Nov18-20th: 4th Annual USMTS Texas Winter Nationals! Combined $9000 to win Modifieds!

Press release from Jeff Nunn:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

USMTS heavyweights headed for Houston Raceway Park

BAYTOWN, Texas (Nov. 10) – The Lone Star State will be overflowing with stars next week as dirt Modified racing’s elite head for the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, for the 4th Annual Texas Winter Nationals next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 18-20.

The season-ending event for the United States Modified Touring Series is expected to draw more than 70 of the best pilots from Texas and a dozen other states, all converging on the state-of-the-art 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval looking for their share of more than $50,000 in prize money.

A possible $9,000 to win is up for grabs over three days. Thursday’s winner will take home $2,000 while Friday’s first-place finisher pockets $3,000. Saturday’s finale will carry a $4,000 top prize.

What's more, the 2010 USMTS Southern Series champion will emerge from the weekend tripleheader that will wrap up the 2010 campaign.

Jason Hughes of Westville, Okla., is primed to capture his third straight USMTS Southern Series crown to add to his USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship he claimed less than two months ago.

Hughes has five USMTS Southern Series wins this season, but perhaps even more impressive is his 11 top-five finishes in 13 starts.

As it was last year, the battle for the USMTS Southern Series crown finds the two winningest drivers in USMTS history atop the standings coming into next weekend's title tilt.

This year, however, Hughes holds a commanding advantage over nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock entering the final weekend of competition.

With a nearly 200-point advantage, the top spot is essentially a foregone conclusion provided Hughes shows up and can muster an average finish of 14th over the three days, but the rest of the top-10 is a much different story.

Sooner State speedster Randy Timms is just 50 points behind Shryock in third, while Texans Rodney Sanders and Morgan Bagley are just a handful of markers back in fourth and fifth.

Bumper Jones, Ryan Gustin, Steve Holzkamper, John O Whittington and Steven Whiteaker Jr. round out the current top-10, with Shane Hebert a mere one point behind Whiteaker in the eleventh spot.

Others expected to stake their claim to a piece of the money pie next weekend are Tommy Weder Jr., Johnny Scott, Rory Jordan, Tracy Denby Jr., Dereck Ramirez, Troy Seidl, Zack VanderBeek, Ben Stephens, Jerry Standifer, P.J. Egbert, Jimmy Ray, Terry Phillips, John Webb, Jeremy Payne, Melvin Pilcher, Jon Tesch, Howard Willis, Trevor Egbert, Dustin Hyde, Mike Dillard, Randy Heston, Kyle Anderson, Wes Armstrong, Lee Patton, Darrel Dawson, Jeremy Ross, Stormy Scott, Nathan Bichsel, Jeremy Gossett, Jay Sale, Danny Barringer, John Allen, Chris Henigan, Bryan Rowland, Kyle Schmidt, Brandon Davis, Alan Sharpensteen, Jason Armstrong, Mark Noble, Philip Houston, Tristan Dycus, Robert Metz Jr., Jon Mitchell, Matt Newkirk, David Horner, Shane Killingsworth, Steve Miller, Kenny Battarbee, Kevin Battarbee, Derick Grigsby, Brad Lasater, Brent Nicholas, Cody Smith, Mark Smith, Shawn Stephenson, Travis Tucker, Michael Robertson, Hunter Rasdon, Patrick Linn, David Winslett, Brad Doherty, John Schwab, Allen Chickering, Chase Allen, Steve Pugh, Jeff Wood, Joshua Majek, Garrett Durrett, Clyde Dunn Jr., Ronnie Barbee, Bobby Malchus, Jarrod Havens, Danny Booth and more.

Paul White won the first-ever USMTS Southern Series event at Houston Raceway Park in 2007.

Since then, one-time trips to victory lane have also been made by Alan Mondus, Tommy Weder Jr., Johnny Bone Jr., Zack VanderBeek and Jeremy Payne.

Shryock has won twice at the Houston Raceway Park and Hughes has tasted victory four times in the thirteen previous visits.

In addition to the touring open-wheel titans of the USMTS, the racing card will feature Southern Limited Modifieds racing for $500, $700 and $1,000 to win, respectively. Southern Limited Modifieds may use the IMCA-stamped Hoosier 500 or H500 tire only.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17: A practice session for drivers in all classes will be held on Wednesday night. Gates open at 4 p.m. and practice will take place from 6-9 p.m. Admission to the grandstands is FREE. Pit passes are $20.

Wednesday night will be the only chance for drivers to practice as there will be no hot laps on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18: On Thursday, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m., grandstands open at 5 and racing begins at 6:30. Grandstand tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and children under 6 get in for FREE. Pit passes are $30. Featured classes will be USMTS Modifieds ($2,000 to win) and Southern Limited Modifieds ($500 to win).

FREE TICKETS: Race fans can enjoy all of the action on Friday and Saturday for just $10 per carload with a special FREE two-day pass! FREE grandstand tickets are available at O’Reilly Auto Parts Stores throughout the Houston area, or simply call the HRP ticket office at 281-383-7223 and they’ll hold your ticket(s) at Will Call for you to pick up on raceday.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19: On Friday, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m., grandstands open at 5 and racing begins at 6:30. Without your FREE ticket, grandstand prices are $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and children under 6 get in for free. Pit passes are $30. Featured classes will be USMTS Modifieds ($3,000 to win) and Southern Limited Modifieds ($700 to win).

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20: On Saturday, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m., grandstands open at 4 and racing begins at 6. Without your FREE ticket, grandstand prices are $15 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-12 and children under 6 get in for FREE. Pit passes are $35. Featured classes will be USMTS Modifieds ($4,000 to win) and Southern Limited Modifieds ($1,000 to win).

EVENT PAYOUTS:

Thursday – 1. $2000, 2. $1200, 3. $800, 4. $600, 5. $500, 6. $400, 7. $350, 8. $300, 9. $250, 10. $230, 11. $210, 12-26. $200, Tow $60.

Friday – 1. $3000, 2. $1800, 3. $1200, 4. $800, 5. $600, 6. $500, 7. $450, 8. $400, 9. $350, 10. $300, 11-26. $275, Tow $80.

Saturday – 1. $4000, 2. $2500, 3. $1700, 4. $1000, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $500, 8. $450, 9. $400, 10. $350, 11. $325, 12-26. $300, Tow $100.

Payouts above are for non-licensed drivers. Payouts for licensed drivers are even higher. 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, points funds, increased media recognition, a personalized driver profile page on the USMTS website and more. The cost of a USMTS Southern Series license is $200.

Early entry is $90 for Thursday, $110 for Friday and $135 for Saturday. Late or at-the-track entry is $100 on Thursday, $125 on Friday and $150 for Saturday. Early entries must be received or postmarked by November 15, or at practice on Wednesday.

TOP DOG BONUS: Drivers with perfect attendance and ranked among the top-10 in USMTS Southern Series points are guaranteed a minimum $300 in earnings. Drivers ranked 11th through 15th are guaranteed a minimum $200 in earnings.

RULES & PROCEDURES: All USMTS rules apply. Qualifying will be done by heat race passing points and “B” Mains. Draw for heat race starting spot ends 15 minutes before hot laps. RACEceivers and AMB transponders are mandatory and available for rent or purchase from the USMTS. For complete rules, visit http://www.usmts.com.

USMTS SOUTHERN SERIES POINTS STANDINGS:

Drivers Championship:
1. 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla. ... 1231 (5 wins)
2. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, Iowa ... 1039 (1 win)
3. 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla. ... 989
4. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas ... 960 (1 win)
5. 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas ... 933
6. 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M. ... 891
7. 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa ... 859 (1 win)
8. 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark. ... 850
9. 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas ... 829
10. 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas ... 796
11. 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La. ... 795
12. 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla. ... 735
13. 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 702 (2 wins)
14. 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas ... 621
15. 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan. ... 614

Other winners:
74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. (1 win)
99 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas (1 win)

COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year:
1. Mullins Race Engines, Mt. Olive, Ill. ... 118
2. ASI Racing Engines, Lubbock, Texas ... 92
3. Rowland Racing Engines, Cedar Hill, Texas ... 73
4. Sput’s Racing Engines, Owatonna, Minn. ... 65
5. CB Racing Engines, Houston, Texas ... 63

Chassis Builders Championship:
1. Hughes Racing Chassis, Colcord, Okla. ... 122
2. Skyrocket Chassis, Fertile, Iowa ... 93
3. TRE Race Cars, Fayetteville, Ark. ... 90
4. Larry Shaw Race Cars, Batesville, Ark. ... 71
5. Bob Pierce Race Cars, Oakwood, Ill. ... 66

The Houston Raceway Park is a state-of-the-art 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval with a main grandstand seating capacity of 7,500 which includes fourteen VIP luxury suites and boasts a modern Musco Lighting system suitable for television productions.

Located in Baytown, Texas, the track is located 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. Speedway entrance located at Gate 3.. For more information, call the track office at 281-383-RACE or visit http://www.houstonraceway.com online.

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