The Left Turn | West Bend News

The 2026 racing season suffered due to weather disruptions and crowned champions on regional and national circuits, West Bend News reported.

Weather Hurdles and Track Recovery

Winter’s stubborn grip into late spring, followed by persistent cold snaps and rainstorms, battered the Tri-state racing calendar. Early local programs and major national events took the brunt of the cancellations. Promoters faced steep attendance drops as tracks competed fiercely for diminished crowds.

Mansfield Speedway offered a bright spot for fans, drivers, and crews eager for its revival. Yet, reality struck hard during opening weekend when portions of the track required complete excavation and rebuilding. Overcoming those early growing pains, the venue steadily improved its racing surface to the point where it can now accommodate premier national dirt series.

Montpelier’s Final Sprints and Upcoming Finale

On October 17th, Montpelier Speedway in Indiana hosted the Hoosier Hussle, marking the final outing of 2026 for the 410 Non-wing Sprints. Thirty-seven cars signed in to qualify. Zack Pretorius set fast time at 14.783 seconds, while Trey Osborne, Gunnar Setser, Jack Hoyer, and Dustin Ingle captured heat wins.

After two grueling B features that sent the top two finishers from each into the main event, twenty sprints lined up for the 25-lap feature. Ricky Lewis of Oxnard, California, drove his car straight into victory lane, joined on the podium by runner-up Trey Osborne and third-place finisher Jakeb Boxell. Veteran racer Todd Sherman took top honors in the UMP Modified feature, and Kory Glassburn secured the checkered flag in the Street Stocks. Montpelier Speedway wraps up its 2026 schedule on October 23rd and 24th with the annual Monster Mash, featuring six classes across two nights of racing.

National Crown and 2027 Rookie Battles

Tony Stewart Racing added another national title to its collection last week when Rico Abreu clinched the High Limit 410 Sprint Season Championship. This marks Tony Stewart Racing’s 24th national title and Abreu’s inaugural year piloting the team’s machine. The 2026 top five in points rounded out with Giovanni Scelzi in second, Aaron Reutzel in third, Tyler Courtney in fourth, and Justin Peck in fifth.

Looking ahead to 2027, Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing will welcome a major contender for the Rayce Rudeen Foundation Rookie of the Year Award. Vermeer Motorsports team owner Tony Vermeer locked in Brady Bacon as his full-time driver for next season after Bacon piloted the Vermeer Sprint through the final ten races of 2026. The 36-year-old veteran already boasts four championships and 64 wins in the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car Series—both standing as the second-all-time marks in the 70-year history of the United States Auto Club.