Big payouts highlight 2022 Huset’s schedule: Local speedway has long history of drawing top drivers

By: 
Tom A. Savage, Contributing writer

Huset’s Speedway has released its 2020 schedule, and it’s loaded from May to September. The season kicks off in traditional fashion on Mother’s Day weekend Sunday, May 8 and concludes with a two-day Championship Weekend event Sept. 3-4. There are 21 nights of racing scheduled for the summer of 2022.

Sandwiched between Mother’s Day and Championship Weekend are some doozies that will certainly get the attention of racing fans from coast-to-coast. 

The famed World of Outlaws touring series pays its first visit to the 3/8-mile oval on Sunday, June 5. They return June 23-25 for the Huset’s High Bank Nationals, and the purse alone for that three-day show is eye-popping. The winner on Night 1 pockets $15,000, Night 2 pays out $20,000 to win, and the finale on June 25 pays $100,000 to the victor.

Two weeks after the WoO leave town with buckets of cash, the famed USAC sprint cars and midgets come to Brandon for a three-day USAC Nationals show that will run July 8-10.

The Northern Outlaw Sprint Association (NOSA) also comes to Huset’s four times throughout the summer, and the Lucas Oil Late Models comes to town for a special Tuesday night race on July 19.

No doubt the big-money events and notoriety of Huset’s will bring in some big names. But bright lights and famous names are not uncommon when it comes to Huset’s and many other tracks in the area.

Here is a list of drivers who have competed at area race tracks, and either in IndyCar or NASCAR. 

Rico Abreu - Raced at Huset’s in several World of Outlaws events and also competed in 26 NASCAR Truck Series races.

Gary Bettenhausen - Raced at I-90 Speedway in Hartford in 1977 during a USAC midget event and also raced in 21 Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of third in 1980 after starting second-to-last in the 33-car field.

Tony Bettenhausen - Raced at Hartford in 1977 and also raced in 11 Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of seventh in 1981.

Dave Blaney - Competed in the Huset’s track, Hartford and Jackson Motorplex in Minnesota in several WoO events and also had 473 NASCAR Cup starts, including a near victory in the 2017 Daytona 500.

Jimmy Bryan - Raced at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds at a AAA sprint car race in 1953. Bryan started nine Indianapolis 500s and won the event in 1958. 

Duane Carter - The father of Indianapolis 500 starter Pancho Carter, Duane raced in a AAA sprint car race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds in 1953 and also raced in 11 Indianapolis 500s. His best finish was third in 1953, the same year he raced in Sioux Falls.

Pancho Carter - The son of Duane, Pancho raced in an IMCA midget race in Huron in 1976 and also had 17 career Indianapolis 500 starts, including a pole position in 1985. His best finish at Indianapolis was third in 1982. He also has 14 NASCAR Cup starts including the 1986 Daytona 500    

P.J. Chesson - Raced at Huset’s in several WoO events and also qualified 20th for the Indianapolis 500 in 2006 before finishing 33rd.

Bryan Clauson - Won an ASCS sprint car feature at Huset’s in 2016 and also raced in three Indianapolis 500s including a 23rd place finish in 2016.

Erin Crocker - Raced at Huset’s during various WoO events. Crocker eventually married NASCAR team owner Ray Evernham but also competed in 10 Xfinity NASCAR races and 29 NASCAR truck events.

Craig Dollansky - Raced at Huset’s during several WoO events and also raced at the 2003 Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Indy Lights Series.

Jeff Gordon - Raced at the Jackson Nationals and the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds in 1985 in a sprint car and later went on to become one of NASCAR’s most celebrated drivers. In 18 years at NASCAR’s top level, Gordon won four championships and had two Daytona 500 wins in 1997 and 1999.

David Gravel - Raced at several WoO events at Huset’s and Jackson and also competed in NASCAR’s truck and ARCA series. His best finish is 10th in the truck series at Michigan in 2020.

Bobby Grim - Raced at Rock Rapids, Iowa and at the Jackson Motorplex in IMCA sprint car events and also started in 10 consecutive Indianapolis 500s from 1959-1968.

Jack Hewitt - Won the 1989 Cheater’s Day race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds and later went on to finish 12th in the 1998 Indianapolis 500.

Tommy Hinnerschitz - Raced in a AAA sprint car race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds in 1953 and also raced in three Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of ninth in 1948.

Jim Hurtubise - Raced at an IMCA sprint car race at the State Fairgrounds in Huron in 1959 and also raced in 10 Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of 13th in 1962.

Kenny Irwin Jr. - Won a USAC midget feature at Huset’s in 1996, which was his final victory on dirt. Irwin Jr. later raced in 87 NASCAR events at the top level over four years including three pole positions.

Kasey Kahne - Raced at several WoO events at Huset’s and also had 529 NASCAR Cup starts with 18 career wins.

Keith Kauffman - Raced at several WoO events at Huset’s. He also won the 1982 Nazareth 100 and is one of the more obscure drivers to be credited with a Championship Car victory.

Mel Kenyon - Raced a USAC Midget race in Hartford in 1976 and 1977 and also raced in eight Indianapolis 500s with a best finish of third in 1968.

Kraig Kinser - Raced at multiple WoO events at Huset’s and also has had starts in NASCAR ARCA, Busch and Truck Series.

Sheldon Kinser - Raced at the Jackson Nationals in 1986 and also raced in six Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of 6th in 1981.

Steve Kinser - Has raced at Huset’s, Hartford and Jackson during in several WoO events and also finished 14th in the 1997 Indianapolis 500 and 40th in the 1995 Daytona 500. Kinser also won the International Race of Champions (IROC) race at Talladega SuperSpeedway in 1996.

Lee Kunzman - Raced at Hartford in 1977 during a USAC midget event and also raced in four Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of seventh in 1973 and 1977.

Kyle Larson - Raced at Huset’s in 2013 and 2020 and has 259 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series with a total of 16 victories. Last month, he was crowned the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion.

Tiny Lund - A native of Harlan, Iowa, Lund raced in 1955 at the now defunct Soo Speedway located near Willow Run Golf Course in Eastern Sioux Falls. Lund later went on to have 303 career NASCAR Cup starts and won the 1963 Daytona 500.

Taylor Malsam - Raced at Jackson in 2017 and also has 37 NASCAR Xfinity starts and 51 truck starts.

Jan Opperman - Raced at Huset’s for the 1969 Cheater’s Day race at Huset’s and later raced at Hartford in 1980. Opperman also raced in two Indianapolis 500s with a best finish of 32nd in 1974.

Johnnie Parsons - The father of Indianapolis starter Johnny Parsons, Johnnie raced in a AAA sprint car race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds in 1953 and also raced in 10 Indianapolis 500s and won the event in 1950. His is the only name misspelled on the Borg-Warner trophy given to the winner of the Indianapolis 500.

Johnny Parsons - The son of Indianapolis 500 winner Johnnie Parsons, Parsons raced at Hartford in 1977 during a USAC midget event and also raced in 12 Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of fifth in 1977 and 1985.

Roger Rager - A native of Lincoln, Neb., Rager raced at Huset’s, Jackson, and Hartford. He later raced in 23 Champ Car events, including a 10th place finish at the 1980 Indianapolis 500.

Larry Rice - Raced in an IMCA sprint car race in Huron in 1976 and also had nine career starts in Champ Car, including two Indianapolis 500s in 1978 and 1979. He was named co-Rookie of the Year along with Rick Mears in 1978, finishing 11th after starting 30th.

Shawna Robinson - Became the first woman to win a NASCAR Touring Series event when she won a Great American Truck race at Huset’s in 1988. Robinson also raced in two NASCAR Cup races, including the 2002 Daytona 500.

Joe Saldana - Won the 1969 Cheater’s Day race at Huset’s and also raced in 10 Champ Car events, including two Indianapolis 500s in 1978 and 1979. His career best Champ Car finish was sixth in 1979 in Atlanta.

Gus Schrader - A native of Newhall, Iowa, Schrader raced an IMCA race at Huron in the late 1930s. Schrader finished 39th in the 1932 Indianapolis 500.

Ken Schrader - Raced a USAC Midget race at Hartford in 1976 and 1977. Schrader also raced at Huset’s in 2010 in the United States Modified Touring Series. Over a 28-year NASCAR career, Schrader raced in 744 Sprint Cup events, 116 Nationwide events and 99 NASCAR truck events. He won the 1988 Talladega 500.

Bob Scott - Won the 1953 AAA sprint car race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds and also raced in three Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of 18th in 1954. 

Ron Shuman - Raced at Hartford during a WoO event and also finished 11th in his one-and-only CART race at Ontario (Calif.) Speedway in 1980.

Tony Stewart - Raced at Huset’s Speedway for a WoO event in 2013. Stewart is a five-time Indianapolis 500 starter and he won the pole in 1996. He is a 16-year NASCAR veteran, three-time NASCAR Cup champion and two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis.

Bob Sweikert - Raced a AAA sprint car race at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds in 1953 and also started five Indianapolis 500s and won the event in 1955. 

Kevin Swindell - The son of three-time WoO champion Sammy Swindell, Kevin raced at Huset’s during WoO events and also raced in the NASCAR Cup division at Loudon, N.H. in 2013. He also competed in 29 NASCAR Xfinity races.

Sammy Swindell - Has raced at Huset’s, Hartford and Jackson in multiple WoO events. He also finished the 1995 NASCAR Truck Series 12th in points and raced the 1991 Daytona 500 finishing 41st, and the 1985 Atlanta 500 finishing 30th.

Brad Sweet - Raced at multiple WoO events at Huset’s and also has 36 NASCAR XFinity starts and 18 NASCAR truck starts.

Al Unser Jr. - Raced at Hartford in 1980 in a sprint car during a WoO event and later had 20 Indianapolis 500 starts with two victories in 1992 and 1994. Unser Jr. competed 25 years in IndyCar and won the championship in 1990 and 1994.

Robby Unser - Raced WoO events at Aberdeen and Huset’s and was also a two-year starter in the Indianapolis 500, including a career best fifth place finish in 1998.

Rich Vogler - Raced at Hartford in 1977 during a USAC midget event and also raced in five Indianapolis 500s, including a best finish of 8th in 1989.

Tyler Walker - Raced at Huset’s in a WoO event and has 19 NASCAR Xfinity starts and nine NASCAR truck starts.

Kenny Wallace - Raced at Huset’s in 2010 in the United States Modified Touring Series. Over an 18-year NASCAR career, Wallace raced in 344 NASCAR Cup events, 547 Nationwide events and 13 NASCAR truck events.

Chris Windom - Raced at Huset’s in 2016 - then known as Badlands Motor Speedway - at the Gold Cup when the USAC sprint cars made a visit. Windom has also made six NASCAR truck series starts.

Did we miss anyone?

Let us know by contacting staffwriter@bvjournal.info.   

 

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