SPRING VALLEY, Minn. -- Somebody is leaving the Land of 10,000 Lakes with a $20,000 paycheck this Saturday, July 30, and so far 153 of the world’s best dirt modified drivers have added their name to the list of one-armed bandits staking claim to the prize.

The Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., will host the inaugural World Modified Dirt Track Championship presented by Hanson Tire Service this Wednesday through Saturday, July 27-30, with a whopping $20,000 going to the winner and each of the main event qualifiers pocketing a minimum $1,500.

The summertime blockbuster has attracted the biggest names in open wheel dirt modified racing, with the sport’s most talented drivers already pre-entered. The pre-entry list boasts 152 drivers from 19 states including Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin, plus two from the Canadian province of Ontario.

Drivers register to qualify on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, but may also purchase a “mulligan” that allows them to attempt to qualify a second day if they aren’t satisfied with their result on their first day.

Group time trials will be staged each of the three days along with heat races and main events with drivers earning points for their performances in each. The top-6 points earners each day will earn one of 18 guaranteed starting spots in Saturday’s championship main event, with the highest overall points earner during the three days of qualifying garnering the pole for the big dance.

Saturday’s program will feature an “alphabet soup” of main events that will culminate with a 31-car starting field for the championship race that will feature a three-wide start. Even if a driver has some tough luck during qualifying, he or she still has the chance to climb the ladder of main events on Saturday to earn a spot in the finale.

The 31st starting spot will be auctioned off prior to the start of the race, with the lowest bid starting at $2,000. Of that amount, $1,500 goes to that driver for that finishing spot while all additional money raised during the auction will be spread out among the drivers finishing 11th through 31st.

Nearly $100,000 has been earmarked for Saturday’s “A” Main alone, with a total purse of more than $160,000 posted for the four-day extravaganza.

SATURDAY PRIZE MONEY:

“A” Main: 1. $20,000, 2. $12,000, 3. $7,000, 4. $5,000, 5. $4,000, 6. $3,000, 7. $2,500, 8. $2,200, 9. $2,100, 10. $2,000, 11. $1,900, 12. $1,800, 13. $1,700, 14. $1,600, 15. $1,575, 16. $1,550, 17. $1,540, 18. $1,530, 19. $1,520, 20. $1,510, 21. $1,500, 22. $1,500, 23. $1,500, 24. $1,500, 25. $1,500, 26. $1,500, 27. $1,500, 28. $1,500, 29. $1,500, 30. $1,500.

“B” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. Transfer, 8. Transfer, 9. Transfer, 10. Transfer, 11. Transfer, 12. Transfer, 13. $1,000, 14. $900, 15. $800, 16. $700, 17. $700, 18. $700, 19. $700, 20. $700, 21. $700, 22. $700, 23. $700, 24. $700.

“C” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. $1,000, 8. $900, 9. $800, 10. $750, 11. $700, 12. $650, 13. $600, 14. $600, 15. $600, 16. $600, 17. $600, 18. $600, 19. $600, 20. $600, 21. $600, 22. $600, 23. $600, 24. $600.

“D” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. $800, 8. $700, 9. $600, 10. $550, 11. $500, 12. $500, 13. $500, 14. $500, 15. $500, 16. $500, 17. $500, 18. $500, 19. $500, 20. $500, 21. $500, 22. $500, 23. $500, 24. $500.

“E” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. $700, 8. $600, 9. $500, 10. $450, 11. $450, 12. $450, 13. $450, 14. $450, 15. $450, 16. $450, 17. $450, 18. $450, 19. $450, 20. $450, 21. $450, 22. $450, 23. $450, 24. $450.

“F” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. $600, 8. $500, 9. $450, 10. $400, 11. $400, 12. $400, 13. $400, 14. $400, 15. $400, 16. $400, 17. $400, 18. $400, 19. $400, 20. $400, 21. $400, 22. $400, 23. $400, 24. $400.

“G” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. $500, 8. $400, 9. $350, 10. $350, 11. $350, 12. $350, 13. $350, 14. $350, 15. $350, 16. $350, 17. $350, 18. $350, 19. $350, 20. $350, 21. $350, 22. $350, 23. $350, 24. $350.

“H” Main: 1. Transfer, 2. Transfer, 3. Transfer, 4. Transfer, 5. Transfer, 6. Transfer, 7. $400, 8. $350, 9. $300, 10. $300, 11. $300, 12. $300, 13. $300, 14. $300, 15. $300, 16. $300, 17. $300, 18. $300, 19. $300, 20. $300, 21. $300, 22. $300, 23. $300, 24. $300.

• Entry List
• Tickets
• Points Formula
• Info & Procedures

Some seats still remain for this week's historic event. Adult grandstand tickets for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are $25 while Saturday's championship finale is $30. Kids ages 12 and under get in the grandstands each night for $10.

Race fans can save $25 per adult ticket package by purchasing a four-day reserved ticket vs. individual day tickets. Visit www.deercreekspeedway.com to purchase them online or call toll-free 877-DCS-RACE or 507-754-6107. Tickets will be held at the Deer Creek Speedway ticket Will Call office for event day pickup.

The Deer Creek Speedway sits on 60 acres of scenic rural rolling hills with one of America’s most popular state-of-the-art racing complexes and a busy modern campground. The 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval is located 11.3 miles south of I-90 (exit 209) on US 63 (0.7 mile north of SR 16) in Spring Valley, Minn. For more info, call toll-free 877-DCS-RACE or 507-346-2342 on raceday or visit www.deercreekspeedway.com online.

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

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USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Swan Energy.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Cheetos, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, SLAP Energy, Snickers.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Day Motor Sports, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, DrySlik Dirt Trak Racewear, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Karl Performance Parts, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Race Cars, Ruter Farms, Sybesma Graphics, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, COMP Cams, CPD Racing Tools, Eibach Springs, Erson Cams, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Harness, Hypercoil Springs, ISKY Racing Cams, The Joie of Seating, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, RHS – Racing Head Service, Tiger Rear Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products, WIX Filters.