When the annual Eastern Motorsport Press Association convention takes place the weekend of January 12-14, at the Holiday Inn in Wilkes-Barre, PA, the organization proudly welcomes legendary motorsports journalist Dave Argabright for a special appearance discussing the media’s role in racing. Argabright will speak on Saturday morning, January 13. 

Following opening remarks by EMPA President Dino Oberto and a select group of guests, Argabright will offer his take on the role and responsibility of media in today’s changing landscape.

Dave Argabright, one of the most prolific and influential motorsports media figures of his generation, has a career that spans more than 40 years. He has written nearly 20 books, bylined over 1,600 published columns and features, and has appeared as on-air talent in 500 network television broadcasts.

A chance meeting with sports editor of the Anderson Herald in his mid-20s led Argabright to having a weekly column, Track Talk, that began in 1983. His magazine career got off to an inauspicious start as Open Wheel’s Dick Berggren rejected Argabright’s first two submissions. Within days, however, Argabright applied Berggren’s input and produced a story about Chuck Amati that ran in the February 1983 issue of Open Wheel.

In 1999 Argabright teamed with Brad Doty to write Doty’s autobiography, Still Wide Open which became an instant classic and was followed by books on Jack Hewitt, Earl Baltes, Doug Wolfgang, Speedy Bill Smith, Rex Robbins and more including his latest release The Newport Nightmare, Jimmy Owens.

In 2014 Argabright was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

Many television viewers recognize Argabright as a familiar face on racing telecasts. His broadcast work began in 1990, and over the following three-plus decades Argabright has appeared on MAVTV, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN, The Nashville Network (TNN), and SPEED, among other networks. Argabright also served as a pit reporter with the Indianapolis 500 Radio Network from 2004 to 2010.

Special Guest Bob Stephens will bring a unique perspective when he takes the stage late morning. As a member of the 1981/’82 U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels, Stephens has been a lifelong fan of auto racing and spent years as a car owner.

The Blue Angels have specific goals of community outreach and recruiting for the Navy. Auto racing’s writers and photographers sometimes walk that gray area between telling it like it is and showing racing’s best side.

Stephens, who knows both sides extremely well, will share his experiences about what representation means with regard to accuracy and presenting an appealing activity.

EMPA invites race promoters and PR persons to attend the Saturday morning portion of the convention. Anyone interested should contact Dino Oberto at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About the EMPA: Founded in 1969, the Eastern Motorsports Press Association fosters a better understanding and recognition for the motorsports press and strives to improve working conditions for the media while working with tracks and sanction bodies. 

EMPA PR

Precision Vehicle Logistics, along with AutoVentive will serve as primary partners for Bayley Currey’s first full time season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.   
 
In addition, Detroit Quality Staffing and Masked Owl Technologies will support Currey and the No. 41 team.
 
“I’m excited to work with everyone at Precision Vehicle Logistics, AutoVentive, Detroit Quality Staffing and Masked Owl Technologies” said Currey. “We can’t do what we love without the support of great partners, so it means a lot that they’ve returned to Niece Motorsports with the 41 team next season. We’re looking forward to a strong season.”
 
In 2023, Currey impressed while running a partial schedule in the No. 41 Chevrolet. In 11 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts, Currey earned three top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes. His best finish of the season was a fourth-place result at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
 
“On behalf of the 1200+ hard-working individuals at Precision Vehicle Logistics, and its family of companies to include AutoVentive, we are very proud to continue the well-deserved recognition of our employee’s everyday accomplishments through this type of employee engagement, and brand sponsorship” said Jason Wilson, Vice President of Precision Vehicle Logistics.
 
“It is an honor for us to continue to celebrate and promote these accomplishments, with a great organization, and mutual General Motors partner, in Niece Motorsports. We would like to thank Al Niece, Niece Motorsports, Bayley Currey, and all their employees and partners for this opportunity. We are grateful to have a driver like Bayley, and his racing story, to represent our brands, and ambition to win, as we look forward to him bringing the Precision culture of hard work, and never give up attitude, complimented by his talent behind the wheel, to the racetrack on a weekly basis”.
 

 
“We’re excited to see Precision Vehicle Logistics and AutoVentive continue to grow their involvement with our organization,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw. “They’re a first-class organization that prides itself on high performance and we are looking forward to doing the same for them on and off the race track this season. We’re confident Bayley can get it done behind the wheel, and we’re looking forward to a successful 2024 campaign.”   

AutoVentive is an industry-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) applications developer providing customized solutions to the automotive logistics industry. The company is part of Liberty Hill Equity Partners, LLC, a Cincinnati-based private equity firm.

“Detroit Quality Staffing is excited to announce a dynamic partnership with Masked Owl Technologies. Together, we are proud to unveil our sponsorship of the Niece Motorsports No. 41 Chevrolet Silverado, and Bayley Currey as a competitive contender in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series” said Josh Morris, Owner of Detroit Quality Staffing.

“Our sponsorship, we envision, will help empower Niece Motorsports, and Bayley, by combining Detroit Quality Staffing's expertise in recruiting talented professionals with the innovative technological advancements spearheaded by Masked Owl Technologies. This partnership is more than just a sporting investment; it's a beacon of our shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of success. We look forward to DQS/MOT and the No. 41 team symbolizing a confluence of strength, speed, and strategic prowess on the race track”.

The core mission of DQS Solutions & Staffing is to attain unparalleled excellence in its specialized domains, specifically staffing and security. Simultaneously, DQS Solutions & Staffing maintains the flexibility required to collaborate closely with clients in the creation of innovative products and services within the framework of DQS.

Masked Owl Technologies was established in 2023 with one goal: to meet clients’ process improvement needs through a tailored approach that prioritizes identifying the root cause of system issues first, then deploying an efficient, cost-effective, and targeted solution.

Currey will kick off the 2024 season at Daytona International Speedway for the Fresh from Florida 250 on Friday, February 16. The season-opener will air live on FS1, The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Niece Motorsports PR

Speedway Children’s Charities of North Carolina is giving back to the community through a heartwarming fundraiser. Visitors to Speedway Christmas presented by Atrium Health will have the opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause in the joy of the holiday spirit as 15 local charities showcase their creativity through uniquely decorated Christmas trees. Each charity participating will benefit through an additional contribution to their cause.

Here are the participating charities in this year’s fundraiser:

• Junior Charity League of Concord
• Piedmont Residential Development Center
• Kindermourn
• Beds for Kids
• YMCA Camp Harrison
• Blue Ridge Opportunity Commission
• Wilkes Youth Life Development
• Ebenezer Christian Children’s Home
• Families Forward
• Stanly County YMCA
• Mitchell’s Fund
• Powercross
• The Garrett Thomas Foundation
• Adoption Support Alliance
• Hope Ministries

Merrymakers visiting Speedway Christmas presented by Atrium Health can cast their votes for their favorite Christmas tree, each vote contributing to Speedway Children’s Charities’ North Carolina. Tickets will be sold at five for $5, 10 for $10 and 20 for $20, with each ticket counted as one vote.

“The Charity Trees at Speedway Christmas is more than a festive display, it’s a chance for attendees to give back to the community in a special way,” said Taylor Kirby, the director of SCC’s North Carolina chapters. “Speedway Children’s Charities of North Carolina created this fundraiser to give 15 charities a chance to raise awareness in the local area and receive funds to support their missions. By participating in this fundraiser, attendees can make an impact on the lives of children in need.”

Revelers can enjoy 5 million dazzling lights along a four-mile course, take a stroll through a life-size candy land and slide down the Cook Out Tubing Hill, all at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Families can make a pit stop in the Christmas Village to vote on their favorite Charity Tree, capture a memorable photo with the jolly old man in the red suit and cozy up next to the fire pit alongside friends and loved ones. Speedway Christmas presented by Atrium Health has something for every person to enjoy during the holiday season.

TICKETS:

Speedway Christmas presented by Atrium Health is open nightly through Jan. 7 (closed Christmas Eve). Tickets are sold per vehicle (up to 15 passengers) starting at $35 Monday through Wednesday and $45 Thursday through Sunday. For just $75, guests can skip the lines with the Fast Pass Lane, accessible off of Morehead Road at entrance P. The Fast Pass lane is only open Thursday-Sunday.

Tickets are available at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or at the gate.

FOLLOW ALONG:

Follow Charlotte Motor Speedway on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook or rev up the holiday spirit with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

CMS PR

With six wins under his belt from a breakout year in 2023, NASCAR Cup Series driver William Byron carries more momentum than ever before into the 2024 season.

Byron, the 26-year-old native of Charlotte, N.C., who is pursuing his B.S. in Strategic Communication through Liberty University’s Online Programs, qualified for the Championship 4 final for the first time on Nov. 5 at Phoenix Raceway, landing in third-place in the final points standings after the 10-race playoffs. His fourth-place finish in Phoenix was his career-best 15th top-five performance of the season and his 21st top-10 showing.

“Just trusting our process,” Byron said of his career-best season in the Cup Series. “As a team, we gained confidence, and we have a great group. We worked hard together, and we have all the tools and resources from Mr. (Rick) Hendrick and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports to do our jobs. We went out there and were able to capitalize on a lot of things. I enjoyed it, but at the same time (I am) hungry for a lot more.”

Liberty has sponsored Byron since 2014; the university was the primary sponsor for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for 13 of the 38 Cup Series races this past season, including two in the playoffs. For the 2024 season, Liberty will serve as a primary sponsor of the No. 24 car for 12 events, including two playoff races.

The paint scheme for races spotlighting Liberty will remain unchanged from 2023 to the 2024 season, when Byron will represent the university for the opening event known as The Clash, an exhibition race featuring stars of the NASCAR Cup Series, at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum on Feb. 4. (That is two weeks before the official season-opening race, the Daytona 500.)

Byron will don the Liberty logo again for two early-season races in Virginia, at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17 and Richmond Raceway on March 31.

Then, on April 14, the No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will head to Texas Motor Speedway — where Byron is the defending champion after capturing his first checkered flag in a playoff race in September — for the first of three consecutive races with Liberty as primary sponsor.

On April 21, Byron will race with the red, white, and blue color scheme again at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway before taking the No. 24 on to Dover (Del.) Speedway on April 28.

Byron will have a special patriotic paint scheme at his home track of Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26 for the annual 600 Miles of Remembrance race held over Memorial Day Weekend.

The rest of the schedule with Liberty as primary sponsor includes: Iowa Speedway on June 16; Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 24; Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Sept. 1 (where Byron captured the checkered flag in May); Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International Raceway on Sept. 15 (where he won in August); and finally back in Virginia at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 3, the penultimate playoff race before the Championship 4 in Phoenix.

Liberty University PR

The USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship enters the 2024 season loaded for bear with 30 events on the calendar from April through November at dirt tracks spanning California, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

SEASON OPENERS IN KOKOMO

Opening the year are two consecutive nights of the Kokomo Grand Prix at Indiana’s Kokomo Speedway, the lone track on the 2024 schedule that was also on the calendar during USAC’s inaugural year of 1956.

HITTING DOUBLES & TRIPLES

Five more events will be held in tandem alongside additional USAC series to make for tantalizing doubles and even tripleheaders throughout the year.

The Belleville (Kan.) Short Track will roll out the welcome mat for two-straight nights of midget racing on May 17-18. That same weekend, the USAC Silver Crown National Championship will make a two-night escapade to the adjoining Belleville High Banks half-mile which surrounds the inner 1/4-mile dirt oval.

Fall brings the heat by way of a James Dean Classic USAC twin-bill for the National Midgets and the AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship at Indiana’s Gas City I-69 Speedway on September 19. That same weekend, Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway presents the BeFour The Crown showdown on September 20, then closes out with a $15,000-to-win affair at Eldora’s half-mile on September 21.

The 42nd running of the 4-Crown at The Big E provides the one and only opportunity of the year to witness all three USAC national divisions in one night, with the winner’s share being increased from $10,000 to $15,000 from 2023 to 2024 for all three series, plus the High Limit Sprint Cars.

TO MID-AMERICA AND TO THE NORTH

USAC National Midget racing will also make its fair share of voyages to Mid-America throughout the spring and summer months with a stop at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex for the John Hinck Championship arriving on May 19.

Mid-America Midget Week goes full send in mid-July with four events during a five-night span in three different states. First up is Meeker, Oklahoma’s Red Dirt Raceway for Tuesday Night Thunder on July 9. One night later, it’s northbound to Kansas for the Chad McDaniel Memorial at Beloit, Kansas’ Mitchell County Fairgrounds on July 10.

Jefferson County Speedway in the great state of Nebraska presents two nights of racing to close out Mid-America Midget Week for the Midwest Midget Championship on July 12-13 where the finale pays $10,000-to-win.

Way up north lies Wisconsin’s legendary Angell Park Speedway which will hold two nights of the 39th running of the Firemen’s Nationals on Labor Day weekend, September 1-2.

6 STRAIGHT NIGHTS OF USAC INDIANA MIDGET WEEK

USAC Indiana Midget Week celebrates its 20th birthday in 2024 with another fine slate of six events across six consecutive evenings in the Hoosier state.

For the first time in its young history, Circle City Raceway in Indianapolis launches the frenzied week of racing on June 4. Gas City follows up on June 5 with Lincoln Park Speedway (June 6), Bloomington Speedway (June 7), Tri-State Speedway (June 8) and Kokomo Speedway (June 9) rounding out the busy week.

ADDITION TO TRADITION FOR THE WESTERN SWING

USAC’s end-of-season National Midget California swing has expanded with the addition of a first-time venue and the reshuffling of the dates.

Placerville Speedway’s Hangtown 100 kicks it all off on November 15-16 with the season’s only 100-lap midget race. For the first time ever, Tulare’s Thunderbowl Raceway presents the USAC National Midgets with a date on November 20.

The annual ventures of Midget Madness continue November 22-23 at Merced Speedway. Meanwhile, Bakersfield Speedway’s November Classic moves from its previous slot as the opening night of the swing and will now serve as the penultimate round of the series season on November 26.

California’s Ventura Raceway will be the host once again of the 83rd running of the Turkey Night Grand Prix on Saturday night, November 30. For 2024, the longest-running midget racing event on the schedule has increased its winner’s share from $10,000 to $15,000.

TO BE ANNOUNCED / DETERMINED

Three notable TBA designations can be found on the 2024 USAC National Midget schedule. The sixth running of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 is a certainty for 2024 and will take place at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on yet-to-be-determined dates. Once again, the finale will pay a season high $20,039 to the victor.

USAC PR

Spire Motorsports has filled out its NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) crew chief lineup as preparations for the 2024 season continue to accelerate.
 
Stephen Doran and Luke Lambert have been named as the crew chiefs for the team’s Nos. 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s, respectively.
 
Doran will guide the effort for 2022 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Champion Zane Smith while Lambert will serve as crew chief for standout Carson Hocevar.
 
“Stephen Doran and Luke Lambert are veterans of the sport, exemplary individuals and we’re thrilled to welcome them both to Spire Motorsports,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Stephen is an accomplished racer who earned this position through practical knowledge, hard work and success. He’s been part of championship-caliber teams in the past and we’re confident that he’ll play a significant role in helping Spire Motorsports continue to raise our competitive bar. Luke Lambert is a complete professional and highly regarded competitor who has worked with Carson in the past. His demeanor and ability to connect with his drivers is what makes him a perfect fit. He has worked directly with Ryan Sparks previously, so that points directly to the synergy we’re looking for amongst our competition group.”
 
This marks Doran’s first opportunity as a Cup Series crew chief and said he is already impressed with the 24-year-old Smith.
 
“I didn’t know Zane personally, but when I started to go through his career, I noticed he’s consistently won in everything he’s raced and made the most of every opportunity he’s had along the way,” said Doran. “Zane and I have talked a lot lately and I think this is going to be a great fit. Our personalities mesh well and I think communication will be great on and off the track. I knew right away in our first meeting that he was the guy I wanted to do this with. He has all the intangibles that make an elite driver in the Cup Series. I am grateful for this opportunity and think Zane and this No. 71 team will create a lot of excitement and turn some heads in 2024.”
 
Smith is a nine-time NCTS race winner who completed his fourth full-time season this year. He has also run nine NCS races over the last two seasons, highlighted by a 10th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in May. 
 
Doran made the move from Butler, Pa., to Level Cross, N.C., in 2006 to start his NASCAR career at Petty Enterprises. Since 2012, the 38-year-old Doran has worked at Stewart-Haas Racing and has been on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick since 2014.
 
The No. 71 team is a collaboration between Spire Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing for the 2024 campaign. In September, Trackhouse announced a multi-year driving agreement with Smith and its aim to run three full-time NCS entries in 2025.
 
Lambert, a native of Mount Airy, N.C., comes to Spire Motorsports from Legacy Motor Club where he guided the team’s No. 42 NCS effort, connecting with Hocevar when he drove for the team in eight of the final 10 races of 2023.
 
Prior to his time at Legacy M.C., Lambert made his mark in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, leading Noah Gragson and JR Motorsports’ No 9 team to three poles, eight wins, 21 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 2022.
 
Lambert, 41, has also spent time a top the pit box at Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing.
 
The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher. In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.
 
Hocevar, 20, made his NCS debut for Spire Motorsports June 4 at World Wide Technology Raceway and has made eight more starts in NASCAR’s premier division. He earned an impressive career/series best 11th-place finish at the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway in just his fourth start.
He is a four-time NCTS race winner and a standout at every level in which he’s competed.

“I’m thrilled to join the men and women at Spire Motorsports and be part of everything they’re building,” said Lambert. “Carson Hocevar has shown tremendous potential and that was apparent during our time together last year. He knows how to get the most out of his race car and how to communicate effectively with his team. I’m looking forward to working with him again in this new capacity and building on our experience with one another.”

Spire Motorsports PR

Stafford Motor Speedway’s 2024 season ticket early buy discount will end on Friday, December 15th.  Time is running out to take advantage of early buy savings on Paddock Passes, General Admission, Reserved Seat, and Kids Fast Pass tickets.  All season ticket packages offer big savings compared to purchasing a ticket for each of the 24 scheduled race events.

Stafford’s Season Paddock Pass offers the greatest savings with the early bird price of $480 representing savings of over 50% versus buying a pit pass each week.  The $480 Paddock Pass price is good through Dec. 15th and increases to $545 on Dec. 16th.  The Season Paddock Pass allows access to the paddock area as well as the general admission seating grandstands and all Paddock Passes can be upgraded to include a reserved seat for an additional $60.

General Admission Season Tickets are priced at $350 if purchased on or before December 15th.  After December 15th, the General Admission ticket increases to $380.  Reserved Seat Season Tickets purchased on or before December 15th are priced at $390.  After December 15th, the Reserved Seat Season Ticket increases to $420.  The Kids Fast Pass option for kids age 6 to 14 is priced at $65 before December 15th then increases to $75.

Season ticket holders also receive early access to purchase tickets to the July 11th SRX event. Just select the SRX option at checkout when purchasing your 2024 season ticket. SRX tickets won’t be available to the public until January 7th.

Stafford Speedway kicks off its 2024 racing season with the 52nd Annual NAPA Auto Parts Spring Sizzler® on April 27th & 28th and it wraps up with the 51st Annual NAPA Fall Final on Saturday, September 28th.  The 2024 season consists of 24 racing events with the Open Mods joining Stafford’s five weekly divisions on 4 nights.  

View our full 2024 schedule here: staffordspeedway.com/schedule

2024 Schedule Highlights

• 4 Open Modified Events- 4/27 & 4/28 NAPA Spring Sizzler®, 6/7 Casella Waste 80, 7/17 (Wednesday) GAF Roofing Mod Masters, 8/16 Lincoln Tech 80
• Monaco Modified Tri-Track Series- 9/28 NAPA Fall Final
• 11th Annual NAPA Auto Parts SK 5K- 8/2
• Call Before You Dig Senator’s Cup- 6/21
• TC 13 Lap SK Modified® Shootout- 9/13
• 2 SK Light 40-lap features- 5/24 Monaco Ford Double Down, 7/17 GAF Roofing Mod Masters
• Paradiso Insurance Late Model 50- 9/6
• Riley Generators Limited Late Model 30- 6/14
• Midstate Site Development Street Stock 30 plus Fireworks- 6/28
• 3 Kids Nights- 5/31 AZ Roofing Night, 7/26 Spear Bro’s Night, 8/30 Maybury Material Handling Night

Season tickets can be purchased online by visiting the STORE section found on the www.staffordspeedway.com homepage.  Season tickets can also be ordered by calling the Stafford Speedway office at 860-684-2783, Mon.-Fri. from 9am-5pm.  Take advantage of the “Early Buy” discount and purchase your season tickets before December 15th 

Check out the Stafford Speedway Online Store for the Mystery Box, gift cards, books, trading cards, tee-shirts, sweat shirts, hats and more for the racing fan on your holiday shopping list.  For more information, visit staffordspeedway.com, follow Stafford Speedway on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or contact the track office at 860-684-2783.

Stafford Speedway PR

An eclectic docket featuring 14 events with half on dirt and half on pavement tracks is the agenda in 2024 for the 54th season of the most diverse oval racing series on the planet – the USAC Silver Crown National Championship.

Of those 14 dates, 12 events are confirmed at press time with a balanced slate of six events set for dirt tracks and six more on the pavement at venues ranging from half-miles to one miles and on tracks varying from semi-banked to high-banked across the states of Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

NEW FOR ‘24

The last time Pennsylvania’s Jennerstown Speedway hosted a USAC national event, the year was 1969. The track surface was still dirt and a human had not yet even stepped foot on the moon. Bob Tattersall wound up as the winner of that day’s midget race more than a half century ago.

Now, it’s the big cars’ turn at Jennerstown. On Saturday night, August 10, USAC competitors of the modern day will take their first shot at the now 0.522-mile paved oval for the inaugural Silver Crown showdown.

100 MILES FOR A PAYDAY AT IRP

The highest-paying event of the 2024 USAC Silver Crown season will also be its longest distance race in terms of laps. On Friday night of Memorial Day weekend, May 24, Indiana’s Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park will host the 67th running of the Hoosier Hundred on the .686-mile paved oval. Held for the second year in a row on pavement, the 146-lap, 100-mile event will pay $25,000-to-win.

THE PAVED SLATE

The 2024 season opens and closes on the hardtop with dates at Ohio’s Toledo Speedway for the Rollie Beale Classic on April 20 followed by a trip to the hallowed banks of Indiana’s Winchester Speedway for the running of the Rich Vogler Classic.

The Hoosier Hundred brings the series once again to IRP on May 24, then kicks off the summer months with a swing through Oregon, Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway for the Bytec Dairyland 100 before setting off for a Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway debut on August 10.

The championship decider and season closer is once again set during Championship Saturday on October 19 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

THE DIRT HALVES

One of the most fascinating USAC Silver Crown events throughout the 2023 campaign will once again open the dirt portion of the schedule in 2024 on the Belleville High Banks in Kansas during the weekend of May 17-18 with practice and qualifying set for night one followed by the main event on the following evening. The Huncovsky Classic will be held in conjunction with two-straight nights of USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget racing on the Belleville Short Track, located inside the half-mile dirt oval.

Pennsylvania’s Port Royal Speedway will be the place for a full smorgasbord of action on June 15 during Open Wheel Madness, a star-studded affair featuring both USAC’s Silver Crown and AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship divisions at one venue on one night during Eastern Storm weekend in the east.

Indiana’s lone half-mile dirt oval, the Terre Haute Action Track, brings USAC’s champ cars out for the 20th edition of the Sumar Classic on Independence Day. It marks the first USAC Silver Crown event to be held on the fourth of July in exactly 20 years, since Jay Drake’s score at Colorado’s Pikes Peak International Raceway in 2004.

TRADITION RICH

A trio of the most tradition rich USAC Silver Crown events of them all are pegged for the dirt in August and September. The 61st running of the Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield provides the first of two $10,000-to-win dirt-mile adventures on the 2024 schedule on August 17.

Fair season in the Land of Lincoln continues two weeks later with the 70th running of the Ted Horn 100 at the Magic Mile of the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in southern Illinois.

The final dirt run of the new year sees payout increases across the board. For the 42nd time, the champ cars will compete in the 4-Crown Nationals at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway. The event provides the only opportunity of the year to witness all three USAC national divisions in one night, with the winner’s share being increased from $10,000 to $15,000 from 2023 to 2024 for all three series, plus the High Limit Sprint Cars.

=====================

2024 USAC SILVER CROWN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Apr 20: (P) Toledo Speedway | Toledo, OH | Rollie Beale Classic | $8,000

May 5: (P) Winchester Speedway | Winchester, IN | Rich Vogler Classic | $8,000

May 17-18: (D) Belleville High Banks | Belleville, KS | Huncovsky Classic | $8,000

May 24: (P) Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | Hoosier Hundred | $25,000

Jun 15: (D) Port Royal Speedway | Port Royal, PA | Open Wheel Madness | $8,000

Jun 21: (P) Madison International Speedway | Oregon, WI | Bytec Dairyland 100 | $8,000

Jul 4: (D) Terre Haute Action Track | Terre Haute, IN | Sumar Classic | $8,000

Jul 20: TBA

Aug 10: (P) Jennerstown Speedway | Jennerstown, PA | Silver Crown Showdown | $10,000

Aug 16: TBA

Aug 17: (D) Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, IL | Bettenhausen 100 | $10,000

Aug 31: (D) Du Quoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, IL | Ted Horn 100 | $10,000

Sep 20-21: (D) Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | 4-Crown Nationals | $15,000

Oct 19: (P) Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | Championship Saturday | $10,000

(P) represents a pavement track event

(D) represents a dirt track event

USAC PR

Looking for cool holiday gift ideas for that special race fan in your life? Look no further than your neighborhood Food City store, which will be offering specially-priced grandstand tickets for the Food City 500 and Weather Guard Truck Race starting today at all of their locations.

The Food City 500 NASCAR Cup Series event will be held on the all-concrete half-mile at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 17, and the Weather Guard Truck Race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be held on Saturday night, March 16, under the lights.

By purchasing now, fans can get their Food City 500 tickets for only $50 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Weather Guard Truck Race tickets are also available at Food City stores starting at $30 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.

All tickets purchased through Food City are blind-reserved seats selected by knowledgeable members of the BMS ticket office. The tickets will be sold at the customer service area of each Food City location. Tickets will be emailed to the customer within seven days of the purchase. The final day to purchase Food City 500 race tickets in-store will be Wednesday, March 6.

NASCAR Nation will have an early chance to see all of their favorite cars and stars mix it up in close confines when the NASCAR Cup Series visits its first short track of the 2024 season with the Food City 500 on March 17. The race will be headlined by defending champ Ryan Blaney and a host of top challengers are expected to compete, including Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, William Byron, Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain, to name a few. The race will be televised live on FOX at 3:30 p.m. ET, with live radio coverage provided by PRN Radio.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series also will make its short track debut on Bristol’s high banks under the lights during the Weather Guard Truck Race on Saturday night, March 16. A strong group of contenders are expected to be racing to claim a famed BMS Gladiator Sword, led by defending champ Ben Rhodes, and tough challengers Christian Eckes, Corey Heim, Matt Crafton and Nick Sanchez, among others. The 200-lap race will be televised live on FS1 at 8 p.m. ET with live radio coverage provided by MRN Radio.

For more information, please drop by your neighborhood Food City store or visit us online at www.bristolmotorspeedway.com. 

BMS PR