GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Coming off an abbreviated season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Buffalo Wild Wings NOSA Sprint Car Series is coming back this year with the most aggressive schedule since its inception in 1994.
A 38-race schedule lies ahead for the touring 410 sprint car series, beginning with the season opener on May 7 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks. River Cities will host 18 events this season, six of which will boast increased purses.
The series will make eight appearances to Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, S.D. NOSA hasn’t visited the high-banked three-eighths mile oval since May 29, 2011, when Shane Stewart took the win. Two doubleheader weekends are scheduled at Huset’s. The first is May 30-31 over Memorial Day weekend. The second will serve as the NOSA season finale during Cheater’s Day, Sept. 25-26.
The series will make its debut at three different tracks this season – Jackson (Minn.) Motorplex on May 14, part of the $5,000-to-win Folkens Brothers Trucking Bull Haulers Brawl; I-90 Speedway in Hartford, S.D., on May 15; and Park Jefferson Speedway in North Sioux City, S.D., on May 29, a $3,000-to-win event.
Devils Lake Speedway in Crary, N.D., will host its 37th NOSA show on June 5. The NOSA Sprints will return there on July 10.
For the sixth consecutive season, the series will head to Red River Valley Speedway in West Fargo, N.D., with a midweek date on June 30. Jamestown (N.D.) Speedway is set for July 24, before the Governor’s Cup doubleheader at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan, N.D., July 30-31.
The NOSA Sprints will also return to the newly resurrected Buffalo River Speedway in Glyndon, Minn., on Aug. 8. A South Dakota swing is also set for Aug. 27-29, with trips to Brown County Speedway in Aberdeen, Casino Speedway in Watertown and Huset’s Speedway, respectively.
Grand Forks driver Jade Hastings earned his first career NOSA championship last season. Starting as a rookie in 2014, Hastings has quickly worked his way up the NOSA win list, currently sitting in a tie for 10th with Thomas Kennedy heading into Friday’s opener.
Six of Hastings’ 13 career wins came during his championship campaign last year.
“It meant a lot to me. It’s something I always hoped to do as a little kid,” said Hastings of what it meant to claim last year’s crown. “Now that we’ve done it, it feels like the monkey is off our back so hopefully we can repeat and do it again.”
The NOSA sprint cars have only run more than 30 races in a season once since 2008. Hastings said teams may have to pace themselves early in the season to ensure they make it through all 38 races.
“It’s going to be a grind, especially for the average weekend warrior like us,” he said. “We just have to hope all of our equipment and engines will make it through. We’re just going to have to stay out of trouble at the beginning of the year because there are a lot of races to get through. If you don’t have a car, you won’t be able to race.”
Despite the near 40-race schedule, Hastings said that the chase for the championship starts during the first three-race weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to the Jackson–I-90–Huset’s weekend,” said Hastings. “That’s going to be really fun and I think the way that weekend goes will set the tone for how the rest of the year will go for most teams. I think if we can get off to a hot start for those three shows, I think it’ll set us up well for the rest of the summer.”
For fans who can’t make it to Friday night’s season opener at River Cities Speedway, the action can be viewed live through SPEED SPORT Network affiliate River Cities Speedway TV.