Earlier in 2022, the USSA ProStar Series renewed its commitment to the 440 Pro Champ class stating, “the USSA ProStar Series and the ProStar Cup Tour are excited and honored to renew and extend our commitment to the Pro Champ 440 class as the premier class through a minimum of the 2025-2026 race season.” It was a bold step, but the decision has been met with strong support from both the racing community and the fan base of ice oval sprint racing.
Tangible evidence of fan support showed up this week when Mike Crooks and the folks at World Tek Industries of Romulus, Mi added $10,000 to the purse for Round 2 of the ProStar Cup Tour. The total purse for the January 20, 2023 Friday Night Thunder ProStar Cup Tour final at Eagle River now stands at $15,000 from the ProStar Cup Tour plus an entry fee return percentage from the WCDC.
USSA Race Director Bob Richardson stated, “I had a great conversation with Mike. Mike has a passion for the 440 Pro Champ class and was excited to step up and partner with the ProStar Cup Tour for Round 2. Mike and the folks at World Tek Industries share the same vision for the future of the Pro Champ class. Having the final under the lights at Eagle River just adds to the aura of the event.”
Richardson went on to say, “We are off to a heck of a start with the Pro Champ class in the 22-23 race season. There were 26 entries in Beausejour for the opening weekend with a total weekend payout of $10,000. We are entering a January stretch where in 10 days between Friday Night Thunder in Eagle River (ProStar Cup Round 2) and the Sprint World Cup weekend in Wausau Jan 27-29, the Pro Champ Class will be competing for nearly $50,000 in purse money. And I believe that number could still grow.”
More information on the upcoming schedule is available on the ussaprostar.com website and on the USSA social media channels.
