A record crowd attended Saturday night's annual USMTS Awards Banquet in the Star Pavilion located at the Ameristar Casino Hotel in Kansas City as the United States Modified Touring Series celebrated the drives, crew members, sponsors and their families on the 2016 season.

Jason Hughes was celebrated as the 2016 USMTS national champion following one of the most exciting points races in the 18-year history of the series, and was awarded more than $40,000 for winning his third title and sweeping all three regions.

Ricky Thornton Jr. was officially awarded the 2016 Grant Junghans USMTS Rookie of the Year Award, Mullins Race Engines earned the COMP Cams Engine Builder of the Year Award and MB Customs Race Cars edged Hughes Racing Chassis by a single point to claim the Manufacturers Championship.

Saturday's ceremony was a joint effort for both the USMTS and United States Racing Association (USRA).

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: American Racer Racing Tires, Argo Manufacturing, Casey's General Stores, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, Summit Racing Equipment, The Joie of Seating, VP Racing Fuels.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arizona Sport Shirts, ASi Racewear, Brodix Cylinder Heads, Duvall Electric, ElbowsUp.com, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Oreo, Production Jars, Rancho Milagro Racing, RHRSwag.com, YouDirt.com.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: 905 Ink, AFCO Racing Products, Allstar Performance, Beyea Custom Headers, BigDeal Car Care, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Integra Shocks & Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Sweet Manufacturing, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wilwood Disc Brakes.