HOUSTON, Texas – United States Modified Touring Series officials have announced several changes to the remaining 2010 schedule for the USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series.

Dates for two events have been changed and events at two other racetracks have been dropped from the schedule.

The event scheduled for Sunday, October 10, at the 105 Speedway has been canceled due to operations ceasing at the Cleveland, Texas, oval.

“Due to some extenuating circumstances, we regret that 105 Motor Speedway is closed for the remainder of the 2010 race season,” said promoter Randy Waller, who also operates the Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas.

The race on Saturday, October 9, has been moved from the Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, to the Gator Motorplex. The weekend will open with a $2,000-to-win show at the Golden Triangle Raceway Park in Beaumont, Texas, on Friday, October 8, before moving to the Gator Motorplex on Saturday for another battle boasting a $2,000 top prize.

First-year promoter Jim Burford has also been forced to pull the plug on the two-day event slated for Friday and Saturday, October 29-30, at the Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La., but plans to host a USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series race in March 2011 at the newly-configured quarter-mile speedplant.

The USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series will wrap up the season and crown its fourth champion with the 4th Annual Texas Winter Nationals at the Houston Raceway Park. The marquee event is set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 18-20, and will award $2,000 to Thursday’s winner while Friday’s winner gets $3,000 and Saturday’s champion pockets $4,000.

USMTS CASTLE ROCK RECRUITING SOUTHERN SERIES 2010 SCHEDULE:

Thu Feb 18 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX (winner: Kelly Shryock)
Fri Feb 19 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX (winner: Jeremy Payne)
Sat Feb 20 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX (winner: Jason Hughes)
Fri Mar 19 … Outlaw Motor Speedway, Muskogee, OK (winner: Jason Hughes)
Fri Apr 16 … Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Beaumont, TX (winner: Jason Hughes)
Sat Apr 17 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX (winner: Howard Willis)
Fri Apr 30 … Wild West Speedway, Clinton, OK (winner: Zack VanderBeek)
Sat May 1 … Route 66 Motor Speedway, Amarillo, TX (winner: Rodney Sanders)
Sun May 2 … Lubbock Motor Speedway, Lubbock, TX (winner: Jason Hughes)
Thu Jun 10 … Tri-State Speedway, Pocola, OK (winner: Jason Hughes)
Fri Jun 11 … Outlaw Motor Speedway, Muskogee, OK (winner: Ryan Gustin)
Sat Jun 12 … Lonestar Speedway, Kilgore, TX (winner: Johnny Scott)
Sun Jun 13 … Ark-La-Tex Speedway, Vivian, LA (winner: Johnny Scott)
Fri Oct 8 … Golden Triangle Raceway Park, Beaumont, TX ($2000 to win)
Sat Oct 9 … Gator Motorplex, Willis, TX ($2000 to win)
Fri Oct 29 … Creek County Speedway, Kellyville, OK ($2,000 to win)
Sat Oct 30 … Creek County Speedway, Kellyville, OK ($3,000 to win)
Thu Nov 18 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($2000 to win)
Fri Nov 19 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($3000 to win)
Sat Nov 20 … Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, TX ($4000 to win)

With 13 races in the books, Jason Hughes leads the way in the points battle as he looks to claim his third straight USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series title. Kelly Shryock – a nine-time USMTS National Champion and the 2007 Southern Series champ – is second in the rankings, followed by Randy Timms in third, Rodney Sanders fourth and Morgan Bagley fifth. Sixth through tenth are Bumper Jones, Ryan Gustin, Steve Holzkamper, John O Whittington and Steven Whiteaker Jr.

POINTS STANDINGS (TOP 20):

1. 12 Jason Hughes, Westville, Okla. ... 1231 (5 wins)
2. 3 Kelly Shryock, Fertile, IA ... 1039 (1 win)
3. 5t Randy Timms, Wheatland, Okla. ... 989
4. 20 Rodney Sanders, Happy, Texas ... 960 (1 win)
5. 5r Morgan Bagley, Longview, Texas ... 933
6. 111 Bumper Jones, Mesilla Park, N.M. ... 891
7. 19r Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa ... 859 (1 win)
8. 5 Steve Holzkamper, Gentry, Ark. ... 850
9. 5w John O Whittington, Vidor, Texas ... 829
10. 89 Steven Whiteaker Jr., Corpus Christi, Texas ... 796
11. 9 Shane Hebert, Lafayette, La. ... 795
12. 02 Tommy Weder Jr., Woodward, Okla. ... 735
13. 1st Johnny Scott, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 702 (2 wins)
14. 7x Rory Jordan, Victoria, Texas ... 621
15. 25 Scott Green, Derby, Kan. ... 614
16. 51 Tracy Denby Jr., Vidor, Texas ... 612
17. 4r Dereck Ramirez, Woodward, Okla. ... 597
18. 20 Troy Seidl, Magnolia, Texas ... 585
19. 33z Zack VanderBeek, New Sharon, Iowa ... 516 (1 win)
20. 34 Ben Stephens, Hattiesburg, Miss. ... 496
Other winners:
74 Jeremy Payne, Springfield, Mo. (1 win)
99 Howard Willis, Dayton, Texas (1 win)

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and YouTube.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Castle Rock Recruiting.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, AwesomeRacesuits.com, GoPro, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, Kevko Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Allstar Performance, Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, Bad Boy Mowers, Bear Tire, Big Dog Chassis & Fabrication, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Cagle Motorsports, Centex Motorsports, DandyLand Farms, Day Motor Sports, Dirt Track Racing School, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Falcon Wind Power, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Gressel Oil Field Service, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Just Say Yes, Karl Performance Parts, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Race Cars, Ruter Farms, WIX Filters, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, Ai-Racing, Belleville Motorsports, ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems, COMP Cams, Dart Machinery, Dynatech Racing Exhaust, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, GRT Race Cars, Hooker Harness, Hypercoil Springs, Isky Racing Cams, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, Out-Pace Racing Products, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, QuickTime Inc, Real Racing Wheels, RHS – Racing Head Service, Schoenfeld Headers, US Brake, Willy’s Carburetor & Dyno Shop, WIX Filters.