May 6, 2026 for immediate release
An SMC-record 14 cars took the green flag for the first race of the 2026 Sprite-Midget Challenge.
Returning drivers Smith (181), Newman (4), Newby (1), Greenman (21), Shinn (62), Duncan (154), Campbell (12), Heacock (13), Lyford (07), Eldridge (38), Herb (149), and Quackenbush (83) welcomed first-time SMC racers Tipton (44) and Hansen (36), plus a surprise driver, Stark, in a freshly restored Bugeye (70).
Starting on the front row with Smith, Newman overcooked turn 2 and went around.
By the time the pack reached the tricky turn 5a-5b-6 combination, Smith and Tipton had built a short lead with Newby, Shinn, Greenman, and Campbell tightly bunched just behind them.
Next came Eldridge, charging fast through the field, with another bunch of cars, Newman, Duncan, Heacock, Lyford, and Hansen close behind. Jack Stark, racing a Spridget for the first time in a newly restored 1098-powered Bugeye that was only at the track to go out for a couple test and tune laps the day before, followed.
By the end of the second lap the lead pack had bunched up and swelled, with Tipton leading the way, followed closely by Newby, Eldridge, Greenman, Campbell, Smith, and Shinn, with Lyford closing.
Next came Duncan, Herb, Heacock, Hansen, and Stark.
By the end of the next lap it was 2nd-year driver Eldridge roaring away in the lead, followed by a still-tight pack of Newby, Tipton, Greenman, and Campbell. Smith followed, driving the wheels off his iconic #8 (181 for this weekend) 1098-powered Bugeye. Duncan came next with Herb having closed the gap. Heacock rounded eight next, followed by SMC first-timer Hansen. Newman next, then Stark.
By lap four Eldridge had built a multi-second lead, followed by Newby, with Campbell just inches behind filling up his mirrors. The pair of Tipton and Greenman were a half-second back, with Tipton out on a mechanical issue.
Smith came around 8 next, with Lyford right on him, while Shinn ran the inside line on them through 8 aiming to take away the faster outside line through nine. Herb came through having made it past Duncan, then Heacock, Hansen, Newman, and Stark.
By the next lap the bunches sorted out into a line: Eldridge, Campbell, who’d worked past Newby, then Greenman, Lyford, Shinn, Herb, Duncan, Heacock, Hansen, Newman, and Stark. Smith had gone out on a mechanical.
Shinn added some excitement near the end, going around at 3b, letting a passel of cars by. Final standings:
Group A (1275)
Eldridge, #38
Campbell, #12
Newby, #1
Greenman, #21
Lyford, #07
Herb, #149
Duncan, #154
Hansen, #36
Newman, #4
Shinn, #62
Tipton (DNF), #44
Quackenbush (DNS), #83
Group B (1098, 948)
Heacock, #13
Stark, #70
Smith (DNF), #8 (181)
The SMC race ended the racing day. The cars were parked in a grid in the paddock and a hearty potluck dinner, an SMC tradition, was shared, with about 50 people in attendance. “Happy Birthday” was sung to RJ (son of driver Devon, grandson of driver Stephen), and SMC driver Paul Quackenbush.
But that wasn’t the end of the SMC day. With four cars down, the paddock went into action after dinner. Campbell’s car bent two valves at the SMC checkered flag and was retired for the weekend. Tipton’s car was fixed in short order with the Quackenbush car sorted during the SMC race. A profuse water leak at the head in Smith’s car was diagnosed first as a head gasket, which was replaced to no effect, then the temp sensor bung in the head, also to no avail, and finally the water pump gasket. A team of six rotated on the Smith Bugeye until after midnight and then again in the morning. Of the 15 Spridgets entered, 14 made it out for races the following day: