By the URSS

OBERLIN -- The United Rebel Sprint Series has announced its upcoming schedule for the 2012 season, the seventh in series history.

A total of 38 races have been scheduled so far by series founder Rick Salem. That includes the, Beaver Co. Raceway URSS Spring Nationals, the annual Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals at RPM Speedway in Hays in July and the Belleville Nationals at the High Banks in Belleville -- another two-day show.

This year also features the most two-day shows in series history, with most guaranteeing at least a $1,000 payout to the winner.

"We've got the biggest series around the country, bigger than anyone else by far," Salem said. "Last year, we had 89 registered cars, and this year we have a bunch of new cars in Colorado and Kansas."

The season kicks off April 13 and 14 with the URSS Spring Nationals at Beaver County Raceway in Beaver, Okla. The winner of Saturday's feature will take home $1,500.

The Rebels competed at Beaver several times in 2011, and each time the drivers put on an exciting show. Salem expects more of the same to kickstart the season.

Another two-day show is tentatively scheduled May 26 to 27 at the Great American Dirt Track at Jetmore Motorplex, giving the URSS six shows through the months of April and May.

The series hits the grindstone in June, with at least nine shows scheduled, and possibly more being added. June 1 kicks off the Colorado races at Phillips County Raceway in Holyoke, Colo., followed the next night at I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo.

The Kansas drivers also will be in action June 2 when they return to the Bullring known as Rush County Speedway in La Crosse. That will be the first of four races at the quarter-mile track that has featured some of the wildest racing in the past several years.

July is booked with at least 10 shows, highlighted by the annual Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals in Hays. That weekend starts July 13 at WaKeeney Speedway, then heads down Interstate 70 a few miles to Hays for the Saturday and Sunday finale to a tripleheader weekend. A $2,000 payout awaits Sunday night's winner.

August starts off with a bang at the second annual Belleville Nationals on Aug. 4 to 5. The winner of the second night will take home $3,000 -- the largest payout in URSS history. A year ago, Luke Cranston won both races on the lightning-fast half-mile banked track.

New this year is a two-day show at the end of August. On the 24th and 25th of the month, Salem will introduce the inaugural Bob Salem Memorial at Oberlin Speedway. Bob Salem, Rick's father, passed away last summer, and the two-day show is in honor of his contributions to sprint car racing.

"He was well known in our town and in the racing community," Salem said about his father. "And everybody really likes that race track, say it's one of the nicest they race on all year long."

Sept. 1 and 2 features a two-day show at the half-mile Elmwood Park Speedway in Norton, followed by a two-day Bullring Nationals Sept. 15 and 16 at Rush County Speedway, with the winner of that feature pocketing a large payout.

The season wraps up Sept. 29 with a season championship race at Dodge City Raceway Park and includes a $10,000 purse for drivers.

Also new this season is a partnership with racinboys.com. A large portion of the URSS races will be broadcast online, giving the series another feather in its cap. Dirtdogtv.com also will video broadcast some races during the season as well.

For more information about the URSS, contact Rick Salem at (785) 475-7010, by email at rksalem@eaglecom.net or visit www.unitedrebelsprintseries.com.

2012 URSS tentative schedule

April

Friday, April 13: Beaver County Raceway, Beaver, Okla., URSS Spring Nationals

Saturday, April 14: Beaver County Raceway, Beaver, Okla., URSS Spring Nationals

May

Sunday, May 20: Dawson County Raceway, Lexington, Neb.

Friday, May 25: RPM Speedway, Hays, Kan.

Saturday, May 26: Great American Dirt Track, Jetmore, Kan.

Sunday, May 27: Great American Dirt Track, Jetmore, Kan.

June

Friday, June 1: Phillips County Raceway, Holyoke, Colo.

Saturday, June 2: I-76 Speedway, Fort Morgon, Colo.

Saturday, June 2: Rush County Speedway, La Crosse, Kan.

Saturday, June 9: El Paso County Speedway, Calhan, Colo.

Saturday, June 9: Oberlin Speedway, Oberlin, Kan. (tentative)

Sunday, June 10: TBA

Friday, June 15: Diamond Mountain Speedway, Vernal, Utah

Saturday, June 16: Diamond Mountain Speedway, Vernal, Utah

Saturday, June 16: Dirtona Speedway, Hugoton, Kan.

Saturday, June 23: TBA

Sunday, June 24: TBA

Friday, June 29: Belleville High Banks, Belleville, Kan.

Saturday, June 30: TBA

Saturday, June 30: Thunder Ridge Motorsports Park, Craig, Colo.

July

Wednesday, July 4: El Paso County Speedway, Calhan, Colo.

Saturday, July 7: I-76 Speedway, Fort Morgan, Colo.

Sunday, July 8: TBA

Friday, July 13: WaKeeney Speedway, WaKeeney, Kan.

Saturday, July 14: RPM Speedway, Hays, Kan., Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals

Sunday, July 15: RPM Speedway, Hays, Kan., Wheatshocker Rebel Nationals

Saturday, July 21: El Paso County Speedway, Calhan, Colo.

Saturday, July 21: Lincoln County Speedway, North Platte, Neb.

Sunday, July 22: Dawson County Speedway, Lexington, Neb.

Friday, July 27: DCRP, Dodge City, Kan.

Saturday, July 28: Beaver County Raceway, Beaver, Okla.

August

Friday, Aug. 4: Belleville High Banks, Belleville, Kan., Belleville Nationals

Saturday, Aug. 5: Belleville High Banks, Belleville, Kan., Belleville Nationals

Sunday, Aug. 6: Rush County Speedway, La Crosse, Kan.

Saturday, Aug. 11: TBA

Sunday, Aug. 12: TBA

Saturday, Aug. 18: El Paso County Speedway, Calhan, Colo.

Saturday, Aug. 18: TBA

Sunday, Aug. 19: TBA

Friday, Aug. 24: Oberlin Speedway, Oberlin, Kan., Bob Salem Memorial

Saturday, Aug. 25: Oberlin Speedway, Oberlin, Kan., Bob Salem Memorial

Friday, Aug. 31: RPM Speedway, Hays, Kan.

September

Saturday, Sept. 1: Elmwood Park Speedway, Norton, Kan.

Sunday, Sept. 2: Elmwood Park Speedway, Norton, Kan.

Saturday, Sept. 15: Rush County Speedway, La Crosse, Kan., Bullring Nationals

Sunday, Sept. 16: Rush County Speedway, La Crose, Kan., Bullring Nationals

Saturday, Sept. 29: DCRP, Dodge City, Kan., Season championship