HOUSTON, Texas — United States Modified Touring Series officials announced the 2008 schedule today for the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series. The current schedule boasts 22 dates at 13 unique racetracks in five different States, with encore appearances at eight of the best facilities from 2007 and five new venues that are sure to become instant classics.

Three or four additional dates will also be added to make for as many as 26 races on this season's campaign.

The sophomore season of the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series will begin on Friday, April 18, at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park (formerly Motorama Speedway) in Beaumont, Texas, for a $2,000-to-win event, followed up on Saturday, April 19, with another $2,000-to-win show at the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas.

Back-to-back doubleheaders are slated for the next two weekends, beginning on Friday, April 25, at the Sabine Speedway in Many, La., followed by three straight races where the USMTS banner will fly for the first time in series history.

On Saturday, April 26, the USMTS banner waves over the Pike County Speedway in Magnolia, Miss., for the first time ever as the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series invades for a blockbuster event. The following weekend finds the mud-slinging masters at the Lake Country Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., on Friday, May 2, before moving on to the Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas, on Saturday, May 3. All three shows will carry a $2,000 top prize.

Other first-time venues include the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark., on Wednesday, June 4, and Gene Boyter's popular Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., on Thursday, June 5. The O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series makes a return visit to the I-30 Speedway on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3-4, as the headlining act for the 10th Annual Topless Modified Nationals at Joe Clay's quarter-mile high-banked oval.

The 2008 season will again wrap up with the 2nd Annual Texas Winter Nationals at the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas. The three-day show on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-6, will feature a possible $9,000 to win for one lucky and talented driver. Thursday's show will be worth $2,000 to the winner, while Friday's main event carries a $3,000 top prize and Saturday's winner takes home $4,000.

Like each of the four regions comprising the O’Reilly USMTS National Tour, the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series will boast a separate points fund and awards. Drivers competing in the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series will have the opportunity to qualify to compete in The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship. The top-10 drivers in O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series points at the start of ‘The Hunt’ on Aug. 8 are qualified, along with all other drivers that have perfect attendance at O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series events through Aug. 7.

The USMTS will be celebrating its 10th Anniversary Season in 2008 with many special promotions to show thanks to the fans, drivers, team members, families and sponsors who have helped make the USMTS the premier dirt modified series in the nation. More announcements about the 2008 season will be forthcoming over the next few weeks.

The O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series gives top drivers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Texas and surrounding areas a competitive campaign that pits the best of the best in Modified racing under the banner of America's top Modified touring series. More than 400 different drivers from 15 different States competed with the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series in 2007. Eight-time O’Reilly USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock is the defending champ of the O’Reilly USMTS Southern Series, but it is unclear whether he will again venture far from his hometown in Fertile, Iowa, to defend his title in 2008.

The American Racer KK704 is the Official Racing Tire of the USMTS. Drivers not wishing to compete for points and/or points funds have the option of using the stamped Hoosier G60 tire. There is no requirement that a driver purchase a USMTS license in order to compete in any USMTS event. However, benefits enjoyed by licensed drivers include bonus payouts, reduced entry fees, increased tow money, contingency awards, points funds, provisional starting spots, increased media recognition, a personalized driver profile page at www.usmts.com and more.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, call the headquarters at (515) 832-7944 or visit www.usmts.com online for the latest news and information from the USMTS — America's Hottest Ticket on Dirt.

UNITED STATES MODIFIED TOURING SERIES
O’REILLY USMTS SOUTHERN SERIES 2008 SCHEDULE

Fri Apr 18 … Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Beaumont, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat Apr 19 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($2,000 to win)
Fri Apr 25 … Sabine Speedway, Many, LA ($2,000 to win)
Sat Apr 26 … Pike County Speedway, Magnolia, MS ($2,000 to win)
Fri May 2 … Lake Country Speedway, Ardmore, OK ($2,000 to win)
Sat May 3 … Cowtown Speedway, Kennedale, TX ($2,000 to win)
Fri May 9 … TBA
Sat May 10 … TBA
Fri May 16 … 105 Speedway, Cleveland, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat May 17 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($2,000 to win)
Tue Jun 3 … TBA
Wed Jun 4 … I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR ($2,000 to win)
Thu Jun 5 … Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, LA ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jun 6 … Monticello Speedway, Monticello, AR ($2,000 to win)
Sat Jun 7 … Fast Trax Speedway, Chatham, LA $2500 to win
Fri Aug 22 … Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Beaumont, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat Aug 23 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($2,000 to win)
Fri Oct 3 … I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR ($2,000 to win)
Sat Oct 4 … I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR ($5,000 to win)
Thu Nov 20 … South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christi, TX ($1,000 to win)
Fri Nov 21 … South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christi, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat Nov 22 … South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christi, TX ($3,000 to win)
Thu Dec 4 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($2,000 to win)
Fri Dec 5 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($3,000 to win)
Sat Dec 6 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($4,000 to win)

SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE

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USMTS TITLE SPONSOR: O’Reilly Auto Parts.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Race Tires, AMSOIL, Arizona Sport Shirts, BRODIX, Fast Company Performance, Holley Performance Products, Home Pride Companies, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Marsh Racing Wheels, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Olympic Fire Protection, Real Racing Wheels, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Yeager Machine.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Day Motor Sports, Featherlite, Gressell Oil Field Services, Hughes Racing Chassis, KraftKar Race Cars, McVicker Oil Fields, MUSCO Lighting, Rinehart Trucking.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, Bilstein Shocks, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Hyperco, Isky Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Racer’s Choice (RCI).