By NICK SCHWIEN

nschwien@dailynews.net

Now is the time when a driver can make a move.

It's also the time when a sprint car driver can fall farther behind, as well.

Welcome to the 2010 URSS Speedweek, featuring eight nights of 305 sprint car racing in six different towns.

"Seeing how we're bottled up in the points, it could be good for myself, Ty Williams, Smokey Fairbank for Ray Seemann," Brian Herbert said. "Hopefully we can come out with a couple wins during the week. ... We'll have to step it up a little bit."

As of July 20, Herbert, the 2008 URSS national champ, is second in this year's title hunt behind Ty Williams, who has put together seven wins this year. Close behind Herbert is Smokey Fairbank, the 2007 champ, followed by Zach Blurton and Ray Seemann.

"I guess the name of the game is that the nearest competitor to you in the points, you have to be ahead of them in the rest of the races," Herbert said. " ... This Speedweek deal is going to be hard on people and motors, and it's going to wear some people out."

Speedweek kicks off Friday in Colby at Thomas County Speedway. Track promoter Kerry Wark said the Rebels put on a good show last year, with Jason Martin grabbing the win.

"We ran them last year for the first time at the fair," Wark said about the 305 sprint cars. "And we had good luck with them. The crowd enjoyed them. Our high-banking curves are good for them."

The URSS drivers will experience a multitude of tracks during the week, and Wark said the Colby track should be a fast one.

"We're a very fast 3/8 track for one of the smaller 3/8 tracks in the area," Wark said.

Herbert never has raced at Thomas County Speedway but is ready for his first opportunity Friday.

"It will be my first experience going to Colby,"  the Dodge City driver said. "But one race track is about like another, and everyone has to race on the same surface."

The second night of Speedweek includes a stop at the Great American Dirt Track at Jetmore Motorplex on Saturday, followed the next three nights by consecutive shows in Liberal.

After a day off, the Rebels return to action Aug. 5 at the famed Belleville High Banks, dubbed the world's fastest 1/2-mile dirt track.

The 305 sprint cars will share the night with the 410 sprint cars of the All-Star Circuit of Champions.

"I'm guessing we'll look like we'll be in slow motion compared to the 410 All-Stars," Herbert said. "But I think we'll probably be turning laps at 110 or 112 mph. It's kind of a momentum deal. It's a big, round circle, and you're probably not going to lift off the throttle at all."

On Aug. 6, the URSS makes a return trip to Hutchinson Raceway Park, then finishes off the week Aug. 7 at the 1/4-mile "Bullring" in La Crosse at the Rush County Fair.

The first race in June in La Crosse was rained out, but track volunteers came up with an extra incentive for the fair races -- the Bullring Bonus.

In addition to the usual URSS purse awarded to drivers in the A-main, the leader of each lap will receive an additional $100. That adds the potential of a large payout to drivers in the 25-lap feature.

"There's an extra $100 to lead a lap there," Herbert said. "Ty Williams and drivers like myself, we're going to try to get to the front and lead laps. If you can lead, that's more money in your pocket."

That will be the eighth and final race of Speedweek, although drivers are not locked in to competing each night. Still, if a driver is able to string a solid week together with multiple top finishes -- or vice versa -- the national points battle could change quickly.

"You can go from starting out the season good, and then things take a turn for the worse," Herbert said. "We're just going to hold our heads high and hope for the best."