It’s one of the busiest racing weekends of the season and the last one for a lot of America’s short tracks. It’s also a weekend of tradition with the U.S. Nationals, Crandon World Championships and Southern 500 among the historic events on the calendar.
The Big Go
The 69th Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, the biggest event of the NHRA season, hits the track Friday through Monday at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Along with the Pep Boys NHRA All-Star Funny Car Callout and the final Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHR Challenge bonus race in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series, the U.S. Nationals gives competitors in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series a multitude of opportunities for Indy glory.
Defending winners are Antron Brown (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock).
World Championships
All things off-road come together at Wisconsin’s Crandon Int’l Raceway Thursday through Sunday for the 54th Polaris Crandon World Championships and the eighth Red Bull Crandon World Cup.
More than 55,000 fans are expected to watch a record of more than 400 professional and sportsman racers from the AMSOIL Championship Off-Road series and all classes that make up the Ultra4 USA series in action over three days, culminating with Sunday night’s Red Bull Crandon World Cup.
Catch all of the action as part of Off-Road Week on SPEED SPORT 1.
Southern 500
First run in 1950, the Southern 500 at historic Darlington (S.C.) Raceway is one of the most prestigious events on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Not only does the event speak volumes in the 75-year history of NASCAR, but it kicks off the 10-race playoffs with a Labor Day Sunday 500-mile event on the 1.366-mile Track Too Tough To Tame.
Erik Jones is the defending Southern 500 winner.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series will compete at Darlington on Saturday afternoon.
Portland Bound
The penultimate round of the NTT IndyCar Series season takes the tour to Oregon’s Portland Int’l Raceway for the Bitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland, which will run Sunday at the 1.964-mile, 12-turn permanent road course. Alex Palou brings a 74-point lead over Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon into the 110-lap race.
Drivers from Indy NXT, USF Pro 2000 and USF2000 will also be in action.
Skagit Triple
The West Coast Swing for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series kicks off with the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals at Washington’s Skagit Speedway.
Four-time series champion Brad Sweet holds a 56-point lead over Carson Macedo entering the three-night affair at the three-tenths-mile dirt track. Drivers will compete for $10,000 to win on Thursday and Friday nights, with Saturday’s main event winner earning $26,000.
There have been six different winners in the last six World of Outlaws features at Skagit Speedway.
State Fair
A DuQuoin State Fair tradition continues with auto racing hitting the one-mile Illinois dirt oval over the Labor Day weekend.
The Ted Horn 100 for the USAC Silver Crown Series kicks off the action on Saturday afternoon with defending race winner Logan Seavey holding a seven-point lead over six time series champion Kody Swanson.
The ARCA Menards Series headlines the Sunday card, with the UMP modifieds competing both days.
Hillbilly 100
Sunday’s 55th running of the Hillbilly 100 will feature the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series racing for $30,000 to win on the tight quarter-mile Tyler County Speedway in West Virginia.
The Lucas Oil Late Models are in action on Saturday night at Ohio’s Portsmouth Raceway Park.
Angell Park Midgets
First run in 1982, the Firemen’s Nationals will feature two nights of USAC national midget championship competition at the famed Angell Park Speedway.
With the event sanctioned by the Badger Midget Series, two full programs will be run on Sunday and Monday night.
Elsewhere
The All Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars will make a two-night stand to close the season at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park, with $12,000 to the Saturday night winner.
The Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series visits Arrowhead Speedway and Longdale Speedway, while the USCS sprint cars have a doubleheader set at I-75 Raceway in Tennessee.
The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series runs Friday and Saturday at Indiana’s Paragon Speedway, while the POWRi winged and non-winged sprint cars share a two-night bill at Missouri’s Lake Ozark Speedway on Saturday and Sunday.