Four Little 500 Champions Set to Invade Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Non-Wing Sprint Cars make an appearance at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway when the 500 Sprint Car Tour makes their first stop at the historic facility.  The second-year tour will bring the star power, with the four most recent Little 500 winners confirmed to compete in the Pro Door Manufacturing 40.

Leading off the list of former Little 500 winners is this year’s victor Jake Trainor.  The 18-year-old’s maiden Little 500 run was a magical one, leading the final 50 laps and becoming the youngest winner in race history in his first start in the event.  In fact, that was just his second-ever start in a Sprint Car, the first coming at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in October 2022.

Before Trainor’s victory back in May, Tyler Roahrig had gone back-to-back in 2021 and 2022 in the Little 500.  He also has scored 500 Sprint Car Tour wins at Berlin Raceway and IRP; and has finished on the podium in four of his six-career USAC Silver Crown starts.  Roahrig is an accomplished Outlaw Super Late Model racer who has also collected wins in template-bodied Super Late Models, Winged Sprint Cars, and both asphalt and dirt Modifieds.

Kody Swanson is a three-time Little 500 champion, collecting wins in 2016, 2018 and 2019.  The seven-time USAC Silver Crown champion goes into the Pro Door Manufacturing 40 as the defending series champion and current points leader, having won the last two series events at Toledo Speedway and Anderson.  Swanson does have past experience at Nashville, but that came in a Pro Late Model.

2020 Little 500 winner Bobby Santos III competed in the last Non-Wing Sprint show held at Nashville in 2004 with USAC, finishing fourth in the second of the twin features that night.  The former NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour champion won the King of the Wing race held at Nashville in 2021.  He’s won in a laundry list of types of racecars – Winged and Non-Wing Sprints, Silver Crown, Tour-Type Modifieds, Midgets, NEMA Midgets, and Supermodifieds.

Four races have been contested so far in the 500 Sprint Tour season. Kyle O’Gara won the opener at Anderson Speedway, while Tyler Roahrig won race two at Berlin Raceway. Defending champion Kody Swanson has won the last two races at Toledo Speedway and Anderson and leads the points standings by 11 over Roahrig.  The tour will visit Berlin Raceway on Saturday, July 22 before heading to Nashville on July 29.

In addition to the 500 Sprint Car Tour, the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour will be at Nashville for a Sprint Car/Late Model doubleheader with the JEGS High Performance 100.  The traveling stars will take on Nashville’s best, led by Dylan Fetcho, Jackson Boone, and Hunter Wright.

All six 1/4-mile divisions will also be in action with Limited Late Models, Street Stocks, Pure Stocks, Pest Doctor Front Runners, United States Air Force Legends, and Murfreesboro Fence Bandoleros. The grandstand gates will be open at 3:30 with racing at 5:00. Tickets will be available online at (insert link) or at the gate.

For more information on the 500 Sprint Car Tour, log onto www.500sprintcartour.com. Find 500 Sprint Car Tour on Facebook and follow @500SprintTour on Twitter.

For more information on Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway and to get ticket visit www.nashvillefairgroundsspeedway.racing.