London, Ontario - The No. 07 Ryan Litt Racing team is excited to return to Nevada next week to finish their 2024 season by taking another shot at a $50,000 prize.

 

The Open Wheel Showdown is scheduled November 14-16 at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and is again the highest-paying asphalt Sprint Car event of the year. The first edition of the Open Wheel Showdown was held in December 2023, and it was the team's first time competing at the semi-banked 3/8 mile track. It is almost 3,500 kilometres (more than 2,000 miles) southwest of the team's home base in London, Ontario, Canada.

 

"I love the track," exclaimed Ryan. "It’s a great layout and configuration for Sprint Cars. It’s not too small where you can’t pass, and it’s not too big that the cars get strung out. The pavement is in good shape; it’s really smooth and has a ton of grip. It’s not exactly the same as any tracks we race in the Midwest but it’s somewhat comparable to a mix of Birch Run and Owosso."

 

The team now has notes on both the track and some technical differences which took them some time to adjust to last year. Ryan and the team compete predominantly in the Must See Racing series with their Leitch-powered Diablo chassis. The MSR rules permit 410 cubic inch engines and mandate American Racer tires, whereas winged asphalt Sprint Cars in other parts of the continent are often powered by 360 cubic inch engines with Hoosier tires. Restrictors are mandated on the injector stacks of the 410's (and some 360's) to balance the playing field for the Open Wheel Showdown, and Hoosiers will again be the spec tire for the event in Vegas.

 

"It’s nice that we have some notes to go off of, so we should be really close right out of the trailer," Ryan noted. "Last year it took us quite a few sessions to figure out the fuel settings with the restrictors, and also what RPM range we needed to run in with the lower power.

 

"Of course, it always feels great switching over to a softer tire compound as well. I forget just how locked down you are on Hoosiers. It gives you a lot of confidence in the car, and makes you feel like you can stick it anywhere you need to in traffic."

 

The team found success this season despite running a limited schedule; Ryan claimed a Must See Racing series win in August at Michigan's Berlin Raceway, and stood on the podium at two other MSR series events in 2024. He also had a very strong showing in the 2023 Open Wheel Showdown, running in the top five for much of the 100-lap feature and dicing for the second position with Jason Blonde and Bobby Santos III. A mechanical failure late in the race derailed a potential top five finish. Ryan was one of several Canadian drivers to put in competitive showings last year, and British Columbia driver Aaron Willison eventually locked down the win.

 

"We had a really strong effort last year so we’re definitely looking to build on that," Ryan said. "It’s unfortunate how that race ended for us because I think we definitely had a podium finish secured. It would have been pretty cool to have two Canadians in the top three."

 

Travelling across the continent is no small feat for any race team, and Ryan is grateful for all the support he is receiving again this year.

 

"I couldn't do this without the support of my Mom and Dad, as well as my team; Beach McIntyre, Brent Milovich, and Mike Turner," noted Ryan. "It takes a lot of effort and sacrifice from them to make a big race like this - especially one that's so far away - so I'm very appreciative and grateful for them."

 

Sponsorship is also vital to the effort, and the team wishes to thank Glenn Styres Racing, BS&B Radiator, Xtreme Metal Worx, Jim & Deb Seaton, and Leaf Racewear for their support.

 

More information about the Open Wheel Showdown is available at www.openwheelshowdown.com and live pay-per-view streaming coverage will be provided by Speed Sport TV (www.speedsport.tv).

 

About: The No. 07 Ryan Litt Racing team is based in London, Ontario, Canada and currently competes in the winged asphalt Sprint Car division at oval tracks across the midwestern United States. Ryan has driven a variety of race cars on both dirt and asphalt over his 30-year racing career, and competed in events as far away as South Africa. The team would like to thank all of their sponsors for their support, including BS&B Radiator, Xtreme Metal Worx, Glenn Styres Racing, Jim & Deb Seaton, and Leaf Racewear. Visit www.ryanlitt.com for more information, and follow Ryan and the team on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and YouTube by searching for Ryan Litt Racing.