MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Endurance races are perhaps the most fascinating ventures in all of motorsports.
They mark man or woman and his or her machine in a race against Father Time, the ultimate test of a driver’s skill and a team’s composition.
Go down a list of big events in motorsports and you’ll see the theme repeated: the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, IndyCar’s Indianapolis 500, NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600, and the Daytona 500.
Pennsylvania Sprint Car Speedweek will never amount to that level of fame, but it shares the ultimate theme: it is the most demanding event the discipline offers.
Starting Friday night at historic Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., the 10-race, 10-night mini series gets underway. No other sprint car event in the world matches that grueling of a grind.
Not even the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car Series, nor the All Star Circuit of Champions, run that kind of a stretch during their respective seasons.
Fourteen drivers and teams are expected to partake in all 10 races: Anthony Macri, Brent Marks, Danny Dietrich, Devon Borden, Freddie Rahmer, Justin Peck, Justin Whittal, Kyle Moody, Lucas Wolfe, Paul McMahan, Rico Abreu, Ryan Smith, Sam Hafertepe, and TJ Stutts.
A heap of others will take on a partial PA Speedweek schedule, headlined by NASCAR Cup Series wins leader Kyle Larson, Cup Series winner Christopher Bell, USAC and POWRi midget star Buddy Kofoid and PA Posse kingpin Lance Dewease.
Larson is the reigning champion of PA Speedweek, smothering the field by 323 points to become the ninth different champion in the series’ 30-year history.
The Elk Grove, Calif., native’s return to NASCAR allows for someone else to take the cake. This year, the field seems more wide open than ever.
Below is a fan guide for all pertinent information surrounding the week.
2021 Pennsylvania Sprint Speedweek presented by Red Robin schedule, rules and info
Schedule
Friday, June 25 at Williams Grove Speedway
Davey Brown Tribute, 25 laps, $6,000-to-win (gates 5:30 p.m., time trials 7:30)
Support: 358 sprints
How to watch: DIRTvision
Saturday, June 26 at Lincoln Speedway
22nd annual Kevin Gobrecht Memorial, 30 laps, $9,200-to-win (gates 5 p.m., time trials 7:30)
Support: Extreme Stocks
How to watch: FloRacing
Sunday, June 27 at BAPS Motor Speedway
30 laps, $7,000-to-win (gates 5 p.m., time trials 7:30)
How to watch: SprintCarUnlimited.TV
Monday, June 28 at Lincoln Speedway
30 laps, $7,000-to-win (gates 5 p.m., time trials 7:30)
How to watch: FloRacing
Tuesday, June 29 at Grandview Speedway
35 laps, $10,000-to-win (pit gates 2:30 p.m., gates 5, time trials 7:30)
Support: NASCAR 358 modifieds
How to watch: FloRacing
Wednesday, June 30 at Port Royal Speedway
30 laps, $7,000-to-win (gates 4 p.m., time trials 7)
Support: United Racing Club 360 sprints
How to watch: FloRacing
Thursday, July 1 at Hagerstown Speedway
30 laps, $6,000-to-win (gates 5 p.m., hot laps 7:30)
Support: Easter Museum of Motorsports Racing exhibition
How to watch: SprintCarUnlimited.TV
Friday, July 2 at Williams Grove Speedway
Mitch Smith Memorial, 30 laps, $15,000-to-win (gates 5:30 p.m., time trials 7:30)
How to watch: DIRTvision
Saturday, July 3 at Port Royal Speedway
Third annual Greg Hodnett Classic – 30 laps, $10,000-to-win (gates 4 p.m., time trials 7)
Support: Super Late Models
How to watch: FloRacing
Sunday, July 4 at Selinsgrove Speedway
Opperman/Bogar/Heintzelman Memorial – 30 laps, $7,500-to-win (gates 5 p.m., time trials 7:30)
Support: PASS/IMCA 305 sprints
How to watch: SprintCarUnlimited.TV
Format
Time trials
- Single-car with order determined by a blind draw
- Each track has the option to conduct one or two-lap time trials
- Up to 37 cars: one flight
- 38 cars or more: two flights
- Any driver missing their assigned spot by more than two positions will get one-lap at the end of time trials and will not make the invert for the heat race
Heats
- Individual speedway to determine number of heat races
- General guideline: less than 20 cars – 2 heats; 21 to 31 cars – 3 heats; 32 to 47 cars – 4 heats
- Fastest cars from time trials start heat races in the fourth position
- Remainder of the line-up is heads-up from time trials.
- Eight qualify from two heats, six from three heats, and five from four heats
Feature line-up
- Draw-eligible cars include the fastest time-trial car from each heat that finishes in a qualifying position, plus heat race winners
- If the fastest time-trial car wins the heat, that driver is the only draw-eligible driver from that heat
- There will be four draw-eligible cars in a two-heat format; six draw-eligible cars in a three-heat format; eight-draw eligible cars in a four-heat format
- Draw eligible drivers will draw individually for first four, six, or eight starting positions in the feature
- Remaining lineup is heads-up from heat finishes after draw-eligible cars
- B-Main qualifiers start behind heat qualifiers in the order of B-Main finish
B-Main
- The fastest two cars from time trials or the fastest car from each flight that does not qualify through the heat race will start first and second, respectively
- The remainder of the B-Main line-up will be heads-up from heat finish
Restarts
- All restarts will take place with lead-lap cars moved to the front of the field
- Lapped cars will line up behind the last car on the lead lap in their order of running
Point structure
Time trials
40-35-30-29-28-27-26-25-24-23-22-21-20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5- 4-3-2-1-1-1-1
Heats
Five qualify: 20-18-16-14-12
Six qualify: 20-18-16-14-12-10
Eight qualify: 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6
B-Main
Four qualify: 8-7-6-5
Six qualify: 8-7-6-5-4-3
If no B-main is needed, cars finishing outside of the qualifying positions will receive 2 points each.
Feature
125-100-95-90-85-80-75-70-65-60-55-50-45-40-35-30-25-20-15-10-5-5-5-5
Postponements
Points will not be awarded for any events held after July 5, 2021. If qualifying events are completed and a speedway uses said qualifying to establish a feature line-up that will be completed at a later date, points accumulated in those qualifying events will be awarded.
Standard Central Pennsylvania sprint car rules apply
- 410 cubic inch engine displacement
- 1425 pounds including the driver after any event
- Approved Hoosier tires only
- 25 square foot Flat Top Wing with maximum two-inch wickerbill
- Each track is responsible for its on-track racing rules and insurance
Point fund
- $6,000
- $3,000
- $2,000
- $1,500
- $1,200
** $1,000 for the next seven highest point finishers who compete in all 10 events.