Chase Stockon (32) battles Chris Windom during Saturday's USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series event at Bubba Raceway Park. (Al Steinberg Photo)
The Winter Dirt Games finale for the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series will feature a new format. (Al Steinberg Photo)

New Format For USAC Winter Dirt Games Sprint Finale

OCALA, Fla. – The USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car portion of Winter Dirt Games XII will take on a different look for its Saturday night, Feb. 13, finale at Bubba Raceway Park.

Over the first two nights of USAC Sprint Car events at the three-eighths-mile D-shaped track on Feb. 11-12, total points will be calculated, which will lock-in the top-five in total combined points into Saturday night’s feature event.

The program for the USAC Sprints on Saturday night will have no qualifying, and will instead consist of three qualifying races, each 10 laps in length, lined up straight-up based on points from the first two nights. The lineup will snake with sixth overall in points on the pole of the first qualifying race, seventh in points on the pole for the second qualifying race and eighth in points on the pole for the third qualifying race, and so on.

The top-four finishers from each qualifying race will transfer to the feature.  Those finishing fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth in each qualifying race will be placed into the semi-feature. Those finishing 10th on back in each qualifying race will be placed into a 10-lap C-Main, if needed, where the top-three finishers will transfer to the semi-feature and occupy the final three starting positions of that race.

The winning drivers of each qualifying race will transfer into a dash with the top-five locked in drivers. Starting positions for the dash will be drawn for with the qualifying race winners selecting first when they stop for their winner’s interview, followed by the lock-ins.  Positions one and two on the front row for the feature will only be available in the draw to the five drivers previously locked in. The finish of the eight-car, four-lap dash will determine the first four rows of the feature.

The top-five finishers from the 12-lap semi-feature will transfer into the night’s feature.

The feature will consist of 22 cars (not counting up to two provisionals) and 35 laps, as determined by the finishing order of the dash – first-place finisher starts first, second-place finisher starts seond and so on.

If Thursday’s or Friday’s events are canceled, Saturday night’s event will retain the standard format.

Winter Dirt Games XII begins with the 2021 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget openers on Feb. 5-6 at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla. A dedicated practice night will precede the festivities on Feb. 4.

The second half of Winter Dirt Games brings on the beginning of the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car season Feb. 11-13 at Bubba Raceway Park.  A practice night on Feb. 10 for the series precedes three consecutive full nights of racing.

On race days, pits open at 4 p.m. ET, front gates open at 5 p.m. and cars on track at 6 p.m. with qualifying and racing immediately following.

Race day tickets will be available at the gate on race day. No pre-order is necessary.

For practice nights, on track action runs from 6-9 p.m. ET. Grandstand admission is free. Pit passes are $20 apiece.