JENNERSTOWN, Pa. — On Saturday July 11, a new chapter in the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour history will be written as the series makes its long-awaited debut at Jennerstown Speedway Complex for the inaugural Pennsylvania 50.
The event marks several significant milestones for both the tour and the historic Pennsylvania oval. Not only will it be the first appearance by the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour at Jennerstown, but it will also be the easternmost race ever contested by the series. Even more notably, the Pennsylvania 50 will feature the first non-winged pavement sprint car race in the history of the Somerset County facility.
Known for producing exciting racing across a variety of divisions, Jennerstown Speedway Complex has hosted countless marquee events throughout its history. This weekend, fans will witness a completely new style of competition as the powerful, wingless pavement sprint cars make their first laps around the fast half-mile oval.
A strong field of drivers from across the country is set to tackle the historic event.
Leading the entry list is reigning Little 500 champion Kody Swanson, who has established himself as one of the premier pavement sprint car racers in the nation. The Kingsburg, California native will pilot the familiar No. 33 for Nick Bohanon and enters the weekend as one of the favorites in the series’ first visit to Pennsylvania.
Indiana’s Dakoda Armstrong returns to 500 Sprint Car Tour competition aboard the No. 1 machine. Armstrong, a former NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor, has continued to expand his pavement sprint car schedule and will look to add another victory to his resume in unfamiliar territory.
Veteran Kyle O’Gara brings one of the deepest resumes in pavement sprint car racing into the Pennsylvania 50. The Camby, Indiana driver has collected victories throughout his career in both full-size sprint cars and pavement midgets, and will be among the contenders as teams search for the right setup at Jennerstown.
Arizona’s Nathan Byrd continues to represent series sponsor yourBIGplans.com while gaining valuable experience in non-winged sprint car competition. Byrd has shown steady improvement throughout the season and hopes the trip east provides an opportunity for another strong performance.
The field also features several accomplished veterans and rising stars, including Derek Bischak, Cord Ehrhart, Donnie Adams Jr., Olivia Shelbo, Jackson Macenko, Rob Keesling, Tony McVey, Justin Harper, Rylan Gray, Tony Main, Rick Holley and Brady Allum. Holley will also be making his yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour debut.
While many competitors have extensive pavement sprint car experience, Jennerstown presents an entirely new challenge. With no previous 500 Sprint Car Tour data to rely upon, teams will begin the weekend with a clean slate, making practice sessions especially important as drivers learn how their cars react to the unique characteristics of the Pennsylvania oval.
The Pennsylvania 50 also continues the tour’s commitment to expanding the reach of non-winged pavement sprint car racing.
