Tag: USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week

Grant Takes the High Road to Victory

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Justin Grant continued his dominance at the 1/5-mile dirt oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Thursday night. Grant notched his second straight win in the Indiana Sprint Week event on the IMS dirt track, leading 29 of 35 laps.

The Ione, California, native spent most of the feature race on the high part of the track against the cushion. He went to the bottom on lap and immediately lost the lead to jake Swanson. Five laps, he went back to the high side and retook the point after Swanson lost momentum in turn two. Grant was never headed after that, pulling away on each of the three restarts during the feature. Swanson remained a threat, but he could never quite catch up to Grant.

Grant won for the fifth time at the IMS oval, with three wins coming in the BC39 midget show. He joins A. J. Foyt, Rich Vogler, Mel Kenyon, and Dave Darland with 100 USAC national race wins.

“It’s been an incredible career for me to live through and experience,” Grant said. “I’ve been so fortunate and so blessed. To win at IMS with this TOPP Motorsports team, I’m speechless. Couldn’t think of a better place to win No. 100.”

The evening ran relatively clean. The heats finished with few issues. Heat three was one of the wildest races I have ever seen, with cars three wide coming out of turn two and some banging between cars.

For me, the biggest disappointment of the night was that J/J Yeley did not advance to the feature.

Notes

The problem with the sprint race at IMS is that it only occurs once a year. I hope a way can be found to add a second one. The sprints put on a great, entertaining show.

Each year I got the BC39 or the sprint race, I vow to make time to attend more of theses events. One day, I will do that.

Below are a few photos I took Thursday night. Next week, it’s back to IndyCar.

The start of the feature
I thought this was the best looking car at the track.
Heat race start- 10 laps of fury.

Grant Joins USAC Century Club with Indiana Sprint Week Win at IMS 

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From IMS:

 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 23, 2026) – Justin Grant joined an elite club of United States Auto Club legends Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning his 100th career national feature victory in the opening race of the 39th USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K&N Filters.
Grant, from Ione, California, became the fifth driver to reach the century mark in USAC national series competition, joining A.J. Foyt, Rich Vogler, Mel Kenyon and Dave Darland.This was Grant’s second consecutive victory in this USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship race. It also was the fourth consecutive year Grant drove to a victory and his fifth win overall on the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 of the famed IMS oval.
He won an opening night feature in the BC39 USAC Midget National Championship event in 2023 and 2025 and won the BC39 main feature in 2024.
“It’s been an incredible career for me to live through and experience,” Grant said. “I’ve been so fortunate and so blessed. To win at IMS with this TOPP Motorsports team, I’m speechless. Couldn’t think of a better place to win No. 100.”
Grant led 29 of the 35 laps in the No. 4 TOPP Motorsports car, pulling away in the closing laps from runner-up Jake Swanson in the No. 5T Daming Swanson Motorsports machine. Grant earned $10,000.
Logan Seavey finished third in the No. 57 Abacus Racing entry, followed by 2026 BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors winner Briggs Danner in the No. 39 Hogue Racing Enterprises machine. Shane Cottle rounded out the top five in the No. 34 Jeff Olson car.
Grant and Swanson were the class of the field throughout the entire feature after starting from pole and third, respectively. Their differing tactics became apparent from the drop of the green flag, as Grant rode the tackier cushion of dirt around the high line of the oval while Swanson stayed glued to the bottom of the track.
Swanson’s strategy paid off on Lap 4 when he powered past Grant exiting Turn 2.
But on Lap 10, Swanson lost momentum on the low line exiting Turn 2, and Grant pounced on the lead on the back straightaway while staying on the high line.Grant never trailed thereafter despite three cautions, rocketing away on the high line on every restart. He also learned an important lesson when he sampled the low line earlier in the race.
“You had to run really hard and make a lot of your speed on entry here,” Grant said. “You’ve got to be really focused. I wasn’t really set up to run on the tires (low line) like that. I bailed out (of the low line) probably a little earlier than I needed to, but I just felt like I was a sitting duck down there.
“So, I just got up, got the top cleaned off, got my momentum and my rhythm up there. Once I got the lead, I felt really good.”
Swanson eventually moved to the high line after a restart with about five laps to go, but Grant was too strong to catch.
“I knew the days were numbered there on the bottom,” Swanson said. “I rode down there as long as I could because I went up there and tested it, and I really didn’t feel all that great up there. So, I knew once I got to pacing with Justin, I was going to have a hard time staying with him.” 

Sprints at IMS: Heats complete; C Main Next

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On a rare pleasant July evening, Indianapolis Motor Speedway kicks off Indiana Sprint Week for the second year.

The heats ran smoothly with few incidents and no red flags.

The heat winners:

Heat 1- Charles Dvis, Jr.\Heat 2- Jaden Rodgers

Heat 3-Kyle Cummind

Heat 4-Robert Ballou

Heat 4- C J Leary

Heat 3 was the wildest heat with lots of action for the lead.

The C main is about to start.

The lineup:

Follow along on X for the rest of the night. I will have a full report tomorrow morning.

Today at IMS

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From IMS:

 From yesterday
https://thepitwindow.blog/2026/07/22/usac-indiana-sprint-week-fires-up-thursday-night-at-the-dirt-track-at-ims/
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 22, 2026) – Information about Brickyard Weekend and USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K & N Filters activity Thursday, July 23 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE (All times local and subject to change)
:4-10 p.m.: USAC Public Gates Open, The Dirt Track at IMS
5-7 p.m.: Brickyard Weekend Hauler Parade, Main Street, Speedway
6 p.m.: Engine Heat, The Dirt Track at IMS
6:30 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Hot Laps
7:30 p.m.: USAC Indiana Sprint Week Opening Ceremonies
7:45 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Heat Races
8:30 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car C Main
9 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Semi-Feature
9:30 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Feature

TICKETS: Indiana Sprint Week reserved seating tickets start at $65. General admission is $55 and includes Section 7-12, Rows B-K and Sections 1-2 for ADA seating. Pit passes are $40 and are not valid for gate admission. Fans must have a grandstand ticket to add pit passes.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN: Fans may access the Sprint Car event through Gates 9, 10, 10A, or 11A. Cars will enter through Gate 10 off 30th Street. Gate 2 is a credential-only gate and should not be used for entry into the event. A sealed, 1-liter bottle of unfrozen water will be permitted. No glass, no alcohol.

PARKING: Pre-paid parking is available in the Northwest Gravel Lot for $30. Paid parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40) for $20. ADA parking is available in both lots

.CASHLESS OPERATIONS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $25, seniors (55 and over) are $23, and military (former and active) are $18. Tickets can be purchased online at https://imsmuseum.org/tickets/.

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. 

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.

IMS Kicks off Indiana Sprint Week

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Thursday, July 24, Indiana Sprint begins with a program at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time The event is an appearance points only race Indiana Sprint week officially begins Friday night at Putnamville and runs through August 2nd

The IMS schedule:

6:30 PM

USAC Sprint Car Hot Laps

Group qualifying, by Heat Race group

7:45 PM

USAC Sprint Week Opening Ceremonies

8:00 PM

USAC Sprint Car Heat Races

10 Laps

Top 3 Transfer

9:00 PM

USAC Sprint Car C Main

12 Laps

Top 4 transfer

9:30 PM

USAC Sprint Car Semi-Feature

15 Laps

Top 4 transfer

10:00 PM

USAC Sprint Car Feature

35 Laps

The 40 car entry list has many veterans and some winners of the BC39 midget programs that runs at the IMS dirt oval

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.