From Pete Walton
October 3, 2026 – Over $10,000 is up for grabs when the 30th Anniversary Hoosier Racing Tire United Sprint Car Series Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by XC Gear winged sprint cars invade historic Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Arkansas on Friday and Saturday, October 9th, and 10th for the Ace Doran Rigging & Hauling 18th annual Bobby Martin Memorial USCS “Flip Flop 50” Sprint Car Shootout presented by XC Gear and Engler Machie and Tool. The event, featuring 750-horsepower USCS winged sprint cars, is the centerpiece of the $60,000+ USCS Fall Nationals (2026) at the historic and legendary quarter-mile black Gumbo clay oval. The two-day racing event has been one of the premier events at Riverside International Speedway each season for eighteen years.
The format for the “USCS Flip Flop 50” is a United Sprint Car Series true original that is sometimes imitated, but never duplicated. The unique format features twin 25-lap main events, The first one starting straight-up from the qualifying format and the second main event starting inverted from the finish of the first main event. Each of the 25-lap sprint car main events will pay the winner $2500 to win plus contingency awards.
The first USCS Sprint Car main event will start straight-up from the positions that drivers earned in the qualifying heats and the Engler Machine and Tool Pole-Scramble on Friday night. The winner of the first 25-lap main event will be inverted to the 22nd starting position in the second 25-lap A-Main event. The second 25-lap main event will start inverted from the finish of the first main event. Should the winner of the first main event win the second main event from 22nd position they will receive a $2500 Bonus. The 2013 USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour National Champion, Derek Hagar from Marion, Arkansas, became the first and only driver to accomplish that feat in October of 2024 when he won both USCS Flip Flop 50 main events.
The traditional Four Crown Bonuses have again been posted in 2026 as follows: A $500 bonus will be awarded to win two USCS Fall Nationals classes by the same driver. A $ 1,000 bonus will be awarded to win three of the USCS Fall Nationals classes. A $ 2,500 bonus will be paid to any driver who can win all three divisions except the USCS Sprint Cars, and additionally win the first Ace Doran Rigging & Hauling USCS Flip Flop 50 the first twenty-five-lap main event.
Winged Sprint Car drivers from eight to ten states are expected to enter this year’s field. Previously, entries have been received from as far away as Iowa and Florida. A thirty-plus USCS Sprint Car field has been the history of the past USCS Flip Flop 50 events, and this year appears to be no different.
The Hoosier Racing Tire USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by XC Gear winged sprint car racing format on Friday at 7:30 pm features a racing format that includes the sprint car qualifying heat races for Saturday night’s first Ace Doran Rigging & Hauling USCS “Flip Flop 50”, 25-lap main event. The top eight or ten qualified drivers via passing points then compete in the Engler Machine and Tool Pole Scramble sprint car event. The Pole Scramble finishing order determines the line-up for the front four or five rows(depending on entries) of Saturday’s first USCS “Flip Flop 50” 25-lap main event.
On Saturday at 7:00 pm the USCS winged sprint cars will contest their Last Chance Qualifying race(s) that determine the final line-ups for the first of the two 25-lap main events. The first main event will start the field straight-up from their final qualifying order and pays $2500 to win. The second 25-lap main event will start with the field inverted from the finish of the first main event. The winner of the first race will start in the twenty-second position. That race will also pay $2500 to win. The posted bonus of $2,500 will be paid to any driver who can win both A-Main events, after winning the first sprint car main event and starting twenty-second in the second main event and winning.
Joining the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour winged sprint cars during the $60,000+ USCS Fall Nationals will be the Winged 600 micro/mini sprints presented by Engler Machine and Tool, who have a shot at $2200 in prize money over the two nights. The Winged 600 Mini/Micro Sprints presented by Engler Machine and Tool will contest a complete racing card on both nights, including the Qualifying Heats and Main event(s)t. Friday night’s Winged 600 Mini/Micro Sprint main event pays $1000 to win. Saturday’s USCS Fall Nationals Winged 600 Mini Sprint championship finale also pays $ 1,000 to win. A $100 bonus is posted for a driver who can win both night’s main events. And a long-distance tow award is also to be awarded to the driver hauling the longest distance to race.
Additionally, the Riverside Modified drivers will also compete on Friday and Saturday evening contesting an entire racing format including their qualifying heat races and their $1000 to main event on both nights.
A possible amount of $1150 in cash is guaranteed (plus merchandise bonus awards) for the 18th Annual Mid-South Street Stock Challenge division. For the first time during this event, the Street Stock/Stock Cars will also run a complete racing format each night, including main events.
Fans can expect two nights of wide-open racing to complete the USCS series’ 2026 visits to the historic speedway during Riverside International Speedway’s 77th season of auto racing competition.
Gates will open in the pit area at 4:00 pm CDT on Friday with Grandstands opening at 5pm. The driver’s meeting is at 6:15 pm and hot laps will follow with racing scheduled for 7:30 pm CDT. On Saturday, the pit gates will open at 3pm and grandstand gates will open at 4:00 pm, with the Driver’s meeting at 5:00 pm and hot laps to follow. Racing action kicks off at 7:00 pm
Friday Grandstand Admission pricing is $20 for Adults; Youth from 6-11 yrs. old are $5, and Children 5 yrs. and under are FREE. Saturday Grandstand Admission pricing is $25 for adults; youth from 6-11 yrs. old are $10, and Children 5 yrs. And Under are FREE. The spectator parking lot parking is FREE.
***Two-day discount Adult and Youth Grandstand Admission tickets will be available on Friday at the track. The pricing is $40 per Adult and $10 for Youth 6 to 11 yrs. old. Children 5 yrs. and under are still FREE BOTH NIGHTS.
For daily updates and /or changes, please like and follow the USCS Racing and/or the Riverside International Speedway Facebook pages. For the Hoosier Racing Tire USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour presented by CX Gear winged sprint car rules, schedules, point standings, and other series info, please visit uscsracing dot com or call 770-865-6097. For directions and other info on Riverside International Speedway please visit: riversideinternationalspeedway dot com, and their race day phone is 870-735-8071.