Plenty of Action this Memorial Day Weekend at I-80

From I-80 Speedway

There will be plenty of racing action at I-80 Speedway this Memorial Day Weekend. First on Thursday, May 26 it will be the return of the ASCS Midwest Sprint Car Series with the 25 lap feature paying $2,000 to win. The ASCS Midwest Sprints opened there season at I-80 Speedway on April 8 & 9 with two exciting nights of racing. Brian Brown of Grain Valley, Missouri finished second the first night and won the second night to become the ASCS Midwest point leader. Hot on his heals is Snohomish, Washington's Seth Bergman winner of the April 8 event. Drivers, Wayne Johnson, Don Droud, Jr., and Jack Dover round out the top five in ASCS Midwest standings.

NASCAR Late Models, NASCAR Pro-Ams and NASCAR B-Mods will also be racing Thursday and for NASCAR classes these races will be a NASCAR weekly racing series point night. The pit gate opens at 4pm, the Grandstand at 5:30 with racing action beginning at 7. Admission is $15 for Adults, Ages (6-15) $5, with 5 an under free.

Then on Sunday, May 30 its time for an I-80 Memorial Day weekend staple with the tenth running of the Alphabet Soup Race. This year's Soup will have a slightly different blend to it with the addition of the Corn Belt Clash Series (CBC) being added to two familiar ingredients, the Midwest Late Model Racing Association (MLRA) and the National Championship Racing Association (NCRA).

The Soup Race has provided I-80 race fans with some outstanding racing action over the years. Who can ever forget the 2009 Soup Race which after being delayed for two hours because of rain turned into a classic. First with Mike Collins taking the point and holding on for the first third of the race and then the tremendous battle between John Anderson, Chad Simpson and Kyle Berck with Anderson finally prevailing.
Simpson of Mt. Vernon, Iowa will return to the Soup race as the defending champion of the Corn Belt Clash Series. After several rainouts, the CBC finally hopes to get a race in the books on Tuesday, May 24 at Independence, Iowa. A familiar face sets atop both the MLRA and NCRA point standings in "The Shark" Al Purkey of Coffeyville, Kansas. Purkey is the seven-time and defending champion of the MLRA and a two-time former champion of NCRA.

The winner of the Soup race will receive a provisional into the Silver Dollar Nationals, the biggest race in Nebraska Racing History. That race to be held on July 22 & 23 will pay $25,000 to win and $1,000 to start. Brad Looney of Republic, Missouri became the first guaranteed starter for the Silver Dollar Nationals when he won the Spring Meltdown at I-80 in early April. On Friday, July 1, a third driver can earn a spot in the starting lineup of the SDN when the three series (CBC, MLRA & NCRA) return for the Midwest Trifecta.

The A Modifieds will be in action at the Soup Race as well, running IMCA type rules with their 30 lap feature paying $2,000 to win. Finally the American Ethanol Green Hornets will be running an unsanctioned program for $200 to win. Pit Gates open at 3pm, Grandstands at 4:30 with racing starting at 5:55. Grandstand Admission is $20 for Adults, Ages (6-15) $5, and Children 5 and under free.

I-80 Speedway is located off Interstate 80 at exit 420, halfway between Omaha and Lincoln. The 4/10 mile dirt track is home to the NASCAR Whelen All American Series (NWAAS) on Sunday nights, and hosts several specials featuring regional touring late model and sprint car series. For more information, visit www.I-80 Speedway.com