COURTNEY AND TOPP PREPARE FOR 2017 USAC NATIONAL SPRINT CAR TITLE RUN
After teaming up for a partial schedule which saw them win their first career series race this past summer, driver Tyler Courtney and the TOPP Motorsports team announced Thursday their intentions to take on the full USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car tour in 2017.
Courtney, out of Indianapolis, and the Rochester, Indiana-based TOPP outfit both earned their first career USAC victories in July of 2016, partnering up to take the victory in the “Indiana Sprint Week” opener at Gas City I-69 Speedway. The win came in thrilling fashion as Courtney stormed to the front after restarting from the tail of the field (24th) following an early-race spin.
Courtney was one of USAC’s most consistent wheelmen in 2016, ranking seventh among all drivers with an average finish of 6.68. Courtney finished in the top-ten in 16 of his 17 USAC National Sprint Car starts in 2016 to go along with eight top-five finishes.
The charismatic driver known as “Sunshine” is overjoyed to become the newest full-timer joining the USAC National Sprint Car ranks with a team that he hit it off with right off the bat.
“Being a part of the TOPP Motorsports team has been such a great experience,” Courtney said. “I can’t thank Kevin Birchmeier enough for giving me the opportunity last year and I’m really looking forward to running the full USAC schedule in 2017 with the same team. Our crew chief, Mark, and the rest of the team really work hard and I’m excited to see how next year turns out. We’ve got our eyes set on that championship.”
Birchmeier, the owner of TOPP Motorsports, is confident with the team they’ve assembled for the 2017 season, the sky is the limit.
“We gained a lot of knowledge and experience in our first year as a race team,” explained Birchmeier. “Tyler had his first win in USAC last year and we know that there are many more to be had with the support of our team. We’re looking forward to competing in all of the USAC races with ‘Sunshine’ behind the wheel.”
The 47-race 2017 USAC AMOSIL Sprint Car National Championship schedule begins with three straight nights at Ocala, Florida’s Bubba Raceway Park on Feb. 23-24-25.
