QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. — After seeing multiple drivers grabbing extra money from the Keyser Quarter-Million Challenge in previous years, the bonus incentive program will return for the 2021 edition of the Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts at FK Rod Ends Arizona Speedway.
When super late modeld teams assemble at the third-mile oval outside Phoenix for six nights of racing Jan. 9-17, 2021, a checkered-flag sweep of the miniseries by one driver will for the fifth consecutive year be worth a blockbuster $250,000 bonus. In addition, winning five of six features will earn a racer an extra $100,000; capturing four A-mains offers a $25,000 prize; and being the first driver to top three headliners will provide a $10,000 check.
In 2019 Bobby Pierce became the first driver to ever win a portion of the Keyser Quarter-Million Challenge. The Illinois racer claimed a $10,000 check for winning three of the six events in that year’s Keyser Manufacturing Wild West Shootout.
Fast forward to 2020, and Brandon Sheppard and Brian Shirley did the unthinkable. Each driver claimed three wins during the six-race miniseries to claim respective $10,000 bonuses.
“Having Keyser Manufacturing involved in our event as both the title sponsor and bonus sponsor has been a major catalyst in the success of the Wild West Shootout. Bobby [Pierce] proved in 2019 that it was possible to win part of the bonus. However, I don’t think anybody would’ve guessed that two drivers would win the bonus, but that’s just what [Brandon] Sheppard and [Brian] Shirley did in 2020,” laughed event promoter, Chris Kearns. “I’m looking forward to seeing if a driver can win an even bigger bonus in 2021. The thought of someone possibly winning that $250,000 bonus especially gets me excited.”
With the Wild West Shootout offering five features paying $5,000 to win and a $15,000-to-win finale, a driver able to pull off the feat of sweeping the miniseries would depart Arizona with $293,000 in earnings including the Keyser Quarter-Million Challenge bonus as well the $3,000 champion’s check.