WEBSTER CITY, Iowa – Regional alignments have been announced for the USMTS National Tour, officials announced today.

For the 11th straight season, the rugged road warriors of the USMTS National Tour will thrill race fans in America's heartland with an aggressive 2009 campaign which features 63 events at 40 different venues in 10 different States.

The schedule is highlighted with return engagements to 31 facilities that hosted an USMTS National Event last season, one facility returning to the line-up after a two-year hiatus and eight new venues encompassing some of the most exciting dirt ovals in America.

For the sixth straight year, the USMTS National Tour campaign looks to kick off with a doubleheader at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb. The 6th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw is slated for Friday and Saturday, March 6-7. Friday’s event will pay $2,000 to win while the victor in Saturday’s main event will pocket $3,000. More than 70 entries are once again expected for the annual lidlifter at the 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval for the first race in the Great Plains Region.

The following weekend will find the USMTS touring titans at the Caney Valley Speedway in Caney, Kan., for the first time ever on Friday, March 13, followed by a Saturday date at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kan., on Saturday, March 14. Both shows will be the first points races in the always-tough Mo-Kan Region.

The Central States Region will begin on Tuesday, May 19, at the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Two days later on Thursday, May 21, the first event in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region takes place at the Cresco Speedway in Cresco, Iowa.

Tim Donlinger is the defending titleist in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region, while eight-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock captured the other three regional crowns in 2008. Donlinger went on to upset Shryock in the Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship, sealing the deal with a thrilling victory on the final night of the Featherlite Fall Jamboree at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

This year, The Hunt will start on Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the LA Raceway in La Monte, Mo., and wrap up back at Deer Creek with the 11th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-26, where the 2009 USMTS National Champion will be crowned.

Past USMTS National Champions include Shryock (1999-2006), Jason Krohn (2007) and Donlinger (2008).

2009 USMTS NATIONAL TOUR REGIONAL ALIGNMENT:

Great Plains Region (10 events):
Fri Mar 6 … Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE ($2,000 to win)
Sat Mar 7 … Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE ($3,000 to win)
Thu Jun 4 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, IA ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jun 5 … Murray County Speedway, Slayton, MN ($2,000 to win)
Tue Jun 16 … Park Jefferson Speedway, Jefferson, SD ($2,000 to win)
Wed Jun 17 … Casino Speedway, Watertown, SD ($2,000 to win)
Thu Jun 18 … Huset’s Speedway, Brandon, SD ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jun 19 … TBA
Sat Jun 20 … Adams County Speedway, Corning, IA ($2,000 to win)
Sun Jun 21 … Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN ($2,000 to win)

Mo-Kan Region (13 events):
Fri Mar 13 … Caney Valley Speedway, Caney, KS ($2,000 to win)
Sat Mar 14 … Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS ($2,000 to win)
Fri Mar 27 … LA Raceway, La Monte, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sat Mar 28 … Thunderhill Speedway, Mayetta, KS ($2,000 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 10 … Tri-City Speedway, Granite City, IL ($2,000 to win)
Sat Apr 11 … 24 Raceway Park, Moberly, MO ($2,000 to win)
Fri May 15 … Midway Speedway, Lebanon, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sat May 16 … Springfield Raceway, Springfield, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sun May 17 … Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jun 26 … U.S. 36 Raceway, Osborn, MO ($2,000 to win)
Sat Jun 27 … Lucas Oil Speedway, Wheatland, MO ($2,000 to win)

Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region (12 events):
Thu May 21 … Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($2,000 to win)
Fri May 22 … Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sat May 23 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sun May 24 … Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($2,000 to win)
Mon May 25 … Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI ($2,000 to win)
Tue Jun 2 … Hancock County Speedway, Britt, IA ($2,000 to win)
Sat Jun 6 … Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA ($2,000 to win)
Wed Jun 24 … I-35 Speedway, Mason City, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thu Jul 23 … Fayette County Speedway, West Union, IA ($2,000 to win)
Fri Jul 24 … Elko Speedway, Elko, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sat Jul 25 … Elko Speedway, Elko, MN ($3,000 to win)
Tue Aug 4 … Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA ($2,000 to win)

Central States Region (10 events):
Tue May 19 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)
Wed May 20 … Marshalltown Speedway, Marshalltown, IA ($2,000 to win)
Mon Jun 1 … Iowa State Fair Speedway, Des Moines, IA ($2,000 to win)
Wed Jun 3 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($2,000 to win)
Tue Jun 23 … Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thu Jun 25 … TBA
Wed Aug 5 … Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA ($2,000 to win)
Thu Aug 6 … Knox County Fairgrounds, Knoxville, IL ($2,000 to win)
Fri Aug 7 … Kankakee County Speedway, Kankakee, IL ($2,000 to win)
Sat Aug 8 … 24 Raceway Park, Moberly, MO ($2,000 to win)

Casey's General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship (18 events):
Tue Aug 11 … LA Raceway, La Monte, MO ($3,000 to win)
Wed Aug 12 … Monett Speedway, Monett, MO ($3,000 to win)
Thu Aug 13 … Springfield Raceway, Springfield, MO ($3,000 to win)
Fri Aug 14 … Humboldt Speedway, Humboldt, KS ($3,000 to win)
Sat Aug 15 … Heartland Park Topeka, Topeka, KS ($3,000 to win)
Thu Aug 20 … Steele County Speedway, Owatonna, MN ($3,000 to win)
Fri Aug 21 … Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, WI ($3,000 to win)
Sat Aug 22 … Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA ($3,000 to win)
Wed Sep 2 … Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA ($3,000 to win)
Thu Sep 3 … Buena Vista Raceway, Alta, IA ($3,000 to win)
Fri Sep 4 … Chateau Raceway, Lansing, MN ($3,000 to win)
Sat Sep 5 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($3,000 to win)
Sun Sep 6 … Dodge County Speedway, Kasson, MN ($3,000 to win)
Fri Sep 18 … North Central Speedway, Brainerd, MN ($2,000 to win)
Sat Sep 19 … North Central Speedway, Brainerd, MN ($3,000 to win)
Thu Sep 24 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($2,000 to win)
Fri Sep 25 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($4,000 to win)
Sat Sep 26 … Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN ($6,000 to win)

The Casey’s General Stores Hunt for the USMTS National Championship will be comprised of the final 18 races of the season. The USMTS points system will be used at all regional events, with the top-10 in the final standings for each of the four regions earning a spot in The Hunt. In addition, any driver who has perfect attendance in a region will also be qualified. After the completion of the regional schedule and base points have been established, the USMTS points system will be used at the remaining events for the drivers in The Hunt to determine the 2009 USMTS National Champion. For the fans, the The Hunt serves as a “playoff” for the ultimate prize in Modified racing. While handicapping gives a slight advantage to the drivers that compete on the entire USMTS National Tour circuit, any of the qualified drivers have a legitimate shot at capturing the crown.

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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PRESENTING SPONSOR: Casey’s General Stores.

OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, AwesomeRaceSuits.com, Awesome Racewear, Bear Tire Company, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Childhelp, Gressel Racing, Houston Specialty Products Co., Karl Chevrolet, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest Web Solutions, Q.E.M., Inc., Western Flyer Xpress.

PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boom Drilling, Buzzard Racing Engines, Day Motor Sports, Ramirez Race Cars, Olympic Fire Protection, Rookies Rockin’ Sports Bar, Ruter Farms, Yeager Machine.

CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Belleville Motorsports, BSB Manufacturing, COMP Cams, Duralite Racing Wheels, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, GRT Race Cars, Hawk Performance, Holley Performance Products, Hyperco, ISKY Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Quarter Master, QuickTime Performance Race Parts, Real Racing Wheels, US Brake.