The 36th edition of Indiana Sprint Week for USAC National Sprint Cars kicks off Friday night, July 21 at Gas City I-69 Speedway and goes through Saturday, July 29 at Tri-State Speedway.  The famed rocking chair awaits the overall champion of Indiana Sprint Week, which features eight races in a nine-day span that will test man and machine.

The annual tradition started in 1988 with five races at Avilla Motor Speedway, Paragon Speedway, Bloomington Speedway, Kokomo Speedway, and Lincoln Park Speedway.  Rickey Hood and Tim Gee won two races each, while Kelly Kinser added a win as well.  However, Randy Kinser would end the week as the inaugural Indiana Sprint Week champion.

“The People’s Champ” Dave Darland is the winningest driver in Indiana Sprint Week history, with 18 victories to his credit.  Levi Jones and Kevin Thomas each have four titles, tied for the most all-time.

Defending Indiana Sprint Week and USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Champion Justin Grant can do something only four other drivers have claim to – win back-to-back Indiana Sprint Week titles.  Chuck Amati (1989-90), Kevin Thomas (1992-93, 1995-96), Levi Jones (2008-09) and Bryan Clauson (2013-14) are the only drivers to have done so.

Indiana Sprint Week is less about winning and more about consistency.  In 2022, Grant became the first driver to win the Indiana Sprint Week title while winning a race during the week since 2017 when Kevin Thomas Jr. won at Bloomington en-route to the title.  The last time the champion also won the most races was in 2014 when Bryan Clauson won two races (with Robert Ballou) and the title.

Let’s take a look at the 2023 Indiana Sprint Week schedule.

Friday, July 21 – Gas City I-69 Speedway

Once again, Indiana Sprint Week will open up at the Gas City I-69 Speedway.  In what is a theme of Indiana Sprint Week and Indiana dirt racing in general, Gas City is a quarter-mile bullring that claims one of the closest finishes in USAC history.

Shane Cottle worked his way from the 18th starting spot using the bottom and beat CJ Leary to the checkered by inches.  Timing actually showed Leary as the leader taking the checkered flag, but per USAC rule Part VI 9.4.C, a car will be officially credited with a lap only when its front wheels cross the start/finish line after completing one entire circuit of the course.  The USAC chief scorer and race director unanimously agreed that Cottle’s front wheels crossed the start/finish line before Leary’s.

Defending Winner: Shane Cottle

VIDEO: Highlights from last year's Indiana Sprint Week feature at Gas City I-69 Speedway. 

Saturday, July 22 – Kokomo Speedway

From there, the series will make the short trip west to Kokomo Speedway for night two of Indiana Sprint Week.  Dubbed “Indiana’s Baddest Bullring,” Kokomo plays host to some of the most competitive USAC races of the season, as the case was during last year’s Indiana Sprint Week when the 30-lap feature saw seven different lead changes between Justin Grant and Robert Ballou.

Defending Winner: Justin Grant

VIDEO: Last year's Indiana Sprint Week feature at Kokomo earned Sweet Mfg Race of the Week honors on FloRacing. 

Sunday, July 23 – Lawrenceburg Speedway

The Southeast tip of Indiana is the next stop for Indiana Sprint Week with a return to the Lawrenceburg Speedway after last year’s date was rained out.  The high-banked 3/8ths mile puts on racing not seen anywhere else in the state due to its unique characteristics.

The flat quarter-mile days of Lawrenceburg saw former USAC Sprint Car National Champion Brian Tyler win his first dirt race with the series in a photo finish with Bill Rose in 1997.

Defending Winner: Logan Seavey (2021)

VIDEO: Highlights from the 2021 Indiana Sprint Week feature at Lawrenceburg.

Monday, July 24 – Circle City Raceway

The newest track on the Indiana Sprint Week schedule returns for a second year in 2023 after making its debut last season.  A pass of Brady Bacon with three laps to go netted CJ Leary the win from the eighth starting spot in the quarter-mile’s Indiana Sprint Week debut.

The series made an appearance at Circle City for a two-day show in May, with Jake Swanson and Kyle Cummins picking up wins during the USAC Week of Indy.

Defending Winner: CJ Leary

VIDEO: Highlights from the 2022 USAC Indiana Sprint Week feature at Circle City. 

Wednesday, July 26 – Terre Haute Action Track

After a day off, Indiana Sprint Week heads west on I-70 to the Terre Haute Action Track after rain also claimed last year’s date at the half-mile.  Now under the guidance of former USAC race winner Bill Rose, the biggest track on the week’s schedule makes its second and final appearance of the year with the USAC Sprint Car schedule.

Four-time series champion Brady Bacon won his first Tony Hulman Classic at Terre Haute back in May.

Defending Winner: Logan Seavey (2021)

VIDEO: 2021 Indiana Sprint Week highlights from Terre Haute Action Track. 

Thursday, July 27 – Lincoln Park Speedway

Indiana Sprint Week returns to the quarter-mile bullrings with their annual appearance at Lincoln Park Speedway.  USAC Sprint races at Puntamville has seen car counts in the 50s the past couple years, including last year’s Sprint Week date that had 52 cars sign in.

The 1999 stop at Lincoln Park saw J.J. Yeley and Cory Kruseman race each other on the bottom in the final corner before a Yeley mistake bunched the two together and allowed Dave Darland to get by both drivers on the outside to steal the win. 

Defending winner: Mitchel Moles

VIDEO: Highlights from the 2022 USAC Indiana Sprint Week feature at Lincoln Park. 

Friday, July 28 – Bloomington Speedway

The quarter-mile was on the inaugural Indiana Sprint Week schedule in 1988 and has been on the schedule every year except for 2015 and 2020.  Last year’s race saw Kyle Cummins come from 10th to take the win after passing Brady Bacon with nine laps to go.

CJ Leary led all 30 laps on his way to a win at Bloomington back in April

Defending Winner: Kyle Cummins

VIDEO: Highlights from the 2022 USAC Indiana Sprint Week feature at Bloomington.

Saturday, July 29 – Tri-State Speedway

Tri-State Speedway once again hosts the final race of Indiana Sprint Week as the series visits the Southwest Indiana bullring.  Haubstadt has been Kyle Cummins’s personal playground, with 29 wins between USAC and the Midwest Sprint Car Series since 2012, which includes three Indiana Sprint Week wins, an Indiana Midget Week win and seven USAC wins overall.

The driver sitting on top of the Indiana Sprint Week standings after the checkered flag waved at Haubstadt will take home the coveted Rocking Chair.

Defending Winner: Robert Ballou

VIDEO: Highlights from the 2022 USAC Indiana Sprint Week feature at Tri-State.