By Dick Jordan
I-30 Speedway in Little Rock, Ark. will host the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series September 7 in the first of two back-to-back races in the Razorback State.
The event will mark USAC’s debut at the action-packed quarter-mile red clay oval. Only three times in USAC history has the organization competed in Arkansas. Mike Ward won in the Sprint cars at Riverside Speedway in West Memphis in 1985, while Gary Wright won a Late Model race at Fort Smith Speedway in 1986 and Matt Sherrell won a USAC/SMRS Midget feature at North Central Arkansas Speedway in Yellville three years ago.
Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis had already announced they will host the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint cars on September 8, which now creates a back-to-back Arkansas doubleheader.
“We are obviously excited about the Arkansas events as part of this year’s expanded AMSOIL slate,” says USAC’s Jason McCord. “Although we don’t have a long history of racing in the state, we are aware of the legacy of Sprint racing in the area and the talent which has been produced there. There’s a great open-wheel fan base there and we look forward to showcasing our series at these two tracks.”
Advertising its product as “hammer down racing at hammer hlll,” I-30 Speedway has a history of spectacular motorsports spanning the past half-century.
“We’ve always taken pride in the quality of events we have at I-30,” says race organizer Tracey Clay, “and we are truly excited about what USAC can bring to our loyal fan base in terms of exciting racing. We hope this is the beginning of a long-term association between USAC and the Arkansas racing scene.”