KOKOMO, Ind. — The time has come again for Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts Sprint Car Smackdown XIV at Kokomo Speedway this Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.
Since Smackdown’s inaugural edition in 2012, it’s been a staple of the racing calendar, one which delivers the goods with more than 50 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car drivers entered. All are chasing the glory of a $30,000-plus payday on championship night and the title belt along with numerous bonuses across three-straight nights at Indiana’s baddest bullring.
Smackdown is a bucket-list item for fans to attend. The ever-brewing excitement is palpable, and the storylines are in abundance entering the 14th installment of Sprint Car Smackdown.
PAST WINNERS
Past final night Smackdown winners in this weekend’s field include Kevin Thomas Jr. (2016) and Kyle Cummins (2022), both of whom are also past Kokomo Speedway track champions as well: Thomas Jr. (2016) and Cummins (2022).
Both have also won their share of Smackdown prelim night features throughout the years: Thomas Jr. (four in 2016-21-22-24) and Cummins (two in 2020).
It’s certainly worth noting that the status of four-time and defending Smackdown champion Justin Grant (2018-21-23-24) is unknown at this juncture. Grant is still recovering from a broken left foot suffered at Lawrenceburg Speedway in late July. In the meantime, Grant has made a couple of USAC Silver Crown starts, finishing 2nd at Salem and 4th at Springfield.
Grant is the winningest driver in Smackdown history with nine wins (5 prelims and 4 final nights) and is also the winningest driver of all-time in USAC National Sprint Car competition at Kokomo with 11 victories.
Three other drivers in this year’s Smackdown field have won a prelim or two but are still vying for their first Smackdown final night triumph: Chase Stockon (2015), C.J. Leary (2016-17) and Logan Seavey (2019).
STEPPING UP
The list of potential first-time Smackdown winners – prelim or final night – is plentiful with four drivers currently residing inside the top-10 of the USAC National Sprint Car standings vying for a first Smackdown triumph.
Count Briggs Danner in that group. He scored a sensational last turn, last-lap pass for the win during July’s USAC Indiana Sprint Week round at Kokomo for his one and only series win to date in 2025.
Mitchel Moles is one who could certainly break through this weekend as could Jake Swanson and Kale Drake, all three of whom are seeking to win their first USAC National Sprint Car feature wins this year.
All three also own a best USAC National Sprint Car finish of second place this season and would certainly like to change that sooner rather than later, especially on Smackdown weekend.
RICHEST RICHES
This Saturday’s Smackdown finale will continue with Smackdown Saturday night not only being the richest USAC Sprint Car race of the year, but also the richest in the state of Indiana.
A pair of $6,000-to-win preliminaries set the stage on Thursday and Friday night followed by the $30 Grand finale on Saturday night. With $20,000 in lap leader money up for grabs, leading all 40 laps and winning on Saturday would net a driver a $50,000 payday.
The base pay of $30,000 for winning the feature is supplemented by adding a cool $500 per each lap led throughout the course of the feature thanks to a number of sponsors who’ve made it possible.
The take home pay for the winners over the past three years has been $35,000, $44,500 and $35,000 in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Just five years ago, the final night of Smackdown paid $10,000-to-win. By 2021, it hit $15,000. In 2022, the $15,000 winner’s share was boosted even further by an extra $20,000 in lap money.
Additionally, Smackdown XIV Saturday night will pay $1,500 to start, which is the largest payout for start money on the USAC National Sprint Car calendar during the 2025 season.
RECORD CAR COUNT
The largest car count in the history of Sprint Car Smackdown stands at 50, which was set one year ago during the opening night of the event in 2024.
Thus far, there are 50-plus confirmed entries for this year’s event, consisting of drivers from 15 different United States and two countries.
Indiana leads the way with 23 entries, while representation in the event also hails from California (10), Arizona (2), Ohio (2), Pennsylvania (2), Texas (2), Alabama (1), Colorado (1), Illinois (1), Kansas (1), Louisiana (1), Minnesota (1), Missouri (1), Oklahoma (1) and Washington (1).
International representation in the field is brought to us courtesy of Australia’s Todd Hobson and Troy Carey.
ROOKIE BREAKDOWN
This year’s Smackdown rookie class looks to feature at least 12 drivers making their first ever appearance in the event.
Among the first timers for 2025 are Gunnar Setser and Cale Coons, each of whom have made strong runs in USAC National Sprint Car competition this year.
Furthermore, there’s also Evan Mosley, James Turnbull Jr., R.J. Miller, Eli Wilhelmus, Chelby Hinton, Rob Caho Jr. and Kole Kirkman, all of which have made USAC National Sprint Car starts in their career. Meanwhile, George Wessel Jr., Jacob Tuttle and Camden Winter are all seeking their first USAC National Sprint Car starts.
All rookies will be shooting for the Smackdown Rookie of the Year award, which will present $1,000 to the highest finisher from this group on Saturday night courtesy of Crume-Evans Insurance.
TRIFECTA OPENER
Smackdown XIV is also the kickoff for the third edition of the USAC NOS Energy Drink Hoosier Trifecta in which USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship competitors will be racing for major prizes across three marquee events in the state of Indiana in August, September and October.
The Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts Sprint Car Smackdown is up first followed by the $20,000-to-win Haubstadt Hustler at Tri-State Speedway on Saturday, September 13. Another $20,000 winner’s share is posted for the Fall Nationals at Lawrenceburg Speedway, set to go on Saturday, October 11.
Winning all three Trifecta events will net a driver a bonus of up to $30,000. The top driver finishing all three races in second place or better will receive a $20,000 payout. The top driver finishing all three races in third place or better will receive a $10,000 payout.
KING OF THE HILL
Smackdown preliminary events on Thursday, August 21 and Friday, August 22 will be comprised of complete programs for the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship, culminating in 30-lap feature races each night.
At the conclusion of Friday night’s program, the top-8 in overall Smackdown points will be locked into Saturday night’s main event.
On the third and final night, Saturday, August 23, a 40-lap feature will close out the spectacular weekend in grand fashion, which will be preceded by heat races for all drivers not locked in and will be lined up in order of each driver’s best points night.
The unique “King of the Hill” bracket-style tournament of two-car duels for locked-in drivers takes place afterward and determines the first four rows of the feature. The semi-feature will provide the final chance for drivers to lock themselves into a coveted spot for the A-Main.
