GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. -- Officials at the Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, Mo., have announced that their Modified division will be sanctioned by the United States Racing Association beginning with the 2012 racing season as part of the track’s weekly Saturday night racing program.

“After careful consideration and looking at other options, Valley Speedway has decided to sanction our A Mod class with the USRA for the 2012 racing season,” said the track’s promoter Dennis Shrout. “We have looked at what the drivers have asked and told us … this is what will be best for the track and teams.”

The Valley Speedway Modified rules were already very similar to that of the USRA RHS Modifieds, so changes will be few and far between for the track’s current roster of racers.

Drivers in the USRA RHS Modified division will compete for a points fund worth up to $1,500 at season’s end to the track champion plus multiple contingency awards for several drivers in the class, and a $10,000 top prize awaits the USRA RHS Modified national champion in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series.

Tim Setzer of Archie, Mo., is the defending track champion in the Modified division, and was also track champion at the USRA-sanctioned Butler Motor Speedway during a shortened 2011 campaign.

In addition to the USRA RHS Modifieds, weekly Saturday programs features B-Mods, Street Stocks and Hobby Stocks. Test & Tune sessions are scheduled on March 3, 10 and 17, and the first regular weekly show taking place on Saturday, April 7, with ULMA Late Models also joining the action that night.

The Valley Speedway presents a racing season packed with action and excitement for family friendly entertainment. High profile drivers offer competitive shows and specialty classes add support to regional teams entering the racing sport.

The track is a 1/3-mile semi-banked dirt oval located 0.9 mile south of I-70 (exit 24) on Main St. (Buckner-Tarnsey Rd.), then 0.4 mile east on Old US 40 in Grain Valley, Mo. For more information, call 816-229-2222 or visit www.valleyspeedway.com online.

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

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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 HotMods.

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.