Dates: Aug. 5-7 (one $6,000-to-win program on Thursday with Friday's prelims and Saturday’s $50,000-to-win finale)
Track: Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis. (3/8-mile high-banked clay oval).
Sanction: World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series
Purse: $50,000-to-win, $3,000-to-start ($6,000-to-win on Thursday)
Tickets: Adult general admission is $30 Thursday, $30 Friday and $40 Saturday; see below for discounts for children and more information.
On the web: cedarlakespeedway.com and woolms.com
Track phone: (612) 363-0479 or (866) 425-7386
Last year’s winner: Brandon Overton of Evans, Ga., who claimed his first career USA Nationals victory.
Streaming video: DIRTVision.com
Notes: The 2021 USA Nationals marks the 34th running of the crown-jewel event that began in 1988. … The two-day format features double heat races and an eight-car dash Friday that will be used to set the top 16 drivers for Saturday’s 100-lap finale. Saturday’s action includes consolation races to set the remainder of the starting grid. The top drivers in passing points will qualify for the dash. The dash finish determines how they will start in the 100-lapper. … The purse for the 28 feature starters was increased by $15,950 in 2019, which included raising the start money from $2,000 to a minimum of $3,000. … A complete program for the track's Late Model division is scheduled both Friday and Saturday paying $2,500-to-win each day. … The weekend kicks off Thursday with a complete program paying $6,000 to win for World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series, along with a full program for USRA Limited Late Models paying $500-to-win. … Nineteen drivers have won the race, eight more than once; Hall of Famers Scott Bloomquist and Billy Moyer top the list with five wins apiece. … Bloomquist last won in 2010, while Moyer’s five victories came from 1988-1993, the first six editions of the event. … Moyer has 28 feature appearances, including the first 15. He last started a USA National feature in 2020, finishing fifth … Along with his five victories, Moyer has four runner-up finishes. … The last 12 USA Nationals have produced 11 winners, including nine winners in the last nine events. … Two-time winner Jimmy Mars of Menomonie, Wis., is the only home-state driver to win the race. Mars has 21 feature appearances, with 11 top-five finishes, including third-place last season. His victories came in ’96 and ’09. … Josh Richards of Shinnston, W.Va., is the last repeat winner (2016, ’11). … Overton was the third Georgian to win the race (Dale McDowell, Chickamauga, 2001, ‘05; Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, 2015). … Five of the previous 19 USA Nationals winners traveled more than 1,000 miles one-way to get to the New Richmond, Wis., oval. Overton traversed 1,251 miles, the longest ever by the USA Nationals champ, followed by Tim McCreadie (1,131 miles) of Watertown, N.Y., Chris Madden (1,124) of Gray Court, S.C., Rick Eckert (1,066) of York Pa., and Davenport (1,046) of Blairsville, Ga. … Cedar Lake’s Late Model track record is 12.972 seconds set by Jason Rauen of Farley, Iowa.
USA Nationals winner
Year: Winner, hometown
1988: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1989: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1990: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1991: Rick Aukland, Fargo, N.D.
1992: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1993: Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark.
1994: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.
1995: Jack Boggs, Grayson, Ky.
1996: Jimmy Mars, Elk Mound, Wis.
1997: Rick Aukland, Fargo, N.D.
1998: Donnie Moran, Dresden, Ohio
1999: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2000: Davey Johnson, Greensburg, Pa.
2001: Dale McDowell, Rossville, Ga.
2002: Rick Eckert, York, Pa.
2003: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2004: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
2005: Dale McDowell, Rossville, Ga.
2006: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2007: Brian Birkhofer, Muscatine, Iowa
2008: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2009: Jimmy Mars, Menomonie, Wis.
2010: Scott Bloomquist, Mooresburg, Tenn.
2011: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
2012: Darrell Lanigan, Union, Ky.
2013: Tim McCreadie, Watertown, N.Y.
2014: Jimmy Owens, Newport, Tenn.
2015: Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.
2016: Josh Richards, Shinnston, W.Va.
2017: Don O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.
2018: Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.
2019: Chris Madden, Gray Court, S.C.
2020: Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.
Weekend purses
Thursday feature
1. $6,000
2. $3,000
3. $2,000
4. $1,750
5. $1,500
6. $1,400
7. $1,300
8. $1,200
9. $1,100
10. $1,000
11. $900
12. $850
13. $800
14. $775
15. $750
16. $700
17. $660
18. $640
19. $620
20-26. $600
Saturday feature
1. $50,000
2. $20,000
3. $10,000
4. $6,000
5. $5,000
6. $4,800
7. $4,600
8. $4,400
9. $4,200
10. $4,000
11. $3,800
12. $3,600
13. $3,400
14. $3,350
15. $3,300
16. $3,250
17. $3,200
18. $3,150
19. $3,100
20. $3,075
21. $3,050
22. $3,025
23. $3,010
Event schedule
Thursday
2 p.m. - Pit gates open
5 p.m. - Grandstand gates open
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
7 p.m. - Competition begins
Late Model time trails
Opening ceremonies
Limited Late Model heats (10 laps)
Late Model heats (10 laps)
Late Model consolations (10 laps)
Limited Late Model feature (20 laps)
Late Model feature (30 laps)
After party in the Cedar Lake Arena
Friday
8:30 a.m. - Breakfast in east and west restaurants
11 a.m. and noon - Tubing down the Apple River
2 p.m. - Pit gates open
5 p.m. - Grandstand gates open
6 p.m. - Drivers meeting
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
Opening ceremonies
7 p.m. - Competition begins
Late Model heats Round 1 (12 laps)
Limited Late Model heats (12 laps)
Late Model heats Round 2 (12 laps)
Limited Late Model consolation (12 laps)
Late Model dash (8 laps)
Late Model FansFund Dash (12 laps)
Firework show
Limited Late Model feature (40 laps)
After party in the Cedar Lake Arena
Saturday
8:30 a.m. - Breakfast in east and west restaurants
11 a.m. and noon - Tubing down the Apple River
12:30 p.m. - FansFund Luncheon
2 p.m. - Lawn mower racing in arena
2 p.m. - Pit gates open
5 p.m. - Grandstand gates open
4:30 p.m. - Driver Autograph/Meet & Greet
6 p.m. - Drivers’ meeting
6:30 p.m. - Hot laps
Opening ceremonies
7 p.m. - Competition begins
Late Model consolations (15 laps)
Limited Late Model heats (12 laps)
Limited Late Model consolation (12 laps)
Late Model Last Chance race (15 laps)
Limited Late Model feature (40 laps)
Tickets
Thursday
Adults (17-and-up): $30
Students (6-16): $15 (children 5-and-under free)
Pit pass: $35
Friday
Adults (17-and-up): $30
Students (6-16): $15 (children 5-and-under free)
Pit pass: $40
Saturday
Adults (17-and-up): $40
Students (6-16): $20 (children 5-and-under free)
Pit pass: $45
Camping
Call (612) 363-0479
