By Richie Murray
Indianapolis, Indiana (December 10, 2021)………Eleven points paying events – six on pavement and five on dirt – make up the trail for the 2022 USAC Silver Crown National Championship season along with an additional special dash race, which marks the first occurrence of such a contest for the series in a quarter century.
The newest addition to the schedule takes the series to the speedy half-mile Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, Pa. for the first time ever on June 18 amid the Eastern Storm tour for the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship. The event will mark a true USAC National doubleheader with both the Silver Crown and National Sprint divisions contesting full programs on the same night.
On the pavement side of the equation, World Wide Technology Raceway, formerly known as Gateway when it most recently hosted the series in 2016. At 1.25 miles in length, the Madison, Ill. venue is the largest track the series will compete on during the 2022 campaign.
The dirt kicks off the season on May 1 with the 19th running of the Sumar Classic at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track, one of three dirt half-miles on the schedule along with Port Royal and Rossburg, Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, which welcomes the 40th edition of the 4-Crown Nationals on September 23-24.
The two iconic Illinois mile dirt tracks in Springfield and Du Quoin are an annual staple of fair season during the late summer months. The 59th running of the Bettenhausen 100 is slated for August 20 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds while the 71st edition of the Ted Horn 100 is locked in for Labor Day Weekend, September 3.
Three visits to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park are on tap for USAC Silver Crown racing in 2022, the most ever in a single season. Two 100-lap full-points races are scheduled at the .686-mile paved oval, on May 27 for the Carb Night Classic and on October 22 for the season finale on Open-Wheel Championship Saturday.
The first Silver Crown non-points special event since 1996 is headed to IRP for the USAC Silver Crown Shootout on June 30, which will feature a 10-car field fighting for the prize in a 25-lap sprint.
The summer months of June, July and August present a trio of events on half-mile, high-banked paved ovals, starting with Oregon, Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway, which brings the series to the Dairyland 100 for the third time on June 24.
Winchester Speedway’s blazing fast, 37-degree banks served as the host of the closest USAC Silver Crown finish of the entire 2021 season. The legendary eastern Indiana venue is back on the docket for the second time this season with the Rich Vogler Classic.
The Glass City of Toledo, Ohio routinely proves to be a pivotal round for the series, and Toledo Speedway’s ninth appearance on the USAC Silver Crown schedule is set for August 6 with the Rollie Beale Classic.
2022 USAC SILVER CROWN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE:
May 1: Terre Haute Action Track | Terre Haute, IN | Sumar Classic
May 27: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | Carb Night Classic
Jun 18: Port Royal Speedway | Port Royal, PA
Jun 24: Madison International Speedway | Oregon, WI | Dairyland 100
Jun 30: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | USAC Silver Crown Shootout | Non-Points Special Event
Jul 21: Winchester Speedway | Winchester, IN | Rich Vogler Classic
Aug 6: Toledo Speedway | Toledo, OH | Rollie Beale Classic
Aug 19: World Wide Technology Raceway | Madison, IL
Aug 20: Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, IL | Bettenhausen 100
Sep 3: Du Quoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, IL | Ted Horn 100
Sep 23-24: Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | 4-Crown Nationals
Oct 22: Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | Open-Wheel Championship Saturday