PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — The roar of sprint cars will fill the air at 417 Southern Speedway in Punta Gorda, Fla., for the final time this Saturday night.
The BG Products Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series (SSSS) will be making their return for the series’ season finale.
It was announced a few weeks ago that the Charlotte County Airport Authority would not renew the lease with current speedway operators Joe and Janet Gentry. The bid from a group who intend to use the facility for festivals and events was instead chosen. The new group announced that their intentions are to level the speedway and renovate it for their long-term plans.
This announcement sealed the fate for 417 Southern Speedway.
417 Southern Speedway has the distinction of being the southernmost short track in the country. The speedway has been fond of sprint cars in its 33-year history. The speedway has also played host to some of the biggest pavement sprint car races in the state over the years.
Leroy Davidson opened the speedway in 1990. Originally from Ohio, Davidson had a fondness for sprint cars. The following season in 1991 Davidson convinced the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) to compete on the pavement at his three-eighth-mile facility during Speed Weeks. Kenny Jacobs won that event and it fueled Davidson’s fertile mind with ideas of future high profile sprint car events.
The following season Davidson announced one of the biggest events in the track’s history to date. He convinced the World of Outlaws and the ASCoC to co-sanction a two-day event during Speed Weeks. Dave Blaney won the opening night event on Feb. 10, 1992, followed by Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski. The following night Blaney won again followed by Sammy Swindell and Joey Allen.
It didn’t stop there. Later in 1992 Davidson announced plans for a $10,000-to-win, 500 lap sprint car race, with live pit stops. Brian Tyler won that event and a second annual “Florida 500” occurred one final time in 1993 won by Dave Steele.
417 Southern Speedway has hosted numerous sprint car events over the years with multiple sanctioning bodies including T.B.A.R.A., Checkered Flag Sprint Series, FAST Sprints and currently SSSS. The speedway is also the site of Dave Steele’s final victory in 2017.
The Gentry’s have hosted SSSS events once a month during the winter months for the past seven seasons. Crowds have been good and it has given “Snowbirds” who winter in Florida the opportunity to watch sprint car racing all winter long. 417 Speedway annually hosts the first and last outdoor open wheel events in North America each season.
Saturday’s event also has several story lines surrounding it.
Davey Hamilton Jr. can wrap up his first SSSS championship. He currently is on a five-race winning streak. With another victory Saturday, he will tie Aaron Willison for the most pavement sprint car feature victories with eight in 2022. The winner of Saturday night’s event will also have the distinction of being the final sprint car winner in 417 Southern Speedway history.