Event Archive: USAC National Sprint Cars | Route 66 Motor Speedway, TX

Written on 10/19/2025
Nick Coward

USAC National Sprint Cars – High Plains Thunder Weekend
Dodge City Raceway Park (Dodge City, KS) & Route 66 Motor Speedway (Amarillo, TX)
Friday–Saturday, October 17–18, 2025

Event Overview

The USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship journeyed to the Great Plains for the inaugural High Plains Thunder Weekend, a two-race swing combining Kansas and Texas for a $2,000 overall bonus and a $10,000-to-win finale.

The weekend marked the series’ return to Dodge City Raceway Park for the first time in 14 years and its debut at Amarillo’s Route 66 Motor Speedway, with the two nights co-sanctioned by the POWRi Elite Non-Wing Sprints. The newly launched High Plains Thunder Bonus, organized by Jeff Peck and a coalition of longtime regional supporters, rewarded the top points performer across both nights and celebrated the heritage of open-wheel racing on the High Plains.

Both events were streamed live on FloRacing with live audio on Mixlr and the USAC app, continuing the championship’s push into new territory as the season approaches its November finale at Western World.

Event Schedule

Friday, October 17, 2025 – Dodge City Raceway Park (Dodge City, KS)

Divisions:

  • USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship

  • IMCA Hobby Stocks

Times:

  • Pits Open: 3:00 PM (CT)

  • Grandstands Open: 5:00 PM

  • Hot Laps: 6:00 PM

Tickets:

  • General Admission: $25 (13+)

  • Kids 12 & Under: Free

  • Pit Pass: $40

Track Info:
11322 110 Rd, Dodge City, KS 67801
Phone: (620) 225-3277
Website: www.racedcrp.com
Watch Live: FloRacing
Official Event Info – USAC Racing

Saturday, October 18, 2025 – Route 66 Motor Speedway (Amarillo, TX)

Divisions:

  • USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship ($10,000 to win)

  • Air Compressor Solutions Street Stocks ($500 to win)

Times:

  • Pits Open: 12:00 PM (CT)

  • Front Gates Open: 4:30 PM

  • Cars on Track: 6:00 PM

Tickets:

  • General Admission: $35 (13+)

  • Youth (5–12): $15

  • Kids 4 & Under: Free

  • Pit Pass: $45 (All Ages)

Track Info:
Route 66 Motor Speedway – Amarillo, TX
Website: www.route66motorspeedway.net
Official Event Info – USAC Racing

Payout Summary

Dodge City Raceway Park – USAC Sprint Cars

  1. $6,000

  2. $3,000

  3. $2,000

  4. $1,500

  5. $1,200
    6–10. $1,100–$800
    11–24. $775–$600
    Non-Transfers: $200

Route 66 Motor Speedway – USAC Sprint Cars

  • $10,000 to Win (USAC standard purse distribution)

High Plains Thunder Bonus:

  • $2,000 to the highest combined points finisher across both nights

  • Winner: Kevin Thomas Jr.

Night-by-Night Reports

NIGHT 1 – Friday, October 17, 2025

Dodge City Raceway Park – Dodge City, Kansas

Headline: House Money: Cummins Captures 10th of the Season in USAC Return to Kansas

In the series’ first Dodge City appearance since 2011, newly crowned national champion Kyle Cummins earned his 10th victory of 2025, marking his 30th career USAC National Sprint Car win. Driving the Petty Performance Racing/Avanti Windows & Doors – Premier Recycling/Mach-1/Stanton Chevy No. 3P, Cummins reclaimed the lead from Kevin Thomas Jr. after a close call in traffic on lap nine and never looked back, winning by 0.7 seconds over Briggs Danner.

Cummins’ victory extended his points lead to 378 and broke the all-time record for most top-10 finishes in a season (42)while tying Brady Bacon’s 36 top-five finishes record from 2021.

Feature Results (30 Laps):

  1. Kyle Cummins

  2. Briggs Danner

  3. Kevin Thomas Jr.

  4. C.J. Leary

  5. Chase Stockon

  6. Justin Grant

  7. Mitchel Moles

  8. Logan Seavey

  9. Hayden Reinbold

  10. Trey Osborne

  11. Gunnar Setser

  12. Stevie Sussex

  13. Jake Swanson

  14. Wyatt Burks

  15. Wesley Smith

  16. Saban Bibent

  17. Caleb Stelzig

  18. Anthony Nicholson

  19. Kobe Simpson

  20. Dakota Earls

  21. Cooper Sullivan

  22. Paul White

  23. R.J. Miller

Notables:

  • Quick Time: Jake Swanson – 14.963 sec (New Track Record)

  • Heat Winners: Wyatt Burks, C.J. Leary, Justin Grant

  • Hard Charger: Caleb Stelzig (22nd → 17th)

  • Fire Move of the Night: Trey Osborne

  • Rod End Supply POWRi Bonus: Caleb Stelzig

Abridged Race Call Summary (FloRacing):
Cummins stormed ahead early, surrendered the lead to KTJ by lap 4, then regained command on lap 9 after Thomas got stacked behind lapped traffic. From there, Cummins managed traffic expertly to claim his record-setting win.

Driver Quote – Kyle Cummins (FloRacing Interview):

“It got pretty close there with KTJ in traffic — I don’t know if I want to get any closer than that. Once we got the lead back, it was just about hitting marks and managing lapped cars. Points racing is stressful, so now we can just go for wins, and that’s what we’re doing.”

🎥 Watch Highlights – USAC Sprint Cars at Dodge City Raceway Park (Oct. 17, 2025)
📸 Photo Credit: Rich Forman / USAC Racing

NIGHT 2 – Saturday, October 18, 2025

Route 66 Motor Speedway – Amarillo, Texas

Headline: For Joe: Swanson’s Special Score Nets $10,000 in USAC’s Texas Debut

A year-and-a-half in the making, Jake Swanson delivered an emotional breakthrough at Route 66 Motor Speedway, scoring his first win of the season and first as a car owner/entrant with Daming Swanson Motorsports/Inland Rigging – Dougherty Motorsports/DRC/1-Way Chevy.

The victory came in the team’s first national-level triumph since the passing of co-founder Joe Daming, whose dream was to see the operation compete and win on the USAC National tour. The moment was made complete with Joe’s wife Jenny and son Austin (crew member) celebrating in victory lane.

Swanson started sixth, overtook Kevin Thomas Jr. on lap 16, and survived a late-race duel to seal the $10,000 win by 0.213 seconds — ending a two-year win drought dating back to 2023 Indiana Sprint Week at Lincoln Park Speedway.

Feature Results (30 Laps):

  1. Jake Swanson

  2. Kevin Thomas Jr.

  3. Mitchel Moles

  4. C.J. Leary

  5. Logan Seavey

  6. Gunnar Setser

  7. Briggs Danner

  8. Justin Grant

  9. Stevie Sussex

  10. Hayden Reinbold

  11. Kyle Cummins

  12. Wesley Smith

  13. Saban Bibent

  14. Anthony Nicholson

  15. Paul White

  16. Cooper Sullivan

  17. Chase Stockon

  18. Don Grable

  19. Wyatt Burks

  20. Caleb Stelzig

  21. R.J. Miller

  22. Anton Hernandez

  23. Justin Zimmerman

  24. Chris Douglas

  25. Kobe Simpson

Notables:

  • Quick Time: Jake Swanson – 13.648 sec (New Track Record)

  • Heat Winners: Mitchel Moles, Stevie Sussex, Chase Stockon, Wyatt Burks

  • Semi Winner: Kobe Simpson

  • Hard Charger: Gunnar Setser (13th → 6th)

  • Fire Move: Saban Bibent (recovered from flip to finish 13th)

  • High Plains Thunder Bonus: Kevin Thomas Jr. (+$2,000 overall)

  • POWRi Elite Top Finisher: Paul White (15th)

Abridged Race Call Summary (FloRacing):
After a red flag on lap 2 for a 10-car pileup, KTJ led the first 15 circuits before Swanson began reeling him in. Swanson executed the winning pass on the backstretch on lap 16 and held off multiple sliders from Thomas in the closing laps, securing the win by two car lengths.

Driver Quote – Jake Swanson (FloRacing Interview):

“This is for Joe. Joe is so stoked right now; he’s upstairs pounding beers, I know it. To the Daming family — thank you for giving me this chance. We built this from nothing, and now we’re USAC winners. We’re racing on heart, help, and winnings — so thank God we got this one tonight.”

🎥 Watch Highlights – USAC Sprint Cars at Route 66 Motor Speedway (Oct. 18, 2025)
📸 Photo Credit: Rich Forman / USAC Racing

Weekend Summary Table

Night Track Winner Quick Time Hard Charger Entries Purse Bonus
Fri, Oct 17 Dodge City Raceway Park Kyle Cummins Jake Swanson (14.963 NTR) Caleb Stelzig (+5) 24 $6,000 High Plains Thunder eligible
Sat, Oct 18 Route 66 Motor Speedway Jake Swanson Jake Swanson (13.648 NTR) Gunnar Setser (+7) 31 $10,000 KTJ wins $2,000 Bonus

Driver Quotes

Kyle Cummins – Petty Performance Racing:

“Once KTJ got held up in traffic, I knew that was my shot. It’s been a long, stressful points year, but now we can just go have fun and chase wins.”

Jake Swanson – Daming Swanson Motorsports:

“We’re racing for Joe every night. This team’s been built from the ground up by people who loved him, and to win on this stage with his family here—it means everything.”

Coverage & Resources

Sources

  • “House Money! Dodge City Is Cummins’ City in USAC Sprint Car Return to Kansas” – Richie Murray, USAC Racing (Oct 17, 2025)

  • “For Joe! Swanson’s Special Score Nets $10,000 at Amarillo” – Richie Murray, USAC Racing (Oct 18, 2025)

  • “$2,000 High Plains Thunder Bonus on the Line at Dodge City & Amarillo” – USAC Racing (Oct 8, 2025)

  • “USAC Sprints Debut at Amarillo, Texas’ Route 66 for $10K on October 18” – USAC Racing (Aug 20, 2025)

  • Dodge City Raceway Park

  • Route 66 Motor Speedway

Compiled by Nick Coward — RACECAR Illustrated — Driven by Racers
Sunday, October 19, 2025 – 08:20 PM PDT
Archive Status: Complete – Both Nights Locked (High Plains Thunder Weekend)

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ENDS ARTICLE