Upper Iowa Speedway kicks off Independence Day with a bang, hosts USRA Iron Man Challenge Thursday


DECORAH, Iowa—USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods will share the spotlight this Thursday, July 3, when the Iron Man Challenge series invades the Upper Iowa Speedway in Decorah, Iowa, for an explosive kickoff to the Independence Day holiday.

Presented by Jet’s Meat Processing, the winner of the USRA Stock Car main event will pocket $750 and drivers taking the green flag in the main event get no less than $100. USRA B-Mods will be battling for a top prize of $600 and $75 to start.

USRA Hobby Stocks will also be in action, along with Hornets and the Liquid Nitro-Xcel 600 Modified Series. Hot laps start at 6 p.m. with racing to follow.

Tom Schmitt of Independence is a two-time USRA Stock Car national champion and captured the 2012 Iron Man championship for the division.

‘The Tall Cool One’ comes into Thursday’s blockbuster event as the current points leader after chalking up four wins and seven top-five finishes in ten starts.

Steve Jackson of Polk City, who garnered two IMCA Stock Car national titles and five Super Nationals wins before stepping up to the USRA Stock Car ranks, sits second in the standings followed by ‘Crazy’ Phil Wernert of Galesville, Wis., and a pair of Decorah drivers—Mitch Hovden and Kyle Falck.

Dan Wheeler of Savage, Minn., sits atop the USRA B-Mod standings in the Iron Man Challenge, but will be looking to notch his first Iron Man win this Thursday at the Winneshiek County Fairgrounds.

Jared Timmerman of Norwalk holds down the second spot, followed by defending series champ Cory Crapser of Chippewa Falls, Wis.; Jacob Bleess of Chatfield, Minn.; and Jake Richards of Edwardsville, Kan.

Iron Man Challenge – USRA Stock Car points:
1. 18 Tom Schmitt, Independence, Iowa ... 909
2. 2j Steve Jackson, Polk City, Iowa ... 704
3. 86 Philip Wernert, Galesville, Wis. ... 691
4. 15 Mitch Hovden, Decorah, Iowa ... 650
5. 67 Kyle Falck, Decorah, Iowa ... 619
6. 14 Todd Staley, Webster City, Iowa ... 502
7. 33 Kevin Donlan, Decorah, Iowa ... 408
8. 11 Jake Masters, Graettinger, Iowa ... 365
9. 10 Brian Webb, Decorah, Iowa ... 315
10. 6 Danny Sacquitne, Decorah, Iowa ... 309

Iron Man Challenge – USRA B-Mod points:
1. Red1 Dan Wheeler, Savage, Minn. ... 1004
2. 7+ Jared Timmerman, Norwalk, Iowa ... 982
3. 07 Cory Crapser, Chippewa Falls, Wis. ... 855
4. 21 Jacob Bleess, Chatfield, Minn. ... 574
5. 7j Jake Richards, Edwardsville, Kan. ... 399
6. 66 Ethan Isaacs, Bonner Springs, Kan. ... 395
7. 36m Logan Martin, West Plains, Mo. ... 381
8. 11 Mike Higley, Kansas City, Mo. ... 378
9. 11jr Randal Schiffelbein Jr., Tecumseh, Kan. ... 343
10. 21c Chad Clancy, Smithville, Mo. ... 339

The Upper Iowa Speedway is a quarter-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 1.8 miles east of US 52 on SR 9, then 1.0 mile northwest on Montgomery St., then northeast on E. Main St. For more information call 563-382-9984 or visit www.upperiowaspeedway.com online.

Remaining 2014 Iron Man Challenge events:
Thu Jul 3 ... Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa [Stock Cars & B-Mods]
Thu Jul 24 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. [Stock Cars]
Fri Jul 25 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. [B-Mods]
Wed Jul 30 ... Fayette County Speedway, West Union, Iowa [Stock Cars & B-Mods]
Fri Aug 15 ... Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Fountain City, Wis. [B-Mods]
Wed Aug 27 ... Marshalltown Speedway, Marshalltown, Iowa [Stock Cars & B-Mods]
Thu Aug 28 ... Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, Iowa [Stock Cars & B-Mods]
Sat Sep 13 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. [Stock Cars]
Thu-Sat Sep 18-20 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, Minn. [B-Mods]
Sat Sep 27 ... Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, Iowa [Stock Cars & B-Mods]
Thu-Sat Oct 1-4 ... Lakeside Speedway, Kansas City, Kan. [Stock Cars & B-Mods]

Iron Man Challenge “A” Main payouts:
USRA Stock Car
– 1. $750, 2. $550, 3. $450, 4. $325, 5. $275, 6. $225, 7. $170, 8. $150, 9. $140, 10. $130, 11. $125, 12. $125, 13. $115, 14. $110, 15. $105, 16-20. $100, Tow $75.
USRA B-Mod – 1. $600, 2. $450, 3. $300, 4. $250, 5. $200, 6. $175, 7. $150, 8. $130, 9. $120, 10. $110, 11. $100, 12. $90, 13. $85, 14. $80, 15-20. $75, Tow $50.

Iron Man Challenge points funds (each class): 1. $1500, 2. $1000, 3. $800, 4. $600, 5. $500, 6. $400, 7. $300, 8. $250, 9. $225, 10. $200.

Points will include the best 12 finishes for USRA Stock Cars and best 15 finishes for USRA B-Mods. To be eligible for points funds, drivers must possess a valid USRA license, utilize the American Racer KK704 tire on all four wheels and compete in at least half of the Iron Man Challenge events for their division. Licensed USRA drivers in both classes will also earn national points in the USRA Weekly Racing Series at every Iron Man Challenge event.

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.

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

USRA PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boubin Tire & Automotive, ElbowsUp.com, Erson Cams, New Vision Graphics.

USRA CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: AFCO Racing Products, ASi Racewear, Beyea Custom Headers, BSB Manufacturing, COMP Cams, Edelbrock, Forty9 Designs, Genesis Racing Shocks, Hooker Custom Harness, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, PBM Performance Products, QA1 Performance Products, Quarter Master, Real Racing Wheels, Sybesma Graphics, Tiger Rear Ends, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products.

USRA PARTICIPATING TRACKS: Battleground Speedway, Bloomfield Speedway, Bronco Raceway Park, Buena Vista Raceway, Callaway Raceway, Cedar County Raceway, Central Missouri Speedway, Chateau Raceway, Cresco Speedway, Dallas County Speedway, Deer Creek Speedway, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Dodge County Speedway, El Paso Speedway Park, Fairmont Raceway, Fayette County Speedway, Gator Motorplex, Hamilton County Speedway, Hancock County Speedway, Heartland Park Topeka, Humboldt Speedway, Huset’s Speedway, I-35 Speedway, I-90 Speedway, Lakeside Speedway, Lucas Oil Speedway, Marshalltown Speedway, Mississippi Thunder Speedway, Monett Speedway, Mountain Creek Speedway, Nevada Speedway, North Central Arkansas Speedway, Randolph County Raceway, Rapid Speedway, Red River Speedway, Royal Purple Raceway, Salina Highbanks Speedway, South Texas Speedway, Southern New Mexico Speedway, Southern Oklahoma Speedway, Springfield Raceway, Superbowl Speedway, Texana Raceway park, Tri-State Speedway, Upper Iowa Speedway, Valley Speedway, West Siloam Speedway.