USMTS title chase begins with 4th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift

BAYTOWN, Texas (Feb. 17) – The nation’s elite dirt Modified drivers begin their quest for the 2013 USMTS national championship as the 15th season for the United States Modified Touring Series begins with the 4th Annual USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-23, at the Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown, Texas.

With the best names in the business expected for this year’s lid-lifter, just making one of the main events will be a feat but one driver could come up smelling like roses and walk away with $15,000 or more at the state-of-the-art 3/8-mile clay oval located just east of Houston.

Thursday’s show will pay $2,000 to win while Friday night’s winner gets $3,000 and Saturday’s winner earns $4,000.

However, for some drivers the winner’s share will be $4,000, $5,000 and $6,000 to win, respectively. Every driver is eligible to participate in the “Big Dog Buy-In” for an additional $100 entry fee at the time of registration. Those who “buy in” will race for an extra $2,000 to win that night.

All three nights will kick off the 2013 season and award points in the USMTS Allgayer Inc. Southern Region presented by Day Motor Sports.

A practice session is slated for Wednesday night, Feb. 20, from 6-9 p.m. Admission to the grandstands is free for practice. Pit passes are $20.

On Thursday and Friday, the pit gate opens at 4 p.m., grandstand gates open at 5, hot laps begin at 6 and racing kicks off at 6:30 p.m. All times are one hour earlier on Saturday.

Grandstand tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for teenagers, $5 for kids and children ages 5 & under get in free each day. Pit passes are $35 each day.

Johnny Scott of Las Cruces, N.M., who captured the Saturday night feature in last year’s USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift, comes in as the event’s defending champion, but all eyes will be on newlywed Jeremy Payne.

Less than three months ago, the 27-year-old from Springfield, Mo., made history as he swept all three nights of the USMTS Texas Winter Nationals – the first time that feat had happened in the 14-year existence of the USMTS.

Preliminary winners in last year’s event were Terry Phillips and Jason Hughes. Hughes leads all drivers with six career USMTS wins at the former Houston Raceway Park.

Texan Paul White won the first-ever USMTS event at the track in 2007. Since then, trips to victory lane have also been made by Alan Mondus, Kelly Shryock, Tommy Weder Jr., Johnny Bone Jr., Zack VanderBeek, Rodney Sanders, Ryan Gustin, John O Whittington, Chris Brown and Dereck Ramirez, who captured back-to-back wins on the final two nights of the 5th Annual USMTS Texas Winter Nationals in 2011.

A track record 82 cars and drivers were on hand for the November event three months ago, and indications from driver responses and entries filed for the upcoming USMTS Texas Spring Nationals powered by Lecolift point to an even bigger field next week.

THURSDAY PAYOFF: Licensed – 1. $2000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $800, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $550, 8. $500, 9. $450, 10. $400, 11. $375, 12. $350, 13. $325, 14-24. $300, Tow $80; Non-Licensed – 1. $2000, 2. $1200, 3. $800, 4. $700, 5. $600, 6. $500, 7. $400, 8. $350, 9. $300, 10. $250, 11. $225, 12-24. $200, Tow $60.

FRIDAY PAYOFF: Licensed – 1. $3000, 2. $2000, 3. $1500, 4. $1000, 5. $900, 6. $800, 7. $700, 8. $600, 9. $550, 10. $500, 11. $450, 12. $400, 13. $375, 14-24. $350, Tow $90; Non-Licensed – 1. $3000, 2. $1800, 3. $1200, 4. $800, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $500, 8. $450, 9. $400, 10. $350, 11. $300, 12. $275, 13-24. $250 Tow $80.

SATURDAY PAYOFF: Licensed – 1. $4000, 2. $3000, 3. $2000, 4. $1500, 5. $1000, 6. $900, 7. $800, 8. $700, 9. $600, 10. $550, 11. $500, 12. $450, 13. $425, 14-24. $400, Tow $100; Non-Licensed – 1. $4000, 2. $2200, 3. $1500, 4. $1000, 5. $800, 6. $700, 7. $600, 8. $550, 9. $500, 10. $450, 11. $400, 12. $375, 13. $350, 14. $325, 15-30. $300, Tow $90.

ENTRY FEES: Thursday – early entry is $90 for licensed or $100 for non-licensed; late or at-the-track entry is $110. Friday – early entry is $100 for licensed or $110 for non-licensed; late or at-the-track entry is $125; Saturday – early entry is $125 for licensed or $135 for non-licensed; late or at-the-track entry is $150. Early entries must be received or postmarked by Feb. 15.

There is no requirement to purchase a USMTS license to compete in any USMTS event. However, benefits enjoyed by licensed drivers includes higher event purses and bonus payouts, increased tow money, discounted entry fees, points funds and contingencies eligibility, increased media recognition and a personalized driver profile page on the USMTS website. The cost of a USMTS license is $150 per region or drivers may purchase a premier license which covers all three regions and The Hunt. A premier license is $500 (save $100) but MUST be purchased no later than Feb. 23.

USRA Limited Mods will also be on the racing card each night battling for a hefty purse of their own and valuable national points in the USRA Weekly Racing Series.

USRA LIMITED MOD PAYOFF: Thursday – 1. $500, 2. $300, 3. $200, 4. $170, 5. $150, 6. $130, 7. $110, 8. $100, 9. $90, 10. $80, 11. $70, 12. $65, 13. $60, 14. $55, 15-24. $50, Tow $30; Friday – 1. $600, 2. $400, 3. $300, 4. $200, 5. $170, 6. $150, 7. $130, 8. $110, 9. $100, 10. $90, 11. $80, 12. $75, 13. $70, 14. $65, 15-24. $60, Tow $40; Saturday – 1. $700, 2. $500, 3. $400, 4. $300, 5. $200, 6. $175, 7. $150, 8. $140, 9. $130, 10. $120, 11. $110, 12. $105, 13-24. $100, Tow $50.

The top-finishing USRA Limited Mod drivers that have not raced a USMTS Modified or are not currently a USMTS Modified driver will get the following bonus money: Thursday – $75, $50; Friday – $100, $75, $50; Saturday – $150, $100, $75, $50.

Plus, a $100 bonus will be paid each night to the Hard Charger Award in the “A” Main, courtesy of Express Race Cars.

TRACK INFO: The Royal Purple Raceway is located just east of Houston on I-10 to exit 799, then 2.5 miles south on SH 99 (Grand Parkway), then 0.3 mile west on FM 565. For more information, call the track office at 281-383-7223 or visit www.royalpurpleraceway.com online.

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 and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Casey’s General Stores, Cheetos, Day Motor Sports, Dominator Race Products, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Snickers, Swan Energy.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Allgayer Inc., Arbor Masters, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Erson Cams, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Lecolift, Mesilla Valley Transportation, O’Brien Enterprises, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Motorsports, Road Runner Trucking, Ruter Farms, Sybesma Graphics.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Beyea Custom Headers, Champ Pans, COMP Cams, CPD Racing Tools, Crane Cams, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Harness, JRi Shocks, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Tiger Rear Ends.

Category: Series