Quincy, MI - Over the weekend the 410 Sprint Car Scene in the Great Lakes region got a major shake-up when it was announced that the All Star Circuit of Champions would return for the 2025 season under the direction of Fremont Speedway promoter, Rich Farmer. This comes after a season-long hiatus after High Limit Racing purchased and dissolved the series in 2023/2024.
Long known as the original touring 410 sprint car series, the All Star Circuit of Champions conducted its final season in 2023; one that featured just four full-time drivers committed to running every event on the schedule. Meanwhile, High Limit Racing was taking the scene by storm and was preparing to go head-to-head with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. After High Limit Racing finalized the purchase of the All Stars, they announced the All Star name would no longer host races, and the High Limit Series would assume some of the key dates from the All Star Schedule. In that time, FAST on Dirt also assumed other dates at locations in Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as sanctioning the Ohio Sprint Speedweek.
On Saturday, the High Limit Racing organization along with FloSports announced the return of the All Star Circuit of Champions under the direction of Rich Farmer. This brings the All Star name back among the organizations vying for the dollar of 410 Sprint Car teams, drivers, and fans. The list includes the World of Outlaws, High Limit Racing, All Star Circuit of Champions, FAST on Dirt, Attica-Fremont Challenge Series, Butler Motor Speedway, Maverick Winged Sprint Series, Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association, Interstate Racing Association (IRA Outlaw Sprint Series), Honest Abe Roofing 410 Outlaw Series, Midwest Open Wheel Association, and Wayne County Speedway. The announcement was followed by statements from Aaron Fry, director of the FAST on Dirt Series, and Rich Farmer, team owner, Fremont Speedway Promoter, and Promoter of the All Star Circuit of Champions.
From Aaron Fry: In light of today’s announcement, we feel we need to clarify where we stand in the state of the industry for 2025. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, we were contacted by the High Limit organization and asked to operate Ohio Sprint Speedweek under the FAST banner for 2024. After being the first Speedweek to run 9 races in 9 nights at 9 different tracks, discussions began to make the purses bigger and better in 2025. Almost all tracks were back on board with us.
In late October, the High Limit organization contacted me and asked me to dissolve the FAST series. I was offered a position in the rebirth of the All Stars, as the race director under Rich Farmer. After spending seven years building the FAST series into a true touring regional series, I chose to decline their offer and continue to own and operate FAST. We plan to move confidently forward in 2025 and beyond. We have more than 20 races already scheduled and several more in negotiations.
Ultimately, it will be up to the Ohio race tracks to decide the fate of Speedweek. As for the competition in Ohio, keep in mind the All Stars and FAST coexisted for many years.
We look forward to seeing everyone in 2025. A big thank you to the many people who have reached out inquiring as to what went down. Also, thanks to all the tracks, teams, race fans and our marketing partners who have faithfully stood alongside us.
From Rich Farmer: I want to start by thanking everyone for the support as the work is beginning to restructure and rebuild the oldest winged sprint car series in the country. Throughout the day today I have had many people text, call, or message asking questions such as will this hurt local counts, is there room for another series, how does this work with AFCS, how does this work with FAST. So I will do my best to explain my thought process on all.
As a local car owner for 20 plus years the All Stars have always helped us race for some extra money several times a year helping us to make some extra money to keep our weekly racing going.
As a track owner I need those special events to allow me to pay extra money to a series so that we can provide the fans who enjoys the series events more and this also allows our local teams to compete for more money. We have so many fans who only attend special events. Adding money to a local race doesn’t make it special enough for the casual fan to attend.
As far as room for another series yes there is. I feel the eco system of 410 racing in the Ohio, PA, Indiana, and Michigan region has a ton of talent and it has many tracks that some series work with and some don’t. Many tracks don’t seat enough people to have a successful national series event. Many tracks may not be able afford the risk of a larger events. Series like the All Stars or FAST can fill those voids. Keep in mind that FAST and the ALL STARS functioned peacefully for many years and Aaron Fry and I have had disagreements but one thing on is the passion we share for our sport.
As far as AFCS this is also a positive as I mentioned this will put more money in the hands of the teams when the regional events happen. Duane Hancock has done an outstanding job with the AFCS series and by no means is this to compete with that. Keep in mind that would be competing essentially with myself also.
If you look at the region that the All Stars traditionally raced prior to the expansion in the past 5 years you will find a ton of well talented teams who are not committed to a local scene or series. We are very fortunate to live in an area that is so rich in sprint cars. My intention is to just return the All Stars to the working mans series.
Full scheduled have not been released for any Series in 2025 - however, the anticipation is through the roof now to see what shakes out for 410 Winged Sprint Car Racing in the Great Lakes Region in 2025.
Story - Zach Hiser
Photo - INSZN Media
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