By John Rittenoure
TULSA, Okla. (October 27, 2025) – It was not an easy decision to make, but Michael Tyre has sold the United Sprint League to Nick and Ashley Newton of Oklahoma City.
Nick operates Ortco, Inc. which has been the title sponsor of USL for the past two years, and the Newton’s also own the sprint car driven by 2025 USL champion Tanner Conn.
Tyre has worked tirelessly over the past two seasons to rebuild non-wing sprint car racing in Oklahoma and felt the time was right for someone to take it to the next level.
“It was a very hard decision to make after so many years,” said Tyre, who will remain involved with USL through the 2025 banquet. “I was race director with USL for four years and owned it for two years. I just feel like it is the right time.
“I am very proud of what we’ve accomplished with the series and how it’s grown. The people we’ve had helping, working at the track, the sponsors, drivers, I mean, everybody involved has been a huge part of what the series has become.”
Tyre feels USL is in a good position now and ready for someone with more resources to continue what he started.
“Nick and I have been talking off and on for a year about what the future of USL would be like,” Tyre said. “Nick and Ortco, Inc.’s contribution to USL started at the beginning of me and Jennifer owning it and he has always wanted to be a part of the future of USL. So the timing works out with him wanting to carry the torch and maybe take it further than I have the time or resources to do.
“When we decided to do this, non-wing racing was in a bit of an uncertain place and the goal was to help non-wing racing to have a place here in Oklahoma and a good foundation to move forward on. It takes a lot of work, time and effort and it is hard to keep up with. We accomplished goals for the series to make non-wing stable and I feel like it is just time.
“I miss the other side of racing. I want to get back in the car more.”
Tyre is very thankful for the support he received the past two years.
“I just want to say thanks to everyone, especially my wife for allowing me to take this on and make something that we can be proud of,” he said. “I am so thankful for everyone that’s been involved.”
After working closely with Tyre the past two years Ashley and Nick felt they were ready to step into the role of series ownership.
“Working with Tyre the past two years I feel it (non-wing racing) has gotten better around here and I want to keep it going,” Nick Newton said. “He was ready to get out and do more family things and I was in a position to do it.
“I always wanted to do it,” Ashley Newton said. “Last year I presented trophies, and this year Michael took a chance on me and let me do the marketing for the series, so I am pretty excited to step into this role and see what we can do with the non-wing racing,”
Running the series will be a team effort between Nick and Ashley.
“Nick plans on making the calls on the track, and I’m going to handle everything else with the series, the marketing, scheduling of races, sponsorships and all of that,” Ashley said. “One of the biggest things that we’re trying to do for 2026 is to get the purse increased. That is my number one goal.
“And we got to get connected more to the fans and, you know, even the kids. There is not a lot of new generation coming into it.”
As a series owner Newton realizes some may have concerns of conflict should he continue to be a car owner.
“Right now that is up in the air,” Nick said of his involvement as a team owner. “If I did race it I would’t be connected to it while I’m at the racetrack, because I think it is a conflict of interest. So its up in the air right now.
“If someone wants to race the car they would have to get it ready and t take care of it. People of done it, I can still own the car and it be there as long as I don’t touch it and try to work on it.”
Very few changes, if any, are planed in the nightly race format.
“I don’t feel like there was a lot broken with the series,” said Nick. “I don’t plan to change the format. I feel like everything went pretty well. Michael laid it out well. We had some close finishes. I don’t feel any changes need to happen.”
A drivers, owners, meeting is planned to get input from the teams prior to the 2026 season.
“I plan to have a meeting with any of the people that are going to run USL so I can have their input on things,” Nick said. “Racing kind of needs to get back to the niche of like being a family again.”
“We just want to grow it and make it fun again.”
About United Sprint League
Owned by Michael Tyre, the USL sanctions 360 two-barrel / 305 non-wing sprint car events throughout Oklahoma and surrounding states with goals of supporting sponsors and providing fans the the opportunity to enjoy the excitement of non-wing sprint car racing.
Website: https://www.UnitedSprintLeague.com.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedSprintLeague.
About Ortco Inc.
Ortco Inc. manufactures qualify oilfield parts from American made bar and shaped steel on computerized CNC machinery. Products are then Heat Treated, coated for rust prevention, and warehoused for shipments across the globe. Ortco also utilizes high quality investment castings for safety clamps and various tongs.
Website: http://OrtcoInc.com.
United Sprint League Marketing Partners
Ortco, Inc., Same Day Auto Repair, Speed Stix Shocks, D&G Contracting, DFR Discount Tire, Morton Excavating, Kent Fireworks, H&R Auto Glass, Premier Self Storage, Risley’s Trash Service, Oklahomatidbits.