CONCORD, N.C. — More than any other holiday, Memorial Day weekend is known for racing.
The biggest sporting events of the weekend are auto races, and it’s been that way for a long time.
The Indianapolis 500 will be run for the 103rd time on Sundsy, May 26. Later that day, the 60th edition of the Coca-Cola 600 will take place at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Meanwhile, halfway around the world the day kicks off with the Grand Prix of Monaco, which was first run in 1929.
It’s not only these three marquee events that will feature the roar of engines during the Memorial Day weekend, as regional and local races are scheduled from coast to coast — the majority of which include some type of patriotic celebration that goes hand in hand with the on-track action.
Let’s take a look at a handful of the other racing events scheduled in conjunction with the holiday.
Central Indiana is the place to be for open-wheel racing during Memorial Day week. Things kick off with the 49th annual Tony Hulman Classic for the AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series on Wednesday, May 22 at the Terre Haute Action Track. The following night will see the 64th — and final — running of the Hoosier Hundred for the USAC Silver Crown Series at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The historic track, which has seen auto racing since 1903, will be renovated as an all-weather track for horse racing.
Friday, May 24, sees the Silver Crown competitors take on Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis for the Dave Steele Carb Night Classic. Bob Sargent’s Track Enterprises is the promoter for all of those events.
The final short-track classic run in conjunction with the Indy 500 is the Little 500, which will go for the 71st time on Saturday, May 25, at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway featuring non-winged sprint cars in a 500-lap test on the quarter-mile paved oval. That event, which is sanctioned by Must See Racing, will be taped for a July 11 airing on SPEED SPORT on MAVTV.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will make a two-night stop at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, in conjunction with Coca-Cola 600 festivities, for the inaugural Patriot Nationals. The May 24-25 event includes a $15,000-to-win features each night.
A quick turnaround takes the Outlaws to Indiana’s Lawrenceburg Speedway for a Memorial Day Monday test.
The biggest dirt late model event of the weekend brings the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series to the state-of-the-art Lucas Oil Speedway in Wheatland, Mo., for the 27th annual Show Me 100. The 100-lap finale pays $30,000 to win.
The Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All Star Circuit of Champions will make a three-night stand in the Buckeye State May 24-26 with consecutive events at Attica Raceway Park, Wayne County Speedway and Fremont Speedway. The Sunday night affair at Fremont marks the return of the All Stars to the third-mile fairgrounds track for the first time in several years.
The American Flat Track motorcycles will make their annual Memorial Day visit to the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield with the Springfield TT on May 25 and racing on the mile oval the following day.
Connecticut’s Lime Rock Park’s tradition of racing on Memorial Day Monday continues with the Trans-Am Series receiving top billing.
The Lucas Oil POWRi Midget League opens the weekend with the inaugural Show Me Nationals May 24-25 at Missouri’s Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex and wraps it up by joining the Lucas Oil ASCS Sprint Car Series at Lake Ozark Speedway in Eldon, Mo., for the final night of the three-day 360 Spring Nationals.
The AMSOIL USAC-CRA Sprint Car Series runs its annual Salute To Indy race at California’s Perris Auto Speedway, Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway hosts the Lynn Paxton Tribute race and Ohio’s Eldora Speedway presents the annual Johnny Appleseed Classic.
These are only a sampling of the many Memorial Day weekend racing events to be run at tracks across this great land. Whether it’s one of these races or another, we encourage everyone to get out and support their local short track, and remember those who fought to give us that opportunity.