August 6, 2024 | By USMTS

USMTS invades Beatrice, Lakeside ovals Aug. 7-9

BEATRICE, Neb. — Fresh off an electrifying two days or racing at the Lucas Oil Speedway, the Summit USMTS National Championship presented by RacinDirt keeps motoring into Nebraska and Kansas this week.

For the first time in 17 years, the USMTS will return to the Beatrice Speedway this Wednesday, Aug. 7. The series made its first appearance in Beatrice, Neb., on Aug. 16, 1999, and returned nearly eight years later on Aug. 8, 2007.

Both shows produced a legendary main event packed full of legendary racers. Greg Metz scored the win in front of a packed house in 1999 while Jason Hughes held off arch rival Kelly Shryock to win the 2007 event—three years before the first of four USMTS national championships for Hughes.

The eventual USMTS national champ in 2007, Jason Krohn, was third with Jordan Grabouski and Johnny Saathoff—the two winningest drivers in Beatrice Speedway history—rounding out the top five.

This year's 3rd Annual USMTS Battle by the Big Blue presented by Valentino's will pay no less than $3,000 to win and $300 to start the main event. Two (2) provisional starting spots will be awarded to the top two (2) in track points that fail to qualify for “A” Main.

The support class will be the weekly Beatrice Speedway Sports Mods racing for $500 to win. Both classes will be competing for a pool of more than $4,000 in lap money in their feature races.

The Beatrice Speedway is a semi-banked 3/8-mile clay oval located 1.7 miles west of US 77 on US 136, then 0.3 miles south to 321 Logan St, Beatrice, NE 68310 (at the Gage County Fairgrounds).

For complete event information, check out the FAST FACTS.


2 for Grant: The USMTS returns to Don Marrs’ Lakeside Speedway on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 8-9, for the 7th and 8th Annual Grant Junghans Memorial races to celebrate the life of one of the most popular dirt modified racers of all time.

Thursday’s event will see double features paying $2,222 to win each before returning Friday night for $12,002 to win and no less than $1,002 to start the main event for licensed drivers.

USRA Stock Cars and USRA B-Mods will round out the three-division program each night.

Entry fees and spectator tickets will benefit the Grant Junghans Memorial Fund which supports research and funding for childhood cancer.

The racing world lost one of its finest ambassadors in March 2016, and the Grant Junghans Memorial race is an opportunity for his family, friends, fans and fellow competitors to remember the good times and racing memories shared in his 27 years with us.

Junghans was first diagnosed with cancer in February of 2010. Despite on-again off-again chemotherapy treatments and numerous surgeries, he never lost his sense of humor, fighting spirit or natural-born tendency to be decent to others.

He was also the 2009 USMTS Rookie of the Year and that award has since been renamed in his honor.

Lucas Schott topped the inaugural event in 2016. Rodney Sanders, Jake O'Neil, Jacob Bleess and Ricky Thornton Jr. won the next four and Tanner Mullens is the defending champion of the Grant Junghans Memorial.

Last year’s race at the Lakeside Speedway was rained out, hence the doubleheader this year on August 8-9.

The Lakeside Speedway is a high-banked 4/10-mile dirt oval located 1 west of I-435 (exit 18) on SR 5 (northwest of Kansas City) to 5615 Wolcott Dr, Kansas City, KS 66109.

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