MIDWEST CITY, Okla. — The pre-entry list for the 9th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree at Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn., has been released. Among the 125 entries include eight drivers from the state of Oklahoma, six of which have competed in at least seven of the 12 races held thus far in the USMTS Southern Series. The Featherlite Fall Jamboree will take place Sept. 6-8 and will pay $6,000 to win the 30-car feature finale that will pay $600 to start. The track will also have a 24-car Non-Qualifiers feature which will pay $2,000 to win and $200 to start.
The USMTS Southern Series is in its inaugural season and sanctions Modified races in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. In those 12 races completed, eight different drivers have reached victory lane. Below is a brief profile of the “Okies” who will be competing in the premiere event for the O’Reilly Auto Parts United States Modified Touring Series.
#12 - Jason Hughes: The Colcord, Okla., chassis builder is a 2005 Featherlite Fall Jamboree feature winner and a 2003 runner-up. Hughes is currently fourth in the USMTS Southern Series point standings with his lone feature win coming at Boothill Speedway in Greenwood, La. As this is written, he currently leads The Hunt for the O’Reilly USMTS National Championship and is fourth in the 46 O’Reilly USMTS national events held so far with six feature victories. he started 30th and finished 19th in last year’s Featherlite Fall Jamboree event.
#27 - Greg Skaggs: Skaggs is a 2002 O’Reilly NCRA Modified Series champion and has four career victories with that series. This year, the Bixby, Okla., resident is in his first full season competing with the O’Reilly USMTS and doing quite well aboard his Skyrocket Chassis. Skaggs is currently third in USMTS Southern Series point standings — just one point ahead of fellow “Okie” Hughes. He has picked up two USMTS Southern Series feature victories at Gator Motorplex in Willis, Texas, and Monticello (Ark.) Speedway. He is currently fifth in ‘The Hunt’ and is 16th in National Event point standings having competed in 22 of the 46 races held thus far with three feature victories. This will be his first Featherlite Fall Jamboree appearance.
#02 - Tommy Weder Jr.: Weder is just one of the four drivers entered who call Woodward, Okla., home and is teammate to Hughes. While he has no feature victories, consistency has the Hughes Chassis driver fifth in USMTS Southern Series point standings with eight top-10 finishes in 12 races. Weder ranks sixth in ‘The Hunt’ and fifth in the National Event point standings. He finished fifth in the fourth “B” feature in 2006.
#11 - Brandon Morton: From Coweta, Okla., Morton is competing for the first time with the O’Reilly USMTS and has competed in all 12 USMTS Southern Series races held and currently sits 11th in the standings. He currently ranks 20th in ‘The Hunt’ and has only competed in eight of the 48 National Event races held. Brandon and his Larry Shaw Chassis will be making his first ever Featherlite Fall Jamboree appearance.
#21b - Brandon Kenny: Another Woodward, Okla., driver who competes weekly an hour and a half away at Enid (Okla.) Speedway Park. Kenny currently sits 11th in the track’s weekly points standings. He has competed in eight of the 12 USMTS Southern Series races and currently sits 22nd in the point standings. Last year, Kenny finished seventh in the fourth “B” feature at the Featherlite Fall Jamboree.
#4r - Derek Ramirez: Yet another Woodward, Okla., driver who calls Enid Speedway Park home on Saturday nights, where he currently sits ninth in the track’s points standings. Ramirez and his Kraft Kar Chassis has competed in seven USMTS Southern Series races and is 28th in the points standings. In last year’s Featherlite Fall Jamboree, he finished 14th in the second "B" feature.
#33r - Mike Roach: Roach and his Kraft Kar Chassis sit fourth in Enid Speedway Park’s weekly points standings, and also hails from Woodward, Okla. He has competed in only three USMTS Southern Series events, and in the 2006 Featherlite Fall Jamboree finished ninth in the fourth “B” feature.
#38 - Jeremy Ross: The TRE Chassis driver from Locust Grove, Okla., has only competed in two USMTS Southern Series races and is a regular at West Siloam Speedway in West Siloam Springs, Okla.
