First Arkansas visit part of Hell Tour sked
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The DIRTcar Summer Nationals today announced a five-week, 28-race 2024 schedule from June 12-July 14 buoyed by 13 Illinois tracks over the first three weeks and including the tour’s first-ever visit to Arkansas. The 32-day slate was revealed on the opening day of the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center. | 2024 Summer Nationals schedule
Most tracks comprising the Sam Driggers-directed tour are mainstays or regular circuit stops in recent seasons, but Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, Ark. — part of the circuit’s fourth week that will be co-sanctioned by the DIRTcar-sanctioned and Arkansas-based Comp Cams Super Dirt Series — is a first-time series track along with Crystal (Mich.) Motor Speedway with both debuting ovals hosting $10,000-to-win events.
Starting with the Peoria Speedway opener, Illinois tracks host nine of the first 11 races with stops at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., sprinkled in.
The third week tentatively starts June 25 at Springfield, Mo., followed by four more Illinois ovals. The fourth week includes the tour’s first visit to Poplar Bluff (Mo.) Motorsports Park since 2007 and the fifth week wraps up the schedule in Michigan and Ohio.
Friday and Saturday events pay $10,000-to-win with the rest of the races paying $5,000-to-win except for Macon (Ill.) Speedway’s Herald & Review 100 on June 27 with a $7,500-to-win purse.
For the second straight season, the series will distribute more than $25,000 in points fund money each week with $10,000 for the top points earner, $5,000 for second, $3,000 for third, $2,000 for fourth and $1,500 for fifth. Payouts for sixth-10th are $1,000, $800, $700, $600 and $500, while series regulars also enjoy the tour’s tow-money program with $500 paid to drivers maintaining perfect weekly attendance and other mileage bonuses.
The series popularized by United Midwestern Promoters founder Bob Memmer as a night-after-night tour tentatively has six off-days on the schedule including the usual Mondays but has listed June 26 and July 9 dates as to-be-announced.