RaceSaver Nationals now pays $12,000 to win $1,600 to start
EAGLE, Neb. (July 31, 2024) – The team at Eagle Raceway could add to the Big Wings, Big Excitement slogan used to promote the IMCA RaceSaver Nationals.
The new slogan for the 12th annual event, scheduled Aug. 29-Sept. 1 at the Nebraska speed factory, would better be Big Wings, Big Excitement, Big Money.
A record $12,000 will be paid to the winner of the Sunday night main event for IMCA RaceSaver Sprint Cars, courtesy of RaceSaver and IMCA. The big dance now pays a minimum of $1,600 to start with numerous contingency awards to be given as well.
“This is the biggest event for the biggest class of Sprint Cars in the country and those numbers more than justify a $12,000 winner’s share and record-setting purse like this,” stated track operator and co-promoter Racine Hadan, noting that early entries are already in hand from more than 70 drivers coming everywhere from California to North Carolina.
Qualifying heats for the BlueMax Pay-sponsored Race of Champions is on Thursday with that $1,000 to win, $300 to start race on Friday.
Nine cars advance to the big dance from each $1,000 to win, $300 to start qualifying feature on Friday and Saturday with non-qualifier pay each night being $200. Sunday will be last-chance qualifying features to qualify the last nine cars, with ‘B’ features paying $1,000 to the first non-qualifier and $700 to start. All other non-qualifiers earn a minimum of $300 on Sunday.
“We are currently reworking the event format and two of the main changes are that instead of the top nine cars on Friday starting on the front three rows, Saturday’s top nine on the next three rows and Sunday’s top nine on the last three rows of the championship night main event,” explained Racine Hadan, “we will be starting Friday’s top nine on the inside row, Saturday’s top nine on the outside row and Sunday’s top nine on the middle row.”
And with some form of fan involvement, top three qualifiers from each night will see their rows 1-3 starting spots shuffled, likely by a redraw, and will not be starting straight up.
“The new format we are working on will be an effort to make it so that it doesn’t matter much what you draw the first night, since this has always been the main complaint about the format,” she said. “There are a few other minor tweaks in place that we will release later this week.”
Pre-tech runs from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Thursday and 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. on Friday.
Pit gates open at 3 p.m. and the grandstand opens at 4:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Hot laps are at 5 p.m. and racing is at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
IMCA Sunoco Hobby Stocks run for $300 to win on Friday, Friesen Performance IMCA Northern SportMods for $400 to win on Saturday and IMCA Sunoco Stock Cars for $500 to win on Sunday.
Sprint Car drivers can pre-enter for just $25 at www.racesaver.com; entry fee after Aug. 21 is $100. There is no entry fee for the other IMCA divisions.
Entertainment in the pits follows each race program and all three nights of the RaceSaver Nationals will be broadcast by IMCA.TV.
