He was one of the top-ranked drivers in the region, and this weekend they’ll pay tribute to the man and his legacy. Donnie Powers and his staff are set to host the Billy Melton Memorial at Ark-La-Tex Speedway in Vivian, Louisiana.

The mighty USRA Modifieds steal the spotlight this week, as they’ll compete for $3,087 to win in Saturday night’s A-Main. It all kicks off Thursday with an open practice, while Friday night will see two sets of heats run with passing points awarded.

Saturday night’s 30-lap USRA Modified A Main will also pay $25 to the leader of each lap. That makes a potential total haul of $3,837 if a driver can dominate the show. That’s good money by any standard.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH LIVE THIS WEEKEND

Joining the USRA Modifieds on Friday evening will be the USRA Limited Mod and Sunoco USRA Factory Stock teams. Both classes will run heats and features, as will the entry-level Sportster division. On Saturday night, the USRA Tuners and Pro Mods will be part of the program.

Several of the top USRA Modified teams in the region are gearing up for a shot at the money this weekend. Among those planning to compete are Sean, Kenny and Steven Gaddis; Chris and Dustin Henigan, Ralo Pilkington, Tim Eaves Jr., Jason Ingalls, Jake Huckaby, Taylor Ratliff and Keaton Atkinson.

Sean Gaddis has earned one win and six top-fives in 12 starts thus far in 2024.

“It’s been going really well this year,” he said via cell phone on Wednesday evening. “We started off on a strong note in the USMTS races. We normally have plenty of speed, but never quite have the luck to go with it. This year, the luck go our way, which really helps.

“So we’ve just built off of that, trying to carry the momentum forward. We picked up a win with the American Racer Modified Series (ARMS), it was my first win with them which felt pretty good. The car felt fast the last time out two weeks ago, so we’re confident we can have a solid run this weekend.”

Dustin Henigan, 17, of Marshall, Texas, won a Mod feature at RPM on May 11 and is enjoying a solid year.

“It’s been a pretty strong season so far,” he said. “I have a lot of second-place finishes behind my Dad. I wish some of those races had been wins, but running second to my Dad is okay by me. If I can’t win it, I want him to be the one who does.

“I’m feeling pretty good about my chances this weekend. This CDR car I drive has been good all year, and Ark-La-Tex is my favorite track. I’m full-time in the Modified now, but I did run a Limited the past two weekends in big shows. I’m excited to get back into my Mod for the Billy Melton Memorial.”

Eaves, of Mooringsport, has earned three top-five finishes this year in 13 starts. He’s third in points at Ark-La-Tex and says he’s working the kinks out of a new-to-him race car.

“It’s going decent, but we’ve been struggling with the new class,” he said on Wednesday evening. “We ran a Crate Late Model all of last year, and ran pretty decent with that. But this year, we had a baby, so we’re trying to stay a little bit closer to home.

“The Modified class looked like a pretty good place for me, and I’m really really enjoying it so far. I always try to run the premier division, and these cars fit the bill. They’re fast and a blast to drive.

“This weekend will be a tough one to win. Modified racing around the Ark-La-Tex region is loaded with some heavy hitters. You have to race people like Chris Henigan, and his son, Dustin, they’re really fast and they know the tracks around here very well. But we’re going to give it our best shot.”

Ark-La-Tex Speedway, presented by Genuine RV and Powersports, has been a mainstay of oval racing for decades. Known as ‘The Land of Three-Wide,” its racing surface has produced legendary finishes contested by the region’s top drivers. The Billy Melton Memorial will continue that tradition.

Hot Laps will get underway at 7 p.m. with racing to follow at 8 both Friday and Saturday, along with a full program of support classes. It promises to be two nights of exciting short track action as summer hits full swing.

If you can’t make it out to Ark-La-Tex Speedway this weekend, you can see it all with a membership at RaceON.com. With over 450 events on our live streaming schedule this year, it’s home to some of the best short track racing entertainment available anywhere online.

WATCH EVERY LAP LIVE. CLICK HERE.

Billy “Marvin” Melton was born on May 18, 1973 in Longview, Texas and passed away September 29, 2020 at the age of 47. He graduated from Longview High School in 1991 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Stephen F. Austin State University in 1994.

Born into a racing family and following in his father’s footsteps, Billy was well known for his involvement in dirt track racing across the country in various divisions. One the greatest competitors to ever put on a helmet, he left behind a lifetime of memories and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

For more than two decades, the United States Racing Association has attracted more and more racetracks and dirt track racers each year through fair, logical and cost-effective rules accompanied by an organization that puts the racers, racetracks and their fans first. During the 2023 Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series, more than 60 of America's finest dirt ovals hosted more than 1,000 nights of racing.

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