By: Richie Murray – USAC Media (Jack Reitz Photo)
Speedway, Indiana (December 8, 2022)………Thirteen dates. Thirteen events. Seven on pavement. Five on dirt. One yet to be announced.
That’s the modus operandi for the USAC Silver Crown National Championship after the 2023 schedule was released on Thursday afternoon at the Performance Racing Industry show in Indianapolis.
THE RETURN OF THE HOOSIER HUNDRED
While the first event is slated for April 16 at a yet-to-be determined venue, the initial confirmed event on the schedule brings the series to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for the first of three dates on the .686-mile paved oval.
Leading off at IRP this season is the resurgence of the Hoosier Hundred, which will be held for the 66th time overall, but for the first time on pavement, on April 23, an event which will pay $25,000-to-win.
The series returns to IRP a month later on May 26 for the $10,000-to-win Carb Night Classic and again for the season finale on October 14 where a new series titlist will be crowned during Championship Saturday.
BACK ON THE HIGH BANKS & THE DIRT HALVES
For the first time in seven years, the champ cars return to the Belleville High Banks in Kansas in a fantastic doubleheader with the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship.
Speaking of the half-mile dirt ovals, there are three of a kind on the schedule with Belleville joined by the second series appearance at Pennsylvania’s Port Royal Speedway on June 17 in a double with the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship.
The 41st running of the 4-Crown Nationals pits a USAC tripleheader at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway on September 22-23 featuring the Silver Crown series, plus the midgets and sprint cars along with the All Star Circuit of Champions.
PAVING THE WAY
Paved half-miles are prevalent throughout the season with Wisconsin’s Madison International Speedway, Indiana’s Winchester Speedway and Ohio’s Toledo Speedway running in succession during the summer months. On June 23, it’s the Dairyland 100 at Madison, then it’s off to Winchester’s Rich Vogler Classic on July 20 and the Rollie Beale Classic on August 5 at Toledo.
DIRT MILE SEASON
It’s dirt mile season in the second half of the year as the Illinois’ two state fairs roll out the red carpet for the Silver Crown series on August 19 for the 60th running of the Bettenhausen 100 at the Illinois State Fairgrounds’ Springfield Mile.
Illinois’ southernmost dirt mile belongs to the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds which will host the 69th edition of the Ted Horn 100 on September 3.
THE BIGGEST & THE FASTEST
On August 27, USAC Silver Crown racing makes its way back to the largest and fastest track on the series schedule – the 1.25-mile paved World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill.
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2023 USAC SILVER CROWN SCHEDULE
Apr 16: TBA
Apr 23: (P) (A) Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | Hoosier Hundred | $25,000-To-Win
May 19-20: (D) Belleville High Banks | Belleville, KS | $8,000-To-Win
May 26: (P) Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | Carb Night Classic | $10,000-To-Win
Jun 17: (D) Port Royal Speedway | Port Royal, PA | $8,000-To-Win
Jun 23: (P) Madison International Speedway | Oregon, WI | Dairyland 100 | $8,000-To-Win
Jul 20: (P) Winchester Speedway | Winchester, IN | Rich Vogler Classic | $8,000-To-Win
Aug 5: (P) Toledo Speedway | Toledo, OH | Rollie Beale Classic | $8,000-To-Win
Aug 19: (D) Illinois State Fairgrounds | Springfield, IL | Bettenhausen 100 | $10,000-To-Win
Aug 27: (P) World Wide Technology Raceway | Madison, IL | $10,000-To-Win
Sep 2: (D) Du Quoin State Fairgrounds | Du Quoin, IL | Ted Horn 100 | $10,000-To-Win
Sep 22-23: (D) Eldora Speedway | Rossburg, OH | 4-Crown Nationals | $10,000-To-Win
Oct 14: (P) Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park | Brownsburg, IN | $10,000-To-Win
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(A) represents an event paying appearance points only
(P) represents a pavement track event
(D) represents a dirt track event
Race dates & payouts subject to change
