The 2021 season is quickly approaching, and the Dekalb/Asgrow Midwest Power Series presented by GRP Motorsports is proud to unveil the 2021 Season Schedule! MPS is pleased to extend relationships with many tracks in the region, including two that we visited in 2020 for the first time. Headlining the new season will be returning marquee events like the Tabor Memorial at Ogilvie Raceway, the Richert Memorial in Cedar Lake Speedway, and a massively expanded Power Series Nationals, along with a new multi-day & multi-track show honoring the late Chuck Zitterich. The series is also very proud to extend our relationship with the Sioux Falls, SD based MSTS 360s group.
The series has raced at one track more than any other, and that is the Jackson Motorplex. That will be no different in 2021, and the series is set to take on the 4/10ths of the mile Minnesota track six times this season. The season kick-off will come on May 28 in Jackson and will return to the facility on June 11. After that, things get kicked up a notch when we travel to southern Minnesota. The extremely popular “clean sweep bonus” between Jackson and Knoxville returns, with the Motorplex hosting night 1 on July 16. The next appearance in Jackson will be July 30, with this being the opening night of the all-new Chuck Zitterich Memorial. Chuck was the series director at Jackson for the entire Tod Quiring era at the track until his untimely passing early in 2019 and had a long history of involvement in the sport of sprint car racing across many tracks in the upper-Midwest. The final nights at Jackson will be the first two nights of the expanded Power Series Nationals set to take place on September 4 & 5. All events at Jackson will be joined by the MSTS 360s. Jack Dover and Lee Grosz both have three victories at Jackson Motorplex, leading all other in MPS action there.
Along with Jackson, the series will see multiple dates at I-90 Speedway as well. The series pushed out west to Hartford, SD for the first time last year, with Jack Dover picking up the win. The series will make three return trips in 2021. On May 29, the series will run west on I-90 from Jackson to Hartford to follow up the season opener, and two weeks later the same thing will happen. June 12 will see the return trip down I-90 once again. The third and final night at I-90 this coming season will be on July 31, wrapping up the Chuck Zitterich Memorial. Be on the look-out for more information about this event as we get closer. Again, all events at I-90 Speedway will be run in conjunction with MSTS 360s.
Another first-time track in 2020 returning to the schedule in 2021 will be the Rapid Speedway in Rock Rapids, IA. The Northwest Iowa track will host MPS along with MSTS 360s on June 18, with more to be announced about this show coming later. Justin Henderson won the inaugural MPS feature here last season.
The always-exciting Davey Tabor Memorial will be again held at Ogilvie Raceway in 2021. After losing the 2020 version of the event to COVID restrictions, the Central Minnesota facility is back on the schedule. Derrik Lusk, Justin Henderson, and Thomas Kennedy have all won previous renditions of the event, but in 2021 the MSTS 360s will be branching out to Central Minnesota as well. Drivers will make their way up highway 23 from Rock Rapids to race at the Ogilvie Raceway on June 19.
The “Sprint Car Capitol of the World” will be the site of the 2nd night of the “Clean Sweep Bonus” weekend. Prior to last season, Brooke Tatnell and Thomas Kennedy had their chances to claim the bonus but were not able to. In 2019, Wayne Johnson was in line but a monsoon rainstorm hit Knxoville Raceway and ended his chance. Last season, Justin Henderson became the first drive to accomplish this difficult feat, when he claimed the $3,000 weekend sweep bonus. This year on July 17 we get to see someone try for it again. The past shows at Knoxville have featured car counts in the high 40s, and we figure for more of the same. Ryan Giles won the event at Knoxville in 2019.
With the grand re-opening of Huset’s Speedway last year, the Power Series Nationals took place at the famed high-banked track near Brandon, SD. This year, the Power Series Nationals is expanded to four nights, with the final two nights again being at the “Home of the Professionals.” September 4 & 5 will see the MPS and MSTS 360s in Brandon to decide who takes home the 2nd annual crown.
Cedar Lake Speedway’s fall date with the IRA 410 sprints and MPS has been called a hidden gem of an event in the region, but we like to think of it as one of our crown jewels. September 11 will be our one and only trip to Wisconsin this year, and, for now, will cap off our season in style with the running of the 21st Annual Jerry Richert, Sr. Memorial. Fireworks on and off of the track have been the norm when we descend on New Richmond, WI, and we see no reason for that to change. Ryan Bowers, Wade Nygaard, and Justin Henderson all have two wins at the track with MPS.
This is the schedule as of now, but look for changes to occur in the coming weeks. We have a weekend on September 17 & 18 that is coming together for a two-day show at one facility, and we remain in talks with at least three other tracks for potential dates. We aren’t quite done yet, but nearly there and very proud to announce this fantastic slate of shows for the new season.
Full 2021 Schedule – Tentative:
Friday May 28 – Jackson Motorplex w/MSTS
Saturday May 29 – I-90 Speedway w/MSTS
Friday June 11 – Jackson Motorplex w/MSTS
Saturday June 12 – I-90 Speedway w/MSTS
Friday June 18 – Rock Rapids Speedway w/MSTS
Saturday June 19 – Ogilvie Raceway w/MSTS Davey Tabor Memorial
Friday July 16 – Jackson Motorplex w/MSTS (Clean Sweep Bonus Weekend)
Saturday July 17 – Knoxville Raceway (Clean Sweep Bonus Weekend)
Friday July 30 – Jackson Motorplex w/MSTS Chuck Zitterich Memorial
Saturday July 31 – I-90 Speedway w/MSTS Chuck Zitterich Memorial
Friday September 3 – Jackson Motorplex Power Series Nationals
Saturday September 4 – Jackson Motorplex Power Series Nationals
Sunday September 5 – Huset’s Speedway Power Series Nationals
Monday September 6 – Huset’s Speedway Power Series Nationals
Saturday September 11 – Cedar Lake Speedway Jerry Richert Memorial
Friday September 17 – TBD
Saturday September 18 – TBD