Tag: USAC

USAC Midget, Sprint Car Dates Announced

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From IMS. I’m glad the sprint cars are returning. Great show last year.

Action Returns to The Dirt Track at IMS in 2026 
 
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025) – The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will host two events in 2026. One of the most prestigious events in dirt racing – the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors – returns for its eighth running on June 30-July 1. Later that month, the United States Auto Club (USAC) AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship will compete in a points race for the second time at IMS when the opening night of USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K&N takes place July 23.
“USAC Midget and Sprint Cars always deliver edge-of-your-seat excitement and wheel-to-wheel action on The Dirt Track at IMS,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “These two events are unforgettable experiences for fans and competitors alike.”
The USAC Midgets will once again take center stage as drivers race for victory on the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 of IMS during the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors.
Action among the top Midget racers in the country will open Tuesday, June 30, with the 39-lap feature race set for Wednesday night, July 1. The event honors the memory of Bryan Clauson, a three-time Indianapolis 500 starter and four-time USAC national driving champion.
Cannon McIntosh became the first two-time winner of the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors when he repeated as the winner of the 39-lap feature in 2025. He joined a list of BC39 winners that includes NASCAR Cup Series champion and Brickyard 400 presented by PPG winner Kyle Larson and short-track stars Justin Grant, Buddy Kofoid, Zeb Wise and Brady Bacon.
The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship again will be featured during the 39th annual Indiana Sprint Week opener Thursday evening, July 23, before Brickyard Weekend opens on the 2.5-mile IMS oval for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
The event promises a unique spectacle, as the 900-horsepower USAC Sprint Cars take to the dirt track inside Turn 3 of the famous IMS oval.
Grant, who won the BC39 in 2023, captured the opening race of USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing in 2025.
USAC Sprint Cars made their debut at The Dirt Track at IMS in September 2024 in a special invitational event won by C.J. Leary of Greenfield, Indiana.
USAC’s Indiana Sprint Week, a cornerstone of sprint car racing in the Hoosier State since 1988, has captivated fans for decades with its thrilling action and rich legacy.
The 2026 Indiana Sprint Week schedule consists of eight events at eight different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 23-Aug. 1.
Fans can register at IMS.com to receive ticket information for the 2026 BC39 presented by Avanti Windows & Doors and the 2026 USAC Indiana Sprint Week event. 

Returning to My Roots

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The first auto race I ever saw in person was on dirt. It was the 1958 Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. It was part of USAC’s Championship trail. which included the Indianapolis 500, Milwaukee, Trenton, Sacramento, and Du Quoin, Illinois- a mix of pavement and dirt tracks. Somewhere in the next two years I went to a sprint race on dirt. Needless to say, I was captivated.

Dirt tracks eventually faded from the public eye and from major racing series, but I still remember what fun those races were. I loved the flying dirt, and was impressed witht he car control the drivers displayed, wheel their powerful machines sideways through the turns.

Last night Indianapolis Motor Speedway brought some of that back with the opening round of Indiana Sprint Week. The track has hosted the BC39 midget races for several years now. Don ‘t get me wrong, I really enjoyed the times I have watched them. Sprint cars, however, are a n entirely different beast, while sprinters are not as nimble as the midgets, they are larger and have more power. Basically, they throw more dirt and are a bigger handful on the short tracks.

Justin Grant, last night’s feature winner, admitted to not really liking the short tracks. I can see why. They are a lot of work.

Sprint cars had a 20 lap exhibition race as part of the BC39 last September. Last night was the first full Sprint car program at the IMs dirt track. I think it was fitting to add the sprinters to complement the midget program. It makes for a full return to the roots of the 500.

Through the Dust and Smoke

The 35 lap feature race had some of the best racing I have seen this year. The heavy air created a dust cloud which hung in turn 2. The occasional breeze blew the dust into t5urn three where your intrepid reporter sat. I am still shaking dust out of my hair and eyes. Of course, small chunks of dirt from turn also showered the spectators.

Robert Ballou, who started on pole and led the first 19 laps, lost two cylinders and his emitted plumes of white smoke the rest of the way. In turn 2, the smoke and the dust combined to make the cars nearly disappear for a second or two. Ballou somehow finished third.

Justin Grant was the driver of the night. He set a track record in qualifying at 12.039 seconds, finished second in his heat races, and started the feature in fifth. He held off Logan Seavey, who started eighth, for the win.

Grant is a great driver. He knows when to go high, when to go low, and when to attack. I could see it in his heat race. Grant relentlessly goes right after people. The only reason he did not win his heat was there wasn’t enough time in a 10 lap heat, which was interrupted by a couple of caution flags. If I were a driver, Grant is the last person I would want to see coming up behind me.

It’s a shame we will never see him in IndyCar or the Indianapolis 500. I saw Grant in the BC39, which he also won. He was by far the best driver in the field.

Now that IMS has fully returned to its roots, I need to follow the Speedway’s lead. I am going to plan to got more sprint and midget programs next year. There are a couple of dirt tracks I have wanted to go to, but time and priorites have kept me from attending. Next year, that changes.

Grant Finds IMS Victory Lane Again in Indiana Sprint Week Opener 

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Editor’s note: From IMS. I will have my story up later today, plus a preview of IndyCar at Laguna Seca.

 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 24, 2025) – Justin Grant continued his knack for winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, capturing the opening race of the 38th annual USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing on Thursday night at The Dirt Track at IMS.Grant added his seventh USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship victory this season and 61st of his career to a win in the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship feature on the opening night of the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors on July 1 at The Dirt Track.
Grant, from Ione, California, also won the BC39 feature race in 2023 on the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 of the 2.5-mile IMS oval.
“It’s the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Grant said. “I probably raced a little rougher than most of the sprint car guys like to race, but I come in here off the BC39, and maybe old habits die hard. I want to win at this place.”
Grant, who started fifth in the 20-car field, took the lead for the first time and for good with 16 laps remaining in the 35-lap feature. He earned $10,000 for the victory in the No. 4 TOPP Motorsports car.Logan Seavey finished second in the No. 57 Abacus Racing car, followed by pole sitter Robert Ballou in the No. 12 Ballou Motorsports machine.
Ballou led the first 19 laps, but Grant used both the top and bottom grooves of the clay oval to climb from fifth to second. With 16 laps to go, Grant used the high line in Turns 3 and 4 to power past Ballou, whose car started to emit white plumes of smoke from its left side.Seavey passed Ballou for second on the next lap and set his sights on Grant.
A three-car tangle in Turn 2 triggered the final caution of the feature race with nine laps to go.
Grant got a strong jump on the restart, pulling away slightly. But Seavey found grip and slid under Grant in Turns 1 and 2 to nose slightly ahead with eight laps remaining. But Grant used the low line to quickly power ahead of Seavey on the back straightaway and eased away over the final seven laps for the prestigious victory.
“It was really, really tough,” Grant said. “The pace was really fast, and the top was so fast you had to kind of make some things happen there. I’m sure I didn’t make too many friends, but I wanted to get down here to Victory Lane.
“I love racing here. I think this little track is amazing. I’m the biggest hater of small racetracks in the world, and one of my favorite ones is this one. It’s kind of funny. We’ve really come a long way on our short-track stuff. I’m kind of a half-mile kind of guy. Just super excited to be here.”
USAC Indiana Sprint Week, a cornerstone of sprint car racing in the Hoosier State since 1988, has captivated fans for decades with its thrilling action and rich legacy. The 2025 Indiana Sprint Week schedule consists of eight events at eight different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 24-Aug. 2.
C.J. Leary captured the only previous visit by the USAC National Sprint Cars to The Dirt Track at IMS in September 2024, a 20-lap, non-points exhibition race during the BC39.]
The focus at the Racing Capital of the World now turns to Brickyard Weekend, featuring the Pennzoil 250 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday and the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG for the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday. Practice for both series takes place Friday. Visit IMS.com to buy tickets or for more information.

USAC Sprint Cars To Race Thursday at IMS in Indiana Sprint Week Opener

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From IMS. Additional information from my story yesterday.

  INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 22, 2025) – The 38th annual USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing will open with a historic event Thursday night, July 24 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
An invitational field of 40 drivers will compete in a 35-lap feature for a $10,000 winner’s purse. This race on the 1/5th-mile clay oval inside Turn 3 of IMS will pay appearance points toward the season-long USAC National Sprint Car standings but not offer points toward the 2025 Indiana Sprint Week standings.USAC Indiana Sprint Week, a cornerstone of sprint car racing in the Hoosier State since 1988, has captivated fans for decades with its thrilling action and rich legacy. The 2025 Indiana Sprint Week schedule consists of eight events at eight different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 24-Aug. 2.
C.J. Leary captured the only previous visit by the USAC National Sprint Cars to The Dirt Track at IMS in September 2024, a 20-lap, non-points exhibition race during the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors. Leary raced from seventh to first, making the winning pass with nine laps remaining.
Public gates open at 5 p.m. ET Thursday. Engine heat will start at 6 p.m., with hot laps and group qualifying at 6:30 p.m. That will be followed by heat races, a C-Main, a feature redraw and the semi-feature, with the night concluding with the 35-lap feature main event.
To buy tickets or for more information, visit IMS.com. Spectators must enter IMS via Gate 10 off 30th Street to access The Dirt Track. No entrance will be allowed through Gate 2.
2025 USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK INDIANA SPRINT WEEK EVENT AT THE DIRT TRACK AT IMS ENTRIES(As of July 21, 2025)
0G KYLE SHIPLEY/Phoenix (Black Gold Racing)
1 J.J. YELEY/Phoenix (Petty Performance Racing)
2B KALE DRAKE/Collinsville, Oklahoma (2B Racing)
2E CARSON GARRETT/Littleton, Colorado (Epperson Racing)
3p KYLE CUMMINS/Princeton, Indiana (Petty Performance Racing)3R KEVIN THOMAS JR./Cullman, Alabama (Rock Steady Racing)
4 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, California (TOPP Motorsports)4x BRAYDON CROMWELL/Lone Jack, Missouri (Boyd Racing)
5G GUNNAR SETSER/Columbus, Indiana (KO Motorsports)
5T JAKE SWANSON/Anaheim, California (Daming Swanson Motorsports)
6 LOGAN CALDERWOOD/Goodyear, Arizona (Josh Ford Motorsports)6R BILL ROSE/Plainfield, Indiana (Bill Rose Racing)
6T TREY OSBORNE/Columbus, Ohio (Trey Osborne Racing)
12 ROBERT BALLOU/Rocklin, California (Ballou Motorsports)
16 HARLEY BURNS/Brazil, Indiana (Britt Aero Racing)
19 HAYDEN REINBOLD/Gilbert, Arizona (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
19AZ MITCHEL MOLES/Raisin City, California (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
20 BRADY BACON/Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Chris Dyson Racing)
21AZ C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, Indiana (Team AZ-Curb-Agajanian Racing)
21K KOBE SIMPSON/Bonham, Texas (Kevin Simpson)
21m CARSON SHORT/Marion, Illinois (Randy Edwards)
24 THOMAS MESERAULL/San Jose, California (Landon Simon Racing)
24m HUNTER MADDOX/Bedford, Indiana (Hunter Maddox Racing)
28 BRANDON MATTOX/Terre Haute, Indiana (Brandon Mattox Racing)
33p R.J. JOHNSON/Laveen, Arizona (Petty Performance Racing)
34 SHANE COTTLE/Kansas, Illinois (Jeff Olson)
39 BRIGGS DANNER/Allentown, Pennsylvania (Hogue Racing Enterprises)
41 RICKY LEWIS/Camarillo, California (Ricky Lewis Motorsports)
44 WESLEY SMITH/Nixa, Missouri (Wesley Smith Racing)
47 CHARLES DAVIS JR./Buckeye, Arizona (Charles Davis Jr.)
57 LOGAN SEAVEY/Sutter, California (Abacus Racing)
61m BRADY SHORT/Bedford, Indiana (Randy Edwards)
63 JERRY COONS JR./Tucson, Arizona (Dooling Autosports-Curb-Agajanian)
66 JADON ROGERS/Worthington, Indiana (Amati Racing)
77 TODD HOBSON/Clyde, Australia (Wingo Brothers Racing)
83c CHANCE CRUM/Snohomish, Washington (Crum Racing)
86 DAISON PURSLEY/Locust Grove, Oklahoma (CB Industries
)88J JOEY AMANTEA/Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania (JPA Racing)
92 CHASE STOCKON/Fort Branch, Indiana (Tom & Laurie Sertich)
96 RYLAN GRAY/Greenfield, Indiana (Ted Slinkard) 

McIntosh Drives From Deep in Field To Become First Two-Time BC39 Winner

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INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 2, 2025) – Cannon McIntosh took a long, tough route Wednesday night to become the first two-time winner of the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. McIntosh, from Bixby, Oklahoma, repeated as the winner of the 39-lap USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Championship race after starting 19th in the No. 71K Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports machine in the 24-car field. He earned $20,039 for the win in the race honoring late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson.
“I’m speechless right now – this is amazing,” McIntosh said. “To do it in honor of Bryan Clauson here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway twice now, it’s just an honor. It’s all for him, and I’m sure he’s looking down, smiling and seeing another good race here.”
The Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian team swept the top three spots in the finishing order, as Gavin Miller placed second in the team’s No. 97 car and Jacob Denney third in the No. 67 entry. McIntosh’s journey to victory lane for the second straight year at the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 at IMS was as improbable as it was dramatic. He ended up upside-down in a wild crash during a qualifying race earlier in the evening and had to drive his way into the field by winning the Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts semi race. That placed McIntosh 19th in the starting lineup.
He wasn’t a factor in the first half of the race, which was dominated by pole sitter Justin Grant, who won the 30-lap feature Tuesday night. But McIntosh began to charge through traffic and climbed to third by Lap 30 behind Grant and Denney. Grant had led every lap to that point, expanding his gap to nearly a second midway through the race, but was being challenged by Denney as McIntosh drew closer.
Grant and Denney jousted in a spirited side-by-side duel for the lead from Laps 30 to 35, with Grant holding off Denney’s repeated low slides for the top spot on both ends of the clay oval. On Lap 36, Grant was running in the high groove exiting Turn 4 and Denney low when the two drivers banged wheels heading for the flag stand. On the next lap, Grant dove low exiting Turn 2 trying to pass Denney for the lead, but Grant’s right front wheel hit Denney’s left rear, momentarily launching Grant airborne and blunting his momentum. That incident triggered a caution and flattened Grant’s front left tire and bent his side nerf bar into his left rear tire, effectively ending his chances to sweep the event in the No. 87 CB Industries car. Meanwhile, McIntosh squeezed past Grant and took second place. With two laps to go, Denney and McIntosh made hard contact while battling for the lead exiting Turn 2, with Denney taking the lead. Miller was closely pursuing, ready to pounce. Just two turns later, McIntosh slid under Denney in Turn 4 for the lead with the white flag in the air while Miller and Denney made contact, all but ending their chances to win. That bobble by his rivals let McIntosh pull away on the final lap for the victory.
“A lot of guys moved up to the top there, and it was hard to make moves,” McIntosh said. “When you throw a slide job, you lose so much momentum. So, to try and get your momentum back without getting slid was tough.
“Luckily, I was the guy coming from behind and putting those guys in bad positions and was able to get to the next guy before they could get back to me. Just kept making moves.”
Bryton Buoy led all 20 laps to win the Stoops Junior Sprint Invitational feature for young drivers. Levi Ballard, who won the first feature Tuesday night, rallied to close the gap over the final five laps but fell just short in second. Owen Larson, son of reigning Brickyard 400 presented by PPG winner Kyle Larson, finished fifth.
USAC action will return to The Dirt Track at IMS on Thursday, July 24 for the AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship feature as part of the NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing series. The first USAC Sprint Car race at IMS takes place the night before Brickyard Weekend for the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series starts on the 2.5-mile IMS oval. Visit www.ims.com for information about the Indiana Sprint Week race at IMS.  
 
 

Grant Hangs on to Win Sizzling Feature to Open BC39 at IMS 

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From IMS:

 INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 1, 2025) – Justin Grant endured constant pressure from rivals, numerous caution flags and heavy traffic to win a wild USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship feature Tuesday night that opened the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Grant, who started second, used nearly every inch of the racetrack to earn $5,000 for another win at IMS in the No. 87 CB Industries car owned by Chad Boat, the son of 1998 Indianapolis 500 pole sitter Billy Boat. He also won the BC39 main feature in 2023 on the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 at IMS.Gavin Miller finished second in the No. 97 Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports entry, and Kyle Cummins was third in the No. 3G Glenn Styres Racing car.
“It was a lot of fun,” Grant said. “I had no idea what to do. I felt like I could make better speed up top, but you could just get pocketed so easy by guys running the slider there.
“I almost felt like I slowed down. I felt like early I was able to run pretty good pace around the top, and it felt like as the pace of the race slowed down, I had to slow down and start doing things a little differently. I felt like I was almost running easier at the end than at the beginning, but just trying to be fast in the spots where you can get past.”
The 30-lap feature looked anything but slow, especially over the frantic final 15 laps.
Grant drove under pole sitter Logan Seavey on Lap 3 and took the lead, which he held until a restart with 12 laps to go. Daison Pursley then drove his No. 86 CB Industries machine under Grant in Turns 3 and 4 for first place.That pass started a ferocious duel between Pursley and Grant. The two drivers swapped the lead at least three times over the next five laps, using every available line on the clay oval.With five laps to go, Pursley slid high in Turn 4 and banged wheels with Grant in the high groove while they dueled for the lead. That slight loss of momentum let Kale Drake squeeze past to take the lead in the No. 97K Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports car.
But Drake drifted high in Turn 1 on the very next lap and spun, collecting Pursley and Seavey while Grant drove low to avoid the snarl and take the lead as the caution flags flew.Grant kept the lead on the restart and appeared to be headed to a smooth drive to victory when the No. 19M Bundy Built Motorsports entry driven by Ethan Mitchell stopped in Turn 4 with one lap to go, triggering a caution period and the first of two green-white-checkered restarts.California native Grant hung on to the lead on both restarts and was never challenged.
Levi Ballard won the inaugural Stoops Junior Sprint Invitational feature for young drivers. Ballard, who started 14th, took the lead on Lap 16 of the 20-lap feature when pole sitter and leader Owen Larson clipped a tire on the inside of the exit of Turn 2 and lost his momentum. Larson, son of reigning Brickyard 400 presented by PPG winner Kyle Larson, rallied to finish second.
Championship night of the BC39 on Wednesday, July 2 will consist of full programs for both the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship and the Stoops Junior Sprint Invitational.
Public gates open at 4 p.m., followed by a driver autograph session at 4:30 p.m. in the driver merchandise area and hot laps at 6 p.m. Racing starts immediately after the opening ceremonies at 7 p.m., culminating in a 39-lap feature event for the midgets paying $20,039 to win.Grant and 2024 winner Cannon McIntosh will try to become the first two-time winner of the BC39, which honors late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson.
Tickets are on sale at ims.com/BC39. Spectators must enter IMS via Gate 10 off 30th Street to access The Dirt Track. No entrance will be allowed through Gate 2.For more spectator information, fans should visit the Plan Ahead site for the BC39.

Elite USAC Midget Field Set To Race July 1-2 in BC39 at IMS

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 INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, June 27, 2025) – A field of more than 70 cars is expected to compete July 1-2 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for one of the most prestigious prizes in the United States Auto Club NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship – victory in the BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors.
The list of past winners is impressive, with stars Brady Bacon (2018), Zeb Wise (2019), Kyle Larson (2021), Buddy Kofoid (2022), Justin Grant (2023) and Cannon McIntosh (2024) kissing the bricks on the outside wall at the start-finish line of the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 at IMS.
Grant and McIntosh are among the drivers competing this year, trying to become the first two-time winners of this event that honors late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson.
Drivers representing 18 states and three countries (USA, Canada, England) are entered, with more expected early next week.On-track action begins Tuesday, July 1 at IMS with a full program of events for both the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship and the Stoops Junior Sprint Invitational. Owen and Audrey Larson, the young son and daughter of NASCAR superstar and BC39 winner Kyle Larson, are expected to drive in the Junior Sprint race.
Public gates open at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, with hot laps at 6 p.m. and competition at 7 p.m. A 30-lap feature for the midgets will be the main event of the evening. Fans then can enter the track after the checkered flag for the feature and talk with drivers and see the race cars up close.
Championship night of the BC39 on Wednesday, July 2 will consist of full programs for both the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship and the Stoops Junior Sprint Invitational. Public gates open at 4 p.m., followed by a driver autograph session at 4:30 in the driver merchandise area and hot laps at 6 p.m. Racing starts immediately after the opening ceremonies at 7 p.m., culminating in a 39-lap feature event for the midgets paying $20,039 to win.
Tickets are on sale at ims.com/BC39. Spectators must enter IMS via Gate 10 off 30th Street to access The Dirt Track. No entrance will be allowed through Gate 2.For more spectator information, fans should visit the Plan Ahead site for the BC39.
2025 BC39 PRESENTED BY AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS ENTRIES(As of June 26, 2025)
00 BRECKEN REESE/Canyon, Texas (Chandler Grand Prix)
0G GLENN STYRES/Ohsweken, Ontario (Glenn Styres Racing)
2 KYLE SIMON/Covington, Ohio (Nick Poe)
3G KYLE CUMMINS/Princeton, Indiana (Glenn Styres Racing)
3J J.J. YELEY/Phoenix (Petty Performance Racing)
3p JUSTIN PECK/Monrovia, Indiana (Team Petty-Rossi Racing)
4 STEVEN SNYDER JR./Rising Sun, Maryland (RMS Racing)
4B CHELBY HINTON/Dubberly, Louisiana (Klatt Enterprises)
5 P.J. GARGIULO/Morton, Pennsylvania (P.J. Gargiulo)
5J JOSH HODGE/Brownsburg, Indiana (Josh Hodge)
7s CHASE STOCKON/Fort Branch, Indiana (Tim Engler)
7x THOMAS MESERAULL/San Jose, California (Tim Engler)
8 ZACH WIGAL/Belpre, Ohio (Cornell Racing Stables)
8D MILES DOHERTY/Delmar, Iowa (Miles Doherty Racing)
8J COOPER MILLER/Graham, Texas (Cooper Miller)
8K JEFFREY ABBEY/Rhome, Texas (Jeffrey Abbey)
8m KADE MORTON/Coweta, Oklahoma (Blane Morton)
11 KAYLEE BRYSON/Muskogee, Oklahoma (Abacus Racing)
11G LANE GOODMAN/Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Blane Morton)
14 KEVIN THOMAS JR./Cullman, Alabama (4 Kings Racing)
14B JONATHAN BEASON/Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Holley Hollan)
14JB JAKEB BOXELL/Zanesville, Indiana (4 Kings Racing)
16 ZACH DAUM/Pocahontas, Illinois (Dan Minear)
16TH KEVIN NEWTON/Farmersburg, Indiana (2nd Law Motorsports)
17K COLE PARKER/Coal City, Indiana (Robert Cummings)
17L TBA (Robert Cummings)
19 MITCHEL MOLES/Raisin City, California (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
19AZ HAYDEN REINBOLD/Gilbert, Arizona (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
19m ETHAN MITCHELL/Mooresville, North Carolina (Bundy Built Motorsports)
19R RICKY THORNTON JR./Chandler, Arizona (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
20w CODY WEISENSEL/Sun Prairie, Wisconsin (Bill Burrington Motorsports)
21 CORD KISTHARDT/Hershey, Pennsylvania (Cord Kisthardt)
23 DEVON DOBIE/Wapakoneta, Ohio (Dennis Dobie)
26 CORBIN RUESCHENBERG/Mesa, Arizona (Scott Rueschenberg)
27x KYLE JONES/Kennedale, Texas (Joyner Motorsports)
35s CHRIS HARTMAN/Boulder, Colorado (Josh Hodge)
36 CHRIS BAUE/Indianapolis (Bill Baue)
40 CHASE McDERMAND/Springfield, Illinois (Chase McDermand Racing)
40x BRIGGS DANNER/Allentown, Pennsylvania (Chase McDermand Racing)
41 CONNOR WOLF/Lafayette, Indiana (OMR / Rase Motorsports)
41B CLINTON BOYLES/Greenwood, Missouri (Scott Beierle)
43 GUNNAR SETSER/Columbus, Indiana (Kevin Arnold)
45 BRADLEY COX/Burkburnett, Texas (Lonnie Cox)
55 TREVOR CLINE/Mooresville, North Carolina (Troy Cline)
57 LOGAN SEAVEY/Sutter, California (Abacus Racing)
57F TYLER FITZPATRICK/Columbia City, Indiana (Tyler Fitzpatrick)
60 DUSTY YOUNG/Benton, Arkansas (Chappue Motorsports)
60x DILLON WELCH/Carmel, Indiana (John LeVecque)
61 CHRIS SHEIL/Aurora, Colorado (Cappy Mason)
63 CALE COONS/Greencastle, Indiana (Joe Dooling-Curb/Agajanian)
63G FRANKIE GUERRINI/San Rafael, California (Frankie Guerrini)
67 JACOB DENNEY/Galloway, Ohio (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports)
67K COLTON ROBINSON/Titusville, Florida (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports)
71B BRAXTON CUMMINGS/Bedford, Indiana (Robert Cummings)
C71 CARTER JENSRUD/River Falls, Wisconsin (Carter Jensrud)
71K CANNON McINTOSH/Bixby, Oklahoma (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports)
81G RYLAN GRAY/Greenfield, Indiana (Gray Brothers Racing)
83 DRAKE EDWARDS/Peoria, Arizona (CB Industries)
86 DAISON PURSLEY/Locust Grove, Oklahoma (CB Industries)
86x MACK LEOPARD/Beavercreek, Ohio (CB Industries)
87 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, California (CB Industries)
91 LANCE BENNETT/Aurora, Colorado (Cappy Mason)
92 MIKE HESS/Petersburg, Illinois (Stephen Fairfield)
95 CHRIS ANDREWS/Tulsa, Oklahoma (Jim Miller)
97 GAVIN MILLER/Allentown, Pennsylvania (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports)
97K KALE DRAKE/Collinsville, Oklahoma (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports)
98 BRANDON CARR/Sheffield, England (Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports) 

Shelby American- Book Review

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Carroll Shelby did things his way. Even his association with Ford didn’t hinder his independent thinking or methods. Sometimes his ideas worked, other times they failed. Much of the time Shelby was his own worst enemy.

I have always been fascinated by the Cobra and Shelby, and I learned a lot reading this biography.

Shelby American by Preston Lerner chronicles Shelby’s and Shelby American’s time as one of the dominant race cars of the mid 60s. It wasn’t all easy. Parts failures while leading races. engine failures (six in one weekend) were interspersed with podium sweeps and runaway victories.

Shelby was an outstanding sports car driver in the 50s, highlighted by his Le Mans win in 1959. He had a heart condition which he treated by gulping nitro pills while racing, but by the end of 1960, he had to retire. Shelby went out in style, finishing second in his final race at Laguna Seca in a birdcage Maserati and clinching the USAC Road Racing Championship.

Throughout its brief history many top drivers drove for Shelby- among them Dan Gurney, Ken Miles, Dave MacDonald, Lloyd Ruby, Parnelli Jones, and Bob Holbert.

Fourteen months later he tested an AC Ace at Silverstone. The car would become the basis for the Cobra. Shelby had a chassis shipped to Los Angeles and put a 260 cubic inch Ford V8 under the hood, modified the body styling, and the Cobra prototype was born.

Shelby American and the Cobra cars would have years of triumph and years of famine. 1966 was the best year, as the Cobras and the GT cars he helped Ford develop won almost every race they entered. Ford’s victory at Le Mans was vindication for Henry Ford II, who had a feud with Enzo Ferrari.

Winning Le Mans in 1966 came at a cost. In a test at Le Mans Walt Hansgen died in a crash. Ford’s 1-2-3 finish was badly handled by Ford executives, and Ken Miles was denied a win he deserved. Miles died in August while testing the car.

Shelby entered the Indianapolis 500 in 1968 with a turbine powered car. USAC had changed the rules for turbines for the new season, severely cutting their power. Bruce McLaren and Dennis Hulme drove the cars, which were slow in practice. One of Shelby’s mechanics did an illegal modification to boost the output of the engines, but it was discovered, and the cars were quickly withdrawn.

I wonder what the 500 would have been like with Andy Granatelli and Carroll Shelby together on pit lane, two colorful characters grabbing most of the attention .

In 1969 Shelby American closed its doors. Ford did not renew their deal with Shelby and took this part of their program back to Michigan.

The biography is well written, but the author gets into a lot of jargon and technical details at times. His best writing is when he is describing the races, especially Le Mans.

For those interested in racing history, it is a fascinating look at United States sports car racing in the 1960s. Shelby American is available frrom Octane Press

Dirt Track at IMS To Host Indiana Sprint Week Opener in July 2025 

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A very exciting announcement from IMS.

 INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Dec. 13, 2024) – USAC Sprint Cars will compete in a points race for the first time at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2025 when the opening night of USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by Honest Abe Roofing takes place at The Dirt Track at IMS.
The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship will be featured during the 38th annual Indiana Sprint Week opener Thursday evening, July 24, the night before Brickyard Weekend opens on the 2.5-mile IMS oval for the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series.
The event promises a unique spectacle, as the 900-horsepower USAC Sprint Cars take to a quarter-mile dirt track inside Turn 3 of the famous IMS oval. USAC Sprint Cars made their debut at The Dirt Track at IMS last September in a special invitational event won by C.J. Leary of Greenfield, Indiana.
“We expected wheel-to-wheel action from Sprint Cars on The Dirt Track, and they delivered,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Kicking off Brickyard Weekend with some of the biggest stars of the USAC during Sprint Week is sure to be another incredible show.”
USAC’s Indiana Sprint Week, a cornerstone of sprint car racing in the Hoosier State since 1988, has captivated fans for decades with its thrilling action and rich legacy.
The 2025 Indiana Sprint Week schedule consists of eight events at eight different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 24-Aug. 2.
“Sprint car racing and Indianapolis Motor Speedway share a deeply intertwined history, and this event symbolizes the unification of two racing traditions,” USAC President Kevin Miller said. “USAC Sprint Cars at IMS will be an unforgettable experience for fans and competitors alike.”
Fans can sign up here to receive ticket and camping information to attend the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car event at IMS that starts Indiana Sprint Week.
Dates for the 2025 Driven2SaveLives BC39 for the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series will be announced later.