NATIONAL SPRINT, MIDGET SCHEDULES REFLECT NEW VENUES
INDIANAPOLIS - The 2006 USAC National racing schedules, released today,
reflect numerous new venues for Sprint and Midget participants. More than a
dozen different states are involved in the schedules, which contain 66 total
events. The Outdoor Channel will televise Midget races at Phoenix, Ariz.,
Indianapolis Raceway Park, Knoxville, Iowa, Milwaukee, Wis. and Terre Haute,
Ind., plus Sprint car races at Richmond, Va. and Salem, Ind.
The Sprint cars will return to Tennessee for only the second time in 46
years, to New York for the first time in 26 years, to Pennsylvania dirt for
the first time in seven years and to a pair of new Missouri venues. In
addition, traditions like Border Wars, the Buckeye Nationals and Indiana
Sprint Week will continue, along with races like the Don Branson/Jud Larson,
Tony Hulman, Glen Niebel, Joe James/Pat O’Connor and Rich Vogler Classics,
the 4-Crown Nationals and the season-closing Oval Nationals at Perris,
Calif. and Western World Championships at Phoenix, Ariz.
The Midgets are headed to Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway for the first time in 37
years, Wichita, Kans. for the first time in 32 years and Missouri and North
Carolina for the first time in eight years. Traditional races like the Night
Before the 500, Belleville Midget Nationals, Hut Hundred, 4-Crown Nationals
and Turkey Night Grand Prix are back, along with several new venues.
The National Sprint Car Series opens April 1 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg,
Ohio, while the National Midget Series, which debuted Jan. 22 at Phoenix,
Ariz., resumes action May 21 at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park.
Scenic Raceway in Oneida, Tenn. hosts its initial USAC Sprint race April 15,
while Gas City, Ind. and Rossburg, Ohio host the “Border Wars” races April
28-29. Eastern fans are excited about May 5 and 6 races at Lernerville
Speedway in Sarver, Pa. and Canandaigua (N.Y.) Speedway respectively. Kokomo
(Ind.) Speedway returns to the Sprint slate with dates May 14 and July 16
(Indiana Sprint Week), while Concord, N.C. welcomes the Sprints with the
Midgets on May 21. The Buckeye Nationals Sprints are June 16-17 at Lima and
Rossburg, Ohio. The idle North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway reopens with USAC’
s Sprint Cars on June 21, two nights before their appearance at Richmond
(Va.) International Raceway. Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo. joins the
Sprint slate on Sept. 8, followed by the series debut at the new Iowa
Speedway in Newton Sept. 16-17. The “Fall Harvest Classic” returns at the
Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track Oct. 6-7.
Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway has selected USAC as the sanctioning body for its
2006 Midget “Hall of Fame Classic” event June 2-3, coinciding with the
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame inductions. Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon,
Mo. hosts its initial USAC Midget race June 9, while the Midgets join the
Sprints at North Wilkesboro, N.C. June 21. The Midgets share the billing
again with the USAC Silver Crown cars at the famed Milwaukee Mile July
21-22. After a 32-year hiatus, the Midgets return to 81 Speedway in Wichita,
Kans. on July 25, three nights prior to the two-night program at Belleville.
The new X-Plex Motorsports Park in Portland, Ind. opens its new facility to
USAC Midget participants Aug. 16 and the Midgets return to Kokomo (Ind.)
Speedway Aug. 17. Angell Park in Sun Prairie, Wisc. hosts the National
Midget Auto Racing “Hall of Fame Classic” USAC event Aug. 26 and the
prestigious “Hut Hundred’ at Terre Haute, Ind. unfolds Sept. 9. Iowa
Speedway also hosts the Midgets Sept. 17 and the series closes with the
4-Crown Nationals at Rossburg, Ohio Sept. 22-23 and the “Turkey Night Grand
Prix” at Irwindale, Calif. Nov. 23.
Levi Jones of Olney, Ill. and Josh Wise of Riverside, Calif., teammates for
Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises in 2006, are the defending 2005 National
Sprint and Midget Champions respectively.