Swanson Looks to Secure Third 500 Sprint Car Tour Championship in Season Finale at IRP
Swanson Looks to Secure Third 500 Sprint Car Tour Championship in Season Finale at IRP
The 2026 season for the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour will come down to one final race this Saturday, October 17, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, where Kody Swanson will look to cap off a strong campaign by securing his third career series championship.
Swanson enters the season finale holding a 104-point advantage over Jackson Macenko in the championship standings, putting the Kingsburg, California, driver in a strong position heading into the final event of the year. With the championship on the line, Swanson will have one final opportunity to put an exclamation point on his 2026 season and add another title to his resume.
The Nick Bohanon Racing driver has put together an impressive season, collecting three victories in 2026, including the most recent event at Toledo Speedway. That latest win provided a lead in the championship with just starting the race at IRP will capture his third championship.
While Swanson holds the advantage, Macenko and the rest of the field will have one final chance to shape the outcome of the championship. Macenko, who drives the No. 24 for Brad Hayes Racing with sponsorship from JTM Food Group, enters the event second in the standings and will look to finish the season with a strong performance at IRP. The Cincinnati Ohio driver has turned heads winning his first race at Winchester Speedway in June.
Saturday’s event will also feature a competitive field of drivers looking to finish their seasons on a high note. Currently, 17 cars are entered for the season finale, with additional entries expected before race day. Among those entered are three-time 2026 winner Swanson, Macenko, Dakoda Armstrong, Bobby Santos III, Tyler Roahrig and Nathan Byrd, along with a strong collection of competitors from across the country.
Roahrig has won five of the six yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour races held at IRP, establishing a level of dominance that is rarely seen at any single track on a series schedule (aside, maybe, from his dominance at Berlin Raceway as well). His five victories have made him the driver to beat whenever the Tour rolls into Brownsburg, and his record at the track has become one of the defining statistical accomplishments in the young history of the series.
The championship isn’t the only season-long battle set to reach its conclusion at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, as the Brad Hayes Racing Performance Rookie of the Year award will also be decided. Tony McVey enters the season finale leading Olivia Shelbo by 135 points in the standings, with both drivers looking to close out their rookie campaigns on a high note. The 2026 season marks the first year Brad Hayes Racing Performance has sponsored the Rookie of the Year award, adding another milestone to the Tour’s final event of the season. With one race remaining, McVey and Shelbo will have one last opportunity to make their mark in the battle for rookie honors.
The season finale brings together a mix of established Tour contenders and drivers eager to make their mark in the final race of 2026. With the championship battle taking center stage, the event promises to deliver an exciting conclusion to another season of pavement sprint car racing.
For Swanson, the goal is clear: finish the job and claim his third yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour championship. For Macenko and the rest of the field, Saturday represents one last opportunity to make an impact before the checkered flag falls on the 2026 season.
The 2026 yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour season finale takes place Saturday, October 17, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana, as part of Halloween Fest, featuring the 500 Sprint Car Tour and All-Star National Pavement Midgets. Pit gates open at 9 a.m., with spectator gates opening at 11:30 a.m. On-track activities include practice and qualifying for both divisions, followed by All-Star Pavement Midget heat races. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 3 p.m., with the 40-lap 500 Sprint Car Tour feature and 30-lap All-Star Midget feature to follow. General admission tickets are $25 for adults, with children 12 and under admitted free. Pit passes are available for an additional $10 with general admission or for $35 when purchased as a combined pit pass and admission ticket. For tickets and additional event information, visit raceirp.com/thursdaynightthunder.
