Column By: DERICK KRINER / RPW – GRANTVILLE, PA – After a 2023 racing season that was filled with big paying and prestigious events, 2024 is sure to be no different.
With new series adding more shows, and annual events boosting purses, there is a guarantee that fans will get to see another great season of action.
Let’s take a look at some of the events across the country that caught my attention, and might need to be added to your own personal schedule.
Starting off early in the season, we see a trip by the High Limit Racing series to Georgia’s Golden Isles. Traditionally a Lucas Oil Late Model stomping grounds, 410 sprint cars will take to the “Fastest Dirt Track In The South” at the end of February (22nd-24th).
Golden Isles is sure to be a unique track for sprint cars and is sure to be fast. Being that most of the drivers have never competed there before, it is going to be interesting to see which drivers can capitalize on the demand for horsepower and a good setup, to capture a $20k payday.
Now the next set of highlighted events takes place over the course of a month with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars. During March and part of April, the series is set to travel to a lot of tracks that have never, or not recently been on the series calendar.
The greatest show on dirt will go to different parts of the south and allow fans that are used to seeing the ASCS (360’s) national and regional teams compete, a chance to see the best 410 drivers in the country. If you live anywhere near any of these events, do yourself a favor and put them on your personal race schedule for 2024.
No matter what, the energy of a World of Outlaws show, cannot be matched.
Switching gears to the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, we see an interesting three-day stretch in the middle of May (17th-19th) that includes a wide variety of tracks in the western half of Pennsylvania. A full swing from the high-speed ½ miles of Bedford Speedway and Marion Center Raceway, to the tight and high banked Path Valley Speedway.
An interesting mix of tracks that are sure to satisfy your need for speed and also close racing. For late model fans in PA, this is a must attend set of events, and the trip to Path Valley offers everyone a chance to see what the “most powerful late models on the planet” can do at a tight ¼ mile, which is very rare for the Keystone state.
At the same time, a star studded weekend of 410 action hits New York, as High Limit makes a highly anticipated trip to some of NY’s favorite weekly facilities. Outlaw Speedway which has traditionally showcased the All Star Circuit of Champions will get a High Limit date (May 16th), so fans can once again see 410 sprint cars in action at the Dundee, New York oval.
A track that traditionally races on Friday nights in Utica-Rome (May 17th), gets to showcase once again, the fast and action packed facility to more of a national crowd. The weekend is capped off with a return of a national touring sprint car series to the Fonda Speedway (May 18th).
This high speed and lightly banked ½ mile is sure to provide one of the fastest tracks that these 410 drivers will compete on throughout the season. New York fans always seem to show up for these events, so it is sure to be a great atmosphere and should be on all race fans’ schedules who live close enough to attend.
We would be remiss to not talk about two of the crown jewel events that take place in the sprint car world, in the months of July and August. Eldora Speedway will once again host its King’s Royal, 4-day event July 17th-20th, featuring two $100k+ paydays and crowning the 40th King on Saturday night. Knoxville Raceway then plays host to the 4-day Knoxville Nationals, August 7th-10th, at the Iowa ½ mile.
This event is also paying $190k to win and gives one driver a chance to cement their name in the history books of the sport. Both events, while sometimes difficult to attend in the same year, should be on every dirt track fan’s bucket list.
Skagit Speedway plays host to the next event to highlight on your calendar. Pacific Northwest fans get to experience 410 sprint cars fighting it out for a $100k top prize at Rudeen’s ¼ mile facility. While most fans are used to seeing the World of Outlaws come to town in early September for an extended weekend of racing, High Limit has taken the weekend for 2024.
August 29th-31st are dates to circle for fans in the area, and also fans all over, as Skagit provides not only good racing, but a very scenic location.
One final week to highlight is the second week of October. Super DIRT Week at Oswego takes place and is always a party. While slight changes have been made to the schedule of events, fans will be treated to primetime racing action as the finallies will all be under the lights.
For most Northeast modified fans, “racing’s biggest party” is a bucket list event, where you can see all of the biggest names in modified racing competing in some of the longest and most grueling events. After a week of tough weather conditions plagued the event in 2023, the moving of the schedule to Saturday, gives fans a chance to still see action on Sunday if needed, which was a motivating factor of switching things around.
October 6th officially kicks off the event and daily activities keep fans engaged in all the action throughout the week.
The other to highlight is taking place October 10th-12th at East Bay Raceway Park, as the Lucas Oil Late Model Series takes to the “clay by the bay” for the last time in the track’s history. Dubbed “The Grand Finale” event, this is the last chance for fans to see racing at the raceway, as it is anticipated to cease operations.
If fans are looking for an excuse to get to warmer weather on the Florida Gulf Coast, this is it.
While I’m sure I’ve angered some fans by not including your own personal favorites, please check all of the different series and track schedules to make sure you don’t miss out on any other events throughout the country.
Cheers to a great 2023 and an even better 2024 season!