RICE LAKE, Wis. -- Coming off a highly successful visit in April, the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS) is making a return visit to the Rice Lake Speedway on Thursday, Aug. 16, and not only will the stars of the USMTS be on hand but NASCAR star Kenny Wallace will be competing that night also to race his own Modified against the best open wheel drivers in the country.

The visit to Rice Lake will be the sixth race in the Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s Cup, sponsored by the Casey’s General Stores chain of convenience stores and gas stations across the Midwest. The series will visit tracks in Missouri, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin with the points titlist of the series to receive a cool $15,000. All races in the series pay $3,000 to win and at least $275 just to start the main events.

Nearly 60 Modifieds were on hand at Rice Lake for the April show, and a big field is also expected for their return visit. Such top name drivers as Ryan Gustin, Jason Hughes, Kelly Shryock, Stormy and Johnny Scott, Derek Ramirez, Terry Phillips, Jeremy Payne plus many others are expected to test the Rice Lake oval. Chris Brown from Spring, Texas, won the April race and he is also expected to be in attendance.

Top regional talent such as Dave Cain, Joey Jensen, Jason Thoennes, Jason Miller, Darrell Nelson and Kelly Estey are expected to give the travelers all they can handle while local favorites Kevin "Buzzy" Adams and Mike Anderson are also expected to challenge the USMTS regulars.

However, as an added bonus, track owners Dave Adams and Mitch Hansen have signed NASCAR star Kenny Wallace to make an appearance that night also. 48-year-old veteran from Missouri started his racing career in 1982 and is the youngest of the three racing Wallace brothers.

Rusty, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, and Mike, an accomplished racer himself, complete the racing family which grew up watching their dad, Russ, race the ovals in the Southeast Missouri area.

Wallace made his first NASCAR start in 1988 and has made the most Nationwide Series starts in the history of that series. He has also made 340 NASCAR Sprint Cup starts and hosts two programs on SPEED TV. Known as “Herman the German” and “The Hermanator” for his gregarious manner and enthusiastic personality, Wallace has also developed himself into an outstanding dirt track Modified driver. He will be bringing his own Modified to the Aug. 16 show and will be very competitive against the best of the best.

Also, not only will he race, but he will drive the Rice Lake Speedway two-seat Modified and will be giving three rides to fans through a lottery for which tickets can be purchased on race night. Wallace will also be available after the program to sign autographs for all the fans.

Along with the USMTS, the WISSOTA-sanctioned Super Stocks and the Rice Lake Speedway Pure Stocks will also run a complete program. The pit gate is expected to open at 4 p.m. with the spectator gates to open at 5. The draw cut-off for drivers is at 6:30 with the first race to hit the track at 7 p.m.

The Rice Lake Speedway is a semi-banked 1/3-mile oval located 1 mile north of Rice Lake, Wis., midway between Wisconsin Highway 48 and Barron County Highway SS. The track phone number is 715-236-2002 and Adams can be reached at 715-205-2861. For more information on the Rice Lake Speedway, visit the speedway’s website at www.ricelakespeedway.net.