USMTS Gulf Coast Border Region Notes

[NickHolt]

USMTS Gulf Coast Border Region Notes

 

In 11 days, the 2014 USMTS season begins and the first USMTS regional points battle gets under way. In just 35 days, that region's battle will conclude and assuming we get all the shows in as scheduled, we'll know who the first ever Mesilla Valley Transportation Gulf Coast Border Champion is and gets the $5000 that goes with being the GCB Region champ. We'll also know which racer still has a shot to collect $100,000 at next year's USMTS banquet. This year's USMTS banquet is this Friday 1/31 in Kansas City. (USMTS.com for more on it.)

 

The pre-entry deadline for the Feb 6th South Texas Speedway Thursday night 'first race of the season' is JAN 30TH! All PRE entries must be received or post-marked one week prior to each USMTS points race. It helps to enter early. It also is wise to purchase the regional USMTS license for $150 for a variety of reasons. There are 11 races in this inaugural Gulf Coast Border Region schedule. The first six take place in south and southeast Texas between Feb 6th and Feb 15th (10 days). Three are at South Texas Speedway in Corpus Christi -- the "Sparkling City by the Sea" which if you haven't been there, really is a pretty town down on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico -- and three are in Baytown, Texas about 30 minutes east of Houston at Royal Purple Raceway which is an absolutely beautiful facility featuring all paved pits and a state-of-the-art NHRA drag strip next door to the dirt track on the same property.

Just for grins, let me throw in that the 10 day weather forecast for Corpus now goes out as far as Feb 4th and the coldest temperature, night or day over the last 6 days of that forecast? 50! Highs in the 60s and 70s, lows in the 50s. (source: Weather.com) Think about that while you're trying to thaw out where ever you are tonight!

After we finish the first 3 races in Corpus, we'll have a 4-hour drive (250 miles) to make back towards the north to get to Baytown. With 4 days off to get there though, I don't see what the big hurry is. If the weather stays pretty, might even be worth going another hour or so south to the beaches, restaurants, clubs and such on South Padre Island. Maybe some gulf coast fishing or golfing will be in order. Lots of good places to eat and lots of good live music around too I guarantee.

When we get done at Baytown on the 15th, it's time for the big haul west across Texas. 11 hours (765 miles) to El Paso. Got 5 days off between Baytown and El Paso though. San Antonio is right on the way -- about 3 and 1/2 hours west of Baytown. Might be a good place to hole up for a couple days there. From El Paso Speedway Park to Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces is only an hour. Royal Jones owns both facilities and Jones is known for treating his racers right. Spending 9 days out there and racing 5 of them is going to be a fun time and a good experience for anyone who hasn't been before. The SNMS show is actually an extension of the annual Winter Meltdown Modified shows that Royal's been having for years. It's a long drive for many but ask anyone who's been and they'll tell you it's worth the miles. If you're a racer with the last name of Scott or Gallardo, your home when we finish up at Las Cruces on the 1st. Everyone else probably has a longer ride home than what they had to get to Corpus back at the start of this deal but on March 1st, you will have already completed a points season. Ever finished up a points season that early before?

USMTS.com explains all the benefits of having a USMTS license. Here's just one way it helps: If you buy a license and pre-enter all of the first six shows, it's worth a minimum of $180 in combined savings and payout over racing these same 6 shows without a license and then worth another $140 over showing up at the gate without a license and entering then. This with no racing luck at all as in missing ALL the A-mains. Doing it this way equates to a minimum of $320 in savings in just in the first six races. Making the A-mains makes the license even more worth it.

If you're running all 11 races, then of course you want the license. Not only does it pay $5000 to win the GCB Region points but it pays down 15 spots in the standings too. With a MINIMUM $30 savings per race, not buying that $150 license is actually throwing away money if you are going to race most of this region even if you miss a race or two. These shows together with winning the points pay a combined $37,000 to win for just 11 Modified races but naturally we all know that this is not without other multiple costs -- one of which is going to be these entry fees and license purchase which will cost you $1325 for these 11 shows even with holding the license and PRE-entering...

***But if you mail in or pay with a card all $1325 today and race at all 11 shows, even if you don't make a single A-main, you still get almost $1000 of it back -- $980 to be precise -- in tow money. Extra tow money (sometimes called 'non-qualifier pay' or 'B-main money') is awarded to those that have the license.

Another way to look at it is it's the equivalent of running for that $37,000 to win on an entry fee risk of just $345 only without non-qualifier or B-main pay being offered. Make all the A mains and the minimum combined start money for a licensed driver is $3250. That's a good pay out anyway you look at it. If you race these 11 without a license, it's still going to cost almost the same to enter -- $1285 -- because you don't get an entry fee discount without a license. Then if you don't make any A-mains, you'll get back $220 less ($760) in tow money plus you miss out on the better start money and a better paydown when you do make the A-main unless of course, you win the races. It pays the same to win the race whether you have the license or not but no $5000 for winning the points without a license. BUY the license.

To be clear though, NO license is required to race in any USMTS event. It's not forced on you. And you still get the advertised win amount either way.

If you've stuck with me this long, take a minute and study the entry form below. The lowest payout race (Day 1 Payoff) to a NON-licensed racer is still good pay! $2000 to win, $200 to start on a $110 entry fee with $60 tow-money back if you don't transfer out of a B-main. Paydown for this ONE-night show: 2000-1200-800-600-500-400-350-300-250-230-210-200 to start with 24 cars starting the A. (26 start if 41 cars or more enter) There are a lot of Modified series races and 'special' event modified races around the midsouth and other parts of the country that don't pay that well. And that's the lowest payout at any of these USMTS shows. It all goes up from there except some of those entry fees go down IF you buy a license and PRE-enter. Bigger payoffs on Day 2 and 3 at each and bigger payoffs still if you buy the license. In fact, just finish anywhere from 2nd to 9th in anyone of the four Day 1 race events and you just paid for your region license because all those spots pay at least $150 more than what I just typed above IF you have the Gulf Coast Border region license.

The first step though... enter these first 3 races by THIS FRIDAY 1/31 and get to Corpus Christi on Feb 6th. Ah, just go ahead and enter all 11 and get ready to ride! ;-)

 

Here is the entry form: