The six-date Superstar Racing Experience season has finally arrived.
The iconic Thursday Night Thunder television series will return to ESPN on July 13 with on-track action from Connecticut’s Stafford Speedway. In the days leading up to the season opener, the series announced several last-minute additions to the driver lineup, but the 12-car fields are now finalized for each of the six events on the summer schedule.
Along with Stafford, the featured tracks on tour include Thunder Road Speedbowl in Vermont, Virginia’s Motor Mile Speedway, Berlin Raceway in Michigan, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway and Missouri’s Lucas Oil Speedway.
Stafford Motor Speedway — July 13
The third season of SRX will kick off at the paved, half-mile oval in Connecticut on Thursday night.
Eight full-time drivers will be looking to commence their championship campaigns.
NASCAR drivers include current Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski, Truck Series competitor Hailie Deegan, former Cup Series champion Bobby Labonte and 18-time Cup Series winner Ryan Newman. Three-time Cup Series champion — as well as SRX owner and inaugural SRX champion — Tony Stewart is also on the list.
Former NTT IndyCar Series wheelman Paul Tracy, part-time IndyCar driver Marco Andretti and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay complete the full-time roster.
As is the case at every SRX race, the remaining four spots will be filled by part-time drivers.
Former Cup Series star Clint Bowyer, recently retired NTT IndyCar Series driver Tony Kanaan and current Cup Series competitors Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin will complete the 12-driver field.
Thunder Road Speedbowl — July 20
While Kanaan has had a Thunder Road appearance circled on his calendar for months, the other three part-timers have only been signed on for the Barre, Vt., SRX race since March.
The fans in the stands at the paved, quarter-mile short track will bear witness to Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez, 19-time Cup Series winner Greg Biffle and nine-time Xfinity Series winner Kenny Wallace sharing the spotlight with the full-time gang.
Keselowski, Deegan, Labonte, Newman, Stewart, Tracy, Andretti and Hunter-Reay will complete the 12-car field.
Motor Mile Speedway — July 27
A four-time Indianapolis 500 winner will be in the mix at Virginia’s Motor Mile.
Helio Castroneves will run at the 0.416-mile paved track, with the most recent Indy 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, sure to be hot on his heels. Two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and Bowyer will also line up.
Keselowski, Deegan, Labonte, Newman, Stewart, Tracy, Andretti and Hunter-Reay will complete the 12-car field.
Berlin Raceway — August 3
Castroneves and Busch will carry the torch from Virginia to Michigan, as they take on Berlin Raceway for their second race of the season.
The .438-mile paved oval will mark Harvick’s final appearance, while 18-time Cup Series winner and current World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series competitor Kasey Kahne will make his first and only SRX start of the year in Berlin.
Keselowski, Deegan, Labonte, Newman, Stewart, Tracy, Andretti and Hunter-Reay will complete the 12-car field.
Eldora Speedway — August 10
From there, the tour heads south to Ohio’s Eldora Speedway for the penultimate stop on the schedule, with three new part-time drivers also coming to town for the 100-lap dirt race.
Though Kanaan will be a familiar face, three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Ron Capps, current Cup Series driver Austin Dillon and former Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth will be the fresh blood in the water.
Keselowski, Deegan, Labonte, Newman, Stewart, Tracy, Andretti and Hunter-Reay will complete the 12-car field.
Lucas Oil Speedway — August 17
The grand SRX finale is set for the three-eighths-mile, dirt oval in Missouri.
Castroneves, Bowyer and Wallace will be the returning part-timers, while Indy NXT Series driver and multi-time Trans-Am champion Ernie Francis Jr. will make his lone SRX start at Lucas Oil Speedway. Notably, Francis Jr. claimed a win at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis during the inaugural SRX season in 2021.
Keselowski, Deegan, Labonte, Newman, Stewart, Tracy, Andretti and Hunter-Reay will complete the 12-car field, with one likely being crowned champion by night’s end.