GRAYS HARBOR RACEWAY has been an important cornerstone of Washington speedway for decades. The loss of a national sprint car date is always a tough pill to swallow for fans in the north west and after preaching so positively about their northern neighbours it’s going to be hard not to come across as negative when talking about the upcoming 2025 open wheel season at GHR.
The truth is, the situation in Elma is very unique and any attempt at a direct comparison is completely unfair. The usual criticisms get thrown around and the track has it’s share of detractors but I refuse to be one of them. There are hurdles to overcome in the open wheel divisions but there were also some fantastic races at Grays Harbor in 2024. With that said, in an already challenging situation losing a National Tour date is going to reverberate through the community far beyond the walls of the track itself.
Regardless of how or why High Limit Racing aren’t returning the date has long been the biggest night of the year at GHR far back into the Outlaw days. The absence leaves Grays Harbor Raceway without a true sprint car crown jewel. It also means the Father’s Day NARC visit in June is the sole 410 race at the track all season.
The second biggest sprint car draw of 2025, the Hall of Fame 360 Battle Royale weekend, morphs into a one-night Sunday epilogue to Skagit’s Summer Nationals after previously being a two-nighter. It does become part of the new Sprint Car Challenge Tour Western Sprint Speedweek. The 360 sprint cars are currently scheduled to make seven appearances.
The 360 limited (sportsman) sprints retain their August double-header and lock in for eleven total nights of racing. Grays Harbor is the only western Washington track with wingless sprints in 2025, hosting the non-wing warriors twice.
The NW Focus Midgets complete the open wheel slate with six dates scheduled at this time.
At the time of writing there are three dates listed as TBD, this author remains hopeful a surprise may pop up in one or two of those slots.
TIMBER CUP will see 410 sprint cars return to Grays Harbor Raceway this Father’s Day (Jun. 15), doubling as the finale to the NARC Fastest 5 Days in Motorsports. The mid-June date is the only time Elma sprint car fans will see 410’s at the track this year. Dominic Scelzi was victorious at the 2024 event, holding off Justin Sanders in the closing laps and dedicating the win to Angelique Bell who was injured in a vicious crash in Oregon just a few nights prior. The win was a high watermark for Scelzi in 410 competition for 2024; the fast-guy out of Fresno wasn’t shy in recognizing some struggles with confidence throughout the year but recently expressed excitement for 2025 after closing out last season on positive terms.
360 BATTLE ROYALE is Grays Harbor Raceway’s biggest 360 sprint car race of the calendar and Washington race fans have every reason to be excited about this years edition. In 2024 the event was held over two nights and served as the beginning of what became the Northern Speedweek Tour leading up to Skagit’s 360 Summer Nationals. This year the event moves to Sunday July 27, a week later and the night after Summer Nationals, becoming a single night conclusion to Speedweek which will now be fully sanctioned by the Sprint Car Challenge Tour. Last year night 1 was won by Colby Thornhill, night 2 went to Dominic Gorden in what would become the first of four straight Speedweek wins for the teenager from Clovis California.
2025 - GRAYS HARBOR RACEWAY SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, 12 APRIL 2025
Play Day
All classes
SATURDAY, 19 APRIL 2025
SEASON OPENER
360 Sprint Cars, 360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Modified, Midgets
SATURDAY, 26 APRIL 2025
360 Sprint Cars, IMCA Modified, IMCA Northern SportMod, PHRA Dwarf Cars
SATURDAY, 03 MAY 2025
360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Modified, Midgets, Hornets
SATURDAY, 10 MAY 2025
360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Northern SportMod, Super Stocks, Hornets
SATURDAY, 17 MAY 2025
360 SPRINT CHALLENGE EVENT
360 Sprint Cars, IMCA Modified, PHRA Dwarf Cars, 600cc Micro Sprint PMSA
SATURDAY, 24 MAY 2025
MODIFIED CLASH
IMCA Modified, IMCA Northern SportMod, Dwarf Cars
SUNDAY, 25 MAY 2025
MODIFIED CLASH AND
GIANT FIREWORKS SHOW
IMCA Modified, IMCA Northern SportMod, Dwarf Cars
SATURDAY, 31 MAY 2025
360 Limited Sprint, Super Stocks, Hornets, Wingless Sprints
SUNDAY, 15 JUNE 2025
NARC 410 King of the West Sprint Cars
NARC King of the West Sprints, IMCA Modified
SATURDAY, 21 JUNE 2025
360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Modified, Super Stocks, Hornets
SATURDAY, 28 JUNE 2025
360 SPRINT CHALLENGE EVENT
360 Sprint Cars, IMCA Modified, Midgets, Hornets
SATURDAY, 05 JULY 2025
Q-MART PRESENTS MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP & GIANT FIREWORKS SHOW
360 Sprint Cars, 360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Modified, Super Stocks, Hornets
SATURDAY, 12 JULY 2025
360 Sprint Cars, IMCA Modified, Hornets, Spec Ranger Trucks, Wingless Sprints
FRIDAY, 18 JULY 2025
MODIFIED NATIONALS
IMCA Modified, Dirt Late Models
SATURDAY, 19 JULY 2025
MODIFIED NATIONALS
IMCA Modified, Dirt Late Models
SUNDAY, 27 JULY 2025
HALL of FAME TRIBUTE, 360 BATTLE ROYALE
featuring Sprint Car Challenge Tour, IMCA Modified
SATURDAY, 02 AUGUST 2025
FAIR RACE
IMCA Modified, Super Stocks, Hornets
SATURDAY, 09 AUGUST 2025
360 Sprint Cars, 360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Northern SportMod, Hornets
FRIDAY, 15 AUGUST 2025
360 Limited Sprint, Midgets
SATURDAY, 16 AUGUST 2025
360 Limited Sprint, Midgets
SATURDAY, 23 AUGUST 2025
360 Sprint Cars, IMCA Modified, Super Stocks, Hornets
SUNDAY, 31 AUGUST 2025
EPILOGUE TO THE NW SWING 360 Sprint Challenge Event
360 Sprint Cars, 360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Modified
SATURDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2025
CHAMPIONSHIP NIGHT ROUND 1 & GIANT FIREWORKS SHOW
360 Sprint Cars, 360 Limited Sprint, IMCA Modified, Hornets
SATURDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2025
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 2
IMCA Modified, Super Stocks, Hornets
SATURDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2025
Season Finale
360 Limited Sprint, Midgets, Hornets