WEBSTER CITY, Iowa -- Seventeen dates at eleven dirt ovals comprise the 2011 schedule for the second season of the Iron Man Challenge for USRA Karl Chevrolet Stock Cars, officials from the United States Racing Association revealed today.

On the heels of a successful debut season that saw 130 drivers take part in the newly-formed tour with nine different drivers visiting victory lane in thirteen events, series officials have also announced that the ultra-competitive USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods will also be a part of the Iron Man Challenge.

Fifteen of the Iron Man Challenge races will be run in conjunction with the Modifieds of the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour presented by Swan energy at venues in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Nebraska. All events will accompany the USMTS Modifieds except July 12-13 at the Southern Iowa Speedway's Great American Stock Car Challenge.

Points for both Stock Cars and B-Mods will be based on a driver’s best 10 points races.

For the Stock Cars, each event will pay a minimum of $500 to win and four races are penciled in with a top prize of at least $1,000 to win. All events will pay a minimum $125 to start the main event, and the points fund will carry a $2,000 top prize with the tenth-place finisher earning $200.

USRA Iron Man Challenge Stock Car points fund: 1. $2000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $800, 5. $600, 6. $500, 7. $400, 8. $300, 9. $250, 10. $200.

For the B-Mods, each event will pay a minimum $500 to win and all shows will pay at least $100 to start the feature. The points champion will earn $700 with tenth-place taking home $100.

USRA Iron Man Challenge B-Mod points fund: 1. $700, 2. $450, 3. $350, 4. $200, 5. $175, 6. $150, 7. $125, 8. $110, 9-10. $100.

Licensed USRA drivers in both classes will also earn national points in the USRA Weekly Racing Series.

USRA Weekly Racing Series Stock Car national points fund: 1. $1500, 2. $1000, 3. $700, 4. $600, 5. $500, 6. $450, 7. $400, 8. $350, 9. $300, 10. $250.

USRA Weekly Racing Series B-Mod national points fund: 1. $2000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $800, 5. $600, 6. $500, 7. $400, 8. $350, 9. $300, 10. $250.

To be eligible for points funds, drivers must possess a valid USRA Competitor License, utilize the American Racer KK704 racing tire on all four wheels and compete in at least ten events.

There is no requirement to purchase a USRA Competitor License to compete in the Iron Man Challenge, but benefits enjoyed by licensed drivers include higher event purses, points funds and piece-of-mind insurance. The cost of a USRA Competitor License is $100 for Stock Cars and $90 for B-Mods.

There will be an entry fee of $25 per driver in each class at each event (may be higher for a larger purse).

The 2011 season for the USRA Iron Man Challenge will kick off with a doubleheader at the Junction Motor Speedway in McCool Junction, Neb., during the 8th Annual Nebraska Spring Thaw on Friday and Saturday, March 4-5. This event will feature Stock Cars only running with the USMTS Modifieds. B-Mods will not be running at this show.

USRA IRON MAN CHALLENGE 2011 SCHEDULE:
Fri Mar 4 ... Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE (no B-Mods)
Sat Mar 5 ... Junction Motor Speedway, McCool Junction, NE (no B-Mods)
Sat Apr 2 ... I-35 Speedway, Winston, MO
Wed May 25 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA
Thu May 26 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA
Sat May 28 ... Deer Creek Speedway, Spring Valley, MN
Sun Jun 12 ... Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN
Mon Jun 13 ... Mineral City Speedway, Fort Dodge, IA
Wed Jun 15 ... Cresco Speedway, Cresco, IA
Fri Jun 24 ... Rapid Speedway, Rock Rapids, IA
Tue Jul 12 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA
Wed Jul 13 ... Southern Iowa Speedway, Oskaloosa, IA
Sat Aug 20 ... Upper Iowa Speedway, Decorah, IA
Sun Aug 21 ... Nobles County Speedway, Worthington, MN
Thu Aug 25 ... I-35 Speedway, Winston, MO
Sat Aug 27 ... Hamilton County Speedway, Webster City, IA
Thu Sep 1 ... Highway 3 Raceway, Allison, IA

At the conclusion of the 2010 campaign, 2006 USRA Hobby Stock National Champion Nathan Wood edged Mike Van Genderen for the title by a mere three points. Veteran stock car racer Steve Jackson finished third in the final standings, while Greg Elliott, Mike Bergan, Ryan Leeman, Jim Mitchell, Jake Masters, Mark Elliott and Logan Staley rounded out the top-10.

Van Genderen and Masters captured three checkered flags each, while single event winners included Wood, Jackson, Mark Elliott, Greg Elliott, Brian Gjere, Rich Gregoire and Brad Pinkerton.

The USRA was founded in 2002 with the sanctioning of Modifieds and Stock Cars. Hobby Stocks were added in 2003 and the organization grew steadily over the next three years with 14 tracks hosting USRA events in 2005. The B-Mod division arrived on the scene in 2006 and since then, USRA Weekly Racing Series national champions have been crowned in all four premier divisions.

To learn more about the USRA, visit www.usraracing.com or call 515-832-6000. You can also like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/usraracing), join us on MySpace (www.myspace.com/usraracing) or follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/usraracing).

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USRA OFFICIAL SPONSORS: American Racer Racing Tires, Awesome Race Suits, Intercomp, Karl Chevrolet, Karl Performance Parts, KEVKO Oil Pans & Components, NITROQUEST, RACEceiver, RHS – Racing Head Service, Western Flyer.

USRA PARTICIPATING SPONSORS: Boubin Tire & Automotive, BRODIX Cylinder Heads, Day Motor Sports, DirtKnights.com, SpeedNet Direct.

USRA CONTINGENCY SPONSORS: COMP Cams, Dirthead.com, Eibach Springs, Forty9Designs.com, Genesis Shocks, Hooker Custom Harness, KSE Racing Products, Marsh Racing Wheels, New Vision Graphics, PBM Performance Products, Real Racing Wheels, Wehrs Machine & Racing Products.