MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Williams Grove Speedway has finalized its schedule of events for the 2023 season, featuring 30 dates for the Lawrence Chevrolet 410 sprint cars along with a dozen events for the HJ Towing & Recovery 358 sprints.
Following the season opener on Sunday, March 12, a new Williams Grove event for the World of Outlaws will hit the track for the first race under the lights on Friday, March 17, when Central Pa World of Outlaw Madness unfolds.Â
And of course the Outlaws will then return to the Grove for traditional visits in the H & N Landscaping Morgan Cup on May 12 and 13, the Champion Racing Oil Summer Nationals on July 21 and 22, and for the 61st annual Champion Racing Oil National Open on September 29 and 30.Â
The 61st Saturday Open finale will again pay $75,000-to-win.
Increased purse amounts will grace both Pennsylvania Speedweek races at the track as the series kicks off on June 23 with an $8,000-to-win main before the 35th annual Mitch Smith Memorial on June 30 comes back with a sharp $20,000 winner’s share.
The All Stars Circuit of Champions Sprints will invade Williams Grove only once, to honor Doug Esh with a $10,000-to-win main on May 26 presented by HVAC Distributors and Daikin products. A pair of $8,000-to-win 410 sprint car shows dot the slate as well, offering full purses worth over $31,000 each — the first coming in the Tommy Hinnershitz Classic on April 21 as part of the Hoosier Diamond Series.
Another $8,000 score comes up when the Hoosier Diamond Series 41st annual Jack Gunn Memorial is spun off on August 25. Both races will pay $600 just to start. The August 25 show will feature a Super Sportsman Showdown when both the winged and wingless sportsman vie in 20-lap features.Â
Two tribute races will honor former wheelman Doug Esh and former car owners Jim and Sandy Kline. The Kline Tribute Race will be September 1. Both tributes will be run as part of the 10-date Hoosier Diamond Series.
Late March will see the return of modified racing to the track for the first time in several seasons when the 358 spec small block mods join the sprint cars on the 31st. Also returning for the 2023 season will be the USAC 410 sprint national tour, appearing on June 16 along with the regular Williams Grove 410 sprints as presented by Kurt Smith Motorsports.  Â
The URC Sprints will compete once in a 360/358 Challenge Race on April 28.
The PASS IMCA 305 sprints will again make two appearances on the season.
The wingless USAC East Coast 360 sprints will vie twice on the season, including in the second running of the Bill Gallagher 5G to win on June 2. For the second year in a row, the Spring Sprint Special is in the cards — featuring three sprint car divisions — on April 14.
The Billy Kimmel Memorial for 410 sprints will take place on September 15 along with the second running of the Match Race for 358 sprints. A pair of MacMor Construction Summer Series races for the 358 sprints will take place on June 9 and June 28. The ULMS Super Late models will be in action on March 24.
Fan Appreciation Night presented by Martins Potato Chips and Hoseheads.com, offering free pre-race frontstretch pit access to all paying general admission fans, is slated for June 9.
The Yellow Breeches 500 series of races, paying $500-to-start, will return for the new season with five races scheduled.Â