Ken de la Bastide: 500 Sprint Car Tour inaugural season has been a success
Sep. 6—The inaugural 500 Sprint Car Tour season is winding down with three events remaining and a tight battle for the championship.
The inaugural season has to be considered a success with four different winners to date.
It will be interesting to see what the 2023 schedule looks like and if any new tracks will play host to the series.
Dakoda Armstrong has a slim two-point lead over Kody Swanson with Billy Wease another 31 points back.
Armstrong has been knocking on the door but has not yet made it into victory lane through the first six races.
Armstrong has never finished outside the top five and has several runner-up finishes to his credit this year.
Swanson has two victories — at the inaugural race at Plymouth Speedway and a second win at Anderson Speedway.
Tyler Roahrig, the defending Lucas Oil Little 500 champion, has also recorded two victories this year, but a did-not-finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park has severely set back any hopes of a title.
Wease also has been consistent with five top-five finishes to his credit.
The series returns to Berlin Raceway in Michigan this weekend. The race will be broadcast on FloRacing.
The season concludes with races at Anderson Speedway on Oct. 9 and the championship event at IRP on Oct. 22.
With more than 20 teams competing at each of the events, that is an encouraging sign for the future of non-wing pavement sprint cars.
Kyle O'Gara and Tanner Swanson are also race winners, and with three events remaining it's not far-fetched to think one or two more drivers will score victories.
Armstrong has to be considered a contender for a win, along with Wease and Bobby Santos III.
IN OTHER RACING NEWS
Kurt Busch has not raced since an accident at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Cup Series as a result of a lingering concussion.
Last week Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin both commented the new car being used in Cup races is causing lingering effects from accidents.
Hamlin was supposed to race the Xfinity race last weekend at Darlington but didn't because of continued soreness following a crash at Daytona.
NASCAR officials contend the impact during crashes is increased because of higher speeds and the angle of the incidents — a contention both Harvick and Hamlin have denied.
I'm certain if there is a safety issue with the new race car NASCAR will address those concerns.
IndyCar closes out the 2022 season this weekend with Will Power holding a slim lead over teammate Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon.
Power has been consistent all season but will have to hold off Newgarden, who has five wins this year.
The sleeper is Dixon, who always seems to be hanging around for a victory or championship.
Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.
