Even with the lack of High Limit and World of Outlaw Sprint Car announcements, a lot has happened in the world of dirt racing. It was a good week for national Late Model driver announcements and updated lists for the Tulsa Shootout and Chili Bowl. We got big news out of Pennsylvania, as they released the schedule for PA Sprint Speedweek. Check out everything you missed below!
410 Updates – All Updates from the Offseason
Dirt Planner – Full schedules by series/track + master schedules
Driver Announcements 12/18-12/22
Ricky Thornton Jr – Returning to chase the Lucas Oil Late Model championship in 2024.
Carson Macedo – Returning to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in 2024.
Brandon Sheppard – Going full-time World of Outlaws Late Model racing in 2024.
Brian Shirley – Returning to the World of Outlaws Late Models in 2024.
Cade Dillard – Returning to the World of Outlaws Late Models in 2024.
Tylar Rankin – Will chase the IRA Sprint Car title with Greg Wheeler Motorsports.
Jace Park – Planning for 50-60 410 sprint car races in 2024 with Johnny Herrera Racing.
PA Speedweek
Tulsa Shootout / Chili Bowl
Tulsa Shootout Full Entry List – Click Here
Chili Bowl Nationals Current Entry List – Click Here
Sprint Car Hall of Fame
2024 Inductees
- Tracy Hines
- Paul McMahan
- Jon Stanbrough
- Gary “Deuce” Turrill
- Ricky Warner
- Mark “Bones” Bourcier
- Bill Holder
- Roy Robbins
2024 Awards
- Media Member of the Year: FloRacing
- Team of the Year: Rico Abreu Racing, TOPP Motorsports
- Promoter of the Year: Eldora Speedway
- Wild Card Award: Corey Day, Chase Randall (360)
- Driver of the Year: Brad Sweet, Justin Grant, Jason Martin (360)
- Outstanding Contribution: Kevin Rudeen
- Rookie of the Year: Jace Park (360)
Donate to Help Roger & Brandi Crockett
OFFICIAL LINK TO DONATE – CLICK HERE
Listen to RICO!
Weโre in a fantastic time in sprint car racing and I still see negativity and closed mindedness. Our sport is on a legit path for growth and all we have to do is embrace the challenge in front of us. We all can have a role to play in this. If we really look close an opportunity has taken shape for so many people.
We have race tracks that have two legit series to market major crown jewel events. They can utilize these two sanctioning bodyโs to create competitiveness and uniqueness in how they promote races. Through this balance they can ELEVATE their schedules theyโve created.
We have a 5 X World of Outlaw Champion that has found a way to ELEVATE his position as a racer and become a series owner.
We have a pit reporter thatโs found his way to becoming an announcer and ELEVATE his career to the next level.
We have racers staying with the brand they love and pursuing life long dreams driven by the core goals they set to be a World of Outlaw Champion so they can ELEVATE their brands and achieve greatness with their car owners, crews members and sponsors.
We have teams signing up for a startup series that offers unique transparency, an innovative ideas for charter ownership and a fair format to gain those opportunities. The hope is a stronger ability to acquire capital to help pay for the overhead of a race team. This chance is a clear opportunity to ELEVATE oneโs team compared to any previous model.
We have two sanctioning bodyโs in a direct competition for fans, drivers, employees and events. In the end the fans are guaranteed a better and more ELEVATED product. Competition exists in every part of our society.
Through the increased activity in our sport. There is going to be a need for more marketing, more employees, more services required to support all of this. Thatโs more jobs that will require ELEVATING individuals to the next position.
I could go on and on about the opportunities I see opening up for people. The event growth at tracks. The increased local action at new tracks. The increased purses. The strong involvement that streaming is and will have on our sport. The motivated individuals behind closed doors to work towards creating an incredible experience for the fan and viewer.
We are in an exciting time and to pick a side and truly wish for the others failure is sad to see. I can only speak for myself and my team. We will be running the schedule we run because we believe itโs best for us and our partners. But as I say that I see the growth and competition all over. I see multiple paths teams can take that have value and opportunity. No matter the event Iโm at I refuse to be apart of the negativity. I will be apart of the growth in this industry. When we show up to the track it will be with respect and integrity to the officials and sanctioning body. It will be with excitement to engage with our fans, interact with new ones and enjoy the people who chose to be with us at the track. When our car rolls on the track we will do our best to race hard, race clean and try to win.
Iโm excited to get 2024 rolling and together ELEVATE our sport to the next level!!!
Rico Abreu
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