The payout for the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods presented by S&S U-Pull-It Auto Parts this Sunday at the Lebanon Midway Speedway during the 18th Annual Tony Roper Memorial has turned a lot of drivers' heads.

The track will be paying $777 to win the feature event based on a minimum 13-car field and $500 for the runner-up to help remember and honor the area driver from Fair Grove, Mo., who started his racing career in Modifieds in 1986 and lost his life in a NASCAR Truck race at Texas Motor Speedway.

No car entry fee and the pit pass cost is only $35 for the night's action which will also include the Cash Money Super Late Models, Midwest Modifieds, Hornets and Pure Stocks.

Track owner Jack Jones was asked during the off season if he would be interested in holding the event, which had been held at Monett Speedway for the last 17 years, however the track with new ownership decided to forgo the event. Roper started his racing career in Lebanon and Monett on the dirt tracks before vaulting his career on the asphalt tracks in 1989.

"We were honored that the family wanted to move this event to Lebanon and Midway and want to make this a very exciting race event," Jones said. "When this was offered, we decided to look at what do to and since the Out-Pace USRA B-Mods headline our Friday night regular shows if only made sense to us to make this a good paying event for that class, especially since Tony started his racing in the Modifieds.

"I think that the $777 to win and $500 for runner-up and $77 to start the feature should draw some of the top area B-Mods, and with it being a holiday weekend we hope some drivers chasing national points will look at this."

Current Out-Pace USRA B-Mod national points leader Kris Jackson has called Midway one of his home tracks and has won four of five features coming from the back of the pack. His only loss came at the hands of defending champion Tyler Brown as that race went caution-free, setting up what fans have called an exciting race and finish.

Defending Out-Pace USRA B-Mod national champ Ryan Gilmore has the Sunday evening race on his radar also. Gilmore, who is among the top five in the USRA Modified national standings, will be in Wheatland Thusday, Friday and Saturday and has the Toy Roper Memorial on his radar screen.

Another former USRA national champion, J.C. Morton has always ran strong at Midway and has made one start this season. The team had raced at Lakeside on a Thursday night program, came to Midway, lost a drive shaft and replaced it to come from the back to a third-place finish. The Morton team is always a front-runner at higher-paying events.

Veteran driver and one of the original Missouri Modified leaders, Rex Merritt is riding off a solid third-place finish last Friday night. When you look at the top ten in national points, they all are from the Southwest Missouri region. Add to this mix, points runner-up Sam Petty, Brown, Ricky Watkins, Brian Myers, Tyler Knudtson, Donnie Jackson and Dillon McCowan among others it should be an exciting race and event as several out of town driers are inquiring.

For many of these drivers, it isn't all about the money, but to have your name listed as a Tony Roper Memorial winner as drivers from all around are looking at this one-night payout.

Grandstand gates will open at 5 p.m. with adult admission only $17 for an exciting night of racing. Hot laps are slated to start at 6:30 with racing at 7:30. Pit passes are only $35 with 12 and under $10 in the pits. Draw cut-off is set for 7 p.m. Passing points are used for determining feature line-ups, heads-up for support classes and these are Midway points races.

Tony Roper Memorial Out-Pace USRA B-Mod Payout: 1. $777, 2. $500, 3. $350, 4. $225, 5. $175, 6. $150, 7. $125, 8. $100, 9-16. $77. Do not qualify for feature through last chance $35.

For more information keep updated through the track's Facebook page and visit the website at www.midwayspeedway.net.