In an effort to head off any late-night weather concerns, officials at the Cedar Lake Speedway have announced that all start times for Saturday at the Modified Masters will be moved up one hour earlier than previously announced.

Saturday’s main event will produce the biggest winner’s check in the 19-year history of the USMTS, and the first time that the Cedar Lake Speedway will pay out $50,000 to win a Modified event.

While precipitation is a possibility later in the evening, event organizer and track promoter Steve Kaufman said the goal for tonight remains unchanged.

“We expect to have a legendary event tonight and a complete show,” Kaufman said. “We will do everything in our power to complete the show tonight, but what we will not do is give our drivers and fans a less-than-perfect racing surface.”

The pits open at 2:00 this afternoon and grandstand gates will swing open at 4:00. Hot laps will start at 5:30 with the first green flag getting unfurled at 6:00.

Each competitor battled in two 12-lap heat races on Friday night, with starting positions and driver combinations mixed. The top 12 in passing points were locked into Saturday’s championship race, and the order was determined by last night’s 12-lap Sybesma Graphics Pole Dash.

The next dozen drivers in passing points were locked into Saturday night’s 20-lap “B” Main and the next 12 to the 20-lap “C” Main. The remainder will run in a pair of 15-lap Last Chance Races to kick off  Saturday’s festivities.

MODIFIED MASTERS MAIN EVENT LINEUPS:

“A” MAIN (70 laps):
Row 1 – 99 Josh Angst | 19R Ryan Gustin | 20 Rodney Sanders
Row 2 – 2 Jimmy Mars | 91 Joe Duvall | 33Z Zack VanderBeek
Row 3 – 05 Jake Hartung | 97 Cade Dillard | 1ST Johnny Scott
Row 4 – 07 Cory Crapser | 49JR Jake Timm | 75 Terry Phillips
Row 5 – from “B” Main
Row 6 – from “B” Main
Row 7 – from “B” Main
Row 8 – from “B” Main
Row 9 – from “B” Main

“B” MAIN (20 laps, top 14 advance to “A” Main):
Row 1 – 69 Lucas Schott | 12 Jason Hughes
Row 2 – 44 Darrell Nelson | 7A Shane Sabraski
Row 3 – 22T Michael Truscott | 4B Cory Bruggeman
Row 4 – 10 Austin Arneson | 20RT Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 5 – 42 Paul Niznik | 55 Cory Mahder
Row 6 – 4R Dereck Ramirez | 2S Stormy Scott
Row 7 – from “C” Main
Row 8 – from “C” Main
Row 9 – from “C” Main
Row 10 – from “C” Main
Row 11 – from “C” Main
Row 12 – from “C” Main

“C” MAIN (20 laps, top 12 advance to “B” Main):
Row 1 – 1S Travis Saurer | 90 Steve Wetzstein
Row 2 – 21 Jacob Bleess | 91 Craig Thatcher
Row 3 – 96 R.C. Whitwell | 8 Kyle Strickler
Row 4 – 2G Kenny Gaddis | 18Z Zane DeVilbiss
Row 5 – 05 A.J. Diemel | 4M Bobby Malchus
Row 6 – 12 Jason Gross | 24 Brad Waits
Row 7 – from Last Chance Races
Row 8 – from Last Chance Races
Row 9 – from Last Chance Races
Row 10 – from Last Chance Races
Row 11 – from Last Chance Races
Row 12 – from Last Chance Races

LAST CHANCE RACE #1 (15 laps, top 6 advance to “C” Main):
Row 1 – 51 Chris Oertel | G3 Jake Gallardo
Row 2 – 05M Mike Mashl | 21 Joey Jensen
Row 3 – 29D Brad Dierks | 4W Tyler Wolff
Row 4 – R1 Brady Gerdes | 32 Shaun Peterson
Row 5 – 1ST Austin Howes | 19SB Lance Mari
Row 6 – 1M Curt Myers | 04JR Adam Ayotte
Row 7 – 33F Jardin Fuller

LAST CHANCE RACE #2 (15 laps, top 6 advance to “C” Main):
Row 1 – 7 Tyler Townsend | 30 Matt Leer
Row 2 – 48 Brent Dutenhoffer | 89X Dave Cain
Row 3 – 30 Pat Doar | 37X Skeeter Estey
Row 4 – 29 Tony Leiker | 11N Gene Nicholas
Row 5 – 2T Tanner Mullens | 3C Chet Atkinson
Row 6 – 8S Tony Schill | 37 Kelly Estey

Midwest Mods will also compete Saturday with a full program of heat races and features.

Plenty of great seats and camping are still available. All tickets and camping spots are sold at the race track. Adult general admission tickets are $35, students ages 6-16 are $15 and kids ages 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $45.

RacinDirt will have the entire production live with an explosive broadcast featuring a multi-camera production, dedicated host, pre- and post-race interviews, FK Rod Ends Instant Replay and other video elements. Visit www.racindirt.com to order your pay-per-view package today.

The Cedar Lake Speedway is a high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located 1.0 mile east of SR 35 on SR 64, then 4.2 miles north on CR C to CR CC, then left 1.8 miles. For more information, call (612) 363-0479 or (715) 248-7119 or check out www.cedarlakespeedway.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 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, Chix Gear Racewear, CP-Carrillo, Deatherage Opticians, Fast Shafts, Intercomp, KSE Racing Products, Leaf Racewear & Safety Equipment, Malvern Bank, MSD, Pace Performance, RacerWebsite.com, RacinDirt.com, RacingJunk.com, S&S Fishing & Rental, SToK Cold-Brew Coffee, 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, BSB Manufacturing, Day Motor Sports, Dickson Racing Shocks, E3 Spark Plugs, Edelbrock, FK Rod Ends, Forty9 Designs, Fuel Safe, Genesis Racing Shocks, GRT Race Cars, Holley Performance Products, Hooker Custom Harness, Integra Shocks & Springs, Jerovetz Motorsports Racing Parts, Keyser Manufacturing, Out-Pace Racing Products, QA1 Precision Products, Real Racing Wheels, Simpson Performance Products, Sweet Manufacturing, Swift Springs, Sybesma Graphics, Tire Demon, Wehrs Machine & Race Products, Wilwood Disc Brakes.