KANSAS CITY, Kan.-While they have enjoyed time with family, tended to business, relaxed on the lake, harvested crops, garnered some extra nap time or, in some cases, rode into one or more special events and off with the loot like a one-armed bandit, the summer vacation is over for USMTS drivers and crewmembers and school is back in session.
If the second half of the 2014 campaign is anything like the first, race fans are in for some serious entertainment.
With a break in the action that started when the checkered flag waved on June 29 at the Outlaw Motorsports Park, the stars and cars of the United States Modified Touring Series roar back into action full speed as they join the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series for the second annual “Clash of the Titans” this Tuesday, July 15, at the historic Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kan.
The USMTS Casey’s Cup powered by Swan Energy main event will pay $3,000 to the winner, and kick off the final four nights of racing in the Major League Bowhunter Central Region presented by Day Motor Sports.
Spectator tickets are $32 at the gate, while kids ages 7-12 are $10 for general admission or $15 for reserved seating. A limited number of seats in air-conditioned V.I.P. suites are also still available for $40 each. Pit passes are $40.
The pit gate will open at 2 p.m. and spectator gates open at 4. There will be an autograph session for fans from 5:30 to 6, with hot laps set for 6:45, late model time trials at 7:15 and racing to follow.
Racing action in both classes will be broadcast LIVE at www.RacinDirt.com. A single-day V.I.P. pass is just $24.99 and will take you from the national anthem to the final checkered flag on this historic night.
On Wednesday night, July 16, the USMTS steamroller blasts into the Osage Casino Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kan., for the first trip to Kerry Gorby’s quarter-mile semi-banked bullring since the 2010 season.
Under the direction of Gorby, the Caney Valley Speedway reopened in 2008 after sitting idle and in disrepair for the four years prior to that. Gorby and his staff have given the facility a complete top-to-bottom facelift since then, including new restrooms, concessions and pit buildings, plus the addition of an air-conditioned press tower, a new and improved p.a. system and thousands of gallons of fresh paint.
A challenging short track, the Caney oval is inviting to drivers as it “requires more talent than talk, more about what’s under the helmet rather than what’s under the hood,” said Gorby. “It’s more likely to scare off cubic dollars than anything else because those dollars don’t spend well here.”
Jason Hughes picked up the first win for the USMTS in 2009, with Morgan Bagley and Dustin Boney following in second and third. In the series’ return the following year, Johnny Bone Jr. held off Jeremy Payne and a 20-year-old up-and-comer named Rodney Sanders to garner the victory.
Pit gates will open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5, hot laps are at 7 and racing starts at 7:30. Also on the evening’s schedule of events will be Pure Stocks and B-Mods.
Tickets are just $15 and race fans can pick up $2-off discount coupons on Wednesday at the Casey’s General Stores location in Caney and Coffeyville.
The Caney Valley Speedway is located 0.8 mile west of the junction of US 75 and US 166 on CR 1600. For more information visit www.caneyvalleyspeedway.net on the World Wide Web. You can also find them on Facebook.
Action moves to the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., on Friday and Saturday, July 18-19, for the 4th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals where the USMTS Modifieds will once again share the spotlight with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series.
The event drew rave reviews last year as two-time USMTS national champion Ryan Gustin steered his Late Model from the 34th starting position to take the lead on lap 47 against the best drivers in the business. Later, Gustin tangled with a lapped car, taking himself out of contention while series champ Jimmy Owens went on to take the $27,000 payday.
Defending USMTS national champion Rodney Sanders comes into the Silver Dollar Nationals with dollar signs in his eyes. Not only did Sanders sweep both ends of last year’s event for the USMTS Modifieds, but he returned to I-80 Speedway this past April and won the Lucas Oil MLRA Spring Meltdown. ‘The Rocket’ will be competing in both classes this week.
Once again, the USMTS will be running complete shows on both Friday and Saturday nights, culminating with the crowning of the Major League Bowhunter Central Region champion and the last group of drivers to qualify for this year’s USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s National Championship.
Friday’s main event pays $3,000 to win and the winner of Saturday’s feature race will pocket a cool $4,000.
The I-80 Speedway is located one block north of I-80 at exit 420, about halfway between Lincoln and Omaha, Neb. The physical address is 13909 238th St., Greenwood, Neb. For more information, visit www.I-80Speedway.com or call 402-342-3453. You can also stay up to speed on Facebook and Twitter.
The month of July wraps up the following week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 24-26, the USMTS joins forces with the United States Racing Association (USRA) for the 4th Annual World Modified Dirt Track Championship at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., with no less than $15,000 going to the winner of Saturday’s 100-lap main event.
From there, the USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s National Championship powered by Swan Energy begins on Friday, Aug. 1, at the Batesville Motor Speedway near Locust Grove, Ark.
It’s about to get real.
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 or check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.
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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AMP Energy, Casey’s General Stores, Chix Gear, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, MSD, Nitroquest Media Group, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, SpiderWeb Modular Storage Solutions, Swan Energy, VP Racing Fuels.
USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Double H Bands, ElbowsUp.com, Erson Cams, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Major League Bowhunter, Mesilla Valley Transportation, New Vision Graphics, Olympic Fire Protection, Penn Transport, Road Runner Crane, Road Runner Trucking, S&S Fishing & Rental, United Cellular Services.
USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Bell Racing Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, Brass Monkey Racing Products, C&R Racing, CPD Racing Tools, Edelbrock, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Power Lift Racing Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends.