For the fifth time in 10 years, U.S. Legend Cars International (USLCI) rolls into The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS) for the 31st annual Asphalt Nationals, featuring the Bandolero West Nationals. Over 150 cars across four Legend and two Bandolero divisions will tackle The Bullring’s 3/8-mile, banked corners November 3-5.
Twenty-seven states and two Canadian provinces will be represented, including Alaska. Six drivers will make the 2,400-mile journey, including Trent Dillard. He first started racing snowmachines, or as he pointed out they’re called snowmobiles in the lower 48, when he was just four years old. The idea of racing a Bandolero came in 2020 and won six of eight races in 2021. But before the 2021 season concluded, his family had purchased a Legend car and made his first start towards the end of the season. This year Dillard moved up to a Legend car full-time to race in the Young Lions division at Alaska Raceway Park.
“Being that we live in Alaska, it’s so far away it’s hard to get seat time,” Dillard said. “My goal for nationals is to see if I can just keep up…If I can make the A main, I will consider that a win for myself.”
Two more Alaskan natives joining Dillard in Vegas are brothers Kyle and Saygen Boehmer who will compete in the Semi-Pro division. Both purchased Legend cars for the first time in 2021. “I bought a car halfway through the ’21 season after Saygen got one at the start of the season and I was seeing how much fun he was having,” said elder brother Kyle.
Both have spent time on the simulator, with Saygen even participating in some demolition derbies and ice racing, but this will be the first time both race a Legend car outside of Alaska.
“Hopefully I can learn the track pretty fast and compete with the boys for the win,” said Saygen, who is excited to race at Asphalt Nationals at such a unique track that is hard to drive.
Kyle is eager to be competing at a track where so many racecar drivers have started their careers, calling it “a once in a lifetime opportunity” for a driver from Alaska.
Back in the lower 48, Nevada’s Cody Brown and Jordan Holloway are not short on racing experience at The Bullring.
“I raced a lot of tracks this year and what sets the LVMS Bullring apart is how well maintained it is,” said Brown, who also likes it likes it because it feels like a NASCAR track with its banking and higher speeds. He will be competing in the Semi-Pro Legend car division and enters Asphalt Nationals fourth in the championship points.
Holloway believes The Bullring is more line sensitive than other tracks he’s competed on. “It’s also one of those tracks where you have to be up on the wheel since it’s such a big track.” He enters Asphalt Nationals second in points, behind Georgia’s Jensen Jorgensen.
Why should every driver race at The Bullring at least once? According to Holloway, the track “teaches you how to be aggressive,” and any driver who has the opportunity to race there should take it.
On-track action begins on Thursday with practice for all divisions. On Friday, hot laps, qualifying and heat races will take place, along with the Legend Car Race of Champions. All four Asphalt National and Bandolero West Championship races and B-Mains will be on Saturday.
TICKETS:
Pit passes can be purchased at The Bullring’s credentials building upon entering Entry 3 off Las Vegas Boulevard North. Two-day pit passes (Saturday and Sunday) are $65 and single-day pit passes are $35 (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday).
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