BANNER, Ill. -- The traveling stars of the United States Modified Touring Series will hit the highway with five stops next week in Illinois and Missouri. Each race will pay $2000 to the winner and Advanced Auto Parts will be sponsoring the race on Wednesday and Thursday.

The series will kick off the swing on Tuesday night with a stop at the Spoon River Speedway on Tuesday night July 27th. Also running will be E-mods and Hornets. Gates will open at 4:30 with hot laps slated for 7:00pm with racing to follow. This race will be run on Hoosier tires A/D/H 40 tires will be legal for this race. On Wednesday night the series will make its second appearance of the season to the Peoria Speedway in Peoria, IL. Also running will be Hornets and Street Stocks. Gates will open at 4:30 with hot laps slated for 6:45 and racing to follow.

Advanced Auto Parts will be the sponsor of this race. On Thursday night the series will move to what is usually the Knox County Fair, but this season the fair was moved one week and the series was already scheduled somewhere next week so the race will continue. This will be a great race as last season fans were treated to some of the best action at the Knoxville big ½ mile speedway and fans were out of the gates before 10pm.

This race should be no exception as fans will not have to pay the extra money for the fair parking this season and several racers are planning on making the trip to Illinois this season. The Knoxville race will see hornets and street stocks also running with gates set to open at 4pm and hot laps slated for 6:45 and racing to follow. The Annual Knox County Fair will be held the following week and USMTS officials will still run the show during the fair and will pay $1000 to win the modified race during the fair.

On Friday the series will make its annual appearance to the Quincy Raceway in Quincy, IL, which has hosted some of the best USMTS races in the last four seasons with the race coming down to the wire on several occasions. Also running on Friday night will be Bombers and B-mods. Gates will open at 4:30 with hot laps slated for 7pm and racing to follow.

The final race of the swing will be the Walker Collision and Spillman Auto 35 at the Bentz GM Country Scotland County Speedway in Memphis, MO. This race is set for Saturday July 31st and racing action will get underway with hot laps at 6pm and racing to follow. This will be a must see show that will let fans see two USMTS Main Events as the last time the series visited the speedway eight laps were completed before the racing action was halted due to the rain.

The first USMTS feature will take to the track first with eight laps in the books with Memphis speedway regulars Tony Fraise and Mark Burgtorf in first and second position. Then another complete show will be run giving fans two shows for the money of one. This will be five great shows and drivers and fans should make there plans to attend this great swing.

Some of the expected drivers include: Kelly Shryock Fertile, IA, Mike Spaulding Bemidji, MN, Bruce Hanford Davenport, IA, Eddie Martin Stillwell, OK, Jason Hughes Colcord, OK, Johnny Bone Pea Ridge, AR, Willy Kraft Lakefield, MN, Kevin Peters, Monmouth, IL, Tommy Myer Blooming Prairie, MN, John Tesch Watertown, SD, Al Hejna Ventura, IA, Jason Krohn Slayton, MN, Craig Scott Rosemount, MN, Tony Fraise Montrose, IA, Mark Burgtorf Quincy, IL, Corey Dripps, Cedar Falls, IA, Brad Pinkerton New Sharon, IA Zack Vanderbeek New Sharon, IA, Brian Edel and John Vandenberg Oskaloosa, IA, Ryan Meyer Quincy, IL, Hank Delonjay Quincy, IL, Dan Chapman Clarence, IA, Brad McEwan Storm Lake, IA, Tommy Weder Woodward, OK, Garry Oskerson Fairmont, MN plus all the local favorites will be on hand at each race.