<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
Condensed  Consolidated  Balance  Sheet at June 30,  1998  (unaudited)  and 1997
(restated) and the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income for the Six Months
Ended June 30, 1998  (unaudited)  and 1997  (restated)  and is  qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial  statements.  (In thousands,  except per
share data.)
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                         0000898173
<NAME>                        O'Reilly Automotive, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                  1000
<CURRENCY>                    U. S. Dollars                 
       
                                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS                   6-MOS 
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               DEC-31-1998             DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1998             JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                    JUN-30-1998             JUN-30-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                 1                       1
<CASH>                          $1,416                  $2,008
<SECURITIES>                    1,000                   1,000
<RECEIVABLES>                   26,994                  14,866
<ALLOWANCES>                    1,440                   444
<INVENTORY>                     213,922                 100,139
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                14,966                  1,491
<PP&E>                          225,413                 116,572
<DEPRECIATION>                  74,673                  24,827
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                  421,545                 215,301
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>           80,448                  44,361
<BONDS>                         0                       0
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>           0                       0
<PREFERRED>                     0                       0
<COMMON>                        212                     211
<OTHER-SE>                      197,460                 168,469
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>    421,545                 215,301
<SALES>                         283,511                 150,920
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                284,087                 151,214
<CGS>                           166,641                 87,014
<TOTAL-COSTS>                   92,289                  46,485
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                0                       0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                500                     420
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>              3,334                   57
<INCOME-PRETAX>                 21,766                  17,658
<INCOME-TAX>                    8,275                   6,569
<INCOME-CONTINUING>             0                       0
<DISCONTINUED>                  0                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                 0                       0
<CHANGES>                       0                       0
<NET-INCOME>                    13,491                  11,089
<EPS-PRIMARY>                   0.64                    0.53
<EPS-DILUTED>                   0.62                    0.52