A 27-week season, highlighted by a financial boost in year-end points fund awards, will bloom into national championship battles in multiple divisions starting with the week of March 29th through the week ending Oct. 3. Competitors from a steadily-growing list of 37 current sanctioned tracks chase precious points and compete for national titles in five different classes: Late Models, Late Model Sportsman, Street Stocks, Modified Sportsman and Thunder Bombers.

It’ll be the 16th season of competition for the weekly-sanctioned facilities that are sanctioned by the Georgia-based racing organization. Thirty-seven tracks in eight different states have at least one division currently aligned with the sanctioning body, and drivers in each class will compete with each other using a points system that counts a competitor’s top 14 finishes over a 27-week season.

The Thunder Bomber division’s weekly points have already started March 1, and will continue through Nov. 1, and their points system at seven different tracks counts a driver’s best 20 finishes during that time period. The rest of the classes begin their points-counting season this coming weekend.

“We’re very pleased with the continued growth of our Weekly Racing Series, and believe that the number of tracks we have involved with us this season represents the highest number in the 17-year history of the organization,” Stewart said. “That’s extremely encouraging to us, and our phones continue to ring with calls from racing facilities who are expressing interest in joining with us. We hope to continue to grow the list of sanctioned tracks in the future.”

Increased Points Fund Money Available
Most importantly, an increase in year-end prize money has been posted for all divisions, a step that Stewart has made after spending time to organize and plan over the winter months.

Year-end point fund money has been boosted in the weekly Late Model division, and while the top portion will remain the same at $10,000 to the national champion, $2,000 has been added to the runnerup position and $1,000 to the third-place finisher. Overall, there’s $4,300 more that’s available to the top 10 in the final standings for the Weekly Racing Series Late Model division.

All other divisions have had their financial numbers increased between 40 and 75 percent. There’s $3,800 total spread through the top 10 in the Late Model Sportsman class, $1,900 more has been spread around the top 10 positions in the Modified Sportsman ranks, and $3,800 has been added to the top 10 slots in the Street Stock ranks. Thunder Bombers are racing for a higher point fund in their featured Thunder Bomber Shootout Series, which is now three races deep into a 12-event schedule.

“Our entire organization has been growing since we purchased the company a little over two years ago, and the future looks brighter for Crate Racin’ USA with each step forward that we take,” Stewart said. “I’m a firm believer that our drivers, teams and sponsors are the foundation of what we do, and without them our company simply wouldn’t exist. It’s a financial reality that we have to operate efficiently like any business, and that sometimes requires difficult decisions. At the same time, we also need to realize that when we do better, we need to make sure our drivers and teams share in that success.”

Benefits for Drivers and Tracks
Alignment with Crate Racin’ USA from a racetrack’s standpoint carries many benefits, including standardized rules and tech procedures, plus an advanced marketing and publicity effort that is provided by the organization to help boost a track’s own efforts. The entire Weekly Racing Series is organized under one banner, also making it easier for sponsors to reach a very large collection of member/drivers.

Stewart is especially proud of a little-publicized benefit offered to sanctioned tracks, which returns weekly entry fee money to the facilities at the end of the season.

“Each driver pays a $10 entry fee to race at our sanctioned tracks when they sign in to compete each week,” Stewart said. “That money is not kept by our organization, but instead is returned to the tracks at the end of the year at a time when it helps our facilities pay their year-end points fund. That means as tracks work together with us to increase their car counts and driver attendance in each division, there can be more money available to everyone at the end of the season. That is something we take pride in offering to racetracks as a benefit to joining Crate Racin’ USA.”

A New Year Dawns with Notable Growth
Last year’s titlists in the five divisions include Shannon Lee (Late Model), Ryan King (Late Model Sportsman), Ricky Idom (Street Stocks), Scottie Hiett (Modified Sportsman) and Benji Knight (Thunder Bombers).

There are 31 tracks returning to the Crate Racin’ USA family from last year, and six new facilities have been added to the group: East Bay Raceway Park in Gibsonton, Fla., Modoc (S.C.) Speedway, Revolution Park (The Rev) in Monroe, La., Outlaw Motor Speedway in Perkinston, Miss., Sumter (S.C.) Speedway and Thunder Valley Speedway in Glenmora, La.

“We’re really looking forward to a great season with our Weekly Racing Series this year,” said Stewart. “Our organization has experienced tremendous growth, including an expansion of the number of tracks sanctioned by our organization, and we couldn’t be more enthused to see that happen because it’s the weekly drivers who form the backbone of this sport, and what we do as a company couldn’t happen successfully without their loyal support.”

The economical Chevrolet Performance 602 and 604 Circle Track Engine is utilized by competitors in the various divisions presented by Crate Racin’ USA. It’s in stock and available for free, next-day delivery from Newsome Raceway Parts in Hartsville, S.C.

Each engine is built and sealed at the factory to prevent any expensive modifications. To place an order, call 1-877-497-3624.
For more information and rules, visit the organization’s website at www.crateracinusa.com, or follow our extensive social media programs on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Newsome Raceway Parts, a division of Raceway Chevrolet in Hartsville, S.C., is the title sponsor of Crate Racin’ USA. E-Z-GO Golf Carts is the title sponsor of the first-year E-Z-GO $100,000+ Challenge.

Chevrolet Performance is an official sponsor of the organization, along with Advanced Laser & Machine, Cruise with the Champions, Hoosier Racing Tire, KRC Power Steering, Knowles Race Parts and Bodies, My Race Pass, VP Racing Fuels and Lubricants and Willy’s Carburetors.

Official chassis sponsors include Warrior Race Cars, Rocket Chassis and CVR Race Cars.

2021 Crate Racin USA (Divisions and Tracks)

604 Late Model (25 tracks):
All-Tech Raceway (Ellisville, Fla.)
Boothill Speedway (Greenwood, La.)
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, S.C.)
Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway
Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway
Deep South Speedway (Loxley, Ala.)
Revolution Park (The Rev) (Monroe, La.)
Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, Tenn.)
East Bay Raceway Park (Gibsonton, Fla.)
Greenville (Miss.) Speedway
Hattiesburg (Miss.) Speedway
Jackson Motor Speedway (Byram, Miss.)
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Moulton (Ala.) Speedway
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.)
Northwest Florida Speedway (Baker, Fla.)
Outlaw Speedway (Perkinston, Miss.)
Pike County Speedway (McComb, Miss.)
Talladega Short Track, Eastaboga, Ala.
Tennessee National Raceway (Hohenwald, Tenn.)
Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.)
Thunder Valley Speedway (Glenmora, La.)
Tri-County Speedway (Flomaton, Ala.)
Whynot Motorsports Park (Meridian, Miss.)

602 Late Model Sportsman (12 tracks):
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Deep South Speedway (Loxley, Ala.)
East Bay Raceway Park (Gibsonton, Fla.)
ECM Speedway (Bremen, Ala.)
Jackson Motor Speedway (Byram, Miss.)
Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Moulton (Ala.) Speedway
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.)
Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.)
Tri-County Speedway (Flomaton, Ala.)
Whynot Motorsports Park (Meridian, Miss.)

Street Stocks (20 tracks):
All-Tech Raceway (Ellisville, Fla.)
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Cherokee Speedway, Gaffney, S.C.
Deep South Speedway, Loxley, Ala.
Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, Tenn.)
ECM Speedway (Bremen, Ala.)
Fayetteville (N.C.) Motor Speedway
Greenville (Miss.) Speedway
Hattiesburg (Miss.) Speedway
Jackson Motor Speedway (Byram, Miss.)
Lake View Motor Speedway (Nichols, S.C.)
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Modoc (S.C.) Speedway
Moulton (Ala.) Speedway
Needmore Speedway (Norman Park, Ga.)
Sumter (S.C.) Speedway
Tennessee National Raceway (Howenwald, Tenn.)
Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.)
Tri-County Speedway (Flomaton, Ala.)
Whynot Motorsports Park (Meridian, Miss.)

Modified Sportsman (9 tracks):
Camden (Tenn.) Speedway
Duck River Raceway Park (Wheel, Tenn.)
ECM Speedway (Bremen, Ala.)
Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, Miss.)
Moulton (Ala.) Speedway
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.)
Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.)
Tennessee National Raceway (Hohenwald, Tenn.)
Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.)

Thunder Bomber (7 tracks):
Carolina Speedway (Gastonia, N.C.)
Cherokee Speedway (Gaffney, S.C.)
Harris (N.C.) Speedway
Lancaster (S.C.) Motor Speedway
Laurens County (S.C.) Speedway
Lavonia (Ga.) Speedway
Travelers Rest (S.C.) Speedway

Article Credit: Brian McLeod