Grueling second half of USMTS campaign kicks off July 21 at Osky


OSKALOOSA, Iowa (July 14)--Thirty-one days of silence will be broken when Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's racers start their engines on Tuesday, July 21, at the Southern Iowa Speedway for the 12th Annual Summer Classic.

As the current points leader, Rodney Sanders will have the fluorescent yellow Wrisco spoiler bolted to his familiar No. 20 MB Customs machine when the series invades the half-mile of dirt at the fairgrounds in Mahaska County.

The 30-year-old from Happy, Texas, is the defending USMTS national champion and defending winner of the event after taking the 2018 contest-his first at Osky-en route to his third series title. The 2019 race was rained out.

Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's points standings as of July 14, 2020:

1. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas - 1620 (6 wins)
2. 4R Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. - 1540 (2 wins)
3. 12 Jason Hughes, Watts, Okla. - 1466
4. 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo. - 1269 (1 win)
5. 33Z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa - 1266 (1 win)
6. 65 Tyler Davis, Haysville, Kan. - 1258
7. 27X Calvin Iverson, Eleva, Wis. - 1249
8. 6 Casey Skyberg, Rapid City, S.D. - 1093
9. 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan. - 1051
10. 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. - 1038 (1 win)
11. 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn. - 957
12. 91 Joe Duvall, Claremore, Okla. - 910
13. 02 Tanner Mullens, Wichita, Kan. - 823 (2 wins)
14. 55 Nathan Hagar, Adair, Okla. - 778
15. 4W Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark. - 700
16. 19 Dustin Sorensen, Rochester, Minn. - 520 (1 win)
17. 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz. - 504
18. 9 Kevin Rutherford, Flower Mound, Texas - 489
19. 7 Shayne Bailey, Lathrop, Mo. - 395
20. 21K Kyle Brown, Madrid, Iowa - 385
Other winners:
4X Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa (2 wins)
20 Jason Ingalls, Longview, Texas (1 win)
4 Bo Day, Greenville, Texas (1 win)

Tuesday's battle will be the 35th main event held at "The Monster" but prior to 2018 it had been seven years since the USMTS fired up at Osky. Zack VanderBeek captured his second series win at his home track in the previous event held here on July 20, 2011.

Fans have witnessed some memorable USMTS shows at the Southern Iowa Speedway in the past-perhaps none more than Brad Pinkerton's drive from 16th and a nearly half-lap deficit to pass Kelly Shryock late in the race for the win in 2008.

Nine-time series champ standout Shryock tops the list of winners here with 12 career victories while Pinkerton has four. Ryan Gustin, Jason Krohn, Tommy Myer, John VanDenBerg and Chris Spieker each have a pair of wins while Al Hejna, Jason Hughes, Mark Noble, Bruce Hanford, Dan Bohr and Tony Fraise have one victory apiece.

The pit gate is set to open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5, hot laps start at 6:45 and racing gets underway at 7:15. General admission is $20 with juniors 12-16 and seniors age 62 and older just $15. Kids ages 6-11 are $5 and children 5 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $35.

The Southern Iowa Speedway is located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92 (A Ave. West), then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds).

Silver Dollar Nationals turns 10: After the Oskaloosa invasion, the series heads to the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., for the 10th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals on Friday and Saturday, July 24-25.

Sharing the spotlight once again with the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, the USMTS will have a complete program of qualifying heats and feature races both nights with each main event awarding $3,000 to the winner.

The I-80 Speedway is located just north of Interstate 80 at exit 420-halfway between Omaha and Lincoln. The physical address is 13909 238th St, Greenwood, NE 68366. The entrance to the track is at 13631 238th Street (west side). For more information or to order tickets, visit i-80speedway.com or call (402)-342-3453.

Always moving forward: Fifteen of America's finest dirt tracks in six states hosted a USMTS event during the first half of the 2020 campaign including 12 nights of racing over the course of 18 days in June, but summer will be in the rearview mirror before the brakes get tapped again.

The Best of the Best in dirt modified racing are readying for the most grueling grind in dirt modified racing as Tuesday's show at the Mahaska County Monster in Oskaloosa is the first of 24 contests on tap during the next two months.

Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's remaining events for 2020:

Jul 21 - Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, Iowa [12th Annual Summer Classic]
Jul 24-25 - I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb. [10th Annual Imperial Tile Silver Dollar Nationals]
Jul 28-30 - Mason City Motor Speedway, Mason City, Iowa [Mod Mania]
Aug 6 - 81 Speedway, Park City, Kan. [7th Annual Event]
Aug 7 - Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan. [14th Annual Summer Fling @ The Bullring]
Aug 8 - Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, Mo. [11th Annual Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout]
Aug 13-15 - Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, Minn. [Mod Wars]
Aug 16 - Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D. [11th Annual Summer Slam]
Aug 20 - Dallas County Speedway, Urbana, Mo. [2nd Annual Wehrs Machine Bullring Bash]
Aug 21 - Lake Ozark Speedway, Eldon, Mo. [3rd Annual Event]
Aug 22 - Salina Highbanks Speedway, Pryor Creek, Okla. [8th Annual Salute To Our Veterans]
Sep 4 - Chateau Speedway, Lansing, Minn. [13th Annual Event]
Sep 5 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. [15th Annual Labor Day Duel]
Sep 6 - Fayette County Speedway, West Union, Iowa [8th Annual War in West Union]
Sep 11 - Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La. [8th Annual Cajun Clash]
Sep 12 - Boothill Speedway, Greenwood, La. [5th Annual I-20 Showdown]
Sep 13 - RPM Speedway, Crandall, Texas [2nd Annual Event]
Sep 24-26 - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. [22nd Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree]
Sep 11-12 - Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, Texas [Southern Dirt Track Championship]
Nov 5-7 - RPM Speedway, Crandall, Texas [2nd Annual Summit Southern Nationals]

After the 22nd Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at the Deer Creek Speedway near the end of September, the USMTS has two big events remaining with the series' first trip to the Texas Motor Speedway for the Southern Dirt Track Championship before crowning the 22nd USMTS national champion during the finale of the 2nd Annual Summit Southern Nationals at the RPM Speedway.

Currently, the 2020 schedule for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey's is highlighted by 42 nights of racing at 27 unique dirt ovals for the 22nd season of competition for the world's Best of the Best in dirt modified racing.

To connect with the USMTS check out USMTS.com, like us on Facebook, follow on Twitter, check us out on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel. Keep up to speed by joining our email list

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey's, Chevrolet Performance, Compstar Performance Engine Components by Callies, CP-Carrillo, Dirt Draft, Eibach, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, KS Engineering, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, MSD Performance, MTN DEW Zero Sugar, MyRacePass, Nitroquest Media, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, Summit Racing Equipment, Super Clean, VP Racing Fuels, Wrisco Industries.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, Eagle Moon Farm, JE Pistons, Miller Welders, PBM Performance Products, Rancho Milagro Racing, Rivers Edge Scrap Management, Tony Moro Powder Coat, Top of the World Ranch, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Headers, BigDeal Car Care, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Deatherage Opticians, Edelbrock, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hooker Harness, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Maxima Racing Oils, Penske Racing Shocks, QA1, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Racing.