The American Sprint Car Series is ready to crown new royalty in West Memphis. 

Riverside International Speedway welcomes the 360 Sprint Cars for the final trip to the “Natural State” this season as part of the second annual King of the Ditch on Saturday, Aug. 22. 

After a highly successful debut in the track’s 2025 finale last November, the event returns this season for the first time under the ASCS banner. Grandstand gates will open at 5 p.m. CT, with Hot Laps getting started at 6:30 p.m. 

KING OF THE DITCH INFO

WATCH ON DIRTVISION

Here’s a look at the top storylines: 

Riverside Royalty — Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, AR has been a staple of the ASCS schedule since its first visit on July 8, 1995, with four-time Series champion Terry Gray taking the win. 

Since the first trip, Riverside has become one of the most-visited tracks on the schedule, with 37 events making the 1/4-mile bullring the fifth-most-visited facility in the history of the National Tour. 

When the Series last visited “The Ditch” in 2024, home state native Derek Hagar swept both nights of racing. He also took the win in the inaugural King of the Ditch. 

Texas Crown — With 13 races remaining on the ASCS schedule, Sam Hafertepe Jr. is poised to extend his all-time championships record with a seventh to his collection heading into Saturday night. 

While the three nights at Knoxville Raceway rewarded show-up points, Hafertepe owns a 23-point lead over Matt Covington as he prepares to chase his first win at Riverside since 2014. 

If he drives to victory, he’ll take the honor of owning the most wins on the season with four overall wins and an opportunity to extend the gap before a two-week visit to Montana for Frontier Speedweek. 

The Next One — Kyler Johnson completed a 124-race-long wait to drive his No. 45X to ASCS National Tour Victory Lane with his first career score at Viking Speedway. That momentum propelled him to a first Xtream powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals Saturday finale start. 

While Johnson satisfied a dream to begin August, other full-time drivers of ASCS seek to quench the taste of triumph within the final stretch of the season. Among the group are Ryder LaPlante, Austyn Gossel, Brogan Carder, and rookie Cole Schroeder. 

The group of drivers has had success both in the Series and beyond. Gossel ran inside the podium at Dodge City and Viking, finishing second and third, respectively. LaPlante finished runner-up in the non-sanctioned 360 Sprint Car race at Marshalltown Speedway, and Schroeder won his first USCS Feature at Magnolia. Carder has finished in the top-10 in the past three Series Features. 

Now or Never — Matt Covington and Seth Bergman have not allowed Hafertepe to run away with the points lead as Covington sits 23 points behind, and Bergman holds third with a 57-point distance. 

While Covington’s streak of five consecutive podiums ended at Viking, he’s finished inside the podium in seven of the last nine points-paying Features — including a win at Batesville. The Glenpool, OK native will prepare to best his highest-career Riverside finish of fourth from 2024. 

Bergman has shown similar speed to Covington with five podiums in a 10-race span, attaining three wins at Benton Speedway, 81 Speedway, and Texarkana 67 Speedway. Bergman is chasing his third win at “The Ditch” with previous scores in 2015 and 2012. 

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE 

Saturday, Aug. 22, at Riverside International Speedway in West Memphis, AR 

AROUND THE CORNER 

Friday, Aug. 28-29, at Big Sky Speedway in Shepherd, MT 

Saturday, Aug. 30, at Sheridan Speedway in Sheridan, WY 

CURRENT TOP-10 STANDINGS 

1. Sam Hafertepe Jr. (1970pts)
2. Matt Covington (-23)
3. Seth Bergman (-57)
4. Kyler Johnson (-241)
5. Ryder LaPlante (-390)
6. Whit Gastineau (-399)
7. Austyn Gossel (-414)
8. Brogan Carder (-438)
9. Terry Easum (-464)
10. Cole Schroeder (-465)

FEATURE WINNERS (12 Drivers) 

3 wins – Sam Hafertepe Jr., Seth Bergman, Tyler Courtney 

2 wins – Justin Peck, Matt Covington 

1 win – Kyler Johnson, Blake Hahn, Chris Martin, Brady Bacon, Levi Hillier, Gio Scelzi, Ryan Timms 

FEATURE LAPS LED (19 Drivers) 

63 laps – Sam Hafertepe Jr. 

52 laps – Justin Peck 

48 laps – Seth Bergman 

33 laps – Matt Covington 

31 laps – Kyler Johnson 

30 laps – Levi Hillier, Blake Hahn, Ryan Timms 

29 laps – Brady Bacon 

24 laps – Austyn Gossel 

22 laps – Chris Martin 

21 laps – Austin McCarl 

20 laps – Gio Scelzi 

16 laps – Cameron Martin 

15 laps – Tyler Courtney 

13 laps – Brian Brown 

9 laps – Whit Gastineau 

7 laps – Cole Macedo 

3 laps – Sean McClelland 

2 laps – Brady Baker 

QUICK TIME AWARDS (8 Drivers) 

9 awards – Sam Hafertepe Jr 

2 awards – Matt Covington, Kyler Johnson 

1 award – Seth Bergman, Howard Moore, Chris Martin, Levi Hillier, Aaron Reutzel 

HEAT RACE WINNERS (39 Drivers) 

7 wins – Seth Bergman 

6 wins – Matt Covington 

4 wins – Sam Hafertepe Jr. 

3 wins – Whit Gastineau, Garrett Benson, Justin Peck 

2 wins – Ryder Laplante, Chris Martin, Kyler Johnson 

1 win – Jordan Mallett, Sean McClelland, Cam Martin, Brady Bacon, Tyler Clem, Emerson Axsom, Brian Brown, Cole Macedo, Garen Linder, Colby Copeland, Nick Parker, Hank Davis, JJ Hickle, Alex Hill, Jeremy Campbell, Blake Hahn, Kade Morton, Alex Sewell, Brady Baker, Howard Moore, Austyn Gossel, John Carney II, Tanner Holmes, Austin McCarl, Matt Juhl, Tyler Courtney, Ryan Timms, Tasker Phillips, Clint Garner, Evan Semerad 

DASH STARTS (36 Drivers) 

12 starts – Sam Hafertepe Jr 

10 starts – Matt Covington 

7 starts – Seth Bergman, Kyler Johnson, Whit Gastineau 

4 starts – Levi Hillier 

3 starts – Chris Martin, Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown, Justin Peck 

2 starts – Camerson Martin, Emerson Axsom, Austin McCarl, Brady Bacon, Davie Franek, Garrett Benson, Ryder Laplante, Howard Moore 

1 start – Jordan Mallett, Paul Solomon, Brock Zearfoss, Cole Macedo, Tyler Clem, Hank Davis, Nick Parker, Colby Copeland, Garen Linder, JJ Hickle, Alex Hill, Blake Hahn, Alex Sewell, Kade Morton, Jeremy Campbell, Bryant Wiedeman, Brady Baker, Austyn Gossel 

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINNERS (9 Drivers) 

2 wins – Braxton Weger, Rico Abreu 

1 win – DJ Christie, Matt Covington, Tyler Clem, Whit Gastineau, Sterling Cling, Gage Montgomery, Brogan Carder, Bradley Fezard, Chris Martin 

HARD CHARGER AWARDS (13 Drivers) 

3 awards – Whit Gastineau 

2 awards – Sam Hafertepe Jr. 

1 award – Seth Bergman, Ryder Laplante, Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo,  DJ Netto, Brogan Carder, Joe B. Miller, Bradley Fezard, Hayden Mabe, Jack Thomas, Kyler Johnson, Casey Wills, Riley Goodno, Tasker Phillips, Rico Abreu 

PODIUM FINISHES (25 Drivers) 

9 podiums – Sam Hafertepe Jr., Matt Covington 

5 podiums – Seth Bergman 

4 podiums – Tyler Courtney 

3 podiums – Justin Peck, Whit Gastineau, Brady Bacon 

2 podiums – Kyler Johnson, Austin McCarl, Levi Hillier, Austyn Gossel, Ryan Timms, Aaron Reutzel 

1 podium – Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Brock Zearfoss, JJ Hickle, Jordan Mallett, Chris Martin, Blake Hahn, Alex Sewell, Garrett Benson, Christopher Townsend, Gio Scelzi, Kyle Larson 

2026 AMERICAN SPRINT CAR SERIES SCHEDULE + WINNERS 

Date / Track / City, State / Winner (Total Wins) 

1. Thu, Jan. 29 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney
2. Fri, Jan. 30 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tyler Courtney (2)
3. Mon, Feb. 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brady Bacon
4. Sat, Feb. 21 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Justin Peck
5. Sun, Feb. 21 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Matt Covington
6. Sat, Feb. 28 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Justin Peck (2)
7. Sun, Mar. 1 / Central Arizona Raceway / Casa Grande, AZ / Levi Hillier
8. Sat, Apr. 11 / Salina Highbanks Speedway / Salina, OK / Chris Martin
9. Fri, May 8 / Benton Speedway / Benton, MO / Seth Bergman
10. Fri, June 5 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / Blake Hahn
11. Sat, June 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Seth Bergman (2)
12. Fri, June 26 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr.
13. Sat, June 27 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (2)
14. Fri, July 10 / Batesville Motor Speedway / Locust Grove, AR / Matt Covington (2)
15. Sat, July 11 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR / Seth Bergman (3)
16. Sat, July 25 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Sam Hafertepe Jr. (3)
17. Sat, Aug. 1 / Viking Speedway / Alexandria, MN / Kyler Johnson
18. Thu, Aug. 6 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Gio Scelzi
19. Fri, Aug. 7 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Tyler Courtney (3)
20. Sat, Aug. 8 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Ryan Timms

This article was republished with permission from the American Sprint Car Series. The original article can be found here: https://ascsracing.com/news/what-to-watch-for-ascs-national-tour-races-into-arkansas-for-battle-royale-at-riverside/

NEXT: World Of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Championship Chase Resumes With Minnesota Trip to Ogilvie, Jackson