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Track Schedules

STAR-STUDDED WEEKEND AHEAD FOR USMTS
by Jeff Nun

CANEY, Kan. (March 9) – After an abbreviated but lively season-opening event this past weekend, the stars and cars of the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour will barely have time to catch their breath as they roll into a pair of events this Friday and Saturday, at a pair of tough-to-tame tracks in Southeastern Kansas.

“Last weekend's show is going to be a tough act to follow,” said USMTS president Todd Staley. “Although we lost Saturday's show to Mother Nature, the track was in excellent shape on Friday and we had a great crowd despite the chilly weather.

“If you thought this past weekend was good, just wait and see what these guys will do now that they've gotten warmed up!”

On Friday, March 13, the Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kan., plays host to the touring USMTS titans for the first time ever. Under the direction of new promoter Kerry Gorby, the track reopened last August for the first time since 2004. Gorby and his staff has given the facility a complete top-to-bottom facelift, 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.

On Saturday, March 14, race fans will find the teams just 77 miles north on Highway 169 at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., for the 4th Annual “Havoc at The Hummer.” Jason Hughes is the defending event winner and the 2008 USMTS Southern Series titleist looks to provide a repeat performance at Ron and Rhenda Whitworth’s popular bullring.

Two drivers who have tasted success in the top levels of racing will be hoping to garner their first checkered flag with the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour this weekend. NASCAR veterans Ken Schrader and Kenny Wallace will be competing in both events, with autograph sessions planned for the fans in attendance at both shows.

Schrader will be making his 25th career start with the USMTS, where he has six top-5 and eleven top-10 finishes with a career-best of third (twice in 2008). It will be the 19th career start for Wallace on Friday. Since recording a career-best fifth-place finish in his first USMTS race in 2007, Wallace has racked up nine additional top-10 finishes.

Friday and Saturday will be the first two events in the Bear Tire Mo-Kan Region. Two-time defending regional champ Kelly Shryock will lead the Sunflower State invasion this weekend, with stiff competition expected from Jon Tesch, John Allen, Zack VanderBeek, Jason Krohn, Johnny Bone Jr., Bryan Rowland, Scott Green, Rodney Sanders, Dereck Ramirez, Dustin Boney, Greg Skaggs, Steve Holzkamper, Don Crnkovich, Jeremy Rasmussen, Jeremy Ross and more.

Both tracks feature USRA Modifieds during their weekly racing programs which boast some of the toughest local competition on the circuit. Drivers expected to defend their home turf include 2008 Caney Valley Speedway track champion Colby Artherton and defending Humboldt Speedway track champion Jess Folk Jr., as well as 2008 American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series national runner-up Justin "Whitey" Folk. Fellow area hotshoes expected are Jerry Reeves, Rodney Sigg, Gary Langworthy Jr., Chris Deaton, Joe Gorby, Stevie Wright, Jessie Fox, Dena Wilson, Bill McMurtrie, Chance Bishop, Jeremy Chambers, Ryan Whitworth, Brandon Morton and others.

Both events will pay $2,000 to win and a minimum $250 to start.

On Friday, March 13, pit gates open at 3:00, grandstands open at 5:00, hot laps are at 6:30 and racing starts at 7:00. The Caney Valley Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.8 mile west of the junction of US 75 and US 166 on CR 1600. For more information call 620-330-0485 or visit www.caneyvalleyspeedway.net.

On Saturday, March 14, gates will open at 3:00, with hot laps at 5:30 and racing at 6:00. The Humboldt Speedway is a 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval located on US 169 to the Humboldt Exit, then 0.1 mile west, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east. For more information call 620-431-2470 (office) or 620-473-3694 (track) or visit www.humboldtspeedway.com.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Racewear, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Childhelp, COMP Cams, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Media, PBM Performance Products, Q.E.M., Inc., Western Flyer Xpress.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Bear Tire Company, Buzzard Racing Engines, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Gressel Racing, Just Say Yes, Ramirez Race Cars, Olympic Fire Protection, Ruter Farms, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, BSB Manufacturing, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake.