Tri State Sprints; Schedule, Format, and Why They Work

Potterville, MI - The Tri State Sprint Series, heading into its second season of racing in the Great Lakes Region, has released its 2025 schedule of events. A project of Promoter John Hotchkiss, the Tri State Sprint Series has grown since the two-race inaugural season in 2024. This year, seven dates dot the schedule across the state of Michigan and Ontario, Canada for the Winged Pavement Sprint Car Series.

The 2024 season began with tests of putting sprint cars on a 10-inch tire of any manufacture, including American Racer, Hoosier, and even Cobra Tires. Hotchkiss says the idea behind the small tire is to even the playing field from the big programs to the small programs. Certain engine combinations will allow the traditional "big" right rear tire, such as crate engines and carbureted cast-iron blocks.

"That's what it's all about for me," Hotchkiss told the Horsepower Happenings podcast. "Just to see these guys get out of the cars with a smile on their face; to have some fun again."

With less than 30 cars on the property, the Tri State Sprints run a unique format that Hotchkiss adopted from the South African racing series. A pair of Qualifier races are conducted prior to the evening's main event. The first qualifier is inverted from qualifying times, the second qualifier race is inverted from the results of the first qualifier. Then, the Main Event is lined-up by the average finish of the two qualifiers. Hotchkiss says they are considering an invert or redraw for 2025. Hotchkiss says that should more than 30 cars attend a Tri State Sprints event, they would fall back to a traditional format with Qualifying, Heat Races, B-Main, and A-Main.

The 2025 season will begin on Friday, June 13th, at Kalamazoo Speedway, which welcomes the Tri State Sprints for the first time. Then, on Friday, July 11th, Corrigan Oil Speedway, which hosted the first Tri State Sprint Series event, returns to the schedule. Auto City Speedway plays host to the Tri State Sprints on Saturday, July 26th; a return to Corrigan on Friday, August 1st; back to Auto City on August 16th; Grand Bend Speedway in Ontario, CA on August 23rd, and the season finale at Auto City Speedway on Saturday, September 6th.

While the Tri State Sprints are built on being affordable, the purse leans the way of the racer. Each show offers a chance at $1,400 to win and $400 to start, with the pay through the field dropping by only $100 down the line.

For more information on the Tri State Sprints, join the Tri State Sprints public Facebook Group.