By Marty Czekala
April 18 will mark 195 days since the final checkered flag was waved on the A-Verdi Storage Containers CRSA Sprints’ 2024 season.
This weekend, the first green flag flies.
“The Future Stars of Sprint Cars” kicks off its 20th season Friday at Outlaw Speedway in Dundee. This is the third time the series has kicked off at Outlaw and the first since 2014. It is the eighth CRSA event to be held in Yates County.
This race also kicks off the Dandy Miniseries that Kyle Pierce won last year.
Last year, CRSA held one race at Outlaw in August, with Dan Craun taking his first career victory.
CRSA gets three dates this year, including the season finale of the New York 305 Nationals Oct. 17-18.
Here’s a look at what to watch for.
Tune In: Action can be seen live on The Cushion with Marty Czekala on the call. Expand your race night experience at the track or online through the MyRacePass app or at www.myracepass.com for $5.99 a month, featuring live timing, entry lists, fantasy and results.
A Look Back at 2024: Last season was a year that won’t be forgotten in CRSA competition.
Despite the challenges Mother Nature brought to the series, 11 different winners found their way to victory lane, with only two multi-time winners.
Six drivers scored their first career CRSA victory in 2024: Matt Rotz, Dillon Paddock, Adam DePuy, Dan Craun, Tyler Chartrand and Bruno Richard.
13 tracks hosted the CRSA Sprints in 2024 more than any other season.
Car counts were up again in 2024. For the first time, over 40 drivers entered a CRSA event, 42 at Weedsport last May.
Entering the final points race at Utica-Rome, Kyle Pierce and Tomy Moreau were tied for the championship. With Pierce finishing better than Moreau by two spots, it set up a notable advantage for the No. 9K at the scheduled championship site of Land of Legends before the skies opened in Canandaigua, canceling the program, awarding Pierce his first CRSA Sprints championship.
Meet the Championship Contenders: With Pierce not planning on a full-time run this season, this leaves the door wide-open for someone to snatch the overall crown in CRSA’s 20th year.
Despite a winless season, Tomy Moreau led the overall points championship from July 6-Sept. 15 laying down consistent results. “The Canadian Kid” scored the most top fives last year with 10 and most top 10 finishes with 12 in 15 features. His best finish was third twice at Land of Legends July 4 and the season finale at Cornwall Oct. 5.
After missing four shows last year, Jordan Hutton will return to a full-time 305 schedule. Despite missing those, the 2023 series champion led the series in wins with three at Thunder Mountain, Weedsport and Fonda. In addition, “J-Hutt” committed to running for the I-90 Pit Stop Challenge championship, in which he narrowly held off Jeff Trombley. In addition to leading in feature wins, Hutton led in heat wins with five and led the second-most laps all season last year with 41.
Dalton Herrick bleeds CRSA and plans to run the full tour in 2025. The 2022 series champion finished third in points last year with a win at Skyline. The No. 29 ride was tied for second in top fives with seven and top 10s with 11 in 15 features.
Overall, a group of about 20 drivers or so are expected to run full-time with the CRSA Sprints.
Other drivers who plan to run full-time are Alysha Bay, Bailey Boyd, Blake Warner, Darryl Ruggles, Dillon Paddock, Dustin Sehn, Jerry Sehn Jr., John Cunningham, Kirsten Dombroski, Matt Rotz, Nathan Pierce, Scott Landers, Spencer Burley, Timmy Lotz and Zach Sobotka, among others.
What’s new?: Many new changes light up the 2025 season.
The first change in effect includes the addition of the Elab Smokers Boutique Scramble Dash. While the top eight in passing points from heat races will redraw for the feature, nine through 14 will race in the four-lap dash to set A-main rows five through seven.
On a trial basis, the first four races will have double-file restarts, up to two to go in heats and five to go in B-Mains and A-Mains. In the past, it has been single-file restarts after lap one. This will make the action returning to green more exciting and could lead to positions jockeying up and down the leaderboard following a restart lap.
All heat and A-Main points will pay for all shows until Sept. 6. Events afterward will become show-up points only toward the overall championship. Races that include a miniseries will pay regular points toward their respective miniseries, but show-up points toward the overall title.
Drivers will have the chance to win giveaways based on their loyalty and commitment to running the 2025 tour. Drivers who enter Friday at Outlaw, the two Thunder Mountain shows June 7 and July 19 and the Aug. 8 show at Outlaw will be eligible to win a Sweet ½ box, power steering pump, wing cylinder and Gen-2 wing valve. Drivers will be entered into a random giveaway, with the winner drawn Aug. 8.
Finally, the Ruggles World of Autobody & Graphics Hard Luck Award has been added to the post-race contingency bonuses. This award will be given out after each race to the driver with the most brutal luck from each CRSA event.
Quest to 300: This weekend marks race No. 298 for the CRSA Sprints. If no rainouts occur to start the season, the 300th event will run at Weedsport May 25.
In the series’ 20-year history, race 100 was July 6, 2012, at Afton Motorsports Park when Jeff VanDusen scored his second career CRSA victory. Race 200 ran June 24, 2017, at Orange County Fair Speedway and was won by Thomas Radivoy.
Ruggles-Bay Racing Returns: 2020 series champion Darryl Ruggles and daughter Alysha Bay shared during the Syracuse Motorsports Expo that they are committing to the full CRSA schedule.
The last time “The Motorized Madman” ran over 50% of a season’s schedule was in 2022 when he scored two wins, including his previous at Land of Legends, the 11th of his CRSA career. Bay, meanwhile, ran the full tour back in 2020 during the shortened four-race season. The last time “The Queen of Speed” won a CRSA A-Main was in 2022 at Land of Legends. That race was career win No. 5, leading all female CRSA drivers.
Should Bay eventually need a backup, Ruggles will give up his ride and hope for the best for Alysha.
Ruggles is the only repeat winner at Outlaw Speedway, winning his first CRSA feature in 2014 and 2016. Bay’s best finish at Outlaw is eighth in 2022.
By The Numbers: Six different drivers have gone on to win at Outlaw Speedway. The last time CRSA was in 2017. Dalton Herrick leads in CRSA top fives in Dundee with three, including matching a best finish of second last year.
From the Frontman: “It’s felt like a long and rough winter all around New York, so we’re excited to get the season started. Outlaw will be a key track later this year so it’s a race drivers will want to take some notes on.” ~ Mike Emhof
From the Track Promoter: “We had a lot of success and huge car counts last season when the CRSA 305 Sprints came to Outlaw. Mike Emhof and his staff do an excellent job running their touring group and we are pleased to have them back in 2025.” ~ Tyler Siri per Outlaw’s PR.
Up Next: CRSA takes a two-week break and returns to Woodhull May 10 for round two of the tour and Dandy Miniseries.
The CRSA Sprints are celebrating their 20th anniversary in 2025 and are brought to you by A-Verdi Storage Containers. Associate sponsors include Pit Stop Convenience Stores, DisBatch Brewing Company, Dandy, Joe’s Garage, Westward Painting Company, Elab Smokers Boutique, iFreeze Storage & Distribution Center, Maguire Automotive Group, Powdertech Powdercoating, Ruggles World of Auto Body, PJC Business Ventures, Profab Enterprises, Magsarus Ignitions, Highside Racewear, Hoosier Racing Tire, Insinger Performance with their Stinger Race Fuel, My Race Pass and is owned and operated by Mike Emhof Motorsports.
For more information on the series, results and points, please visit our website, www.crsa.myracepass.com.
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