PINELLAS PARK, Fla. – The early version of the expected entry list for next weekend’s second annual Dave Steele World Non Wing Sprint Car Championship 125 at Showtime Speedway has been revealed.
The Feb. 26-27 race will be governed by 2020 Little 500 rules and pays $5,000 to win.
To date, the entry list shows nearly 20 cars confirmed and is steadily trending upward as the race date nears.
The early version of the entry list is headlined by Plymouth, Ind., driver Tyler Roahrig. Although Roahrig didn’t compete in the inaugural event, he all but dominated 125-lap events held at Anderson (Indiana) Speedway last season.
Roahrig won two of the three events held there and is considered an early favorite.
Other Midwest drivers confirmed include Kyle O’Gara, Ronnie Wuerdeman, and Dakoda Armstrong. O’Gara will be driving a car owned by former Indy car standout Sarah Fisher.
Armstrong has competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time in the past.
The biggest surprise entering this year’s event is the number of Florida teams expected to compete. This year no less than 12 teams are expected to compete, which wasn’t the case in 2020.
Lack of participation by Florida drivers last season was contributed to virtually no non-wing pavement sprint car activity in the state of Florida in recent seasons.
Showtime Speedway promoter Robert Yoho has played a huge part in getting Florida teams involved in this year’s event. He scheduled five non-wing events during the month of February to get local teams seat time before the Midwest drivers arrive next week.
L.J. Grimm won the Jan. 30 event, while the February 6 event was lost to rain. This weekend will showcase two additional non-winged races, beginning Friday night Feb. 19.
With the amount of non-winged pavement sprint car races Showtime is offering over the next three weeks, including March 6, it almost appears to be a Spring Training of non-wing pavement sprint car racing for local teams.
With the Little 500 also just over three months away, it marks welcome news for local teams also looking to participate in that event as well.
Florida drivers expected to compete include Stan Butler, Nick Anrade, Travis Bliemeister, Joe Liguori, Shane Butler, Johnny Gilbertson, Rex Keene, Tommy Nichols, Mickey Kempgens, Grimm, Sport Allen, and Dude Teate.
The list includes many former Tampa Bay Area Racing Ass’n and Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series champions.