Tradition is a key aspect in the sprint car world. One of the biggest traditions is the “Month of Money,” which typically runs from the middle of July until the middle of August.

This year, the “Month of Money” will be one of the richest ever for World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series competitors as six high-dollar events dot the calendar at five different tracks in four states. 

If one driver was to sweep all six “Month of Money” events this year, they would take home nearly $300,000! Along with some of the most epic battles, a couple of the biggest upsets in sprint car history have also come during the “Month of Money.”

JULY 12-14

Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway

$50,000-to-win finale

The Kings Royal at the half-mile Eldora Speedway in Ohio utilizes a unique format, inverting heat races based on qualifying times, which is opposite of the normal World of Outlaws format. With faster cars starting a few rows back in heat races and only the top three transferring to the feature, some of the most intense heat race action all season is contested.

Last year, Donny Schatz won the Kings Royal for the second straight year, which made him the first driver to ever accomplish that feat. The nine-time and defending series champion has won the event four times in his career.

The inaugural Kings Royal in 1984 was won by 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser. The “King of the Outlaws” proceeded to win the event a total of seven times in his illustrious career. Eldora legend and Ohio native Jac Haudenschild has won the Kings Royal three times in his career and will be in action this year. Three-time Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell has three Kings Royal wins to his credit, while fellow Hall of Famer Doug Wolfgang won the event twice.

Active drivers who have won the Kings Royal and will be in action this season include Joey Saldana, who has a pair of victories; Daryn Pittman; Brad Sweet; Shane Stewart; Kerry Madsen; Dale Blaney; and Jason Sides.

A number of drivers representing the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions will also be in attendance, making the field one of the strongest of the season.

JULY 17

Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup at Lernerville Speedway

$25,000-to-win

The Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup honors Don Martin, who was the founder and longtime owner of Lernerville Speedway, which is a 4/10-mile located in Western Pennsylvania.

Donny Schatz is the defending winner of the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup, while David Gravel was victorious in 2016, which marked the return of a single main event after running double features for several years. Schatz has won the Silver Cup six times in his career. Three of those victories came in the single feature format, while the other three came in the double features format, which rewarded the driver with the lowest average finish in both features as being the “overall” Silver Cup winner.

Mark Kinser won the Silver Cup five times in his illustrious career, including four in a row between 1996 and 1999. Steve Kinser won the Silver Cup twice in his career.

Ed Lynch Jr., the winningest sprint car driver in Lernerville Speedway history, defeated the World of Outlaws in the 2002 edition of the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup, which marked his lone victory with the series in his career. Tim Shaffer from nearby Aliquippa, PA, also scored a hometown win in the 2005 Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup, though at the time, he was a full-time World of Outlaws driver.

The inaugural Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup was held in 1992, with Sammy Swindell scoring the win. The native of Germantown, TN, won the event a total of three times over the years.

A number of drivers representing the Pennsylvania Posse typically made the trip from Central Pennsylvania west to Lernerville for the Silver Cup as well as drivers who competed with the Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions.

JULY 20-21

Summer Nationals at Williams Grove Speedway

$25,000-to-win finale

The Summer Nationals at the legendary Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA, date back to 1972, which was six seasons before the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series came into existence.

Steve Kinser and Mark Kinser each won the event four times in their Hall of Fame careers. Donny Schatz also has four victories in the Summer Nationals.

Representing the Pennsylvania Posse, Greg Hodnett has three wins, while Lance Dewease has two. Cody Darrah, who spent a couple of years on the road with the Outlaws, won the Summer Nationals twice. Williams Grove legends Fred Rahmer and Don Kreitz Jr. each won the event once.

The rivalry between the PA Posse and the World of Outlaws ramps up the level of competition and added incentive will exist this round as the Morgan Cup, which was rained out back in May, will be contested, with an extra $5,000 added to the winners share that evening. The Summer Nationals will be the first two races the World of Outlaws will contest at the half-mile this season, as both events were rained out in May.

AUGUST 3-4

Ironman 55 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55

$20,000-to-win each night

The Ironman 55 is the newest event on the “Month of Money” docket, coming into existence in 2009 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, MO. 

Joey Saldana won the inaugural Ironman 55, which is the longest race of the season on the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series schedule, totaling 55 laps around the high-banked third-mile. A total of six drivers have won the Ironman 55 over the years, with Craig Dollansky leading the way with three triumphs.

With last year’s event being postponed by rain until this year, 2016 Ironman 55 champion Rico Abreu is the reigning winner of the event. For the first time in series history, back-to-back $20,000 main events will be contested on successive nights.

Earlier this season, Daryn Pittman was victorious at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, which is traditionally one of the raciest tracks on the schedule, with multiple grooves.

AUGUST 8-11

Knoxville Nationals

$150,000-to-win finale

Sprint car racing’s biggest event held annually at the famed Knoxville Raceway in Iowa is referred to in sprint car circles as simply “The Nationals.”

Donny Schatz has been the driver to beat over the last 12 years in the Knoxville Nationals. During that time, only two drivers have been able to accomplish that feat: Tim Shaffer in 2010 and Jason Johnson in 2016. Shaffer's win came in the 50th Anniversary of the race, which was 50 laps in distance. 

Schatz, who is the defending Knoxville Nationals champion, has won the event 10 times in his career, which is second only to Steve Kinser's 12 triumphs. Dating back to 2000, Schatz has finished first or second in 16 of the 18 Knoxville Nationals that have been run.

The only other current full-time World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series competitor who has won the Nationals is Kraig Kinser, who was victorious in 2005.

One of the biggest upsets in Nationals history came in 1990 when Bobby Allen was victorious. Allen will be in attendance this year, as he is the car owner for his son, Jacob Allen, and grandson, Logan Schuchart.

Last year, David Gravel scored a perfect 500-point night on a qualifying night (which hadn’t been done in 25 years) and was leading the 50-lap finale when a mechanical failure in the engine ended his night. After winning recently at Knoxville, the first thing the young driver exclaimed in victory lane was, “Who’s ready for Nationals?”

Brian Brown, who has seven wins in weekly competition at Knoxville this season and has been close to winning the Nationals a couple of times in his career, looks to be a prime contender as well.

Keep up with all of the happenings during the “Month of Money” right here at FloRacing.com with the World of Outlaws Weekly Notebook.