Top Storylines Heading into Salem Speedway
Top Storylines Heading into Salem Speedway
The 500 Sprint Car Tour invades the Highbanks of Salem Speedway for the second consecutive year on Saturday, July 12th, 2025. There is no shortage of storylines as the tour enters the 66th Running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial presented by the Hoosier Lottery & Earl’s of Indy.
Honoring Two Racers:
The race honors two former racers, Joe James and Pat O’Connor. Joe James was a racer from Mississippi that died in a racing accident at San Jose Speedway in 1952. He made two starts in the Indianapolis 500 in 1951 and 1952. James was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1997.
Pat O’Connor from North Vernon, Indiana is the second driver honored as part of the race. The local southern Indiana racer won the race that now bears his name in 1954 and 1957. In 1957 he sat on the pole for the Indianapolis 500 and finished 8th. O’Connor was coming off of a career best 1957 season where he finished 4th in the AAA/USAC Championship. O’Connor qualified 5th for the 1958 Indy 500. Unfortunately, O’Connor was part of a 15 car pileup on the first lap of the Indy 500 in turn 3. O’Connor would pass away in the accident at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His name was added to the event in 1958. The memorial race is the second longest held pavement sprint car race in the country after the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway.
High Bank King - Kody Swanson:
Kody Swanson’s accolades in racing are some of the most impressive ever seen. However; his “High-Bank Pavement” prowess is nothing short of exceptional. He has five Joe James/Pat O’Connor victories at Salem Speedway from 2016-2020. All of those victories came in the USAC Silver Crown Series. The USAC Silver Crown Series in recent years has also competed at Salem’s High Banked counterpart Winchester Speedway (Winchester, Indiana). He has won the last four Winchester Silver Crown races from 2022-2025. Swanson recently completed a Winchester Speedway weekend sweep when he won both the USAC Silver Crown race and the 500 Sprint Car Tour race on Friday, June 27th and Sunday, June 29th respectively. It was the first non-wing pavement sprint car race at Winchester since 2019. Swanson also brought home a second place finish in 2024 when the 500 Sprint Car Tour brought the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial back to Salem Speedway for the first time since 2020.
Can Ferns Do It Again?
Taylor Ferns returns to the sight of her first pavement sprint car win as she enters the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial as the only female racer to ever win the event. The win was also her first victory on the 500 Sprint Car Tour, and it sent a message loud and clear: she’s not just here to compete—she’s here to win. An emotional victory for Ferns made for one of the most memorable victory lane moments, or moments in general, of the entire 2024 season. Ferns had a strong showing last time out as she finished in second place and led some laps at Winchester Speedway. Emotions will definitely be high going into Salem this Saturday for Ferns and her family, but the mission will still be the same.
Fresh Face or Repeat Winner?
The 2025 500 Sprint Car season has kicked off with a bang, as a different driver has won each of the first three events (Dakoda Armstrong, Bobby Santos, and Kody Swanson). If you include the non points earning Little 500, a different driver has won all four 500 Sprint Car Tour sanctioned events in 2025. Now enter the great equalizer, the high banks of Salem Speedway. The daunting task of completing four corners of racing at Salem Speedway can either lead to experience taking over, or see a new face enter the fold as anything can truly happen.
War of Attrition:
After carnage ensued at Winchester Speedway less than two weeks ago, the race was on for cars to be repaired in time for Salem Speedway this Saturday. Those that survived Winchester in one piece not only won the first War of Attrition, but now are preparing for their second war in as many races. For tracks like Winchester and Salem that are hard on equipment, it isn’t always the fastest driver to come home in first place. Rather it is the driver that manages their emotions and equipment the best throughout the physically grueling event that comes out on top. Experience will likely pay dividends for those that are familiar with this style of race, but the old saying of “You don’t know what you don’t know” will come into play for some as they take their chances at winning one of the most prestigious races in all of sprint car racing.
Race Info:
The 66th Running of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial is set for Saturday, July 12th at Salem Speedway. The 500 Sprint Car Tour will be joined by the USSA Kenyon Midget Series and Legends. Both the divisions will be competing on the ¼ mile course located on the infield of Salem Speedway. Pit gates will open at 12:00pm with hot laps beginning at 3:15pm. Qualifying will begin at 6:00pm and racing is set to begin at 7:00pm. Reserved seating tickets for the event are $30, general admission for adults is $25 and kids 6-12 are $5. Get your tickets online today by clicking HERE. All of the night’s racing action will be streamed live on DIRTVision. For those not currently subscribed to DIRTVision, you can choose your subscription package by clicking HERE.
The 2025 500 Sprint Car Tour season will see nine point earning events across a ten race schedule from early April to mid October. The 77th Annual Unified Group Services Little 500 presented by UAW will once again be a non-points earning event for the series, filling out the ten race schedule in its traditional Memorial Day Weekend slot. All races, including the 77th Annual Unified Group Services Little 500, will be streamed LIVE on DIRTVision. For more information on the 500 Sprint Car Tour visit: 500sprintcartour.com and be sure to follow on social media (Facebook: 500 Sprint Car Tour | Twitter (X): @500SprintTour | Instagram: @500sprintcartour).
