Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Chanute, Kan., welcomes race fans and travelers as the Official Host Hotel for King of America VIII presented by Summit Racing Equipment, Wednesday-Saturday, March 14-17, when America’s Best of the Best invade the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan.

Located just 10 minutes south of Humboldt on Highway 169, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chanute is a brand new hotel which just opened last month at 3401 N. Blue Comet Dr. in Chanute, Kan. Take the exit toward 190th Rd/W Chanute 35 Pkwy and then turn left onto the property.

At Chanute’s newest and most modern hotel, you will enjoy amenities such as Express Start Hot Breakfast, heated indoor pool, business center and wonderfully appointed guest rooms with free high-speed interne, and a spacious fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment. You may even want to sit out and relax under the stars on our outdoor patio while your dinner sizzles on one of our barbeque grills.

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Chanute is here to provide their guests with a clean and comfortable room with friendly attentive service. “Stay Smart” and count on them to provide you with a memorable experience, exceptional service and a hotel you will call your “home away from home.”

For reservations, call the hotel front desk at (620) 431-0817 or 888-HOLIDAY, or book your reservation online at https://www.ihg.com/holidayinnexpress/hotels/us/en/chanute/ppfks/hoteldetail. Be sure to mention King of America or USMTS when booking.

The King of America VIII Modified Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment happens Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 15-17, when America’s Best of the Best dirt modified drivers invade the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., for a blockbuster event that will culminate with Saturday’s $10,000-to-win, $1,000-to-start championship race.

Six different drivers have claimed the throne in the first seven installments of the United States Modified Touring Series crown jewel event. Marshalltown, Iowa’s Ryan Gustin won in 2013 and became the first repeat winner in last year’s event. Zack VanderBeek of New Sharon, Iowa, captured the crown in 2016 after a thrilling late-race battle with 2014 race winner Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas.

Four-time USMTS national champion Jason Hughes of Watts, Okla., was the 2015 champion, Stormy Scott of Las Cruces, N.M., topped the 2012 event and nine-time USMTS titlist Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa, claimed the inaugural King of America crown in 2011.

Thursday will feature a $2,500-to-win national points race in the USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup. On Friday, each driver will compete in three heat races from three different starting positions. Passing points will be combined for all three heats with the top 12 in overall points locked into Saturday’s “A” Main.

The next 12 drivers will be locked into Saturday’s “B” Main, the next 12 into Saturday’s “C” Main and the remainder will run in last-chance races on Saturday.

Saturday will feature an “alphabet soup” of features and last-chance races as drivers try to claw their way into a spot for the $10,000-to-win, $1,000-to-start finale.

New for this year will be a Non-Qualifiers Race for the top 30 drivers unable to transfer out of the qualifying features. All 30 drivers will redraw for starting position. This race will pay $1,000 to win and $1,000 for second. The top two finishers will have the option to keep the money or start the King of America main event which pays $1,000 to start. The Non-Qualifiers Race will pay a minimum $300 to start with a great payout all the way through.

For Friday and Saturday, the entry fee for Modifieds is $250 through Wednesday, March 14, which can be purchased during open practice. The entry fee is $300 after Wednesday or at the track on race day. Thursday’s USMTS Hunt for the Casey’s Cup event has a separate entry fee and form. Entry forms, rules, license applications and more can be found at www.usmts.com/downloads.

The Iron Man Challenge featuring Out-Pace USRA B-Mods will run a complete show of heat races and main events all three days, racing for $600 to win Thursday, $1,500 to win Friday and $1,000 to win Saturday. National points in the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series will also be up for grabs.

USRA entry forms, rules, license applications and more can be found at www.usraracing.com/downloads.

Three-day reserved seats are just $60, and each day comes with a full-color commemorative event ticket. Single-day tickets on Thursday and Friday are $20 each while Saturday’s show is $25. Youth ages 6-12 get in for $5 on Thursday and Friday and $10 on Saturday. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free of charge all three days. Pit passes are $40 each day or $110 for a three-day pit pass.

Gates open at 5 p.m. with racing at 7:30 on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s start times are one hour earlier with the first green flag waving at 6:30.

There will be an open practice for all drivers on Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. Admission to the grandstands is free. Pit passes are $20.

Every lap of every race all three days will be broadcast live via pay-per-view at www.RacinDirt.com.

The Humboldt Speedway is a located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. For more information, call (620) 431-2470 or visit www.humboldtspeedway.com.

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. Keep up to speed with everything USMTS by joining our email list at www.usmts.com/subscribe.

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USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: Alpinestars, American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey’s General Stores, Chevrolet Performance, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, Mesilla Valley Transportation, MSD Performance, Nitroquest Media, Pace Performance, RacinDirt.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, Summit Racing Equipment, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Boubin Tire & Automotive, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, Eagle Moon Farm, ElbowsUp.com, Evolution Powersports, Oreo Cookies, PBM Performance Products, Production Jars, Rancho Milagro Racing, River’s Edge Scrap Management, Snickers, Spike Hardcore Energy, Top of the World Ranch, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Alpine Stars, Beyea Custom Headers, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, BSB Manufacturing, Champ Pans, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Harness, Integra Shocks & Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Maxima Racing Oils, Mr. Gasket, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1, RacerWebsite.com, Real Racing Wheels, RHRSwag.com, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.