WEST MEMPHIS, AR (October 15, 2024) – Arkansas is set to host the newest premier 360 Sprint Car event this weekend for the American Sprint Car Series National Tour – the World Short Track Challenge.
The first National Tour race at Riverside International Speedway in three years will be a co-sanctioned event alongside the ASCS Hurricane Area Super Sprints and the United Sprint Car Series, with the three tours combining to bring more than 60 cars to “The Ditch” this weekend.
The event wraps up with a 40-lap Feature on Saturday night paying $10,000-to-win and $1,000 to start. Friday’s preliminary action will conclude with a $2,000-to-win/$200-to-start main event.
Tickets will be available at the track on race day. Can’t make it? Catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
Here are the top storylines entering the weekend:
HANK HEATING UP: Whenever Hank Davis has been asked to reflect on his first season in the TwoC Racing machine, his answer has remained constant all year.
“I didn’t know we would be this good.”
Regardless of what his goals were entering the year, Davis has been a nightly win contender ever since he got in the car – but especially over the past six weeks.
His win on Saturday night at Paducah International Raceway was the latest chapter in a seven-race stretch that includes three wins, five podiums and no finishes worse than fourth. Davis’ 2.2 average finish dating back to his weekend sweep at Electric City Speedway is the best of anyone over that span, including championship leaders Seth Bergman and Sam Hafertepe Jr.
The Sand Springs, OK native will be making his first trek to West Memphis this weekend, although the challenge of taking on a track for the first time didn’t seem to faze him at Electric City or Paducah. Riverside’s tight confines and high banking should suit Davis nicely given his Midget background as he goes for the first five-digit payday of his Sprint Car career.
PILING ON THE PODIUMS: Good luck finding anyone happier about an eight-race winless streak than Seth Bergman.
Although he hasn’t won since Aug. 23 at Big Sky Speedway, his six podiums since then have given him a 136-point lead over Hafertepe in the standings. While he would have loved to convert a few of those seconds and thirds into wins, the ultimate goal all along has been earning his first National Tour championship, and the 20-year Sprint Car veteran is closer than ever to doing exactly that.
The gap will go unchanged this weekend with the World Short Track Challenge paying show-up points only, meaning Bergman can put the title fight aside and focus solely on gunning for the $10,000 prize on Saturday night.
His Riverside resume includes two National Tour wins in 2012 and 2015, making him one of six drivers to win more than one Series event at the track and the only current full-timer on that list.
TIME FOR A RESET: After a dream summer that included nine wins over the span of 13 races, Hafertepe hasn’t quite been the same in the cooler weather.
His last nine races on tour have included no trips to Victory Lane and three finishes outside the top 10, including a late-race flat tire at Clay County Fair Speedway and a crash at Benton Speedway, causing his gap to Bergman to be nearly 100 points larger than it was when he left Montana 40 points back.
Hope is not lost though, as the final stretch of the season might as well have been tailor-made for Hafertepe. The next full points race takes place at his home track of RPM Speedway before the season concludes at Tulsa Speedway and Creek County Speedway in November. Hafertepe was victorious at Tulsa in June in his first time competing at the track, while he has won three times at Creek County in 2024 alone, including with the National Tour during Speedweek.
While a win this weekend wouldn’t help their points situation, it could be critical to building momentum in the No. 15H camp entering their final bid for a sixth Series championship.
STAR-STUDDED FIELD: With the season winding down, 360 Sprint Car teams from across the nation are planning to travel to West Memphis for one more big event before putting their cars away for the winter. The list of expected entries includes all the regulars from the National Tour, Hurricane Area Super Sprints and the USCS along with dozens of invaders looking to steal the spotlight.
Of course, there’s no bigger name on the list that three-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car champion Sammy Swindell, who hails from nearby Germantown, TN. The 68-year-old is still a contender in the limited Sprint Car starts he makes each year, as his 2024 season has included a local win at Riverside on Aug. 24 as well as a USCS triumph one week later at Buckshot Speedway.
A familiar face in a new place to keep an eye on is Jordon Mallett, who will become the first driver to compete for three different teams with the National Tour this season. Mallett spent eight races driving the Brandon Anderson Motorsports No. 55B in a stint highlighted by a win at Batesville Motor Speedway before fielding his own No. 14 car at Arrowhead Speedway in September, and he has since jumped into the No. 3 for Rains Motorsports.
His debut with the team came last weekend in USCS action at Riverside with finishes of second and ninth in the twin-Feature program. The night was swept by Derek Hagar, who has now won five times at “The Ditch” in 2024 and enters the weekend hungry for more.
WHEN AND WHERE:
Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, AR
AROUND THE TURN:
The American Sprint Car Series National Tour will head to Texas for the only time in 2024 for a doubleheader at RPM Speedway outside Dallas on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 25-26, marking the final stop before November’s championship weekend in Oklahoma.
CURRENT POINT STANDINGS (TOP 10):
- Seth Bergman (3045 points)
- Sam Hafertepe Jr. (-111)
- Matt Covington (-240)
- Hank Davis (-372)
- Andrew Deal (-506)
- Jason Martin (-526)
- Landon Britt (-577)
- Zach Blurton (-617)
- Kyler Johnson (-629)
- Terry Easum (-732)
FEATURE WINNERS (12):
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 9
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 5
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 3
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 1
Kaleb Johnson – Sioux Falls, SD – 1
Tyler Courtney – Indianapolis, IN – 1
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
QUICK TIME AWARDS (13):
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 12
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 2
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 1
Josh McCord – Bossier City, LA – 1
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 1
Tyler Groenendyk – Oskaloosa, IA – 1
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 1
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 1
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 1
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
HEAT RACE WINS (41):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 7
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 7
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 7
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 6
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 6
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 4
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 3
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 3
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 3
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 3
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 3
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 2
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 2
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 2
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 1
Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA – 1
Koty Adams – Haughton, LA – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Matt Juhl – Tea, SD – 1
Garet Williamson – Columbia, MO – 1
Emerson Axsom – Franklin, IN – 1
Hunter Schuerenberg – Sikeston, MO – 1
Tanner Holmes – Jacksonville, OR – 1
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Tyler Groenendyk – Oskaloosa, IA – 1
Parker Price-Miller – Kokomo, IN – 1
Colton Hardy – Phoenix, AZ – 1
Tanner Thorson – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Brian Brown – Hugginsville, MO – 1
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 1
Phil Dietz – Laurel, MT – 1
Joe Perry – Billings, MT – 1
Kory Wermling – Great Falls, MT – 1
Chris Martin – Ankeny, IA – 1
Garrett Benson – Concordia, MO – 1
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 1
DASH APPEARANCES (42):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 21
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 20
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 13
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 13
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 9
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 5
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 5
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 5
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 4
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 4
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 4
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 4
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 3
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 3
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 2
Kory Wermling – Great Falls, MT – 2
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Garrett Benson – Concordia, MO – 2
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 2
Riley Goodno – Knoxville, IA – 2
Lane Whittington – Denham Springs, LA – 1
Koty Adams – Haughton, LA – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 1
Elijah Gile – Phoenix, AZ – 1
Cody Gardner – Benton, AR – 1
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Harli White – Lindsay, OK – 1
Austin McCarl – Altoona, IA – 1
DJ Brink – Rapid City, SD – 1
Phil Dietz – Laurel, MT – 1
Joe Perry – Billings, MT – 1
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Chris Martin – Ankeny, IA – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 1
Gunner Ramey – Sedalia, MO – 1
LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (16):
Rees Moran – Tulsa, OK – 2
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 1
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 1
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Chase Porter – St. Joseph, MO – 1
Kerry Madsen – Knoxville, IA – 1
Chase Randall – Waco, TX – 1
Rich Bailey – Helena, MT – 1
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 1
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 1
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 1
Brandon Anderson – Glenpool, OK – 1
Noah Harris – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Gunner Ramey – Sedalia, MO – 1
PODIUM FINISHERS (26):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 17
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 15
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 9
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 7
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 2
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 2
Austin McCarl – Altoona, IA – 2
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 2
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 2
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 2
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 2
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Tanner Conn – Oklahoma City, OK – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 1
Kaleb Johnson – Sioux Falls, SD – 1
Chase Randall – Waco, TX – 1
Kade Higday – Knoxville, IA – 1
Cory Eliason – Visalia, CA – 1
Brian Brown – Higginsville, MO – 1
Tyler Courtney – Indianapolis, IN – 1
Emerson Axsom – Franklin, IN – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 1
TOP 10 FINISHERS (66):
Seth Bergman – Snohomish, WA – 22
Matt Covington – Glenpool, OK – 21
Sam Hafertepe Jr. – Sunnyvale, TX – 17
Jason Martin – Liberal, KS – 17
Hank Davis – Sand Springs, OK – 16
Landon Britt – Memphis, TN – 14
Andrew Deal – Caney, KS – 14
Kyler Johnson – Quinter, KS – 8
Jordon Mallett – Greenbrier, AR – 8
Zach Blurton – Quinter, KS – 8
Blake Hahn – Sapulpa, OK – 6
Austyn Gossel – Windsor, CO – 6
Rees Moran – Tulsa, OK – 4
Brandon Anderson – Glenpool, OK – 4
Harli White – Lindsay, OK – 4
Kelly Miller – Stirling, AB – 4
Sean McClelland – Tulsa, OK – 4
Riley Goodno – Knoxville, IA – 4
Kyle Clark – Sapulpa, OK – 3
Whit Gastineau – Moore, OK – 3
Jake Bubak – Arvada, CO – 3
Terry Easum – Broken Arrow, OK – 3
Terry McCarl – Altoona, IA – 3
Brady Baker – Alexander, AR – 3
Alex Sewell – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Tyler Courtney – Indianapolis, IN – 2
Emerson Axsom – Franklin, IN – 2
Austin McCarl – Altoona, IA – 2
Brian Brown – Higginsville, MO – 2
Cory Eliason – Visalia, CA – 2
Tasker Phillips – Pleasantville, IA – 2
Jamie Ball – Knoxville, IA – 2
Kaleb Johnson – Sioux Falls, SD – 2
Jeremy Campbell – Wichita, KS – 2
Skylar Gee – Leduc, AB – 2
Roger Crockett – Broken Arrow, OK – 2
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 2
Sterling Cling – Tempe, AZ – 2
Channin Tankersley – Arlington, TX – 1
Tanner Conn – Oklahoma City, OK – 1
Brekton Crouch – Lubbock, TX – 1
Jeremy Huish – Jetmore, KS – 1
Ryder Laplante – Calera, OK – 1
Bradley Fezard – Bonnerdale, AR – 1
Fred Mattox – Drumright, OK – 1
Dale Howard – Byhalia, MS – 1
Brad Bowden – Hernando, MS – 1
Michael Day – Farmersville, TX – 1
Chase Randall – Waco, TX – 1
Kade Higday – Knoxville, IA – 1
Justin Peck – Monrovia, IN – 1
Gunner Ramey – Sedalia, MO – 1
Miles Paulus – Marshall, MO – 1
Kasey Kahne – Enumclaw, WA – 1
Ryan Giles – Grimes, IA – 1
Kerry Madsen – Knoxville, IA – 1
Alex Hill – Six Nations, ON – 1
Cole Macedo – Lemoore, CA – 1
DJ Brink – Rapid City, SD – 1
Blayne Brink – Gillette, WY – 1
Phil Dietz – Laurel, MT – 1
Kory Wermling – Great Falls, MT – 1
Aaron Reutzel – Clute, TX – 1
Chris Martin – Ankeny, IA – 1
Emilio Hoover – Broken Arrow, OK – 1
Joe B. Miller – Millersville, MO – 1
2024 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Friday, Apr. 19 / Super Bee Speedway / Chatham, LA / Seth Bergman (1)
Friday, May 10 / Red Dirt Raceway / Meeker, OK / Terry Easum (1)
Friday, May 31 / Rush County Speedway / La Crosse, KS / Seth Bergman (2)
Saturday, June 1 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1)
Tuesday, June 11 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2)
Thursday, June 13 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3)
Friday, June 14 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Seth Bergman (3)
Saturday, June 15 / Tri-State Speedway / Pocola, OK / Seth Bergman (4)
Saturday, June 22 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Locust Grove, AR / Jordon Mallett (1)
Friday, June 28 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4)
Friday, July 19 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5)
Saturday, July 20 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (6)
Thursday, Aug. 1 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kaleb Johnson (1)
Friday, Aug. 2 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (7)
Saturday, Aug. 3 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Tyler Courtney (1)
Friday, Aug. 16 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (8)
Saturday, Aug. 17 / Lincoln County Raceway / North Platte, NE / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (9)
Friday, Aug. 23 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT / Seth Bergman (5)
Saturday, Aug. 24 / Big Sky Speedway / Shepherd, MT / Jake Bubak (1)
Friday, Aug. 30 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT / Hank Davis (1)
Saturday, Aug. 31 / Electric City Speedway / Black Eagle, MT / Hank Davis (2)
Tuesday, Sept. 10 / Clay County Fair Speedway / Spencer, IA / Aaron Reutzel (1)
Friday, Sept. 13 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Roger Crockett (1)
Saturday, Sept. 14 / Arrowhead Speedway / Colcord, OK / Jason Martin (1)
Friday, Oct. 11 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO / Joe B. Miller (1)
Saturday, Oct. 12 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY / Hank Davis (3)
Friday, Oct. 18 / Riverside International Speedway / West Memphis, AR
Saturday, Oct. 19 / Riverside International Speedway / West Memphis, AR
Friday, Oct. 25 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX
Saturday, Oct. 26 / RPM Speedway / Crandall, TX
Thursday, Nov. 14 / Tulsa Speedway / Tulsa, OK
Friday, Nov. 15 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
Saturday, Nov. 16 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK
EVENT INFO: https://ascsracing.com/schedule/event-info/?event=7530
TRACK INFO: https://riversideinternationalspeedway.com/
FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/
As Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team head to Talladega Superspeedway for Sunday’s YellaWood 500 they’re hoping to duplicate their success in the most recent race at Talladega’s sister track, Daytona International Speedway.



After a series-best 52-point day in the Round of 12 opener at Kansas Speedway, William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team found themselves at the top of the playoff standings with a 34-point advantage over the cutline. While having a sizable points cushion heading into the weekend, the 26-year-old North Carolina native has an added boost of confidence with three top-10 finishes on drafting-style tracks this season, including his victory in the 66th running of the Daytona 500. When it comes to Talladega Superspeedway, Byron has tallied finishes no worse than 15th in the Next Gen era, including a pair of seventh place finishes and a runner-up finish in the series’ last three events at the track.
Suarez Looking to Capitalize on Rising Superspeedway Strength: While Daniel Suarez and the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet team might be on the outside looking in, this season’s playoff competition proves how quickly things can change. When it comes to drafting-style tracks, the 32-year-old Monterrey, Mexico, native has a pair of podium finishes in five races this season – one of which included a trip to victory lane (Atlanta Motor Speedway – Feb. 2024). At Talladega Superspeedway, the Chevrolet driver has earned three top-10 results in five Next Gen races at the venue, including a career-best eighth-place finish in the 2022 fall race.
With a playoff spoiler victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Round of 12 opener at Kansas Speedway, all eight tickets into the next round remain up for grabs as the series heads to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Four drivers from three different Chevrolet organizations currently occupy positions above the playoff cutline, with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill leading the charge in the third position (+26 points). JR Motorsports’ Sam Mayer departed the Midwest as the second-highest mover up the playoff standings, sitting in the fourth position with a double-digit advantage over the cutline (+13 points). Joining Hill and Mayer in the top-eight of the playoff standings includes series rookie, Shane van Gisbergen, and the No. 97 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet team in the sixth position (+8 points), as well as the series’ most recent Talladega Superspeedway winner, Jesse Love, in the seventh position (+3 points).
RCR Teammates Shining on Superspeedways: The pair of Richard Childress Racing teammates, Austin Hill and Jesse Love, can easily be viewed as natural favorites to earn the first automatic berth into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Round of 8. The Chevrolet organization has made its way to victory lane in four of the series’ five drafting-style races this season, including all three of Hill’s 2024 victories (Daytona International Speedway; Atlanta Motor Speedway sweep). Richard Childress Racing also returns to Talladega Superspeedway as the series’ most recent winner courtesy of Love’s victory earlier this season. In the rookies’ five starts on drafting-style tracks this season, Love has qualified no worse than fifth in each event, including three pole wins. In addition to his victory earlier this season, Love also earned a sixth-place finish in the series’ most recent drafting-style race (Atlanta Motor Speedway).
Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega: Since the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ debut at Talladega Superspeedway in 1992, Chevrolet has earned a monstrous winning percentage of 67 percent with 24 all-time victories. The Bowtie brand’s winning ways at the 2.66-mile Alabama venue began when the manufacturer took the victories in the series’ first-three visits to the track, including the inaugural event that was won by Ernie Irvan (July 1992). Chevrolet currently holds an active, and record-setting, streak of 10 consecutive Talladega triumphs in the series – recorded by eight different drivers between April 2018 and April 2024. Among that list of winners includes two of Chevrolet’s current playoff contenders, with Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger claiming the victory in Oct. 2022, and Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love earning his first-career victory earlier this season (April 2024).
A win in the series’ next trio of races also comes with a ticket into the Championship 4, with the first opportunity coming at Talladega Superspeedway. The series has only contested on two drafting-style tracks in 2024, which came back-to-back at Daytona International Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway to open the season. Only three of the series’ remaining playoff contenders were able to bring home top-10 results in both drafting-style events, including Chevrolet’s Nick Sanchez and Rajah Caruth. Sanchez became a first-time Truck Series winner at the “World Center of Racing”, going on to follow up that career moment by driving his No. 2 Silverado RST to a fifth-place result at Atlanta Motor Speedway one week later. Caruth also came out of the gate with a pair of top-10 results, including a podium finish at the 2.5-mile Florida superspeedway.
Looking at the greater picture, Eckes continues to prove to be a leading contender for the championship title. The 23-year-old Middletown, New York, native has tallied top-10 results in 18 of the series’ 19 races this season. Among those finishes includes a series-leading 13 top-fives, three of which were victories. Driving his No. 19 Silverado RST to a third-place result at Kansas Speedway last weekend, the Chevrolet driver enters the Round of 8 with eight consecutive finishes of no worse than fourth, with that streak including one victory and seven podium finishes.
Manufacturer Points Standings
Manufacturer Points Standings
Manufacturer Points Standings
