The 500 Sprint Car Tour is set to run the third annual Gene Nolen Classic tomorrow night at Anderson Speedway. Gene Nolen’s impact on racing is one that stretched into four decades. Winning was always his main focus but along the way he left lasting impressions on the people around him. However, more importantly he built lasting relationships.
Kody Swanson – Nolen Racing Driver (2017-2020)
“Gene was such a special person, and absolutely loved our sport. He had such a personality and was extremely competitive, but he was connected to so many people in racing, and still had a core group of guys that raced with him for over 25 years. He was successful in business, and in racing, and shared that he believed in being fair, being firm and being friendly – and that was the foundation for so many of the great relationships that he had. I’m extremely grateful for the time that I had to race with him & his Nolen Racing team, and to have been a small part of their first Little 500 victory. He loved these cars and that race, and I’m thankful for the chance to race in his memory this weekend.”
Rick Laughlin – Nolen Racing Crew Member since 1997
“Gene had a big impact on sprint and silver crown racing with the philosophies that he embraced. He had coil springs on his cars when almost everybody still had pavement torsion bar cars. He spent hours designing, machining, and fabricating his own parts. Glen Niebel was the original V6 motor proponent, Gene and Glen worked together quite a bit. When Glen quit racing, Gene continued to develop and improve his V6 motors. He really loved his V6 motors!”
Jared Owen – Anderson Speedway/500 Sprint Car Tour
“Gene’s impact on me personally is something that will stay with me for a lifetime. The methodical way that he approached competition and business was something to admire. He always came with a plan and goals on what he wanted to achieve. When he would fall short of the goals set, he would evaluate the issues and return stronger. In 2018, when he was able to achieve the goal of finally winning the Little 500, he embraced the win and celebrated. But it didn’t take long for him to begin preparing and focusing on next year’s Little 500. His love of racing was infectious, but the relationships he built with people were life changing.”
Shane Hollingsworth – Nolen Racing Driver
“I started racing for Gene in 2006 with a dirt (USAC) Silver Crown car. In 2009 he gave me my first chance to run the Little 500. Him and his family have been a big part of my life. Gene was at my wedding! Obviously, he has given us lots of opportunities, but one thing I loved most about Gene was that we always did things Our Way. That may not have been the traditional way, but we would grit our teeth and work through it. It’s been a thrill for me to drive the yellow #20 car, and Gene was always an extension of our family.”
Race Info
The 500 Sprint Car Tour will be joined at Anderson Speedway by the USSA Kenyon Midget Series, Thunder Roadsters, and Legends. General Admission gates open at 3:30pm and rotating practice subsequently begins at 3:30pm. Qualifications are set to begin at 5:45pm with a green flag start time of 7:30pm. Tickets for the event are $18 for adults, $5 kids aged 6-12, and free for all kids aged 5 and under. The 3rd Annual CB Fabricating Gene Nolen Classic presented by The Herald Bulletin will be the third feature of the night and will be a 100-lap race. The entire night of racing will be streamed live on DIRTVision.
