It has been a cold winter as teams prepared for the new season of racing. Auburndale Speedway in Florida hopes to warm all who attend the 2025 INEX Winter Nationals with a great week of racing, capped off with great memories. This year marks the return to the quarter-mile bullring in Winter Haven, with many excited for the change and new challenges.
Over 140 drivers have entered this year’s event, spanning across the United States and Canada from 23 states and provinces, all looking for a week of speed and a chance to start the season off with a pile of wins and a reason to build a new trophy case.
Florida native, Jesse Martinez, who will be competing in the Semi-Pro Division, is excited for Winter Nationals to be contested at Auburndale. “It’s a home game,” Martinez said, “I feel like I have the advantage.”
2023 INEX Young Lions Asphalt National Champion, Ayrton Brockhouse, has visited the quarter-mile bullring a few times in recent seasons shared that when it comes to driving a Legend Car at Auburndale that the most challenging aspect of racing is paying attention to all the other competitors out on the track.
For Martinez, he added that, “What makes Auburndale challenging is that both turns are completely different, both [in] shape and character.”
Michael Crafton is the defending Winter Nationals Semi-Pro Champion, but after finishing second in national points in 2024, is making the jump to the Pro Division for 2025.
“I’ve run Semi-Pro for the four years I’ve been in a Legend Car,” said Crafton. “I won just about every event you could win last year. We figured it’s time to move up and test my talents against the best of the best.”
As one of the defending champions, will Crafton’s concentration be to go after the Pro Division Championship at Winter Nationals, or capture as best of finishes possible for the overall national points championship?
“My primary goal for Winter Nationals this year is to log laps and get the best finishes I can, while learning the new race craft with the Pro Division,” he answered. “Overall, the goal this year is to become a better driver.”
With so many drivers arriving at Auburndale with no experience on the track, what advice would Martinez give them without giving away too many secrets?
“Utilize all the markings on the track to know where to put your car.”
Sunday, February 9 will be practice only, with racing beginning Monday, February 10 and running through Friday, February 14. A total of 40 feature races will be contested across the five days, with 30 of them counting towards INEX National Championship points in six of the eight divisions.
This year’s Pole Awards will be sponsored by LJ Dezigns, and will be awarded for all eight Divisions, in all five rounds. Additionally, the MPI Up on the Wheel Award returns in 2025, but will make its Winter Nationals debut.
Each day’s racing action will be split into two sessions with half the divisions running in the first session and the second half running in the second session. Coverage of each day’s morning session will begin at approximately 11am ET/8am PT on uslegendcars.tv. The afternoon session will begin at approximately 4pm ET/1pm PT on uslegendcars.tv.
To honor our late friend and colleague, Johnny Bartlett who was a U.S. Legend Cars Bandolero Engine Technician, Monday's three Bandolero features during the morning session will be run in his honor as the Johnny Bartlett Memorial Bandolero Races.
For a full preregistration entry list for the 2025 INEX Winter Nationals, click HERE. The full schedule of events can be viewed HERE.