Numbers Behind the 2025 Season: A Deeper Look at a Record-Setting Season
Numbers Behind the 2025 Season: A Deeper Look at a Record-Setting Season
The yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour’s latest season delivered one of the most statistically impressive years in its history, marked by deep competition, new venues, and a level of parity rarely seen in pavement sprint car racing. From the first green flag to the final checkered, the numbers tell a story of a tour growing in strength, depth, and unpredictability.
A total of 42 different drivers strapped into a sprint car for at least one event this season—an unmistakable sign of the tour’s expanding reach. Veteran champions, and newcomers all converged across the schedule, creating fields where any driver could contend on any given night. That depth produced another standout stat: the highest average car count in tour history, with 21 cars per event. In an era when many series struggle for consistency, the yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour moved in the opposite direction—stronger, fuller, and more competitive than ever.
The start of Halloween Fest at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. (Koty Geyer Photo)
That competition translated directly into victory lane. Across the season, fans witnessed four different winners, Dakoda Armstrong, Tyler Roahrig, Bobby Santos III, and Kody Swanson—each with their own path to success. Roahrig’s raw speed, Armstrong’s consistency, Santos’s experience, and Swanson’s racecraft all contributed to a dynamic mix at the front of the field. No single driver dominated, and every win was earned the hard way.
The battle for speed was just as diverse. Six different drivers set fast times during qualifying sessions: Colton Bettis, Davey Hamilton Jr, Kyle O’Gara, Tyler Roahrig, Kody Swanson, and. Bobby Santos III. That variety underscores just how narrowly matched the top contenders were, with mere fractions of a second often separating the front rows. The presence of both established stars and younger names on that list also signals a healthy future for pavement sprint car racing.
Kody Swanson (Left) with Tom Bigelow (Right) after winning the Inagural Tom Bigelow Showdown at Winchester Speedway. (Jack Kessler Photo)
The competitiveness extended beyond qualifying and victory lane. Over the course of the season, eight different drivers led at least one lap: Armstrong, Roahrig, Santos III, Swanson, Taylor Ferns, Davey Hamilton Jr., Jackson Macenko, and Kyle O’Gara. Whether leading a handful of circuits or controlling long stretches of a feature, each of these drivers played a role in shaping the championship narrative. The races were rarely straightforward—momentum swung often, and leaders changed frequently, creating edge-of-your-seat finishes that kept fans invested from start to finish.
Consistency has been a defining trait in the tour’s four-year history, and no drivers exemplify that better than Kody Swanson and Justin Harper, the only two competitors who have never missed a race—35 consecutive events since the tour’s inception. Their durability, commitment, and presence in the field each season have made them pillars of the series. Meanwhile, Tyler Roahrig has etched his own legacy in the record book, becoming the all-time wins leader with 16 victories, a testament to his remarkable speed and ability to close out races.
This season also marked an important milestone in the tour’s geographic growth. The schedule featured eight different race tracks, including two new additions: Owosso Speedway and Winchester Speedway. Owosso brought fresh excitement with its revitalized facility and passionate fanbase, while Winchester added one of the most historic and intimidating high-banks in America to the tour’s resume. Along with staple venues like Anderson Speedway, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, Kalamazoo Speedway, Berlin Raceway, Salem Speedway, and Toledo Speedway, the expanded lineup created a diverse set of challenges that tested teams week after week.
The yourBIGplans.com 500 Sprint Car Tour made their first appearance at Owosso Speedway in 2025. (Rick Kimball Photo)
In total, the numbers paint a clear picture: this was a defining season for the 500 Sprint Car Tour. More drivers, more tracks, more competition, and more parity produced a year that showcased the very best of pavement sprint car racing. If the trends continue, the stats might only get more impressive from here.
