The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is returning to sully the good name of Knoxville Raceway this weekend, looking to put on a second act of last year’s wreckfest that turned the sprint car capital of the world into a laughingstock. It’s fitting that NASCAR on FOX is opting to put Jamie Little on play-by-play for this race; ARCA-caliber racing needs an ARCA-caliber booth.
Fortunately for dirt fans, there’s an embarrassment of riches to be had featuring actual dirt cars of all disciplines this weekend.
From super late models to Silver Crown, take a gander at the weekend’s dirt racing smorgasbord.
Month of Money Continues for the Lucas Oil Tour
The biggest-money event of the weekend is on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series late model tour, with the Mountain Moonshine Classic at Smoky Mountain Speedway in Tennessee going for $50,000-to-win on Saturday night (June 18).
Come see The New Million Dollar Man next weekend as Jonathan Davenport tries to take home another $55,000 as part of the @lucasdirt Mountain Moonshine Classic presented by @LazydaysRV June 17-18. Twin $5,000 to win races June 17, the $50,000 feature June 18. pic.twitter.com/HBCqB34ISw
— Smoky Mountain Speed (@smokymtnspeed) June 10, 2022
The event marks the third $50,000-to-win event in four weeks for the LOLMDS tour, following the Show-Me 100 over Memorial Day weekend and the Historic 100 in West Virginia. Scheduled to be racing at Smoky Mountain is the nation’s hottest super late model driver, Jonathan Davenport, who has scored four feature wins in the month of June, including the Eldora Million last week.
Streaming coverage of the event, which will start with a pair of $5,000-to-win preliminary features on Friday night, will be available on MAVTV Plus. Pro tip for those heading to Smoky Mountain this weekend: Get there early enough to snag a backstretch hill spot. That means being there when the gates open at noon.
Ohio Sprint Speedweek Ends With Big All-Star Payday
The All-Star Circuit of Champions sprint cars wrap up their Ohio Sprint Speedweek with the $20,554-to-win Dean Knittel Memorial at Portsmouth Raceway Park Saturday night.
THIS Saturday at Portsmouth Raceway Park!
Dean Knittel Memorial $20,554 ASCoC Sprints
Charlie Swartz Classic $5,000 Valvoline LM’s
WEATHER LOOKS GREAT ☀️
BE THERE!— Chris Tilley (@tilleyracing) June 15, 2022
The ASCoC mini tour has seen a plethora of winners, including NASCAR Cup Series regular Christopher Bell, and will culminate with a memorial race that has yet to see a repeat winner in its history.
The biggest story on the tour, however, is the points race. The only repeat winner during Ohio Sprint Speedweek has been Justin Peck, and Peck’s third and fourth wins of the 2022 campaign have him within 20 points of current leader and defending series champion Tyler Courtney.
Saturday’s race will the biggest sprint car race of 2022 for Portsmouth, the track perhaps best known for being the current home of the Dirt Track World Championship for the LOLMDS tour in October. Streaming coverage can be found on Flo Racing.
USAC Goes Wingless at Port Royal … Twice
The USAC Eastern Storm tour for its national sprint car tour doesn’t end on Saturday at Port Royal Speedway, but it’s arguably the biggest event that said mini-series has on the docket.
The Speed Palace is more than just a nickname; it’s an apt description of @PortRoyalSpdway.
USAC @AMSOILINC National Sprint Car racing’s kings have excelled at this joint & all will be vying to ascend the throne on Saturday night, June 18.
Race Preview: https://t.co/isUeiM5b0y pic.twitter.com/EYjuOOyiLl
— USAC Racing (@USACNation) June 16, 2022
Joining the sprint car tour that Saturday will be the USAC Silver Crown Series, which will be making its dirt debut for 2022 at the same track. And if that’s not enough, sprint-crazy Pennsylvania fans will also see the track’s weekly 410 winged sprint cars contest a $5,000-to-win feature as well.
The real story here may well end up being track conditions. It’s expected to be one of the hottest weekends of the year across Pennsylvania heading into Saturday, and running three 410 sprint car programs on the same surface, including the extended-length Silver Crown feature, would prove taxing on any surface. The track prep guys at Port Royal are among the best, and they’ll be earning their paychecks this weekend. And there’s that ongoing tire problem as well.
Posted on https://t.co/7oL9vsrBfM: "Hoosier assured us they will be OK," … @PASpeedWeek will go on as planned amid tire shortage.
Comments from drivers, promoters, crew chief. https://t.co/LIdF9GzZ5v pic.twitter.com/rkqMHGqbj2
— Jeremy Elliott (@SprintCarUnl) June 16, 2022
Streaming for this event, as with all USAC national touring races, can be found on Flo Racing.
The Bottom Dollar
At the time of this writing, the cheapest ticket available for Saturday night’s CleanHarbors 150 at Knoxville race is $35 for frontstretch general admission.
By comparison, grandstand tickets for the above listed venues are as follows:
Port Royal Speedway – $30
Portsmouth Raceway Park – $30
Smoky Mountain Speedway – $40
Pit passes for all the above listed venues are available for purchase by the general public.
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First time I’ve read Frontstretch.com and Bryan Davis Keith. The site is great, but BDK brings the integrity and class level down to the lowest level. Takes a small man to criticize a play-by-play announcer. Wonder if BDK would have said that about a male announcer.
I don’t know BDK, first time I’ve ever read any of his work. Maybe I’ve got him all wrong. For the good name of Wake Forest University, I hope I do.