SPRING VALLEY, Minn.—Labor Day Weekend has always signaled shift toward the season, a new school year and the beginning of college football. And for the past 15 years, it has taken on another meaning: the countdown to the biggest event in all of dirt modified racing.

America’s undisputed marquee mega-event for modifieds—the 16th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree—is a little more than two weeks away, and this year’s battle between the Best of the Best in the sport promises to be the biggest ever with the boldest payoffs in event history.

Fans will continue to witness a complete program all three nights highlighted by the United States Modified Touring Series, USRA Modifieds and the Iron Man Challenge featuring USRA B-Mods, and drivers will be fighting for their piece of the record-setting prize money.

Set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18-20, Modifieds will be shooting for a $5,000 each of the first two nights and a whopping $10,000 winner’s share on Saturday.

Meanwhile, B-Mods will be racing for $600, $750 and $1,000 to win, respectively, with more than 200 cars and drivers are expected in two classes and nearly $200,000 in posted awards possible.

Friday and Saturday night’s Modified shows will be co-sanctioned by the USMTS and the United States Racing Association with USRA national points being awarded both nights.

If you like a lot of spins and yellow flags, this event probably isn’t for you. But if witnessing the “who’s who” of dirt modified racing circling the high banked clay oval of the Deer Creek Speedway at nearly 100 mph, this one is right up your alley.

Ron Jones was the champion of the inaugural event in 1999. Since then, the list of Featherlite Fall Jamboree champions include Johnny Saathoff, Willy Kraft, Mark Noble, Dan Daniels, Kelly Shryock, Jason Hughes, Chad Kinder, Dean Mahlstedt, Tim Donlinger, Terry Phillips and Joey Jensen.

Hughes is the defending champion of the event and the only driver to claim multiple titles, winning four of the last nine Saturday night finales.

Early bird race fans can get a free preview of the action and drivers will get their chance to make final adjustments to their machines with an open practice from 6-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 17.

On Thursday and Friday, the pit gate opens at 3 p.m., spectator gates open at 4 p.m. and the first green flag waves at 6:30 p.m. General admission adult grandstand tickets are $25 each night and kids ages 12 and younger are just $10.

Thursday night’s program will wind down with karaoke under the hospitality tent following the races. The annual Fall Jamboree Golf Scramble takes place at the Root River County Club in Spring Valley with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. Fans, drivers, crews and their families will put a lid on Friday’s festivities with the return of The Dweebs performing live on stage following the races.

On Saturday, the annual Fall Jamboree Bean Bag Tournament begins at 12 noon near the campground. The pit gate opens at 2 p.m., spectator gates open at 4 p.m. and the first green flag waves at 6 p.m. General admission adult grandstand tickets are $30 and kids ages 12 and younger are just $10.

Thirty cars will take the green flag to start the main event in both classes on all three nights.

As if that wasn’t enough, Modified drivers who don’t make their way into Saturday’s championship finale will have a chance at one of 30 spots in the Non-Qualifiers Race which carries a $2,000 top prize and pays $400 to start ... more than most modified races pay to win their main event.

As always, a delicious hot breakfast will be served each morning by the Bear Creek Lutheran Church in the hospitality area from 8-11 a.m.

Fan may purchase tickets online at www.deercreekspeedway.com or by calling toll-free 877-DCS-RACE.

Drivers can enter by calling the USMTS office at 515-832-7944 or download the official Featherlite Fall Jamboree entry form at www.usmts.com/downloads.

For fans unable to attend the 16th Annual Featherlite Fall Jamboree in person, the entire event from the first lap of the first heat until the last checkered flag waves will be broadcast live via pay-per-view by RacinDirt.com. Visit www.racindirt.com for ordering information, or check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/racindirt.

The Deer Creek Speedway is a high-banked 3/8-mile clay oval which sits on 60 acres with one of America’s most popular state-of-the-art racing complexes and an adjoining campground. For track or campground info, call 507-346-2342 or email info@deercreekspeedway.com.

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.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

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.