One of the most anticipated nights of the racing season is on tap this Friday when the USAC Silver Crown and Big 8 Late Models come to town for Salute to America Night along with the area’s biggest and best aerial and ground fireworks program from Spielbauer Fireworks.
If you haven’t been to Madison for a Salute to America fireworks program then now is the time to bring the entire family out for a night of thrills and booms as the entire display will be directly overhead while you sit in the grandstand. If you were here last year you know exactly what we’re talking about so let’s see what surprises the guys from Spielbauer Fireworks have in store for us this year.
The USAC Silver Crown cars are back for the second straight season at Madison and will be battling it out in the Bytec Inc. Dairyland 100. Last year Kody Swanson of Kingsburg, California, who is the all-time winningest driver in the Silver Crown Series, held off Bobby Santos and Justin Grant topping a nineteen car field to pick up the checkered flag in the open wheel event. Grant set the track record in qualifying with a lap of 16.870 (106.97 mph). Silver Crown cars have a 96” wheel base and weigh a minimum of 1625 pounds and compete on both pavement and dirt. They will easily top speeds of 120 mph on the half-mile. Drivers are expected from coast to coast this Friday night.
The Madison race will be the sixth of the 2019 season for the Silver Crown cars who compete on both asphalt and dirt. David Byrne of Shullsburg, Wisconsin, is currently third in points and will be looking to pick up his first win of the season. Kody Swanson has two wins this year with Brady Bacon, Tyler Courtney, and Kyle Hamilton also notching victories. More information about the series is available at usacracing.com.
Byrne’s name is in the Madison record books for turning the fastest lap ever on Wisconsin’s Fastest Half-Mile back in May of 2016 with a mark of 14.624 (123.09 mph) driving a 410 Sprint Car during the MadTown Meltdown.
The biggest late model event of the season is on tap when the Big 8 Late Models battle it out in the Salute to America 48. The 48 lap event will be the longest Late Model race at Madison this season.
The Madison race will be the second event for the Big 8 in 2019 with Nick Egan taking home the checkered flag from Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, back in May.
It’s hard to believe that this is the 20th race for the Big 8 cars at Madison dating back to 2005. Last year Michael Bilderback picked up the win in the twenty-eight car field. Four drivers have multiple wins in Big 8 events at Madison: Jeremy Miller has won four races while Ross Kenseth, Dale Nottestad, and Zack Riddle each have won a pair. Other winners include Brady Liddle, Austin Nason, Jon Reynolds Jr., Steve Rubeck, John Baumeister Jr., Ryan Carlson, Brian Hoppe, and Tim Sauter.
Pit gates open at 3:00 with practice at 4:45, qualifying at 6:15 and racing at 7:30. Adult ticket prices are $20.00 with Seniors / Whelen Heroes $18.00, Students 12-17 $10.00, Children 6-11 $5.00, and five and under free. A “Family” ticket is just $40.00 and includes up to two adult admissions and four student / children tickets.
No Racing on July 5th
There will be no racing on Friday, July 5th so that fans may enjoy Fourth of July events in their local communities and our drivers, crews, and employees can spend time with their families.