<B>WEST LIBERTY, Iowa --</B> The O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series gets back to business this week with a full slate of action scheduled at five racetracks in five days.

The stars and cars of the O’Reilly USMTS make their long-awaited debut at the West Liberty Raceway on Tuesday, Aug. 15, for a $2,000-to-win battle royale at the historic Muscatine County Fairgrounds. Then on Wednesday, Aug. 16, the rugged road warriors roll into the “Palace of Speed” at the Farley Speedway for another $2,000-to-win, $200-to-start tilt.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7 both nights. Hornets and USRA-sanctioned Stock Cars will join the program at West Liberty, while Farley will see Pro Stocks and Farley Flyers on the menu. The West Liberty Raceway is located 2 blocks west of downtown West Liberty (at the junction of US 6 and SR 70) on 3rd Ave., then 2 blocks south on Calhoun St. (at the Muscatine County Fairgrounds). The Farley Speedway is located just south of U.S. Hwy. 20 at Exit 300 on frontage road, then 0.8 mile west on Olde Farley Rd.

With 14 drivers already qualified in ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship, the final table will be set after this pair of Central Region curtain-closers at two of Iowa's legendary half-mile dirt ovals. Seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, has locked up the Central Region title, giving him a sweep of all four regions this season. However, the rest of the top 10 remains wide open as drivers scratch and claw to earn every possible point to start ‘The Hunt’ with.

<B>CURRENT POINTS STANDINGS:

‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship:</B>

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa .... 45

2. 65 - Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn. .... 40

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa .... 33

4. 26 - Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa .... 29

5. 555 - Ryan Ruter, Forrest City, Iowa .... 24

6. 14 - Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D. .... 23

7. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 16

8. 74 - Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn. .... 14

9. 7 - Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 12

10. 49x - Jay Poidinger, Somerset, Wis. .... 7

11. 72 - Mike Lineberry, Fontanelle, Neb. .... 5

12. 12 - Jason Hughes, Colcord, Okla. .... 4

13. 7ii - Mike Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa .... 2

14. 1f - Jason Friesen, Sutton, Neb. .... 1

<B>Central Region (top 20):</B>

1. 3 - Kelly Shryock .... 1180

2. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt .... 1010

3. 33z - Zack VanderBeek .... 978

4. 65 - Tommy Myer .... 908

5. 555 - Ryan Ruter .... 898

6. 7 - Al Hejna .... 830

7. 26 - Brad McEwan .... 811

8. 7ii - Mike Hejna .... 784

9. 49x - Jay Poidinger .... 745

10. 55 - Alan Mondus .... 682

11. 12 - Jason Hughes .... 576

12. 74 - Mark Noble .... 566

13. 17p - Brad Pinkerton .... 502

14. 1f - Jason Friesen .... 488

15. 12 - Mark Elliott .... 476

16. 45 - Tony Fraise .... 471

17. X - Mike Wedelstadt .... 456

18. 17 - Steve Stewart .... 456

19. 14 - Jon Tesch .... 441

20. 18 - Michael Long .... 429

Drivers ranked 11th through 20th are still mathematically alive to finish in the top 10 in the Central Region. If Mondus attends the final two Central Region events, however, Hughes and Noble will have a slim mathematical chance of placing in the final top 10 while the others ranked 13th through 20th will be eliminated.

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 Hunt’ will be comprised of the final races of the season beginning Aug. 17 at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, for the 2nd Annual Budweiser Summer Challenge presented by NAPA and Decorah Bank & Trust.

The five-race week continues on Friday, Aug. 18, for the Inaugural Miller Lite Thunder at Fox Ridge Speedway in Arcadia, Wis., the wraps up on Saturday, Aug. 18 at the Jackson (Minn.) Speedway for Pepsi “Let's Make a Deal” Night.

All five events during the five-race swing will pay 2,000 to win and $200 to start.

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.

NOTE: At West Liberty on Tuesday, the USRA Stock Cars will be awarded national points toward the USRA Casey's General Stores Weekly Racing Series. Rules for this event will be one of the following: West Liberty weekly competitors may use weekly rules and also utilize a Motorcraft/Rochester or Holley 500 carb (must follow Oskaloosa carb rules if using the 500). Call USRA Technical Director Ron Reefer at 515-341-8803 for more information. Weekly Oskaloosa rules will be used for other USRA cars. These cars will be allowed to weigh 3,000 pounds and may groove their tires. The main event will pay $350 to win.