WEBSTER CITY, Iowa -- Vacation days and personal time off requests for 2011 may now be submitted to your employer!
Officials from the United States Modified Touring Series released a tentative 2011 schedule of events today that should warm the hearts of thousands of race fans enduring bitter cold throughout America’s heartland.
The 2011 campaign currently has a whopping 85 race nights slated at 57 premier dirt ovals in 13 states, with as many as eight additional shows yet to be penciled in. The line-up of events showcasing the premier dirt modified drivers in America features an exciting mix of classic events at familiar venues, as well as several new locales that are certain to jump start every race fan’s hunger for the series’ 13th year of competition.
The schedule is highlighted with return engagements to 34 facilities that hosted a USMTS event last season, 10 speedplants that are returning to the line-up after an absence of a year or more, and 10 exciting dirt ovals that will play host to the touring USMTS titans for the first time.
The USMTS Southern Series, which tallied separate points and crowned its own champion for the past four seasons, will now be a part of the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour with two regional champs emerging from those events.
The 2011 grind will kick off Feb. 17-19 at the Royal Purple Raceway (formerly Houston Raceway Park) in Baytown, Texas, with $2,000 to win on Thursday, a $3,000 top prize on Friday and $4,000 earmarked for Saturday’s main event winner.
Two weeks later, action moves to the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb., for the 8th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5. With $2,000 and $3,000 to win, respectively, during the weekend doubleheader, more than 70 entries are once again expected for the traditional lidlifter at the state-of-the-art 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval.
Six more events dot the calendar in March, including the first-ever trek to the Mid America Speedway in South Coffeyville, Okla., on Friday, March 11, followed by a Saturday, March 12, date at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., for the first of three weekends in 2011 that the USMTS Modifieds will invade Ron and Rhenda Whitworth’s reconfigured bullring.
The series inches closer to the equator the following two weekends with a Friday, March 18, show at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas; Saturday, March 19, at the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas; Friday, March 25, at the Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La.; and Saturday, March 26, a the Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore, Texas.
The LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo., will be the location for a $2,000-to-win April Fool’s Day get-together, followed by a visit to the I-35 Speedway in Winston, Mo., on Saturday, April 2 – the first race at the facility since Mark Noble won there on April 13, 2003.
Deer Creek Speedway will host the inaugural World Modified Dirt Track Championship, Wednesday-Saturday, April 6-9.
With a whopping $20,000 going to the winner and a minimum $1,500 to each of the 30 main event starters on Saturday, the early-season blockbuster is expected to draw the biggest names in open wheel dirt modified racing to the Mecca of Modified racing in Spring Valley, Minn.
While the race will be sanctioned and officiated by the USMTS, the World Modified Dirt Track Championship will be a non-points race and will feature a one-of-a-kind qualifying format.
Drivers can register to qualify on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday with second qualifying opportunity available for Wednesday and Thursday entrants that purchase a “mulligan.”
Each night, points will be awarded for time trials, heat races, “B” Mains and the “A” Main with the top six in overall points each night being locked into Saturday's $20,000-to-win World Modified Dirt Track Championship “A” Main.
The highest overall points earner during the first three days of qualifying will earn the pole for the Saturday's “A” Main, second most points in the middle of the front row, third most points on the outside of the front row and so on for the 18 qualified drivers.
Saturday will feature an “alphabet soup” of main events with 12 cars advancing from the “B” Main to the “A” Main to create a 30-car starting field featuring a three-wide start.
Nearly $100,000 has been earmarked for Saturday’s “A” Main alone, with a total purse of more than $160,000 posted for the four-day extravaganza.
An entry form for the World Modified Dirt Track Championship can be downloaded at www.usmts.com and tickets for the event are available at www.deercreekspeedway.com or by calling toll-free 877-327-7223.
The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour returns to the Show-Me State the following weekend for a tripleheader of $2,000-to-win events at three racetracks hosting their first-ever USMTS show.
On Friday, April 15, race fans can relax on “tax day” at the Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo. Then on Saturday, April 16, the series makes it debut at the Central Missouri Speedway – Earl and Susan Walls’ popular high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval track located four miles north of Warrensburg, Mo. The three-race weekend wraps up with an inaugural event at the Butler Speedway in Butler, Mo.
Thursday, April 28, will see the USMTS speed merchants at the Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., and Friday, April 29, they find their way back to the lightning-fast Outlaw Motor Speedway in Wainwright, Okla. The teams and haulers head back to the Oklahoma-Arkansas state line again on Saturday, April 30, for a return trip to the West Siloam Speedway in West Siloam Springs, Okla., after a one-year hiatus. The fourth straight night of racing action takes place on Sunday, May 1, at the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo., to cap off the weekend with a possible $8,000 to win over four nights.
Officials, drivers and fans alike are hoping the third time is the charm as the USMTS hopes to shake two years of weather woes with the inaugural event at the Heart O’ Texas Speedway in Elm Mott, Texas, on Thursday, May 5. The next day, the series make its first-ever trip to the RPM Speedway in Crandall, Texas, followed by a Saturday, May 7, rendezvous at Bo Rawdon’s Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas, which also fell to rain the past two seasons after a doozy of a show in 2008 that saw George White and two other locals sweep the podium against the USMTS invaders.
The USMTS Modifieds will grace the Fairbury American Legion Speedway in Fairbury, Ill., on Saturday, May 14, with bookend events on Friday at a yet-to-be-determined location and Sunday, May 15, at the Quincy Raceways in Quincy, Ill.
A packed house saw their hometown hero, Rodney Sanders, take the money in the USMTS debut at the Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo, Texas, last year, and the series returns in 2011 for an encore performance on Saturday, May 21. Tentatively, an event is set for Sunday, May 22, at the Enid Speedway in Enid, Okla.
Five traditional fan-favorites fill the Memorial Day Weekend, beginning with the 10th Annual spring Classic at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Wednesday, May 25, followed by the Highway 3 Raceway in Allison, Iowa, hosting the 10th Annual Spring Clash on Thursday, May 26. The USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour dives into the Land of 10,000 Lakes for the first time in 2011 on Friday, May 27, at the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., before heading to Spring Valley, Minn., on Saturday, May 28, for a return to the Deer Creek Speedway. The Dodge County Speedway in Kasson , Minn., closes the curtain on the weekend with the 10th Annual Stars & Stripes Shootout on Sunday, May 29.
As it is every year, the month of June is filled with some of the best on-track action of the campaign, but the most brutal for drivers and crews with engines roaring in the evening on 17 of the 30 calendar days.
The excitement launches Tuesday, June 7, at the Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D., for the first of twelve straight nights of racing. Voyages to the Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., on Wednesday, June 8; Casino Speedway in Watertown, S.D., on Thursday, June 9; Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, S.D., on Friday, June 10; and Jamestown Speedway in Jamestown, N.D, on Sunday, June 11, complete the “Chaos in Dakotas” series of events.
From there, the mud-slinging USMTS Modifieds travel through three states in a span of 168 hours beginning with an annual stop at the Nobles County Speedway in Worthington, Minn., on Sunday, June 12, followed by the Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on Monday, June 13; Fairmont Raceway in Fairmont, Minn., on Tuesday, June 14; Cresco Speedway in Cresco, Iowa, on Wednesday, June 15; and a first-ever stop at the Central Wisconsin Raceway in Unity, Wis., on Thursday, June 16.
Several months ago, fans voted for the racetrack they would most like to see the USMTS visit in 2011. By popular demand as the #1 choice among fans, the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour returns to the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., after nearly a decade and will be part of the annual Masters event at “Wisconsin’s fastest piece of real estate.”
As the final two races of a 12-race swing, the USMTS will appropriately share the spotlight with The Hell Tour featuring UMP Late Models during their annual Summer Nationals grind on Friday and Saturday, June 17-18, for a pair of $2,000-to-win clashes.
After a three-day rest, the month of June comes to a close with a five-track, five-day swing. Tuesday, June 21, will be the third annual visit to Joe Ringsdorf’s I-35 Speedway in Mason City, Iowa; Wednesday, June 22, will bring the USMTS Modifieds back to the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, Iowa; Thursday, June 23, it’s the 7th Annual All-Star Challenge at the Park Jefferson Speedway in Jefferson, S.D.; Friday, June 24, the series returns to the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, Iowa, for the first time since the 2008 season; and Saturday, June 25, will be a battle in Paul Bunyan’s backyard at the North Central Speedway in Brainerd, Minn.
Drivers, fans and officials alike will get their usual summer vacation with just three events on the schedule between June 25 and the first race of the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship on Aug. 11.
The Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., will host the fire-breathing USMTS machines on Friday, July 15, followed by the 3rd Annual Dirt Nationals at the Elko Speedway in Elko, Minn., on Saturday, July 16, as the legendary asphalt track is transformed into a dirt gridiron. The three-race stint wraps up on Sunday, July 17, for the Thunderbird Open during the Dodge County Fair in Kasson, Minn.
For the second year in a row, the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 11, at the Great American Dirt Track in Jetmore, Kan. Last year’s debut at the high-banked 3/8-mile oval saw Kelly Shryock beat Ryan Gustin to the finish line as they banged their way to a photo finish to the delight of the fans who endured temperatures soaring above 100 degrees.
Round 2 of the Hunt will take place one day later on Friday, Aug. 12, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., followed by a return trip to the luxurious state-of-the-art Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., on Saturday, Aug. 13, after a one-year hiatus. Round 4 of The Hunt heads back to familiar territory on Sunday, Aug. 14, at the Monett Speedway in Monett, Mo.
Two new venues are up next with a trip to the Ogilvie Raceway in Ogilvie, Minn., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, and the Rice Lake Speedway in Rice Lake, Wis., on Thursday, Aug. 18.
Action returns to Bob Timm’s Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., on Friday, Aug. 19; the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, on Saturday, Aug. 20; and the Nobles County Speedway in Worthington, Minn., on Sunday, Aug. 21.
The final four events of 2011 in the Hawkeye State take place on Thursday, Aug. 25, at the Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa; Friday, Aug. 26, for a first-ever trip to the Cedar County Speedway in Tipton, Iowa; Saturday, Aug. 27, at the big half-mile Adams County Speedway in Corning, Iowa; and Thursday, Sept. 1, at the Highway 3 Raceway on the historic Butler County Fairgrounds clay in Allison, Iowa.
The Allison event kicks off the traditional four-race Labor Day Weekend with the Chateau Raceway in Lansing, Minn., hosting the USMTS stars and cars on Friday, Sept. 2; Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., on Saturday, Sept. 3; and Dodge County Speedway in Kasson, Minn., on Sunday, Sept. 4.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16-18, the war for the $20,000 USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour crown will be waged at the Outlaw Motor Speedway in Wainwright, Okla.; Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla.; and Butler Motor Speedway in Butler, Mo., respectively, before heading back to the Upper Midwest for the season finale.
The Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship will be decided when the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour returns to the Deer Creek Speedway for the 13th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 22-24.
The standing-room-only show has become one of the most popular races on the calendars of open wheel dirt modified fans, as well as one of the most lucrative for the drivers with more than $13,000 possible to win from a purse of nearly $200,000 over three days.
All events throughout the season will pay a minimum of $2,000 to win and $250 to start, while each race during the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship will be worth a minimum of $3,000 to the winner and $300 to start the main event.
But it’s not over yet …
After the crowning of the 2011 USMTS National Champion, two more big money non-points races remain.
With a similar qualifying format as the World Modified Dirt Track Championship in April, USMTS officials have announced a second major-moolah event for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 19-22, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan.
Track crews have already begun moving dirt and altering the landscape of the popular speedplant in anticipation of this upcoming blockbuster event that will carry a $15,000 top prize for the winner of Saturday’s finale.
Among the changes in place or on the to-do list include moving of the pit area to an area behind the backstretch to accommodate more racecars and ample parking for the wave of fans expected for this contest. Also, drivers will find the backstretch to be a little wider and farther from the turns, but both fans and drivers can bank on the same high-speed wheel-to-wheel action that “The Hummer” has become famous for.
The United States Modified Touring Series will close the curtain on its 13th season of delivering the greatest Modified drivers in America to the best speedways in America with the 5th Annual Texas Winter Nationals on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 17-19, at the Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas.
The season finale will be worth $2,000, $3,000 and $4,000 to win, respectively, during the three-day extravaganza.
USMTS CASEY’S GENERAL STORES NATIONAL TOUR 2011 SCHEDULE
Thursday, February 17 ... Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX ($2,000 to win)
Friday, February 18 ... Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX ($3,000 to win)
Saturday, February 19 ... Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX ($4,000 to win)
Friday, March 4 ... Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, March 5 ... Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE ($3,000 to win)
Friday, March 11 ... Mid America Speedway, South Coffeyville, OK ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, March 12 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, March 13 ... TBA
Friday, March 18 ... Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Beaumont, TX ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, March 19 ... Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, March 20 ... TBA
Friday, March 25 ... Boothill Speedway, Greenwood, LA ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, March 26 ... Lonestar Speedway, Kilgore, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, March 27 ... TBA
Friday, April 1 ... LA Raceway, La Monte, MO ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, April 2 ... I-35 Speedway, Winston, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, April 3 ... TBA
# Wednesday, April 6 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN (prelim)
# Thursday, April 7 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN (prelim)
# Friday, April 8 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN (prelim)
# Saturday, April 9 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($20,000 to win)
Friday, April 15 ... Valley Speedway, Grain Valley, MO ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, April 16 ... Central Missouri Speedway, Warrensburg, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, April 17 ... Butler Speedway, Butler, MO ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, April 28 ... Tri-State Speedway, Pocola, OK ($2,000 to win)
Friday, April 29 ... Outlaw Motor Speedway, Wainwright, OK ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, April 30 ... West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, AR ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, May 1 ... Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, May 5 ... Heart O’ Texas Speedway, Elm Mott, TX ($2,000 to win)
Friday, May 6 ... RPM Speedway, Crandall, TX ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, May 7 ... Cowtown Speedway, Kennedale, TX ($2,000 to win)
Friday, May 13 ... TBA
Saturday, May 14 ... Fairbury American Legion Speedway, Fairbury, IL ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, May 15 ... Quincy Raceways, Quincy, IL ($2,000 to win)
Friday, May 20 ... TBA
Saturday, May 21 ... Route 66 Motor Speedway, Amarillo, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, May 22 ... Enid Speedway, Enid, OK ($2,000 to win)
Wednesday, May 25 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, May 26 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($2,000 to win)
Friday, May 27 ... Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, May 28 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, May 29 ... Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)
Tuesday, June 7 ... Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, SD ($2,000 to win)
Wednesday, June 8 ... Red River Valley Speedway, West Fargo, ND ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, June 9 ... Casino Speedway, Watertown, SD ($2,000 to win)
Friday, June 10 ... Brown County Speedway, Aberdeen, SD ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, June 11 ... Jamestown Speedway, Jamestown, ND ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, June 12 ... Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN ($2,000 to win)
Monday, June 13 … Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, IA ($2,000 to win)
Tuesday, June 14 ... Fairmont Raceway, Fairmont, MN ($2,000 to win)
Wednesday, June 15 ... Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, June 16 ... Central Wisconsin Raceway, Unity, WI ($2,000 to win)
Friday, June 17 ... Cedar Lake Speedway, Somerset, WI ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, June 18 ... Cedar Lake Speedway, Somerset, WI ($2,000 to win)
Tuesday, June 21 ... I-35 Speedway, Mason City, IA ($2,000 to win)
Wednesday, June 22 ... Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, June 23 ... Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, SD ($2,000 to win)
Friday, June 24 ... Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, IA ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, June 25 ... North Central Speedway, Brainerd, MN ($2,000 to win)
Friday, July 15 ... Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, July 16 ... Elko Speedway, Elko, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sunday, July 17 ... Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)
Thursday, August 11 ... Great American Dirt Track, Jetmore, KS ($3,000 to win)
Friday, August 12 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS ($3,000 to win)
Saturday, August 13 ... Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO ($3,000 to win)
Sunday, August 14 ... Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($3,000 to win)
Wednesday, August 17 ... Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, MN ($3,000 to win)
Thursday, August 18 ... Rice Lake Speedway, Rice Lake, WI ($3,000 to win)
Friday, August 19 ... Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI ($3,000 to win)
Saturday, August 20 ... Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA ($3,000 to win)
Sunday, August 21 ... Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN ($3,000 to win)
Thursday, August 25 ... Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, IA ($3,000 to win)
Friday, August 26 ... Cedar County Speedway, Tipton, IA ($3,000 to win)
Saturday, August 27 ... Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA ($3,000 to win)
Thursday, September 1 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($3,000 to win)
Friday, September 2 ... Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN ($3,000 to win)
Saturday, September 3 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($3,000 to win)
Sunday, September 4 ... Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($3,000 to win)
Friday, September 16 ... Outlaw Motor Speedway, Wainwright, OK ($3,000 to win)
Saturday, September 17 ... Salina Highbanks Speedway, Salina, OK ($3,000 to win)
Sunday, September 18 ... Butler Speedway, Butler, MO ($3,000 to win)
Thursday, September 22 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($3,000 to win)
Friday, September 23 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($4,000 to win)
Saturday, September 24 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($6,000 to win)
# Wednesday, Oct. 19 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS (prelim)
# Thursday, Oct. 20 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS (prelim)
# Friday, Oct. 21 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS (prelim)
# Saturday, Oct. 22 ... Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS ($15,000 to win)
# Thursday, November 17 ... Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX ($2,000 to win)
# Friday, November 18 ... Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX ($3,000 to win)
# Saturday, November 19 ... Royal Purple Raceway, Baytown, TX ($4,000 to win)
# = Non-Points Event
Schedule is tentative and subject to change without notice.
Officials from the USMTS also announced recently that the USMTS National Champion will be taking home no less than $20,000 at the end of 2011, along with a minimum of $2,500 to the points champion of each region plus healthy increases in other finishing positions in final points rankings.
Thanks to the unwavering support of the fans, drivers, crews, families, track promoters, media and sponsors, more than $2 million is projected to be awarded in record purses and record points fund money during the 2011 racing season.
To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.
(1).jpeg)
