Story Lines: ProDoor Manufacturing 40 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

Story Lines: ProDoor Manufacturing 40 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

Wildcard Race?

With the championship battle heating up as the 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores heads into the second half of the season, the unknowns of Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway will surely play a major factor in how the points battle shapes out. The ProDoor Manufacturing 40 will be the first non wing pavement sprint car race at Nashville since 2004. Only one driver, Bobby Santos III, competed in the 2004 event. With no notes to fall back on and very little knowledge of how the track will race, drivers will be looking to find any advantage they can over their competitors in a short period of time.

2023 Little 500 Champion joins 500 Sprint Car Tour

Reigning champion of the 75th Annual Lucas Oil Little 500 presented by UAW, Jake Trainor, will make his first start of the season with the 500 Sprint Car Tour since his Little 500 victory. Trainor, along with Bobby Santos III, Tyler Roahrig, and Kody Swanson, is one of four Little 500 winners entered into the event. Trainor impressed in his Little 500 debut after qualifying on the front row and going on to not only win Rookie of the Year, but also the race itself. In what will be only his third 500 Sprint Car Tour start, Trainor will go into the event as a favorite to visit victory lane once again.

Will we see a Tire Compound Battle?

Drivers will be challenged with changing track conditions as the track not only transitions from daylight to darkness, but also transitions from a ¼ mile track back to a ½ mile track. The 500 Sprint Car Tour will be one of two feature races utilizing the ½ mile configuration of Nashville as they will be joined by the JEGS/CRA All Star - Pro Late Models. With various rubber compounds being laid down by the Pro Late Models, as well as the other series’ on the ¼ mile track, the racing surface will prove to be fast and challenging for the drivers. Throw in the extreme heat expected over the weekend on top of already challenging track conditions, Nashville will truly be a battle of endurance and precision.

Don’t Forget the Sunscreen

With a weather prediction of actual temperatures reaching 98 degrees on Saturday, and feel like temperatures upwards of 104 degrees, the ProDoor Manufacturing 40 will be the hottest event of the season both literally and figuratively. The series will have two practice sessions on Friday and will have a full slate of action including a 40-lap race on Saturday. For some, this will be the most extreme racing conditions they have ever competed in. For others, it will be an opportunity to set themselves apart and show their resolve.

Wily Veteran Signs up for Nashville

For the first time in 2023, Brian Gerster will be running a points race with the 500 Sprint Car Tour. A regular competitor in the Little 500, Gerster is an experienced veteran who has shown to be fast in one-off appearances. A fan of fast tracks, Gerster holds the track record at multiple tracks including Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. As a Little 500 competitor, Gerster boasts a stat line of 15 starts, one top five, seven top tens, two races led for a total of 109 laps, a best starting position of second (2022), a best finishing position of third (2012), and a total number of laps completed of 5,195.

Race Information

The 500 Sprint Car Tour presented by Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores event at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway is set for its Saturday, July 29th date. The series will be joined by the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Pro Late Models in a 100-lap feature, Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Front Runners, Legends, and Bandoleros. There will be an open practice on Friday, July 21st from 3:00pm to 7:00pm for teams to become acquainted with the racetrack. Pit gates will open at 9:30am and spectator grandstands will open at 3:00pm (all times are Central TIme Zone). The ProDoor Manufacturing 40 will be one of the final features of the night and the entire night can be viewed LIVE on Mavtv on Floracing. Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be purchased here. For more information, follow the 500 Sprint Car Tour and Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway online via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and each party’s individual websites.