For over 35 years, 410 Sprint Car racing has been one of the most popular attractions at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park.
This Saturday, the 360 cubic-inch variety of winged open-wheel machines will get their opportunity to start a new chapter in the track’s long Sprint Car history, gracing the high-banked, 1/3-mile oval in Pevely, MO, for the first time in nearly 30 years with the return of the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS).
Sept. 24, 1995 — inaugural Series champion Garry Lee Maier took the checkered flag in the first and only previous appearance by the national 360 Sprint Car series at I-55.
Sept. 20, 2025 — nearly 30 years to the date — the modern-day American Sprint Car Series stars return to battle for a $10,000 grand prize, marking the sixth five-figure winner’s share paid out on the national circuit in 2025.
Of the list of ASCS stars competing this weekend, two-time National Series champion Blake Hahn knows all about the excitement ahead. After clinching back-to-back national ASCS titles in 2021 and 2022, the Oklahoma native spent two years chasing a 410-based schedule and made his debut at I-55 with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in April 2023.
“It was really cool; the place was everything I ever thought it was gonna be,” Hahn said. “It’s one of those places that was on my bucket list. Really, a lot of it stems from being a kid and playing the World of Outlaws (Sprint Cars 2002) game growing up. Being able to go that track that I grew up racing on the video game at was pretty neat, and I’ve been able to see a bunch of really good Outlaws races there, too.”
That night, Hahn put together a standout charge through field, driving from 23rd on the starting grid up to a fifth-place finish against the world’s best Sprint Car drivers.
“I found out about halfway through the race how to work the bottom to get some good drive off and was able to sneak by a few guys like that,” Hahn said. “Had some cautions play out in our favor and was able to pick a few off that way. A lot of guys were up top, sliding each other, and I just rolled around the bottom, making sure I hit the moisture off the exits to get some good launch down the straightaway.”
Hahn is not shy about his ambition to race again at the Missouri oval. Tracks with both a high degree of banking and circumference of 0.333 miles or less are not common to the national ASCS circuit, so Hahn takes advantage when the opportunity knocks.
“It’s a small track, and not that we’re not used to small tracks, but we don’t get a whole lot of small tracks with that much banking,” Hahn said. “So, it’s really cool to be able to go somewhere like that. Another thing that pops out is having that infield wall down there. There’s not a lot of places you can get away from the action; it’s all right there.
“Something else that’s really neat about it is you can get up top and really bang the boards and be hammer-down, or you can finesse the bottom and get it rolling too.”
That positive reputation as a multi-groove racetrack was forged through years of strong track surface maintenance. It’s a reputation local businessman, dirt track promoter and car owner Josh Carroll made sure to uphold after purchasing the track from Ray and Sue Marler in the spring.
“We’ve done a lot of work to it,” Carroll said. “At the beginning of the year, we had some issues we had to work out with it. We’ve got them worked out, and the last few weeks it’s been smooth and had a cushion. I know some Sprint Car guys like a little character, but as dry as it’s been, I expect it to be perfectly smooth, and we’ll try to give them the best cushion we can to do some racing.”
The track has produced several iconic moments with the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars since the Series’ debut there in 1987, such as unforgettable feats during the Ironman 55. Now Carroll and his team will aim to bring the same fortune to ASCS.
“The fans love the Sprint Cars there,” Carroll said. “Any Sprint Car, whether it be the World of Outlaws or ASCS, puts on a great show there and the fans love to see it.”
With one eye on this Saturday — a potentially crucial event to the points championship chase — Hahn already has the other on a future for I-55 and ASCS.
“Everybody’s excited to go there, and it gives a different group of guys the chance to go race at a premier track like that,” Hahn said. “Hopefully, we have some good turnout with the fans and drivers, we can show the track our support, and hopefully, they want to have us back.”
Tickets for this Saturday’s event will be sold at the track on race day. If you can’t be there to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
