Pentathlon of USMTS battles this Memorial Day Weekend

May 21, 2024

Five events are on the calendar for the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt this Memorial Day Weekend, and the individual racetracks will each offer a unique challenge for the Best of the Best in dirt modified racing.

The top prize dangling before their eyes is $3,000 on Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday while the winner will take home $5,000 on Friday and Saturday night.

Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway
Webster City, Iowa

After suffering four nights of rain-outs in the Lone Star State, eager racers return to action on Wednesday May 22, for the 14th Annual USMTS Spring Classic at the historic Karl Chevrolet Hamilton County Speedway in Webster City, Iowa.

Dating back to the first Fall Jamboree in 1999, the Hamilton County Speedway has hosted 25 USMTS events in 25 years. Kelly Shryock leads them all with four career wins in Webster City, while Ron Jones, Mark Noble, Jason Hughes and Johnny Scott each have two wins.

The late Kevin Pittman, Tommy Myer, Johnny Saathoff, Willy Kraft, Ryan Gustin, Jesse Sobbing, Cade Dillard, Jake O'Neil, Zack VanderBeek, Terry Phillips and Dustin Sorensen. Last year, Dan Ebert and Tom Berry Jr. both got their first checkers here.

The oldest racing facility in the Hawkeye State will be the only show of the Memorial Day Weekend awarding points in the Mel Hambelton Racing USMTS Central Region.

USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods, USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Tuners will also be racing. The pits open at 3 p.m., grandstands open at 5 and hot laps hit the track at 6:45 with racing to follow.

Opening in July 1910, the Hamilton County Speedway is the oldest speedway in the state of Iowa. In 1938, work began on the current location at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds. The semi-banked half-mile dirt track was completed in the spring of 1939, and the first races were held on the track in September of that year.

The racetrack is located off US 20 at exit 140, then 1.2 miles north, then 0.5 mile east on Bank St., then 0.4 mile south to 1200 Bluff St, Webster City, IA 50595 (at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds). For more information, check out hamiltoncospeedway.com.

Thursday, May 23, 2024
Fayette County Speedway
West Union, Iowa

From there it's four straight shows in the Collins Brothers Towing USMTS North Region presented by Featherlite, which gets going on Thursday, May 23, at the fast and furious Fayette County Speedway in West Union, Iowa, for the 11th Annual War in West Union.

Defending champion Zack VanderBeek joined Ryan Gustin and Terry Phillips last year as the only two-time winner’s in West Union. Jake Neal won the inaugural event in 2008 with Lucas Schott, Rodney Sanders and Dereck Ramirez also one-time champs here.

USRA Stock Cars, USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Tuners will also be racing. The gates open at 5 p.m. with hot laps at 7 and racing to follow.

FCS is a semi-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located 0.9 mile south of US 18 on SR 150, then 0.1 mile east on SR 56 (at the Fayette County Fairgrounds) to 504 S Vine St, West Union, IA 52175. Surf racefayettecountyspeedway.net to learn more.

Friday, May 24, 2024
Mississippi Thunder Speedway
Fountain City, Wis.

The wildly popular Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis., hosts the 12th Annual Spring Shootout built by LT Construction on Friday, May 24.

Jake O'Neil captured the last USMTS victory here on Sept. 2, 2022. It was his only win at Bob Timm’s clay-covered palace of speed. His son, Jake Timm is also a former winner at MTS and the current USMTS national points leader.

Few drivers know the fastest way around the Mississippi Thunder Speedway like Ryan Gustin, and his five career USMTS wins here tops the list. His resume also includes a thrilling victory in the USRA Modified Nationals where he held off Scott Bloomquist at the finish line, and most recently a World of Outlaws Late Model Series win last month.

Third on the list is Brad Waits, who has three USMTS triumphs with his first happening on the former Tri-Oval Speedway. Todd Scharkey, Kelly Shryock and Al Hejna also scored wins on the old configuration.

Two-time winners include Jon Tesch and Dustin Sorensen, while Tim Donlinger, Tommy Myer, Terry Phillips, Jason Hughes, Rodney Sanders, Zack VanderBeek and Lucas Schott have registered one win.

Four divisions in the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series are also on the card, including USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods, USRA Hobby Stocks and USRA Late Models. The pits open at 4 p.m., grandstands open at 5 and hot laps happen at 6:30 with racing to follow.

The Mississippi Thunder Speedway is a high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located three miles north of Fountain City on SR 35 to 2895 WI-35, Fountain City, WI 54629. To learn more, check out mississippithunder.com.

Saturday, May 25, 2024
Deer Creek Speedway
Spring Valley, Minn.

The road warriors head to the most-visited venue in the 26-year history of the United States Modified Touring Series on Saturday, May 25, for the 21st Annual LR Waste Services Southern Minnesota Spring Challenge at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

The high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located in the rolling hills of Southern Minnesota will be hosting Summit USMTS Modifieds for the 127th time on Thursday. The last 126 features have produced 47 different winners from 2002-2023.

Rodney Sanders claimed the victory in last year’s Featherlite Fall Jamboree opener, which tied him with Jason Hughes for the most USMTS wins at ‘The Creek’ with an astounding 14 career wins.

Nine-time USMTS national champ Kelly Shryock won the first-ever contest here in 2002—his first of 10 at the Deer Creek Speedway. Ryan Gustin has seven wins here while Brandon Davis, Tim Donlinger, Jake O'Neil and Terry Phillips each have five.

Jason Cummins and Brad Waits have four trophies, and three wins are on the books for Cade Dillard, Joey Jensen, Lucas Schott and Zack VanderBeek. Jim Chisholm, Corey Dripps, Jason Krohn, Dereck Ramirez, Ryan Ruter, Johnny Scott, Stormy Scott and Dustin Sorensen are all two-time winners.

The one-hit wonder club members are Steve Arpin, Jacob Bleess, Mark Burgtorf, Cayden Carter, Dan Chapman, Dan Daniels, Les Duellman, Tony Fraise, Jordan Grabouski, Mike Hejna, Chad Kinder, Dean Mahlstedt, Brad McEwan, Tommy Myer, Mark Noble, Jeremy Payne, Mike Sorensen, Mike Spaulding, Jon Tesch, Craig Thatcher, Jake Timm, Randy Timms, Darin Walker, Tommy Weder Jr. and Steve Wetzstein.

The USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks will both be in action on Saturday with pits opening at 3 p.m., grandstands at 4 and hot laps at 5:30 with racing to follow.

The Deer Creek Speedway is a high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval which sits on 60 acres just 15-miles south of Rochester, Minn., with one of America’s most popular state-of-the-art racing complexes and an adjoining campground. Driving Directions: Take I-90 to exit 209, then 11.3 miles south on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16) to 25262 US-63, Spring Valley, MN 55975.

Sunday, May 26, 2024
Pritchard Family Auto Stores Mason City Motor Speedway
Mason City, Iowa

The 120-hour grind wraps up Sunday, May 26, at the Pritchard Family Auto Stores Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa, for the 9th Annual USMTS Mod Mania which carries a $3,000 top prize to the USMTS winner.

Ryan Ruter, Mike Steensma, Kelly Shryock and Jason Hughes all got wins here when the former big half-mile was called I-35 Speedway. None of them have won a USMTS race in Mason City since then.

Topping the list is Tanner Mullens, who nabbed his fourth career feature at the North Iowa Fairgrounds in last year’s $25,000-to-win USMTS 25th Anniversary Silver Jubilee.

Dereck Ramirez has three wins here while Ryan Gustin has two—both happening on Aug. 13, 2017, for a makeup feature and regular program.

Terry Phillips and Jim Chisholm each have a pair of victories while Rodney Sanders, Cade Dillard, Lucas Schott, Dustin Sorensen, Jake Timm and Gary Christian have one apiece.

USRA Stock Cars, USRA B-Mods, USRA Hobby Stocks and Outlaw Mini-Mods are also racing. The pit gate swings open at 3:30 p.m., grandstands at 4 and hot laps kick off at 6 with racing to follow.

The Pritchard Family Auto Stores Mason City Motor Speedway is a 1/3-mile high-banked clay oval located 5.1 miles east of I-35 at exit 194 on SR 122 (at the North Iowa Fairgrounds). For more information, check out masoncitymotorspeedway.com.

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