HOUSTON, Texas – Officials from the United States Modified Touring Series released the 2009 USMTS Southern Series schedule of events Friday, and are set to embark on a third straight season of racing for the premier Modified series throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

With many returning events as well as exciting new venues, a record 33 dates are penciled in at 16 top notch dirt track facilities.

The season will start with a bang with the 10th Annual GRT Race Cars Topless Modified Nationals at the I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. After a spectacular night of racing on Friday, Oct. 3, rain wiped out the Saturday night show. The event was postponed to Friday and Saturday, March 20-21, 2009, with an additional $2,000-to-win show added on Friday and the heldover $5,000-to-win contest on Saturday. Only new drivers that did not compete in Friday's show will be required to pay an entry fee.

The West Siloam Speedway in West Siloam Springs, Okla., will host the second doubleheader of the season on Friday and Saturday, April 3-4. The event, which pays $2,000 and $3,000 to win, respectively, is expected to attract a powerful field of entries as both USMTS National Tour and USMTS Southern Series points will be awarded.

The first trip into the Lone Star State happens on Friday, April 17, when the USMTS Southern Series heads to the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas, then onto the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas, on Saturday, April 18. An event is also slated for Sunday, April 19, at a yet-to-be-determined facility.

Friday, April 24, is also reserved for a venue yet to be announced before trekking to the Champion Park Speedway in Haughton, La., on Saturday, April 25. The tripleheader weekend wraps up on Sunday, April 26, at the Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La.

The month of May kicks off at the Lake Country Speedway in Ardmore, Okla., on Friday, May 1, with a much-anticipated return to Bo Rawdon's Cowtown Speedway in Kennedale, Texas, on Saturday, May 2. Again, several speedplants are being considered for an open date on Sunday, May 3.

The Battleground Speedway in Highlands, Texas, is on the USMTS Southern Series schedule for the first time ever on Friday, May 8, followed by events at the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, on Saturday, May 9, and the 105 Speedway in Cleveland, Texas, on Sunday, May 10.

After a one-month rest, the teams hit the road again for the 3rd Annual USMTS Southern Series Speedweek with six shows and six tracks slated over a six-day period.

Speedweek kicks off on Tuesday, June 9, at the Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Okla., From there, it's an encore engagement at the I-30 Speedway on Wednesday, June 10. Just across the border, Gene Boyter's popular Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, La., will host the USMTS Southern Series on Thursday, June 11, followed by the season's only stop at the Drew County Speedway (formerly Monticello Speedway) in Monticello, Ark., on Friday, June 12. On Saturday, June 13, the Fast Trax Speedway in Chatham, La., will host the USMTS Southern Series while a return to the Boothill Speedway on Sunday, June 14, will put the wraps on Speedweek.

At this point, the top-10 drivers in USMTS Southern Series points, along with all other drivers that have perfect attendance at USMTS Southern Series through June 14, will be qualified to compete in The Hunt for the USMTS National Championship, which will begin sometime in August and end with the 11th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

After a nearly three-month layoff, the USMTS Southern Series jumps back into action in full force with tripleheader of tripleheaders during the last three months of the year.

The Series returns to the Battleground Speedway on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1-3, with a top prize of $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000, respectively, for the weekend.

The Gator Motorplex welcomes back the USMTS Southern Series on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 27-29, will find the USMTS Southern Series sultans of mud-slinging back at the Texana Raceway Park in Edna, Texas, with another $6,000 payday possible for a driver that can sweep the weekend.

The 2009 season will again wrap up with the 3rd Annual Texas Winter Nationals at the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas. The three-day show on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 3-5, will feature a possible $9,000 to win over the three nights. 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.

The Houston Raceway Park finale will also serve as the setting for the crowning of the 2009 USMTS Southern Series champion.

USMTS SOUTHERN SERIES 2009 SCHEDULE:

Fri Mar 20 … I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR ($2,000 to win)
Sat Mar 21 … I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR ($5,000 to win)
Fri Apr 3 … West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, OK ($2,000 to win)
Sat Apr 4 … West Siloam Speedway, West Siloam Springs, OK ($3,000 to win)
Fri Apr 17 … Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Beaumont, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat Apr 18 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sun Apr 19 … TBA
Fri Apr 24 … TBA
Sat Apr 25 … Champion Park Speedway, Haughton, LA ($2,000 to win)
Sun Apr 26 … Boothill Speedway, Greenwood, LA ($2,000 to win)
Fri May 1 … Lake Country Speedway, Ardmore, OK ($2,000 to win)
Sat, May 2 … Cowtown Speedway, Kennedale, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sun May 3 … TBA
Fri May 8 … Battleground Speedway, Highlands, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat May 9 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sun May 10 … 105 Speedway, Cleveland, TX ($2,000 to win)
Tue Jun 9 … Tri-State Speedway, Pocola, OK ($2,000 to win)
Wed Jun 10 … I-30 Speedway, Little Rock, AR ($2,000 to win)
Thu Jun 11 … Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, LA ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jun 12 … Drew County Speedway, Monticello, AR ($2,000 to win)
Sat Jun 13 … Fast Trax Speedway, Chatham, LA ($2,000 to win)
Sun Jun 14 … Boothill Speedway, Greenwood, LA ($2,000 to win)
Thu Oct 1 … Battleground Speedway, Highlands, TX ($1,000 to win)
Fri Oct 2 … Battleground Speedway, Highlands, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat Oct 3 … Battleground Speedway, Highlands, TX ($3,000 to win)
Friday, October 23 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($2,000 to win)
Saturday, October 24 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($3,000 to win)
Fri Nov 27 … Texana Raceway Park, Edna, TX ($2,000 to win)
Sat Nov 28 … Texana Raceway Park, Edna, TX ($3,000 to win)
Sun Nov 29 … Texana Raceway Park, Edna, TX ($1,000 to win)
Thu Dec 3 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($2,000 to win)
Fri Dec 4 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($3,000 to win)
Sat Dec 5 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($4,000 to win)

Schedule is tentative and subject to change without notice. USMTS officials plan to announce regional alignments and the events comprising the Hunt for the USMTS National Championship in the next few days.

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.

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