ANDERSON, Ind. — Anderson Speedway, which has hosted the prestigious Pay Less Little 500 sprint-car race for the past 60 years, is adding another long-distance race to its schedule.
Anderson officials are planning a 400-lap midget race for the quarter-mile asphalt oval July 26.
“This is a project I have been working on for quite some time” said Rick Dawson, president of the Speedway. “May 24, 2008 will mark the 60th
anniversary of the Pay Less Little 500 and I felt this would be a great time to start another tradition at our track with the addition of a long distance Midget race. The response I have gotten from the fans and competitors I have shared this with has been overwhelming and I expect it to be a huge event for the track and City of Anderson. In no way will this new event overshadow the great tradition of the Pay Less Little 500, yet I expect the two events to compliment each other.”
Specific details about the race including rules and ticket information will be forthcoming after the first of the year. However, the event is expected
to cover three days including practice July 24, practice and qualifying July 25 and the race on July 26.
The basic format will be a 400-lap race with a break at lap 200. The cars will make live pit stops in the infield just as the sprint cars do at the
Pay Less Little 500. Although not finalized, the purse structure is expected to pay the winner a minimum of $7,500 with last place receiving a minimum of $1,200.
“I would not be at all surprised to see 70 to 80 cars from all over the country to try to make this race” said Dawson. “We are going to configure
the rules, both technical and race procedural, to be as fair and simple as possible as we have done with the Little 500. The midpoint break is
necessary, at least this first year, to insure the batteries in the midgets will endure 400 grueling laps. I believe Joe Helping built this track for
midgets and a 400-lap midget race should prove exciting and competitive.”