The History of First-Time Venues on the 500 Sprint Car Tour

The YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour makes history this weekend with its first visit to Jennerstown Speedway Complex. Saturday's Pennsylvania 50 will be the easternmost destination since the inception of the 500 Sprint Car Tour in 2022.

Jennerstown Speedway Complex is the 12th different track to host a 500 Sprint Car Tour event. With Jennerstown marking the only first-time venue on the series' 2026 calendar, we looked back at the first races at the previous 11 tracks to host events for the non-wing Sprint Car series.

The YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour makes history this weekend with its first visit to Jennerstown Speedway Complex. Saturday's Pennsylvania 50 will be the easternmost destination since the inception of the 500 Sprint Car Tour in 2022.

Jennerstown Speedway Complex is the 12th different track to host a 500 Sprint Car Tour event. With Jennerstown marking the only first-time venue on the series' 2026 calendar, we looked back at the first races at the previous 11 tracks to host events for the non-wing Sprint Car series.

Plymouth Motor Speedway

The 500 Sprint Car Tour contested its first points-paying event on June 10, 2022 at Michigan's Plymouth Motor Speedway as part of a doubleheader weekend. Kody Swanson started fourth and took the lead from Billy Wease before leading the remainder of the 75-lap race to become the series' first winner.

Berlin Raceway

The second leg of the doubleheader took place at Berlin Raceway, a track that has become a staple of the 500 Sprint Car Tour schedule. Tyler Roahrig drove from sixth to first to secure the victory in the second leg of the Michigan doubleheader, finishing ahead of Dakoda Armstrong and Kody Swanson.

Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park

An iconic open-wheel pavement venue, IRP hosted the 500 Sprint Car Tour as part of the 2022 Thursday Night Thunder Homecoming. Tanner Swanson earned the Sprint Car victory that night ahead of brother Kody Swanson, who won the USAC Silver Crown race that evening, and Kyle O'Gara, the evening's USAC Midget winner.

Anderson Speedway

Speaking of Kyle O'Gara, he won the 2022 Glen Niebel Classic, the first points-paying 500 Sprint Car Tour event at Anderson Speedway. O'Gara. The Glen Niebel Classic, an event dating back to 2000, has become a 500 Sprint Car Tour staple, with Kody Swanson winning the event to open the 2026 season earlier this year.

Toledo Speedway

Toledo Speedway was the first "new" track on the 2023 500 Sprint Car Tour schedule, hosting the Father's Day Classic. Kody Swanson earned the victory in the 40-lap feature at the Ohio speedplant ahead of Tyler Roahrig and Bobby Santos, III.

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

The 500 Sprint Car Tour made its only visit to date to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on July 29, 2023. Billy Wease earned his first career Sprint Car win in the race, holding off Bobby Santos, III for the victory.

Lorain Raceway Park

The 3/8-mile Lorain Raceway Park in Ohio hosted its lone 500 Sprint Car Tour event on September 9, 2023. Kyle O'Gara scored the victory in that race, leading from wire-to-wire in the 50-lap race in what remains his most recent 500 Sprint Car Tour win.

Kalamazoo Speedway

The series' first visit to Kalamazoo came on August 23, 2024, as part of a Michigan doubleheader weekend. Tyler Roahrig, a five-time Kalamazoo Klash winner in Late Model competition, swept the weekend at Kalamazoo and Owosso. He also won last year's 500 Sprint Car Tour event at Kalamazoo, one of five wins in six races to end the 2025 season.

Toledo Speedway

Toledo Speedway was the first "new" track on the 2023 500 Sprint Car Tour schedule, hosting the Father's Day Classic. Kody Swanson earned the victory in the 40-lap feature at the Ohio speedplant ahead of Tyler Roahrig and Bobby Santos, III.

Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway

The 500 Sprint Car Tour made its only visit to date to the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway on July 29, 2023. Billy Wease earned his first career Sprint Car win in the race, holding off Bobby Santos, III for the victory.

Lorain Raceway Park

The 3/8-mile Lorain Raceway Park in Ohio hosted its lone 500 Sprint Car Tour event on September 9, 2023. Kyle O'Gara scored the victory in that race, leading from wire-to-wire in the 50-lap race in what remains his most recent 500 Sprint Car Tour win.

Kalamazoo Speedway

The series' first visit to Kalamazoo came on August 23, 2024, as part of a Michigan doubleheader weekend. Tyler Roahrig, a five-time Kalamazoo Klash winner in Late Model competition, swept the weekend at Kalamazoo and Owosso. He also won last year's 500 Sprint Car Tour event at Kalamazoo, one of five wins in six races to end the 2025 season.

Salem Speedway

Another long-standing tradition, the Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial, joined the 500 Sprint Car Tour fold in 2024. Taylor Ferns made history in the race, becoming the first female winner of the Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial and joining the likes of AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, and Tony Stewart as former event winners.

Winchester Speedway

The 500 Sprint Car Tour added another iconic Indiana high-banked oval, Winchester Speedway, in 2025 with the Tom Bigelow Showdown. Kody Swanson has been dominant at Winchester in recent years, and he continued that dominance by winning the inaugural 500 Sprint Car Tour event there.

Owosso Speedway

Owosso Speedway is the next stop for the 500 Sprint Car Tour after this weekend's event at Jennerstown, and it hosted its inaugural event with the series last August. Like the year before, Tyler Roahrig swept a Michigan doubleheader, winning at Kalamazoo and Owosso.

Who will join this list of winners in first-time events for the YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour at Jennerstown this Saturday? Not only will the race be the first for the series at Jennerstown, but it will also be the first non-wing pavement Sprint Car race at the venue.

Fans can watch Saturday's Pennsylvania 50 at Jennerstown Speedway Complex live on RacingAmerica.TV. Click here to subscribe today and tune in to the 500 Sprint Car Tour event at Jennerstown.

-Photo credit: Jack Kessler

Salem Speedway

Another long-standing tradition, the Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial, joined the 500 Sprint Car Tour fold in 2024. Taylor Ferns made history in the race, becoming the first female winner of the Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial and joining the likes of AJ Foyt, Mario Andretti, and Tony Stewart as former event winners.

Winchester Speedway

The 500 Sprint Car Tour added another iconic Indiana high-banked oval, Winchester Speedway, in 2025 with the Tom Bigelow Showdown. Kody Swanson has been dominant at Winchester in recent years, and he continued that dominance by winning the inaugural 500 Sprint Car Tour event there.

Owosso Speedway

Owosso Speedway is the next stop for the 500 Sprint Car Tour after this weekend's event at Jennerstown, and it hosted its inaugural event with the series last August. Like the year before, Tyler Roahrig swept a Michigan doubleheader, winning at Kalamazoo and Owosso.

Who will join this list of winners in first-time events for the YourBIGPlans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour at Jennerstown this Saturday? Not only will the race be the first for the series at Jennerstown, but it will also be the first non-wing pavement Sprint Car race at the venue.

Fans can watch Saturday's Pennsylvania 50 at Jennerstown Speedway Complex live on RacingAmerica.TV. Click here to subscribe today and tune in to the 500 Sprint Car Tour event at Jennerstown.

-Photo credit: Jack Kessler