Zack VanderBeek

USMTS touring titans kick off August with trio of $10,000-to-win tilts at top-shelf dirt tracks

The Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s embarks on a three-day excursion to kick off a rich August slate with stops at three of the most exciting and popular dirt ovals in the nation on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, August 5-7.

Action gets going Thursday with the 10th Annual USMTS Sunflower Showdown at the 81 Speedway in Park City, Kansas, followed by the 15th Annual USMTS Summer Fling at the Humboldt Speedway in Humboldt, Kansas, on Friday.

We’re not in Kansas anymore when the weekend concludes Saturday with the 12th Annual USMTS Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout presented by Foley Equipment at the Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Missouri.

Each of the three races pay $10,000 to the winner.

81 Speedway – Park City, Kansas
10th Annual USMTS Sunflower Showdown
Thursday, August 5, 2021

FOE Enterprises, LLC, announced the purchase of the 65-year-old 81 Speedway nearly two years ago and the new owners, along with veteran racer and promoter John Allen, have been busy ever since as they have remade the family destination with countless improvements including new stadium seating and more.

Four-time defending USMTS national champ Rodney Sanders leads all competitors with six career wins here including the most recent race last August.

Ryan Gustin has three career wins while Jason Hughes and Jeremy Payne are two-time winners at the 81 Speedway. Stormy Scott, Cade Dillard, Jon Mitchell, Johnny Scott, Zack VanderBeek, Terry Phillips and Jacob Bleess each have one win here.

In addition to the fire-breathing USMTS Modifieds, the three-division program will also feature HeyGlassman.com Stock Cars and Two M Motorsports Rookie Modifieds.

The pits are slated to open at 4 p.m. and grandstand gates swing open at 5. Hot laps and qualifying begin at 7:20 followed by opening ceremonies, prayer and national anthem prior to heat races getting underway at 8.

General admission tickets are $25 while members of the military and seniors (65+) are $23. Children ages 10 and under get in for free. Pit passes are $40 and kids ages 5-10 get a pit pass for $20. Children 4 and under are free in the pits.

The 81 Speedway is located north of Wichita on I-135 to exit 16, then 0.7 mile west on 77th St. The physical address is 7700 N Broadway, Park City, KS 67219.

For more information call (316) 755-1781 or visit 81Speedway.com. You can also follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Humboldt Speedway – Humboldt, Kansas
15th Annual USMTS Summer Fling
Friday, August 6, 2021

When the Humboldt Speedway hosts the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s for the 15th Annual USMTS Summer Fling on Friday, August 6, it will be the 55th race for the USMTS at the 1/4-mile semi-banked clay oval.

The USMTS Modifieds will battle for $10,000 to win and share the spotlight with USRA B-Mods, USRA Tuners, Midwest Mods and Factory Stocks.

The pit gate opens at 2 p.m., spectator seating opens at 6 and qualifying begins at 8 p.m. Grandstand tickets are $25 for general admission. Seniors (65+) and youth (12-16) are $20. Kids (6-11) get in for $5. Pit passes are $40 or kids (6-10) are $30. Children under 6 are admitted free of charge in the grandstands or pit area.

Twenty-two different drivers have tasted victory at ‘The Hummer’ since Johnny Bone Jr. won the inaugural USMTS event June 28, 2000. Past winners include Jason Hughes (13 wins) Stormy Scott (6), Kelly Shryock (5), Ryan Gustin (4), Rodney Sanders (4), Johnny Bone Jr. (2), Terry Phillips (2), Jason Krohn (2), Johnny Scott (2), Zack VanderBeek (2), Tim Donlinger (1), Jon Tesch (1), Steve Holzkamper (1), William Gould (1), Jeremy Payne (1), Mitch Keeter (1), Kyle Strickler (1), Lucas Schott (1), Ricky Thornton Jr. (1), Tanner Mullens (1), Carlos Ahumada Jr. (1) and Brooks Strength (1), who won the King of America X Modified Nationals in March.

The Humboldt Speedway is located 0.1 mile west of US 169 at the Humboldt Exit, then 0.5 mile south, then 0.9 mile east on Georgia Rd. The physical address is 1663 Georgia Rd, Humboldt, KS 66748.

Check out the track's website at HumboldtSpeedway.com and follow them on Facebook and Twitter to learn more.

Lucas Oil Speedway – Wheatland, Missouri
12th Annual Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout presented by Foley Equipment
Saturday, August 7, 2021

The 12th Annual Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout presented by Foley Equipment will headline a big night of action with $10,000 going to the winner of the feature race. Also in action will be the USRA B-Mods and Medieval USRA Stock Cars.

Pit and spectator gates open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 and racing getting underway at 7:05.

During a special mid-week show last summer, Tanner Mullens earned his first-ever USMTS feature win at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks” after race leader Terry Phillips suffered a mechanical issue with four laps remaining.

The series returned in August for the 11th Annual Slick Mist Show-Me Shootout with Dereck Ramirez taking home the checkered flag.

Ramirez and Phillips are the only two-time USMTS winners here. Rodney Sanders won this event in 2019 and Stormy Scott won a thriller here in 2018—one year after the 2017 show was rained out.

Zack VanderBeek, Johnny Scott, Ryan Gustin, Jeremy Payne, Jason Krohn and Kelly Shryock have also won with the USMTS at the Lucas Oil Speedway.

Admission for adults (16-61) is $25 while seniors (62+) and members of the military get in for $22. Youth (6-15) are $10 and kids 5 and under are free. A family pass is only $60 and includes entry for two (2) adults and up to three (3) youths plus one (1) free pass to the Go-Kart Slick Track and 10% off any Track Treasures gift shop purchase. Pit passes are $40.

Event tickets and camping spots can be purchased online through the track’s online ticketing system.

Fans can “beat the heat” in one of the track’s spacious air-conditioned suites or view the action from seats outside, overlooking the front stretch. Contact admissions director Nichole McMillan by calling (417) 282-5984 or email nichole@lucasoilspeedway.com for more info.

Lucas Oil Speedway is a 3/8-mile semi-banked clay oval located 0.2 mile south of US 54 on SR 83, then east. The physical address is 18842 Speedway Dr, Wheatland, MO 65779.

A campground with shower and bathroom facilities is also available. With its entrance located just outside the pit gate this sprawling scenic camping facility will continue to enhance the racing experience at the “Diamond of Dirt Tracks.”

Complete Lucas Oil Speedway information can be found at LucasOilSpeedway.com. In addition, fans can get social on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Taking dirt to a new level: The 2021 campaign for the Summit USMTS National Championship fueled by Casey’s features 36 nights of racing with the winners of those main events set to take home over $300,000 in earnings from more than $1 million in prize money earmarked for those shows.

Twenty-six of the 36 race nights will pay at least $10,000 to win while the other 10 carry a $5,000 top prize. And if that weren’t enough, more than $230,000 is committed to the top ten finishers in the 2021 points standings with a record $70,000 reserved for the 2021 USMTS National Champion.

Visit usmts.com for schedules, points, photos, souvenirs, videos and more. Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Click here to get USMTS news delivered to your inbox.