Sprints & Midgets - SPEED SPORT

All Sprints & Midgets News

It’s Eliason On Night Two At Trophy Cup

The second night of the Abreu Vineyards Trophy Cup 30 presented by Rudeen Racing returned 63 winged 360 sprints to Tulare Thunderbowl

Other Sprint Cars

Hustling Hagar Is Riverside Speedster

Few sprint car drivers can say they’ve won three features at the same track in the span of seven days, but Derek Hagar added his name to that short list Friday night at Riverside Int’l Speedway

USAC

Gasper Goes In Imperial Valley Sprint

David Gasper put on a show in winning Friday night’s third annual Heritage Fall Classic for the Avanti Windows & Doors USAC-CRA Sprint Car Series at Imperial Valley Raceway

POWRi

Port City POWRi Field Gets Nailed

Jake Nail fashioned a near-perfect drive to win preliminary night two of the annual installment of the Keith Kunz Motorsports Giveback Classic with the POWRi Non-Wing Outlaw Micro League at Port City Raceway

USAC

Silver Crown Notes: Swanson & Grant For All The Marbles

BROWNSBURG, Ind. — The USAC Silver Crown National Championship battle comes down to two drivers, one race and just six points Saturday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. One hundred laps are all that remain on the season. One hundred laps are all that remain in deciding the champion. After a year’s worth of work, you couldn’t really ask for more. Now, let’s check the storylines that we’re keen on this weekend for Championship Saturday at the .686-mile paved oval. SWANSON & GRANT Point leader Kody Swanson is eying an unprecedented eighth career USAC Silver Crown driving title (2014-15-17-18-19-21-22) while Justin Grant is seeking a second after previously capturing the championship in 2020. For all intents and purposes, IRP has been Swanson’s playground over the years as he’s scored eight career victories at the track located just west of the Indianapolis. The eight victories are tied for the all-time lead alongside his brother, Tanner Swanson. Kody’s 10 Silver Crown pole positions at IRP are a record and his 14 overall USAC victories at IRP rank as the second most all-time. Grant, meanwhile, owns four top-five finishes at IRP with a best result of third in October 2023. He has won on the pavement with the USAC Silver Crown series before, capturing the 2021 Rich Vogler Classic at Winchester (Ind.) Speedway by the blink of an eye over Swanson. WALK OFFS Kody Swanson and Justin Grant are also wanting to end the season on a doubly impressive high note by winning both the race and the Silver Crown championship in one fell swoop on the final night of the season. Swanson is among the 10 drivers in series history to accomplish the feat and is the only one to do so on three different occasions. The others to achieve it at least once are Al Unser (1973), Bobby Olivero (1979), Gary Bettenhausen (1980), Jack Hewitt (1986), Steve Butler (1992), Jimmy Sills (1996), J.J. Yeley (2002-03), Bobby East (2012), Kody Swanson (2014-15-21) and Chris Windom (2016). SANTOS ON THE CUSP Bobby Santos is on the brink of a record-setting performance this Saturday at IRP. The Franklin, Mass., native’s 15 career USAC victories at the track are tied for first place all-time alongside Tracy Hines. Santos has won in all three USAC national divisions in his career at IRP (Silver Crown, Sprint & Midget). The exclusive list of nine to do that includes Santos, Kody Swanson, Mike Bliss, Bobby East, Tracy Hines, Kenny Irwin Jr., Jim Keeker, Dave Steele and Tony Stewart. Santos owns six career USAC Silver Crown wins at IRP dating back to 2009. More than anything, he’d just like to get back to victory lane for the first time with the series in 2024 after five starts have produced five top-five finishes, including runner-up performances at both Winchester and Madison. TURNING POINT It’s safe to say that Dakoda Armstrong’s most recent visit to IRP in May marked the turning point for his USAC Silver Crown program following no finishes better than 10th in 2023. That day, the New Castle, Ind., racer earned accolades as the top Hoosier Hundred Rookie by finishing sixth. Since that point, he hasn’t finished outside the top-two in series competition with a first career Silver Crown victory at Madison Int’l Speedway followed by a second at Jennerstown Speedway and another triumphant score at World Wide Technology Raceway. He’s no dark horse anymore. He’s a contender and will be among those to keep an eye on to play spoiler on the championship party come Saturday. TRAINOR WHEELS Jake Trainor will get his shot at the USAC Silver Crown division where he’ll make his series debut this Saturday in a second machine for car owner Sam Pierce as a teammate to Kaylee Bryson. The 19-year-old Trainor has been spectacular in the few showings he’s already had at IRP over the past couple of seasons. He captured victory at the Carb Night Classic midget race in both 2023 and 2024, and this past August, added an Ecotec Midget feature score at IRP. Trainor has already proven he’s the real deal in midgets and sprint cars on pavement with his successes at IRP as well as winning the Little 500 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway as a Rookie in 2023. Now we get to see him take his shot at the big cars. TRIPLETS & QUADRUPLETS At least five drivers are set to perform at least triple duty in Silver Crown, Sprint Cars and Midgets during Championship Saturday at IRP, and there’s even one individual who’ll take on four different types of machinery. Jake Trainor will have his own personal pavement 4-Crown as he tackles all three, plus the Ecotec All Star Midget event. Meanwhile, Kody Swanson, Bobby Santos, Dakoda Armstrong and Nathan Byrd will compete in the Silver Crown, Sprint Car and Midget races.

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars

Hamm-Reilly Plays Key Role With Big Game No. 2

Plenty of focus has been placed on David Gravel’s pursuit of his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championship, but there’s another member of the Big Game Motorsports team on a similar path toward a first title

Other Sprint Cars

It’s All Justin Peck In Trophy Cup Opener

Justin Peck withstood all challenges to post a flag-to-flag victory on the opening night of the Abreu Vineyards Trophy Cup 30 presented by Rudeen Racing at Thunderbowl Raceway

Other Sprint Cars

Meyers Racing Expands, Hires Bayston

Jason Meyers Racing is doubling down next season

POWRi

Dominant Snyder Conquers Port City

Steven Snyder Jr. captured the victory on the opening preliminary night of the Keith Kunz Motorsports Giveback Classic Thursday night at Port City Raceway

ASCS

Swindell To Take On World Short Track Challenge

More than 60 of the biggest names in 360 sprint car racing are on the entry list for Arkansas’ World Short Track Challenge, but one is most synonymous with the West Memphis area – Sammy Swindell