USMTS invades Junction Motor Speedway this weekend; Practice night added on Thursday

For the seventh straight year, the best Modified drivers on dirt will kick off the action in the Cornhusker State as the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour invades McCool Junction, Neb., for a doubleheader at the Junction Motor Speedway this Friday and Saturday, March 26-27.

Sub-freezing temperatures and lingering snow three weeks ago hampered track preparation, and rather than subject fans and drivers to arctic cold and a possible rough racing surface, the event was postponed to this weekend.

Defending race winner Tommy Myer won from the 18th starting spot in 2009 against a stout field that included 55 entries. With a runner-up finish this past Friday at the Outlaw Motor Speedway in Oktaha, Okla., Myer will once again be among the list of favorites.

Several former winners are primed to return to capture another Nebraska Spring Thaw title. In addition to Myer, other past champions of this event expected this weekend include two-time winner Al Hejna, Jon Tesch, Jason Friesen, Corey Dripps, Mark Noble and nine-time USMTS National Champion Kelly Shryock, who captured the debut event at JMS in 2004.

Other ready-for-primetime road warriors expected include 2008 USMTS National Champion Jason Krohn, Zack VanderBeek, Dereck Ramirez, Scott Green, Steve Holzkamper, Mike Hansen, Mike Lineberry, Mike Steensma, Grant and Chase Junghans, Danny Booth, Brandon Davis, Nick Deal, Kent Willms, Josh Reisch, Don Gerritsen Jr., Andrew Gordon, Scott Ward, Jim Mathieson, Don Eischens, Anthony Mann and more.

Friday’s event will pay $2,000 to win while the victor in Saturday’s main event will pocket $3,000. Open Stock Cars and Two-Man Cruisers will also be on the racing card both nights.

An open practice will be held on Thursday night from 6 to 8:30 p.m. with free admission to the grandstands. Pit passes are $20. Pit gates will open at 12 noon on Friday, grandstand gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps are slated for 5:30 and racing is set for 7. On Saturday, pit gates will open at 10 a.m. and grandstands open at 12 noon. Hot laps are at 1 p.m. with racing at 2. Tickets each night are $15 for adults, $4 for kids ages 6-12 and children 5 and under are admitted free of charge.

Camelot Inn and Suites is the Official Host Hotel for the 7th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw. Located just 5.7 miles from the racetrack in York, Neb., Camelot Inn and Suites is offering a special rate of just $44.95 for race fans. This exclusive rate is valid for any single or double room with up to four guests per room, at no additional cost. For more information or to book your reservation, call 402-362-6885. This special rate is available only by calling the hotel directly and mentioning the code “JMS” when booking your reservation. For more information about the Camelot Inn and Suites, visit www.camelotyork.com online.

For those that can’t attend the 7th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw, there will be opportunity to watch the wheel-to-wheel action through XRN Race Cast – a high-quality Internet video pay-per-view. The broadcast will cover the entire racing show with lap-by-lap coverage, Motorstats.com Instant Replay, interviews and highlights. To order the USMTS Nebraska Spring Thaw, go to www.xrnetwork.com and click to proceed to the live player. Then just sign up for an account, purchase and sit back in the comfort of your own home with the mud-slinging Modifieds of the USMTS!

Located five miles south of I-80 (York Exit) on U.S. Hwy. 81, the Junction Motor Speedway is a state-of-the-art facility entering its seventh year of operation. The track is a super-fast, 3/8-mile clay oval boasting 80-foot-wide straight-aways, making for a lot of racing room for the drivers and a lot of wheel-to-wheel action for fans.

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 and Twitter.