Inagural “Road to the Gold” for Quartermidgets

Every year seems to bring a new dimension to the annual “Gold Crown Nationals” at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, Ill. This year is no exception as the Mopar .25 Midgets, fresh from their busiest calendar year ever, join the activities at the track located just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis.

Already sporting the USAC Mopar Midgets and Sprint car racing on the 3/8-mile dirt oval, Tri-City will make their debut on the Mopar .25 calendar with a Saturday, October 6 special event on an already-existing oval located on the facility grounds.

“It’s been an exceptional year for our participants,” says USAC Developmental Racing Director Kyle McCain. “We’re near the completion of a 15-event Generation Next Tour which spanned the country and we look forward to this new post-season event at Tri-City.”

The Tri-City facility has become a staple for USAC participants, who have been competing there since Danny Frye’s Midget victory in 1961.

The “Gold Crown Nationals,” scheduled for October 4-5-6, annually pits the nation’s top Midget drivers in three nights of pulsating entertainment on one of the country’s most competitive dirt ovals.

“We are pleased to include the next generation of USAC drivers in our program,” say race organizers Kevin and Tammy Gundaker. “This makes this special weekend of motorsports all the more special for us and for our fans.”

In addition to the racing action, which will include practice and feature events only (no qualifying or heat races), thirty (30) of the Mopar .25 drivers will be selected to team up with a Midget driver from Saturday’s A-Main to participate in Saturday’s official “Opening Ceremonies” driver introductions. That will include a group photo opportunity in victory lane.