Davey Hamilton Jr. has announced there will be an addition to his Open Wheel Showdown events. In addition to the 2024 Las Vegas and Irwindale events, the Children’s Dream Fund Open Wheel Showdown will race at Citrus County Speedway in Inverness, Florida on February 27th – March 1, 2025.
This stop on the Open Wheel Showdown tour will feature only winged pavement sprint cars, and not national midgets and super modifieds like previous Open Wheel Showdown events. Hamilton also indicated the Children’s Dream Fund Open Wheel Showdown is potentially the start of a traveling series of winged pavement sprint cars across the country in 2025.
“This is great for our sport,” Hamilton said. “JJ (Dutton) called me and told me his ideas, and it was all about putting the logistics together to bring our partners and staff in for this. This is not only good for Open Wheel Showdown, but it’s exciting to do it same weekend as the INDYCAR Series race at St. Petersburg, so we can have those guys come out and support what we’re doing. My goal is to see Open Wheel Showdown grow into a national tour in 2025 and this is a great kick off to it.”
Purse and event format will be announced soon. Plans include a Thursday practice night followed by two complete nights of racing. If a driver can win both nights, a bonus will be awarded and will also be announced soon.
Registration for the event will start after the 2024 finale of Open Wheel Showdown. The Las Vegas Open Wheel Showdown will be November 14-16, 2024, followed by Open Wheel Showdown Los Angeles on November 22-24, 2024 at Irwindale Speedway.
This Children’s Dream Fund Open Wheel Showdown is a collaboration between JJ Dutton, Citrus County Speedway owner William Ray, and Davey Hamilton Jr.
“Citrus County Speedway could never be prouder to host the Children’s Dream Fun Open Wheel Showdown,” explains William Ray. “We’ve come a long way in a short time. From a helmet walk during the Sandi DeCaire Classic 41, to the first Children’s Dream Fund 50 with the Southern Sprint Car Shootout.”
“Hopefully the awareness of the Children’s Dream Fund Organization has opened a lot of new doors for the less fortunate and families in need. The Children’s Dream Fund is an amazing organization and has helped many families. With JJ Dutton and Davey Hamilton Jr. at the wheel, you can only be successful.”
“To the drivers, teams, and fans, I want to say thank you for your participation in last year’s Children’s Dream Fund 50,” Dutton said. “We want to say thanks to Davey Hamilton, Jr. and Citrus County Speedway for working together to make the event possible in 2025.”
“This race is very dear to my heart. My daughter had been in a fight for her life the last three years. Through the tough times of her treatment, the Children’s Dream Fund reached out to me and my family and just wanted to help put a smile on Sadie‘s face to pick her up. They sent us to Las Vegas to meet Gordon Ramsay. If you think last year was big, I promise you: you haven’t seen nothing yet!”
Rules, race format, and officiating will all be done by Open Wheel Showdown. Tires will be available on site through Open Wheel Showdowns partner Hoosier Racing Tire. The event will be broadcast on Speed Sport.
Open Wheel Showdown
