<B>KASSON, Minn. --</B> The fifth event of ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship took place on Labor Day at the Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn. While most of America relaxed for the holiday, Mike Hejna went to work. For his efforts, the Clear Lake, Iowa, pilot took home a $2,000 paycheck as he won the 5th Annual Kasson Klash.

Hejna, who started on the outside of the front row, chased down early leader Jon Tesch of Watertown, S.D., and took over the lead on lap 8. Hejna led the final 28 laps, but had to hold off a determined Brad Waits at the finish after the pair took the white flag side by side.

Finishing behind Hejna and Zumbrota, Minn.'s Waits was former O’Reilly USMTS mainstay Tim Donlinger of Rochester, Minn., who earned the Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger honors after starting 16th in the 24-car, 35-lap main event.

Steve Wetzstein of W. Concord, Minn., finished fourth while Tommy Myer of Blooming Prairie, Minn., gave the Gopher State racers four of the top-5 spots with his fifth-place finish.

2004 O’Reilly USMTS Rookie of the Year Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, struggled to a 10th-place finish, but remained atop the ranking in ‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship thanks to the misfortune of Fertile, Iowa's Kelly Shryock. The seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champ suffered mechanical problems on lap 6 while running fourth, and finished 24th on the final scorecard.

VanderBeek leads the ‘The Hunt’ standings with a 21-point cushion (492 to 471) over Tesch, while Shryock is 38 markers behind the leader. Jason Friesen of Sutton, Neb. is fourth with 428 points and Myer rounds out the top-5 with 410 points.

‘The Hunt’ for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship continues in a dozen days with the running of the 5th Annual Musco Lighting Fall Challenge at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 15-16. The Mahaska County Half-Mile Monster is located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92, then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). Gates open at 4 p.m. on Friday, with hot laps at 6:45 and racing at 7:15. On Saturday, gates open at 4 p.m., hot laps are at 6 and the mud starts flyin' at 6:30. Friday's main event winner will earn $2,000 and Saturday's event will carry a top prize of $3,000.

For day-of-race information, call the track hotline at (507) 634-4281 or visit www.rlpromotions.com/oskaloosa online. For more information about the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (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

5th Annual Kasson Klash

Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, Minn.

Monday, Sept. 4, 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. 7ii - Mike Hejna -- Clear Lake, IA (1)

2. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (5)

3. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (4)

4. 55x - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (2)

5. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (3)

6. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)

7. 28 - Bill Clemens -- Chatfield, MN (6)

8. 28x - Brett Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (8)

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

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

2. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (4)

3. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (6)

4. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (2)

5. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (3)

6. 88t - Terry Timmerman -- Stewartville, MN (5)

7. 75 - James Parker -- Dodge Center, MN (8)

8. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (7) DNF

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

1. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (7)

2. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rolling Stone, MN (1)

3. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (5)

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

5. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (6)

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

7. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX (2)

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

1. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)

2. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (7)

3. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (4)

4. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (6)

5. 70 - Matt Sweeny -- Waukon, IA (2)

6. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (1)

7. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (5) DNF

<B>HEAT #5 (10 laps):</B>

1. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (2)

2. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (3)

3. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (5)

4. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (1)

5. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (6)

6. 93 - Bob Fisher -- Lyle, MN (4)

7. 17 - Harland Morehart -- Eyota, MN (7)

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

1. 55x - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (3)

2. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (1)

3. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (5)

4. 70 - Matt Sweeny -- Waukon, IA (7)

5. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (2)

6. 88t - Terry Timmerman -- Stewartville, MN (8)

7. 54 - Bobby Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (9)

8. 17 - Harland Morehart -- Eyota, MN (12)

9. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (4) DNF

10. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (6) DNF

11. 75 - James Parker -- Dodge Center, MN (10) DNF

12. 703 - David Smith -- Copperas Cove, TX (11) DNS

13. 21x - Joe Wernecke -- Dodge Center, MN (13) DNS

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

1. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (1)

2. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (6)

3. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (3)

4. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (11)

5. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (2)

6. 72 - Douglas Hillson -- Blooming Prairie, MN (7)

7. 18s - Brent Bohmont -- Martell, NE (4)

8. 49x - Jay Poidinger -- Somerset, WI (8)

9. 93 - Bob Fisher -- Lyle, MN (9)

10. 58 - Scott Vesely -- Mosinee, WI (5)

11. 28 - Bill Clemens -- Chatfield, MN (10)

12. 28x - Brett Pospisil -- Worthington, MN (12) DNF

<B>HOLLEY “A” MAIN (35 laps):</B>

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

2. 24 - Brad Waits -- Zumbrota, MN (12)

3. 3d - Tim Donlinger -- Rochester, MN (16)

4. 90 - Steve Wetzstein -- West Concord, MN (7)

5. 65 - Tommy Myer -- Blooming Prairie, MN (4)

6. 14 - Jon Tesch -- Watertown, SD (3)

7. 21m - Dean Mahlstedt -- Clear Lake, IA (10)

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

9. 7e - Neil Eckhart -- Rochester, MN (14)

10. 33z - Zack VanderBeek -- New Sharon, IA (6)

11. 49 - Bob Timm -- Rolling Stone, MN (11)

12. 55 - Alan Mondus -- Lakeville, MN (15)

13. 1f - Jason Friesen -- Sutton, NE (23)

14. 50 - Brad Bakken -- Garner, IA (17)

15. 0 - Les Duellman -- Winona, MN (22)

16. 23 - Darwin Karau -- Kasson, MN (21)

17. 55x - Brian Shaw -- Brownsdale, MN (13)

18. 70 - Matt Sweeny -- Waukon, IA (19) -1 Lap

19. 45 - Todd Scharkey -- Kasson, MN (20) DNF

20. 555 - Ryan Ruter -- Forest City, IA (24) DNF

21. 17s - Mike Spaulding -- Bemidji, MN (1) DNF

22. 26 - Brad McEwan -- Storm Lake, IA (9) DNF

23. 19 - Mike Sorensen -- Rochester, MN (18) DNF

24. 3 - Kelly Shryock -- Fertile, IA (5) DNF

<B>AMSOIL Lap Leaders:</B> Tesch 1-7, M. Hejna 8-35.

<B>Total Laps Led:</B> M. Hejna 28, Tesch 7.

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

<B>Olympic Fire Protection Hard Charger:</B> Donlinger (started 16th, finished 3rd).

<B>Next Race:</B> Friday, Sept. 15, Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa

<B>‘The Hunt’ Points:</B> VanderBeek 492, Tesch 471, Shryock 454, Friesen 428, Myer 410, M. Hejna 404, McEwan 348, Ruter 339, A. Hejna 317, Mahlstedt 297, Poidinger 286, Mondus 282, Mark Noble 165, Mike Lineberry 5, Jason Hughes 4.

<B>Home Pride Passing Points (National):</B> Shryock 181½, Ruter 162, A. Hejna 145½, Myer 145½, VanderBeek 130½.

<B>Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar Rookie of the Year Points:</B> Poidinger 720, Friesen 580, Mondus 389, Matt Gilbertson 357, Bohmont 357.

<B>UNIJIG Builders Championship Points:</B> Skyrocket 463, Hughes 329, GRT 288, Kraft 279, Bullet 238.

<B>Contingency Awards:</B>

Bassett Racing Wheel – Donlinger.

Belleville Motorsports – not awarded.

Boyer’s Engine Development – M. Hejna.

Edelbrock – M. Hejna, Waits.

Fast Shafts – Myer.

GRT Race Cars – Tesch.

Isky Racing Cams – M. Hejna.

Kevko Oil Pans & Components – Wetzstein.

KSE Racing Products – A. Hejna.

Larson Racing Specialists – Friesen.

Marsh Racing Wheels – not awarded.

QuickTime Performance Parts – Mahlstedt.

RaceQuest – M. Hejna, Hillson, B. Sorensen.

Real Racing Wheels – Mondus, Donlinger.

T.A.R. Race Car Bodies – VanderBeek.

UNIJIG – A. Hejna.