On July 4, 1998, at 1605 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N2XC, operated by a private pilot sustained substantial damage when it exited runway 26R (3,800' x 75' dry/asphalt) on landing at Spirit of Saint Louis Airport, near Chesterfield, Missouri. The pilot reported no injuries. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The local flight departed about 1530. The pilot stated in his written statement that on landing the airplane veered to the right and exited the runway. He said that he felt he did not have his feet on the brakes nor to be making right rudder input on touchdown, but he did not take note of when the nosewheel contacted the runway.. He said that after veering off the runway, using brakes and left rudder stopped the right turn, but did not return the airplane to the runway. He said that the grass was wet. The airplane continued across a taxiway where the nosewheel contacted a lip on the pavement and collapsed. Subsequent to the accident an examination of the airplane was conducted and no anomalies were found in the brakes or continuity of the flight controls.