By Jim Foose / Speedway Action Magazine
The Medina Upfit Great Lakes Truck Tour Series (GLTTS) has officially released its 2026 schedule, and one thing is immediately clear: the series is taking the “Great Lakes” portion of its name very seriously. Spanning five states and pushing teams to their logistical limits, the newly announced eight-race calendar will demand as much endurance from the haulers on the highway as it will from the trucks on the asphalt.
For grassroots and regional racing teams, contending for the 2026 championship is going to require a massive commitment of time, budget, and windshield time.
A True Multi-State Tour
The season kicks off with an immediate test of travel logistics. The tour opens on Saturday, May 2nd, in the Hoosier State at the notoriously fast Anderson Speedway. Just three weeks later, on May 23rd, the series swings completely across the region to the Keystone State, tackling the sprawling half-mile at Pennsylvania’s Jennerstown Speedway.
June offers a single, but geographically distinct, battle as the trucks head south to West Virginia’s Ona Speedway on June 13th. Teams will then get a brief respite before the summer heat truly turns up.
July anchors the series in Ohio with a mid-summer clash at Painesville Speedway on July 11th. However, it’s the month of August that will likely make or break championship contenders.
The August Gauntlet
August is a brutal, three-state sprint. The month begins on August 1st at Indiana’s New Paris Speedway. Two weeks later, on August 15th, the haulers head back east to Ohio for a second date at Painesville. Just exactly one week after that, on August 22nd, the teams must turn around and head north to Michigan to battle it out on the tight confines of Flat Rock Speedway.
Navigating the financial and mechanical toll of running Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan in a three-week span will separate the pretenders from the true title threats.
The 2026 champion will ultimately be crowned on Sunday, September 6th, at one of the most punishing and historic tracks in the country: the high banks of Winchester Speedway in Indiana.
The Lorain Raceway Park Wildcard
While the eight confirmed dates offer plenty of drama, the biggest talking point surrounding the 2026 release is what isn’t officially on the poster yet.
Series officials have heavily teased the possibility of adding two highly anticipated dates at Lorain Raceway Park. The catch? The historic 3/8-mile oval in South Amherst, Ohio, is currently closed and sitting in a state of operational limbo after being put up for sale or lease late last year.
Given the deep ties the GLTTS management has historically shared with Lorain, a return to the facility would be a massive homecoming and a major storyline for regional short-track racing. If the gates at Lorain can be reopened in time, those two teased dates would instantly bulk up the schedule and give Ohio-based teams some much-needed hometown mileage.
Until the padlock comes off the gates at Lorain, however, teams will be busy preparing their rigs for a massive regional road trip. The road to the 2026 Great Lakes Truck Tour Series Championship officially begins May 2nd at Anderson. Make sure your fuel tanks are full.
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