Ohio CAT Great Lakes Super Sprints Open Season Saturday at Waynesfield Raceway Park

Waynesfield, OH - The Ohio CAT Great Lakes Super Sprints Presented by Engine Pro and ARP are set to open the 2024 season with a trip to Waynesfield, Ohio and Waynesfield Raceway Park. Located just 25 minutes outside of Lima, Ohio, "The Field of Speed" is home to some of sprint car racing's best moments with a high-banked dirt 1/3rd mile oval awaiting drivers as they kick off the season.

After being postponed last season, the Let's Go event at Waynesfield went off without a hitch the following week. Ryan Ruhl and Phil Gressman led the field to the green flag, but an early issue sent Ruhl on his lid involving Jared Horstman and Ryan Conium. San Jose, CA driver, Randy Hannagan was on the move early and got his No.22H Texas Road House machine to the front of the field quickly from sixth. He held on for the win over eighth-place starter, Nate Dussel - Brad Lamberson held on for third.

Hannagan made it two-for-two when GLSS returned in May during Memorial Day Weekend. Starting on the pin, Hannagan got the best of Mike Keegan and Max Stambaugh. On Saturday, June 10th, Hannagan's reign at the top ended when Lindsay, OK driver, Harli White beat out Gressman and Hannagan. During the Hewitt Classic weekend, Keegan got redemption for the May race picking up the July 3rd win over Cole Macedo and Gressman. Gressman finally took his No.7 machine to victory lane after being up front all season on October 7th, the final event of the 2023 season.

The 2024 season will look slightly different for fans of the Great Lakes Super Sprints. A second season of three points battles await drivers and fans alike. The Michigan CAT Sprint Division will feature tracks in Michigan and award drivers who can attend all the Michigan races. The Ohio CAT Sprint Division awards those who want to stick close to their homes in Ohio. Then, the Great Lakes Super Sprints Tour Division awards drivers who pour their heart and soul into racing a 360 sprint car, racing in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and even Canada.

Last season, multiple drivers were in contention for all three division championships at different times. Brad Lamberson came out of the gate as the early favorite for the GLSS North Division title, while Phil Gressman looked unbeatable in Ohio. Things changed quickly though when engine trouble found both drivers. For Lamberson, his engine woes began early in the season, giving a quick advantage to Stambaugh. In Ohio, Gressman had a slim lead over Stambaugh heading into a conflict weekend with I-96 and Lima, while Stambaugh had a slim lead over Gressman in the north. Both Gressman and Stambaugh came to I-96 gift wrapping the south for Jared Horstman. Engine troubles caught Gressman down the stretch, and Stambaugh was able to run away with the Northern Division title and the Tour Championship. Horstman put a bow on the NRA naming rights, winning the final Championship Title to use "NRA".

The Ohio CAT Great Lakes Super Sprints Presented by Engine Pro and ARP kick off the season on Saturday, April 13th at Waynesfield Raceway Park for the Let's Go 30. Pit Gates open at 12:00 PM, with General Admission gates opening at 1:00 PM. Hot Laps and Qualifying begin at 2:40 PM with the first Green Flag of the night at 4:00 PM.

For more information on the Great Lakes Super Sprints, follow their Facebook pages including Great Lakes Super Sprints, Michigan CAT Sprint Division, and Ohio CAT Sprint Division. Follow the sanction on Instagram, X, and TikTok. Log onto www.GreatLakesSprints.com to learn more about all of the Great Lakes Sprints divisions.

Story - Zach Hiser

Photo - Jim DenHamer