By: Richie Murray – USAC Media (Jack Reitz Photo)
Texarkana, Arkansas ………USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship racing returns to the state of Arkansas for the first time in a decade on Wednesday night, April 26, when the series makes its debut at Texarkana 67 Speedway.
The Texarkana, Arkansas’ 1/4-mile dirt oval is part of a four-race weekend for USAC National Sprint Cars and the ASCS Elite Non-Wing Series in the Sun Belt of Arkansas and Texas with the tour also traveling to Rocket Raceway Park in Petty, Texas on Thursday night, April 27, and two-straight evenings at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas on Friday and Saturday, April 28-29.
Three-time American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) driving champion Tim Crawley and MPV Express President Michael Vogelpohl will lead the new promotional and ownership staff at Texarkana 67 Speedway.
Crawley, an Arkansas native, has garnered over 200 sprint car wins in his distinguished driving career. Crawley started three USAC National Sprint Car feature events in his career, all in Arkansas, scoring a best run of fifth at I-30 Speedway in 2013 and also competed with the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship indoors at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin back in 2017.
Fellow Arkansan Vogelpohl, meanwhile, has been a longtime sponsor and supporter of drivers in the sport. He cites his admiration and passion of the sport originating from being a fanatic of auto racing first and foremost.
“Honestly, I’m just a race fan,” Vogelpohl stated. “I’ve been fortunate enough to sponsor several drivers, including Tim and his son, Landon (Crawley), as well as Justin Grant since his days in the (Mark Hery) 40 car several years ago and several other great drivers. Getting to work with Tim, I realize just how much he helps out people and other racers. I’m a very low key guy, but I just love racing and we are more than thrilled to welcome USAC racing here in Texarkana for the first time ever.”
Texarkana also happens to be the birthplace of racing legend Parnelli Jones who captured the 1960-61-62 USAC Sprint Car driving titles, the 1963 Indianapolis 500 and the 1964 USAC Stock Car crown.
USAC National Sprint Cars have made four previous visits to Arkansas with Mike Ward reigning at West Memphis’ Riverside International Speedway in 1985. Brady Bacon was a winner at Riverside in 2012, and most recently, in 2013, Bryan Clauson was victorious at I-30 Speedway while Dave Darland grabbed top honors at Riverside the following night.
