 2, 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. 69m - Mark Burgtorf -- Quincy, IL (3)

2. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)

3. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (5)

4. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (7)

5. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (8)

6. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (1)

7. 64 - Russell Stewart -- Mt. Ayr, IA (2)

8. 10b - Dan Banker -- Mitchell, IA (4)

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

1. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (2)

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (6)

3. 12 - Mark Elliott -- Webster City,, IA (4)

4. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (5)

5. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (8)

6. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (3)

7. 4 - Roger Baxter -- Oskaloosa, IA (1)

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

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

1. 12 - Jason Hughes -- Colcord, OK (2)

2. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (1)

3. 17p - Brad Pinkerton -- New Sharon, IA (4)

4. 56 - Chris Spieker -- Massena, IA (5)

5. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (7)

6. 18k - Brian Culbertson -- Dubuque, IA (3)

7. 00 - David Ott -- Ankeny, IA (8)

8. 46 - Tyler VandeKamp -- Knoxville, IA (6)

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

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

2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (6)

3. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (5)

4. 10c - Justin Cooper -- Prescott, IA (1)

5. 30 - Mark Massey -- Worthington, IA (7)

6. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (4)

7. 02 - John Davis -- Altoona, IA (3)

<B>REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #1 (10 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

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

2. 56 - Chris Spieker -- Massena, IA (2)

3. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (4)

4. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (5)

5. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (3)

6. 10b - Dan Banker -- Mitchell, IA (9)

7. 4 - Roger Baxter -- Oskaloosa, IA (8)

8. 46 - Tyler VandeKamp -- Knoxville, IA (10)

9. 18k - Brian Culbertson -- Dubuque, IA (6)

10. 00 - David Ott -- Ankeny, IA (7)

<B>REAL RACING WHEELS “B” MAIN #2 (10 laps, top 5 advance):</B>

1. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (2)

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

3. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (9)

4. 10c - Justin Cooper -- Prescott, IA (3)

5. 30 - Mark Massey -- Worthington, IA (4)

6. 64 - Russell Stewart -- Mt. Ayr, IA (7)

7. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (5)

8. 1k - Pat Graham -- Ames, IA (6)

9. 02 - John Davis -- Altoona, IA (8)

<B>HOLLEY “A” MAIN (30 laps):</B>

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

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (4)

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (8)

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

5. 69m - Mark Burgtorf -- Quincy, IL (7)

6. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (5)

7. 18 - Michael Long -- Quincy, IL (3)

8. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (16)

9. 14j - Jake Neal -- Omaha, NE (13)

10. 56 - Chris Spieker -- Massena, IA (15)

11. 61 - Bruce Hanford -- Davenport, IA (19)

12. 17p - Brad Pinkerton -- New Sharon, IA (12)

13. 30 - Mark Massey -- Worthington, IA (22)

14. 64 - Russell Stewart -- Mt. Ayr, IA (24)

15. 10c - Justin Cooper -- Prescott, IA (20)

16. 17 - Steve Stewart -- Washington, IA (21)

17. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (23)

18. 7 - Al Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (18)

19. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (9)

20. 12 - Mark Elliott -- Webster City,, IA (11)

21. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (17)

22. 4r - Ron Ver Beek -- Oskaloosa, IA (6)

23. 45 - Tony Fraise -- Donnellson, IA (10)

24. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (14)

<B>AMSOIL Lap Leaders:</B> Shryock 1-12, Mahlstedt 13, Shryock 14-30.

<B>Total Laps Led:</B> Shryock 29, Mahlstedt 1.

<B>Provisional Starters: </B>Poidinger (regional), R. Stewart (national).

<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> R. Stewart (started 24th, finished 14th).

<B>Next Race:</B> Thursday, Aug. 3, Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, Ill.

<B>O’Reilly National Driver Points:</B> Shryock 3738, Myer 3148, VanderBeek 2903, Ruter 2754, Jon Tesch 2734, McEwan 2663, Mark Noble 2628, Mahlstedt 2477, A. Hejna 2455, Poidinger 1928.

<B>Central Region Points:</B> Shryock 878, Mahlstedt 763, VanderBeek 718, Myer 697, A. Hejna 651, Ruter 645, McEwan 621, M. Hejna 609, Mark Noble 566, Poidinger 563.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - National:</B> Shryock 153.0, Ruter 127.5, A. Hejna 118.5, Myer 114.0, McEwan 106.5.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points - Central Region:</B> Myer 37.5, Jason Friesen 31.5, Mark Noble 30.0, McEwan 28.5, Shryock 25.5.

<B>Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points:</B> Poidinger 560, Jason Friesen 409, Matt Gilbertson 327, Tommy Weder Jr. 304, Mike Steensma 290.

<B>UNIJIG Builders Championship Points:</B> Skyrocket 365, Hughes 270, Kraft 267, GRT 236, Bullet 186.

<B>Contingency Awards:</B>

Bassett Racing Wheel – VanderBeek.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

Boyer’s Engine Development – Shryock.

Edelbrock – Shryock, Mahlstedt.

Fast Shafts – Burgtorf.

GRT Race Cars – M. Hejna.

Isky Racing Cams – Burgtorf.

KEVKO Oil Pans & Components – Hughes.

KSE Racing Products – McEwan.

Larson Racing Specialists – Massey.

Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Long.

RaceQuest – Shryock.

Real Racing Wheels – Neal, Ruter.

T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – not awarded.

UNIJIG – VanderBeek.