Byrdman to Tackle 2024 Tour & Little 500
Nathan Byrd has announced his intentions to run the full 2024 500 Sprint Car Tour schedule with Legacy Autosport. This includes an attempt to qualify for his first Little 500 in May. The entry will primarily be sponsored by Sonesta, GMS, and Hopegivers International. Legacy Autosport will be building a brand new non wing pavement sprint car chassis for Byrd to compete in during the 2024 season.
“I’m super stoked for the opportunity to run for the championship in THE premier pavement sprint car series where the best of the best in open wheel short track racing duke it out,” Byrd said. “There’s definitely some anxious excitement though, because I want to know where I stack up against this level of competition, especially in a Legacy Autosport Car, which I’m confident will be capable of racing with the best cars on the grid as long as I hold up my end of the deal!”
Nathan Byrd began his racing career in 2018 and has quickly risen through the ranks. The 23 year old racer from Litchfield Park, Arizona has a wide variety of racing disciplines under his belt, having competed in nearly 25 different types of racing cars. Byrd began racing in the Lucas Oil Formula Car Racing Series before making the move in 2020 to the Kenyon Midget Series, Radical Ford Focus Midget Series, and the USAC Midget Series. According to ByrdRacing.com, “In 2021, BYRDMAN kicked his development into high gear with 83 races, in 23 different cars, in 15 different racing series: Carolina Pro Late Model, Spears MFG Late Model, Spears Modified, Super Trucks, World Racing League Endurance Rounds, Kenyon Midget, National Midgets, Champion Midgets, Winged Midgets, Focus Midgets, Silver Crown, F1000, F2000, F4, and USF2000 Road to Indy”.
Byrd previously competed with the 500 Sprint Car Tour on two separate occasions in its inaugural 2022 racing season. His most recent event with the 500 Sprint Car Tour was a top 10 finish in the 2022 Tony Elliott Classic. Legacy Autosport will be building a brand new non wing pavement sprint car chassis for Byrd to compete in during the 2024 season as the sport continues to grow with new interest from teams, drivers, and car builders.
Nathan Byrd practicing at Anderson Speedway - Dave Sink Photo
“I’ve actually done some racing with Legacy Autosport back in 2021, in the then-Road to Indy USF2000 series, so I know the Legacy guys and the amount of hard work and detail they put in their cars to make them some of the fastest in the entire field,” Byrd proclaimed. “My dad, David Byrd, was instrumental in putting together a deal to race for Legacy in both silver crown and sprint car, and it wouldn’t have happened if Mike and Butch didn’t believe in my ability as a race car driver.
The 2023 season saw multiple new cars hit the track and the same is expected of the 2024 season. Byrd is the first driver to officially enter the 2024 Rookie of the Year race for the 500 Sprint Car Tour. Jackson Macenko won the 2023 Rookie of the Year award with a brand new team who was competing with a brand new race car. Byrd will look to repeat that success as he enters the 2024 season in a similar situation as Macenko. Both Macenko and Byrd have intentions to attempt to qualify for their first Little 500 when the series heads to Anderson Speedway for the historic race on Memorial Day Weekend.
“Just like with running the entire series, I have a high level of nervous excitement to be able to hopefully qualify for and compete in the Little 500, the greatest and most demanding sprint car pavement event of the calendar year,” Byrd said when asked about his excitement to qualify for the 76th Annual Little 500. “If we managed to qualify for the Little 500 in our first year with the car, I think that alone would be a massive win and statement for both myself and the Legacy Autosport team regarding the capability of the car and my ability as a driver.”
The 2024 500 Sprint Car Tour season will see nine points earning events across a ten race schedule from early April to mid October. The 76th Annual Little 500 will once again be a non-points earning event for the series, filling out the ten race schedule in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend slot. For more information on the 500 Sprint Car Tour visit: 500sprintcartour.com and be sure to follow on social media (Facebook: 500 Sprint Car Tour | Twitter (X): @500SprintTour | Instagram: @500sprintcartour).
2024 500 Sprint Car Tour Schedule:
April 6 - Anderson Speedway | Anderson, Indiana | 24th Running of the Glen Niebel Classic
May 22-25 - Anderson Speedway | Anderson, Indiana | 76th Annual Little 500
June 8 - Berlin Raceway | Marne, Michigan
June 28 - Toledo Speedway | Toledo, Ohio
July 13 - Anderson Speedway | Anderson, Indiana | 3rd Annual Gene Nolen Classic
August 23 - Kalamazoo Speedway | Kalamazoo, Michigan
August 24 - Berlin Raceway | Marne, Michigan
September 7 - Salem Speedway | Salem, Indiana | 65th Running of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial
October 5 - Anderson Speedway | Anderson, Indiana | 9th Annual Tony Elliott Classic
October 19 - Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, Indiana | Championship Saturday
