News Director 
Story By: HUMBOLDT SPEEDWAY – HUMBOLDT, KS – The track that helped launch Clint Bowyer’s four-wheel racing career will join the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series for the 2017 season.
Humboldt Speedway, a .387-mile D-shaped high-banked clay oval, will kick off its NASCAR action this weekend with the Battle At The Bullring. The track, which sits less than two hours south of Kansas City, draws more than 130 cars from 13 different states as well as Canada for its B-Mods Division main event of the weekend.
“We are very excited about this weekend and the start of our relationship with NASCAR,” said track owner Ryan Whitworth. “We provide a family-friendly, action-packed program on Friday nights and look forward to extending the benefits of being a NASCAR track to our competitors. It’s a big show to kick off the season for us and having NASCAR as part of it takes it to another level.”
“Ryan and Rhenda Whitworth operate a first-class facility and we’re proud to have them join the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series,” said Kevin Nevalainen, NASCAR director of weekly racing. “Humboldt Speedway is an exciting place to watch a race, and it’s always great to welcome another dirt track to the program.”
The track is two and a half hours north of Salina Highbanks Speedway in Pryor, Oklahoma, giving competitors in the region a pair of tracks to run on a weekly basis for NASCAR Whelen All-American Series points. Drivers at Humboldt will also compete for track championships, as well as the first Kansas title in NASCAR history.
The McCarthy Auto Group Modifieds will be the track’s Division I and will take the green flag for the track’s NASCAR-sanctioned racing with a 20-lap feature on Saturday. While the 25-car, 50-lap A Main for the B Modifieds Saturday will be an open show, the Rays Metal Depot B-Mods will be the track’s Division II for the season, with Pitt Steel Stock Cars as the Division III.
The track was built in 1976 by Dale and Deana Hobart, and operated as D&D Speedway with Wednesday shows until 1987. The facility changed hands a couple times before the Whitworths purchased it in 1990. The Modifieds have been the top division since 1992 at the facility, which is nicknamed “Hummer.”
Bowyer, an eight-time winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, was the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national runner-up in 2002. He converted from motocross to stock cars in 1996 and began racing in the street stock division on dirt tracks in Kansas, including Humboldt.
In addition to the Battle At the Bullring, the track hosts the King of America Race on March 23-25 for its Modified Division, and attracts more than 110 cars from all over the country.
Established in 1982, the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series is NASCAR’s championship program for weekly short track auto racing with paved and dirt tracks throughout the United States and Canada.
Connecticut-based Whelen Engineering is the series’ title sponsor. Whelen Engineering is a leading manufacturer of automotive, aviation, industrial and emergency vehicle lighting. NASCAR tracks and pace cars across North American are among many showcases for Whelen products.
