USMTS locked and loaded for Lone Star State doubleheader

[rebelracewriter]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, May 10, 2010

 

USMTS locked and loaded for Lone Star State doubleheader

 

DALLAS, Texas (May 10); The battle for supremacy in the USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series continues this coming weekend with a duo of pivotal contests deep in the heart of Texas.

 

Two highly-competitive quarter-mile clay ovals that demand more in handling and driver ability and less from horsepower will make for some exciting action that no dirt Modified fan in the Lone Star State should miss.

 

Action moves to the Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale on Saturday, May 15, and wraps up on Sunday, May 16, at the Heart O' Texas Speedway in Elm Mott.

 

Each of the two blockbuster events will pay $2,000 to the winner and a minimum $200 to start the WIX Filters A-Main. The series visited Cowtown in 2008, but Heart O' Texas Speedways will be the first ever under the United States Modified Touring Series banner.

 

Nine races have been completed so far in the 2010 USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series campaign, with 19 contests left to determine who will wear the heavyweight title belt.

 

Defending series champ Jason Hughes took command of the points lead when we started out at the Houston Raceway Park in February and the 35-year-old from Westville, Okla., shows no signs of letting, until this weekend that is."I've got some commitments to drive a Late Model and, unfortunately, will have to miss this weekend's races as well as some National Tour shows at the end of May," Hughes said. "With the format this year, we are still in good shape to win the (USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series) championship if we can stay on top of our game."

 

Twenty-eight events are on the 2010 USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series calendar, with a driver's best 20 points finishes determining the champion. With four wins and eight top-5 finishes in his first nine starts, Hughes has the inside track to the crown but will likely relinquish the top spot in the standings after this weekend's tripleheader.

 

Nine-time USMTS National Champion and 2007 USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, sits second in the standings behind Hughes, while Rodney Sanders of Happy is third after a strong showing two weeks ago that found him in victory lane at the Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo. Longview's Morgan Bagley is fourth while Bumper Jones of Mesilla Park, N.M., rounds out the top five.

 

Other top-shelf drivers expected for this weekend's events include Randy Timms, Dereck Ramirez, Steve Holzkamper, Zack VanderBeek, Ryan Gustin, Shane Hebert, Steven Whiteaker Jr., Tommy Weder Jr., John O Whittington, Grant Junghans, Rory Jordan, Troy Seidl, Tracy Denby Jr., Jerry Standifer, Melvin Pilcher, Johnny Scott, Jon Tesch, John Webb, Howard Willis, Ben Stephens, Randy Heston, Dustin Hyde, Nathan Bichsel, Jeremy Gossett, Jay Sale, Danny Barringer and more.

 

SATURDAY, MAY 15, COWTOWN SPEEDWAY

 

After a thrilling event in 2008, race fans at the Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale missed out on an encore when Mother Nature rained out an appearance in 2009. Hughes finished fourth in the 2008 event while three Cowtown locals – George White, Bryan Sugg and Glenn Leuschner – successfully defended their home turf and claimed the top three spots.

 

Pit gates will open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5, hot laps are at 6:30 and the green flag waves at 7 p.m. Limited Mods, Winged 600s, Bombers and Dwarf Cars will round out the evening's menu.

 

Nineteen-year-old USMTS phenom Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, will be pulling double duty as he will also pilot Shannon Young's SLY1 Sport Mod Saturday night at Cowtown. Young, better known as "Slider" to the Internet community, has had many different drivers pilot his Sport Mod, including Keith White, Paul White, Sean Jones and Henry Witt just to name a few. To learn more about Young's story, check out www.sliderracing.com.

 

The Cowtown Speedway is a quarter-mile high-banked clay oval located 1.7 miles southeast of I-20 (Exit 442-A) on Mansfield Hwy., then 1.4 miles southwest on New Hope Rd. For more information, call the business office at 817-313-8563 or 817-478-9952 on race day or check out www.cowtownspeedway.com online.

 

Advance general admission adult tickets can be purchased for just $15 through May 14 and will be $18 on the day of the race. Kids ages 3-5 will be $2 and Youth ages 6-12 will be $5. Advance reserved-seat tickets can be purchased now for just $17 and will be $20 on the day of the race. Ages 12 and under advance reserved-seat tickets are on sale now for $7 and will be $10 on race day. Just click www.cowtownspeedway.com then click the ‘Tickets’ link at the bottom of the home page to get yours.

 

SUNDAY, MAY 16, HEART O’ TEXAS SPEEDWAY

 

Sunday, May 16, is sure to be a barn-burner at the popular Heart O’ Texas Speedway bullring. USMTS regulars will once again discover a tough field of weekly competitors looking to keep the bulk of the purse in their own checking accounts.

 

Entering its 45th year of operation, the Heart O' Texas Speedway is a quarter-mile high-banked dirt oval located 7 miles north of Waco on I-35 (Exit 343). The original Heart O' Texas Speedway opened in 1955 just a few miles from the current location, which has been in operation since 1966. Dirt track racing in Waco dates back to 1916 at the Texas Cotton Palace Fairgrounds half-mile oval. Racing continued at the fairgrounds until the 1940s when the Suicide Bowl opened where Lake Waco now sits.

 

Pit gates swing open at 3 p.m. and grandstands will open at 4. Hot laps will start at 5:30 and the first heat race takes to the track at 6 p.m. Local Sport Mods and Pure Stocks will complete the racing card.

 

Call 254-776-1576 for more information or 254-829-2294 on race day or visit the track’s website at www.heartotexspeedway.com.

 

USMTS CASTLE ROCK RECRUITING SOUTHERN SERIES POINTS STANDINGS

 

Drivers Championship:

1. 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla. ... 871 (4 wins)

2. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa ... 717 (1 win)

3. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas ... 684 (1 win)

4. 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas ... 682

5. 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M. ... 677

6. 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla. ... 656

7. 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan. ... 614

8. 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. ... 597

9. 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark. ... 578

10. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ... 516 (1 win)

11. 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa ... 510

12. 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La. ... 494

13. 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas ... 490

14. 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla. ... 486

15. 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas ... 464

16. 2 Grant Junghans, Manhattan, Kan. ... 449

17. 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas ... 416

18. 20 Troy Seidl, Magnolia, Texas ... 405

19. 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas ... 394

20. 75 Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. ... 377

21. 2 Jerry Standifer, Howe, Okla. ... 372

22. 74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. ... 363 (1 win)

23. 47 Melvin Pilcher, Springdale, Ark. ... 361

24. 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 360

25. 14 Jon Tesch, Watertown, S.D. ... 345

26. 87 John Webb, Pauls Valley, Okla. ... 330

27. 99 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas ... 325 (1 win)

28. 34 Ben Stephens, Hattiesburg, Miss. ... 306

29. 69 Randy Heston, Stinnett, Texas ... 270

30. 8j Dustin Hyde, Texarkana, Texas ... 252

31. 2s Stormy Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 247

32. 58 Nathan Bichsel, Amarillo, Texas ... 238

33. 186 Jeremy Gossett, Amarillo, Texas ... 230

34. 64 Jay Sale, Edmond, Okla. ... 225

34. 68 Danny Barringer, Lufkin, Texas ... 225

36. 00 Darrel Dawson, Midlothian, Texas ... 215

37. 98 John Allen, Chanute, Kan. ... 214

38. 20r Bryan Rowland, Woodward, Okla. ... 205

39. 707 P.J. Egbert, Copperas Cove, Texas ... 191

39. 10 Kyle Schmidt, Farmington, Ark. ... 191

41. 23 Brandon Davis, Castle Rock, Colo. ... 180

42. 75 Alan Sharpensteen, Amarillo, Texas ... 179

43. JP5 Lee Patton, Ruston, La. ... 175

44. 9 Jimmy Ray, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 166

45. 66x Mike Dillard, Allen, Texas ... 162

45. 74 Mark Noble, Blooming Prairie, Minn. ... 162

47. 71 Philip Houston, Odesa, Texas ... 154

48. 14t Tristan Dycus, Midlothian, Texas ... 149

49. 5 Jon Mitchell, Texarkana, Texas ... 145

50. 99n Matt Newkirk, Amarillo, Texas ... 143

51. 56 David Horner, Houston, Texas ... 142

52. 9 Shane Killingsworth, Dallas, Texas ... 140

52. 8 Steve Miller, Georgetown, Texas ... 140

54. 55 Kyle Anderson, Tomball, Texas ... 135

54. 5a Wes Armstrong, Marshall, Texas ... 135

54. 10 Kenny Battarbee, Houston, Texas ... 135

54. 15 Kevin Battarbee, Houston, Texas ... 135

54. 99 Derick Grigsby, Marshall, Texas ... 135

54. 17 Brad Lasater, Garland, Texas ... 135

54. 9 Brent Nicholas, Baytown, Texas ... 135

54. 18s Cody Smith, Kaufman, Texas ... 135

54. 7g Mark Smith, Lufkin, Texas ... 135

54. 190 Shawn Stephenson, Howe, Texas ... 135

54. 410 Travis Tucker, Whitehouse, Texas ... 135

65. 16 Chris Henigan, Marshall, Texas ... 119

66. R5 Hunter Rasdon, Jonesboro, Ark. ... 114

67. 410 Brad Doherty, Ennis, Texas ... 103

68. 5j John Schwab, Liberal, Kan. ... 100

69. 26 Allen Chickering, Okarche, Okla. ... 95

70. 30 Chase Allen, Midlothian, Texas ... 90

70. 56 Steve Pugh, Anderson, Texas ... 90

70. 51 Jeff Wood, Willis, Texas ... 90

70. 82 Joshua Majek, Corpus Christi, Texas ... 90

74. 4 Ronnie Barbee, Siloam Springs, Ark. ... 55

75. 21 Jarrod Havens, Muskogee, Okla. ... 45

75. 38 Jeremy Ross, Locust Grove, Okla. ... 45

75. 58c Garrett Durrett, Simsboro, La. ... 45

 

“Just Say Yes” Rookie of the Year:

1. Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas ... 416

2. Troy Seidl, Magnolia, Texas ... 405

3. Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas ... 394

4. Jerry Standifer, Howe, Okla. ... 372

5. Melvin Pilcher, Springdale, Ark. ... 361

 

WIX Filters Lap Leaders:

1. Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla. ... 119

2. Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas ... 40

2. Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M. ... 40

4. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ... 35

5. Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. ... 24

 

AFCO Pole Award:

1. Scott Green, Derby, Kan. ... 81

2. Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas ... 70

3. Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas ... 68

4. Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla. ... 61

5. Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ... 51

 

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year:

1. Mullins Race Engines, Mt. Olive, Ill. ... 82

2. Sput’s Racing Engines, Owatonna, Minn. ... 55

3. ASI Racing Engines, Lubbock, Texas ... 54

4. Rowland Racing Engines, Cedar Hill, Texas ... 51

5. Hatfield Racing Engines, Joplin, Mo. ... 37

 

Chassis Builders Championship:

1. Hughes Racing Chassis, Colcord, Okla. ... 82

2. Skyrocket Chassis, Fertile, Iowa ... 65

3. TRE Race Cars, Fayetteville, Ark. ... 61

4. Larry Shaw Race Cars, Batesville, Ark. ... 56

5. Ramirez Race Cars, Woodward, Okla. ... 50

 

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

 

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[rebelracewriter]

Grand Prairie has canceled their Friday night show 5/14......No track has been added to fill the void at this time, through there are discussions in the works.