Most schools are out of session and spring is turning into summer and many of the weeklong mini tours that populate the summer racing schedule are getting underway, including Indiana Midget Week and Ohio Speedweek.
Eldora Dream
Ohio’s Eldora Speedway will be the center of the universe for the dirt late model racing world this week, as the country’s best dirt trackers invade the legendary half-mile oval for three nights of racing headlined by Saturday night’s 29th annual Dirt Late Model Dream.
A pair of $12,000-to-win features will be run on Thursday and Friday, while Saturday’s 100-lap main event will offer $129,000 to the winner. Brandon Overton has won the last two runnings of the Dream.
Hoosier Home
With 16-year-old Jacob Denney having won the opener Sunday at Tri-State Speedway, USAC’s Indiana Midget Week will feature six races this week at six Hoosier state tracks, concluding on Sunday night at Kokomo Speedway.
The Buckeye State
The All Star Circuit of Champions will kick off the 41st annual Ohio Sprint Speedweek on Friday night at Attica Raceway Park. The tour features eight nights of racing at eight different Buckeye state tracks. The opening three-race weekend also includes stops at Fremont Speedway and Wayne County Speedway.
Outlaw Invasion
After being rained out in April, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will invade Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway for the first time this season with two nights of racing on tap Friday and Saturday for the legendary half-mile black-dirt track.
Wine Country
NASCAR’s annual visit to Wine Country will be bigger and better this year, with the NASCAR Xfinity Series making its first appearance at California’s Sonoma Raceway on Saturday afternoon, sharing the card with the Cup Series, which has been visiting the Northern California road course since 1989.
Thunder Valley
The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series returns to Thunder Valley, with three days of competition at Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway. Top, Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle will all be on the card at the state-of-the-art drag strip. Justin Ashley and Ron Capps were last year’s nitro winners at Bristol.
Asphalt Aces
The 500 Sprint Tour gets back on the track with a Saturday night visit to Michigan’s Berlin Raceway, while the NASCAR Modified Tour takes to the bullring at Seekonk Speedway in Massachusetts.