Preview: USAC @ Lawrenceburg

Saturday, April 1

Lawrenceburg Sepedway

The United States Auto Club AMSOIL National Sprint Cars return to Indiana for the first time in 2017 on Saturday when Lawrenceburg Speedway hosts the series in their season opener.

Justin Grant leads the USAC points standings entering the weekend after a strong start to the 2017 campaign at Bubba Raceway Park in February. Grant, driving the Sam McGhee Motorsports #11, scored a victory and a runner-up finish during Winter Dirt Games VIII.

Series points leader Justin Grant in action last weekend at Brownstown Speedway.
PC: Braden Rouse Photography

Sikeston, Missouri's Hunter Schuerenberg also had a strong showing in Florida tallying a top ten finish in the opener as well as a victory on night two. Entering the action on Saturday, Schuerenberg sits second in points just 11 points behind Grant and three points ahead of Chad Boespflug who sits third in the standings.

Dave Darland won the event last year on a frigid April night. If Darland can repeat the feat this Saturday he will have won at least one USAC National feature for the 25th consecutive season.

2016 event winner Dave Darland in the Jeff Walker #11 last season
PC:Braden Rouse Photography

The most recent series winner at Lawrenceburg is Josh Hodges. The New Mexico native won his first ever USAC National Sprint Car feature when he picked up the victory in the USAC Fall Nationals last October.

UMP modifieds and hornets will be in action as well on Saturday night.

Pricing & Times

General Admission: $25
Kids 7 to 12: $7
Kids 6 & Under: Free
Pit Passes: $30 (all ages)

Pit Gates: 3 pm
Grandstands: 5 pm
Hot Laps: 6 pm
Racing: 7 pm

Schedule subject to change

Dave Steele 1974-2017

Driver Dave Steele was killed in a sprint car accident on Saturday night at Desoto Speedway in Bradenton, FL. Steele was competing in a Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series race when he was involved in the accident.

The Tampa, FL native was a two time USAC Silver Crown champion having won back-to-back championships in 2004 and 2005. Steele is third all time in the Silver Crown series in wins and was regarded as one of the best pavement sprint car drivers in the country. He collected two Little 500 victories, his first in 1996 and another in 2009.

Steele also had over 40 national series wins between the USAC sprint car and midget series and dabbled into the IndyCar, NASCAR and ARCA during various times in his career.

Steele was 42.

Mother Nature wins at the No Way Out 40

Brownstown Speedway

The crew at Brownstown Speedway did everything they could on Saturday night but in the end they could not stop the rain. With eight laps complete in the feature the rain that had been in the forecast all week finally came and ended the evening in front of a large crowd.

Justin Grant, CJ Leary & Ryan Bernal during heat race action Saturday night
PC: Braden Rouse Photography

Although the track was dried out and dusty due to the track trying to move the show along and beat the weather, the eight laps of racing in the feature did not disappoint.

Brady Short, who started on the front row, ended up coming to a stop outside of turn one on lap one and was forced to tag the tail on a complete restart. On the ensuing restart Jeff Bland jumped out to an early lead while Chad Boespflug gave chase. Meanwhile, Short made quick progress running from the tail of the field into the top ten.

Just prior to the rain starting, Chad Boespflug was able to get around Bland for the lead with Bland retaining the second position followed by Tyler Courtney, Justin Grant and CJ Leary rounding out the top five when the race was finally red flagged.

Ben Knight gets airborne during qualifying
PC: Braden Rouse Photography

The No Way Out 40 will be made up on Saturday, June 24 when the Midwest Sprint Car Series (MSCS) visits the track. The UMRA TQ feature will also be made up on that date. The UMP modified feature that was rained out last night will be made up on April 8.

Car Count: 31

Preview: No Way Out 40 @ Brownstown

Saturday, March 25

Brownstown Speedway

Winter has come and gone and we are finally ready to kick off the 2017 Indiana sprint car season. First up on the calendar: the No Way Out 40 at Brownstown Speedway on Saturday night.

It will be the 9th running of the No Way Out 40, which is honor of the late Jesse Hockett. The late Bryan Clauson won the event in 2016 having won the event just a few years earlier in 2014 as well. Other notable winners of the race include Christopher Bell and Robert Ballou among others.

The winner of the finale on Saturday night will collect a $7,500 pay check while the race will pay competitors $400 just to start the feature. Further payout information can be found on Brownstown Speedway's website.

Kyle Cummins finished third in the 2016 No Way Out 40
PC: Braden Rouse Photography

Modifieds and the UMRA TQs will join the non-wing sprint cars on Saturday.

The weather forecast for Saturday is still somewhat unfavorable but it has improved in the past 24 hours. As of 9:00 am on Wednesday morning, meteorologists are calling for a high of 68 degrees on Saturday with a low in the high 50s. There is only a 20% chance of rain during the day but that increases to 90% in the evening. We will try to update you if anything changes.

We plan to be in Brownstown on Saturday to cover the action and get the 2017 season started.

Prices & Times

General Admission - $25
Kids 12 & Under - Free
Pit Passes - (GA + $15)

Gates - 3 pm
Drivers Meeting - 5:30 pm
Engine Heat - 5:45 pm
Hot Laps - 6 pm
Racing - Follows hot laps

Schedule subject to change

Daugherty Speedway adds sprint car dates to 2017 schedule

Daugherty Speedway in Boswell, Indiana announced yesterday they will be adding three sprint car races to their 2017 schedule.

The first race will be on Saturday, April 29 and will feature 410 non-wing sprint cars. They will host another non-wing event on Friday, August 4. The track will also host a 410 winged sprint car event on Saturday, July 22.

For more information visit Daugherty Speedway's website. The dates are also reflected on our master schedule.

Shawn Westerfeld partners with new sponsor in 2017

2015 & 2016 Buckeye Outlaw Sprint Series champion Shawn Westerfeld announced yesterday the Westerfeld Enterprises #89 team will be partnering with Hayes Security Solutions LLC for the 2017 season with the company acting as the team's primary sponsor.

Westerfeld will open up his season at Mansfield Motor Speedway in Ohio on March 25 for their season opener before returning to Indiana for the USAC event at Lawrenceburg Speedway on Saturday, April 1.

Westerfeld is no stranger to the high banks of Lawrenceburg. The Guilford, Indiana native has scored multiple BOSS wins at the track as well as the Lawrenceburg Speedway track championship in 2014.

Shawn Westerfeld in action in 2016
PC: Braden Rouse Photography

Paragon Speedway releases 2017 schedule

Paragon Speedway released their 2017 schedule earlier tonight. This year's schedule will include 13 different nights featuring non-wing sprint cars. The headlining sprint car event, the Chuck Amati Classic, will be held on Saturday, June 17.

Paragon will open up their season on Saturday, May 13. All sprint car dates are reflected on our master schedule. To view Paragon Speedway's full schedule visit their website.

Update on Smackdown VI tickets

An update for those of you looking to renew your tickets for the Sprint Car Smackdown at Kokomo Speedway.

The track is currently installing new bleachers along the backstretch and ticket renewals have not started yet for the event.

In order to stay informed make sure you go to kokomospeedway.net and register your email to placed on their mailing list so you can be notified when renewals will begin.

Tickets available online for Bloomington Speedway

Bloomington Speedway is now offering online ticket sales on their website. You may purchase any of the following packages now.

- 5 GA tickets for $50
- 10 GA tickets for $95

These general admission tickets are good for any events except during Indiana Sprint Week.

The track is also offering season tickets good for all events. Season tickets are $195.

To get tickets you can go to the newly updated Bloomington Speedway website.

http://www.bloomingtonspeedway.com/

March practice information

Were now into the month of March which means the season is just around the corner. If you've got a car you need to shake down here are the tracks that have announced practices this month. We will update times and prices if and when they become available.

Saturday, March 4

Brownstown Speedway
2pm - 7pm
Pits: $15 (Grandstands free)

Saturday, March 11

Anderson Speedway
1pm-4pm
Pits: $17 (Grandstands free)

Saturday, March 18

Daugherty Speedway
12pm - Open
Pits: $15 (Grandstands free)

Sunday, March 19

Anderson Speedway
2pm-5pm
Pits: $17 (Grandstands free)

Friday, March 24

Anderson Speedway
4pm-7pm
Pits: $17 (Grandstands free)

Saturday, March 25

Lawrenceburg Speedway
10am-2pm
Pits: $20 (Grandstands free)

Lincoln Park Speedway
12pm-5pm
Pits: $20 (Pits only)

Friday, March 31

Bloomington Speedway
6:30pm-Open
Pits: $20 (Grandstands $5)