Top 10 Storylines: 2023
Top 10 Storylines: 2023
10) Increase in Full Time Competitors and Increased Car Counts: In its second year of full time competition, the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper 500 Sprint Car Tour saw an immediate increase in full time competitors in 2023 from that of the Inaugural 2022 season. The 2022 season saw seven competitors enter and compete in every points event during the season. Although the 2023 season began with a commitment from more than 10 drivers, a total of eight competed in every points race during the 2023 season. Along with an increase in competitors came an increase in car counts. The opening event of the 2023 season saw an entry list nearing 30 cars. That trend continued throughout the summer as the series saw more consistent car counts than that of the 2022 season.
9) Kody Swanson Defends 2022 Championship With New Partners: After clinching the Inaugural 2022 season championship in an exciting battle with Dakoda Armstrong, Kody Swanson was poised to begin his title defense. Swanson began the new season with a major announcement that he would be partnering with Mission Foods for the 2023 season. The partnership would span across both his pavement sprint car races and his USAC SIlver Crown efforts. The new partnership exposed a new clientele to the world of pavement sprint car racing and showed how the sport can benefit even the largest of partners.
Swanson on pit road at Toledo Speedway - Jack Kessler Photo
8) Tyler Roahrig Continues Dominance at Berlin Raceway: Since the beginning of the 2022 season and through the 2023 season, the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper 500 Sprint Car Tour has competed at Berlin Raceway a total of four times. On all four occasions, the event was dominated by one driver in particular, Tyler Roahirg. Having already competed, and won, at Berlin Raceway on multiple occasions in other racing disciplines, Roahrig has been extremely comfortable and confident going into each Berlin event. In four trips to the Michigan track, Roahrig has four victories and four fast times in qualifying. With the track reappearing once again in 2024, Roahrig will look to continue the success and the dominance.
7) Gerster Competes for Final Time: After an illustrious career spanning over 30 years in various forms of racing, Brian Gerster crossed the finish line in his #27 Davis-Gerster racing machine for the final time. 2023 saw Gerster compete in his 15th and final Little 500 as well as events at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and Indianapolis Raceway Park. Although the door is not completely shut on Gerster returning to sprint car racing for another team, he has, however, closed the door on owning his own team for competition. He will now try his hand at other forms of racing that he otherwise has not had the opportunity to do so.
Brian Gerster at the Nashville drivers meeting - Jack Kessler Photo
6) Taylor Ferns Recommits to Full Time Racing Competition: 2023 was a big year for Taylor Ferns as she recommitted to a full time racing schedule. As she continued to pursue and finish a law degree, Ferns moved her racing operation from Michigan to New Castle, Indiana. Ferns made the decision to team up with distinguished crew chief Kevin Besecker to maintain not only her pavement sprint car, but also her dirt and pavement USAC Silver Crown cars. Committing to the full 2023 racing season with both the 500 Sprint Car Tour and USAC Silver Crown after missing some events in 2022, Ferns established herself as a favorite to compete for wins race in and race out.
Ferns in line to qualify at Anderson Speedway in April - Jack Kessler Photo
5) Kyle O’Gara Pilots His Way to Two Dominating Victories: Kyle O’Gara began the 2023 season with a bang! Leading the 23rd Glen Niebel Classic at Anderson Speedway from start to finish with a decisive 75-lap drive to victory lane. In five months time, he would win again in dominating fashion when the series competed at Lorain Raceway Park for the first time. The two wins had O’Gara in the middle of a tight Championship Battle between Kody Swanson and Tyler Roahrig that went down to the final race. After a single victory in 2022 and a pair of victories in 2023, O’Gara will be a favorite to once again contend for the championship going into 2024.
4) Kenyon Midget Graduate Makes the Jump, Wins Rookie of The Year: Jackson Macenko, a graduate from the USSA Kenyon Midget Series, made the jump to pavement sprint car racing for the first time in 2023. Teaming up with his team owner from his time in the Kenyon Midget Series, Brad Hayes, Macenko set his sights on a rookie campaign with a rookie team and a brand new car. Macenko impressed from the first green flag with eight top ten finishes, one top five finish, and a total of 473 laps completed (90% of total laps). He went on to claim Rookie of the Year honors in what will be remembered as a masterful rookie campaign.
3) New Tracks, New Markets - Racing in Ohio and Tennessee for the First Time: The Auto Value Bumper to Bumper 500 Sprint Car Tour added three new race tracks to the 2023 season in markets that had been previously untouched by non wing pavement sprint car racing. With two events in the state of Ohio, once at Toledo Speedway and once at Lorain Raceway Park, and another in Tennessee, at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, new fans were exposed to the relatively new racing series. Each of the three events generated their own level of racing excitement and saw three different winners visit the track's respective victory lanes.
Toledo Speedway hosted a beautiful Sunday race in 2023. Just days after a Tornado touched down close to the race track. - Jack Kessler Photo
2) First Time Winners: After years of hard work and dedication to the sport, 2023 saw two drivers visit victory lane for the first time in the pavement sprint car racing careers. Billy Wease saw a dream become a reality when he piloted his way to an exciting victory at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. Leading the majority of the way, Wease drove a flawless race on the circuit’s fastest track. Wease had come close to visiting victory lane on numerous occasions and was able to finally get the job done in the largest event on the 2023 schedule outside of the Little 500. Another driver that has been close a number of times who finally took a trip to victory lane was Dakoda Armstrong. Since the beginning of the 2022 season, Armstrong finished in second place on multiple occasions. Always searching for a little bit more to get the job done, luck finally came his way on October 7th at Anderson Speedway. Armstrong battled for 100 laps in the Tony Elliott Classic and went to victory lane for the first time in his pavement sprint car racing career.
1) Little 500 Rookie Wins Diamond Anniversary Event: 2023 was a special year for pavement sprint car fans as the penultimate event of the year, and the biggest race in all of pavement sprint car racing, the Little 500, reached its Diamond Anniversary event. The 75th Annual Little 500 was promised to be one for the record books and it was. Rookie competitor, Jake Trainor, traveled from his home in Medway, Massachusetts to compete in the legendary event. The 18 year old racer impressed from the get go as he qualified his #29 Matt Seymour Racing machine on the front row. Trainor went on to drive a very clean race and kept himself in contention the whole way. After 500 laps came and went, Trainor crossed the finish line first to become the first rookie since 1981 to win the Annual Little 500 Sprint Car Classic.
