USMTS Winter Speedweeks kicks off Feb. 11

GOLIAD, Texas (Jan. 22) -- The USMTS Casey's Cup powered by S&S Fishing & Rental will launch in February with a foursome of three-day shows in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma to kick off the biggest of the big campaigns for the United States Modified Touring Series.

USMTS Winter Speedweeks takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 11-13, at the Shady Oaks Speedway in Goliad, Texas, followed by tripleheader weekends at the Heart O' Texas Speedway near Waco, Texas, Feb. 18-20; Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., Feb. 25-27; and Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., March 3-5.

Each show will pay $2,000, $3,000 and $4,000 to win, respectively, and will comprise the first dozen events in the expanded 17-race USMTS Production Jars Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports.

SHADY OAKS SPEEDWAY, GOLIDAD, TX - FEB. 11-13, 2016

Action opens up at the Shady Oaks Speedway with an open practice on Wednesday, Feb. 10, from 6-9 p.m. All drivers in all classes are welcome and grandstand admission will be free on that night with pit passes $25.

Racing action will kick off at 7 p.m. on Thursday night. USMTS Modifieds will be racing for $2,000 to win and Limited Mods paying $400 to win. Grandstand prices are $15 for ages 13 and up with kids 12 and under free and pit passes will be $35.

Friday night racing starts at 7:30 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds racing for $3,000 to win, Limited Mods going for $500 to win and Mod Lites racing for $300 to win. Grandstands are $20 for 13 and older with 12 and under free and pit passes $40.

On Saturday, the first heat race takes the green flag at 6 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds paying $4,000 to win, Limited Mods paying $650 to win, Mod Lites $400 to win and $400 to win for the Pure Stocks. Grandstand tickets are $20 for 13 and older with 12 and under free and pit passes $40.

Last year, the South Texas Speedway in Corpus Christi, Texas, was forced to cancel the season opener less than a week before the green flag due to heavy rainfall in the area which caused the concrete wall in turn 3 to collapse. Hours later, the promoters at the Shady Oaks Speedway jumped in and the three-day event had a new home.

When the dust had settled it was Steve Whiteaker Jr., Dereck Ramirez and Ryan Gustin claiming the first three checkered flags of the 2015 season.

The Shady Oaks Speedway is located 4.0 miles north of Goliad on US 183, then 3.0 miles east on FM 622. To learn more, check out their website at www.shadyoakspeedway.com.

HEART O' TEXAS SPEEDWAY, ELM MOTT, TX - FEB. 18-20, 2016

Round 2 of USMTS Winter Speedweeks moves to north with a stop at the Heart O' Texas Speedway outside of Waco for the 7th Annual Day Motor Sports Texas Spring Nationals. Once again, three complete shows are in the works with Wednesday practice from 6-9 p.m. Grandstand admission is free and pit passes are $20.

On Thursday, racing begins at 7:30 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds battling for $2,000 to win and Limited Mods racing for $500 to win. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, kids ages 6-12 are $5 and 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

Friday's show will start at 8 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds racing for a $3,000 top prize while Limited Mods race for $600 to win and I-Stocks for $300 to win. Spectator admission is $15 for adults, kids ages 6-12 are $5 and 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $35

Saturday night will feature the same three classes with even bigger payouts. USMTS Modifieds will be going for $4,000 to win, Limited Mods $700 to win and I-Stocks $400 to win. Spectator admission is $20 for adults, kids ages 6-12 are $5 and 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $40.

Rodney Sanders claimed the win on June 23, 2015, when the USMTS last invaded the Heart O' Texas Speedway. Prior to that, checkered flags have waved for Johnny Scott, Mike Sorensen and Ryan Gustin while Mother Nature has claimed three shows at the wicked oval outside of Waco.

The Heart O' Texas Speedway is a semi-banked 1/3-mile clay oval just off of I-35 at exit 343 (FM 308), then 0.6 mile north on east frontage road. For more information, call 254-829-2294 or check out www.heartotexspeedway.com online.

ARK-LA-TEX SPEEDWAY, VIVIAN, LA - FEB. 25-27, 2016

The third round of USMTS Winter Speedweeks happens at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway for the 5th Annual Cajun Clash. Wednesday's practice is 6-9 p.m. with free admission to the grandstands and 420 pit passes.

Thursday's racing program starts at 7 p.m. with $2,000 to win USMTS Modifieds, $500 to win Limited Mods and $300 to win Factory Stocks. Grandstand tickets are $15 with kids ages 12 and under getting in for free. Pit passes are $35.

On Friday, the green flag unfurls at 7 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds competing for $3,000 to win while Limited Mods will battle for $600 to win and Factory Stocks $400 to win. Grandstand tickets are $20 with kids ages 12 and under getting in for free. Pit passes are $35.

Saturday's finale at Gene Boyter's popular high-banked oval gets started at 6 p.m. USMTS Modifieds will race for $4,000 to win with Limited Mods paying $700 to win, Factory Stocks $500 to win and Pro-Mods joining the card for $400 to win.

Racing on his home track, Chris Henigan has captured both of his two career USMTS wins here. In 2014, Cade Dillard posted his career-first USMTS victory on Thursday night during the 8th Annual Winter Nationals, Rodney Sanders claimed Friday's feature and nine-time USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock ended the season on a high note with a trip to the winner's circle on Saturday. All three days of the ninth running of the event was rained out this past November.

The Ark-La-Tex Speedway is located 0.6 mile south of SR 2 on SR 1, then 0.7 mile west on Airport Rd., then 2.2 miles south on Boyter Lane Rd. For race day information, call the track hotline at 318-375-3470 or click www.arklatexspeedway.net to visit them online.

SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA SPEEDWAY, ARDMORE, OK - MARCH 3-5, 2016

Wednesday night practice kicks things off at the Southern Oklahoma Speedway on March 2 from 6-9 p.m. with all classes welcome to the open test 'n' tune. Admission to the grandstands is free with pit passes $20.

Racing begins Thursday at 7 p.m. USMTS Modifieds will be looking to take home a $2,000 winner's share of the prize money with Limited Mods competing for $400 to win. Grandstands are $15 for adults and kids ages 6-12 are $5 with children 5 and under free. Pit passes are $35.

On Friday, the first heat race rolls onto the track at 7 p.m. with USMTS Modifieds racing for $3,000 to win, Limited Mods $500 to win and Hobby Stocks $300 to win. Grandstands are $20 for adults and kids ages 6-12 are $5 with children 5 and under free. Pit passes are $35.

Saturday's USMTS Winter Speedweeks finale starts at 6 p.m. USMTS Modifieds race for $4,000 while Limited Mods pay $600 to win and Hobby Stocks $400 to win. Grandstands are $20 for adults and kids ages 6-12 are $5 with children 5 and under free. Pit passes are $40.

Jason Hughes was the winner in 2008 and 2009 at the former Lake Country Speedway, and picked up the most recent win here this past November to cap off his 2015 USMTS national championship season. Rodney Sanders and Stormy Scott each have three wins in Ardmore, Ryan Gustin has two and visiting victory lane once each are Johnny Scott, Thomas Tillison Jr. and Triston Dycus.

The Southern Oklahoma Speedway is a semi-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located 0.7 mile east of I-35 (exit 29) on US 70, then 1.8 miles south on US 77. For more information, call 405-627-1766 or click www.southernoklahomaspeedway.com to visit the track's official website.

USMTS WINTER SPEEDWEEKS PAYOUTS:

Thursday: Licensed - 1. $2000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $800, 5. $700, 6. $650, 7. $600, 8. $550, 9. $500, 10. $450, 11. $425, 12. $400, 13. $375, 14. $350, 15. $350, 16. $325, 17-24. $300, Tow $80; Non-Licensed - 1. $2000, 2. $1200, 3. $800, 4. $700, 5. $550, 6. $500, 7. $450, 8. $400, 9. $350, 10. $300, 11. $250, 12-24. $200, Tow $60.

Friday: Licensed - 1. $3000, 2. $1700, 3. $1200, 4. $1000, 5. $800, 6. $700, 7. $650, 8. $600, 9. $550, 10. $500, 11. $450, 12. $425, 13. $400, 14. $375, 15. $350, 16-24. $325, Tow $90; Non-Licensed - 1. $3000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $800, 5. $600, 6. $500, 7. $450, 8. $400, 9. $350, 10. $300, 11-24. $250, Tow $70.

Saturday: Licensed - 1. $4000, 2. $2700, 3. $1800, 4. $1200, 5. $900, 6. $800, 7. $700, 8. $650, 9. $600, 10. $550, 11. $500, 12. $450, 13. $425, 14. $400, 15. $375, 16-24. $350, Tow $100; Non-Licensed - 1. $4000, 2. $2500, 3. $1400, 4. $1000, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $500, 8. $450, 9. $400, 10. $350, 11. $325, 12-24. $300, Tow $80.

RULES & PROCEDURES: All USMTS rules apply. Draw for heat race starting spot ends 15 minutes before hot laps. Qualifying will be done by heat race passing points and "B" Mains. RACEceivers and AMB transponders are mandatory and available for rent or purchase at USMTS trailer. See complete rules at www.usmts.com/rules. Drivers racing in support classes, check your track's rules for your division.

LICENSES: There is no requirement to purchase a USMTS license to compete in any USMTS event. However, benefits enjoyed by licensed drivers includes higher event purses and bonus payouts, increased tow money, discounted entry fees, points fund eligibility, increased media recognition, a personalized driver profile page on the USMTS website and more. Drivers can download the USMTS license application at www.usmts.com/downloads.

ENTRY FEES: Early entry fee for each event is $100 for Thursday, $110 for Friday and $135 for Saturday (each day $10 less for licensed drivers). Early entries must be received or post-marked no less than one week prior to the date of the event. Late or at-the-track entry for all drivers is $110 on Thursday, $125 on Friday and $150 for Saturday. Enter any of the four events for $250 but entry must be received by the USMTS no later than Jan. 31 (no grace period). Download the entry form at www.usmts.com/downloads/entry-forms.

PROVISIONALS: Beginning with the third event in the region, provisionals will be awarded at each event to the top two drivers in regional points that fail to qualify for the "A" Main and have perfect attendance in the region. Driver is eligible for two provisionals in each region, with a third provisional added after ten events. Hosting racetrack reserves the right to add additional provisionals, but no "A" Main points will be awarded to track provisionals.

For unfortunate fans unable to make one or more of these blockbuster events, every lap of every race at every event during USMTS Winter Speedweeks will be broadcast live via pay-per-view on www.RacinDirt.com.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usmts, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Spring Manufacturing, Casey's General Stores, Chix Gear Racewear, COMP Cams, CP-Carrillo, Day Motor Sports, Deatherage Opticians, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Trust & Savings Bank, MSD, RACEceiver, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RealTruck.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, Snickers, The Joie of Seating, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Erson Cams, I-29 Trailer Sales, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Oreo, Rivers Edge Scrap Management, Sour Patch Kids, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, BSB Manufacturing, CPD Racing Shocks, Crane Cams, Driven Racing Oil, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe Racing Cells, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Custom Harness, Keyser Manufacturing, Marsh Racing Wheels, Midwest Sheet Metal, PBM Performance Products, QA1, Quarter Master, R2C Performance Products, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sybesma Graphics, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.

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Contact Info:
Jeff Nun
Communications Director
United States Modified Touring Series, Inc. (USMTS)
1715 W. 2nd St., P.O. Box 905
Webster City, IA 50595
Tel: 515-297-3835
Email: jeff@usmts.com
Web: www.usmts.com