BY Jordan Delucia
PADUCAH, KY (Sept. 16, 2025) — With only eight races remaining in the chase for the Emmett Hahn Trophy, the American Sprint Car Series heads for Paducah International Raceway and I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park this weekend with a chance for another big payday on the line.
The national 360 Sprint Car stars begin the weekend on Friday, Sept. 19, with their second appearance of the season at the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval of Paducah. The track hosted the Series in May, when Matt Covington led flag-to-flag in the event for his first Feature win of the season. Friday marks the Series’ fourth appearance to Paducah in its 34-year history.
Saturday, the Series travels Northwest to Pevely, MO, for its first appearance in nearly 30 years to-the-date at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park. The iconic dirt track racing venue, which has hosted both weekly racing and special events for nearly every car type since its founding in 1977, first welcomed the American Sprint Car Series on Sept. 24, 1995 — a race won by inaugural Series champion, Garry Lee Maier. On Sept. 20, 2025, the national Sprint Car stars return to its high-banked, 1/3-mile confines with a $10,000 grand prize awaiting the winner.
Tickets for both events will be sold at the track on race day. If you can’t be there to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:
TWO-TIMER — Matt Covington comes into the weekend as the defending Series winner at Paducah after taking the checkered flag in the Mother’s Day Salute on May 10.
That night, the 35-year-old from Glenpool, OK, scored the second win of his career at Paducah, matching the win he scored in the Series debut at the Kentucky oval in 2018. At I-55, Covington made his debut at the Missouri track one year ago with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, qualifying for the Feature on the Saturday of the two-day event in April, recording a 23rd-place finish.
Covington is also coming into the weekend on the heels of six-straight top-10 finishes and his second Feature win of the season at Lakeside Speedway on Sept. 5.
LOTS OF LAPS — There’s one driver on the full-time Series roster that has more laps in a Sprint Car around I-55 than any other.
Sam Hafertepe Jr. has 11 recorded appearances in his career at the track, all of which came under the World of Outlaws banner. In nine career Feature starts there, his best finish was a 10th-place run in April 2021. He’s also performed well at Paducah in American Sprint Car Series competition, posting back-to-back runner-up finishes in the last two events held there — this past May and October 2024.
In addition to riding a streak of five-straight top-10 finishes, the current Series points leader is coming off his 10th Feature win of the season, which he earned two weeks ago at 81 Speedway in Kansas with a charge from the sixth starting spot.
ROOKIE STRIPES — After a season-long, back-and-forth battle, Garrett Benson has taken a commanding lead in the points chase for Brodix Rookie of the Year honors with only eight races left.
The 15-year-old from Concordia, MO, has fought side-by-side with Brady Baker for the lead in the Rookie points standings all year until pulling ahead with a massive advantage after the previous race weekend at Lakeside, 81, and Eagle Raceway two weeks ago. While Baker suffered multiple mechanical issues in the four-race stretch, Benson posted three-straight top-10 finishes and now leads the chase by 100 points.
READ ALSO: Garrett Benson ‘Made the Right Choice’ in Pursuit of Sprint Car Career as Teenager
Benson makes his debut at I-55 in his home state of Missouri this weekend and is confident in his abilities to contend for his first career Series victory on the 1/3-mile oval.
SEEN ‘EM — Blake Hahn recalls nothing but success at both tracks the Series competes at this weekend and will use his past experience in pursuit of a third win of 2025.
The two-time Series champion from Sapulpa, OK, has two career starts at Paducah. His first came in the Series debut in 2018, resulting in a 16th-to-sixth run in the main event, and the second came this past May, resulting in a fifth-place finish. He’s also made one career start at I-55 against the World of Outlaws in April 2023, when he put together a 23rd-to-fifth charge in the main event.
The 30-year-old has been strong in Series competition as of late, posting three-straight podium finishes between Lakeside and 81 two weeks ago.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
• Friday, Sept. 19 at Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY
• Saturday, Sept. 20 at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, MO
TRACK FACTS
• Paducah — high-banked, 3/8-mile oval
• I-55 — high-banked, 1/3-mile oval
• Paducah Track Record — 13.665 set by Sam Hafertepe Jr. on Oct. 12, 2024
• I-55 Track Record — none set
ON THE INTERNET
X — @ASCSRacing
Instagram — @ascs_racing
Facebook — @AmericanSprintCarSeries
YouTube — @AmericanSprintCarSeries
DIRTVision — DIRTVision.com (Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month)
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (26/34 Races)
Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2964pts)
Blake Hahn 2765pts (–199)
Matt Covington 2764pts (–200)
Jason Martin 2713pts (–251)
Kyler Johsnon 2427pts (–537)
Garrett Benson 2418pts (–546)
Zach Blurton 2346pts (–618)
Brady Baker 2318pts (–646)
Austyn Gossel 2222pts (–742)
Landon Britt 2174pts (–790)