Top Storylines Heading into the Toledo Speedway
Top Storylines Heading into the Toledo Speedway
The yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour hits its finishing stretch of the 2026 season as it heads to Toledo Speedway for the Monroe Asphalt 40 and the Stars, Stripes, and Speed Festival.
Three Drivers running double duty
With the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour sharing the racing program with the USAC Silver Crown Series, three drivers will be tackling the tricky Ohio track for both groups. Dakoda Armstrong, Nathan Byrd, and Tyler Roahrig will be the three drivers running double duty this weekend. This will be the first time in 2026 that the two series will be sharing the track together, and the first time since October, 19th 2024 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. At this point in the season, all three competitors are on the outside looking in to the championship picture. The plan for this weekend is simple, have fun, turn a lot of laps, and go chase a victory.
Getting hot at the right time
With the championship approaching its end, Bobby Santos III is hitting his stride at the right time. Coming off of his first win in 2026, Santos will be heading back to a track where he has seen a lot of success in his career. Santos went to victory lane at Toledo Speedway last season when the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour visited, and also has a fourth place and third place finish in the Tour’s other visits to the track. With momentum on his side following his win in the Tony Elliott Classic, Santos will need another big night to close the championship gap that Kody Swanson and Jackson Macenko have put on the rest of the field. The Monroe Asphalt 40 at Toledo Speedway will mark the penultimate event for the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour with the Championship event at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park only a few weeks away. Can Santos have another big night and turn the championship into a true three man fight?
Finding his Mojo?
Donnie Adams Jr. (Yorktown, Indiana) had his career best yourBigplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour finish last Saturday at Anderson Speedway when he brought home a fifth place finish. Adams returned to racing in 2024 after taking a five year hiatus from the sport. Since then, Adams has been looking to find his groove again. After last weekend’s strong finish, perhaps he has finally found what he is looking for. Adams was a prominent name in the Little 500 for over a decade. Having qualified on pole in 2007 and a career best third place finish in 2006, he was always a car to keep a close eye on. Now that he seems to be hitting his stride behind the wheel of a non-wing sprint car, can he find the magic once again and start competing for wins?
Donnie Adams Jr. is in the midst of his three favorite tracks on the 500 Sprint Car Tour Schedule (Anderson Speedway, Toledo Speedway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park). - Rick Kimball Photo
Can he keep the Ironman streak alive?
The Ultimate 500 Sprint Car Tour Ironman, Justin Harper, thought his 2026 season was dead in the water until just the other day when life was injected back into the team. Harper has famously competed in every yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour event since its inception in 2022. That streak was seriously threatened after the team suffered an engine failure during the Tony Elliott Classic. At the time, the team thought their season, and their unprecedented streak, was officially over. Now, there is hope after all. The team was able to acquire a loaner engine and have begun preparations to travel north to Toledo Speedway. If the team is able to make it through qualifying, Harper will officially keep his starting streak alive and will continue to be known as the 500 Sprint Car Tour Iron Man.
Ironman Justin Harper continues to fight adversity on the tour - Rick Kimball Photo
Stars, Stripes, and Speed Festival is going to be one to remember
Toledo Speedway is set to end their 2026 season this Saturday with the Stars, Stripes, and Speed Festival. The event will be action packed as in an attempt to close out the season with a BANG! In addition to the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour, Fans will also be treated to action from the USAC Silver Crown Series, Valley Truck Centers Outlaw Super Late Models, and Factory Stocks. The Silver Crown event will be the Hemelgarn Racing/Super Fitness Rollie Beale Classic as well as their Championship event. The Valley Truck centers Outlaw Super Late Models will be competing in the Fold of Honor 50 presented by Lakeside Interiors, and the Factory Stocks will be competing for their 2026 season championship. The final event of 2026 for Toledo Speedway will surely be one to remember with an action packed night full of championship caliber racings. Winners will rejoice, champions will be crowned, and fans will leave wanting more.
Race Info
The Monroe Asphalt 40 will be part of Toledo Speedway's Stars, Stripes and Speed Fest on Saturday, October 3. Pit gates and registration open at 9:00 a.m., with the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour driver's meeting scheduled for 11:00 a.m. The Tour's engine heat will take place at 11:45 a.m., followed by the first practice session at noon and final practice at 1:50 p.m. Qualifying is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., with opening ceremonies beginning at 4:00 p.m. The yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour Monroe Asphalt 40 feature will be part of an action-packed afternoon and evening that also includes the USAC Silver Crown Championship Rollie Beale Classic, the Folds of Honor 50 for Outlaw Super Late Models and the Monroe Asphalt Factory Stock Championship. Tickets are available online and can be purchased in advance by clicking HERE.
