Racers Prepare For Annual Tulsa Shootout In The SageNet Center

One of the biggest dirt track racing events comes at the end of December and takes place right here in Tulsa.

People from all over the country, and even other parts of the world, moved into the SageNet Center to get ready for the Tulsa Shootout.

Trucks came in and micro sprint cars rolled down the ramps as racers made sure their cars were ready to hit the dirt track.

"If you ever had a perfect time of year to have an event in a building that you swear was built to house a racetrack, this is it," Bryan Hulbert said. 

Hulbert is the announcer for the Tulsa Shootout. He and his team spent the month of December getting everything ready for Shootout week.

"It's organized chaos in some ways," he said. 

While racers from around the country, and even the world, got their cars ready, many of them were excited to see familiar faces.

"Just hanging out with friends before the race days, cause when it's race day, you got to really focus on racing and not so much as friends," said 13-year-old racer Hayden Wise. 

Hayden made the drive from North Carolina to race in the Shootout.

"It's definitely a race that you look forward to," she said.

Other racers like Ryder McCutcheon, were ready to hit the track too.

"Everything I could imagine. It's the funnest thing ever," he said. 

This was Ryder's second year to race in the Shootout.

"I'm looking forward to winning an A main," he said.  

For Ryder and other racers, finishing out the year at the Shootout is something they look forward to each year.

"It feels good. It feels like how it should be, at the race track with my friends," Ryder said. 

Hulbert said it's a way to make sure the year goes out with a bang.

"It's a giant family reunion basically, and it's one heck of a party," Hulbert said. 

More information about the Tulsa Shootout can be found here on their website.