By Steven Blakesley
LAS VEGAS — The BITNILE.com Open Wheel Showdown Las Vegas is fast-approaching with the most lucrative pavement open wheel event in motorsports, November 14-16 at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Winged Sprint Cars will compete for $50,000 to win for the second annual event, along with $5,000 to win Super Modifieds and $5,000 to win Modifieds. Over 125 teams are registered for the $200,000+ event that will be broadcast live on Speed Sport TV.
Aaron Willison won the inaugural Winged Sprint Car 100-lap feature in 2023 ahead of Bobby Santos III in second and event promoter Davey Hamilton, Jr. in third for a talent-laden podium. They will square off against a 70-car entry list – the largest ever assembled on pavement. JoJo Helberg makes his anticipated return to pavement open wheel racing while 2023 Little 500 winner Jake Trainor makes one of his first career winged starts.
Modifieds were added to the Open Wheel Showdown in 2024 and they have responded in force with nearly 40 entries spanning the western states. West Coast champions such as Scott Winters, Eddie Secord, and Ian Elliott will battle with the champion drivers from both The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and the Rocky Mountains in a 75-lap feature for $5,000 to win.
Super Modifieds are headlined by the returns of Kenny and Davey Hamilton in search of the $5,000 prize after 40-laps of feature racing. 2024 SpeedTour champion Randy Anderson of Tacoma, Washington, multi-time race winners Jim Birges and Nathan Byrd, and many others make up the entry list of two dozen teams.
Action kicks off Thursday with optional practice. On Friday, the Winged Sprint Cars and Modifieds will qualify and compete in heat races. Following heat race action will be the Winged Sprint Car C-Main and pole shuffle.
All three divisions will compete in main events on Saturday evening as well.
For more information, visit www.openwheelshowdown.com Tickets and RV reservations are available via the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Pit Passes will be sold at the gate and include grandstand access.