2ND ANNUAL FORT DODGE MODIFIED NATIONALS THIS TUESDAY
by: Jeff Nun

FORT DODGE, Iowa (July 17) -- The long-awaited return of the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series to Fort Dodge, Iowa, is just around the corner as the rugged road warriors visit the Mineral City Speedway this Tuesday, July 18, for the 2nd Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals.

The top open-wheel modified touring pros will be on hand as their battle for the 2006 O’Reilly USMTS National Championship heats up, while local and regional aces will look to defend their home turf against the invading top guns.

Seven-time defending O’Reilly USMTS national champ Kelly Shryock is on a streak that's hotter than the July sun. The second-generation pilot from Fertile, Iowa, completed a three-race sweep this past weekend at the Jackson (Minn.) Speedway as he notched his 18th victory in 32 starts this season.

Chasing Shryock will be a slew of hungry racers looking to pocket Tuesday's $2,000 top prize for themselves. Expected O’Reilly USMTS national drivers include Minnesota hotshoes Tommy Myer and Mark Noble; Jon Tesch of South Dakota; Wisconsin warriors Mike Wedelstadt and Jay Poidinger; Oklahoma's Jason Hughes; and Hawkeye State speedsters Zack VanderBeek, Ryan Ruter, Brad McEwan, Dean Mahlstedt and the veteran brother duo of Mike and Al Hejna.

Mineral City Speedway will see some tough local talent take the O’Reilly USMTS drivers head on and try to keep the bulk of the loot in local hands, including Dan Demay, Dave Doughty, Bill Crimmins, Tyler Pemble, Curt Nygaard, Joe McBirnie, Jeff Havlik, Randy Havlik, Kevin Stoa, Mark Elliott, Jake Durbin, Jimmy Gustin, Roger Nielsen and others.

The 2nd Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals begins a four-night swing of four $2,000-to-win races spanning three regions and four States. The quadrupleheader kicks off on Tuesday at the Mineral City Speedway. From there, the Series treks to the historic high-banked Eagle Raceway in Eagle, Neb., on Wednesday. On Thursday, Huset's Speedway in Brandon, S.D., plays host to the O’Reilly USMTS speed merchants for the first time, and the action wraps up on Friday with the 5th Annual Gopher Summer Challenge at the Murray County Speedway in Slayton, Minn.

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.


O’REILLY USMTS NATIONAL POINTS

Through July 17, 2006

1. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa ... 3,094
2. 65 Tommy Myer, Blooming Prairie, Minn. ... 2,684
3. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn. ... 2,628
4. 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D. ... 2,496
5. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ... 2,355
6. 555 Ryan Ruter, Forest City, Iowa ... 2,306
7. 26 Brad McEwan, Storm Lake, Iowa ... 2,184
8. 7 Al Hejna, Clear Lake, Iowa ... 1,990
9. 21m Dean Mahlstedt, Clear Lake, Iowa ... 1,984
10. X Mike Wedelstadt, Hortonville, Wis. ... 1,666