Bruce Opening Sprint Car Season This Weekend With NCRA

Story By: SHAWN MILLER / TONY BRUCE RACING – OWASSO, OK – Tony Bruce Jr. will kick off his sprint car season this weekend at the Park City Cup/Air Capital Shootout.

The $15,000-to-win NCRA doubleheader on Friday and Saturday at 81 Speedway in Park City, Kan., will be the first event of approximately 30 races this season for Bruce Jr. and the Smith Racing No. 86 team.

“One of the exciting things about it is that I grew up there racing,” Bruce Jr. said. “I’ve been there many times so it’s a track we race well at it. Plus, it’s always good to go good at tracks that pay good money.”

Bruce Jr. has recorded a feature victory at the track during each of the past two seasons and he has at least one top five there for three straight years. In fact, Bruce Jr. has two wins, four top fives and five top 10s during seven races at 81 Speedway since 2014.

“It usually gets pretty slick and we usually do well on slick tracks,” he said. “The experience definitely helps. The NCRA format is a little different than the ASCS format so it’s really important to draw good. A good draw will set yourself up well. To start up front would be a huge benefit. We definitely want to have a good showing and put ourselves in contention to win come Saturday night.”

The Park City Cup/Air Capital Shootout begins on Thursday with a practice night followed by a special qualifying session that has no bearing on the remainder of the event. The top four drivers in qualifying earn bonus money with quick time netting $500.