Salem Speedway Fueled by the Hoosier Lottery officials have announced that the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers will return to support Salem Speedway for the upcoming 2024 season as the title sponsor of the highly anticipated return of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial to the famous High Banks. The event will take place on Saturday, September 7th and will be sanctioned by the Auto Value & Bumper to Bumper Parts Stores 500 Sprint Car Tour based out of Anderson, Indiana, home of the famed Little 500.

“We are very excited to sponsor the return of the Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial to Salem Speedway this season,” remarked Steve Motsinger with the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers and Eddie Gilstrap Motors. “We are also very happy to support the return of Sprint Car racing back on the High Banks. Open wheel racing is what made this track famous, and we are very proud to help continue the great history of this racetrack!”  

“We really appreciate the continued support of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers at Salem Speedway,” commented Nick Bohanon, owner of Salem Speedway. “No one has supported this track over the years like the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers and Eddie Gilstrap Motors, we appreciate their support and look forward to what is going to be a huge event on September 7th!” 

The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial is the second longest running pavement sprint car race in the world behind the Little 500. After traditionally being held at Salem Speedway, with the exception of a few years when the race was held on dirt, the race was held in 2023 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park as a 500 Sprint Car Tour sanctioned event. The series will continue to sanction the historic event as it goes back to its home track for the first time since 2020.

The USSA Kenyon Midget Series and the Salem Speedway Diesel Boys Race Parts Legends will also be racing on the short track at Salem Speedway on Saturday, September 7th. The Midwest Vintage Racecar Club will have cars on display and on the track, as part of the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers Joe James/Pat O’Connor Memorial festivities! 

Eddie Gilstrap Motors will furnish Salem Speedway with a Pace Truck once again for the entire 2024 season, to pace all the exciting feature events on the famous High Banks! They will also furnish a wrecker again at each event. 

More information on Salem Speedway and the 2024 season is available on the track’s website at www.salemspeedway.com and with social media posts on the track’s Facebook page or contact the track office at 866-2GO-RACE.  

More information on the 500 Sprint Car Tour 2024 season can be found online at 500SprintCarTour.comand via social media on Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram.