Top 8 Storylines Heading into the 2024 Season
Top 8 Storylines for Heading the 2024 Season
Continued Growth for the Little 500:
As the Annual Little 500 Sprint Car Classic approaches its 76th year, the continued growth and excitement for the event reaches new levels never before seen. For the first time in its history, entries for the event were taken online. A full field of 33 cars had submitted an entry within the first 24 hours of the event being live online. A current entry list of 40 cars is the most the race has seen before April 1st in its history. With competitors coming from coast to coast to compete in the event, fans will see drivers from California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Ohio, and Massachusetts. Jake Trainor will also be returning as the defending Little 500 Champion and will look to become the first driver to win their first two Little 500 starts.
Jake Trainor in victory lane after winning the Little 500. (Jake Kessler Photo)
New Streaming Partner Comes on Board for 2024:
After two seasons partnering with MAVTV on Floracing to stream/televise 500 Sprint Car Tour events. Beginning with the 24th Running of the Glen Niebel Classic presented by CB Fabricating at Anderson Speedway, fans will find a new home to stream 500 Sprint Car Tour action. It was announced in early March that the 500 Sprint Car Tour had come to an agreement with DIRTVision to become the official streaming partner of the series. A predominately dirt racing platform will now welcome the first pavement series ever to be featured full time on DIRTVision. The partnership includes streaming rights to all 500 Sprint Car Tour events on the 2024 schedule including the 76th Annual Little 500 presented by UAW.
Rookie of the Year Battle:
When the 2024 500 Sprint Car Tour campaign kicks off at Anderson Speedway on Saturday, April 6th, four new faces will be beginning their quest to become the 2024 500 Sprint Car Tour Rookie of the Year. Brady Allum, Trey Burke, Nathan Byrd, and Timmy Creech will all be competing in their first full season with the 500 Sprint Car Tour. All four competitors have run with the series on individual occasions over the past two seasons while still maintaining their rookie status for the 2024 season. In what will be the most intense Rookie of the Year battle since the series began racing in 2021, all four competitors have a great deal of experience and have shown an ability to compete for wins.
Joe James/Pat O’Conner Memorial Returns to Salem:
The Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial is the second longest running pavement sprint car race in the world behind the Little 500. After being held at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as a 500 Sprint Car Tour sanctioned event over the past two seasons, the event will return to its original home at Salem Speedway for the first time since 2020. Salem Speedway has undergone major improvements since the last time the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial was completed there. Some of the improvements include new safety lights around the track, a new scoreboard, as well as major improvements to the racing surface and the track lighting. Salem’s continued commitment to not only non-wing pavement sprint car racing, but to preserving the history of their facility, has driven the desire of fans and drivers alike to return to the high banked oval.
From the Top of Turn 4 at Historic Salem Speedway.
Michigan Double Header Featuring New Track:
For the first time since 2021, the 500 Sprint Car Tour will have a true doubleheader weekend. In 2021, the series kicked off the year with a Plymouth Speedway and Berlin Raceway doubleheader. In 2024, the doubleheader will return, but this time teams will race at Kalamazoo Speedway and Berlin Raceway. It will be the first trip for the series to Kalamazoo Speedway as the series continues to focus events in key markets for this season’s premier partner, Auto Value Part Stores. Not only will Auto Value play a large role in the doubleheader weekend, they will also be involved with races at Berlin Raceway and Toledo Speedway earlier in the season. As part of promotions heading into these race weekends, fans can look forward to seeing content created at Media Day that highlight’s Auto Value’s commitment to the 500 Sprint Car Tour.
Who Will Finally Get Their First Win?
The 2023 season was a year of firsts for a handful of competitors as Billy Wease, Dakoda Armstrong, and Jake Trainor all became first time winners with the series. Although Trainor’s victory came in a non-points earning event, his impressive win in the 75th Annual Little 500 is still recognized as his first victory with the 500 Sprint Car Tour. Wease and Armstrong each won their first races with the series at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and Anderson Speedway respectively. A handful of drivers are hoping 2024 is a year of firsts as well as they will try to claim their first wins. Jackson Macenko, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, put together solid performance after solid performance in 2023 and will be looking to add his name to the list of 500 Sprint Car Tour winners. Drivers such as Taylor Ferns, Caleb Armstrong, and Derek Bischak have all been knocking on the door of victory and have wins set in their sights. Who will be the first to claim victory and forever be known as a 500 Sprint Car Tour feature winner?
Is Kyle O’Gara a Championship Contender?
O’Gara preparing to practice at Indianapolis Raceway Park in October of 2023. (Aaron Skillman Photo )
Consistency is the key to every championship. A perennial championship contender who embodies the notion of consistency better than most, is Kyle O’Gara. Another strong season in 2023 saw O’Gara finish third in the 500 Sprint Car Tour Championship Standings for the second straight year. He, along with 2022 Tour Champion Kody Swanson, are the only two drivers to finish in the top three in points in back to back seasons. O’Gara will be entering the season as an early favorite to compete for and win the 2024 Tour Championship. A strong start at Anderson Speedway in the 24th Running of the Glen Niebel Classic presented by CB Fabricating will be the first step in becoming the 2024 500 Sprint Car Tour Champion.
What will it take Tyler Roahrig to be the first repeat champion?
The first two seasons of competition for the 500 Sprint Car Tour saw two separate drivers be crowned as Series Champion. Kody Swanson became the Inaugural Champion at the end of the 2022 season and Tyler Roahrig won the season long championship when the 2023 season concluded. Now, going into the 2024 season, is Roahrig primed to repeat as champion, or will another driver break through and take his crown? Roahrig will surely look to capitalize on two visits to Berlin Raceway in 2024, a place he has been unbeaten at with the 500 Sprint Car Tour. The series will also be heading to Kalamazoo Speedway for the first time, another place Roahrig has been historically good at. Although the series will be visiting strong tracks for the defending champion, Roahrig will have to hit all of his marks to win a second consecutive championship as the field of competition gets stronger and perennial contenders continue to break through.
The 2024 season kicks off Sunday, April 14 at Anderson Speedway with the 24th Running of the Glen Niebel Classic. Racing will begin at 4:30pm for the special Sunday show.
