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JEFF MONTGOMERY WINS FIRSTLINE SYSTEMS POLE SUFFLE AT OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN

LAS VEGAS, NV (November 7, 2025) – Jeff Montgomery of Cobble Hill, British Columbia, Canada led wire-to-wire in Friday’s Firstline Systems Pole Shuffle for Winged Sprints, earning the pole position for Saturday’s $50,000 to win BITNILE Open Wheel Showdown in Las Vegas. Montgomery topped an all-star cast of Elliott’s Trailers & Carts Winged Sprint Cars in the 12-car, 10-lap event to cap BR Motorsports qualifying night.

“It means a lot. It shows what kind of race team we have. At the end of the day, starting on the pole doesn’t win it. You have to lead one lap – the last lap – that’s the one that pays the money. If I can run the 10 laps I just ran at the end of this race tomorrow night, we should have no problem winning it. We have the best winged pavement sprint car drivers in the world here so I have my hands full,” Montgomery said.

Jake Trainor of Medway, Mass. led Winged Sprint Cars qualifying presented by Hamada, timing in at 11.774 seconds at 114.659 miles per hour.

Trainor, JoJo Helberg, Bobby Santos, 2023 winner Aaron Willison, 2024 winner Kody Swanson, and Montgomery won the 12-lap Beast Chassis heat races. Idaho’s Mike Anderson then won the Wildwood Brakes C-Main.

The 12 drivers who transferred out of the heat races drew for the starting lineup for the shuffle, with Montgomery drawing the pole alongside Trainor. Montgomery and Trainor will be the front row for Saturday’s 100-lap, $50,000-to-win contest. Santos finished the shuffle in third, setting the stage for a powerful second row alongside Swanson.

2024 Klotz Synthetics Modifieds winner Aaron McMorran led qualifying action before heat races went to Kyle Tellstrom, 2025 Bullring Modified champion Kyle Jacks, and Kris Price.

Windshield Defense INEX Legends qualifying was led by New York’s Ben Morabito. INEX Bandoleros and the Inaugural Larry Trigueiro Memorial for Super Modifieds wrapped up practice action Friday as well. Both divisions will time trial before racing begins on Saturday.

Admission gates open at 11am Saturday followed by final practices. Opening Ceremonies are at 2:15pm followed by four B-Features and five Championship Features for the 2025 BITNILE Open Wheel Showdown.

Tickets are available via the Las Vegas Motor Speedway website or at the gates. Pit Passes will be sold at the gate and include grandstand access.

Live coverage of the entire event is on Speed Sport 2.

For more information, visit www.OpenWheelShowdown.com

BOBBY SANTOS LEADS THURSDAY PRACTICE FOR OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN

LAS VEGAS, NV (November 16, 2025) – Two-time BITNILE Open Wheel Showdown runner-up Bobby Santos kicked off his drive for Saturday’s $50,000 payday by leading Thursday’s practice action at the Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Santos roared around the .375-mile speedway in the Elliott’s Custom Trailer & Carts Winged Sprints action at 12.054 seconds, averaging 111.99 miles per hour.

Opening practice was led by Kingsburg, Calif.’s Kody Swanson, the defending winner. 2023 winner Aaron Willison of British Columbia, Canada paced the second session.

“It’s tough. I mean a lot of great race cars here. Davey and his crew have put on an unbelievable event. As far as I’m concerned it is the biggest race of the year. Just been working hard to have a good car to get here. Practice went well today. The next two days are more important than today,” Santos said. “Tomorrow’s all about going fast for a couple laps and putting ourselves in position to start up front. Then we will put this thing into race mode Saturday morning.”

The opening session saw wild swings of pace, with JoJo Helberg of Rohnert Park initially unloading several tenths ahead before the rest of the pack grabbed hold of the speedway. Warm 80 degree temperatures presented a challenging surface for the winged machines. British Columbia, Canada’s Jeff Montgomery continued his tradition of strong opening practice day performances as well, ending the night session in fifth.

Colorado’s Kyle Ray dominated both practices for the inaugural Larry Trigueiro Memorial for the Firstline Systems Super Modifieds. Ukiah, California’s Kyle Tellstrom and Las Vegas’ Jaron Giannini split the Klotz Synthetics Modifieds practices. Both sessions saw at least the top-five cars separated by less than a tenth of a second.

Windshield Defense INEX Legends made their debut laps with New York racer and 2025 Young Lions Nationals feature winner Ben Morbadito leading the first session. California Legends stalwart Jeremy Doss paced the night session. 14-year-old Liam Hammond of Denver, Colorado and Indiana’s Chase Bohannon led the INEX Bandolero trials.

BR Motorsports Qualifying Night is on tap for Friday night. Admission gates open at 10:45am followed by final practices for all five divisions. Elliott’s Custom Trailers & Carts Winged Sprint Cars kick off time trials at 1:40pm followed by Klotz Synthetics Modifieds and Windshield Defense Legends in qualifying activities. Opening ceremonies are at 4:35pm followed by a full slate of heat races, C-Mains, and the Firstline Systems Pole Shuffle for Winged Sprints.

Tickets are available via the Las Vegas Motor Speedway website or at the gates. Pit Passes will be sold at the gate and include grandstand access.

Speed Sport TV returns as the Open Wheel Showdown media partner with live coverage of the entire event on Speed Sport 2.

For more information, visit www.OpenWheelShowdown.com

About the Open Wheel Showdown:

The Open Wheel Showdown is the premier pavement open wheel event in the country, attracting top drivers and teams from across the country to compete for record-breaking purses and national attention.

FULL SPEED AHEAD FOR OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN PROMOTER HAMILTON JR.

Open Wheel Showdown

November 2, 2025 – Las Vegas, Nevada - We are just days away from the kick-off of the 2025 Bitnile.com Open Wheel Showdown Presented by askROI at the “Bullring” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. For event promoter Davey Hamilto Jr., it’s been a lot of long days and many hours spent at the track since mid-September.

Hamilton Jr. is a perfectionist, and the organization of the event reflects himself. Every aspect of the event must be done right with no exceptions. He oversees virtually every aspect of the November 6-8, 2025, event year-round. But Hamilton Jr. will be the first to admit this has been a very unusual year regarding the Open Wheel Showdown.

“It’s not necessary for me to be here that early” explains Hamilton Jr. “But I want everything to be so perfect and continue to grow like it has been. I go to the racetrack every single day to see what they’re doing, learn, and meet new people. I am taking notes to see what needs to be done before our event.

“There’s so much that goes into this one race. Even yesterday I spent two hours printing probably 2000 different papers and documents that are for the teams to have. We have contingency decals. So, we had to put together 250 different bags with twenty or so different companies’ stickers in them. It sounds easy but it takes hours, if not a whole day. And there are so many banners that need to be hung. I have been doing everything myself. My help won’t start arriving until Sunday. There is a lot to it, but I take pride in this event, and I want everything to be perfect with it.

“This has been a weird year. I’ve been dealing with some personal things that’s made it tough. We have had a lot of people back out as far as helpers go. Our entire hospitality truck, everybody backed out. The chefs, helpers, drivers, everybody. Thanks to the Bitnile group they plugged in people to get it out here.

“The guy who handles my media is dealing with some personal stuff as well. It’s just been a weird year where there have been problems with people. We’re still going to make the most of it and see how it goes. It would have been nice coming into this year with no hiccups.

As the creator of the event, Hamilton Jr. is also a competitor in the winged sprint car portion of the race. Perhaps nobody wants to win this race more than Hamilton Jr. himself. He has made no secrets of wanting an Open Wheel Showdown trophy on his trophy mantle. He finished third in the inaugural 2023 running. But his dreams of an OWS victory might have to be shelved in 2025.

Hamilton Jr. was involved in a very serious accident in a Must See Racing event at Pensacola, Florida on October 3, 2025. A parts failure sent him hard into the outside retaining wall. He received a neck injury that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled INDY NXT test and hasn’t been in a race car since that crash a month ago. It’s unclear if he will participate in this year’s race.

“To be honest, there is a concern with me even racing this year. It may not even happen. Nobody’s gonna know until Thursday, including myself, if I’m even able to run the event. Regardless, I’m gonna be there as a promotor. Hopefully I’ll be there as a driver too. If I can’t go as a driver, it’s gonna be a tough weekend for me. I put my entire life into this event 365 days of the year. I’m gonna get in the car Thursday and make some laps and see where we’re at.”

When Hamilton Jr. announced the inaugural Open Wheel Showdown in July of 2023, it sent shockwaves through the sport. Never had a pavement sprint car paid $50,000 to win from a combined purse of over $150,000

That inaugural OWS helped fuel the fire for bigger paying pavement sprint car races annually. Winged pavement sprint car races paying $10,000 or more to win are becoming the regular, Hamilton Jr. showed it was possible, and teams deserved a few bigger paying races throughout the calendar year.

In late September Floridian and current car owner Dick Fieler announced his intentions to contest four high-paying winged pavement sprint car races in 2026, at four different tracks around the country, with a total purse of $600,000 using his personal monies. The new "Race for the Million" series will also include a substantial point fund at the end of the year, announced at $300,000 for the four races.

Hamilton Jr. has mixed emotions on the new series due to how he feels the group attempted to ride the coattails of his hard work and blueprint for the OWS success the past three years.

“I did my event with the sole purpose of giving the pavement guys, who spend an incredible amount of money and race for so little, a chance to race for good money. I wanted to show promoters we can race for good money and put on a good show. I accomplished that.

“I’m excited about this "Race for the Million" series. The only thing I disagree with is they tried to negotiate a deal to overtake my event at the exact same location. That would kill me. It’s great and I’m gonna be a driver in that deal.

“I’ve put all my effort, energy, life, sweat, blood, everything into this event. To even hear or see that there were conversations of overtaking my event around the same time frame. I probably would have walked away and never tried it again. I feel like I’ve taken pride and shown everybody what it's like to race in a professional atmosphere.

“They tried to negotiate with LVMS to put on an event right before OWS. That would’ve killed OWS. Not every team has huge funding. Most couldn’t do two events in Las Vegas within a couple weeks timeframe. I’m so excited its happening with our sport, but I’m disappointed they even tried to think about doing that at LVMS.

“I’m thankful someone like Dick (Fieler) is putting up that kind of money. Unfortunately, the guys he put in charge are Wankers and Clowns and are using his money one hundred percent. Dick could’ve done a better job of working with other series and tracks. It’s gonna hurt local tracks and series. People are gonna be saving their time, energy, and money to spend $10,000-$20,000 each time to go run these four races. Tires, fuel, hotels, pit passe, all that stuff. It’s gonna water down your local races. Teams are gonna basically run five races next year. The Million Dollar Series and my deal at Las Vegas. But we’ll see.

“I had a talk today with the title sponsor. I already kind of know the direction of the next few years with the track and multiple sponsors. I’m not gonna release anything right now. On top of everything I have new partners. These are people who do way bigger events than I do. They want to be involved with the event. They’re coming out this year. It’s exciting for me right now. As soon as Sunday hits, it’s all about next year.” concluded Hamilton Jr.

ATTTACHED PHOTO CREDIT: Open Wheel Showdown

HURRICANE SET TO HIT OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN NEXT WEEKEND

October 31, 2025 – Las Vegas, Nevada - There’s a Hurricane headed straight for the Bitnile.com Open Wheel Showdown Presented by askROI in the form of Jeff “The Hurricane” Montgomery. Montgomery will be one of over 70 pre-entered winged sprint car drivers hoping to stake claim to $50,000 with a win in the November 6-8, 2025, event at the “Bullring” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Montgomery, who hails from Langford Station, British Columbia, Canada is one of a handful of Canadian drivers expected to compete in this year’s event. Montgomery has so far made the A-Main in both times he has competed in the OWS.

As Montgomery returns to this year’s race, he does so with confidence. He is fresh off the 2025 Northwest Sprint Tour championship. In addition, he picked up a win with the series at Penticton, BC, Canada June 7 and set two new track records throughout the season.

The 55-year-old Canadian might be a dark horse in this year’s race, but also someone to watch closely. In 2023 he started on the front row before getting caught up in an early race misfortune. Last year he was running inside the top 10 before he had a tire go low as he was steadily moving through the field to earn the “Hard Charger” Award.

“Last year I got a flat tire in my heat race and had to run the C” remembers Montgomery. I came through the C and B to get into the A and started last (25). At one point I got up to seventh or eighth and had a left front tire going down. I fell back to eleventh. We had some bad luck, but you can’t control that stuff, right? I think we had a car capable of maybe getting inside the top five last year.

“We’ve had some bad luck the past two years there. If we could run in the top five this year, I’d be happy, but I’d like to win it. These guys are the best of the best. There are so many guys capable of winning. You need a bit of luck and some things to fall your way. But I feel like we have a top five car this year.

I really like the Open Wheel Showdown. It’s pretty cool what Davey Hamilton Jr.’s done. It's close to home and everyone from Canada can come down to watch. It's really hyped up as well. We have a car capable of running up front so that makes everything a bit more enjoyable.

“I got a good team and car owner in Rob Leighton. He believes in me and gives me everything I need. It’s a long race. You gotta save your equipment the first 50 laps and save your stuff until the end.If we can do that, and get some good luck, we should be there at the end” concluded Montgomery.

HUMPHRIES OPTIMISTIC ABOUT OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN CHANCES

October 28, 2025 – Las Vegas, Nevada - Chowchilla, California’s Eric Humphries is eagerly looking forward to next weekend’s Bitnile.Com Open Wheel Showdown Presented by askROI. If things go the way Humphries anticipate they go, he could be battLing for the $50,000 first place prize money.

Humpries is no stranger to winged asphalt sprint car racing. He’s been good, really good. He is a three-time King of the Wing National champion. He has won multiple times with the series over the years. At times, he’s been downright dominant.

But the last couple of years he’s focused on winged dirt sprint car racing and his family. He’s put focus on being a dad and helping his children with the different sports they have recently pursued.

“I think I’m going into the Open Wheel Showdown with 12-13 shows under my belt. That’s the most I’ve run on pavement the last few years” explained Humphries. “What ended up happening is I got heavily involved in baseball with my oldest kid” explained the 39-year-old Humphries. “He made the all-star team, and I became the all-star coach. I didn’t even get going until May because of all of that.

“We took a year off about two years ago. I had to focus on the family business. Being a dad is what happened to me as well. I’ve been going racing with my boys and working on the family business. I’m pretty much retired from dirt. I feel to be good on dirt you gotta race 30-40 times a year. I can’t do that anymore with being a dad, racing with my boys, and enjoying life. But I feel like I’m better on the asphalt. It’s second nature to me.

“I feel good about our equipment and where we’re at, as a team. I think we size up good against the guys who are coming. But that’s a tall order to win the thing. We’re gonna do what we can to be there at the end. It’s such a long race. It’s 100 laps. You can be fast the first 50, but it’s the last 50 that matters.”

Humphries returned in a big way in 2025. He has won twice with Speed Tour including a win in the $10,000 Pink Lady Classic at Meridian (ID) Speedway in September. Many of the same drivers he will face off against at the Open Wheel Showdown were at the Pink Lady Classic. He also won a non-wing race with NCMA at the Harvest Classic at Madera Speedway.

“I took a couple of years off and stayed quiet. But we updated all our stuff. We are in a different car now. We got a Grip Chassis. But we still got our BEAST stuff. We’ve updated our motor program. My brother is still very much a part of the crew chief side of things for our Harvest Supply Racing Team. I got Jeff Gardner with Rev Con Suspension with us now. Our program is good right now.

“There are so many people making this happen this year. Harvest Supply, TBM Brakes, RevCon Suspension, Royal’s Welding, RDM Deisel, IRM Inc., car owners Carl and Dennis Mott, and Dennis Boulding. My crew guys Scott, Tony, Jeff, and Clinton. A lot of people are behind this deal.”

Humpries finished in the top 10 in the inaugural OWS. He finished fifth last year and feels a win, or at the very least, a top 3.

“We have a lot of momentum going into the Open Wheel Showdown. It’s going to be a tall order to win it. There are gonna be so many good drivers there. I love this race. You got the best of the best in the country. Where We’re at now, I feel good about another top five. But I think we’ll be contending for a win” concluded Humphries.

Attached Photo Credit: David Sink

WILLISON TAKING OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN PREP SERIUOSLY

October 26, 2025 – Las Vegas, Nevada - Langley, British Columbia, Canada driver Aaron Willison returns to this year's Bitnile.com Open Wheel Showdown Presented by askROI looking to take home $50,000 back to Canada.

He was the inaugural 2023 Open Wheel Showdown champion and is all too familiar with what it takes to win the prestigious event. He is set to battle the best winged pavement sprint car drivers in the country November 6-8, 2025, at the “Bullring” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The “Asphalt Assassin” as he is nicknamed, has had a very good season. He has won on three occasions this year. He finished runner-up in the Northwest Sprint Tour championship and ended up third in the Must See Racing championship. This was a successful season by any account.

But in Willison’s eyes, it was mediocre. Last year alone he led the country with twelve total feature victories with no less than six different sanctioning bodies. He was also the NST champion and finished as the #2 ranked driver in the National Pavement Sprint Car Rankings. A win in this year’s Open Wheel Showdown would salvage the season as being successful for Willison.

“We had a great car all year. Lots of great speed everywhere we went” stated Willison. “But it was just one of those years. We kept getting caught up in little issues. Got run into, run over, run over things, everything under the sun. In 2024 it seemed like everything went right. This year everything that could go wrong did go wrong. It’s one of those deals. You take the good with the bad. A win in the Open Wheel Showdown, or at the very least a good run there, would feel good on the year.”

Willison is one of only two drivers to have finished on the podium at the Open Wheel Showdown each of the previous two seasons. Willson finished third in last year’s event.

“This year, just like the last couple years, you hear all these stories going into it about this star driver, this star crew chief, this person, and that person putting deals together for this race. When it all shakes out on Saturday night, it’s always the regular guys who run well all over the country that end up on the front straight there. It’s been an honor to have been there both times and I’m proud of it.

Just like the previous two seasons, Willison is taking preparation for the Open Wheel Showdown seriously.

“It’s the same as the last couple of years. The bulk of it is you come with a fresh motor, fresh rear end, fresh shocks, and fresh brakes. You go through the car from top to bottom. You don’t just pull across the country and go to a race of this level with stuff that’s got a bunch of time on it.

"The Rendle Brothers Racing team is coming with our best foot forward. We got a fresh motor I’m really happy with I think we’re gonna bring a great product out there again. I Can’t wait to get back to Las Vegas” concluded Willison.

ROOKIE HAS LOFTY EXPECTATIONS FOR OPEN WHEEL SHOWDOWN

October 21, 2025 - Las Vegas, Nevada - A quick look at the Bitnile.com Open Wheel Showdown Presented by askROI winged sprint car entry list reveals a little-known driver from Brighton, Colorado. Adam Hilton has officially filed an entry and plans to participate in his very first OWS at the “Bullring” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway November 6-8.

Hilton’s story is an intriguing one. There’s a reason fans may be unfamiliar with him. He’s a rookie. And when we say rookie, he’s a rookie in every sense.

The OWS has quickly become the biggest pavement sprint car race in the entire country in terms of total car count and prize money. Teams annually migrate from all over the country in hopes of taking home the $50,000 first place prize money. Every driver has self-imposed goals of what they hope to accomplish during the weekend in Las Vegas. Hilton is no different.

The 42-year-old Hilton might have the toughest job ahead of him compared to others. Not only is he a sprint car rookie, but he only has five career starts dating back to last season, and they have all come at Colorado National Speedway in Dacono, Colorado.

What he lacks in track time and set-up experience, he more than makes up for it with enthusiasm, passion, and lofty goals.

His love for sprint cars began as a kid in 1995.

“I was riding my bicycle as a kid in 1995. This guy in my neighborhood, Craig Shaeffer, started his sprint car down the street by my house” remembers Hilton. “I chased that thing with my bicycle. I ended up being on his ASCS championship team in 1996 after that. I wasn’t more than ten or eleven years old.”

After a career that included super stocks and late models, Hilton bought a sprint car in 2024.

“After a late model race a couple years ago. I was having a beer with Cris Muhler. He was telling me about this new non-wing sprint car series that was starting. He said I’ll sell you that sprint car in my back yard for $4,000. A guy I was crewing on a late model for had an all-aluminum engine sitting in the shop. He told me to take it and put it in the car. The whole thing just started coming together from there even though we didn’t race that car.”

“Then a friend of mine, Steve Lacy’s dad, had a sprint car. He had the passion to race again but Steve didn’t have the passion to drive again. Low and behold enough people came together and purchased the BEAST for me that they had for sale.

In a career that has so far included only four winged shows at CNS, he proudly points out he has made the A-main all four times with fields of nearly 30 cars.

“My third time out was a non-wing race at the same track. I got quick time. I was second in my heat race. In the feature event I was taking the lead and spun out. I got a flat, spun out, and couldn’t get it fixed. Made both A-mains gain this year at CNS during the fourth of July weekend.”

Now Hilton prepares to take on a field of some of the best winged pavement sprint car drivers in the country in a little over two weeks.

“This sprint car venture has kind of given me a drive in life and rejuvenated my passion for racing. Driving a sprint car has always been on my bucket list. I’ve always dreamed of doing this and its happening.

“When I told everybody I wanted to do Las Vegas, everyone pretty much told me its way above where we’re at. I said, ‘who says I can’t do it’. I looked at the roster and thought I’ve raced ahead of a lot of these guys already. I’m no Aaron Willison but I’ve already beaten a bunch of these guys. I’ve never driven a lap on the “Bullring” but I’ve watched races there.

“Steve Lacy has helped me acquire some pieces and components for the car. I think we now have something I can make the main event with.

“My goal is to make the A-main, which I feel I can. But the racer in me wants to go out and win it. I know I’ll have my work cut out for me and this won’t be an easy task. but the competitive part of me likes challenges. I’m looking forward to it.”

“I’ve had so many people step up and make this happen. If it wasn’t for these folks, I wouldn’t be going to Las Vegas. Custom Linings, Blue Ribbon Trophies, Colorado Imaging, Millenium Concrete Cutting, GTI Golf Carts, Uptown Speed Shop, Accublast, RAW Racing, Buckeye Welding, I.M.M., NBQ Motorsports, and many friends and family have donated countless hours to make this all possible.”

You must appreciate the hunger, passion, and drive Hilton exhibits. You can’t help but wanna pull for this rookie with odds stacked against him. If things go the way Hilton would like in Las Vegas, he may not be under the radar much longer.

“

September 26, 2025 - Las Vegas, Nevada - Bitnile.com Open Wheel Showdown Presented by askROI officials today confirmed that all 70-winged sprint car entries for the November 6-8 event have been filled. Any additional entries will be placed on a waiting list.

New teams considering entering the event shouldn’t be discouraged. Due to various reasons, a handful of entrants withdraw from the event annually closer to race weekend. It is safe to say additional spots will most likely open for teams looking to enter the event at the last minute.

This year’s event will mark the third edition of the richest pavement sprint car race in the World. This year will also mark the third consecutive year the $50,000-to-win winged sprint car race has been held at the “Bullring” at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The racy 3/8-mile semi-banked track has proved to be the perfect venue for this prestigious event.

The entry list for this year’s race already features nearly all the best pavement sprint car drivers in the country, representing virtually every sanctioning body in North America.

Defending race winner Kody Swanson returns after his upset win in 2024. Even though Swanson is considered one of the best pavement sprint car drivers in the country, it had been nearly ten years since he last raced a winged pavement sprint car prior to last season’s triumphant win.

Inaugural 2023 champion Aaron Willison is another notable entrant. Two-time runner-up Bobby Santos III has also added his name to the list. Drivers from nearly 15 states and Canada make up the entry list.

The Open Wheel Showdown has annually closed out the pavement sprint car racing season. Many series have concluded their seasons by the time Open Wheel Showdown nears and teams migrate to Las Vegas for one final fling. Fans are treated to a longer distance, 100-lap finale, ran in two segments, with a break in the middle.

For fans unable to make this year’s race, both nights will air on SpeedSport.tv