NORTHERN CRATE SPRINT CAR NATIONALS READY TO TAKE CENTER STAGE FRIDAY

Fourth edition guaranteed to produce first-time winner

September 8, 2025, OHSWEKEN, ON  – (Photo by Dale Calnan / Image Factor Photography) The Northern Crate Sprint Car Nationals takes center stage Friday night at Ohsweken Speedway. The division shares the spotlight with the Kool Kidz Ice and Water/Corr Pak Merchandising 360 sprint cars. Twin 15-lap feature events for the 360 sprint cars will lock the two winning drivers into Saturday’s $20,000 to win Northern Sprint Car Nationals A Main.

The fourth annual edition of the Northern Crate Sprint Car Nationals is guaranteed to produce a fresh face in victory lane, and numerous drivers stand ready for their time to shine.

“Our Crate Sprint Car class is mind-blowing,” said Speedway General Manager Clinton Geoffrey. “We have fierce rivalries mixed with fresh faces and even competition. The real winners are the fans getting to take it all in.”

The Stricklands Brantford GMC Crate Sprints feature close and competitive action based largely on the fact everyone runs identical Chevrolet engines with nobody gaining a horsepower advantage. The result is pure competition that’s drawn champions from various forms of motorsports to the division.

The Crate Sprint car division is so competitive that in its 10-year history it has yet to produce a repeat champion.

Track champion Jacob Dykstra enters the event as an early favourite, but he shares the status with standouts Jesse Costa and Brett Stratford. The trio of fierce competitors took 14 of the 17 feature wins in 2025, but two of them share more than that.

Dykstra and Stratford have built a fierce rivalry in 2025 – so much so that the confident Dykstra credited Stratford and his crew for lighting a fire under him during his on-track championship speech. His comments were in response to social media jabs that each team has thrown in the other’s direction.

Costa is as subtle a contender the speedway has letting his on-track performance tell the story of a driver constantly seeking success.

The Twin-15s for 360 Sprint Cars provide invaluable track time for the stars of the week. Teams use the track time as practice for Saturday’s event, but with $1,000 on the line to win either race there’s plenty of motivation to race hard not to mention the guaranteed spot in the Nationals Saturday.

“It’s a huge confidence boost for a driver to know they’re a guaranteed starter in the main event before Saturday’s show even starts,” said Geoffrey. “Over the years our Friday night races have featured epic battles and drivers looking to make a statement coming into our biggest paying race of the year.”

Tickets are still available for both Friday and Saturday of Nationals week at the Big O. For more information on tickets to all four nights of the Northern Nationals week visit www.OhswekenSpeedway.com .