ALTA, Iowa -- The USMTS Modifieds will be back in action this week with three USMTS National Championship Series events paying $4,000 to win each.

Fresh off his win this past weekend at the World Modified Dirt Track Championship, defending USMTS national champion Ryan Gustin of Marshalltown, Iowa, leads a host of touring titans into battle as the current points leader in this year’s USMTS National Championship Series title chase.

Other drivers to watch at this week’s trio of blockbuster events include 2010 USMTS national champion Jason Hughes of Watts, Okla.; 2007 USMTS national champion Jason Krohn of Slayton, Minn.; and nine-time USMTS national champion Kelly Shryock of Fertile, Iowa.

Rodney Sanders of Happy, Texas, enters this week’s contest ranked third in the standings and still looking for his first USMTS National Championship Series win of 2012. Others to watch this week include Chris Brown, twin brothers Johnny and Stormy Scott, Dereck Ramirez, Zack VanderBeek, Terry Phillips, Jon Tesch, Rick Beebe, Jeremy Payne, Bryan Rowland, Mike Sorensen, Ryan Ruter, Ron Keith, Austin Siebert, Daniel Hilsabeck, Corey Dripps, Al Hejna, Mike Steensma, Dean Mahlstedt and more.

BUENA VISTA RACEWAY – ALTA, IA
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 1

On Wednesday, Aug. 1, the Best of the Best trek to the Buena Vista Raceway in Alta, Iowa, for the 4th Annual Vander Haag's Battle at the Beaver.

After four events, four different drivers have conquered the 3/8-mile semi-banked dirt oval. Kelly Shryock won the inaugural event in 2008 while two visits were made in 2009 with Al Hejna and Jason Hughes emerging victorious. In 2010, Ryan Gustin made ‘The Beaver’ home to one of his 16 wins that season. The 2011 edition was rained-out.

Grandstand gates open at 6 p.m. with hot laps at 6:45 and racing to follow. The pits open at 5 p.m. Adult grandstand tickets are $18 with kids ages 12 and under free. Pit passes are $30.

Also on the night’s program will be Stocks Cars, Sport Mods, Hobby Stocks, Sport Compacts BVR Bombers.

The Buena Vista Raceway is a semi-banked 3/8-mile dirt oval located 0.5 mile east of CR M31 on SR 7 (at the Buena Vista County Fairgrounds). For more information call 712-664-2662 or visit www.buenavistaraceway.com online.

MINERAL CITY SPEEDWAY – FORT DODGE, IA
THURSDAY, AUG. 2

On Thursday the attention turns to the exciting Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa, for the 6th Annual Fort Dodge Modified Nationals.

This will be the second visit to the Fort Dodge’s palace of power. Rodney Sanders captured the checkers in a remarkable drive from deep in the field to win the USMTS Casey’s Cup Series main event here on June 26.

Ryan Gustin and Kelly Shryock are both two-time winners at the Mineral City Speedway. Zack VanderBeek won here in 2006 while carrying the Cheetos colors. The inaugural event in 2005 was won by Tommy Myer.

In addition to the high-horsepower USMTS Modifieds battling for $4,000 to win, USRA B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks will also be in action.

Grandstand gates open at 5 p.m., hot laps start at 7 and racing begins at 7:30. Adult grandstand tickets are $20, kids ages 13-16 are $12 and children 12 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $35.

The Mineral City Speedway is a semi-banked 1/2-mile dirt oval located 0.9 mile north of US 20 on US 169, then 0.5 mile east on 230th St. For more information check out www.mineralcityspeedway.com online or call the USMTS office at 515-832-7944.

CEDAR COUNTY RACEWAY – TIPTON, IA
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3

The August kick-off tripleheader wraps up on Friday for a return trip to the Cedar County Raceway in Tipton, Iowa, where New Mexico’s Johnny Scott picked up the win last year after a memorable late-race battle with Zack VanderBeek and Jon Tesch.

This time the stakes are higher as the Best of the Best in open-wheel dirt modified racing return to the historic Cedar County Fairgrounds and Al & Kathy Dlouhy’s high-banked 1/4-mile clay oval.

Gates open 5 p.m., hot laps start at 6:30 and the first heat race takes to the track at 7 p.m. Adult grandstand tickets are $20, kids ages 6-12 are $8 and children 5 and under are free. Pit passes are $35.

Legends Cars, Stock Cars, Four-Cylinders and Hobby Stocks will also be competing.

The Cedar County Raceway is located at the west edge of Tipton on 9th St. (at the Cedar County Fairgrounds). For more information, call 563-886-2328 or visit www.cedarcountyraceway.net online.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ustmts and follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/usmts.

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USMTS TITLE SPONSORS: Casey’s General Stores, Swan Energy.

USMTS OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Cheetos, Dominator Race Products, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, New Vision Graphics, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, SLAP Energy, Snickers.

USMTS PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Arbor Masters, Arnold Motor Supply, ASi Racewear, Beebe Heating & Air Conditioning, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Dirthead.com, DirtKnights.com, Erson Cams, Farm Boy BBQ Sauce, Intensitee Custom Racewear, Mesilla Valley Transportation, O’Brien Enterprises, Olympic Fire Protection, Ramirez Motorsports, Road Runner Trucking, Ruter Farms, Sybesma Graphics, Yeager Machine.

USMTS CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, Beyea Custom Headers, COMP Cams, CPD Racing Tools, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Harness, Integra Racing Shocks & Springs, Keyser Manufacturing, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Tiger Rear Ends.