USMTS unveils preliminary 2017 campaign slate

[NickHolt]

USMTS unveils preliminary 2017 campaign slate

 

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa (Nov. 21) -- Officials from the United States Modified Touring Series have released an exciting and aggressive preliminary schedule of events for the 2017 campaign.

 

The line-up for the 19th season of USMTS competition features 77 nights of racing over the course of 269 days and is jam-packed with a mix of ongoing classic events at staple venues and new venues that are sure to please fans of dirt modified racing.

 

For the fourth year in a row, the season will launch in February with a flurry of three-day shows running through the end of March. Opening weekend takes place Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 9-11, with the inaugural event at the Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige, Texas.

 

Two weeks later, the series will trek to the State of Mississippi for the first time with stops penciled in at the Jackson Motor Speedway in Byram on Friday, Feb. 24, and the Whynot Motorsports Park in Meridian on Saturday, Feb. 24, with a third date yet to be announced on the following Sunday.

 

The 6th Annual Cajun Clash takes place Thursday-Saturday, March 2-4, at Gene Boyter's Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., followed by another tripleheader shoot-out the following weekend at the Southern Oklahoma Speedway in Ardmore, Okla.

 

The month of March wraps up in style with the running of the $15,000-to-win King of America VII Modified Nationals, March 23-25, at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan.

 

Several venues return to the calendar after being absent for one or more years. Kennedale Speedway Park in Kennedale, Texas, is back for the first time since 2013 on Friday, May 12, after two rain-outs the previous two tries and two wins by Johnny Scott in the two before that.

 

Another two-time victim of Mother Nature over the last five seasons-the Lonestar Speedway in Kilgore, Texas-looks to see the green flag for the first time since 2011 on Saturday, May 13.

 

On Tuesday, June 13, the USMTS returns to the Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, S.D., for the first time since Corey Dripps won the inaugural event in 2011, and the Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway in Oshkosh, Wis., will host the Best of the Best in dirt modified racing on Friday, July 14.

 

It will have been more than seven years later when the USMTS banner flies again at the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, Iowa, on Wednesday, July 19, and the Mid-America Speedway, South Coffeyville, Okla.-now under new ownership and managed by legendary racer Al Purkey-will kick off the 2017 Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup on Thursday, Aug. 3.

 

Finally, on Wednesday, Aug. 30, the series will make its way back to the Kossuth County Speedway in Algona, Iowa, for the first time since 2010 in a pivotal Labor Day Weekend clash during the Hunt for the USMTS Casey's Cup.

 

In addition to King of America VII in March, four other high-profile big-money special events are on the list. The 19th Annual Modified Masters will take place at the Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., Thursday-Saturday, June 15-17, with the single biggest paycheck in series history will be handed out when the winner collects a whopping $50,000.

 

Friday and Saturday, July 21-22, will see the USMTS join the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series once again for the 7th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals at the I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., with a $10,000 reward awaiting the winner.

 

Two big shows cap the 2017 season, beginning with the 19th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 21-23.

 

The curtain will close again next year with the 2nd Annual Chisholm Trail Showdown at the 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan., on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4.

 

Overall, more than a quarter million dollars are earmarked just for main event winners throughout the 2017 USMTS campaign trail, with more than $1 million in purses and points funds entering the pockets of the world's greatest dirt modified racers.

 

Tentative 2017 USMTS schedule:

 

Thu-Sat Feb 9-11 ... Inaugural Event - Cotton Bowl Speedway, Paige, Texas
Thu-Sat Feb 16-18 ... TBA
Fri Feb 24 ... Inaugural Event - Jackson Motor Speedway, Byram, Miss.
Sat Feb 25 ... Inaugural Event - Whynot Motorsports Park, Meridian, Miss.
Sun Feb 26 ... TBA
Thu-Sat Mar 2-4 ... 6th Annual Cajun Clash - Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, La.
Thu-Sat Mar 9-11 ... 5th Annual Event - Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Ardmore, Okla.
Thu-Sat Mar 23-25 ... King of America VII Modified Nationals - Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Thu Apr 20 ... 2nd Annual Cage Match - Atchison County Raceway, Atchison, Kan.
Fri Apr 21 ... 6th Annual Rumble on the River - Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.
Sat Apr 22 ... 9th Annual Missouri Meltdown - I-35 Speedway, Winston, Mo.
Thu May 4 ... 5th Annual Event - Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Ardmore, Okla.
Fri May 5 ... 2nd Annual Event - Wichita Speedway, Wichita Falls, Texas
Sat May 6 ... 8th Annual Amarillo Ambush - Route 66 Motor Speedway, Amarillo, Texas
Thu May 11 ... 3rd Annual North Texas Nationals - Superbowl Speedway, Greenville, Texas
Fri May 12 ... 3rd Annual Event - Kennedale Speedway Park, Kennedale, Texas
Sat May 13 ... 4th Annual Event - Lonestar Speedway, Kilgore, Texas
Thu May 18 ... 2nd Annual Event - Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, Minn.
Fri May 19 ... 3rd Annual Event - I-94 Speedway, Fergus Falls, Minn.
Sat May 20 ... TBA
Sun May 21 ... 2nd Annual Event - Mason City Motor Speedway, Mason City, Iowa
Thu May 25 ... TBA
Fri May 26 ... 10th Annual Event - Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis.
Sat May 27 ... 15th Annual Minnesota Spring Challenge - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Sun May 28 ... 10th Annual Event - Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa
Wed Jun 7 ... 6th Annual Event - 81 Speedway, Park City, Kan.
Thu Jun 8 ... TBA
Fri Jun 9 ... TBA
Sat Jun 10 ... 7th Annual Event - Adams County Speedway, Corning, Iowa
Tue Jun 13 ... 2nd Annual Event - Brown County Speedway, Aberdeen, S.D.
Wed June 14 ... TBA
Thu-Sat Jun 15-17 ... 19th Annual Modified Masters - Cedar Lake Speedway, New Richmond, Wis.
Wed Jul 12 ... TBA
Thu Jul 13 ... TBA
Fri Jul 14 ... Inaugural Event - Oshkosh SpeedZone Raceway, Oshkosh, Wis.
Sat Jul 15 ... TBA
Tue Jul 18 ... TBA
Wed Jul 19 ... 5th Annual Event - Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, Iowa
Fri-Sat Jul 21-22 ... 7th Annual Silver Dollar Nationals - I-80 Speedway, Greenwood, Neb.
Thu Aug 3 ... 4th Annual Event - Mid-America Speedway, South Coffeyville, Okla.
Fri Aug 4 ... 12th Annual Event - Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, Kan.
Sat Aug 5 ... 8th Annual Lucas Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout - Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, Mo.
Sun Aug 6 ... 11th Annual Missouri Nationals - Monett Speedway, Monett, Mo.
Thu Aug 10 ... 3rd Annual Event - Red Cedar Speedway, Menomonie, Wis.
Fri Aug 11 ... 3rd Annual Event - Amsoil Speedway, Superior, Wis.
Sat Aug 12 ... 6th Annual Event - Ogilvie Raceway, Ogilvie, Minn.
Sun Aug 13 ... 6th Annual Event - Mason City Motor Speedway, Mason City, Iowa
Fri Aug 18 ... 5th Annual Event - Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.
Sat Aug 19 ... 5th Annual Event - Salina Highbanks Speedway, Pryor Creek, Okla.
Sun Aug 20 ... 5th Annual Event - 81 Speedway, Park City, Kan.
Thu Aug 24 ... 11th Annual Event - Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa
Fri Aug 25 ... 5th Annual Event - Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, Iowa
Sat Aug 26 ... 8th Annual Event - Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, S.D.
Sun Aug 27 ... 9th Annual Event - Casino Speedway, Watertown, S.D.
Wed Aug 30 ... 3rd Annual Event - Kossuth County Speedway, Algona, Iowa
Thu Aug 31 ... 10th Annual Summer Spectacular - Fairmont Raceway, Fairmont, Minn.
Fri Sep 1 ... 5th Annual Event - Fayette County Speedway, West Union, Iowa
Sat Sep 2 ... 12th Annual Labor Day Duel - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Sun Sep 3 ... 14th Annual Cresco Bowl - Cresco Speedway, Cresco, Iowa
Thu-Sat Sep 21-23 ... 19th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree - Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn.
Fri-Sat Nov 3-4 ... 2nd Annual Chisholm Trail Showdown - 81 Speedway, Park City, Kan.

 

This preliminary schedule is tentative and subject to change without notice. Regional alignments will be announced as more dates are penciled in. To keep up with eveything happening, subscribe to the USMTS email list by signing up at https://goo.gl/T2Dqdj.

 

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, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts and Instagram at www.instagram.com/usmts or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usmtstv.