By: Richie Murray – USAC Media (Frank Smith Photo)
Speedway, Indiana (September 20, 2023)………A new format expanded across four nights at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will welcome competitors to an fifth running of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 featuring the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship on September 27-28-29-30.
The competition to make the field for the event has proven to be intense with only 24 starting positions available for the final night’s $20,039-to-win main event on Saturday, September 30 at the action-packed quarter-mile dirt oval inside turn three of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 39-lap feature race honors late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson. In addition, it increases awareness of the Indiana Donor Network and its Driven2SaveLives campaign.
Let’s take a look at the format.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
**Wednesday’s program will feature all cars on the track for practice.
**The Stoops Pursuit race on Wednesday night is a 25-lap race split into five-lap segments. The field consists of a total of 24 starters. The top-10 drivers in USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship points are locked into the event as are the 10 fastest during Wednesday night’s practice who are not already locked in. Up to four promoters options will be available to start the event.
**The Stoops Pursuit starting lineup is inverted by fastest hot lap time, with promoter’s options starting at the rear. Any car involved in a caution is eliminated. Every five laps, a competition yellow flag will be displayed, and cars with a net loss in position will be called to exit the track.
**A checkered flag ends the final segment, with the winner earning $1,500 plus $100 for each position gained. All race participants will receive a free right rear tire courtesy of Hoosier.
THURSDAY & FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28-29
**The field will be split for Thursday and Friday’s racing program with half the field competing on Thursday and the other half of the field competing on Friday.
**Thursday and Friday night will both feature a full program of racing consisting of 8-lap heat races and 10-lap qualifying races, followed by a 10-lap C-main (if needed), a 12-lap semi-feature and a 30-lap feature race paying $5,000-to-win.
**Points for the heats will be accumulated by finishing position and total number of positions advanced. Cars will be positioned into qualifying races based on the passing points accumulated in the heats.
**Total points from the heat races and qualifying races will be added to set the starting lineups for the prelim main events on Thursday and Friday. The top-16 overall in accumulated points will start straight-up in the first eight rows of Thursday and Friday’s A-Main feature.
**The top-3 feature finishers on each night’s prelim will be locked into Saturday’s feature. Prelim night finishers 4-17 will be slated for one of two semi-features on Saturday night. Prelim night feature finishers 18-22, plus finishers 7-15 in the semi-feature, will start in Saturday’s C-Main. Prelim night semi-feature finishers 16th on back will start in Saturday’s D-Main.
**All USAC National Midget licensed drivers and entrants will receive 50 appearance points during each night of their participation on Thursday and Friday.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
**Hot laps and main events only will take place on Saturday night.
**E-Main (if needed): 10 laps, top-4 transfer (2 to each D-Main).
**2 D-Mains: 10 laps, top-4 transfer to the C-Main.
**2 C-Mains: 12 laps, top-4 transfer to the semi-feature.
**2 Semi-Features: 12 laps, top-4 transfer to the feature.
**Last Chance Race: 15 laps, top-8 transfer to the feature.
**The 39-lap feature will have 22 starters, plus two USAC provisional starters (if applicable) and two IMS options.
**All USAC National Midget licensed drivers and entrants will receive feature points only on Saturday based on their finishing position. All non-transfers will receive 10 points.
THE DETAILS
Driver registration is now officially open for the fifth running of the Driven2SaveLives BC39. Teams can file their entry for the event at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2023-bc39, where they may also purchase grandstand tickets, pit and parking passes for the event.
The final cutoff for all BC39 entries is Monday, September 25.
There are three options for viewing the racing action and also having pit pass access. You can purchase a competitor pit pass only where no seat is included with limited viewing of the track.
Secondly, you can purchase a competitor pit pass with reserved seating included, which are available in the lower level of the main grandstands.
You may also purchase a grandstand seat from the IMS ticketing site with a pit pass upgrade. Competitors must enter IMS via the 16th Street tunnel.
Each entry filed will come with two VIP parking passes for inside parking at IMS, intended for driver and entrant. All others must either purchase inside parking or park outside of turns three and four of 2.5-mile paved oval track.
Spectator tickets are also available www.TheBC39.com. Spectators are to enter the Indianapolis Motor Speedway via 30th Street.
The event on the quarter-mile dirt oval inside turn three at IMS will continue to honor late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson and increase awareness of and participation in the Indiana Donor Network and Driven2SaveLives.
Brady Bacon (2018), Zeb Wise (2019), Kyle Larson (2021) and Buddy Kofoid (2022) have captured victories in the first four editions of the BC39.
The BC39 officially gets underway on Tuesday, September 26 with team parking at 3pm Eastern followed by a BC39 Welcome Party at 6pm at USAC Headquarters.
On track action begins Wednesday, September 27, beginning with the drivers meeting in the IMS Media Room at 3pm Eastern. Public gates open at 4pm with cars hitting the track for practice at 7pm, followed by the incredibly exciting Stoops Pursuit feature race which will conclude the night’s racing action at 9pm. In this event, 25 cars will start and compete in five, five-lap segments. If a driver gets passed in any segment, they are eliminated.
For Thursday and Friday, September 28-29, the field will be split into two with one half of the field competing on night one and the other half competing on night two. On both nights, public gates open at 4pm Eastern with hot laps at 6pm, followed by qualifying, opening ceremonies, heat races, the C-Main, the Semi-Feature and the Feature event.
The finale, on Saturday, September 30, will have the public gates opening at 4pm and cars on track for practice at 6pm, followed by opening ceremonies at 7pm and the main events, starting with the D-Main, multiple C-Mains, Semi-Feature and the 39-lap Feature event paying $20,039-to-win.
DRIVER REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Driver registration is now officially open for the fifth running of the Driven2SaveLives BC39. Teams can file their entry for the event at https://usacracing.ticketspice.com/2023-bc39, where they may also purchase grandstand tickets, pit and parking passes for the event.
The final cutoff for all BC39 entries is Monday, September 25.
There are three options for viewing the racing action and also having pit pass access. You can purchase a competitor pit pass only where no seat is included with limited viewing of the track.
Secondly, you can purchase a competitor pit pass with reserved seating included, which are available in the lower level of the main grandstands.
You may also purchase a grandstand seat from the IMS ticketing site with a pit pass upgrade. Competitors must enter IMS via the 16th Street tunnel.
Each entry filed will come with two VIP parking passes for inside parking at IMS, intended for driver and entrant. All others must either purchase inside parking or park outside of turns three and four of 2.5-mile paved oval track.
Spectator tickets are also available www.TheBC39.com. Spectators are to enter the Indianapolis Motor Speedway via 30th Street.
The event on the quarter-mile dirt oval inside turn three at IMS will continue to honor late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson and increase awareness of and participation in the Indiana Donor Network and Driven2SaveLives.
Brady Bacon (2018), Zeb Wise (2019), Kyle Larson (2021) and Buddy Kofoid (2022) have captured victories in the first four editions of the BC39.
The BC39 officially gets underway on Tuesday, September 26 with team parking at 3pm Eastern followed by a BC39 Welcome Party at 6pm at USAC Headquarters.
On track action begins Wednesday, September 27, beginning with the drivers meeting in the IMS Media Room at 3pm Eastern. Public gates open at 4pm with cars hitting the track for practice at 7pm, followed by the incredibly exciting Stoops Pursuit feature race which will conclude the night’s racing action at 9pm. In this event, 25 cars will start and compete in five, five-lap segments. If a driver gets passed in any segment, they are eliminated.
For Thursday and Friday, September 28-29, the field will be split into two with one half of the field competing on night one and the other half competing on night two. On both nights, public gates open at 4pm Eastern with hot laps at 6pm, followed by qualifying, opening ceremonies, heat races, the C-Main, the Semi-Feature and the $5,000-to-win Feature event.
The finale, on Saturday, September 30, will have the public gates opening at 4pm and cars on track for practice at 6pm, followed by opening ceremonies at 7pm and the main events, starting with the D-Main, multiple C-Mains, Semi-Feature and the 39-lap Feature event paying $20,039-to-win.
