Heartland Promotions Announces Major Schedule Updates for Heartland Modified Tour and American Racer Modified Series
GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (July 13, 2026) — Heartland Promotions LLC has announced a series of updates to the 2026 schedules for both the USRA Heartland Modified Tour presented by Real Racing Wheels and the USRA American Racer Modified Series powered by Day Motor Sports.
The changes come after a challenging first half of the season that has seen persistent rain force multiple event cancellations, economic hardships impact event sponsorship at several facilities, and unforeseen scheduling conflicts require adjustments to portions of the calendar.
While several dates have shifted, officials are pleased to announce that nearly every marquee event originally scheduled for the 2026 season remains intact.
The most significant change centers around one of the sport's most anticipated weekends.
Due to scheduling conflicts involving event organizer Joe Duvall, the 8th Annual Joe Duvall's Funkadelic Dirt Track & Honky Tonk Extravaganza has been rescheduled from its original July dates to October 23-25. Rather than simply moving the event, the annual celebration has expanded into a three-night showcase spanning three tracks across Missouri and Oklahoma.
The weekend opens Friday, October 23, as the Heartland Modified Tour visits Springfield Raceway in Springfield, Missouri, for the first time in series history. While the event will award full HMT championship points, it will serve as a non-points event for the American Racer Modified Series.
On Saturday, October 24, the action shifts to Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Oklahoma, where the first of a two-night ARMS vs. HMT showdown takes center stage. The crossover weekend concludes Sunday, October 25, at Arrowhead Speedway in Colcord, Oklahoma. Duvall recommends everyone attend Sunday morning church then enjoy themselves a big helping of fried chicken before heading to the track... Yea, that’s how fun the Funkadelic can get!
The Arrowhead finale will not only conclude the three-day Funkadelic celebration but will also determine the 2026 Heartland Modified Tour championship, crowning the series champion following the season's final points event.
Another significant adjustment affects the Heartland Modified Tour's Labor Day weekend schedule.
Originally slated for the Funkadelic weekend, Central Missouri Speedway will now host the tour on Friday, September 4, creating a three-race Labor Day swing. Teams will compete on Friday in Warrensburg before heading to Lake Ozark Speedway for events on September 5-6, highlighted by Saturday night's Jason Russell Memorial, paying $4,222 to win.
Outside of those changes, the remainder of the Heartland Modified Tour schedule remains largely unchanged.
The tour returns to action July 24 at Humboldt Speedway before traveling to Valley Speedway on July 25. Teams will then prepare for one of the richest weekends of the season as the Larry Phillips Memorial returns to Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Oklahoma, August 28-29. The prestigious event will once again feature both the Heartland Modified Tour and American Racer Modified Series competing together for a $7,575 winner's share.
September also features another marquee weekend with Lakeside Speedway on September 18 before the tour heads to 81 Speedway on September 19 for the annual Dalice Franz Memorial. Purse details for that event will be announced in the coming weeks.
For the American Racer Modified Series, much of the championship schedule also remains unchanged despite the calendar revisions.
The series resumes July 25 at Rocket Raceway Park in Petty, Texas before teams prepare for the Larry Phillips Memorial weekend at Tri-State Speedway.
Following Pocola, the tour heads to Old No. 1 Speedway in Harrisburg, Arkansas, September 11-12 for the previously announced Heavy Duty 35 - Brandon Mitchell Memorial, highlighted by Saturday's $5,003-to-win finale.
Championship battles continue October 10-11 at Route 66 Motor Speedway in Amarillo, Texas, where racers will compete for $3,000 to win each night before attention turns to the rescheduled Funkadelic weekend later in the month.
The American Racer Modified Series season will conclude November 5-7 during the Deuces Wild Championship at Texas Motor Speedway, featuring practice and qualifying on Thursday before championship racing Friday and Saturday to determine the 2026 series champion.
While the first half of the season has presented more challenges than anyone anticipated, Heartland Promotions officials believe the revised calendar provides a strong finish for both championships while preserving the premier events racers, sponsors, tracks, and fans have eagerly anticipated throughout the year.
"Our goal throughout this process has been simple," said Heartland Promotions co-owner Erick Chesterman. "Work with our tracks, work with our racers, and do everything possible to preserve these major events instead of losing them. Mother Nature certainly dealt everyone a difficult hand this year, and there were a few other situations outside anyone's control, but we feel we've put together a schedule that gives both championships an exciting finish while continuing to strengthen the relationships we've built with our host facilities. We appreciate the patience and flexibility shown by everyone involved, and we're looking forward to closing out 2026 with some outstanding racing."
With championship battles tightening and several of the year's biggest events still to come, both the Heartland Modified Tour and American Racer Modified Series now turn their focus toward what promises to be an exciting second half of the 2026 season.
For updated schedules, championship standings, event details, and breaking series news, visit HeartlandModifiedTour.com and AmericanRacerModifiedSeries.com. Fans unable to attend in person can catch every remaining race of the 2026 season live and on demand exclusively on RacinDirt.tv
