WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Paducah, Big Money at I-55 Continues Fall ASCS Calendar

With only eight races remaining in the chase for the Emmett Hahn Trophy, the American Sprint Car Series heads for Paducah International Raceway and I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park this weekend with a chance for another big payday on the line.

The national 360 Sprint Car stars begin the weekend on Friday, Sept. 19, with their second appearance of the season at the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval of Paducah. The track hosted the Series in May, when Matt Covington led flag-to-flag in the event for his first Feature win of the season. Friday marks the Series’ fourth appearance to Paducah in its 34-year history.

Saturday, the Series travels Northwest to Pevely, MO, for its first appearance in nearly 30 years to-the-date at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park. The iconic dirt track racing venue, which has hosted both weekly racing and special events for nearly every car type since its founding in 1977, first welcomed the American Sprint Car Series on Sept. 24, 1995 — a race won by inaugural Series champion, Garry Lee Maier. On Sept. 20, 2025, the national Sprint Car stars return to its high-banked, 1/3-mile confines with a $10,000 grand prize awaiting the winner.

Tickets for both events 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.

Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:

TWO-TIMER — Matt Covington comes into the weekend as the defending Series winner at Paducah after taking the checkered flag in the Mother’s Day Salute on May 10.

That night, the 35-year-old from Glenpool, OK, scored the second win of his career at Paducah, matching the win he scored in the Series debut at the Kentucky oval in 2018. At I-55, Covington made his debut at the Missouri track one year ago with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, qualifying for the Feature on the Saturday of the two-day event in April, recording a 23rd-place finish.

Covington is also coming into the weekend on the heels of six-straight top-10 finishes and his second Feature win of the season at Lakeside Speedway on Sept. 5.

LOTS OF LAPS — There’s one driver on the full-time Series roster that has more laps in a Sprint Car around I-55 than any other.

Sam Hafertepe Jr. has 11 recorded appearances in his career at the track, all of which came under the World of Outlaws banner. In nine career Feature starts there, his best finish was a 10th-place run in April 2021. He’s also performed well at Paducah in American Sprint Car Series competition, posting back-to-back runner-up finishes in the last two events held there — this past May and October 2024.

In addition to riding a streak of five-straight top-10 finishes, the current Series points leader is coming off his 10th Feature win of the season, which he earned two weeks ago at 81 Speedway in Kansas with a charge from the sixth starting spot.

ROOKIE STRIPES — After a season-long, back-and-forth battle, Garrett Benson has taken a commanding lead in the points chase for Brodix Rookie of the Year honors with only eight races left.

The 15-year-old from Concordia, MO, has fought side-by-side with Brady Baker for the lead in the Rookie points standings all year until pulling ahead with a massive advantage after the previous race weekend at Lakeside, 81, and Eagle Raceway two weeks ago. While Baker suffered multiple mechanical issues in the four-race stretch, Benson posted three-straight top-10 finishes and now leads the chase by 100 points.

READ ALSO: Garrett Benson ‘Made the Right Choice’ in Pursuit of Sprint Car Career as Teenager

Benson makes his debut at I-55 in his home state of Missouri this weekend and is confident in his abilities to contend for his first career Series victory on the 1/3-mile oval.

SEEN ‘EM — Blake Hahn recalls nothing but success at both tracks the Series competes at this weekend and will use his past experience in pursuit of a third win of 2025.

The two-time Series champion from Sapulpa, OK, has two career starts at Paducah. His first came in the Series debut in 2018, resulting in a 16th-to-sixth run in the main event, and the second came this past May, resulting in a fifth-place finish. He’s also made one career start at I-55 against the World of Outlaws in April 2023, when he put together a 23rd-to-fifth charge in the main event.

The 30-year-old has been strong in Series competition as of late, posting three-straight podium finishes between Lakeside and 81 two weeks ago.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE 

WHEN AND WHERE 

• Friday, Sept. 19 at Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, KY
• Saturday, Sept. 20 at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, MO

TRACK FACTS

• Paducah — high-banked, 3/8-mile oval
• I-55 — high-banked, 1/3-mile oval
• Paducah Track Record — 13.665 set by Sam Hafertepe Jr. on Oct. 12, 2024
• I-55 Record — none set

ON THE INTERNET
X — @ASCSRacing
Instagram — @ascs_racing
Facebook — @AmericanSprintCarSeries
YouTube — @AmericanSprintCarSeries
DIRTVision — DIRTVision.com (Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month)

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (26/34 Races)

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2964pts)
2. Blake Hahn 2765pts (–199)
3. Matt Covington 2764pts (–200)
4. Jason Martin 2713pts (–251)
5. Kyler Johsnon 2427pts (–537)
6. Garrett Benson 2418pts (–546)
7. Zach Blurton 2346pts (–618)
8. Brady Baker 2318pts (–646)
9. Austyn Gossel 2222pts (–742)
10. Landon Britt 2174pts (–790)

FEATURE WINNERS (11 Drivers):

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (10 wins)
2. Justin Peck (3 wins)
3. Rico Abreu, Ryan Timms, Jason Martin, Matt Covington, Blake Hahn (2 wins)
4. Zach Blurton, Austin McCarl, Seth Bergman, Cameron Martin (1 win)

FEATURE LAPS LED (16 Drivers)

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (226 laps)
2. Matt Covington (95 laps)
3. Justin Peck, Ryan Timms (65 laps)
4. Jason Martin (63 laps)
5. Rico Abreu, Cameron Martin (34 laps)
6. Blake Hahn (26 laps)
7. Zach Blurton (25 laps)
8. Chase Randall (16 laps)
9. Brian Brown (15 laps)
10. Seth Bergman (14 laps)
11. Austyn Gossel, Jake Bubak (13 laps)
12. Austin McCarl (4 laps)
13. Kyle Larson (2 laps)

QUICK TIME AWARDS (14 Drivers)

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (7 awards)
2. Matt Covington (3 awards)
3. Seth Bergman, Blake Hahn, Tony Rost (2 awards)
4. Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Kyler Johnson, Roger Crockett, Jason Martin, Carson McCarl, Ryan Timms, Ryder Laplante, Kelly Miller (1 award)

HEAT RACE WINNERS (43 Drivers)

1. Matt Covington (12 wins)
2. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (11 wins)
3. Jason Martin (7 wins)
4. Garrett Benson (6 wins)
5. Seth Bergman, Blake Hahn (4 wins)
6. Justin Peck, Austyn Gossel, Chris Martin, Cameron Martin (3 wins)
7. Scotty Thiel, Whit Gastineau, Hank Davis, Sean McClelland, Harli White, Jake Bubak, Kyler Johnson, Ryder McCutcheon (2 wins)
8. Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Caleb Saiz, Bradley Fezard, Bryan Gossel, Jordon Mallett, Bryant Wiedeman, Sterling Cling, Tucker Boutlon, Landon Britt, Dustin Selvage, Jamie Ball, Matt Juhl, Tony Rost, Jack Dover, Cam Sorrels, Tyler Lee, Chase Dietz, Trever Kirkland, Elijah Gile, Ryan Timms, Brekton Crouch, Roger Crockett, Clint Garner (1 win)

DASH APPEARANCES (55 Drivers)

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (19 appearances)
2. Matt Covington (15 appearances)
3. Blake Hahn (10 appearances)
4. Garrett Benson, Kyler Johnson, Jason Martin (8 appearances)
5. Seth Bergman (7 appearances)
6. Austyn Gossel (5 appearances)
7. Jake Bubak, Cameron Martin (4 appearances)
8. Justin Peck, Whit Gastineau, Chris Martin, Austin McCarl (3 appearances)
9. Emerson Axsom, Scotty Thiel, Danny Dietrich, Cole Macedo, Brady Bacon, Daison Pursley, Jordon Mallett, Sean McClelland, Bryant Wiedeman, Brady Baker, Zach Blurton, Ryan Timms, Hank Davis, Roger Crockett, Ryder McCutcheon (2 appearances)
10. Jordan Thomas, Scotty Thiel, Brian Brown, Caleb Saiz, Chance Morton, Bradley Fezard, Bryan Gossel, Joey Danley, Alex Sewell, Steven Shebester, Harli White, Tucker Boulton, Landon Britt, Sterling Cling, Scotty Milan, Trever Kirkland, Elijah Gile, Garen Linder, Ryder Laplante, Ian Myers, Kelly Miller, Tony Rost, Brekton Crouch, JJ Hickle, Riley Goodno, Carson McCarl, Clint Garner (1 appearance)

SMITH TITANIUM LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (19 Drivers)

1. Blake Hahn, Emerson Axsom, Tyler Clem, Kyle Clark, Bryant Wiedeman, Jason Martin, Harli White, Connor Lee, Giovanni Scelzi, Tanner Holmes, Daison Pursley, Adam Trimble, Landon Britt, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Zach Blurton, Lane Taylor, Jack Wagner, Sean McClelland, Tony Rost (1 win)

HARD CHARGER AWARDS (20 Drivers)

1. Brady Baker (6 awards)
2. Ryder Laplante, Kelly Miller (2 awards)
3. Austin McCarl, Emerson Axsom, Blake Hahn, Landon Britt, Jordon Mallett, Jason Martin, Brad Bowden, Stu Snyder, Tanner Holmes, Tasker Phillips, Giovanni Scelzi, Brogan Carder, Kory Wermling, Matt Covington, Seth Bergman, Kyler Johnson, Cole Vanderheiden (1 award)

 PODIUM FINISHES (28 Drivers)

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (16 podiums)
2. Jason Martin, Blake Hahn (9 podiums)
3. Matt Covington (6 podiums)
4. Seth Bergman (4 podiums)
5. Justin Peck, Kyler Johnson, Ryan Timms, Cameron Martin (3 podiums)
6. Brian Brown, Rico Abreu, Parker Price-Miller, Kyle Larson, Austin McCarl, Garrett Benson (2 podiums)
7. Emerson Axsom, Cole Macedo, Sean McClelland, Zach Blurton, Austyn Gossel, Brady Baker, Joey Danley, James McFadden, Jake Bubak, Bryant Wiedeman, Trever Kirkland, Hank Davis, JJ Hickle (1 podium)

2025 SCHEDULE + WINNERS

Race Number. Day, Date / Track / City, State / Winner (Total Wins)

1. Thu, Jan. 30 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Justin Peck (1)
2. Fri, Jan. 31 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Justin Peck (2)
3. Sat, Feb. 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Justin Peck (3)
4. Sat, April 12 / Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1)
5. Sat, May 10 / Paducah International Raceway / Paducah, KY / Matt Covington (1)
6. Fri, May 30 / Salt City Speedway / Hutchinson, KS / Zach Blurton (1)
7. Sat, May 31 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2)
8. Sat, June 7 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3)
9. Sat, June 21 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Locust Grove, AR / Blake Hahn (1)
10. Thu, July 3 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (4)
11. Fri, July 4 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (5)
12. Fri, July 18 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (6)
13. Fri, July 25 / Windy Hollow Speedway / Owensboro, KY / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (7)
14. Sat, July 26 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (8)
15. Thu, July 31 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Austin McCarl (1)
16. Fri, Aug. 1 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Rico Abreu (1)
17. Sat, Aug. 2 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Rico Abreu (2)
18. Fri, Aug. 15 / WaKeeney Speedway / WaKeeney, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (9)
19. Sat, Aug. 16 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO / Jason Martin (1)
20. Fri, Aug. 22 / Big Sky Speedway / Billings, MT / Ryan Timms (1)
21. Sat, Aug. 23 / Big Sky Speedway / Billings, MT / Ryan Timms (2)
22. Fri, Aug. 29 / Electric City Speedway / Great Falls, MT / Jason Martin (2)
23. Sat, Aug. 30 / Electric City Speedway / Great Falls, MT / Seth Bergman (1)
24. Fri, Sept. 5 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS / Matt Covington (2)
25. Fri, Sept. 5 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS / Blake Hahn (2)
26. Sat, Sept. 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (10)
27. Sun, Sept. 7 / Eagle Raceway / Eagle, NE / Cameron Martin (1)