By Richie Murray
Speedway, Indiana (April 22, 2026)………The biggest Indiana Sprint Week ever just got even bigger in 2026!
The 39th annual running of USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K & N Filters will pay $10,000-to-win at each and every one of the nine events on the calendar, up from $8,000 a year ago.
Furthermore, this year’s edition of Indiana Sprint Week will pay $25,000 to the champion with an overall point fund of more than $50,000.
ISW 2026 consists of an all-time record of nine events at nine different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 23-August 1.
The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway begins the racing feast on July 23, then the tour takes on Lincoln Park Speedway on July 24, Kokomo Speedway on July 25, Lawrenceburg Speedway on July 26 and Circle City Raceway on July 27 before a one-day breather away from the action on July 28.
The ISW tour then travels to Paragon Speedway on July 29, then it’s onward to the Terre Haute Action Track on July 30 for the Don Smith Classic. The penultimate round takes the series to Bloomington Speedway for the Sheldon Kinser Memorial on July 31, and then to the finale at Tri-State Speedway on August 1.
IMS Indiana Sprint Week Field Stipulations Announced for July 23 Opener
The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will open 2026 USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K & N Filters on Thursday night, July 23, and will feature an invitational field as determined by several different categories, same as last year’s inaugural event.
Those who will be eligible to compete in the event at the 1/5-mile dirt oval located inside of turn three at the world-famous IMS will have to fit in one of the following categories:
1) Finished inside the top 30 of the 2025 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship point standings.
2) Finished inside the top 30 of the 2025 USAC Indiana Sprint Week point standings.
3) Ranks inside the top 30 of the 2026 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship standings as of July 5.
4) Ranks inside the top 10 of the 2026 Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car standings as of July 5.
5) Any currently active driver who has previously won an Indiana Sprint Week main event. Drivers must have competed in at least one USAC national event in either the 2025 or 2026 season.
6) Plus, two Indianapolis Motor Speedway promoters options.
The IMS event was a rousing success in 2025, but with the confines of the event, parameters have been put into place to help ensure its success.
The $10,000-to-win Indiana Sprint Week event at IMS will pay appearance points toward the season-long USAC National Sprint Car standings. However, no points will be offered toward the 2026 Indiana Sprint Week standings.
Justin Grant captured The Dirt Track at IMS’ debut appearance on the Indiana Sprint Week schedule in 2025, charging from fifth to the lead just after the midway point of the 35-lap main event.
Among the drivers chasing the 2026 USAC Indiana Sprint Week title are past ISW champions Robert Ballou (2015), Brady Bacon (2016 & 2023), Kevin Thomas Jr. (2017 & 2021), C.J. Leary (2019), Chase Stockon (2020), Justin Grant (2022) and Logan Seavey (2024) along with recent ISW feature winners Kyle Cummins, Mitchel Moles, Briggs Danner and Jake Swanson, along with many more.
Indiana Sprint Week was established in 1988 and enters its 39th year in 2026. USAC began sanctioning Indiana Sprint Week in 1996. Since 1988, 228 Indiana Sprint Week events have been contested. Dave Darland is the all-time winningest driver in Indiana Sprint Week history with 20 victories. Levi Jones and Kevin Thomas own the most Indiana Sprint Week titles with four apiece.
Information for each and every USAC Indiana Sprint Week event can be found on www.usacracing.com.
2026 USAC NOS ENERGY DRINK INDIANA SPRINT WEEK PRESENTED BY K & N FILTERS SCHEDULE
Jul 23 – The Dirt Track at IMS – Speedway, Indiana – 1/5 Mile
Jul 24 – Lincoln Park Speedway – Putnamville, Indiana – 5/16 Mile
Jul 25 – Kokomo Speedway – Kokomo, Indiana – 1/4 Mile
Jul 26 – Lawrenceburg Speedway – Lawrenceburg, Indiana – 3/8 Mile
Jul 27 – Circle City Raceway – Indianapolis, Indiana – 1/4 Mile
Jul 29 – Paragon Speedway – Paragon, Indiana – 3/8 Mile
Jul 30 – Terre Haute Action Track – Terre Haute, Indiana – Don Smith Classic – 1/2 Mile
Jul 31 – Bloomington Speedway – Bloomington, Indiana – Sheldon Kinser Memorial – 1/4 Mile
Aug 1 – Tri-State Speedway – Haubstadt, Indiana – 1/4 Mile