The USAC Wholesale Batteries Midwest Racing Association Sprint Car Series will begin competition in 2026 featuring a 14-race schedule with additional dates yet to be announced.

Jon Sawyer will oversee the operation of this new venture which will race primarily around the greater Kansas City area.

The Sawyer family has been involved in motorsports in some form or another for decades. It’s a family tradition that includes Jon’s grandfather, Hugh Sawyer, and father, Jim Sawyer, as well as his wife, Jessica, and son Jonathon.

Jon raced go karts and modified midgets before deciding being a car owner was the way to go for many years, winning championships in midgets and sprint cars while capturing the 2021 USAC Midwest Wingless Racing Association title with driver Kory Schudy behind the wheel of his black No. 28, plus the POWRi WAR Sprint Car crown in 2022.

Turning their focus to running USAC MRA, the Sawyers are grateful for all the support of the race teams, fans, sponsors, USAC, and the staff that will be on board with them for the inaugural campaign.

Also joining the MRA team for 2026 will be scorer Becky Burks, announcer/media director Ray Cunningham, Chaplain Justin Lawson, video streaming producer/media Nathaniel Viscioni, and Carter Markley, who will help anywhere needed.

The 2026 slate will consist of six dates at Grain Valley, Missouri’s Valley Speedway on a monthly basis on April 11, May 23, June 20, July 11, August 29 and the Helm Memorial on September 26.

Electric City Speedway in Butler, Missouri welcomes the series twice on May 15 and July 31. Winston, Missouri’s I-35 Speedway will host a pair of series events on June 13 and July 18. The annual Weld Memorial is slated for August 28 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Avanti Windows & Doors Corn Belt Clash at Iowa’s Knoxville Raceway will be held on National Sprint Car Hall of Fame induction weekend on May 29-30. Both nights will be co-sanctioned with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship.

On April 25, the Aubren Dudley Memorial Race will be held at Springfield Raceway, in Springfield, Mo. This event will honor the life of Aubren, niece/cousin of the Sawyers who worked for the Missouri division of family services. Along with her husband, she fostered five children before being killed in an auto accident in 2024 while on the job. This event will have many sponsors to help increase the purse over the standard events and will join the Weld Memorial at Lakeside Speedway in KCK, and the Helm Memorial at Valley Speedway in Grain Valley, as special events for the series for 2026.

2026 USAC MIDWEST RACING ASSOCIATION SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE

Apr 11 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Apr 25 – Springfield Raceway – Springfield, Missouri

May 15 – Electric City Speedway – Butler, Missouri

May 23 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

May 29 – Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, Iowa

May 30 – Knoxville Raceway – Knoxville, Iowa

Jun 13 – I-35 Speedway – Winston, Missouri

Jun 20 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Jul 11 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Jul 18 – I-35 Speedway – Winston, Missouri

Jul 31 – Electric City Speedway – Butler, Missouri

Aug 28 – Lakeside Speedway – Kansas City, Kansas

Aug 29 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

Sep 26 – Valley Speedway – Grain Valley, Missouri

USAC PR

Having just made it back in time from winning the High Limit International at Perth Motorplex in Australia for a second straight year, reigning two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is already back Stateside to see his children take on the legendary Tulsa Shootout.

Both Owen, 11, and Audrey, 7, are competing in the micro sprint car event at the SageNet Center, where well over 1,000 competitors of all ages and experience levels are taking on one another in six different classes for the ‘Golden Driller’ trophies.

Despite having just flown back from his win Down Under on Tuesday, Kyle, too, plans to participate in the Winged Outlaw class. However, his main focus is on his children, with Owen competing in the K&B Restricted Motorsports A-Class, the JST Motorsports A-Class, and the Joe’s Racing Products Stock Non-Wing Class, while Audrey will be taking on the Flying A Motorsports Junior Sprints Class.

“That’s what I’m most excited about is just getting to see the kids participate in a big event, have fun and, hopefully, do a good job,” Kyle admitted on Monday, whilst in Perth ahead of the Shootout, via FloRacing.

“Audrey, she’s getting to run her first Shootout in the junior sprint—and she takes it very seriously. We’ve watched every lap of the 2024 Shootout, every lap of the Junior Sprint. So she’s been studying. Hopefully, she can do good.

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“And then Owen, he has been doing a good job this year, but he’s going to be in a lot of tough divisions, so I don’t know what to expect there. Obviously, it takes a little bit of luck along the way.”

Reflecting on what both Owen and Audrey bring to the track, 33-year-old Kyle explained how, when it comes to intensive preparation, “Audrey’s more like me in that sense,” adding, “Owen’s just kind of carefree with the racing. He’s takes it a little more seriously lately but Audrey definitely likes to study.”

Kyle went on to add how Audrey is “kind of herself. I think she’s just really competitive, a competitive spirit. And I think, ultimately, it’s whatever her brother, she watches her older brother and wants to do what he’s doing. 

“But then, like I said, she’s herself. She plays ice hockey. I definitely have never played ice hockey. And she’s athletic and wants to play baseball, and she’s into racing stuff and all that. 

“On the racing side of it shes probably more similar to me than Owen would be. Owen personality wise is more similar to me. Audrey is very fiery and lots of personality and attitude. I’m not like that, but the competitive mindset is probably more similar to me.”

For Owen, the event got off to a great star beating Jeffrey Newell to a Winged A-Class win. “Yeah, it was a lot,” he admitted, speaking to FloRacing. “I was getting frustrated because I was warming up in there, and my helmet kept fogging up a little bit. And I knew I had to just roll to the bottom and get the win. And I tried the top at the end. It looks a little bit sketchy, but it looks fun.”

Owen could end up taking on two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and/or his son Brexton in the JST Motorsports A-Class and the Joe’s Racing Products Stock Non-Wing Class, with another NASCAR star, Ty Gibbs, also competing in both categories.

One big showing of monster trucks is pretty impressive, but it looks like Bossier City is in for twice as much fun.

The Kicker Monster Truck Show is headed for Brookshire Grocery Arena in Bossier City on January 24 and they are bringing out some of the most recognizable trucks in the world.

And this time, there will be two shows in one day!  For the first time ever, Kicker will have a matinee show on January 24 which begins at 1:00 pm with doors opening at 12:00 pm and a second show will begin at 7:30 pm, with doors for that one opening at 6:30 pm.

Of course, if you and the family would like to see the massive trucks up close, meet the drivers, take pictures and enjoy other family-friendly fun, you’ll want to grab tickets for the Kicker Monster Truck Show Pit Party.

Plan to be on site a couple of hours before each showing and bring cash to buy your passes at the track for only $10 per person.

According to the organizer’s website, kickermonstertruck.com, these shows, set for the same day, January 24, will feature one of the biggest names ever in Monster Truck history, Bigfoot!

Plus, you’ll see trucks from Veteran, Trouble Maker, Monster Moose, American Scout and Outlaw Wrangler.

Tickets for the matinee showing at 1:00 pm start at $37.55 and are available now at Ticketmaster.com

Tickets for the night show at 7:30 pm also start at $37.55 are are also available HERE at Ticketmaster.com

Staff Report

ROCKINGHAM — Richmond County’s iconic oval track has a new owner — the International Hot Rod Association.

IHRA announced the purchase of Rockingham Speedway on New Year’s Eve, a move reflecting the sanctioning body’s “commitment to preserving motorsports heritage while thoughtfully reinvesting in legendary racing properties.”

“IHRA recognizes what Rockingham Speedway means to this community and to motorsports fans around the world,” Darryl Cuttell, owner of IHRA, said in a press release. “This is a special place with a strong foundation. Our goal is to be good stewards of the facility, respect its history, and work collaboratively to bring quality racing and entertainment back to The Rock.”

According to the press release, IHRA intents to restore the track “to its former glory while enhancing the venue as a multi-use destination.”

IHRA plans to make upgrades to the facility, expand fan amenities, and add concerts and festivals along with racing events.

“This isn’t about changing what made Rockingham special,” Cuttell added. “It’s about investing in it, taking care of it, and making sure it continues to be a place where great racing and great memories are made.”

The track was purchased by Rockingham Properties LLC in 2018 for $2.8 million. 

The track started hosting events in 2021, with MB Drift finding its new home there following the closure of Myrtle Beach Speedway in late 2020.

NASCAR finally returned to the Rock in 2025 with races in the Xfinity Series — now O’Reilly Auto Parts Series — and the Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the Arca Menards Series East. All three are set to come back for another triple-race weekend April 3-4.

In addition to motorsports events, the Rock also hosted a concert by Struggle Jennings, the Tailgate N’ Tallboys Festival featuring Bailey Zimmerman and other country acts, and an electronic dance music festival.

Many renovations have been made to the track in recent years, including a repave for both the oval and the road course, new SAFER barriers and updates to the suites and media center.

Many of those upgrades were made possible by $9 million allocated to the county from the 2021 state budget — via the N.C. Department of Commerce — for infrastructure improvements at the track.

An additional $300,000 came from a reallocation of $2 million that had been set aside for a pedestrian bridge across U.S. 1 to connect the speedway with Rockingham Dragway.

“For decades, The Rock has been one of our community’s most recognizable and celebrated tourism icons,” said Meghann Lambeth, executive director of the Richmond County Tourism Development Authority. “We’re proud to continue supporting Rockingham Speedway as it draws visitors to Rockin’ Richmond County under the new ownership of the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).”

This is the third North Carolina motorsports facility IHRA has purchased this year: GALOT Motorsports Park in Benson; and Piedmont Dragway in Julian.

Recently, IRHA announced purchases of Heartland Motorsports Park in Kansas, Memphis International Raceway in Tennessee, and Maple Grove Raceway in Pennsylvania.

The organization has also announced both a stock car and powerboat series.

More plans for Rockingham are to be announced at a later date.

F4 U.S. Driver Champion: Cooper Shipman, Kiwi Motorsport

The second-generation Ligier JS F422 chassis continued to prove its competitiveness, with four drivers taking checkered flags this season, and eight standing on the podium throughout the championship’s 17 races. At first, the 2025 championship appeared to be anyone’s to win. Kekai Hauanio (No. 29 N-E-Where Transport / Crosslink Motorsports Ligier JS F422), Alex Popow (No. 55 Dr. Michael Thompson MS DDS PPLS / MLT Motorsports Ligier JS F422) and Caleb Campbell (No. 68 Kids Help Phone / Camtacc Properties / Legacy Foundation of Canada / LC Racing Ligier JS F422) split the victories during the first six races at NOLA Motorsports Park and Road America, but after that came Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, and once Cooper Shipman (No. 14 Kiwi Motorsport Ligier JS F422) pulled into Victory Lane at Mid-Ohio, no one could kick him out.

For the next nine rounds, Shipman never skipped a beat, taking checkered flag after checkered flag until he tallied nine-consecutive wins. Surpassing five-time INDYCAR winner Kyle Kirkwood and the inaugural F4 U.S. series champion Cameron Das on the list for longest win streaks, Shipman set a new standard for the series record books. Accruing nine wins, 13 podiums, 14 top fives, 15 top 10s, four poles and seven fastest race laps, Shipman locked in the championship by the conclusion of Round 15 at VIRginia International Raceway.

With the title, Shipman earned a scholarship to compete in Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas) in 2026. Perhaps giving a preview of what can be expected next season, the Texan used 2025’s final round to get some experience in the FR Americas car, driving to a podium finish in his series debut at Barber Motorsports Park.

“Wow, so many people to thank for this year,” said Shipman while accepting the F4 U.S. Championship trophy. “First of all, my parents for supporting me and helping me all the way through my motorsports career to get to this point. Thanks to Scott [Goodyear] for helping me get into this series and get my feet on the ground.

“But most importantly, thanks to Kiwi Motorsport for all of their support this year. Teena [Larsen], Garry [Orton], all of my driver coaches that I worked with this year, the number of different engineering mechanics—some in person, and some unfortunately not able to be here with us. You guys all helped me be fast every single time we went on track this year. This record of nine wins in a row and this championship would not have been possible without any of you. So, I just can’t thank you guys enough. I hope to be up here again next year talking to you guys. Thank you.”

Valued at more than $295,000, Shipman’s prize package includes the lease of a Ligier JS F3 chassis from Ligier Automotive, an engine from Mountune USA, three sets of tires per event from Hankook Motorsports and race entry fees from Racing America. In addition to earning valuable FIA Super License Points, Shipman was awarded a variety of other prizes, including a carbon Bell helmet, custom OMP racing suit, bespoke Omologato timepiece, Haas F1 Team guest experience at a 2026 F1 event, and an invitation to the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony.

READ MORE: 2025 Driver Points Championship Standings

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The International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) today announced the acquisition of Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas, reinforcing IHRA’s long-term commitment to preserving motorsports history while reimagining legendary venues for the future.

Originally opened in 1963 as Topeka Dragway, the facility later evolved into Heartland Motorsports Park and became one of the most versatile motorsports complexes in the country. Over the decades, Heartland has hosted major national drag racing events, road racing, karting, motocross, and countless grassroots competitions, earning its reputation as a cornerstone of Midwest motorsports.

With this acquisition, Heartland Motorsports Park enters a new chapter — one that honors its storied past while positioning the property as a modern destination entertainment complex.

“Heartland Motorsports Park is one of those places that simply matters to racing,” said Darryl Cuttell, Owner of the International Hot Rod Association. “It has history, soul, and a footprint that allows us to think bigger than just a racetrack. Our goal is to restore this facility with respect for its legacy while building something that serves racers, fans, and the community for generations.”

A Destination for Racing, Music, and Community

IHRA’s long-term vision for Heartland Motorsports Park extends well beyond competition weekends. Planned restoration and redevelopment efforts will focus on creating a year-round destination that blends motorsports with live entertainment and community engagement, including:

· Revitalized drag racing operations with improved racer and fan amenities

· Expanded motorsports and special event programming

· Live music, concerts, and festival experiences

· Enhanced hospitality, vendor, and fan-experience areas

· Community-focused events designed to drive tourism and economic impact

“Motorsports has to evolve to stay strong,” Cuttell added. “The future is about creating places where racing, music, entertainment, and community come together. Heartland has all the pieces to become one of the premier motorsports and entertainment destinations in the country.”

The acquisition aligns with IHRA’s broader racer-first philosophy, which includes direct investment in facilities and infrastructure that strengthen grassroots racing, elevate national competition, and create sustainable motorsports ecosystems.

Renovation planning will begin immediately, with additional announcements regarding redevelopment phases, event schedules, and community partnerships expected in the coming months.

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