USMTS unveils aggressive 2014 schedule

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- It may be the shortest month of the year, but in 2014 it's going to be a fast and furious February.USMTS unveils aggressive 2014 schedule

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (Nov. 25)-Officials from the United States Modified Touring Series released a tentative schedule of events for the 2014 season today, and both fans and drivers will find a 74-night slate that features both traditional favorites and several pleasant surprises.

The 2014 USMTS Casey's Cup Series campaign kicks off at the South Texas Speedway in Corpus Christi, Feb. 6-8, and then moves to the Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas, for the 5th Annual Lecolift Texas Spring Nationals, Feb. 13-15.

From there, the series treks to El Paso (Texas) Speedway Park for two nights, Feb. 21-22, before heading up the road to the Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, Feb. 27-28 and March 1.

Each of the three-day shows will by $2,000 to win Thursday, $3,000 to win Friday and $4,000 to win Saturday. The two-day clash in El Paso will pay $2,000 and $3,000 to win, respectively.

The USMTS has visited the Royal Purple Raceway at least once in each of the last seven seasons. The series' lone journey to the South Texas Speedway came in 2007 with Jason Hughes and David Horner taking the wins on the first two nights before rain thwarted the finale of the tripleheader.

This will be the first-ever visit by the USMTS in El Paso and Las Cruces. However, both tracks host the similar USRA Modifieds during their weekly Friday and Saturday night programs throughout the year, as well as some well-attended special events that routinely draw the best dirt modified aces on the planet.

The February swing of races will also serve as one of four USMTS regions for 2014 with its own lucrative points fund, so by March 2 the regional champion will be crowned and the first group of drivers will be qualified for the 2014 Hunt for the USMTS Casey's National Championship.

After a two-week rest, the series returns to the West Siloam (Okla.) Speedway for the 6th Annual Sooner Nationals on March 14, and the 9th Annual Spring Fling @ The Bullring at the Humboldt (Kan.) Speedway on Saturday, March 15-a warm-up for the first crown jewel event of the season two weeks later at 'The Hummer.'

The nation's elite dirt modified racers return to Humboldt on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 27-29, for King of America IV and a $10,000 top prize up for grabs. The event is one of five high-paying, multi-day, non-points events dotting the 2014 calendar.

The Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., will host two premier events during the summer starting with the 4th Annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship, July 25-27 and ending with the 16th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree slated for Sept. 18-20.

Three more mega-events are slated for the fall season, beginning with the co-sanctioned USRA Nationals at the Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan., Oct. 2-4. The series will then descend on the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Pryor Creek, Okla., for the 2nd Annual Sooner Showdown, Oct. 23-25.

The USMTS will close the curtain on the 2014 season with the 8th Annual Winter Nationals, Nov. 6-8, but unlike the last seven times, the three-day blockbuster event will now take place at the Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La.

In addition to the aforementioned El Paso Speedway Park and Southern New Mexico Speedway, the USMTS will also make first-ever visit to one more racetracks when the series invades the Lanny Edwards' Lawton (Okla.) Speedway on May 15.

The Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup will begin on Friday, Aug. 1, and for the second straight year it all begins at the Batesville Motor Speedway in Locust Grove, Ark. A little less than two months later, the 2014 USMTS National Champion will be crowned at the 'The Creek' during the Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
2014 UNITED STATES MODIFIED TOURING SERIES SCHEDULE:
 
USMTS Casey's Cup Series: 
Thu Feb 6 ... South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christi, Texas ($2,000 to win)