BRIGHTON, Ontario – A new touring 360 sprint car series is set to ride into Eastern Canada this season.
The Knights of Thunder 360 Sprint Car Series has 27 races spread across seven tracks this year.
Nineteen point events are divided among five Ontario venues; six races are scheduled at Brighton Speedway, five at Humberstone Speedway, four at Merrittville Speedway, two at Ohsweken Speedway, and two at the remodeled and renamed Southern Ontario Motor Speedway (formerly South Buxton Raceway).
Show-up points will be awarded in four additional events at Ohsweken – two surrounding the NASCAR Pinty’s 100 in August, and two on Canadian Sprint Car Nationals weekend in September.
The schedule is rounded out with co-sanctioned non-point events with the Empire Super Sprints and Patriot Sprint Tour at Brockville Ontario Speedway and Cornwall Motor Speedway.
The Knights of Thunder season is scheduled to kick off on April 17 at Merrittville’s Spring Sizzler, and conclude at Southern Ontario Motor Speedway on Oct. 9.
Several holiday weekend and weeknight events are included in the schedule, including Victoria Day at Merrittville, Canada Day at Humberstone, Labour Day weekend at Brighton, and Monday and Tuesday dates at Ohsweken as part of the dirt track debut of the NASCAR Pinty’s Series.
A talented mix of veterans and young drivers have already indicated their intent to compete on the Knights of Thunder tour, including former 360 sprint car champions Mitch Brown, Jim Huppunen, Cory Turner, Ryan Turner, Chris Steele, and Glenn Styres. Combined, that group of drivers accounts for 14 championships and more than 90 feature wins in 360 sprint car competition.
Jake Brown, Travis Cunningham, Mikey Kruchka, Jordan Poirier, Aaron Turkey, and Jamie Turner all have 360 sprint car wins to their credit, while Liam Martin and Holly Porter were standouts in the crate sprint car division before moving to the 360 ranks. Poirier’s trips from Quebec to Southern Ontario were worthwhile last season, as he won twice at Merrittville and once at Humberstone. Mitch Brown, Steele, and Turkey also claimed wins at Merrittville during the abbreviated 2020 season.
Each full-points Knights of Thunder event purse will pay at least $2,000-to-win and $250 to start the A-Main. The championship winner will be rewarded with $5,000 and a Pinty’s VIP package for the 2022 Bristol Dirt Race, while 10th place in the championship standings will pay $1,000.
2021 Knights of Thunder 360 Sprint Car Series Schedule
Sat. April 17 – Merrittville Speedway
Sat. May 22 – Brighton Speedway
Mon. May 24 – Merrittville Speedway
Sun. June 6 – Cornwall Motor Speedway (w/ESS; no points)
Sat. June 12 – Brighton Speedway
Fri. June 18 – Ohsweken Speedway
Sat. June 19 – Merrittville Speedway
Sat. June 26 – Southern Ontario Motor Speedway
Thu. July 1 – Humberstone Speedway
Sat. July 3 – Brighton Speedway
Sun. July 11 – Humberstone Speedway
Sat. July 17 – Brockville Ontario Speedway (w/PST; no points)
Sun. July 18 – Cornwall Speedway (w/PST; no points)
Sat. July 24 – Brighton Speedway
Sat. July 31 – Humberstone Speedway
Sat. Aug. 14 – Brockville Ontario Speedway (w/ESS; no points)
Sun. Aug. 15 – Humberstone Speedway
Mon. Aug. 16 – Ohsweken Speedway (show-up points only)
Tue. Aug. 17 – Ohsweken Speedway (show-up points only)
Sat. Sept. 4 – Brighton Speedway
Sun. Sept. 5 – Brighton Speedway
Fri. Sept. 10 – Ohsweken Speedway
Sat. Sept. 11 – Merrittville Speedway
Fri. Sept. 17 – Ohsweken Speedway (NBtN; show-up points only)
Sat. Sept. 18 – Ohsweken Speedway (CSCN; show-up points only)
Sun. Sept. 19 – Humberstone Speedway
Sat. Oct. 9 – Southern Ontario Motor Speedway