Clockwise from top left: John Allen, Donovan Flores, Troy Hovey and Adam Cline.

WEBSTER CITY, Iowa -- With just a little more than a month remaining in the USRA Weekly Racing Series, drivers in the two open-wheel modified divisions are locked in tight battles with razor-thin margins at the top of the standings while the leading contenders in the two full-fendered divisions have built healthy cushions in their quest to be USRA National Champions.

In the USRA Modifieds, John Allen climbed into the top spot this past weekend on the strength of his victory Friday night in Humboldt Speedway’s season finale and a $2,000 win at the West Siloam Speedway on Saturday.

The veteran racer from Chanute, Kan., now has 17 wins which matches that of defending USRA National Champion Brandon Davis of Medford, Minn., who is just four markers behind Allen in second place.

Davis also garnered a win over the weekend at the Mississippi Thunder Speedway on Saturday while third-ranked Terry Schultz of Sedalia, Mo., kept the heat on the lead duo with a triumph Saturday at the Valley Speedway.

Not far behind—and certainly not out of the title chase—is Matt Dotson of Clark, Mo., who has 15 feature wins this season to his credit.

Mitch Keeter of Joplin, Mo., is fifth in the standings with Steve Muilenburg, Nic Bidinger, Ryan McAninch, Josh Landers and Jackie Dalton rounding out the top 10.

Unless something dramatic happens, there will be a new USRA Stock Car National Champion in 2013 and his name is Donavon Flores.

The young gun from Las Cruces, N.M., has been on fire since the start of the season and has compiled 27 feature wins in 38 starts at the Southern New Mexico Speedway and El Paso Speedway Park.

Halfway across the country, two-time defending USRA Stock Car National Champion Mitch Hovden of Decorah, Iowa, is a distant second in the standings despite amassing an impressive 13 wins during the 2013 racing season.

The top 10 is evenly split between Iowa drivers and those from New Mexico or Western Texas.

Another Las Cruces racer, Brandon Cruse, is third in national points with Iowans Lynn Panos and Kyle Falck fourth and fifth.

Last year’s USRA Hobby Stock National Champion, Dillon Anderson, is sixth in the USRA Stock Car points, while Jason Ziehl, Danny Cole Jr., Miles Widmer and Jerrad Warhurst round out the top 10.

In the battle for the USRA B-Mod title, Troy Hovey of Decorah, Iowa, is trying to bring the trophy back to the Hawkeye State after Missouri’s Scott Drake won the crown last year.

However, J.C. Morton of Springfield, Mo., lurks just 36 points back in second.

Hovey leads 15 to 12 in the win column.

Iron Man Challenge points leader Cory Crapser of Chippewa Falls, Wis., is close behind in third with Belton, Kan., speedster Brad Smith holding down the fourth spot ahead of Jacob Bleess of Chatfield, Minn.

Chad Clancy, Toby Thompson, Patrick Carney, Dan Hovden and Miah Christensen complete the top 10 drivers of which seven different States are represented.

The only division to never have a repeat champion looks like it will retain that distinction going into the 2014 season as Adam Cline has a comfortable lead in the USRA Hobby Stock class.

In his 24 starts to date, the youngster from Decorah, Iowa, has won half of those.

Two fellow Decorah drivers—Steve Larson and Josh Ludeking-- follow in second and third with Cresco, Iowa, veteran Steve Holthaus fourth and the only driver from outside the Iowa border—Steven Dwyer of La Crosse, Wis.—in the fifth spot.

Sixth through tenth are Scott Spilde, Justin Hanson, Brady Link, Andy Stinson and Zac Mahlstedt.

USRA national points are awarded to each driver based on his/her best twenty (20) points nights from Feb. 21 through Oct. 20, 2013.

In order to be eligible for USRA track and/or national points funds, each driver must have competed in a minimum of 50% of the events held at any one USRA-sanctioned racetrack.

UNITED STATES RACING ASSOCIATION
USRA WEEKLY RACING SERIES
NATIONAL POINTS AS OF SEPT. 11, 2013

USRA Modified:
1. John Allen, Chanute, Kan. ... 4430
2. Brandon Davis, Medford, Minn. ... 4426
3. Terry Schultz, Sedalia, Mo. ... 4388
4. Matt Dotson, Clark, Mo. ... 4367
5. Mitch Keeter, Joplin, Mo. ... 4169
6. Steve Muilenburg, Sparta, Mo. ... 4152
7. Nic Bidinger, Perry, Kan. ... 4124
8. Ryan McAninch, Wichita, Kan. ... 4112
9. Josh Landers, Princeton, Texas ... 4093
10. Jackie Dalton, Carthage, Mo. ... 4085

USRA Stock Car:
1. Donovan Flores, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 4520
2. Mitch Hovden, Decorah, Iowa ... 4207
3. Brandon Cruse, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 4162
4. Lynn Panos, Calmar, Iowa ... 4141
5. Kyle Falck, Decorah, Iowa ... 3867
6. Dillon Anderson, Rudd, Iowa ... 3708
7. Jason Ziehl, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 3706
8. Danny Cole Jr., Lansing, Iowa ... 3579
9. Miles Widmer, Las Cruces, N.M. ... 3538
10. Jerrad Warhurst, El Paso, Texas ... 3314

USRA B-Mod:
1. Troy Hovey, Decorah, Iowa ... 4445
2. J.C. Morton, Springfield, Mo. ... 4409
3. Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis. ... 4386
4. Brad Smith, Belton, Kan. ... 4356
5. Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn. ... 4354
6. Chad Clancy, Smithville, Mo. ... 4264
7. Toby Thompson, Mountain Grove, Mo. ... 4249
8. Patrick Carney, El Paso, Texas ... 4242
9. Dan Hovden, Decorah, Iowa ... 4180
10. Miah Christensen, Sioux Falls, S.D. ... 4142

USRA Hobby Stock:
1. Adam Cline, Decorah, Iowa ... 4229
2. Steve Larson, Decorah, Iowa ... 4144
3. Josh Ludeking, Decorah, Iowa ... 3997
4. Steve Holthaus, Cresco, Iowa ... 3965
5. Steven Dwyer, La Crosse, Wis. ... 3759
6. Scott Spilde, Cresco, Iowa ... 3660
7. Justin Hanson, West Union, Iowa ... 3639
8. Brady Link, Waukon, Iowa ... 3480
9. Andy Stinson, Cresco, Iowa ... 3254
10. Zac Mahlstedt, New Hampton, Iowa ... 3189

In addition to dozens of valuable contingency awards from the many USRA sponsors and marketing partners, each driver in the top 10 will rake in a share of one of the most lucrative cash points funds in all of dirt track racing. In addition to providing USRA competitors with second-to-none track and national points funds, the USRA offers a gold-plated insurance program for all of its licensed drivers

The USRA was founded in 2002 with the sanctioning of Modifieds and Stock Cars at the Thunder Valley Speedway in Fayetteville, Ark. The organization grew steadily over the next three years with Hobby Stocks being added to the mix in 2003 while the B-Mod division arrived on the scene in 2006.

Divisional champs were not named during the first four years, but an overall USRA National Champion—Modified driver Ron Luitjens—was crowned in 2005. Since then, USRA Weekly Racing Series National Champions have been crowned in each of the four divisions.

PAST USRA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS:

USRA Modified – Brandon Davis (2012), Johnny Bone Jr. (2011), Jason Cummins (2010), Greg Skaggs (2009), Brad Waits (2007-08), Larry Herring (2006), Ron Luitjens (2005).

USRA Stock Car – Mitch Hovden (2011-12), Rich Gregoire (2010), Tory Reicks (2009), Tom Schmitt (2007-08), Scotty Pratt (2006).

USRA B-Mod – Scott Drake (2012), Brandon Hare (2010-11), Matt Jones (2007-09), Tony Dunker (2006).

USRA Hobby Stock – Dillon Anderson (2012), Dan Strandberg (2011), Shane Klaassen (2010), Chris Hovden (2009), Jason McDaniel (2008), Mitch Hovden (2007), Nathan Wood (2006).

During the 2013 season, thousands of men and women will compete in USRA-sanctioned events at the finest and most popular dirt ovals in Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin.

To learn more about the USRA, visit www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usraracing, follow us at www.twitter.com/usraracing on Twitter and check out our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/usratv.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

USRA OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, COMP Cams, Day Motor Sports, Dominator Race Products, Intercomp, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, Nitroquest, RACEceiver, RacinDirt.com, Radical Racegear.

USRA PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boubin Tire & Automotive, Erson Cams, New Vision Graphics, Something Inked.

USRA CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AERO Race Wheels, AFCO Racing Products, ASi Racewear, Beyea Custom Headers, Crane Cams, Edelbrock, Eibach Springs, Fast Shafts, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hooker Custom Harness, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products.