MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – The winner of the 57th annual Champion Racing Oil National Open at Williams Grove Speedway on Oct. 5 will pocket the biggest cash payday in the history of the track – $65,000.
Williams Grove Speedway officials made the announcement late Wednesday.
“Since 1939, for decades and decades, Williams Grove Speedway has represented the pinnacle of the sport of sprint car racing in the East,” said Williams Grove owner Kathy Hughes.
“Fans and drivers look to us and expect us to carry the torch high for the sport as the premier arena for sprint car racing in the east and taking this step just perpetuates and broadens our legacy as the leader in the industry on the East Coast,” Hughes said.
The $65,000 winner’s share of the 57th annual Champion Racing Oil National Open will be up for grabs as the World of Outlaws NOS Engery Drink Sprint Cars Series does battle with the Pennsylvania Posse at the two-day event, slated to take place Oct. 4-5.
The $65,000 winner’s share will be the biggest cash amount ever offered to win a sprint car race on the East Coast, much less at Williams Grove Speedway.
In addition to the boost in pay announced for the National Open, the speedway has also now posted an $8,000 paycheck to win the Sept. 27 National Open World of Outlaws tune up event.
As usual, the Champion Racing Oil National Open will be a multi-day event with two complete World of Outlaws shows staged on Oct. 4-5. Friday’s event will pay $10,000 to win.
The Williams Grove National Open first paid $25,000 to win in 2001 before jumping to $30,000 in 2002 and then to $50,000 in 2006.
The race paid $56,000 to winner Lance Dewease in 2018.
Save for two years when rains forced postponement, the World of Outlaws has sanctioned the National Open every year since 1989.