April and May showers shake up USMTS schedule

USMTS continues Memorial Day Weekend tradition with thrilling threesome

 WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (May 22)--After more than three weeks of silence thanks to Mother Nature, the USMTS will kick back into gear with a tripleheader at three traditional Memorial Day Weekend racetracks in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.

On Friday, May 24, the tireless touring titans trek to Bob Timm's Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., for the 11th Annual Coca-Cola Spring Shootout.

Nearly a dozen years ago, Todd Scharkey won the first-ever USMTS race in Fountain City when the track was known as the Tri-Oval Speedway. Nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock, Brad Waits and Al Hejna also won main events on the old configuration.

Bob Timm took the reins in 2009 and with him came a new configuration for the track, a new clay surface and a new name for the track. Since then, Ryan Gustin has posted a series-best four USMTS victories, and 'The Reaper' collected $40,000 in 2016 by holding off Scott Bloomquist in the USRA Modified Nationals here.

Brad Waits won in 2011 to become the only driver to get the job done on both the old and new track layout, and Jon Tesch won back-to-back races in 2011 and 2012 to be the only other USMTS multi-race winner at MTS. Tim Donlinger, Tommy Myer, Terry Phillips, Jason Hughes, Rodney Sanders and Zack VanderBeek each have one victory here.

The pit gate will open at 4 p.m. and grandstands open at 5 with hot laps at 6:30 and opening ceremonies at 7 followed by green-flag action from USMTS Modifieds, Out-Pace USRA B-Mods, Cook Racing Supplies USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Late Models.

Adult general admission is $20, seniors (65+) are $18. All students age 23 and under (with valid ID) and teens ages 13-18 are just $5. Kids ages 12 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $35.

The Mississippi Thunder Speedway is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval located 3.0 miles north of Fountain City on SR 35. For more information, call (507) 429-9639 or (608) 687-3282 or check out mississippithunder.com.

On Saturday, May 25, the rugged road warriors return to the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., for the 17th Annual Crenlo Southern MN Spring Challenge, and the 107th main event for the USMTS at 'The Creek.'

Kelly Shryock won the first-ever USMTS race here on May 25, 2002, while Sanders is the most recent winner, garnering his ninth checkered flag here (third all-time) in last year's Featherlite Fall Jamboree finale. Shryock is second on the all-time list with 10 wins behind Jason Hughes, who has a series-best 14 career victories here.

Ryan Gustin has seven checkered flags at Deer Creek while Tim Donlinger and Terry Phillips each have five. Jason Cummins and Brad Waits have four apiece. Cade Dillard, Zack VanderBeek, Joey Jensen and Brandon Davis have each won three times. Two-time winners include Corey Dripps, Jason Krohn, Ryan Ruter, Stormy Scott, Lucas Schott and Johnny Scott. Drivers who have visited victory lane here one time include Mark Noble, Steve Wetzstein, Darin Walker, Tony Fraise, Dan Daniels, Chad Kinder, Mark Burgtorf, Brad McEwan, Randy Timms, Dean Mahlstedt, Tommy Myer, Mike Sorensen, Mike Spaulding, Dan Chapman, Les Duellman, Mike Hejna, Steve Arpin, Jon Tesch, Jordan Grabouski, Jeremy Payne, Craig Thatcher, Tommy Weder Jr. and Dustin Sorensen.

The pit gate opens at 3 p.m. and grandstands open at 4. Hot laps begin at 5:30 and racing starts at 6 p.m. Adult general admission tickets are $20 and kids ages 12 and under get in for $5. Pit passes are $35 for adults, students (6-15) are $20 and kids 5 and under are $5.

The Arnold Motor Supply Iron Man Challenge featuring American Racer USRA Stock Cars and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods will join the program along with Wissota Midwest Modifieds.

The Deer Creek Speedway is a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval is located 11.3 miles south of I-90 (exit 209) on US 63 or 0.7 mile north of SR 16 in Spring Valley, Minn. (25262 US Hwy 63, Spring Valley, MN 55975). For more info, call 877-327-7223 or (507) 346-2342 on race day or visit deercreekspeedway.com.

On Sunday, May 26, the swing wraps up with the 12th Annual American Racer Nordic Nationals at the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa. The Arnold Motor Supply Iron Man Challenge featuring American Racer USRA Stock Cars and Out-Pace USRA B-Mods will join the USMTS Modifieds for a second straight night, with the Cook Racing Supplies USRA Hobby Stocks rounding out Sunday's card.

Zack VanderBeek collected his first of three USMTS wins at the Upper Iowa Speedway during his rookie campaign in 2005. Jason Hughes, Jon Tesch, Al Hejna and Ryan Gustin are two-time winners here, as well as defending USMTS National Champion Johnny Scott who made his second appearance in the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds winners circle last May.

The pit gate opens at 2 p.m., grandstands open at 3, hot laps start at 6 and the first heat race hits the track at 6:30. General admission is $20 while seniors (65+) and juniors (ages 12-16) get in for just $5. Kids ages 11 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

The Upper Iowa Speedway is a semi-banked 1/4-mile dirt oval located 1.8 miles east of US 52 on SR 9, then 1.0 mile northwest on Montgomery St., then northeast on E. Main St. at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds in Decorah, Iowa (900 E Main St, Decorah, IA 52101). For more information, call (563) 382-0711 or visit upperiowaspeedway.com.

These races will open the points battle in the Spike Hardcore Energy Northern Lights Series, and a top prize of $3,000 awaits the winner of both the Friday and Saturday shows with the Sunday show paying $2,500 to win.

Two-time USMTS National Champion Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas, sits atop Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship points with a mere seven races in the books heading into the Memorial Day Weekend.

Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship powered by Summit
Points standings (top 10) as of May 22, 2019:

1. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas ... 710 (2 wins)
2. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ... 685 (1 win)
3. 91 Joe Duvall, Justice, Okla. ... 659
4. 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. ... 655
5. 62 Hunter Marriott, Brookfield, Mo. ... 636 (1 win)
6. 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. ... 631 (1 win)
6. 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa ... 631
8. 17 Mike Striegel, Wheatland, Mo. ... 581
9. 4w Tyler Wolff, Fayetteville, Ark. ... 569
10. 23 Adam Kates, Tonganoxie, Kan. ... 559
Other winners:
11. 0 Jake O'Neil, Tucson, Ariz. ... 478 (1 win)
26. 20rt Ricky Thornton Jr., Chandler, Ariz. ... 253 (1 win)

Masters on the horizon: Three nights of racing are on tap at the 20th Annual Masters at Cedar Lake on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 13-15. Officials at the Cedar Lake Speedway have added Super Late Models and USRA Late Models to the show this year with the open late models and USMTS running for the same great payouts each night.

This event will see Thursday's main event pay $3,000 to win Thursday with $5,000 earmarked for Friday's feature winner. It all wraps up with whopping $10,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

Driver entry deadline is June 8 and the three-day entry fee is $300. After June 8, entries fees are $100 on Thursday, $150 on Friday and $200 on Saturday (no three-day discounts). Save yourself $150 and get entered today.

This event will award points each night in the Spike Hardcore Energy USMTS Northern Lights Series and Casey's General Stores USMTS National Championship.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit USMTS.com or call (515) 832-7944. You can also like the USMTS on Facebook, visit us on Instagram, follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn and watch us on YouTube. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS and subscribe to the USMTS e-Newsletter.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey's General Stores, Chevrolet Performance, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, FK Rod Ends, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, K1 RaceGear by Ryan Bowers Motorsports, KSE Racing Products, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, MSD, MyRacePass, Nitroquest Media, Pace Performance, PEM Racing Gears & Drivetrain, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, Snickers, Spike Hardcore Energy, Summit Racing Equipment, VP Racing Fuels, Wrisco Industries.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, Eagle Moon Farm, Impact RaceGear, PBM Performance Products, RACEceiver, Rancho Milagro Racing, River's Edge Scrap Management, Tony Moro Powder Coat, Top of the World Ranch, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Custom Headers, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bryke Racing, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hooker Harness, Hyperco, Integra Racing Shocks and Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Maxima Racing Oils, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wilwood Racing.

##