After a nearly six-week hiatus, the stars and cars of the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour jump back into high gear for five straight nights of racing action at five dirt ovals during the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

While Jason Hughes leads the standings in both the Dart Great Plains Region presented by Allstar Performance and Ryan Gustin holds down the top spot in the Falcon Wind Power Mo-Kan Region, it's a whole new ball game this week with the first two events of the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Central States Region presented by Arnold Motor Supply and the first three shows in the Yeager Machine Upper Midwest Region.

For the first time since the creation of four regions and Hunt for the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Championship format in 2007, Kelly Shryock is not the points leader in the other two regions as the teams enter the Memorial Day Weekend swing.

Shryock captured his ninth USMTS crown last year, barely edging Gustin and Hughes in a battle that came down to the season finale during the Featherlite Fall Jamboree at the Deer Creek Speedway in Spring Valley, Minn.

While Shryock’s only win this season came in February during the USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series season opener, Hughes has muscled his way into victory lane four times with the USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour while Gustin has picked up one win. Hughes also has four USMTS Castle Rock Recruiting Southern Series wins under his belt this year.

This Memorial Day Weekend, however, the mud-slinging Modifieds enter familiar territory for Shryock with visits to five facilities where he has notched 28 of his 152 career USMTS Casey’s General Stores National Tour triumphs.

It all gets started this Wednesday, May 26, for the first race in the Farm Boy BBQ Sauce Central States Region presented by Arnold Motor Supply as the fearless lead-footed Modified pilots invade the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the 9th Annual Spring Classic.

The event will mark the 31st time the United States Modified Touring Series has churned the clay at the Mahaska County Monster, with Shryock laying claim to 11 of the previous 30 checkered flags. His last win, however, came nearly four years ago on Aug. 2, 2006

Last year it was defending track champion Brad Pinkerton who snared the third of three stops at Osky for his fourth career win under the USMTS banner – all of them coming at Oskaloosa.

Drivers with multiple wins at the Southern Iowa Speedway include Jason Krohn, Tommy Myer, John Vandenberg, and Chris Spieker with two wins each. Other former winners at Oskaloosa include Tony Fraise, Dan Bohr, Bruce Hanford, Mark Noble, Zack VanderBeek, Hughes and Al Hejna.

Pits open at 5 p.m., grandstands open at 5:30, hot laps begin at 7:15 and racing starts at 7:30.

Wednesday’s program will also feature the inaugural event of the Dart Iron Man Challenge for USRA Stock Cars. The inaugural season for the Dart Iron Man Challenge has 14 dates at 12 different premier speedways throughout Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri for the 2010 campaign. Each race will pay $600 to win and $125 to start the main event with 21 or more entries. The ten-race points fund will carry a $1,000 top prize with the tenth-place finisher earning $100.

Rounding out the evening’s racing card will be USRA Karl Performance Parts B-Mods and USRA Hobby Stocks racing for track and national points in the American Racer USRA Weekly Racing Series.

Race fans can stop by the Casey’s General Store in Oskaloosa on Wednesday from 12-2 p.m. to help celebrate the kickoff of the Keeping the Dream Alive Tour with Zack VanderBeek and his Victory Junction USMTS Modified and pick up your $2-off coupon for the show that night at the Mahaska County Monster.

The Southern Iowa Speedway is located 0.5 mile west of US 63 on SR 92 (A Ave. West), then 0.3 mile north on N. I St. (at the Southern Iowa Fairgrounds). Day-of-race information is available by calling 641-673-7004 or online at www.rlpromtions.com.

PAYOFF: Licensed – 1. $2000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $900, 5. $800, 6. $700, 7. $650, 8. $600, 9. $550, 10. $500, 11. $450, 12. $425, 13. $400, 14. $375, 15. $350, 16-26. $300, Tow $90; Non-licensed – 1. $2000, 2. $1500, 3. $1000, 4. $800, 5. $700, 6. $600, 7. $550, 8. $500, 9. $450, 10. $400, 11. $350, 12. $300, 13. $275, 14-26. $250, Tow $75.

RULES & PROCEDURES: All USMTS rules apply. Qualifying will be done by heat race passing points and Real Racing Wheels “B” Mains. Draw for heat race starting spot ends 15 minutes before hot laps. RACEceivers and AMB transponders will be mandatory and available for rent or purchase from the USMTS. The American Racer KK704/G60 is the Official Tire of the USMTS; however, the Hoosier G60 or WISSOTA Hoosier H is also permitted. For complete rules, visit www.usmts.com.

LICENSES: There is no requirement to purchase a USMTS license to compete in any USMTS event. However, benefits enjoyed by licensed drivers includes higher event purses and bonus payouts, increased tow money, discounted entry fees, points funds, contingency awards, increased media recognition, a personalized driver profile page on the USMTS website and more. The cost of a USMTS regional license is $150.

ENTRY FEES: Pre-entry is $90 for non-licensed drivers or $80 for licensed drivers. Late entry for each event is $100 for all drivers. Pre-entries must be postmarked at least six days before event date or must be received via phone, fax or email at least two days prior to event date. Please use the entry form on the back of this page to enter one or more of the events listed.

To learn more about the United States Modified Touring Series, visit www.usmts.com online or call 515-832-7944. You can also follow the USMTS on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.