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from USMTS's Jeff Nunn,

HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 5) -- United States Modified Touring Series officials have announced that the inaugural event for the newly-formed USMTS Southern Series will kick off with a doubleheader at Enid (Okla.) Speedway Park, March 30-31, and end with a three-day extravaganza in November at South Texas Speedway in Corpus Christi, Texas, with nine events currently scheduled for the best Modified pilots in the South.

Enid Speedway Park debut will feature some of the top Modified drivers from tthroughout the South as Friday's main event winner will earn $2,000 while Saturday's top dog will pocket $3,000. Each night, race fans will be treated to some great Modified racing with heat races, consolations and a feature event, along with local support classes. Gates are slated to open both days at 3 p.m., with the first green flag waving at 7 p.m. Enid Speedway Park will also present Street Stocks and E-Mods on the racing card both nights.

The new USMTS Southern Series will wind up at South Texas Speedway with three shows in November. The event will pay $1,000 to win on Thursday, Nov. 15 and $2,000 to win on Friday, Nov. 16. The USMTS Southern Series championship will conclude with a $3,000-to-win event on Saturday, Nov. 17.

Three other venues are penciled in along the way. Sabine Speedway in Many, La., will host a USMTS Southern Series tripleheader April 19-21 with $6,000 possible to win. A huge field of cars are expected for the Sabine Speedway event, as well as a big crowd action-hungry fans at the 1/4-mile oval. Monticello (Ark.) Speedway and Fast Trax Speedway in Chatham, La., will host a weekend doubleheader on Friday and Saturday, July 27-28. Each event pays $2,000 to win and $200 to start and has a purse of more than $12,000 per show. Monticello Speedway promoters Joe and Michelle Chapman have built an absolutely beautiful 3/8-mile clay oval, while Billy and Sandra Bagwell have also made a show-piece out of the historic Fast Trax Speedway (formerly Super Bee Speedway) since purchasing the facility several seasons ago. Both tracks feature exceptionally good racing clay, improved banking and great track prep that makes for some excellent Modified racing.

Each show will include heat races, "B" mains and an "A" main. The top eight drivers earning passing points in the heat races will redraw for starting positions 1-8 in the main event, while the next four in passing points will fill the fifth and sixth rows of the "A" main. All others will compete in two or more "B" mains to fill out the 24-car "A" main starting field.

Three of the biggest stars of the O'Reilly USMTS national tour have already committed to running against the best the South has to offer at the Monticello and Fast Trax Speedway shows, including Blooming Prairie, Minn.'s Tommy Myer, Iowa's Brad McEwan behind the wheel of the BORCO Motorsports machine and eight-time O'Reilly USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa.

Like each of the four regions comprising the O'Reilly USMTS national tour, the USMTS Southern Series will boast a separate points fund and drivers competing in the USMTS Southern Series will have the opportunity to qualify to compete in 'The Hunt' for the O'Reilly USMTS National Championship. The top 10 in USMTS Southern Series points at the start of 'The Hunt' will qualify, as well as all other drivers with perfect attendance at USMTS Southern Series events up to that date.

The American Racer KK704 is the Official Tire of the USMTS Southern Series, but drivers not wishing to compete for points and/or points funds have the option to utilize the Hoosier G60 tire. There is no requirement that a driver purchase a USMTS license to compete in any USMTS event. However, benefits enjoyed by licensed drivers includes bonus payouts, increased tow money, contingency awards, points funds eligibility, provisional starting spots, increased media recognition, a personalized driver profile page at www.usmts.com and more.

The USMTS Southern Series will give top drivers from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and surrounding areas a series that pits the best of the best in Modified racing under the banner of America's top Modified touring series. All of the races for the USMTS Southern Series will pay a minimum of $2,000 to win and $200 to start, and will utilize the official USMTS rules. The USMTS is currently in negotiations with several top-notch facilities throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas, and plans are to host 12-15 events during the 2007 season.

For more information, call the USMTS offices at 515-832-7944 or log on to www.usmts.com.

USMTS SOUTHERN SERIES - TENTATIVE 2007 SCHEDULE

Fri Mar 30 ... Enid Speedway Park, Enid, OK ($2,000 to win)

Sat Mar 31 ... Enid Speedway Park, Enid, OK ($3,000 to win)

Thu Apr 19 ... Sabine Speedway, Many, LA ($1,000 to win)

Fri Apr 20 ... Sabine Speedway, Many, LA ($2,000 to win)

Sat Apr 21 ... Sabine Speedway, Many, LA ($3,000 to win)

Fri Jul 27 ... Monticello Speedway, Monticello, AR ($2,000 to win)

Sat Jul 28 ... Fast Trax Speedway, Chatham, LA ($2,000 to win)

Thu Nov 15 ... South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christi, TX ($1,000 to win)

Fri Nov 16 ... South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christi, TX ($2,000 to win)

Sat Nov 17 ... South Texas Speedway, Corpus Christ, TX ($3,000 to win)

"The Hunt" is neat deal -- even for southern guys this year! The whole Hunt (just think Chase) will conclude within a 25-day stretch in August and September. If a driver has 100% particpation in all southern series races by the time August 14th gets here or if a driver is top ten in southern series points, then he's elegible for "The Hunt".

Off course, all those races are in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota but it concludes with one of the biggest Modified shows in the country, the Fall Jamboree at Deer Creek Raceway on September 6th, 7th and 8th with a possible $12,000 to win over the 3 days!.

If a driver were to leave home and catch the last 3 Southern REGION events (not to be confused with the Southern SERIES), he could start out in Bolivar, Missouri on August 10th. Then go to Iowa for the start of the Hunt on the 14th. Race through the 18th and come home for a break and to regroup. That's seven one-day shows all paying $2000 to win, $200 to start in a nine-day stretch between the 10th and the 18th. Then, go back to Iowa on the 30th for the rest of the Hunt and race through Minnesota to Sep 8th. That's 8 shows in ten days for a total of $22,000 to win. There's the point fund to shoot for and there may be tow money too.

It's a lot more do-able this year than it was last year!