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United Rebel Sprint Series Celebrates 20 Years of Rebel Racing in 2026

DODGE CITY, Kan. (3/7/2026) www.urssracing.com — When the engines fire for the 2026 United Rebel Sprint Series season, it won’t just mark the start of another year of 305 sprint car racing across the central plains. It will mark 20 years of Rebel racing, celebrating a series that began as a grassroots vision and has grown into one of the premier sprint car organizations in the country.

The United Rebel Sprint Series was founded in 2006 by longtime racer and promoter Rick Salem, who created the series to give sprint car teams a place to compete under uniform rules while racing for respectable purses throughout the Midwest. What started as a regional concept quickly grew into a staple of sprint car racing across Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Colorado.
Salem, a lifelong sprint car competitor from Oberlin, Kansas, built the series around the idea of giving working-class racers a competitive and affordable place to race. With the support of teams and tracks throughout the region, the Rebels quickly established themselves as a proving ground for talented drivers and a fan favorite at dirt tracks across the plains.

Over the past two decades, the URSS has competed at nearly 50 different racetracks across the Midwest, bringing high-speed winged sprint car racing to communities large and small. From the high banks of Belleville to the fast clay of Dodge City Raceway Park and the historic dirt of Longdale Speedway in Oklahoma, the Rebels have carved out a unique footprint in grassroots motorsports.

The cars themselves are among the most exciting machines in short track racing. Powered by 305 cubic-inch engines fueled by methanol and producing roughly 500 horsepower, these lightweight winged sprint cars can reach speeds approaching 125 miles per hour on dirt ovals while delivering thrilling side-by-side racing.

Through the years, the United Rebel Sprint Series has helped launch the careers of numerous drivers who have gone on to success across the country. Standout racers such as Jake Bubak, Zach Blurton, Jason Martin, and Kyler Johnson are among those who sharpened their skills racing with the Rebels before expanding their racing careers across the national sprint car landscape.

The series has also produced its share of unforgettable moments, dramatic championship battles, first-time winners, and emotional victories that have become part of the fabric of URSS history. Events such as the annual Rick Salem Memorial now stand as a tribute to the legacy of the series’ founder and the impact he had on sprint car racing across the region.

As the series enters its 20th anniversary season, the 2026 schedule once again brings the Rebels to many of the Midwest’s premier dirt tracks. Stops throughout Kansas and the surrounding region will feature marquee events such as the Salt City 100, the Wheatshocker Nationals, the Bullring 305 Nationals, and the Belleville 305 Nationals, along with several appearances at fan-favorite venues like 81 Speedway and RPM Speedway.

While the cars, drivers, and tracks have evolved over the years, the heart of the United Rebel Sprint Series remains the same: grassroots racing built by racers, for racers. The series continues to provide a competitive stage for drivers chasing wins, championships, and the chance to write their own chapter in Rebel history.

Twenty years after Rick Salem launched the idea, the Rebels continue to prove that sprint car racing in the central plains is alive and thriving — and the next chapter of the United Rebel Sprint Series story is just getting started.
Fans can follow the United Rebel Sprint Series throughout the 2026 season for schedules, results, standings, and news at www.urssracing.com and on the series’ official social media channels.

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