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David Gravel Announces Plan to Return to World of Outlaws in 2024
By World of Outlaws
David Gravel announced Thursday evening that he and Big Game Motorsports plan to return to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2024 to chase their first Series title.
It will mark his 12th full season on the World of Outlaws tour and fourth straight year with Big Game Motorsports.
“We’re going to be back on the World of Outlaws tour next year,” Gravel said on his YouTube channel. “What’s really important to me and Tod Quiring and Big Game Motorsports is winning that World of Outlaws championship. It’s really important and it is a very prestigious thing. It’s where we want to be right now…
“I want to get to 100 wins. That’s important to me. And to be a World of Outlaws champion. I feel like we’re more than capable of doing that.”
Gravel finished second in points for the third straight year this season and currently sits 10th on the all-time wins list with 88 victories. Thirty of those victories came in his three years with Big Game Motorsports – one being the Huset’s High Bank Nationals and it’s $250,000 payday, which returns in 2024, along with the $100,000 to win Huset’s Hustle the same week (June 19-22).
“What’s really important to me and Tod Quiring and Big Game Motorsports is winning that World of Outlaws championship.”
He’s picked up several milestone accomplishments throughout his career with the Series, including the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year title with the World of Outlaws in 2013, the 2019 NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals title and two National Open victories at Williams Grove Speedway (2014 and 2017).
Now, all eyes are on a coveted World of Outlaws title with a chance to become only the 11th different champion in Series history.
“We’re committed to the World of Outlaws right now,” Gravel continued on his show. “We have a great nucleolus of drivers. No matter if Brad is there or not, I feel like we’re going to have a lot of the best teams with us, and the points fund is really strong…
“I still have stuff to prove and want to check that off the list of achievements.”
Gravel will kick off his 2024 season with the World of Outlaws at Volusia Speedway Park during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 7-10.
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars Add Fourth Event at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals
BARBERVILLE, FL (Nov. 9, 2023) – For the first time in the 53-year history of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will race four consecutive nights.
The premier 12-night dirt track racing event will kick off on Monday, Feb. 5, with DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, followed Tuesday with DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and a World of Outlaws Sprint Car tune-up. Then it’s four straight nights of The Greatest Show on Dirt together with DIRTcar UMP Modifieds to chase Big Gator championships during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals opening week at Volusia.
The second week of action will see three-nights of DIRTcar Late Models (Feb. 12-14) and two nights of USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars (Feb. 12-13) setting the stage for World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models (Feb. 15-17) and Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds (Feb. 14-17). All three divisions will be competing for a Big Gator trophy, too.
For tickets, camping and more visit DIRTcarNationals.com.
Monday, Feb. 5: DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
Tuesday, Feb. 6: DIRTcar UMP Modifieds & World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car practice
Wednesday, Feb. 7: World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
Thursday, Feb. 8: World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
Friday, Feb. 9: World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modifieds
Saturday, Feb. 10: World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars & DIRTcar UMP Modified Gator Championship
Sunday, Feb. 11: No Racing
Monday, Feb. 12: DIRTcar Late Models & USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars
Tuesday, Feb. 13: DIRTcar Late Models & USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars
Wednesday, Feb. 14: DIRTcar Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds
Thursday, Feb. 15: World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds
Friday, Feb. 16: World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds
Saturday, Feb. 17: World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models & Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds
CATCHING KINSER: Kahne Reflects on Journey to Six World of Outlaws Championships
Kasey Kahne equals Steve Kinser for third-most championships as an owner after 2023 title
MOORESVILLE, NC (Nov. 9, 2023) - Not often are any of Steve Kinser’s accomplishments touched. The Bloomington, IN native cemented himself as the most dominant figure in Sprint Car racing, racking up 20 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championships and nearly 700 Feature victories. But Kasey Kahne equaled Kinser in an important category last week.
Brad Sweet wrapped up his fifth consecutive title with The Greatest Show on Dirt in grand fashion by winning the final race of the 2023 season. All five have come under the Kasey Kahne Racing banner. Add in the championship with Daryn Pittman in 2013 and Kahne’s total now sits at six – tying him for the third most titles as an owner with “The King.” Kinser collected 14 of his championships while driving for Karl Kinser and then added six more after starting his own team. Karl leads the list with 16 titles – 14 with Steve and an additional two with Mark Kinser driving for him. Tony Stewart owns the second most with nine.
“It feels really good to be part of anything with Steve Kinser,” Kahne said. “He’s got way more championships than that, but as Steve being the owner/driver, it’s really cool to be tied with him on something. But if he adds in the rest of his we’re far from where he’s at. He’s something else in the Sprint Car world over the years. But, yeah, to be tied for third is great.”
It’s been a long journey for KKR since they first fielded cars in World of Outlaws races in 2005 and took on the full-time tour in 2006 with Joey Saldana behind the wheel. Race wins came early, but it took eight years of trying before Pittman brought the first championship trophy back to the Mooresville, NC shop. Over time, Kahne has assembled an organization capable of maintaining a championship pedigree.
“We started KKR to win and win as much as the team possibly could every single year and win championships,” Kahne said. “Something we were able to do was win races, but to win championships was much harder to do. It took time. It took people and time.”
Kahne emphasizes the importance of having the right people in the right places, which played a key role in securing the 2023 title. The trio of Eric Prutzman, Joe Mooney, and Andrew Bowman had been the crew of the Napa Auto Parts #49 for all four of Sweet’s previous championships, but Mooney departed for another opportunity this year. Kahne selected Tye Wolfgang who smoothly filled the car chief void.
“To see what the #49 has done the last five (years) is pretty incredible,” Kahne said. “I think, from the crew chief standpoint, Eric Prutzman and his preparation and his mindset, work ethic, everything that he brings to the team sets up for Tye Wolfgang and Andrew Bowman. And just how they attack every race throughout the entire season is pretty incredible with their performance and just how put together the team and cars are.”
Over the last few years, Kahne has been able to enjoy his team’s work from a much closer view. Early in Kahne’s tenure as an owner, NASCAR Cup duties kept him away from the track. But as he’s transitioned to full-time Sprint Car driver, Kahne has often shared the pit area with Sweet and the #49 team as they’ve been on their run.
“To start, I listened to… I would say every single Outlaw race, just Johnny Gibson announcing the races,” Kahne recalled. “Then, three or four years into it the big races were on DIRTVision. I was starting to see some video of my cars racing. And then as time went on you could watch every race. That’s how I did it for years. It was great. I was in the motorhome at the NASCAR track, and that was what I did on a Friday or Saturday night is paid attention to what was going on at the World of Outlaws race, just how my guys are doing. Over the last couple years, I’ve been able to be a big part of that in person and get to watch them firsthand and get to support them that way.
“But since the start, I was always, whether it was a phone call after the race or a text the next morning, very close to my team and very supportive and just always want the best for them and to get the best out of them. Now, it’s a little different being there. It’s still the same mentality. I’m just able to watch a lot more of the success that they’ve had.”
That mentality and commitment to the sport has led Kahne to cementing his place among the most impactful figures in Series history. A place that’s aligned him next to Steve Kinser with six owner championships. A place reached by unwavering dedication to Sprint Car racing.
“I’m very fortunate and really happy that I’ve been able to try to give as much to the teams and to Sprint Car racing as I can,” Kahne said. “I really enjoy it and really love doing it. But at the end of the day, it’s just about the people that have been at KKR from drivers to all the crew members and team members.”
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will commence its 2024 season at Volusia Speedway Park during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 8-10, 2024. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
MORE TO COME: Volusia Speedway Park Bringing Marquee Races During Winter Months
The World’s Fastest Half-Mile will be home to seven of the biggest races this coming winter
BARBERVILLE, FL (Nov. 9, 2023) – While motorsports series across the country are winding down their seasons, racing action in the Sunshine State is heating up with Volusia Speedway Park set to host several marquee events during the winter months.
On that list includes the Veteran’s Day Classic (Nov. 11), 10th anniversary of the Emil & Dale Reutimann Memorial (Nov. 16-18), second annual Battle in Barberville (Nov. 30-Dec. 2), DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Jan. 17-20), Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout (Jan. 25-27), Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 5-17) and the World of Outlaws Bike Week Jamboree (March 3-4).
VETERAN’S DAY CLASSIC (Nov. 11)
Volusia’s months of big events kicks off with the special Veteran’s Day Classic on Saturday, Nov. 11, featuring five local favorite divisions. Competing in the event will be DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, 604 Late Models, 602 Late Models, 3/4 Modifieds and the Pick Your Part Street Stocks. Honoring those who have served, any U.S. veteran, or current member of the United States Military carrying a valid I.D. will receive free admission.
10TH ANNIVERSARY EMIL & DALE REUTIMANN MEMORIAL (Nov. 16-18)
The following week, Volusia Speedway Park will honor one of racing’s most legendary families with the 10th annual Emil & Dale Reutimann Memorial, Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 16-18. The marquee DIRTcar UMP Modified event will see the country’s top Modified drivers compete for a $10,000 payday in the 50-lap event. Ethan Dotson earned his first Reutimann Memorial victory last year, adding his name to a prestigious list of winners, which includes Nick Hoffman, David Stremme, Tyler Nicely, Kyle Strickler, David Reutimann, Jeff Mathews and Austin Sanders.
BATTLE IN BARBERVILLE (Nov. 30-Dec. 2)
Before the calendar turns to 2024, Volusia Speedway Park will cap off the 2023 with the second annual Battle in Barberville, Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The December event brings 360 Sprint Cars, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and 3/4 Modifieds to The World’s Fastest Half Mile for a practice night on Thursday and then Feature events on Friday and Saturday.
The winner of Saturday’s 360 Sprint Car Feature will lock into January’s Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout. Last year, Petersburg, Florida’s Tyler Clem won the inaugural Battle in Barberville 360 Sprint Car and then went on to win the Southern Sprint Car Shootout finale.
DIRTcar SUNSHINE NATIONALS (Jan. 17-20)
Volusia Speedway Park’s Late Model Palooza is back, Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 17-20. The premier Late Model event will feature DIRTcar Pro Late Models, 602 Late Models and the season kickoff for the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models.
The best Late Model drivers from around the country will gather in Barberville with a practice night on Wednesday, Jan. 17, and then three straight nights of Feature action, Thursday to Saturday, Jan. 18-20. Last year, Devin Moran scored back-to-back wins with the World of Outlaws, while Kyle Bronson, Jensen Ford and David Showers Jr. picked up wins in the other divisions.
GERMFREE SOUTHERN SPRINT CAR SHOOTOUT (Jan. 25-27)
The Germfree Southern Sprint Car Shootout returns after a successful debut in 2023, bringing back the United Sprint Car Series for a marquee three-day event, Jan. 25-27. Sprint Car drivers from around the country – and beyond as drivers from Australia and England participated in the first event – will compete for a more than $65,000 overall purse, paying $2,500 to win Thursday and Friday night, and then a massive $10,000 payday on Saturday – the largest purse in USCS history.
Last year, the event also saw the likes of Daytona 500 champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Anthony Macri and Ryan Timms participate in the event.
Local division, 3/4 Modifieds are set to race alongside the high-flying 360 Sprint Car series as well.
FEDERATED AUTO PARTS DIRTcar NATIONALS (Feb. 5-17)
Florida Speedweeks returns in 2024 with the running of the 53rd Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 5-17, 2024. The 12-day event will feature hundreds of drivers from the premier divisions in racing with them all vying for a Big Gator championship. The first week (Feb. 5-10) will see racing action all week with the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and three days of The Greatest Show on Dirt with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
Then, the DIRTcar Late Models and USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars will kick off the second week (Feb. 12-17) before turning it over to the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models and Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds.
WORLD OF OUTLAWS BIKE WEEK JAMBOREE (March 3-4)
Two wheels and four wheels collide once again in March, with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars returning to Volusia Speedway Park in March for the World of Outlaws
Bike Week Jamboree (Sunday-Monday, March 3-4). Adding another exciting element to Bike Week, the World of Outlaws welcomes all bikers to The World’s Fastest Half Mile for two nights of high-octane, wheel-to-wheel, action. Earlier this year, Carson Macedo and David Gravel won the inaugural World of Outlaws Bike Week Features.
For tickets to these events, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision – either on the DIRTVision App or on DIRTVision.com.
Huset’s Speedway Adds $100,000-to-Win Huset’s High Bank Hustle to $250,000-to-Win BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals; Track Hosts Six World of Outlaws Races in 2024
BRANDON, SD (Nov. 8, 2023) – A pair of six-figure World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series events will highlight the four-day BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals, June 19-22, 2024.
In addition, The Greatest Show on Dirt will return Labor Day Weekend for a new two-day Huset’s Shootout, with the finale paying $40,000 to win, marking six Feature races for the World of Outlaws this year at Huset’s Speedway.
The marquee event in June kicks off with a new two-day $100,000-to-win Huset’s High Bank Hustle (June 19-20), followed by the even bigger two-day $250,000-to-win, $5,000-to-start BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals (June 21-22). The $250,000 check equals the largest payout in World of Outlaws history, established last season with this event. Each of the opening night races (June 19 and June 21) will pay $20,000 to the winner.
A complete format for each event during the BillionAuto.com Huset’s High Bank Nationals week will be released closer to the crown jewel event.
Four-day ticket packages are currently on sale at http://www.HusetsSpeedway.com.
The new two-day Huset’s Shootout on Labor Day Weekend will run Saturday, Aug. 31, and Sunday, Sept. 1, with the winner of the event finale receiving $40,000.
The event is part of a tripleheader with action beginning on Friday, Aug. 30, when the Cressman Sanitation 410 Outlaw Sprint Cars kick off the weekend with the Bull Haulers Brawl Season Championship presented by Folkens Bros. Trucking.
Three-day ticket packages and camping for the Huset’s Shootout go on sale Thursday, Nov. 9, at http://www.HusetsSpeedway.com.
If you can't make it to the track, you can watch every lap of each event live on DIRTVision.
HUSET’S SPEEDWAY – Huset’s Speedway is a dirt oval located in Brandon, S.D. The track opened in 1954 and has undergone a large renovation within the last few years, making it a premier destination for both marquee racing events and weekly programs.
HAND OUT THE HARDWARE: Awards Banquet Celebrates 2023 World of Outlaws Season
Drivers, team members, and more were honored at the 2023 World of Outlaws Awards Banquet
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 6, 2023) - After the long grind of the 2023 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car tour, drivers and teams gathered for the Awards Banquet to celebrate completing another year of The Greatest Show on Dirt.
Along with every full-time competitor honored for their performance this year and handed their point fund check, a handful of other awards were handed out to those who’ve made special contributions to the Series and Sprint Car racing as a whole.
Champion: For the fifth consecutive season, Brad Sweet claimed the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championship aboard the Kasey Kahne Racing #49. Five straight championships equaled him with Donny Schatz for the second longest streak of all-time. Only Steve Kinser’s six consecutive titles between 1983-1988 outranks Sweet’s stretch.
“The Big Cat” proved to be the model of consistency yet again as he led the Series in top 10 finishes and posted no DNFs on his way to the title.
“Can’t do it without good people,” Sweet said. “Kasey Kahne gave me an opportunity dang near 15 years ago now. It was a USAC (United States Auto Club) car at the beginning in non-wing. And he helped me get some pavement opportunities. He’s been my best friend and stuck behind me through thick and thin and just kept working toward the same goal. We both have an immense passion for Sprint Cars and Sprint Car racing.”
Not only did winning the title include all the prestige of being a World of Outlaws champion, but it also came with a massive payday. Sweet and the KKR crew were presented a check for $350,000 for their efforts.
NOS Energy Drink Human Horsepower Awards: Series announcer – Johnny Gibson – and NOS Energy Drink’s Marketing Director Lauren Albano presented a pair of Human Horsepower Awards.
One went to Eloy Gutierrez, who was instrumental in the creation of the electronic timing and scoring system that has become a vital part of the sport. Not only did Gutierrez play that important role, but he’s also dedicated multiple decades of his life to working for the World of Outlaws.
The second was presented to Jason Sides. After many years of driving, the charismatic competitor from Tennessee has transitioned to a crew chief role over the last year and a half as he’s stepped out of the seat. Even with the different role, Sides has continued to show the passion and dedication that he exhibited behind the wheel.
Crew Chief of the Year: For the second time in his career, Eric Prutzman was awarded the Crew Chief of the Year. The Pennsylvanian has led the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 crew as they’ve collected five consecutive World of Outlaws championships.
Fan Favorite Award: Excitement is a way to get the fans on your side, and excitement is exactly what defines Sheldon Haudenschild’s driving style. And it comes as no surprise that the fans voted Haudenschild the Fan Favorite driver for 2023. The son of the legendary Jac Haudenschild also receives one of the largest cheers whenever he’s introduced at any World of Outlaws event.
KSE Hard Charger: Sheldon Haudenschild also used that exciting driving style to help him earn the 2023 KSE Hard Charger Award. The Wooster, OH native claimed the honor seven times this season, most notably making a memorable drive from 16th to the win at Skagit Speedway on August 31.
Jason Johnson Sportsmanship Award: One of the highest honors of the night belonged to Amanda Hoegsted as she was given the Jason Johnson Sportsmanship Award. Not only does she remain dedicated in being a vital piece of Bill Rose’s team, she’s also one of the pit area’s brightest presences this year. Even this year as Rose combatted injuries and multiple drivers had to help fill in, Hoegsted maintained her bright disposition all season long.
Social Ambassador Award: Donny Schatz elevated his social media to another level in 2023 and was given the Social Ambassador Award as a result. The 10-time Series champion maintained an active, daily presence on various social platforms.
Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year: One of the most anticipated rookie seasons in Series history came along this season when Giovanni Scelzi and KCP Racing committed to the tour, and Scelzi delivered.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” Scelzi admitted. “I’d run a handful of Outlaw races, but hadn’t really run for a points championship since I was 15 years old racing for NARC (Northern Auto Racing Club). It was unbelievable for sure. I know it was definitely one of the hardest years I’ve had in my life on and off the racetrack. Driving up and down the road with you guys and really racing against the best drivers and best teams in the world.”
Consistency all year long led him to a fourth-place finish in the points, which equaled Jeff Swindell (1981) and Brad Doty (1982) for the highest finishing World of Outlaws rookie ever.
It was also the second time KCP fielded a Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year driver with the other being Ian Madsen in 2018. Only Kasey Kahne Racing, Dave Helm, and KCP have multiple Rookie of the Year drivers.
Ted Johnson Award: Every year the Ted Johnson Award is given as a way to recognize an individual’s outstanding contribution to the sport, and this year’s went to Brad Doty.
From driving to announcing to promoting and much more, Doty’s passion for Sprint Car racing is unparalleled, and he’s dedicated so much of his life to helping the sport he loves.
“I’m honored and humbled to win this award,” Doty said. “Probably not a lot of people in this building old enough to remember Ted. He was a character for sure. I got Rookie of the Year with the World of Outlaws in 1982, which was their fifth year of existence. I was just trying to get to the next race and never dreamt what the World of Outlaws would become and what it is today. I want to thank World Racing Group and the World of Outlaws for this award. I’m truly honored and humbled. It means a lot.”
Engine Builder of the Year: Cappetta Engines powered the championship winning machine driven by Brad Sweet, and as a result Rob Cappetta accepted the 2023 Engine Builder of the Year.
Chassis Builder of the Year: The 2023 Chassis Builder of the Year belonged to Maxim Chassis. Maxim has become synonymous with quality chassis in Sprint Car racing, and many of the top teams on the World of Outlaws tour go with Maxim.
Below is the list of the 14 full-time World of Outlaws competitors in 2023, where they finished in the standings, and the point fund check amount they received at the Awards Banquet:
1. Brad Sweet ($350,000)
2. David Gravel ($210,000)
3. Carson Macedo ($140,000)
4. Giovanni Scelzi ($122,500)
5. Logan Schuchart ($113,750)
6. Donny Schatz ($109,375)
7. Sheldon Haudenschild ($105,000)
8. Spencer Bayston ($100,625)
9. Brock Zearfoss ($96,250)
10. James McFadden ($87,500)
11. Robbie Price ($70,000)
12. Noah Gass ($52,500)
13. Jacob Allen ($43,750)
14. Bill Rose ($35,000)
SEALING THE DEAL: Brad Sweet Punctuates Fifth Straight World of Outlaws Championship with Wild World Finals Win
Sweet slips by Rico Abreu late to top final night of the 2023 season and clinch fifth championship
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 4, 2023) - Brad Sweet could’ve been careful. He could’ve put the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 in cruise control. With a front row starting spot, all he needed was to finish 22nd or better to seal a fifth consecutive World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championship.
But “The Big Cat” had no intentions of taking it easy to close out 2023. He gave the sold-out grandstands what they paid for. Sweet slipped back slightly to start the 25-lapper on Saturday night. But the Grass Valley, CA native rallied back to snatch the lead late from Rico Abreu after a side-by-side duel. Sweet then held on to put the exclamation mark on his title campaign with his first win at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.
“Just happy to be here in front of this large crowd,” Sweet said. “Happy we were able to get our NAPA Auto Parts car in Victory Lane. We’ve been trying here for a long time. I think with the points you’re always so conservative, but tonight we had a car capable of doing it. I was able to be pretty conservative on the bottom and keep my tires under me and just kind of snuck by Rico there at the end and tried to just hold him off there coming to the checkered.”
Sweet’s 11th victory of 2023 with The Greatest Show on Dirt elevated his career total to 90, moving him within five of Dave Blaney’s total of 95, which is eighth all-time. It was also his first triumph at the Charlotte oval in his 38th attempt. With the fifth consecutive championship, Sweet equaled the second longest streak of all-time and is one away from Steve Kinser’s record mark of six straight.
Brian Brown and Sweet brought the field to green for the season finale, and it was Brown leading the way on the opening lap. On the second circuit, Abreu ripped the top around Sweet to take over the runner-up spot.
Abreu quickly began his pursuit of Brown and closed in little by little over the next few laps. The St. Helena, CA native attempted a slider on Brown early but couldn’t clear him. Only a couple laps later, traffic presented an issue for Brown and allowed Abreu to roar around him on the top for the lead.
Behind the two leaders, Friday’s winner – Brent Marks – was coming to life as he rolled by Sweet for third on Lap 9. Then only one lap later, he slid Brown to take control of second. Sweet followed suit by making a move on Brown to climb into the third spot.
Both Marks and Sweet began pursuit of Abreu as the race crossed the halfway point. The Pennsylvanian trimmed Abreu’s lead all the way down to barely more than two tenths on Lap 16. But he saw a surging Sweet drive by him for second on the next time around.
RELATED: Pierce, Sheppard, Sweet Crowned 2023 Champions at World Finals
Sweet then began to cut into Abreu’s lead as the two used entirely different lines. Abreu pounded the top around the fence while Sweet patiently rolled the bottom. With only four laps remaining, Sweet had knocked Abreu’s lead under two tenths of a second as the two went side by side.
“I think it takes two different setups. You’re either set up to run the top and go real fast, or you’re set up to go real slow around the bottom,” Sweet said. “I just felt like we needed to be on the bottom there with everything we had going. I feel like you can keep your tires under you and keep them cool down there, and it seems to pay off. It seems like passing lapped cars is even harder on the top when the guy is real patient on the bottom. So, I just tried to be patient.”
Ultimately, patience paid off for Sweet. Coming out of Turn 4 on Lap 23, Abreu didn’t hit the top as smoothly as he had been, and Sweet capitalized by completing the pass on the front straightaway.
With the lead in his possession, only two more laps stood between him and closing out his title campaign with a trip to Victory Lane. He wheeled the Napa Auto Parts #49 smoothly around the 4/10-mile two more times to claim the checkered flag.
“It’s just really neat to cap it off with a win like this, and it’s basically like a walk-off homer,” Sweet said. “It just feels really good, and were going to celebrate… I’m just super happy. It’s just such a relief. These seasons are so long and so grueling and so hard. It’s just unbelievable that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to accomplish.”
For the second time in three nights, Abreu brought home the runner-up spot, marking his 17th World of Outlaws podium of the year – by far the most for any competitor not running the full schedule. Despite losing out on a potential win late, Abreu kept his head up and looked at the result as an opportunity to absorb a lesson.
“I think you learn more losing these races than you do winning them,” Abreu said. “You’re racing the best in the country, so your margin for error is so minimal. You have lapped traffic running side-by-side in front of you eight laps into the race. You’re just trying to manipulate and pick and choose which lanes to run. My car was set up to run the top, and I committed up there. You win and lose those races. It’s just part of it.”
Rounding out the final podium of the 2023 World of Outlaws season was Logan Schuchart aboard the Shark Racing #1S. The result helped him lock up the fifth spot in points as he entered the night in a close battle with Donny Schatz for the spot. The Hanover, PA native found speed on the top and stuck to it throughout the race.
“When I was racing with Carson a little earlier in the race, he kind of went to the bottom and that’s why I got by him. It looked like he slipped off the bottom a little bit,” Schuchart explained. “So, I didn’t want that to happen to me, and I didn’t know what it felt like. I didn’t want to go somewhere I didn’t want to go. So, I just kind of stuck to pounding the top of the racetrack and seeing what I could make happen up there. Once the tires started going away the last couple laps, I couldn’t run it in there as hard as I wanted to anymore. But all in all, a great end to our season to finish on the podium.”
Brent Marks and Tyler Courtney completed the top five.
David Gravel drove from 21st to seventh to earn the KSE Racing Hard Charger. Gravel’s result made the final margin between himself and Sweet 60 points, which is the fifth straight year it has been within 100 and the eighth closest ever.
Giovanni Scelzi completed his Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year campaign with a fourth place finish in points, equaling both Jeff Swindell (1981) and Brad Doty (1982) for the best debut season in Series history.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Rico Abreu. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Brent Marks, Tyler Courtney, and Brad Sweet.
David Gravel won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
Brian Brown claimed the Toyota Racing Dash.
UP NEXT: The 2024 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign will begin on with the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 8-10 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[2]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu[4]; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart[5]; 4. 19-Brent Marks[3]; 5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[7]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[9]; 7. 2-David Gravel[21]; 8. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 9. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[10]; 10. 21-Brian Brown[1]; 11. 5-Spencer Bayston[16]; 12. 1A-Jacob Allen[15]; 13. 15-Donny Schatz[13]; 14. 13-Justin Peck[6]; 15. 83-James McFadden[25]; 16. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[23]; 17. 2MD-Cap Henry[12]; 18. 69K-Justin Henderson[18]; 19. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[20]; 20. 8-Cory Eliason[14]; 21. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[11]; 22. 1T-Tanner Holmes[17]; 23. 99-Skylar Gee[19]; 24. 9-Kasey Kahne[22]; 25. 7S-Robbie Price[26]; 26. 42-Sye Lynch[24]; 27. (DNS) 20G-Noah Gass
CHARLOTTE SWEEP: Marks Outlasts Peck, Courtney for Thrilling Charlotte World Finals Victory
Marks, Peck, and Courtney trade the lead multiple times before Marks secures his second win of the year
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 3, 2023) - The World of Outlaws World Finals means only a few chances remain to pick up a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car win this year. And that also means the intensity rises each and every lap.
That heightened intensity was on complete display Friday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. An all-out war erupted between Brent Marks, Justin Peck, and Tyler Courtney for a $15,000 payday and a trip to Victory Lane. Sliders. Crossovers. More sliders and crossovers. Cars using multiple grooves. Endless action led to a thrilling 25-lap main event on the penultimate night of the 2023 campaign for The Greatest Show on Dirt.
When the dust settled, Brent Marks claimed the checkered flag narrowly ahead of Peck to snag a win for the Pennsylvania Posse. As Marks rose atop his wing in Victory Lane, the massive crowd on hand erupted in appreciation for the show he and his fellow competitors had delivered.
“It feels amazing,” Marks said. “To win in front of this crowd is an amazing moment. Standing up here on this stage at this racetrack means a lot to me. To get another World of Outlaws victory also means a lot to me. That was a really fun race.”
The win was Marks’ second of the season, marking the third consecutive year he’s notched multiple World of Outlaws wins. Adding to his 2021 Charlotte victory, Marks became the 12th driver to own multiple Series triumphs at the 4/10-mile. His win also completed a clean sweep of the program as he set QuickTime, won his Heat, topped the Dash, and finished it off with the Feature victory.
Marks earned the pole of the Feature after topping the Toyota Racing Dash. Courtney slid ahead of “The Myerstown Missile” in Turns 3 and 4, but Marks dipped under him to lead the opening lap by a hair and slide back in front in Turns 1 and 2.
As the early laps unfolded, Marks couldn’t shake Courtney as Marks opted for the cushion while “Sunshine” tiptoed the bottom. Courtney pulled alongside Marks multiple times within the first handful of laps but couldn’t quite make the move.
But then on the 10th lap, Marks tripped up in traffic as he went through the slick in Turns 3 and 4, allowing Courtney to sneak by on the bottom and claim the top spot aboard the Clauson Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink #7BC.
Quickly changing track conditions allowed Peck to surprise both Marks and Courtney. While the lead duo committed to the bottom, Peck ripped the top in the Buch Motorsports #13 and went around Marks on Lap 12. One lap later, Peck blasted by Courtney for the lead.
Two laps later, Marks surged back into contention as he rolled the bottom to pass Courtney coming to the line and pull alongside Peck, In Turns 1 and 2, Marks pulled the trigger on a slide job to reclaim the lead. Peck returned the favor the next time around in the same set of corners. Marks crossed over out of Turn 2 and aimed for the top in Turn 3, so Peck threw another slider. Marks again dipped under Peck and then fended off his next move in Turn 1.
“I was running the top there in the beginning and saw Tyler down on the bottom there a couple times,” Marks recalled. “So, I switched my line up and felt pretty good. And then I think I slipped up and he got by me and fell back to second. I just tried to work that in down there a little more, and Justin railed around both of us on the top, so I fell back to third. I just started moving around just trying to figure out what was going to work best for my car. I felt like I could go anywhere but was definitely better up top. I just knew we needed to stick to that, and that’s what we did and ended up racing our way back up through there.”
Following the intense battle with Peck, Marks built a decent lead as the laps faded late in the going. But suddenly lapped traffic became an issue again.
Marks stared down cars using both his preferred high line and the low line. Peck chipped away at the gap, and when the white flag flew he found himself within striking distance. Marks thought the lapped car ahead would go low in the final set of corners but guessed wrong, causing him to drift through the slick in Turns 3 and 4. Peck closed fast and looked under Marks coming to the checkered flag but came up slightly short as Marks grabbed the win.
“I felt like the track crew did an amazing job there at getting the track two lanes of racing and getting it pretty tricky around the top,” Marks said. “Man, I just got to lapped traffic there and wanted to make sure I didn’t get off the top. I just felt like my pace slowed up too much. I was getting a little worried about Justin behind me closing in on us. Then I had a run on Logan (Schuchart) going down the backstretch on the last lap, and last minute he pulled off to go to the bottom, and I had already set up to try to slide him. That just kind of got me stuck in the middle a little bit. I knew he was going to have a head of steam. Fortunately, we hung on there at the end and won us this race.”
A second place run for Peck equaled his best World of Outlaws finish. While proud of he and the Buch team’s efforts, Peck couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed with coming so close to what’s become an elusive first Series victory.
“My guys gave me a really good race car,” Peck said. “Me, Brent, and Sunshine raced each other pretty hard there. It’s just one of those deals where it’s got to come sometime, right? It feels like we’ve run second quite a few times now and been on the podium but just can’t seem to pull off a win.”
Courtney rounded out the top three to post his sixth career World of Outlaws podium. The Indianapolis, IN native felt he was missing just a little speed to lock up his second Series win of the year.
“Once Brent cleared Justin there, we just got back around the top,” Courtney said. “We were running really fast laps up there. We’re set up a little bit more to run down off the top, so I was a little too tight to run around the top there.”
Brad Sweet and James McFadden completed the top five. Sweet’s result combined with David Gravel’s sixth place run pushed Sweet’s lead atop the standings to 46 points. Sweet now needs a finish of 22nd or better in the season finale to lock up his fifth straight championship with Kasey Kahne Racing.
Donny Schatz earned the KSE Racing Hard Charger with a 25th to 13th drive.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Rico Abreu (48th Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Brian Brown (82nd of career), Brent Marks (29th of career), and Tyler Courtney (13th of career).
Hunter Schuerenberg won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars complete the 2023 season with a $25,000 to win finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte's World Finals on Saturday, Nov. 4. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 19-Brent Marks[1]; 2. 13-Justin Peck[5]; 3. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[2]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet[11]; 5. 83-James McFadden[10]; 6. 2-David Gravel[9]; 7. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[12]; 8. 24-Rico Abreu[6]; 9. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[15]; 10. 69K-Justin Henderson[4]; 11. 41-Carson Macedo[13]; 12. 21-Brian Brown[3]; 13. 15-Donny Schatz[25]; 14. 5-Spencer Bayston[22]; 15. 9R-Chase Randall[7]; 16. 14-Cole Macedo[17]; 17. 88-Austin McCarl[8]; 18. 8-Cory Eliason[20]; 19. 39M-Anthony Macri[16]; 20. 71-Parker Price Miller[24]; 21. 2MD-Cap Henry[19]; 22. 9-Kasey Kahne[18]; 23. 1S-Logan Schuchart[14]; 24. 7S-Robbie Price[27]; 25. 20G-Noah Gass[28]; 26. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg[21]; 27. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[26]; 28. 99-Skylar Gee[23] NOT DONE YET: Gravel Perfects the Low Line for World Finals Victory
Gravel opens World Finals with his 12th win of the year and cuts into Sweet’s point lead
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 2, 2023) - All the focus entering the 2023 World Finals was squarely on Brad Sweet and David Gravel. The two rolled into The Dirt Track at Charlotte engaged in battle for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championship for the third year in a row. Sweet held a solid but not insurmountable 50-point lead. Who would make the opening statement with three races ahead?
Give round one to Gravel. The Watertown, CT native rolled the bottom of the Charlotte oval to perfection on Thursday night. He wheeled the Big Game Motorsports machine by Rico Abreu on the 14th circuit of the 25-lapper and held off Abreu’s late charge to secure the victory. The triumph coupled with Sweet’s fourth allowed Gravel to cut the margin down to 42 markers with two nights to go.
But Gravel isn’t looking at the points gap. His focus rests entirely on doing all he and the Big Game crew can do. And on the first night, they did absolutely everything they could do by maximizing points with a win.
“We just got to worry about winning races and having fun, and whatever happens happens,” Gravel said. “It’s good to get those extra two points for winning. Obviously, it’s still a bit of a long shot.
“I’m really glad they went and did that prep to the track. It maybe was a little bit dominant around the bottom there once it really came in, but it worked out for us.”
Gravel’s win moved him up to a dozen in 2023 with The Greatest Show on Dirt, which guarantees him at least a tie for the most this year. His 88th career World of Outlaws victory was also his 30th since joining Big Game Motorsports, the most any driver has tallied with Tod Quiring’s team that now owns 94 Series victories. It was also his sixth triumph at the Charlotte oval, giving him sole possession of the second most.
Gravel began the race in the third spot and slipped back fourth early while Rico Abreu rocketed by pole-sitter – Sheldon Haudenschild – to the early lead. Plenty of slicing and dicing took place for spots within the top five, and Gravel even fell back to fifth early on as Brad Sweet began to charge.
“The Big Cat” found the bottom line before any of the other competitors toward the front and quickly got to work. On the eighth circuit, Sweet powered the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 from fourth to second and set his sights on Abreu.
But before Sweet could get to Abreu’s tail tank, lapped traffic caused him to shift his lane. That opened the door for a fast-closing Gravel who mimicked Sweet’s early route on the bottom.
On Lap 14, Gravel looked under Sweet as they entered Turn 1. And he not only cleared Sweet down the back straightaway, he used his momentum to slip under Abreu heading into Turn 3 and snatch the lead.
“Brad found the bottom first, and then he kind of gave up on it,” Gravel explained. “I don’t know why nobody ran low on (corner) exits. I kind of had the exits to myself way low and used that drive to get down the straightaway. Cody (Jacobs), Scott (Vogelsong), and Zach (Patterson) gave me a great car.
“(Turns) 3 and 4 was a lot thinner than 1 and 2. It was a lot easier to hit it in 1 and 2, and when I missed it in 3 and 4, you about stopped. It feels terrible. You’ve got to make sure you slow down enough. So, I figured let me over-slow it to not miss it. I’d rather not miss it and go too slow than go too hard and miss it.”
After taking the top spot, Gravel began to put together a lead as he continued to roll the bottom and work through traffic. Carson Macedo looked poised to challenge Gravel when he rolled by Abreu for second with five laps remaining.
But then Abreu roared back around Macedo two laps later to reclaim runner-up. The St. Helena, CA driver managed to close in within a second, but Gravel held on to top the opening night of the World of Outlaws World Finals.
“We were okay early but great from halfway on,” Gravel said. “Our car was really, really good. It feels good to pass those guys and earn a win like that.”
Abreu took home the second spot aboard his own #24 machine. The result marked his 16th podium of the season with the World of Outlaws. Abreu felt happy with the speed of his car but felt he needed to navigate traffic better to have a better shot to win.
“You can judge a lot off lapped traffic,” Abreu said. “I felt like I needed to just be a little more patient in (Turns) 3 and 4. I was getting a little antsy when the #3 kept getting to my inside, and I tried running harder, and it just didn’t like that. We put ourselves in position, and track position was really key tonight. As a race leader you just work on processing those times when you’re leading and logging laps and trying to set a torrid pace. Your car gets so aero dependent when you catch traffic.”
Rounding out the top three was Carson Macedo aboard the Jason Johnson Racing #41. The Californian notched his 20th podium of the year, becoming the third driver to reach the mark. Macedo found the track conditions tricky especially early in the race in determining where to be.
“It just changed a lot,” Macedo noted. “You had to stay up on it, and it wasn’t easy. I feel like early in the race I thought the bottom was going to take over. I was able to get a good start and jump right there into third and got Sheldon (Haudenschild) on the bottom in (Turns) 3 and 4 and thought I’d just start plugging the bottom and catch him (Abreu). And then Sheldon went flying around me, and I thought the top had come in first. So, I got up, and then it was so quick. We got to traffic, and the bottom kind of gripped up. I couldn’t believe when I moved down in 3 and 4 how grippy it was down there for a little while.”
Sweet and Tyler Courtney completed the top five.
A massive drive from 26th to sixth earned James McFadden the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
Sheldon Haudenschild topped CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One (97th Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four went to Rico Abreu (47th of career), Brad Sweet (238th of career), and David Gravel (239th of career).
Donny Schatz won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars return to The Dirt Track at Charlotte for night two of the 2023 World Finals on Friday, Nov. 3 for another $15,000 to win Feature before Saturday's $25,000 to win season finale. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 2-David Gravel[3]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu[2]; 3. 41-Carson Macedo[4]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet[6]; 5. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[8]; 6. 83-James McFadden[26]; 7. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[7]; 8. 1S-Logan Schuchart[14]; 9. 19-Brent Marks[11]; 10. 15-Donny Schatz[21]; 11. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[1]; 12. 13-Justin Peck[10]; 13. 14-Cole Macedo[5]; 14. 69K-Justin Henderson[15]; 15. 8-Cory Eliason[13]; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen[23]; 17. 39M-Anthony Macri[16]; 18. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[9]; 19. 2MD-Cap Henry[20]; 20. 21-Brian Brown[12]; 21. 20G-Noah Gass[17]; 22. 9-Kasey Kahne[19]; 23. 42-Sye Lynch[22]; 24. 1T-Tanner Holmes[18]; 25. 5-Spencer Bayston[25]; 26. 7S-Robbie Price[27]; 27. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[24] STARTING STRONG: Haudenschild, Marks Lead World Finals Low-E Insulation Qualifying Night
Wednesday’s pair of Charlotte Qualifying sessions set the stage for Thursday and Friday Heat Races
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 1, 2023) - The on-track action of the World of Outlaws World Finals got rolling with Low-E Insulation Qualifying Night on Wednesday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. All 53 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car teams checked in took part in two split Qualifying sessions to set the lineups for Thursday and Friday Heat Races. In the opening session for Thursday’s lineups, Sheldon Haudenschild led the way with a 13.694 in Flight A. The effort marked Haudenschild’s fourth Simpson Performance Products QuickTime of the year and the 29th of his career.
“That’s always the goal,” Haudenschild said of his QuickTime. “And it’s what we’ve been working on all year. We got some other pieces in place. We’ve been focusing on next year a lot and what we want to do, so this is steps in the right direction, and we’ll try to end this week on a high note.”
In the second Flight of the first session, Tyler Courtney laid down the fastest lap with a 13.843. “Sunshine’s” lap gave the team NOS Energy Drink cars a sweep of Thursday’s Qualifying.
Championship leaders Brad Sweet and David Gravel were right next to each other as Sweet set the third fastest lap with Gravel a spot ahead in second.
Cory Eliason, making his debut in the Ridge & Sons Racing #8, timed in fifth quick in Flight A. Also worth noting was Justin Henderson going eighth fastest in the same flight aboard the Kreitz Racing #69K.
The session to set Friday’s lineups belonged to the Pennsylvania Posse as Brent Marks put down a 14.149 in Flight B. With the lap, Marks nabbed his first Simpson Performance Products QuickTime of the year and the third of his career.
“We’re starting this week off a lot better than we did last year,” Marks said. “Really proud of this Murray-Marks Motorsports team for working hard and giving me a good car tonight to qualify with. Our engine ran really good. It’s very cold and really good air, so to get out there and rip around the top and feel comfortable that close to the wall and our engines running really good with everything tuned up, it just felt effortless for me.”
In Flight A of Friday’s session, Gravel topped the charts with a 14.163. He distanced himself a little from Sweet who’s 14.658 slotted him ninth fastest in Flight A.
Knoxville Raceway regulars – Brian Brown and Chase Randall – claimed the second and third spots in Flight A.
Over in Flight B, Courtney missed claiming both flights by one spot as he set the second fastest lap behind Marks with another Knoxville driver – Austin McCarl – in third.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to The Dirt Track at Charlotte for night two of the World of Outlaws World Finals, and first night of Feature action, on Thursday, Nov. 2. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can't make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
Qualifying A - Thursday: 1. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 00:13.694[12]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu, 00:13.722[27]; 3. 41-Carson Macedo, 00:13.847[16]; 4. 19-Brent Marks, 00:13.888[24]; 5. 8-Cory Eliason, 00:13.956[3]; 6. 14-Cole Macedo, 00:13.987[15]; 7. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 00:14.003[4]; 8. 69K-Justin Henderson, 00:14.023[26]; 9. 26-Zeb Wise, 00:14.036[23]; 10. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 00:14.056[21]; 11. 20G-Noah Gass, 00:14.064[11]; 12. 9-Kasey Kahne, 00:14.066[22]; 13. 1A-Jacob Allen, 00:14.077[19]; 14. 9R-Chase Randall, 00:14.113[9]; 15. 12-Lance Dewease, 00:14.162[17]; 16. 88-Austin McCarl, 00:14.189[1]; 17. 83-James McFadden, 00:14.200[18]; 18. 5-Spencer Bayston, 00:14.245[20]; 19. 7S-Robbie Price, 00:14.315[10]; 20. 42-Sye Lynch, 00:14.369[7]; 21. 18R-Ryan Roberts, 00:14.401[25]; 22. 12S-Brent Shearer, 00:14.419[6]; 23. 47-Eric Riggins Jr, 00:14.502[8]; 24. 33-Derek Hauck, 00:14.516[2]; 25. 14T-Tim Estenson, 00:14.669[5]; 26. 77-Geoff Dodge, 00:14.701[13]; 27. 17H-Wout Hoffmans, 00:15.268[14]
Qualifying B - Thursday: 1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 00:13.843[5]; 2. 2-David Gravel, 00:13.903[3]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet, 00:13.986[4]; 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 00:13.987[6]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 00:14.069[9]; 6. 21-Brian Brown, 00:14.105[16]; 7. 13-Justin Peck, 00:14.279[14]; 8. 39M-Anthony Macri, 00:14.279[26]; 9. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 00:14.283[1]; 10. 2MD-Cap Henry, 00:14.296[10]; 11. 23-Devon Borden, 00:14.319[19]; 12. 15-Donny Schatz, 00:14.356[24]; 13. 1T-Tanner Holmes, 00:14.505[21]; 14. 28M-Conner Morrell, 00:14.548[12]; 15. 6Z-Zane DeVault, 00:14.715[8]; 16. 99-Skylar Gee, 00:14.729[18]; 17. 71-Parker Price Miller, 00:14.762[17]; 18. 20-Tim Buckwalter, 00:14.899[13]; 19. 5D-Jacob Dykstra, 00:14.963[23]; 20. W20-Greg Wilson, 00:15.004[7]; 21. 22-Riley Goodno, 00:15.015[15]; 22. 40-George Hobaugh Jr, 00:15.163[22]; 23. 7NY-Matt Farnham, 00:15.354[25]; 24. 24D-Danny Sams III, 00:15.429[20]; 25. 23M-Lance Moss, 00:15.530[2]; 26. 7N-Darin Naida, 00:15.817[11]
Qualifying A - Friday: 1. 2-David Gravel, 00:14.163; 2. 21-Brian Brown, 00:14.175; 3. 9R-Chase Randall, 00:14.181; 4. 69K-Justin Henderson, 00:14.342; 5. 24-Rico Abreu, 00:14.427; 6. 18-Giovanni Scelzi, 00:14.457; 7. 41-Carson Macedo, 00:14.484; 8. 26-Zeb Wise, 00:14.527; 9. 49-Brad Sweet, 00:14.648; 10. 5-Spencer Bayston, 00:14.664; 11. 2MD-Cap Henry, 00:14.693; 12. 14-Cole Macedo, 00:14.743; 13. 23-Devon Borden, 00:14.747; 14. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 00:14.785; 15. 99-Skylar Gee, 00:14.820; 16. 1T-Tanner Holmes, 00:14.842; 17. 6Z-Zane DeVault, 00:14.852; 18. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr, 00:14.858; 19. 42-Sye Lynch, 00:14.876; 20. 20G-Noah Gass, 00:14.977; 21. 5D-Jacob Dykstra, 00:15.173; 22. 23M-Lance Moss, 00:15.205; 23. 47-Eric Riggins Jr, 00:15.260; 24. 17H-Wout Hoffmans, 00:15.473; 25. W20-Greg Wilson, 00:15.635; 26. 7NY-Matt Farnham, 00:15.804; 27. 7N-Darin Naida, 00:16.161
Qualifying B - Friday: 1. 19-Brent Marks, 00:14.149; 2. 7BC-Tyler Courtney, 00:14.259; 3. 88-Austin McCarl, 00:14.275; 4. 39M-Anthony Macri, 00:14.347; 5. 55-Hunter Schuerenberg, 00:14.402; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild, 00:14.435; 7. 83-James McFadden, 00:14.445; 8. 13-Justin Peck, 00:14.531; 9. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 00:14.582; 10. 8-Cory Eliason, 00:14.603; 11. 9-Kasey Kahne, 00:14.607; 12. 15-Donny Schatz, 00:14.617; 13. 71-Parker Price Miller, 00:14.735; 14. 1A-Jacob Allen, 00:14.746; 15. 7S-Robbie Price, 00:14.858; 16. 12-Lance Dewease, 00:14.895; 17. 77-Geoff Dodge, 00:14.962; 18. 22-Riley Goodno, 00:15.091; 19. 14T-Tim Estenson, 00:15.156; 20. 24D-Danny Sams III, 00:15.279; 21. 12S-Brent Shearer, 00:15.565; 22. 28M-Conner Morrell, 00:15.571; 23. 18R-Ryan Roberts, 00:15.583; 24. 40-George Hobaugh Jr, 00:15.757; 25. 20-Tim Buckwalter, 00:15.818; 26. (DNS) 33-Derek Hauck, 00:15.818
HERstory: Jade Avedisian’s Championship Marks New Height for Women in Motorsports
CONCORD, NC (Nov. 1, 2023) – Rarely in professional sports does a player or team come along and transcend the boundaries of the game, accomplishing what was once only a passing thought or a dream in the minds of those involved.
American motorsports has found that player this year in 17-year-old Jade Avedisian – the first female national Midget series champion.
Avedisian claimed the 2023 Xtreme Outlaws Midget Series presented by Toyota championship in her first season with Indiana-based Keith Kunz Motorsports – breaking the mold for a rising presence of female drivers in motorsports.
“It’s a dream come true, honestly,” she said.
While Avedisian is the first woman ever to win a national dirt racing championship, her accomplishment expands upon the foundation laid by several women who have come before and found success in their own way.
Open the World of Outlaws history books to Oct. 29, 2004, and you’ll find another first for women in motorsports. On that day at Thunderbowl Raceway, Erin Crocker-Evernham became the first woman to win a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Feature event.
At 23 years old, she beat Steve Kinser; she beat Danny Lasoski; she beat Donny Schatz. Evernham made her own mark in open-wheel racing, paving the way for a future generation of female stars in the sport like Avedisian.
“I do see a little bit of myself in her, and I think that’s why I’ve taken to following her and what she’s doing,” Evernham said.
Still an avid open-wheel racing enthusiast and present-day host of Winged Nation on the Motor Racing Network, Evernham kept up with Avedisian’s run to the Xtreme Outlaw Series title this year. While she immediately recognized the unprecedented achievement, she also noticed a striking resemblance.
“What she did this year is really significant and I think it truly shows the natural ability she has,” Evernham said. “I love the way she carries herself. She wants to be known as a racer, not as ‘I’m the woman racer,’ which is how I always felt throughout my career. Like, I want to be a racer, and I want to go out there and win. And I get that feeling from her.
“I think it’s huge – she gives me a lot of hope for women in the future.”
Avedisian’s road to the future began in February with the announcement of her signing with KKM – the 17-time national Midget championship-winning team – for 2023 and their plans to chase the Xtreme Outlaw Series title in its first full-length schedule. Fast forward eight months, and Avedisian was hoisting the championship trophy after a season of five Toyota Racing Feature wins, 16 top-five and 26 top-10 finishes.
“I’m just super grateful to even be in contention to win a championship,” Avedisian said. “To capitalize on it just means the world to me.”
For several weeks during the season, she questioned whether or not she’d even be in title contention by the end of the year.
A win inside the Southern Illinois Center in March bolstered her into the Series points lead to start the season, but an average finish of 8.9 and only one top-five result over the next eight Series races dropped her back to fourth in the standings – 180 points behind the leader.
With the schedule already a third of the way complete and a mountain in front of her to climb, Avedisian turned to the one mantra that’s repeatedly defined her season.
“I knew just had to put our heads down and never give up,” she said.
Standing right behind her was the deep roster of KKM crew members with a matching appetite for victory. For her first season with the team, Avedisian was paired with car chief Jarrett Martin – a five-year expert on the wrenches with KKM. Right away, and more frequently as the season progressed, he noticed Avedisian’s never-say-die mentality.
“She wants to make sure she never loses the will to always get better,” Martin said. “That’s one thing I’ve noticed about her that sets her apart – she never wants to give up, she never wants to slow down.
“She works at getting better and wants it as bad as us, so that makes it easier for all of us when we do have a bad night to know that she’s upset too. She’s working hard as well.”
Throughout the year, Martin also helped coach Avedisian through many of the darkest moments of her season – including the Appalachian Midget Week opener at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway, where she crashed and flipped while leading, then did it again from the tail of the field only two laps later.
“She’s up front leading the thing, and she said she just felt so good that she wanted to go faster and faster,” Martin said. “By the end of that night, we had the talk about knowing when to when to slow down and knowing when to push it.”
“I feel like those kinds of moments could’ve thrown the championship away,” Avedisian said. “Luckily, it didn’t.”
After several months of working together, the duo had made significant progress – improving their average finish to 4.6, collecting four additional Feature wins and climbing all the way back from 180 points down, up to the top of the Series points standings coming into the final race weekend of the season in Oklahoma.
“The second half [of the season], I really started to take the stuff I learned and apply it,” she said. “I feel like I was two different drivers from the first half to the second half.”
From 11 points up, Avedisian had expanded that gap to 59 by the time the weekend was out. In Victory Lane, she exchanged hugs, tears and endless smiles with the KKM crew and her family as the celebration began.
“To get it done for her, for the people around her and around us that wanted it just as bad as everybody else – that feels good, for sure,” Martin said.
But the next day, it was right back to business. Business with her future as part of the Toyota Racing Development lineup and working on what’s next for The First Lady of the Xtreme Outlaw Series. Life for the teenager from Clovis, CA has changed dramatically in the past year, and she’s taking it all in stride.
“To have Toyota give me a lot of opportunities… me doing a commercial the other day – obviously a lot has changed,” she said. “I’m a lot more busy now, but it’s a good busy, that’s for sure.”
While Avedisian spends the next few months solidifying exactly what her 2024 racing season will look like, one thing is for certain – she’ll have the attention of Evernham and her other female racers as the motorsports world awaits her next potential historic achievement.
“I’m really excited to watch her in the following years,” Evernham said.
SCHEDULE UPDATE: Thursday, Friday Start Times Moved Up; Wednesday Fan Fest Moved to Afternoon
CONCORD, NC (Oct. 31, 2023) – Keeping the best interest of drivers and fans in mind, officials have adjusted the World of Outlaws World Finals schedules on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday due to extreme cold temperatures expected at night. Saturday’s schedule remains the same.
Wednesday (Nov. 1) will now see the Fan Fest party start at 12 p.m. (ET) in the midway at The Dirt Track at Charlotte with a live concert at 1:30 p.m. and the Race Day Live show on the Sage Fruit Stage at 3 p.m. Opening Ceremonies will still begin at 4:45 p.m., followed by qualifying for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series and Super DIRTcar Series.
Then, Opening Ceremonies on Thursday (Nov. 2) and Friday (Nov. 3) will now start at 4 p.m., followed by racing for the three premier series. The Race Day Live show on the Sage Fruit Stage has also been moved up to 2:30 p.m. those two days.
The fan-favorite 3X4 Wide Parade Lap remains on Friday before the start of the three Feature events.
Saturday’s schedule will still see Opening Ceremonies start at 3 p.m. with racing to follow. Champions for the three series will crowned on the front stretch after the final Feature of the night.
For the full 2023 World of Outlaws World Finals schedule, CLICK HERE.
For tickets to the World of Outlaws World Finals, CLICK HERE. But if you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: 2023 Championship, Big Paydays, Historic Wins Await at World of Outlaws World Finals
Gravel and Sweet’s championship fight headline The Dirt Track at Charlotte’s season-ending World Finals
CONCORD, NC (Oct. 30, 2023) - All Dirt Roads have led the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars to Charlotte, NC.
This year has taken the tour through 18 states from coast to coast and 34 different racetracks. Now, the thousands of miles and hundreds of laps will culminate in the World of Outlaws World Finals. The Dirt Track at Charlotte takes center stage for the four-night sendoff of the 2023 season. The on-track action gets going on Wednesday, Nov. 1 with two Low-E Insulation Qualifying sessions to line up Heat Races for Thursday and Friday’s racing programs. Points accumulated on those two nights will set the lineups for Saturday and one final night to punctuate the World of Outlaws’ 46th season of racing.
Teams from all over will gather to chase their share of the more than $250,000 purse up for grabs. The first two nights of racing will be capped with $15,000-to-win Features before Saturday’s $25,000-to-win finale wraps up the 2023 World of Outlaws season.
In addition to the Sprint Car action, fans will be treated to the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Late Models and Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds all four nights.
BUY WORLD FINALS TICKETS
Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
SWEET VS. GRAVEL: For the third consecutive season, the World of Outlaws championship will come down to a duel between Brad Sweet and David Gravel. Heading into the final event of the season, Sweet owns a 50-point advantage, and Gravel has three nights to erase the gap.
Sweet is looking to complete his Drive for Five as he eyes a fifth straight title with Kasey Kahne Racing. Five straight championships would tie Sweet with Donny Schatz (2014-2018) for the second longest streak and move him within one of Steve Kinser’s record of six consecutive titles (1983-1988).
On the other hand, Gravel is chasing his first championship aboard the Big Game Motorsports #2 after finishing runner-up in the past two seasons. If he can pull it off, Gravel would become the 11th different competitor to claim a World of Outlaws championship.
In terms of overall body of work at Charlotte, Gravel has the upper hand with five victories on his résumé (tied for second most in track history) including a stretch of three straight from 2019 to 2020. Sweet is yet to win in Charlotte, but he’s been consistent as of late with nine consecutive top 10s, including seven top fives.
Not only does the championship include all of the prestige of being at the pinnacle of Sprint Car racing, it also comes with a $350,000 payday.
CATCHING KINSER: A potential fifth championship for Sweet would also make history for car owner – Kasey Kahne.
Kahne has already earned five titles as an owner with Sweet’s four and one with Daryn Pittman in 2013. If Sweet can supply him with a sixth, Kahne will equal Steve Kinser Racing for the third most World of Outlaws championships as a car owner. “The King” was champion 14 times driving for Karl Kinser and six times under his own banner.
Karl leads the way in the category with 16 titles. Tony Stewart Racing’s nine championships rank second.
FIGHT FOR FOURTH: In addition to the battle for the title, there’s a three-man war for the fourth spot in the standings. Currently, Giovanni Scelzi owns the position with Logan Schuchart 34 points behind and Donny Schatz trailing Schuchart by 20 markers. The trio are separated by a total of 54 points.
There’s history on the line for Scelzi if he can hold on. The Californian is wrapping up his Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year campaign, and fourth would equal the best rookie finish in history. Both Jeff Swindell (1981) and Brad Doty (1982) hit the mark. KCP is about to claim their second Rookie of the Year as a team after earning the honor with Ian Madsen in 2018, which will make KCP only the third team/car owner to supply multiple Rookie of the Year winners. Kasey Kahne Racing has had three while Dave Helm’s team produced a pair. Scelzi has been strong in 10 Charlotte starts with six top fives, including a 2019 victory.
A fourth-place finish in points would be Schuchart’s second best result for a World of Outlaws campaign. The Shark Racing pilot has won four times at the North Carolina 4/10-mile, most recently at last year’s World Finals opener. The Hanover, PA native has also podiumed 11 times in 28 Feature starts.
Over the years, Schatz has owned The Dirt Track at Charlotte. His 14 wins outrank the second most by nine. Two of those victories came during the final two nights of 2022. The 10-time Series champion is looking to keep his streak of 20 straight years of finishing in the top five in Series points alive.
ENDING STRONG: While some have their points position essentially settled, there’s still plenty of hunger in those drivers to close out 2023 strong for an even better 2024.
Carson Macedo was in contention for the championship throughout the first half of the campaign but has slipped out of reach in the second half as he’s 140 points behind Sweet. It’s still been another stout season with Jason Johnson Racing for Macedo as he’s won seven times, set Simpson Quick Time on 14 occasions, and grabbed 19 podiums. The Lemoore, CA native is yet to win at Charlotte, but has been in the top five in four of his last five tries including a runner-up last year.
Sheldon Haudenschild sits seventh in points in his seventh year on the tour. The Wooster, OH native has collected a trio of victories in 2023 and looks to add to that total before the season ends. Charlotte hasn’t been the kindest to him, but he did pick up his second-best finish at the track with a third-place effort to conclude last season.
Spencer Bayston will cap his sophomore season with an eighth-place finish in points. The CJB Motorsports pilot has finished eighth in three of his last four Features in Charlotte and owns a best finish of fourth (2018) at the facility.
FIRST-TIME WINNER?: Since its opening in 2000, The Dirt Track at Charlotte has produced a few notable first-time World of Outlaws winners.
Back in 2003, Blake Feese led all 22 laps of a rain-shortened main event for his one and only Series victory in his 29th Feature start. Three years later, Kevin Swindell went to Victory Lane to become, at the time, the youngest winner in Series history. Fast forward nine years to when Dusty Zomer wheeled the Blazin’ Racin’ machine to his first win at Charlotte.
Three first-time winners – Brady Bacon, Corey Day, and Zeb Wise – have already arose from the 2023 campaign, and Charlotte’s history suggests we could see another before the year is done. Full-time Series drivers – Robbie Price, Noah Gass, and Bill Rose – are still seeking their first win. And World Finals always attracts drivers from all over, plenty of which will be chasing their first victory this week.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the World Finals racing live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Wednesday – Saturday, Nov. 1-4 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (68/71 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (9226PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-50PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-140PTS) 4. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-452PTS) 5. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-486PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-506PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-586PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-760PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1320PTS) 10. 83 – James McFadden (-1788PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (19 Drivers):
11 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2)
10 wins – Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
7 wins – Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57), Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15)
3 wins – Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
2 wins – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11, Roth Motorsports #83JR)
1 win – Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14), Brent Marks (Murray-Marks #19), Tyler Courtney (Clauson Marshall Racing #7BC), Zeb Wise (Rudeen Racing #26)
FEATURE LAPS LED (25 Drivers):
335 laps – Brad Sweet
268 laps – James McFadden
234 laps – Rico Abreu
220 laps – Carson Macedo
210 laps – David Gravel
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
114 laps – Buddy Kofoid
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
104 laps – Donny Schatz
62 laps – Brent Marks
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
31 laps – Brian Brown
19 laps – Tyler Courtney
18 laps – Lance Dewease
15 laps – Cole Macedo
11 laps – Anthony Macri, Daryn Pittman
10 laps – Cory Eliason
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin, Justin Peck
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
14 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
13 QuickTimes – David Gravel
6 QuickTimes – Brad Sweet
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (46 Drivers):
29 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo, David Gravel
20 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
15 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart, James McFadden
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz
13 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid, Gio Scelzi, Sheldon Haudenschild
12 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu
9 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
6 Heat Wins – Brian Brown
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Justin Peck, Brent Marks
4 Heat Wins – Cory Eliason
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Tyler Courtney, Kasey Kahne
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Justin Sanders, Zeb Wise
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (51 Drivers):
45 Dashes – Carson Macedo, David Gravel
43 Dashes – Brad Sweet
30 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
29 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
27 Dashes – James McFadden
26 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
23 Dashes – Donny Schatz
22 Dashes – Rico Abreu
20 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
17 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
9 Dashes – Brent Marks
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
7 Dashes – Justin Peck, Brian Brown
6 Dashes – Tyler Courtney, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Corey Day
4 Dashes – Justin Sanders, Parker Price-Miller
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Kyle Larson, Cole Macedo, Tanner Holmes
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Dominic Scelzi, Aaron Reutzel, Freddie Rahmer, Lance Dewease, Devon Borden
1 Dash – Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Daryn Pittman, Sye Lynch, Zeb Wise
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (37 Drivers):
5 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
4 LCS Wins – Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
3 LCS Wins - Noah Gass, James McFadden, Gio Scelzi, Logan Schuchart
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen
1 LCS Win – Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley, Buddy Kofoid, Danny Dietrich, Dusty Zomer
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
7 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild
6 Hard Chargers – James McFadden
5 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz
4 Hard Chargers – Brock Zearfoss, Rico Abreu, Tyler Courtney
3 Hard Chargers – Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Danny Dietrich
2 Hard Chargers – Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price, Gio Scelzi
1 Hard Charger – Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (30 Drivers):
34 Podiums – David Gravel
29 Podiums – Brad Sweet
19 Podiums – Carson Macedo
15 Podiums – Rico Abreu, Donny Schatz
14 Podiums – Logan Schuchart
11 Podiums – James McFadden
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
9 Podiums – Buddy Kofoid
7 Podiums – Gio Scelzi
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson, Brent Marks
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
2 Podiums – Tyler Courtney
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Daryn Pittman, Zeb Wise
TOP 10 FINISHES (64 Drivers):
60 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
57 Top 10s – Carson Macedo, David Gravel
46 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
43 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart
42 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild
41 Top 10s – Donny Schatz
39 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston
38 Top 10s – James McFadden
33 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
25 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
15 Top 10s – Justin Peck
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks
11 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Kasey Kahne, Cory Eliason
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson, Brock Zearfoss
7 Top 10s – Danny Dietrich, Brian Brown, Tanner Holmes
6 Top 10s – Corey Day
5 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders
4 Top 10s – Zeb Wise, Lance Dewease, Robbie Price
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Freddie Rahmer, Parker Price-Miller
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Tim Kaeding, Shane Golobic, Dave Blaney, Dale Blaney, Cole Duncan, Daryn Pittman
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Larry Wight, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Chase Johnson, T.J. Stutts, Scott Bogucki, Brenham Crouch
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
58. Fri, Sept 15 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Brad Sweet (8)
59. Sat, Sept 16 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, CA / Buddy Kofoid (2)
60. Fri, Sept 22 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (6)
61. Sat, Sept 23 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Brad Sweet (9)
62. Fri, Sept 29 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (10)
63. Sat, Sept 30 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brent Marks (1)
64. Fri, Oct 6 / Port Royal Speedway / Port Royal, PA / Tyler Courtney (1)
65. Sat, Oct 7 / Port Royal Speedway / Port Royal, PA / Zeb Wise (1)
66. Sat, Oct 14 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS / Donny Schatz (4)
67. Fri, Oct 20 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Carson Macedo (7)
68. Sat, Oct 21 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / David Gravel (11)
CAREERS INTERTWINED: Sweet, Gravel Again Set to Battle for World of Outlaws Championship
The duo is separated by 50 points heading into the World of Outlaws World Finals, Nov. 1-4
CONCORD, NC (October 25, 2023) - Brad Sweet and David Gravel can’t seem to get away from each other.
For the third consecutive year, the two are heading to The Dirt Track at Charlotte for the World Finals (Nov. 1-4) engaged in a war for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car championship. Sweet – the four-time and reigning titlist – holds a 50-marker advantage with a trio of points-paying races remaining.
It should come as no surprise that these two are once again locked in battle. After all, their careers with the World of Outlaws boast many similarities. Being born on opposite coasts led them down different paths to The Greatest Show on Dirt. But ever since they arrived, Sweet and Gravel have climbed the record books alongside each other.
Gravel grabbed the 2013 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, then Sweet did the same in 2014. Both have remained consistent forces in the years since as they’ve become the two leading drivers on the tour.
Sweet is up to 89 career wins while Gravel sits close behind at 87. They both cleared the 800 Feature starts milestone this season. Both have won two legs of the sport’s Triple Crown with Gravel owning Knoxville Nationals and National Open titles, while Sweet has topped Knoxville and the Kings Royal. “The Big Cat” holds the lead in career podiums with 286 to Gravel’s 225. But Gravel has the advantage in Quick Times with 110 over Sweet’s 75. Throughout their careers, as they’ve both improved, they’ve forced each other to elevate their game.
“David’s a great racer and has a lot of experience as do I now,” Sweet said. “He has his strong suits as do I. We’re just pretty evenly matched. A lot of it comes down to just a few little things throughout a season that kind of separates us. I feel like he’s really stepped his program up, and they’ve definitely kept us on our toes. It’s been fun competing. I love the competition. I love that we’re pushing each other to be better.”
“Our win totals are close,” Gravel said. “We used to run third and fourth in points it seemed like every year. It was Daryn (Pittman) and Donny (Schatz) up front. Then, we kind of took the jump to get ahead of Daryn and run second and third every year for a while. Now, Brad’s been able to win the last several championships. I feel like we’re both at the top of our games. We’re just a half a step behind in points. But as far as wins and big wins, we’re right there.”
They’ve been neck and neck once again all throughout 2023. Through 68 races, Gravel is slightly ahead in wins (11 to Sweet’s 10) and podiums (34 to 29). But Sweet has been in the top 10 more often (60 to Gravel’s 57) and has zero DNFs. Gravel didn’t finish didn’t finish at U.S. 36 Raceway and Tri-State Speedway in the spring and then at Jackson Motorplex one night in August.
“It’s not been our best season we’ve ever had, but it’s certainly not been our worst,” Sweet said. “I think every Outlaw tour has its peaks and valleys. Really, what defines a season, I think, is how you get through the adversity. I’ve said that for a lot of years. Typically, when you’re running good, things are easy. It’s when you have to go through hard nights or hard stretches and wrecks and things like that, that’s what’s going to win or lose you a championship.”
Sweet and his team are fresh off combatting adversity at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. A Feature flip left them with a severely damaged race car. But they managed to make repairs and salvage a seventh-place finish with his NAPA Auto Parts #49 machine, limiting the amount Gravel was able to cut into their lead.
For Gravel, he feels that his Huset’s Speedway/Billion Automotive #2 has been the fastest ride throughout the year, but a handful of unfortunate nights have caused his current deficit in the standings.
“I think it’s definitely our best season to date,” Gravel said. “I feel like we’ve been the best car all year long. We’ve just had a lot more bad nights that sadly we can’t take away. We’ve had a couple part failures. A couple people crashing in front of us. Crashing one night at U.S. 36. There’s probably about six nights this year that kind of wavered our year. The DNFs and blowing a tire halfway at Jackson then getting crashed the next night. A lot of bad nights. It’s not just one night. I think it’s really impressive that we’re still in the hunt with all the things we’ve had to battle through all year.”
Now, Sweet and Gravel are fully focused on four nights of World of Outlaws World Finals action on The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The two will lay down laps on Wednesday, Nov. 1, on Low-E Insulation Qualifying Night to position themselves for the three points-paying races on Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 2-4. And then one man will stand atop the championship stage when the dust settles on Saturday night.
Gravel’s overall résumé at Charlotte suggests he has the upper hand with five victories at the 4/10-mile, good enough for second most. Sweet is yet to win at Charlotte but has podiumed four times in his last nine starts and hasn’t missed the top 10 over that stretch.
“We’re continuing to fight,” Gravel said. “We’ve had a great stretch here the last month or so. We’re going to keep putting our head down and control what we can control. It would be very satisfying to beat him, but he still hasn’t had a DNF this year and we have three. I feel like when you’ve got a guy that’s as consistent and there every night, it’s hard to make that up. We’re going to try to win three races at Charlotte, and wherever we end up is where we end up.”
For tickets to the World of Outlaws World Finals, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
ARIZONA SUN RISING: Hayden Reinbold’s I-44 Win Shines Light on 2023 Progress
Crew chief Connor Ridge, father Andy Reinbold reflect on driver’s fledgling talent
CONCORD, NC (Oct. 25, 2023) – As Hayden Reinbold climbed atop the cage of his Midget, checkered flag in hand, the annoying ‘0’ in his win column finally turned to ‘1’.
In the final race of the 2023 season for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota at I-44 Riverside Speedway, Reinbold scored his first career national Midget Feature win.
Showered in red and white confetti, the moment was more like a cherry atop the sundae, highlighting the improvement he and the Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports team had spent all season concocting.
“I was excited, but I felt like it was well-deserved – we worked really hard this season,” Reinbold said. “We came a really long way.”
In the first half of the Xtreme Outlaw season, his rookie struggles entangled him, compiling an average finish of 14.6 with only two top-10 finishes through the first 15 races. But Reinbold spawned a dramatic turnaround through the last 14 events on the schedule, notching three podium finishes, 10 top-10s and an average finish of 7.6.
An improvement of that caliber midway through the season is a rarity in motorsports. So, what parted the clouds for his “Arizona sun” to shine so suddenly?
“Comfortableness,” Reinbold, of Chandler, AZ, said. “I feel like Connor (Ridge) and Jacob (Johnston) kept giving me consistent cars, and it just allowed me to keep improving and getting better.
“They just kept pushing me. They never gave up on me.”
Standing by his side for Victory Lane photos after I-44 was crew chief Connor Ridge, who had coached the 19-year-old since 2021 after joining the Reinbold/Underwood team the year prior. Earlier, he and Reinbold went through their pre-race routine, but the feeling was a little different this time. The AME Electrical, Spike/Stanton No. 19AZ was starting on the pole with a massive championship battle going on behind him.
“I always push him out on the four-wheeler, and I just tell him, ‘Give me 30 good laps, and I’ll see you on the front stretch,’” Ridge said.
Reinbold responded with 30 good laps. Thirty untouched laps. Nobody, not even newly crowned champion Jade Avedisian, could get close enough to make a move for the lead by the checkered.
Though the race on the track was over, Ridge’s heartbeat still raced within.
“There were a couple times when I was like, ‘Come on Hayden, keep rolling, keep up your tempo, keep doing your thing,’” Ridge said. “There was a point in time where I was like, ‘Oh man, we’re gonna throw this thing away and all this work’s gonna be for nothing.’
“But he pulled through and did his job like he should’ve done. I’m very proud of his efforts; very proud to be in the role that I am here at Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports.”
While the team rode the rollercoaster of emotions at the track, quite the opposite emotion was shown from Hayden’s father and team owner, Andy Reinbold, who was watching live on DIRTVision.
“I really felt pretty comfortable about it the whole race; didn’t really worry too much,” he said. “It was apparent to me that he was the best car and the best driver on the track that day.”
Growing up, Hayden was a basketball and football player. It wasn’t until shortly after the pandemic restrictions of 2020 were lifted that he asked Andy to try racing for himself. The two went out on the road with a Midget for Hayden’s first season, and right away, Andy saw the signs of a future national Midget series competitor.
“When he started – at the time, I had a crew chief that worked on Sprint Cars for me, and Hayden and I just messed around with Midgets for a very small part of time, about a year,” Reinbold said. “I could just tell he had what it took. I could tell when he’s there to race and when he’s there to win, or when he’s struggling. As a parent, you can see that.”
Andy was a Non-Wing Sprint Car racer himself in the early 2000s before expanding ownership into the Midget world and handing off the driving duties to other drivers – several of which served as teammates to Hayden when he first got behind the wheel.
“His teammates have always been Tanner Thorson, Logan Seavey, Daison Pursley – it’s never been able to be just Hayden Reinbold,” Andy said. “We always have a high-caliber driver as a teammate. He doesn’t whine or complain about that stuff. He just stays even keeled.”
When Hayden was paired with Ridge as a driver-crew chief duo during the 2021 season, the two started taking steps down the long-and-winding road to the top of the national Midget scene. A couple wins notched in local competition at Jacksonville Speedway in Illinois in 2022 were among the first saplings of success they saw and continued to build on in 2023.
“Every night when we get done racing, we always try and take a step back and say, ‘What’s something I need to get better with on the car?’ or ‘What’s something that [Hayden] needs to get better with his driving?’” Ridge said. “He’s a good enough kid and recognizes when it’s him or it’s the car, and he has no problem saying one or the other. I think that helps us out a lot.”
Through Chili Bowl Nationals, the 29-race Xtreme Outlaw Series plus several starts with USAC and POWRi, the two have refined their at-track dynamic in 2023. Ridge said it’s been a tough task at times balancing his own instincts as a crew chief and Reinbold’s needs as a driver, but it was that balance they found in the second half of the season that brought them more consistent, competitive finishes.
“What Hayden wants sometimes isn’t the same thing that I see the car needs,” Ridge said. “So, a lot of times, I just started giving him what he wants.
“If he wants a little bit better of this, or a little bit more of that, I have no problem giving him that. At the end of the day, he’s the one driving it.”
From where they began 2023, Reinbold/Underwood’s Midget operation has improved throughout, boasting Xtreme Outlaw wins with Daison Pursley in August and Reinbold’s first only two weeks ago. Now, it’s all eyes on taller mountains in 2024.
“At the beginning of the year, it was just keep getting laps, keep improving, keep getting better,” Reinbold said. “I never would have thought the improvement would have come so fast.”
“As relieved as I was to get the big win, I’m even more excited to see what the future holds for us,” Ridge said.
GOING OUT IN STYLE: Gravel Nips McFadden at Checkered Flag for Final Devil’s Bowl Victory
Gravel snags first Devil’s Bowl win with thrilling finish in the track’s final race
MESQUITE, TX (Oct. 21, 2023) - The anticipation was sky high. The final race at the birthplace of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars in 1978 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway. The stands were filled to capacity. Could the finale live up to the hype?
Absolutely it could. After chasing James McFadden for the entirety of the 30-lap finale, David Gravel saw an opening on the final lap and capitalized. With the checkered flag in sight, Gravel slipped to McFadden’s outside coming out of Turn 4, the two touched wheels, and Gravel stole the victory at the finish line.
The thousands of fans rose to their feet to watch a photo finish with a .015 second margin of victory. Oddly enough, the lapped car right next to them was none other than Riley Goodno, who was driving a car that paid tribute to Kenny Woodruff’s machine that Jimmy Boyd took to Victory Lane in the first ever World of Outlaws race at Devil’s Bowl. The perfect punctuation to the decades of Devil’s Bowl history.
“What a way to send off Devil’s Bowl. How about that?” Gravel said., “I’m sick of running second. I saw a stat that I ran six seconds in the last 10 races, so that was way too many. I was sending it no matter what. I know Carson (Macedo) and Brad (Sweet) were having trouble, but at the end of the day, I’ve just got to try to win races no matter what they do. Happy to finally get one.”
Gravel’s win at Devil’s Bowl marked his first at the Mesquite, TX track in his 17th attempt with The Greatest Show on Dirt. The Watertown, CT’s 87th career Series victory gives him sole possession of 10th all-time, breaking a tie with Daryn Pittman. On the track’s final night of racing, the Big Game Motorsports driver became the 30th different competitor to win a World of Outlaws race at the birthplace of the Series.
Gravel started the race in the second spot with McFadden to his inside on the pole after the two ran first and second in the Toyota Racing Dash. McFadden jumped ahead early on, but a major moment in the race came on a restart with 2 laps complete. Lining up in the second row, teammates Brad Sweet and Kasey Kahne came together resulting in both of them flipping on the front straightaway.
Sweet, the points leader, brought the battered KKR #49 to the Federated Car Care Work Zone in need of many repairs. After non-stop thrashing on the Napa Auto Parts machine, Sweet was able to rejoin the field.
On the ensuing restart, McFadden again powered ahead of Gravel to maintain the top spot. Way back in the field, Sweet began picking through cars. But trouble struck again for the four-time champion as his left rear tire shredded on the eighth lap. Back to the Work Zone Sweet went, and back to the track be returned with a new tire.
The race endured a couple more yellow flags over the next dozen laps, and the last one helped set up a finish for the ages.
McFadden favored the low line of the racetrack in the latter stages while Gravel looked to the top to locate a potential lane by McFadden. As the laps dwindled, Gravel managed to continue cutting into McFadden’s advantage. When the two reached traffic with only a handful of laps to go, Gravel had his momentum built up and was ready to make a move.
On the final lap, McFadden found himself stuck behind a slower car in the preferred inside line. While the bottom might’ve been faster, Gravel had no intentions of staying behind and settling for second after posting six runner-ups in the previous 10 races.
As the two screamed out of Turn 4 on the last lap, Gravel found enough momentum and space to squeeze through to the outside. McFadden stayed heavily on the gas, but the momentum and win belonged to David Gravel and his Big Game Motorsports team by inches over McFadden.
Gravel put his name in the record books as the final driver to top a World of Outlaws race at Devil’s Bowl with an all-time finish.
“Obviously, I wasn’t alive in 1978,” Gravel said. “But this is where it all started. It’s cool to put my stamp on the end of the race. What a great crowd tonight, probably the biggest crowd ever in the history of Devil’s Bowl.”
It was a bitter pill to swallow for McFadden who claimed the runner-up spot after leading the entire race except the final few feet in the Roth Motorsports #83. And even though disappointed, McFadden kept the larger perspective in mind of the fans being treated to a memorable conclusion to Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s last race.
“It sucks to lose it by a nose,” McFadden said. “But it’s a good way to send the place off. Hopefully the fans enjoyed that. My car was really, really good, but then sort of over the last eight laps I got really, really tight.”
Rounding out the final Devil’s Bowl podium was Donny Schatz aboard the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15. The 10-time champion moved forward from ninth and even passed Gravel at one point for second before slipping back a spot.
“We thought when we got racing with David there we were going to have a chance to get going,” Schatz explained. “I moved up the racetrack a little bit and got in his dirty air, and for some reason I was just stuck. I kept trying it. We got by him, but once I got myself back in clean air I was kind of in trouble and he went back by.”
Giovanni Scelzi and Cory Eliason completed the top five. Scelzi also claimed the KSE Racing Hard Charger after advancing from 15th to his fourth place finishing position.
After flipping and two trips to the Federated Car Care Work Zone, Brad Sweet managed to drive all the way back up to seventh. Gravel’s win brought him within 50 points of Sweet with only the World Finals remaining.
Sweet snagged the Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award, his fourth in the last five races.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Kasey Kahne. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two and Three were topped by Sheldon Haudenschild and Spencer Bayston.
Logan Schuchart won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars wrap up the 2023 season and crown a champion with four nights of World Finals action at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Nov. 1-4. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 2-David Gravel[2]; 2. 83-James McFadden[1]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz[9]; 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[15]; 5. 11-Cory Eliason[14]; 6. 5-Spencer Bayston[4]; 7. 49-Brad Sweet[3]; 8. 1S-Logan Schuchart[19]; 9. 7S-Robbie Price[20]; 10. 1-Brenham Crouch[16]; 11. 20G-Noah Gass[10]; 12. 4-Austin Mundie[22]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 14. 41-Carson Macedo[13]; 15. 1J-Danny Jennings[18]; 16. J2-John Carney II[8]; 17. 21W-Riley Goodno[21]; 18. (DNF) 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[17]; 19. (DNF) 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 20. (DNF) 95-Matt Covington[24]; 21. (DNF) 9-Kasey Kahne[6]; 22. (DNF) 84-Scott Bogucki[7]; 23. (DNF) 52-Blake Hahn[12]; 24. (DNF) 19-Ayrton Gennetten[23]
COWBOY CARSON: Macedo Masters Traffic for First Devil’s Bowl Speedway Victory
Macedo takes the Jason Johnson Racing #41 back to Devil’s Bowl Victory Lane for seventh with of the season
MESQUITE, TX (Oct. 20, 2023) - Throughout his time in racing, Jason Johnson always viewed Devil’s Bowl Speedway as one of his favorite tracks. The Mesquite, TX oval is roughly five hours from Johnson’s hometown of Eunice, LA. The “Ragin’ Cajun” experienced plenty of success at the half mile including a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victory in 2017.
And on Friday night, current Jason Johnson Racing pilot – Carson Macedo – honored Johnson with a win at Devil’s Bowl on night one of the Sprint Car Stampede. The Lemoore, CA native started on the pole of the 25-lap Feature and delivered a phenomenal drive. A strong start. A timely lane change. And excellent movement through traffic ushered Macedo to his first checkered flag at the historic facility during the track’s final weekend.
After the checkers, members of Johnson’s family joined the celebration. A jubilant Jaxx (Jason’s son) rose atop the wing of the Albaugh #41 with Macedo as the crowd roared. The Jason Johnson Racing machine made it back to Devil’s Bowl Victory Lane.
“It’s really special,” Macedo commented. “Devil’s Bowl has got a lot of history. The Johnson family, a lot of them are from this area or close to it and it’s special for them. Craig and Debra are here – Jason’s parents. Bobbi and Jaxx. Jaxx was able to get up on the wing with me.
“My guys just did an incredible job. Philip and Brooke (Dietz) owning this #41 car, they give us first class equipment. And Philip, Clyde (Knipp), and Nate (Repetz) just executed all night. I feel like we laid down a really respectable lap in Qualifying. We were able to get into the Dash, win the Dash from second, and then capitalize on that pole starting spot and lead every lap of the Feature.”
Macedo is up to 35 career victories with The Greatest Show on Dirt, moving him within one of tying Shane Stewart for 20th on the all-time win list. Devil’s Bowl becomes the 23rd different track where Macedo owns a World of Outlaws triumph. It’s Macedo’s second win in the state of Texas, and this one makes him and the JJR crew $12,000 richer.
Courtesy of topping the Toyota Racing Dash, Macedo led the field to green and jumped out to an early advantage.
An early caution with five laps complete set up a pivotal restart. Macedo darted ahead again, but second-starting David Gravel didn’t allow him to escape. Gravel ripped the cushion aboard the Big Game Motorsports #2 while Macedo stayed in the grip down low. The different lines allowed Gravel to close in. But right when it looked as if he may slip around him, Macedo shifted to the top to take the line.
“I didn’t really know where to be in (Turns) 3 and 4, especially early. It seemed to kind of be letting go on me a little bit there off of (Turn) 4,” Macedo explained. “I didn’t feel like I could get off that corner as nice as I wanted to. I could look over and see Gravel kind of trailing my right rear (tire) on the top and decided it was time to move up and felt pretty good after that.”
After moving to the top, Macedo began to pull away again as the race cleared the halfway mark. Behind him, Gravel and a surging Brad Sweet were in a duel for second. Sweet closed on Gravel’s tail tank multiple times but couldn’t quite find a lane around.
As the race dipped inside of five laps to go, both Gravel and Sweet closed on Macedo as he struggled with a slower car. The lead was trimmed below half a second with only three circuits remaining. But Macedo delivered the winning move by clearing the lapped car coming to the white flag and driving by another in the final set of turns to keep the challengers behind him and lock up the victory and end a 16-race winless streak.
“I was really nervous at the end there,” Macedo admitted. “That lapper at the end there, I was having a really hard time guessing where he was going to go. He’d kind of last minute lane change down to the bottom and kind of halfway miss it, but then grab the grip and just mess up my air enough to where my pace was slowing way down.
“Sprint Car racing is a weird thing. You could have all the tools in the world, good equipment, an amazing mechanic in Phil Dietz, and two great guys in Clyde and Nate, and I feel like I’m doing a pretty good job, but still just not quite get the job done, not winning races. And you start to kind of doubt yourself and get in a little bit of a slump. But, man, Devil’s Bowl is a great place to get out of that.”
Behind Macedo, Gravel held off Sweet to claim the runner-up spot, his sixth second place finish in the last 10 races. The Watertown, CT native increased his Series-leading podium total to 33 in 2023. The repeated runner-ups without a win continued to fuel Gravel’s hunger for a trip back to Victory Lane before the season wraps up.
“I felt like Carson was just as good as us, and I thought Brad was just as good. I heard him a few times, as well,” Gravel said. “It’s just like playing a game of chess. A guy goes high and you go low and vice versa. It sucks. We’ve finished second a lot this year. It’s not a bad thing, but you definitely want to win.”
Rounding out the top three was the championship point leader – Sweet. Another solid run contributing toward his ongoing effort of a fifth straight title as he allowed Gravel to only take two points out of the gap between the two. The difference now sits at 64 points with four races to go. Sweet felt if he could’ve lined up a little closer to the front, he might’ve been able to wheel the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 to the win.
“We made some really good adjustments for the A (Feature) and were able to kind of drive up through there and honestly contend there for second,” Sweet said. “And I didn’t feel like Carson was pulling away. I felt like we had a car capable of winning, just needed a little track position. It was definitely getting slicker and more technical.”
Completing the top five was Spencer Bayston and Robbie Price notching a season-best run of fifth.
Sheldon Haudenschild grabbed the KSE Racing Hard Charger with a 19th to 13th drive, his Series-leading seventh Hard Charger of the year.
Brad Sweet snagged his third Simpson Performance Products QuickTime in the last four races, fifth overall in 2023, and the 74th of his career.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to David Gravel. James McFadden and Spencer Bayston topped NOS Energy Drink Heats Two and Three.
Sheldon Haudenschild won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Noah Gass after he climbed as high as eighth in the Feature before slipping to 20th.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are back at Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, Oct. 21 for the final race at the birthplace of the Series. The finale of the Sprint Car Stampede will pay $20,023 to the winner and $1,978 to start. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch every lap live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 41-Carson Macedo[1]; 2. 2-David Gravel[2]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet[6]; 4. 5-Spencer Bayston[4]; 5. 7S-Robbie Price[3]; 6. 83-James McFadden[5]; 7. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[9]; 8. 1T-Tanner Holmes[8]; 9. 15-Donny Schatz[12]; 10. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[14]; 11. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[15]; 12. 52-Blake Hahn[11]; 13. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[19]; 14. 1S-Logan Schuchart[13]; 15. 1-Brenham Crouch[7]; 16. 95-Matt Covington[17]; 17. 84-Scott Bogucki[21]; 18. 9-Kasey Kahne[20]; 19. 11-Cory Eliason[18]; 20. 20G-Noah Gass[10]; 21. 72-Harli White[16]; 22. 87J-Jace Park[23]; 23. J2-John Carney II[22]; 24. 19-Ayrton Gennetten[24] WHERE IT ALL BEGAN: Revisiting the World of Outlaws’ Inaugural Devil’s Bowl Race
The World of Outlaws will sendoff the track that was the birthplace of the Series, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, this weekend
MESQUITE, TX (Oct. 19, 2023) - The year is 1978. It’s mid-March in Texas, and race season is blooming like the bluebonnets.
Roughly 90 competitors representing 20 states have gathered in a town 20 minutes east of Dallas named Mesquite. Among the roster are some of the country’s greatest drivers. They’ve all made the journey to take on the Spring Nationals hosted by Devil’s Bowl Speedway. A 22-year-old from Tennessee is the defending event champion. His name is Sammy Swindell. But this edition of the Spring Nationals isn’t the same as the year prior. Ted Johnson – a salesman and motorsports enthusiast from Beloit, WI – has worked together with a handful of the drivers to construct a organization. A way for the best traveling talents to collectively compete for big purses in pursuit of a championship and attract big crowds. They call it the World of Outlaws.
Johnson and the drivers come up with a number. To be considered a World of Outlaws points paying event, the Feature must award at least $2,000 to the winner. The first race to meet the criteria? The final night of the Spring Nationals at Devil’s Bowl.
Among those who’ve made the trip is an accomplished racer from California – Jimmy Boyd.
“The main thing I remember about that race is everybody that was anybody in Sprint Car racing at that time was there,” Boyd recalled during an interview on Open Red. “Rick Ferkel, (Doug) Wolfgang, (Steve) Kinser, and there’s a lot of people that guys don’t know about that were fast. Just everybody that was anybody was there.”
The pre-race promotion and press doesn’t often mention the unproven idea of the World of Outlaws in the lead up to the race. Two preliminary nights are run, but neither meet the $2,000 mark to be considered a World of Outlaws race. A local Devil’s Bowl regular – Norman Martin – claims the first on Thursday, March 16. The following night, South Dakota’s Doug Wolfgang bests Steve Kinser for the win.
Then, the focus shifts to Saturday, March 18. The day the World of Outlaws are truly born. A 50-lap finale around the Mesquite half mile sets the stage for the first race in Series history. Prelim winners – Martin and Wolfgang – make up the front row.
Martin gets the jump and leads the opening 23 circuits. But on the 24th lap, third-starting Jimmy Boyd moves into the lead. The Californian holds off Wolfgang to take the checkered flag and bank $2,000. He also leaves Devil’s Bowl as the first World of Outlaws winner and points leader.
“There’s a track out in Sacramento (CA) called West Capital Raceway. It’s closed down now, but the dirt (at Devil’s Bowl) was kind of similar to that,” Boyd said, looking back. “I was always better on a heavy track. I kind of suffered when it got dry slick. Devil’s Bowl reminded us a lot of West Capital. It was a little bigger than West Capital Raceway but pretty much the same. We took to it real good.”
Racers and fans alike didn’t yet understand the significance of that first race. The lack of coverage focusing on the World of Outlaws continues post-race. But it’s not long before the racing community grows aware of Johnson’s band of travelers. More events at premier facilities quickly elevates notoriety, and fans prioritize attending World of Outlaws races. As Jerry Clum wrote, “A strong heartbeat was heard, and the World of Outlaws was very definitely alive and kicking up a storm.”
Fast forward 45 years and more than 3,600 races, and Johnson’s vision still exists within today’s World of Outlaws. It remains the home to the country’s top Sprint Car drivers traveling the nation each and every year. But this weekend, the piece of history that started it all will conclude its final chapter.
The Greatest Show on Dirt is heading to Devil’s Bowl for two nights (Oct. 20-21). The track’s recent sale means the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Stampede will be the final event hosted by the historic facility. It’s only right that the Series that had its doors opened by Devil’s Bowl is there to help close the track’s doors. As a nod to both the first and final year of Devil’s Bowl hosting a World of Outlaws race, Saturday’s Feature pays $1,978-to-start and $20,023 to the winner.
And much like that race on March 18, 1978, the track will welcome many of the country’s best Sprint Car drivers ready to battle for the honor of the final winner at the Mesquite oval. Devil’s Bowl’s time may be coming to an end this weekend, but its impact and significance within the racing world will never be forgotten.
For tickets to the final race weekend at Devil’s Bowl, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision. WHAT TO WATCH FOR: World of Outlaws Head to Devil’s Bowl One Last Time
The Sprint Car Stampede brings the World of Outlaws to their birthplace for the track’s final event with a special purse up for grabs
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars were born on March 18, 1978, at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. This weekend (Oct. 20-21), the Series’ long-standing history at the track will come to an end.
It all began with roughly 90 racers from across the country journeying to Mesquite, TX for a three-night event at the speedway, culminating in a $2,000-to-win finale. That race, topped by Jimmy Boyd, was the first of what would become The Greatest Show on Dirt – the best drivers traveling the nation in search of Sprint Car stardom and big money.
This weekend, the Series heads to the Mesquite oval for the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Stampede. The pair of nights will be the final two races held at the historic track as track promoter Lanny Edwards recently confirmed the sale of the facility. The event will offer a special purse with Friday handing out $12,000 to the winner, and on Saturday, as a nod to both the first and last World of Outlaws visits, the Feature will pay $20,023-to-win and $1,978-to-start.
It's set to be an emotional weekend with competitors from all over making the trip to Texas to try and be the last driver to win at Devil’s Bowl Speedway.
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EVENT NOTES: In addition to the on-track action, comedian Jerry Longmire will be at Devil’s Bowl Speedway all weekend and will be doing a meet and greet at the World of Outlaws souvenir trailer on Saturday at 5pm (CT).
Also, to accommodate the increased number of fans expected for the event, the camping lot will be used for parking and there will be no on-site camping. Spectators can also park in the pit area for $10 a day.
Let’s look at the weekend’s top stories:
WHO WILL BE THE LAST?: Jimmy Boyd forever etched his name in Sprint Car history with his win in the first World of Outlaws race at Devil’s Bowl in 1978. And now a hungry group of drivers will be vying for the honor of topping the final race at the half mile.
Sadly, Devil’s Bowl will join a list of iconic racetracks that have closed over the course of history. Jac Haudenschild was the last to win with the World of Outlaws at the famed San Jose Speedway in California (1999). Chad Kemenah claimed the final at Phoenix, AZ’s Manzanita Speedway. Only a year ago, David Gravel made the trip to Victory Lane in the I-80 Speedway sendoff in Greenwood, NE.
Winning the final World of Outlaws race at any track locks up a meaningful spot in the record books. And doing so at the place where it all began for The Greatest Show on Dirt would make that honor even more special.
MESQUITE MASTERS: While Sammy Swindell will go down as the king of Devil’s Bowl with his 18 victories, a pair of current World of Outlaws full-timers have stood out from the rest heading into the weekend. Both Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart own a trio of Devil’s Bowl triumphs.
Schatz found his success during the 2010s. The 10-time Series champion picked up wins in 2014, 2015, and most recently in 2018. Schatz enters the weekend fresh off his fourth win of the season at Lakeside.
Schuchart owned the Mesquite oval from 2019-2021, stringing together three consecutive victories aboard the Shark Racing #1S. Schuchart is in the company of Sammy Swindell and Mark Kinser as the only drivers to ever win three straight.
A single victory would equal Schatz or Schuchart with Danny Lasoski for the fifth most Devil’s Bowl wins. A weekend sweep would place either alongside Texan Gary Wright for the fourth most.
COWBOY CAT: Brad Sweet is undoubtedly among the favorites to wear the final cowboy hat handed out at Devil’s Bowl.
“The Big Cat” picked up his second Devil’s Bowl win in March as a part of his remarkable résumé at the Texas oval. In 15 career World of Outlaws starts, Sweet owns eight top fives, a 5.07 average finish, and has only missed the top 10 once.
Sweet also enters the weekend amid the hunt for his fifth consecutive championship. He and his Kasey Kahne Racing crew sit 66 markers ahead of David Gravel with five races remaining.
LAST CHANCE: In addition to those who’ve already collected checkered flags at Devil’s Bowl, there are a handful looking for their first trip to Victory Lane before it’s too late.
Current runner-up in points – David Gravel – has been beating on the door of a win with two Devil’s Bowl second place runs to his credit (2017 & 2020). The Big Game Motorsports pilot also posted a pair of fourths in the spring.
Through six attempts, Carson Macedo is yet to finish worse than seventh at Devil’s Bowl, but he’s also yet to stand atop the podium. The driver of the Jason Johnson Racing #41 has been on the two other steps of the podium – third (2023) and second (2021).
Quietly, Spencer Bayston has been a consistent force in limited action at Devil’s Bowl. The Lebanon, IN has made a trio of starts at the half mile and never finished worse than ninth. The Series sophomore is looking for a strong finish to his season.
LONE STAR STATE STAR: There are no Texas natives following the World of Outlaws tour, but there’s one Lone Star wheelman that could represent the host state with a Victory Lane visit in the final Devil’s Bowl race.
Sunnyvale, TX is a mere 10-minute drive from Devil’s Bowl Speedway, and it’s where Sam Hafertepe Jr. calls home. Throughout his career, Hafertepe has experienced plenty of success at his home track. Among that success is many wins including a complete sweep of this past weekend’s final running of the Winter Nationals featuring the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS).
In World of Outlaws competition, Hafertepe has made 10 starts at the half mile. In those attempts he’s posted four top 10s with a best of sixth, which occurred earlier this year.
TRAVELIN’ TO TEXAS: In addition to the World of Outlaws full-time roster and a handful of Texas locals, drivers are expected to invade from other states for the special occasion.
Coming from Missouri will be Ayrton Gennetten aboard the Hayward Motorsports #19. Two years ago, Gennetten led 23 laps of a Devil’s Bowl World of Outlaws Feature before finishing a career best fourth.
Sapulpa, OK's Blake Hahn will make the trip one state south for the Sprint Car Stampede. Like Hafertepe, Hahn recently swept the Winter Nationals at Devil's Bowl, claiming both nights in 2022. Back in March, Hahn earned his first World of Outlaws top-10 at Devil's Bowl.
Cory Eliason plans to be in attendance behind the wheel of the Crouch Motorsports #11. The Visalia, CA native has made a pair of World of Outlaws starts at Devil’s Bowl, both in 2018, with a best run of 12th. In 2020, Eliason competed at the Mesquite track with the All-Star Circuit of Champions there and finished fourth.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday & Saturday, Oct. 13-14 at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (66/71 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (8946PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-66PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-132PTS) 4. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-444PTS) 5. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-462PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-502PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-542PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-760PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1300PTS) 10. 83 – James McFadden (-1792PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (19 Drivers):
10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2), Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57), Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15)
3 wins – Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
2 wins – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11, Roth Motorsports #83JR)
1 win – Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14), Brent Marks (Murray-Marks #19), Tyler Courtney (Clauson Marshall Racing #7BC), Zeb Wise (Rudeen Racing #26)
FEATURE LAPS LED (25 Drivers):
335 laps – Brad Sweet
239 laps – James McFadden
234 laps – Rico Abreu
209 laps – David Gravel
195 laps – Carson Macedo
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
114 laps – Buddy Kofoid
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
104 laps – Donny Schatz
62 laps – Brent Marks
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
31 laps – Brian Brown
19 laps – Tyler Courtney
18 laps – Lance Dewease
15 laps – Cole Macedo
11 laps – Anthony Macri, Daryn Pittman
10 laps – Cory Eliason
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin, Justin Peck
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
14 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
13 QuickTimes – David Gravel
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
4 QuickTimes – Brad Sweet
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (46 Drivers):
29 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
28 Heat Wins – David Gravel
20 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
15 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, James McFadden
13 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid, Gio Scelzi
12 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Rico Abreu
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
6 Heat Wins – Brian Brown
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Justin Peck, Brent Marks
4 Heat Wins – Cory Eliason
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Tyler Courtney
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Justin Sanders, Zeb Wise
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (51 Drivers):
44 Dashes – Carson Macedo
43 Dashes – David Gravel
41 Dashes – Brad Sweet
30 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
29 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
25 Dashes – James McFadden, Sheldon Haudenschild
23 Dashes – Donny Schatz
22 Dashes – Rico Abreu
18 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
17 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
9 Dashes – Brent Marks
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
7 Dashes – Justin Peck, Brian Brown
6 Dashes – Tyler Courtney
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne, Corey Day
4 Dashes – Justin Sanders, Parker Price-Miller
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Kyle Larson, Cole Macedo, Tanner Holmes
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Dominic Scelzi, Aaron Reutzel, Freddie Rahmer, Lance Dewease, Devon Borden
1 Dash – Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Daryn Pittman, Sye Lynch, Zeb Wise
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (37 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
3 LCS Wins - Noah Gass, James McFadden, Gio Scelzi
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen
1 LCS Win – Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley, Buddy Kofoid, Danny Dietrich, Dusty Zomer
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
6 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden
5 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz
4 Hard Chargers – Brock Zearfoss, Rico Abreu, Tyler Courtney
3 Hard Chargers – Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Danny Dietrich
2 Hard Chargers – Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price
1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (30 Drivers):
32 Podiums – David Gravel
28 Podiums – Brad Sweet
18 Podiums – Carson Macedo
15 Podiums – Rico Abreu
14 Podiums – Logan Schuchart, Donny Schatz
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden
9 Podiums – Buddy Kofoid
7 Podiums – Gio Scelzi
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson, Brent Marks
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
2 Podiums – Tyler Courtney
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Daryn Pittman, Zeb Wise
TOP 10 FINISHES (63 Drivers):
58 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
56 Top 10s – Carson Macedo
55 Top 10s – David Gravel
44 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
42 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart, Sheldon Haudenschild
39 Top 10s – Donny Schatz
37 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston
36 Top 10s – James McFadden
33 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
25 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
15 Top 10s – Justin Peck
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks
11 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Kasey Kahne
10 Top 10s – Cory Eliason
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson
7 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss, Danny Dietrich, Brian Brown
6 Top 10s – Corey Day, Tanner Holmes
5 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders
4 Top 10s – Zeb Wise, Lance Dewease
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Freddie Rahmer, Parker Price-Miller
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Shane Golobic, Dave Blaney, Dale Blaney, Cole Duncan, Daryn Pittman
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Larry Wight, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Chase Johnson, T.J. Stutts, Scott Bogucki
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
58. Fri, Sept 15 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Brad Sweet (8)
59. Sat, Sept 16 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, CA / Buddy Kofoid (2)
60. Fri, Sept 22 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (6)
61. Sat, Sept 23 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Brad Sweet (9)
62. Fri, Sept 29 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (10)
63. Sat, Sept 30 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brent Marks (1)
64. Fri, Oct 6 / Port Royal Speedway / Port Royal, PA / Tyler Courtney (1)
65. Sat, Oct 7 / Port Royal Speedway / Port Royal, PA / Zeb Wise (1)
66. Sat, Oct 14 / Lakeside Speedway / Kansas City, KS / Donny Schatz (4)
HOME OF LEGENDS: Devil’s Bowl Winners Throughout the Years
Devil’s Bowl win list is occupied by many of the sport’s greats
MESQUITE, TX (Oct. 18, 2023) - One of the most important dirt ovals in Sprint Car racing history can be found 20 minutes outside of Dallas.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX. The track is known as the home of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars after hosting the Series’ inaugural race in 1978. The Greatest Show on Dirt has visited the half mile dozens of times in the years since – a tradition that will sadly come to a close this weekend (Oct. 20-21). Promoter Lanny Ross Edwards recently confirmed the sale of the track, meaning this weekend’s Sprint Car Stampede will be the final two nights of racing at the historic facility.
Throughout the years, Devil’s Bowl Victory Lane has been reserved for the sport’s best names – many already in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and others on their way. Of the 28 different drivers to top a race at the half mile, only three of them have less than 10 World of Outlaws triumphs.
California’s Jimmy Boyd won the Series debut event on March 18, 1978, forever cementing himself as the first World of Outlaws winner.
Later that year in September, the driver who went on to become the most dominant at Devil’s Bowl, Sammy Swindell, came out on top for his first win at the track. The Germantown, TN legend eventually collected 18 triumphs in Mesquite, winning races in four different decades (‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s). Swindell’s dominance was highlighted by a five-race winning streak in 1986-1987.
To nobody’s surprise, next in line to win at Devil’s Bowl after Swindell was Steve Kinser in March of 1979. “The King” tallied 16 of his 690 Feature wins at the half mile, trailing only Swindell’s total. Behind Steve is his cousin, Mark Kinser, with six victories including a streak of three straight in 1996-1997.
Hooks, TX native, Gary Wright, may not have the number of wins as Swindell and both Kinsers, but he proved he could contend with anyone at the track located just a few hours west of his hometown. Wright won six races with the World of Outlaws during his time, and all but one came at Devil’s Bowl – each occurring in the ‘90s.
Danny Lasoski’s four Devil’s Bowl wins rank fifth all-time. The 2001 Series champion and 122-time Series winner experienced a brief stretch of dominance at the facility, earning all four of his victories over an eight-race span from 1999-2001.
Behind the top-five that separated themselves, the list gets a little crowded. Seven drivers have won three times at Devil’s Bowl, all of which are in the top 20 on the all-time Series win list. Among the three-time winners are current full-timers, 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart. The latter of the two became only the third driver to top three consecutive World of Outlaws races at Devil’s Bowl with his wins from 2019-2021.
Those with a pair of Devil’s Bowl victories include even more legends like 1995 Series champion Dave Blaney (95 career wins), four-time and reigning champion Brad Sweet (89 wins), Stevie Smith (84 wins) and Jeff Swindell (51 wins), among others making two trips to Victory Lane.
Ten different drivers have won once at Devil’s Bowl, most recently James McFadden back on April 1.
This weekend offers two final chances for drivers to add their name to the Devil’s Bowl win list and position themselves next to legends. If the current list is any indicator, it’s nearly a guarantee that name will go down in history as one of the greats of the sport and a trip to the Hall of Fame may be on the horizon.
For tickets to the Sprint Car Stampede, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, watch all the action on DIRTVision.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway Winners (92 Races, 28 Drivers)
18 – Sammy Swindell
16 – Steve Kinser
6 – Mark Kinser
5 – Gary Wright
4 – Danny Lasoski
3 – Doug Wolfgang, Bobby Davis Jr., Andy Hillenburg, Joey Saldana, Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart
2 – Ron Shuman, Jeff Swindell, Dave Blaney, Stevie Smith, Shane Stewart, Brad Sweet
1 – Jimmy Boyd, Danny Smith, Tim Green, Bobby Allen, Craig Dollansky, Brad Furr, Tyler Walker, Jason Johnson, Brent Marks, James McFadden
World of Outlaws Increase Purse For Devil's Bowl Finale
The two-day event will boast a $12,000 payday on Friday and a $20,023 payout on Saturday
MESQUITE, TX (Oct. 16, 2023) – To help give Devil’s Bowl Speedway a proper send off, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series has increased the purse by more than $30,000 for the track’s final weekend.
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Stampede will now see drivers contend for a $12,000 payday on Friday, Oct. 20, and in honor of the first and final years the World of Outlaws raced at Devil’s Bowl, Saturday’s purse will pay $20,023 to the winner and $1,978 to start.
With the increases, the weekend’s overall purse is now at nearly $140,000 for the two-day weekend.
Devil’s Bowl Speedway promoter Lanny Ross Edwards announced on Friday that the facility will close after the World of Outlaws doubleheader this weekend due to the sale of the property.
The track became the birthplace of the World of Outlaws, hosting the Series’ inaugural event on March 18, 1978 – won by Jimmy Boyd. Since then, it has been a marquee stop on the tour and seen 88 World of Outlaws Sprint Car events in total.
Three-time World of Outlaws champion Sammy Swindell holds the record for most Series wins at the track with 18. Twenty-time Series champion Steve Kinser is second with 14. Of active competitors, 10-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart are tied with three wins at the track.
Four-time and reigning Series champion Brad Sweet and James McFadden scored wins at Devil’s Bowl in April.
Adding to the significance of the event, the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Stampede is also the final stop on the 2023 tour before the championship deciding World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Nov. 1-4.
For tickets to Devil’s Bowl Speedway’s final two races, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
HARVEST HEIST: Donny Schatz Steals Lakeside Victory with Pass Coming to White Flag
Schatz sneaks by David Gravel in traffic to claim thrilling win in Lakeside’s Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble
KANSAS CITY, KS (Oct. 15, 2023) - Time and time again in his career Donny Schatz has proven he can’t be counted out. The savvy veteran has found late race magic many times throughout the years. And on Saturday at Lakeside Speedway, “Don Don” delivered the latest testament to that ability.
A win looked nearly out of reach for Schatz late in the 25-lap finale of the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble. Schatz sat third with eight laps remaining, and even when he moved to the runner-up spot on the next circuit, leader David Gravel appeared potentially out of reach.
But then little by little the lead began to vanish. And as the white flag was shown, Schatz capitalized when Gravel got stuck behind a lapped car to roll by for the lead. When the checkered flag flew, it was Schatz leading the pack to seal the victory with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
After a pair of sub-20th place finishes last weekend at Port Royal, the night served as a revitalizing boost to Schatz and his crew.
“Nights like tonight help us,” Schatz said. “We tore up a car last week at Port Royal pretty bad. These guys put a new car together, and it’s that time of year where you’ve got to start trying some things, and obviously it was pretty good. The goal is consistency. We’ve got a lot of great partners here, and we want to win races and do the best we can for them.”
The win marked Schatz’s third with The Greatest Show on Dirt at Lakeside. He’s now up to 311 for his career with the World of Outlaws. Schatz snapped a 26-race winless streak dating back to July’s Kings Royal.
The path to Victory Lane was up and down for Schatz aboard the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15. A second place effort in the Toyota Racing Dash lined him up on the front row of the main event. But after two laps, Schatz had fallen down the order to sixth.
Pole-sitter Brian Brown powered ahead to the early advantage. Brown rolled the Casey General Store #21 around the low line of the Kansas City, KS oval.
Fifth starting David Gravel quickly began to climb as he jumped into the runner-up spot on Lap 4. Right after taking over second, the Watertown, CT native began chopping into Brown’s advantage. While “Blackjack” remained committed to the bottom, Gravel opted for the cushion all the way around the 4/10-mile. The gap between the two on the fifth circuit was 1.2 seconds. Only two laps later, Gravel had slashed a full second off the margin. Then on the next trip around, Gravel ripped around Brown on the top.
Once he snatched the top spot, Gravel began to construct a solid advantage as Schatz began to crawl back toward the front. On Lap 9 Schatz moved back into the top five. In two more laps he was up into fourth.
With 10 laps remaining, Schatz engaged in a battle with Brad Sweet and Giovanni Scelzi for the runner-up spot. Schatz slipped ahead of Scelzi for third then traded second with Sweet multiple times over the next few circuits. On Lap 18, Schatz secured the spot and set his sights on Gravel.
As the race dwindled, Schatz closed in. Gravel was forced to navigate traffic in the late stages causing his lead to slip away. Then coming to the white flag, Gravel found himself stuck behind a slower car on the top side.
With Gravel being held up, Schatz saw his opportunity and pounced. The Fargo, ND native aimed the #15 machine low and rolled right by Gravel as he couldn’t find his way by the lapped car. By the time they reached the white flag, Schatz already led by roughly three quarters of a second and stretched the advantage even farther on the last circuit before taking the checkered flag.
“I started out good. The guys unloaded, and we were right up there hot lapping and qualifying, so that always helps,” Schatz said. “It was really greasy on the top, and I knew it was going to come in at some point, but I don’t want to be the guy to find out. I’ve tore up enough stuff. I had to work the bottom in, and thank god we got it in before the rain. It worked out for us tonight.
After leading laps 8-23, Gravel settled for a runner-up result, his Series leading 32nd podium of the World of Outlaws season. Gravel and his Big Game crew continue to put out their best efforts with their fifth second place finish in the last nine races as they try to chase down Brad Sweet in the championship battle.
And speaking of Brad Sweet, “The Big Cat” rounded out the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble podium on Saturday night. Sweet wheeled the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 to a third place run which allowed Gravel to only cut two points off the margin between the duo in the standings. The gap between them now sits at 66 markers.
Giovanni Scelzi and Carson Macedo completed the top five.
A 14th to seventh drive earned James McFadden the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
Brad Sweet nabbed his fourth Simpson Performance Products QuickTime of the year and the 73rd of his career.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Brad Sweet. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two and Three were topped by Brian Brown and Giovanni Scelzi.
Dusty Zomer won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars head to Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, TX for two final nights at the iconic track. The birthplace of the Outlaws welcomes the Series on Oct. 20-21 for the Sprint Car Stampede – the final event to be hosted by Devil’s Bowl. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 15-Donny Schatz[2]; 2. 2-David Gravel[5]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet[3]; 4. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[4]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[7]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 7. 83-James McFadden[14]; 8. 21-Brian Brown[1]; 9. 9-Kasey Kahne[8]; 10. 84-Scott Bogucki[9]; 11. 1S-Logan Schuchart[11]; 12. 5-Spencer Bayston[10]; 13. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[12]; 14. 12X-Garet Williamson[21]; 15. 1T-Tanner Holmes[17]; 16. 3J-Dusty Zomer[19]; 17. 7S-Robbie Price[15]; 18. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[18]; 19. 81-Jack Dover[23]; 20. 99-Skylar Gee[22]; 21. 20G-Noah Gass[13]; 22. 19-Ayrton Gennetten[16]; 23. (DNF) 22X-Kameron Key[24]; 24. (DNF) 7W-Tasker Phillips[20]
Reinbold Wins Feature, Avedisian Clinches Championship in Season Finale at I-44
Daum clinches Challenge Series championship, runner-up in points with Miller third, McIntosh fourth
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Oct. 14, 2023) – With everything on the line in the final race of the year, two of the sport’s brightest young stars rose to the occasion Saturday night in the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota season finale.
Nineteen-year-old Hayden Reinbold led all 30 laps of the main event to score his first career national Midget series victory, winning the 19th annual Charlene Meents Memorial finale at I-44 Riverside Speedway and giving Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports their second Xtreme Outlaw Series winner trophy.
“It’s amazing, I’ve been wanting it for so long,” Reinbold said.
Beside him in the spotlight stood 17-year-old Jade Avedisian – who, with a third-place Feature finish, clinched the 2023 Xtreme Outlaw Series championship for Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) to become the first female national Midget series champion in motorsports history.
“It means the world to me,” Avedisian said. “Not only to me, but my team.”
From the announcement in early February that revealed Avedisian’s signing with KKM and their primary goal to win the Xtreme Outlaw Series championship, the hype for the season finale had been building. She and Cannon McIntosh emerged as early championship favorites after their wins to open the season at the Southern Illinois Center in March, and the battle came down to the 29th and final Feature event of the year Saturday night.
Coming into the 30-lap finale, Avedisian held a 27-point gap over McIntosh. Starting on the outside pole, Avedisian held strong up front throughout while McIntosh ran into trouble, narrowly avoiding a massive pileup on the first lap but later retiring to the infield under green eight laps in with mechanical failure, shattering his chances for the championship.
In Victory Lane, there were tears, smiles and hugs all around for Avedisian, her family and the KKM crew. She had widened her points gap to 59 over runner-up Zach Daum, who finished fifth in the Feature, and sealed the championship in her first season with Keith Kunz Motorsports.
“I’m just so happy to do it for KKM, Mobil 1, Toyota Racing,” Avedisian said. “So many people believe in me, and I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. I’m truly grateful, and I’m excited to write my name in the history books.”
On the track, Reinbold reigned supreme. Standing tall over each of the championship frontrunners, Reinbold drove a flawless race, taking the lead on the opening lap from the pole and going unchallenged for 30 laps to score the $5,000 grand prize.
“I felt solid, Connor [Ridge, crew chief] was giving me signals that I was doing fine,” Reinbold said. “I just knew [to not] mess it up and I’d be fine.”
In only his fourth season of Midget racing, Reinbold made leaps and bounds much larger this year than those previous, improving his skills behind the wheel immensely since the first race in Du Quoin. Though things were slow-going at first, he’s glad he stuck it out to get to this moment.
“It goes back to 2020 – I went up to my dad and was like, ‘I wanna go race,’ and he sent me and Connor on the road,’” Reinbold said. “I struggled for a while, but Connor never gave up on me, my dad never gave up on me – they just kept believing in me. Finally, I felt like it all paid off for me and hopefully it paid off for them too.”
Karter Sarff earned the DIRTVision Hard Charger honors in his drive from 18th up to second. He made a special effort just to get into the main event, grabbing the last transfer spot in the second Last Chance Showdown to punch his ticket in. Thursday night winner Ryan Timms finished fourth while Zach Daum completed the top five – clinching the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series championhip and a runner-up finish in points in the process.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Driven 2 Save Lives Feature (30 Laps): 1. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[1]; 2. 21K-Karter Sarff[18]; 3. 71-Jade Avedisian[2]; 4. 67-Ryan Timms[8]; 5. 7U-Zach Daum[3]; 6. 97-Gavin Miller[9]; 7. 25K-Taylor Reimer[5]; 8. 7P-Kyle Jones[11]; 9. 19A-Daison Pursley[16]; 10. 13-Elijah Gile[21]; 11. 43-Gunnar Setser[13]; 12. 14R-Jonathan Beason[7]; 13. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[6]; 14. 97K-Cooper Williams[17]; 15. 32-Trey Marcham[20]; 16. 31K-Kyle Beilman[19]; 17. 08-Cannon McIntosh[15]; 18. 40-Chase McDermand[4]; 19. 19K-Riley Kreisel[10]; 20. 26R-Corbin Rueschenberg[12]; 21. 5U-Peter Smith[14]; 22. 19U-Pierce Urbanosky[22]
The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series is brought to fans by important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Toyota (Title sponsor of the Midgets Series), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier) and SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider). Other partners include: TJ Forged and Whitz Racing Products.
Gavin Miller Cruises to Second Series Victory in Meents Memorial Night 1 at I-44
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Oct. 13, 2023) – He broke through to Victory Lane for the first time in August. Now, Gavin Miller is a two-time Feature winner with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.
The 16-year-old from Allentown, PA, wheeled the Eibach Racing, LynK/Toyota #97 for Keith Kunz Motorsports to I-44 Riverside Speedway Victory Lane in the first round of competition of the 19th annual Charlene Meents Memorial Friday night.
“I knew we had the speed all night – practice, Qualifying, Heat Race,” Miller said. “Just put a whole night together, really.”
The win vaulted him back into third-place in the Series points standings, where he now sits only 44 points out of the lead with one race left. Now a five-time winner between all three national Midget tours in 2023, Miller briefly reflected on his path to national Midget racing success since his debut in the division last year.
“I’m kind of at a loss for words; I feel like I’ve come so far in a short amount of time,” he said.
From inside Row 2 on the starting grid, Miller took advantage of a restart two laps in, throwing a slider on Karter Sarff to take second on Lap 3 and making beeline for polesitter Zach Daum leading the way.
“The yellow came out, and I just had to think, ‘Calm down, I know I’m just as good around that top,’” Miller said. “I knew I’d eventually get by him, and that’s what I did.”
Miller threw a slide-job first in Turns 3-4, then Daum returned fire in 1-2. But Miller was prepared, crossing Daum over with speed out of Turn 2 to take the lead heading into Turn 3.
From there, Miller was smooth sailing out front while the battle for a spot in the top five raged on behind him.
A caution flag at the halfway point paused the action and restacked the field, where seventh-starting Daison Pursley restarted from fourth in line. He, Daum and Thursday night winner Ryan Timms soon locked themselves into a lap-after-lap battle for second as the sliders went flying in every corner.
“I knew that [Timms] was going to try and slide Zach into Turn 1; I kinda just minded my time on the bottom,” Pursley said. “It wasn’t great down there, but as long as people got racing up there, you could just kinda just inch your way forward, like I’ve seen Zach Daum do.”
Pursley soon broke away from his opponents with a slide-job on Daum on Lap 18. Though Daum came back at him on the inside in Turns 3-4, Pursley kept the momentum up as he switched to the top side and skated around him to complete the lap and take second away for good.
With only Miller ahead of him now, Pursley pinned the throttle and made slight headway on the leader but was unable to catch him by the checkered. Instead, the native Oklahoman settled for runner-up and his second podium finish of the season with the Series.
“It was just a matter of how fast-paced Gavin got out there and set,” Miller said. “He was clicking off laps consistently; he got to the lead very quickly and was able to calm down and control the race.”
Further back in the field, Daum continued his efforts to stay inside the top five but encountered heavy resistance from Jade Avedisian, Cannon McIntosh and Chase McDermand with the laps winding down. A four-car battle ensued inside of five-to-go, with more sliders and lap-after-lap passes being made amongst each of them.
Avedisian was able to seal the fourth spot with a return slide-job on McIntosh in Turns 3-4 on Lap 26 and some good defense of the position through Turns 1-2. McDermand also got a piece of McIntosh before the checkered, laying down a slide-job of his own to take the fifth spot.
By the checkered, McIntosh had slipped back to sixth with Daum back in seventh.
Avedisian’s fourth-place run was enough to add an additional six points to her advantage in the standings before the final race of the season on Saturday. She’ll take a 17-point lead over McIntosh into the season finale in pursuit of her first national Midget series championship in her first year with Keith Kunz Motorsports.
UP NEXT
The 2023 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota season comes to a close on Saturday, Oct. 14, in the second night of the 19th annual Charlene Meents Memorial at I-44 Riverside Speedway. In conjunction with the POWRi National and West Midget Leagues, another $5,000 check will be on the line for the Feature winner, followed by a special championship presentation following the night’s events.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Toyota Racing Feature (30 Laps): 1. 97-Gavin Miller[3]; 2. 19A-Daison Pursley[7]; 3. 67-Ryan Timms[4]; 4. 71-Jade Avedisian[5]; 5. 40-Chase McDermand[8]; 6. 08-Cannon McIntosh[6]; 7. 7U-Zach Daum[1]; 8. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[11]; 9. 21K-Karter Sarff[2]; 10. 25K-Taylor Reimer[19]; 11. 13-Elijah Gile[17]; 12. 14R-Jonathan Beason[10]; 13. 28-Ace McCarthy[16]; 14. 43-Gunnar Setser[13]; 15. 26R-Corbin Rueschenberg[15]; 16. 97K-Cooper Williams[21]; 17. 5U-Peter Smith[12]; 18. 98-Ryan Padgett[18]; 19. 19K-Riley Kreisel[14]; 20. 19U-Pierce Urbanosky[22]; 21. 7M-Kyle Jones[20]; 22. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[9]
Ryan Timms Wins DRC Sooner State 55, Breaks Through to Xtreme Outlaw Victory Lane at Port City
TULSA, OK (Oct. 12, 2023) – Flat tires. Mechanical failure. Late-race passes. Ryan Timms has been through it all this year with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.
But those struggles are all behind him now. He’ll simply be known as a Feature winner.
Timms, the 17-year-old rising open-wheel star from Oklahoma City, OK, had led a total of 72 Feature laps and finished runner-up twice coming into Thursday’s events at Port City Raceway, but still hungered for that elusive first career Series win.
For 55 laps around the 1/8-mile oval, Timms plowed his way through heavy lapped traffic, denied slide-jobs and even made some contact with his opponents, but was able to pull through and take the checkered flag in the fourth running of the Donnie Ray Crawford Sooner State 55, co-sanctioned by the POWRi National/West Midget Leagues.
“It’s a race of mine that I really wanted to win growing up here,” Timms said.
At the drop of the green, Timms grabbed the lead from polesitter Trey Marcham on Lap 2 and proceeded to build a five-second advantage in traffic before the race’s second caution period on Lap 34. On the ensuing restart, fifth-starting Daison Pursley entered the frame with a slide-job on Marcham to take second, and soon came after Timms with urgency.
In less than 10 laps, Pursley – of Locust Grove, OK – had reeled-in Timms, and was about to catch a slide-job attempt for the lead before they crossed the stripe to complete Lap 49.
“My line started to go away, and Daison found the bottom in Turns 1-2,” Timms said. “I think he was following the top all the way around in 3-4, and I was sliding myself up to it. Whatever he was doing, he was faster.”
Timms crossed back underneath Pursley to deny his pass attempt and continued on. But Pursley was not done.
Coming back to green with four laps remaining, Pursley followed Timms on the bottom through Turns 1-2 and saw an opening entering Turn 3. He slid the AME Electrical #19A underneath Timms’ JBL Audio #67 with speed in Turn 3 and the two made contact in Turn 4, sending them both washing-up the track on corner exit.
“[Timms] was letting it float up pretty high down the back-straightaway in the slick, and I thought I had a good enough run to get him completely cleared,” Pursley said. “I thought I was definitely clear, and I guess [that was] what he was not happy about. We just went down in there and made contact.
“It’s just part of it. I’m not here to run second.”
It didn’t take long for Timms to return the contact. He crossed the start/finish line and drove back into Turn 1 with a full head of steam, tagging Pursley on the bumper and sending him around to bring out the yellow flag once again.
After the checkered, Timms revealed that his frustrations with Pursley stemmed from prior run-ins earlier in the season.
“[Pursley] tried to slide me in Turns 3-4 and completely doored me,” Timms said. “Typically, I kinda understand. It’s close racing. One time, whatever. I’ll get over it. But he drove through me at Gas City, drove through me at Eldora, and we’d never had any issues up until those two races.
“After he drove through me again, I was fed up with it. If you don’t do something about it, then he’s going to keep doing it.”
Pursley restarted from the tail of the lead lap cars and was able to climb back to finish sixth, despite his own frustrations with Timms.
“I guess he wasn’t too happy about my move in 3-4,” Pursley said. “If that’s how he’s wanting to retaliate in 1-2, I’ll take it with my chin up and move on to I-44.”
The final restart of the race was smooth sailing for Timms as he led the final three circuits and crossed the line to collect the $5,555 grand prize.
Directly behind him came defending Series champion Zach Daum, who advanced from 13th on the starting grid to finish second. The 32-year-old veteran from Pocahontas, IL, showed his prowess on the tiny bullring, backing up his Sooner State 55 victory from last year by sticking to his preferred line on the bottom throughout the 55-lap main event.
“Experience in racing here, especially in long races, typically the top gets so far around that it’s really hard to run,” Daum said. “Normally, the bottom is so good here that it comes back.”
With the runner-up effort, Daum collected his 13th podium finish of the season and chopped his points deficit nearly in half – gaining 29 points in the standings, vaulting him into third place where he now sits only 38 points out of the lead with two races remaining.
“We’ll try to keep giving ourselves a shot – that’s all I can ask for,” Daum said. “We beat everybody that we’re trying to race for in points.”
Fourteen-year-old Midget rookie Gunnar Setser, of Columbus, IN, crossed the stripe in third to collect his first career national Midget series podium. POWRi regular Karter Sarff advanced from his 14th-place starting spot to finish fourth, while Tanner Thorson Racing entrant Ace McCarthy rounded out the top five.
UP NEXT
The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series meets POWRi again Friday, Oct. 13, at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City, OK, in the kickoff to the 19th annual Charlene Meents Memorial. Tickets will be on sale at the gate; streaming is available on DIRTVision.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Toyota Racing Feature (55 Laps): 1. 67-Ryan Timms[2]; 2. 7U-Zach Daum[13]; 3. 43-Gunnar Setser[3]; 4. 21K-Karter Sarff[14]; 5. 28-Ace McCarthy[12]; 6. 19A-Daison Pursley[5]; 7. 40-Chase McDermand[6]; 8. 97-Gavin Miller[15]; 9. 32-Trey Marcham[1]; 10. 71-Jade Avedisian[7]; 11. 08-Cannon McIntosh[4]; 12. 25K-Taylor Reimer[8]; 13. 26R-Corbin Rueschenberg[11]; 14. 97K-Cooper Williams[18]; 15. 5U-Peter Smith[22]; 16. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[17]; 17. 14-Jonathan Beason[9]; 18. 7M-Kyle Jones[19]; 19. 19M-Ethan Mitchell[16]; 20. 19K-Riley Kreisel[10]; 21. 19-Landen Adams[20]; 22. 51B-Joe B Miller[21]
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Championship Battles to be Settled at Port City, I-44
Avedisian leads McIntosh by 11 points heading into final three-race weekend
TULSA, OK (Oct. 10, 2023) – Twenty-nine races in the books, and it all comes down to this. Championship weekend for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota is here.
The battle for the $25,000 championship title has reached its boiling point. Frontrunner Jade Avedisian took the lead in the standings by 11 points over Cannon McIntosh following the main event at Red Hill Raceway four weeks ago and will lead the charge into Oklahoma for the final three races of the season this Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 12-14.
The high-banked, 1/8-mile bullring of Port City Raceway will kick things off Thursday night with the fourth running of the Donnie Ray Crawford Sooner State 55, featuring a 55-lap, $5,555-to-win main event that honors the late Oklahoma Micro Sprint and Midget racer who was killed in 2012.
The Series pivots to Oklahoma City for racing Friday-Saturday at I-44 Riverside Speedway in the 19th annual Charlene Meents Memorial, honoring the late MARA Midget Series staff member with back-to-back 30-lap Feature events to cap the season – $4,000 to Friday’s winner and $5,000-to-win Saturday. A formal celebration will be held in Victory Lane following Saturday’s program, where the 2023 Xtreme Outlaw Series champion will be crowned.
All three events are co-sanctioned by the POWRi National and POWRi West Midget Leagues, which will also crown their season champions at the conclusion of Saturday’s main event. Additionally, the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series champion will be recognized for their efforts in co-sanctioned races throughout the year, awarding a $2,500 bonus check to the driver atop the final points standings of the 11-race slate.
Tickets for all three events will be on sale at the gate on race day. If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:
A CHANCE FOR HISTORY – Carrying an 11-point lead in the standings, Jade Avedisian heads into the final race weekend with a chance to make motorsports history and become the first-ever female national Midget series champion.
The 17-year-old racer from Clovis, CA, has piloted the Mobil 1, LynK/Toyota #71 for Keith Kunz Motorsports to five Feature wins, 14 top-fives and 23 top-10 finishes in 26 starts so far this year. A fourth-place run in the most recent Series event at Red Hill Raceway four weeks ago boosted her back into the points lead for the first time since August, marking the third time she and Cannon McIntosh have swapped the points lead this season.
One year ago, Avedisian came into Xtreme Outlaw championship weekend and did not get off to the start she wanted, finishing ninth at Port City and 13th in the first night at I-44. However, she rebounded Saturday night and triumphed over the Xtreme Outlaw/POWRi field for the second time that season, leading all 35 laps to score the win in the season finale at I-44.
Since that night, she’s developed her skills immensely, working with KKM car chief Jarrett Martin throughout the 2023 season to become a heavy favorite to win the points championship.
STILL IN THE GAME – Though he’s lost the Series points lead, Cannon McIntosh’s hopes of winning the Series championship are still alive and well.
McIntosh, 20, of Bixby, OK, dropped back 11 points behind Avedisian following a sixth-place finish in the last Series event at Red Hill and now faces an uphill battle to win his first career national Midget series championship. Fortunately, he’ll be among the most experienced drivers on the roster this weekend, having grown up racing Micro Sprints at Port City and being a multi-time Midget Feature winner there as well as I-44.
McIntosh won two POWRi West/National Midget races at Port City in 2020 and was scheduled to start inside Row 2 in last year’s Xtreme/POWRi Feature before dropping out early due to mechanical problems. At I-44, he’s a two-time POWRi Feature winner (2018, 2020), and won the Xtreme Outlaw debut at the 1/5-mile last year.
ALL ABOUT THE TEAM – Rarely in motorsports is a different driver and owner hoisting a championship trophy at season’s end. But there is potential for it this year with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series, as Zach Daum and Trifecta Motorsports currently sit 21 points out of the lead in the Series’ team points standings.
After Daum replaced Kyle Jones in the seat of the #7U car in June, he’s not only kept Trifecta in the hunt for the team championship, but also ascended his own name into the running for the drivers championship. With nine-straight top-five finishes in the last 10 Series events, he’s climbed back from what was a 278-point deficit at the end of May to where he now sits 67 points from the top of the top of the drivers standings.
Over championship weekend, Trifecta will field two cars for the first time this season in Xtreme Outlaw events. Daum will pilot the flagship Blackjack Express, Spike/Stanton #7U, while Micro Sprint racer Peter Smith, of Las Cruces, NM, will take control of the RVB Express, Spike/Stanton #5U in his national Midget series debut at Port City.
NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS – The POWRi National and POWRi West Midget Leagues wrap up their 2023 seasons alongside the Xtreme Outlaws on Saturday at I-44. Cannon McIntosh currently leads the POWRi National standings by 120 over Karter Sarff with a shot to take the $15,000 champion’s check after Saturday’s main event.
POWRi’s championship weekend begins with a visit to Creek County Speedway in Sapulpa, OK, on Wednesday, Oct. 11, and will finish-up with the three remaining co-sanctioned events with the Xtreme Outlaws Thursday-Saturday. The main event Saturday at I-44 will also mark the final race of the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series, which consisted of all 11 co-sanctioned races between the two national tours in 2023, and awards $2,500 to the driver with the most points in the separately kept standings at the end of the Feature.
Zach Daum currently leads the Challenge Series standings by five points over Jade Avedisian. POWRi West Midget League points leader Michelle Decker, of Guthrie, OK, is also projected to be in attendance to clinch her first career POWRi championship.
ANYBODY’S GAME – While the championship battle has largely revolved around Avedisian and McIntosh this season, each of the top five drivers in the Xtreme Outlaw standings are mathematically still in contention to win the title.
Jade Avedisian, Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller, Zach Daum and Chase McDermand have all combined for 21 Feature wins in the 26 Xtreme Outlaw Series races contested thus far. That’s over 80 percent distributed across five drivers, and any one of them could win any of the remaining races. To add to that – Daum, McIntosh and Avedisian swept the three championship weekend Features across both tracks last year. However, there is one other Xtreme Outlaw full-timer that will be a heavy favorite to win this weekend.
Taylor Reimer currently sits one spot outside of the top five in points. The 23-year-old from Tulsa, OK, returns to Port City Thursday night – her home track, one she’s won numerous Micro Sprint Features at prior to the hiatus from motorsports she took nearly 10 years ago. In last year’s running of the Sooner State 55, she advanced 10 positions in the main event from her 18th starting spot to finish 10th.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
When and where
Thursday, Oct. 12 at Port City Raceway in Tulsa, OK
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 13-14 at I-44 Riverside Speedway in Oklahoma City, OK
On the internet
Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota
Twitter – @Xtreme_Outlaw
Instagram – @XtremeOutlaw
Facebook – @XtremeOutlawSeries.WRG
Live broadcast
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com. Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month.
Current championship points standings (view full standings)
- Jade Avedisian: 5369 points | Keith Kunz Motorsports #71
- Cannon McIntosh: 5358 (-11) points | Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #08
- Gavin Miller: 5309 points (-60) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #97
- Zach Daum: 5302 points (-67) | Trifecta Motorsports #7U
- Chase McDermand: 5269 points (-100) | Mounce/Stout Motorsports #40
- Taylor Reimer: 5125 points (-244) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #25K
- Hayden Reinbold: 4629 points (-740) | Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports #19AZ
- Austin Barnhill: 3251 points (-2118) | Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #17B
- Chance Crum: 2910 points (-2459) | Rudeen Racing #26
- Ethan Mitchell: 2497 points (-2872) | Bundy Built Motorsports #19M
Toyota Feature winners (9 drivers)
6 wins – Chase McDermand (Mounce/Stout Motorsports)
5 wins – Jade Avedisian (Keith Kunz Motorsports), Zach Daum (Trifecta Motorsports)
4 wins – Cannon McIntosh (Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports)
2 wins – Karter Sarff (Sarff Racing)
1 win – Jesse Love (Chad Boat Industries), Daniel Whitley (Abacus Racing), Daison Pursley (Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports), Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz Motorsports)
Toyota Feature laps led (18 drivers)
101 laps – Jade Avedisian
88 laps – Zach Daum
95 laps – Cannon McIntosh
112 laps – Chase McDermand
72 laps – Ryan Timms
59 laps – Daniel Whitley
46 laps – Karter Sarff
45 laps – Gavin Miller
33 laps – Kyle Jones
30 laps – Daison Pursley
26 laps – Thomas Meseraull
22 laps – Shane Cottle
21 laps – Ashton Torgerson
11 laps – Hayden Reinbold
6 laps – Taylor Reimer
4 laps – Jesse Love
1 lap – Nick Drake, Brayton Lynch
Whitz RC Racing Products Quick Time Awards (15 drivers)
5 awards – Chase McDermand
4 awards – Cannon McIntosh
2 awards – Ethan Mitchell, Daniel Whitley, Zach Daum, Ryan Timms, Taylor Reimer
1 award – Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Jesse Love, Kevin Thomas Jr, Joe B. Miller, Corbin Rueschenberg, Briggs Danner, Jade Avedisian
Heat Race winners (24 drivers)
11 wins – Chase McDermand
9 wins – Jade Avedisian
8 wins – Cannon McIntosh, Zach Daum
5 wins – Hayden Reinbold
4 wins – Gavin Miller
3 wins – Ethan Mitchell, Daison Pursley
2 wins – Chance Crum, Nick Drake, Corbin Rueschenberg, Andrew Felker, Daniel Whitley, Ryan Timms, Kyle Jones
1 win – Austin Barnhill, Shane Cottle, Thomas Meseraull, Rico Abreu, Briggs Danner, Chase Johnson, Daniel Adler, Taylor Reimer, Brayton Lynch
High-points honors (15 drivers)
4 honors – Cannon McIntosh
3 honors – Chase McDermand
2 honors – Daniel Whitley, Jade Avedisian, Gavin Miller
1 honor – Chance Crum, Rico Abreu, Landon Brooks, Briggs Danner, Hayden Reinbold, Kyle Jones, Andrew Felker, Daison Pursley, Zach Daum, Ryan Timms
Last Chance Showdown wins (13 drivers)
2 wins – Kyle Jones
1 win – Landon Brooks, Karter Sarff, Howard Moore, Ryan Timms, Taylor Reimer, Henry Chambers, Chance Crum, Chase Briscoe, Mitchell Davis, Cannon McIntosh, Corbin Rueschenberg, Daniel Adler
DIRTVision Hard Charger Awards (19 drivers)
2 awards – Hayden Reinbold, Kyle Jones, Taylor Reimer, Zach Daum, Cannon McIntosh, Chase McDermand, Jade Avedisian
1 award – Mitchel Moles, Chase Johnson, Ryan Timms, Chance Crum, Gavan Boschele, Shane Cottle, Cooper Williams, Jerry Coons Jr, Steve Buckwalter, Gavin Miller, Trevor Cline, Brayton Lynch
Podium finishes (17 drivers)
12 podiums – Zach Daum
11 podiums – Chase McDermand
10 podiums – Cannon McIntosh, Jade Avedisian
9 podiums – Gavin Miller
7 podiums – Taylor Reimer
3 podiums – Daniel Whitley, Ryan Timms
2 podiums – Shane Cottle, Kyle Jones, Hayden Reinbold, Karter Sarff
1 podium – Thomas Meseraull, Ashton Torgerson, Landon Brooks, Jesse Love, Jerry Coons Jr, Daison Pursley
Top-10 finishes (49 drivers)
24 top-10s – Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller
23 top-10s – Jade Avedisian
22 top-10s – Zach Daum
21 top-10s – Chase McDermand
18 top-10s – Taylor Reimer
10 top-10s – Hayden Reinbold
9 top-10s – Chance Crum
8 top-10s – Kyle Jones
7 top-10s – Ethan Mitchell
6 top-10s – Ryan Timms, Karter Sarff
5 top-10s – Landon Brooks, Daniel Whitley, Austin Barnhill, Cooper Williams, Thomas Meseraull
4 top-10s – Gavan Boschele, Corbin Rueschenberg
3 top-10s – Chase Johnson, Briggs Danner, Trevor Cline, Mitchell Davis
2 top-10s – Shane Cottle, Chase Briscoe, Kevin Thomas Jr, Branigan Roark, Andrew Felker, Jerry Coons Jr, Mariah Ede, Daison Pursley, Tim Buckwalter, Kyle Beilman, Brayton Lynch
1 top-10 – Mitchel Moles, Daniel Adler, Sam Johnson, Rico Abreu, Ashton Torgerson, Don Droud Jr, Nick Drake, Jesse Love, Trey Marcham, Joe B. Miller, Preston Lattomus, Bryan Stanfill, Dekota Gay, Joe Wirth, Gunnar Setser
2023 Schedule & Winners – Race No. Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, March 10 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Cannon McIntosh (1)
2. Sat, March 11 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Jade Avedisian (1)
3. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Cannon McIntosh (2)
4. Fri, May 5 / Humboldt Speedway / Humboldt, KS / Chase McDermand (1)
5. Sat, May 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Chase McDermand (2)
6. Tue, May 22 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (3)
7. Wed, May 23 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (4)
8. Thu, June 1 / Tri-City Speedway / Pontoon Beach, IL / Jesse Love (1)
9. Fri, June 2 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (1)
10. Sat, June 3 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (2)
11. Fri, July 21 / Doe Run Raceway / Doe Run, MO / Zach Daum (3)
12. Sat, July 22 / Southern Illinois Raceway / Marion, IL / Jade Avedisian (2)
13. Sat, July 29 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Jade Avedisian (3)
14. Sun, July 30 / Brushcreek Motorsports Complex / Peebles, OH / Daniel Whitley (1)
15. Fri, Aug. 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Karter Sarff (1)
16. Sat, Aug. 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Jade Avedisian (4)
17. Tue, Aug. 8 / Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway / Newmanstown, PA / Chase McDermand (3)
18. Wed, Aug. 9 / Action Track USA / Kutztown, PA / Chase McDermand (4)
19. Fri, Aug. 11 / Path Valley Speedway Park / Spring Run, PA / Daison Pursley (1)
20. Fri, Aug. 25 / Davenport Speedway / Davenport, IA / Zach Daum (4)
21. Sat, Aug. 26 / Davenport Speedway / Davenport, IA / Gavin Miller (1)
22. Fri, Sept. 1 / Paragon Speedway / Paragon, IN / Zach Daum (5)
23. Sat, Sept. 2 / Paragon Speedway / Paragon, IN / Jade Avedisian (5)
24. Fri, Sept. 15 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL / Karter Sarff (2)
25. Sat, Sept. 16 / Highland Speedway / Highland, IL / Chase McDermand (5)
26. Sun, Sept. 17 / Red Hill Raceway / Sumner, IL / Chase McDermand (6)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: 81, Lakeside Welcome World of Outlaws for Final Midwest Visit of 2023
Sweet and Gravel’s title battle headline The Greatest Show on Dirt’s Kansas invasion
WICHITA, KS (October 10, 2023) - The home stretch of the 2023 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign hits the Heartland this week.
The Midwest is set to welcome The Greatest Show on Dirt one last time this year for a Kansas doubleheader. First up is the second and final trip of the season to Wichita, KS’s 81 Speedway on Friday, October 13. The next night brings the year’s lone appearance at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City for the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble. This year’s World of Outlaws campaign is down to only seven races to go, and the intensity heats up more and more as that tally dwindles. The championship is still up for grabs. Battles throughout the standings are ongoing. And everyone wants at least one more trip to Victory Lane before the season wraps up in a month. The “Sunflower State” is the place to be this weekend as these stories continue to unfold.
BUY 81 TICKETS
BUY LAKESIDE TICKETS
Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
A BATTLE BREWING: Right when it looked as if Brad Sweet might comfortably pull away to his fifth consecutive World of Outlaws championship, David Gravel said not so fast. Two nights at Port Royal Speedway saw Gravel knock 22 markers off Sweet’s advantage, bringing the gap down to a manageable 68.
Sweet’s brief history at 81 Speedway has been up and down. The Grass Valley, CA native posted a top five in his first attempt there in 2017, but a Feature accident there earlier this year left him with a 14th place run, his fourth lowest finish of the season. Over at Lakeside the Kasey Kahne Racing pilot has been incredibly consistent with top 10s in all 10 of his Series attempts highlighted by a 2016 victory.
Gravel has been stout at 81 Speedway in limited appearances with a pair of podiums to his credit in two Feature starts. In his last six Series starts at Lakeside, the Watertown, CT driver has missed the top 10 only once and notched his best finish at the track (third) in the most recent World of Outlaws visit last season.
The duo will battle this weekend as Gravel looks to close in even more with the title-deciding World Finals on the horizon (November 1-4).
HOT SAUCE: Kansas City may be known for BBQ sauce, but the city’s dirt track – Lakeside Speedway – has been all about Hot Sauce recently. The driver who goes by the spicy moniker – Giovanni Scelzi – has been on fire (pun intended) at the 4/10-mile.
Two years ago, Scelzi topped the World of Outlaws at Lakeside for his third career win with The Greatest Show on Dirt and first since joining his current team – KCP Racing. The Fresno, CA native followed up that performance by leading 15 laps before finishing second in the 2022 appearance. Scelzi also topped a Lakeside race this year back in April.
Scelzi and KCP roll into the Kansas weekend amid one of the best rookie campaigns in Series history. They currently reside fourth in points, and if they stay where they’re at, Scelzi will equal Jeff Swindell (1981) and Brad Doty (1982) for the best Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year season.
DOUBLE DONNY: Only one active World of Outlaws competitor has won at both 81 Speedway and Lakeside Speedway, and it comes as no surprise that the driver is Donny Schatz.
The pilot of the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 has not only been to Victory Lane at both facilities, he’s done so twice at each. Schatz collected checkered flags at 81 Speedway in 2006 and 2017. At Lakeside, his two victories came four years apart in 2015 & 2019.
The Fargo, ND native will look to continue his winning ways at the Kansas tracks to bounce back from an fortunate weekend at Port Royal.
J-MAC’S BACK: Last year leading into this weekend of racing, James McFadden was still in search of his first victory of the season aboard the Roth Motorsports #83. The Alice Springs, NTR, Australia native finally found Victory Lane in the 65th race of the season at Lakeside to deliver Dennis Roth’s 99th Series win as a car owner.
Fast forward a year, and McFadden’s season looks entirely different than it did a year ago. The 34-year-old enters Kansas having already more than doubled his career World of Outlaws win total. McFadden is currently tied for the third most victories this season (six).
McFadden will look to repeat at Lakeside and become the first since Steve Kinser in 2010-2011 to top back-to-back races at the Kansas City oval. A win at either track this weekend would give him sole possession of the most wins (seven) for an Australia native in a single World of Outlaws campaign.
20 WINNERS?: This past weekend Tyler Courtney and Zeb Wise gave us 19 different Feature winners with the World of Outlaws in 2023, moving the Series within one of a mildly rare milestone.
It’s been six years (2017) since 20 different competitors have topped a main event with The Greatest Show on Dirt. The feat has only been reached nine times in the Series’ 45 seasons of history.
As far as contenders to potentially push the total to 20, a trio of current full-time Series competitors are without a win this year including two-time career Feature winner – Brock Zearfoss.
Other strong competitors without a win this year that are still expected to compete again before the season’s end include Justin Peck, Cory Eliason, Parker Price-Miller, and more.
If you can’t make it to the track this weekend, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, Oct. 13 at 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS
Saturday, Oct. 14 at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (65/72 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (8802PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-68PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-128PTS) 4. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-442PTS) 5. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-446PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-508PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-536PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-742PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1270PTS) 10. 7S – Robbie Price (-1782PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (19 Drivers):
10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2), Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)
3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
2 wins – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11, Roth Motorsports #83JR)
1 win – Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14), Brent Marks (Murray-Marks #19), Tyler Courtney (Clauson Marshall Racing #7BC), Zeb Wise (Rudeen Racing #26)
FEATURE LAPS LED (25 Drivers):
335 laps – Brad Sweet
239 laps – James McFadden
234 laps – Rico Abreu
195 laps – Carson Macedo
193 laps – David Gravel
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
114 laps – Buddy Kofoid
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
102 laps – Donny Schatz
62 laps – Brent Marks
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
24 laps – Brian Brown
19 laps – Tyler Courtney
18 laps – Lance Dewease
15 laps – Cole Macedo
11 laps – Anthony Macri, Daryn Pittman
10 laps – Cory Eliason
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin, Justin Peck
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
14 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
13 QuickTimes – David Gravel
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid, Brad Sweet
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (46 Drivers):
29 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
28 Heat Wins – David Gravel
19 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
15 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, James McFadden
13 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid
12 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Gio Scelzi, Rico Abreu
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Justin Peck, Brent Marks, Brian Brown
4 Heat Wins – Cory Eliason
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Tyler Courtney
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Justin Sanders, Zeb Wise
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (51 Drivers):
44 Dashes – Carson Macedo
42 Dashes – David Gravel
40 Dashes – Brad Sweet
30 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
28 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
25 Dashes – James McFadden
24 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
22 Dashes – Donny Schatz, Rico Abreu
18 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
17 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
9 Dashes – Brent Marks
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
7 Dashes – Justin Peck
6 Dashes – Tyler Courtney, Brian Brown
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne, Corey Day
4 Dashes – Justin Sanders, Parker Price-Miller
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Kyle Larson, Cole Macedo, Tanner Holmes
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Dominic Scelzi, Aaron Reutzel, Freddie Rahmer, Lance Dewease, Devon Borden
1 Dash – Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Daryn Pittman, Sye Lynch, Zeb Wise
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (36 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
3 LCS Wins - Noah Gass, James McFadden, Gio Scelzi
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen
1 LCS Win – Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley, Buddy Kofoid, Danny Dietrich
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
6 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Hard Chargers – James McFadden, Donny Schatz
4 Hard Chargers – Brock Zearfoss, Rico Abreu, Tyler Courtney
3 Hard Chargers – Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Danny Dietrich
2 Hard Chargers – Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price
1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (30 Drivers):
31 Podiums – David Gravel
27 Podiums – Brad Sweet
18 Podiums – Carson Macedo
15 Podiums – Rico Abreu
14 Podiums – Logan Schuchart
13 Podiums – Donny Schatz
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden
9 Podiums – Buddy Kofoid
7 Podiums – Gio Scelzi
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson, Brent Marks
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
2 Podiums – Tyler Courtney
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Daryn Pittman, Zeb Wise
TOP 10 FINISHES (62 Drivers):
57 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
55 Top 10s – Carson Macedo
54 Top 10s – David Gravel
43 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
42 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart
41 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild
38 Top 10s – Donny Schatz
37 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston
35 Top 10s – James McFadden
33 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
25 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
15 Top 10s – Justin Peck
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks
11 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney
10 Top 10s – Kasey Kahne, Cory Eliason
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson
7 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss, Danny Dietrich
6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Corey Day, Tanner Holmes
5 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders
4 Top 10s – Zeb Wise, Lance Dewease
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Freddie Rahmer, Parker Price-Miller
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Shane Golobic, Dave Blaney, Dale Blaney, Cole Duncan, Daryn Pittman
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Larry Wight, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Chase Johnson, T.J. Stutts
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
58. Fri, Sept 15 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Brad Sweet (8)
59. Sat, Sept 16 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, CA / Buddy Kofoid (2)
60. Fri, Sept 22 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (6)
61. Sat, Sept 23 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Brad Sweet (9)
62. Fri, Sept 29 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (10)
63. Sat, Sept 30 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brent Marks (1)
64. Fri, Oct 6 / Port Royal Speedway / Port Royal, PA / Tyler Courtney (1)
65. Sat, Oct 7 / Port Royal Speedway / Port Royal, PA / Zeb Wise (1)
WISELY DONE: Zeb Wise Rolls to First World of Outlaws Victory in Port Royal’s Nittany Showdown
Angola, IN driver holds off Friday’s winner – Tyler Courtney – to complete Hoosier sweep of weekend
PORT ROYAL, PA (October 7, 2023) - Zeb Wise is continuing along a path to Sprint Car stardom.
Only a few weeks ago, the Angola, IN native finalized his first All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) title. But even with 13 ASCoC wins and a championship under his belt, a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car win had eluded him.
Until Saturday night.
Entering the World of Outlaws vs. PA Posse battle as an Indiana invader, Wise earned the pole for the 30-lap Feature at Port Royal Speedway. The 20-year-old slipped to second early before rallying to move by a Pennsylvania legend and held off one of his closest friends to make his first trip to Victory Lane with The Greatest Show on Dirt and pocket $15,000.
As with any first time World of Outlaws winner, emotion spilled over after the checkered flag. In only his 23rd career Feature start with the Series, Wise drove the Rudeen Racing #26 to his first win. And not only did Wise collect his first victory, he also brought Kevin Rudeen’s team their first Series triumph since 2011, 4,418 days ago, when Sam Hafertepe Jr. topped a World of Outlaws visit to Skagit Speedway.
“It’s been a long road,” Wise said. “I remember my first few Outlaw races. One of them was actually here, and I had no clue what I was doing. I was definitely out in left field. And coming back here as many times as I’ve been here, I’ve gotten really comfortable here. And this is always a place I love coming to but always seemed to struggle at… Last night we didn’t really have a good showing. We came back and were really strong out of the gate, so I’m just very proud of our team.”
Wise’s win completed an Indiana invader sweep of the weekend at “The Speed Palace” as fellow Hoosier and ASCoC competitor – Tyler Courtney – topped Friday’s portion of the Nittany Showdown. Wise also became the third first time World of Outlaws winner this season, joining Brady Bacon and Corey Day. With Wise’s triumph, 152 different drivers have now won a World of Outlaws Feature, and Wise is the 12th to do so from the state of Indiana.
The path to Victory Lane was by no means an easy one. After winning the Toyota Racing Dash, Wise started the main event on the pole, but it was Lance Dewease rolling by Wise on the bottom to lead the first lap.
After Dewease grabbed the top spot, the Fayetteville, PA native established a solid gap between himself and Wise in the early going, and the margin stabilized around one second. As Dewease rolled the bottom and middle aboard the Macri Motorsports #39M, the distance between the two stayed roughly the same through much of the first half of the race. It was just before the halfway mark when Wise began to flex his muscle.
Wise started to build momentum by ripping the cushion through Turns 1 and 2 to create a massive run down the back straightaway. On the 16th lap, that line allowed Wise to close on Dewease’s tail tank. Three laps later, Wise used the high side to blast by Dewease exiting Turn 2.
“I knew Lance wasn’t going to go to the top in (Turns) 1 and 2, but he was just high enough on entry where it was really hard for me to get into the corner good enough to clear him off of (Turn) 2. I got close multiple times and just didn’t want to show my nose too early and put us in a bad spot for later. So, I kind of took my time, and I knew we had a really fast race car. Even right after Lap 1 when I was in second, I figured we’d have a shot at it for sure.”
Wise might’ve had the lead with only 10 laps to go, but the race was far from over. Dewease surged back to his inside over the next couple laps in a bid to regain the lead. And when those efforts came up short, a new challenger arose.
All the way from the 10th starting spot, Tyler Courtney passed Dewease on the 25th circuit as the Indianapolis, IN native was eying a weekend sweep. Wise had to fend off Courtney to secure an All-Star title with Rudeen Racing, and he’d be forced to hold off the same driver with his first World of Outlaws win on the line.
Courtney began to close in aboard the Clauson Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink #7BC, trimming Wise’s lead from a second nearly down to half a second in two laps. But with two laps to go, Wise pieced together a strong enough trip around the half mile to pull slightly ahead and make for a comfortable final lap as he locked up a win he’ll never forget with his close friend following him to the line.
“It’s really cool,” Wise said. “Me and Tyler have an awesome relationship. Obviously, we were teammates a handful of years back. It makes it even more special to be able to battle toe to toe like this it seems like every night. He was way ahead of us last night. But tonight I looked up and saw he was in third of fourth on one of those restarts and figured he was going to be coming. It’s really cool for us to be able to go head-to-head like this and have fun.”
Courtney came home second, narrowly missing a weekend sweep after his Friday victory. While he would’ve liked to go back to back, he was happy to run second to Wise and see him reach the major career accomplishment.
“Every time I’d get to him with my wing that far back I would kind of just lose my nose just a little bit right at the entry of the corner just kind of slip by grip a little bit,” Courtney said. “I tried the middle there coming to the checkered, and I should’ve moved up there about five laps before that. But I had made all my ground there on the bottom and felt like if I could hit my marks I was better than him down there, but it wasn’t meant to be tonight. It’s cool to see him win. He’s had a hell of a year. I know how special those first ones are.”
And rounding out the top three was Shark Racing’s Logan Schuchart as he led the way for the World of Outlaws regulars. The result marked Schuchart’s 14th Series podium of the season as he methodically worked his way forward from eighth.
“We just slowly but surely moved the wing back and were able to run through the middle,” Schuchart said. “It wasn’t like you could just pound the fence or anything, so I don’t know what the cars were doing behind me or even the cars up front. I just felt like I had to pull the wing back, float through the middle, and just work on each car that was in front of us lap by lap. Slowly, we just kind of picked them off.”
David Gravel and Lance Dewease completed the top five.
David Gravel grabbed his 13th Simpson Performance Products QuickTime of the year and 110th of his career.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat Race One was claimed by Zeb Wise. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, and Brian Brown.
Danny Dietrich won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
After an early Feature crash, Donny Schatz was awarded the Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars head back to the heartland next weekend for a Kansas doubleheader. First up is a stop at 81 Speedway in Wichita, KS on Friday, October 13. The next night is a trip over to Kansas City’s Lakeside Speedway for the Micro-Lite Harvest Rumble. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 26-Zeb Wise[1]; 2. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[10]; 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart[8]; 4. 2-David Gravel[9]; 5. 39M-Lance Dewease[2]; 6. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[5]; 7. 24-Rico Abreu[15]; 8. 41-Carson Macedo[4]; 9. 1T-Tanner Holmes[16]; 10. 19-Brent Marks[11]; 11. 49-Brad Sweet[3]; 12. 21-Brian Brown[6]; 13. 45-Jeff Halligan[14]; 14. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[18]; 15. 23-Devon Borden[7]; 16. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[19]; 17. 9P-Parker Price Miller[17]; 18. 11T-TJ Stutts[25]; 19. 5-Spencer Bayston[13]; 20. 20G-Noah Gass[26]; 21. 5W-Lucas Wolfe[23]; 22. (DNF) 48-Danny Dietrich[21]; 23. (DNF) 47K-Kody Lehman[27]; 24. (DNF) 13-Justin Peck[12]; 25. (DNF) 1-Hunter Schuerenberg[20]; 26. (DNF) 15-Donny Schatz[22]; 27. (DNF) 83JR-Michael Kofoid[24]
SUNSHINE ON A CLOUDY DAY: Tyler Courtney Constructs Masterful Port Royal Drive for First World of Outlaws in Two Years
“Sunshine” becomes second Hoosier to tame Port Royal with The Greatest Show on Dirt
On a night that rain clouds were threatening to wash out the race, Sunshine broke through. But it wasn’t the literal sun gleaming on Port Royal Speedway Friday at the Nittany Showdown. It was the driver who goes by the bright nickname – Tyler Courtney.
The native of Indianapolis, IN started fourth in the 25-lap Feature, drove the Clauson Marshall Racing (CMR) #7BC to the lead in 12 laps, and pulled away on the path to his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victory in more than two years. Back in July of 2021, Courtney claimed his first win with The Greatest Show on Dirt in grand fashion by topping the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway. “Sunshine” had to wait 811 days, but that second triumph finally arrived at “The Speed Palace.”
In Victory Lane, Courtney erupted with emotion. His celebratory shouts filled the air as he climbed atop the CMR machine and sprayed a can of NOS Energy Drink. At long last, Courtney again found himself a World of Outlaws winner.
“When it takes you two years to win another Outlaw race, that just shows how tough it is to win an Outlaw race and how special it is to win these races,” Courtney said. “Jake (Argo), Luke (Vaughn), Camron (Burley), they bust their tails. We’ve obviously had an up and down year, but to close out the year I feel like we’ve been pretty consistent here to end the year. We ran up front with the Outlaws at Williams Grove and Port Royal now. This is just awesome, man.”
The night made Courtney the 15th different driver to win a World of Outlaws main event at Port Royal and only the second from the state of Indiana, the other being Spencer Bayston (2021). The 29-year-old also became the 18th competitor to top a race with the Series in 2023.
A fourth place effort in the Toyota Racing Dash slotted Courtney outside the second row in the lineup for the Feature. Right when the green flag dropped, Courtney made it known that he was hungry for a win. The NOS Energy Drink #7BC rocketed from fourth to the runner-up spot on the opening circuit by driving right between Carson Macedo and Logan Schuchart.
After taking over second, the pursuit began as Courtney locked his sights on the race’s pole sitter and early leader – James McFadden. As they navigated the opening portion of the race, McFadden managed to put a little distance between himself and Courtney. The Roth Motorsports pilot grew his advantage up to as much as a second and a half.
But when lapped traffic came into view, Courtney began to erase the margin. A 1.6 second lead on Lap 6 was slashed nearly in half on the next circuit. Two more laps later, and the gap between the two dipped under half a second. Then on the 12th lap, Courtney made his move.
Heading into Turn 1, Courtney threw a slide job at McFadden and cleared him. The Australian rallied on the exit of Turn 2 with a crossover to slip under Courtney and reclaim the top spot. In the next set of corners, McFadden went to the cushion while Courtney went to the bottom. The low side proved to the right choice as Courtney rolled by McFadden and cleared him down the front straightaway.
“We did everything that we wanted to do there for the Feature,” Courtney explained. “I was able to get my wing back there just about halfway and kept inching her back as we went. Man, the more I got it back the better we were.”
After taking the lead, Courtney quickly began to build a gap. Two laps after moving ahead of McFadden, Courtney’s advantage ballooned over a second as he began to slice through traffic.
A potential challenger to Courtney arose in the form of a fast-charging David Gravel. The Big Game Motorsports pilot moved around McFadden for second on Lap 17. While Gravel was over two seconds behind Courtney when he took the runner-up spot, thick traffic ahead of him gave Gravel hope.
But it was hope that was quickly extinguished when Courtney put a pair of lapped cars between himself and Gravel. And once he did so, the margin began to grow quickly. On Lap 22, Courtney crossed the line four seconds in front of Gravel. And then a few laps later, Courtney took the checkered flag comfortably for his second career World of Outlaws win.
“It’s just unbelievable man,” Courtney said. “Winning Outlaw races is really, really hard, and this one feels good.
Coming home second was David Gravel for his Series-leading 31st World of Outlaws podium of the year. The Watertown, CT native is staying hot with his fourth runner-up in the last seven races as he looks to chip away at Brad Sweet’s point lead. Gravel chopped the gap down to 82 markers.
“Cody (Jacobs) kept working on this thing and gave us a really good race car there in the A-Main,” Gravel said. “It felt like in the beginning to the middle of the race we were really, really good, and I felt like probably one of the best cars. And I felt like at the end we just kind of ran out of grip, and Sunshine was running a really good pace, and I never really good close to him.”
Rounding out the top three was early leader – James McFadden. The result made the Roth Motorsports driver the eighth to reach double digit World of Outlaws podiums in 2023 as he notched his 10th.
“I didn’t know where to run there for the first bit,” McFadden said. “Normally at Port Royal, you pound the top of (Turns) 1 and 2 and float around (Turns) 3 and 4. I felt okay doing that, and then Tyler went by us like we were standing still, so he whooped our butts tonight. But that’s about as good as I’ve ever felt at Port Royal. Happy to be competitive, just need to be a little better”
Logan Schuchart and Lance Dewease completed the top five.
A 22nd to 14th drive netted the KSE Racing Hard Charger for Rico Abreu.
In Low-E Insulation Qualifying, Brad Sweet earned his third Simpson Performance Products QuickTime and the 72nd of his career.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Brad Sweet. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by David Gravel, Tyler Courtney, and Logan Schuchart.
James McFadden won the Toyota Racing Dash.
Giovanni Scelzi topped the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Sye Lynch after slipping from fifth to 11th, narrowly missing his second career World of Outlaws top 10.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars conclude the Nittany Showdown at Port Royal Speedway with a $15,000 to win finale on Saturday, October 7. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[4]; 2. 2-David Gravel[7]; 3. 83-James McFadden[1]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart[2]; 5. 39M-Lance Dewease[11]; 6. 49-Brad Sweet[6]; 7. 9P-Parker Price Miller[8]; 8. 41-Carson Macedo[3]; 9. 13-Justin Peck[9]; 10. 11-Cory Eliason[10]; 11. 42-Sye Lynch[5]; 12. 48-Danny Dietrich[18]; 13. 23-Devon Borden[12]; 14. 24-Rico Abreu[22]; 15. 5-Spencer Bayston[15]; 16. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[21]; 17. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[17]; 18. 26-Zeb Wise[16]; 19. 19-Brent Marks[20]; 20. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[13]; 21. 45-Jeff Halligan[23]; 22. 20G-Noah Gass[27]; 23. 15-Donny Schatz[25]; 24. 11T-TJ Stutts[24]; 25. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[19]; 26. 9-Kasey Kahne[14]; 27. 47K-Kody Lehman[26]
VP Racing Extends Partnership With World of Outlaws, DIRTcar in Multi-Year Deal
CONCORD, NC (Oct. 6, 2023) – VP Racing Fuels, Inc. has extended its partnership with the World of Outlaws and DIRTcar Racing in a multi-year deal to continue as the Official Fuel of World Racing Group.
Regarded worldwide as the leader in fuel and performance fluids, VP Racing Fuels has been the Official Fuel since 2018, providing industry-leading fuels for a number of World Racing Group’s series.
"We are ecstatic to build upon our relationship with World Racing Group (WRG),” said Chris Wall, Senior Director of East Coast Race Fuel Sales for VP Racing. “For many years, WRG has been a special experience among VP’s Official Fuel notorieties. Dirt circle track racing is part of VP's DNA, and to partner with a portfolio of series that are premier to this form of racing is exceptional.”
Among the series in that portfolio include, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series, Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar Summer Nationals and DIRTcar Racing.
“We’re pleased to continue our partnership with VP Racing Fuels for several years to come,” said Brian Carter, World Racing Group CEO. “They’ve set the standard for what racers expect from the best racing fuels and have gone beyond what’s expected to accommodate them.”
VP Racing Fuels also has a large presence during the biggest dirt race in the northeast, Super DIRT Week 51 at Oswego Speedway. The event is ongoing this week, leading to the prestigious Super DIRTcar Series Billy Whittaker Cars 200 on Sunday, Oct. 8.
For more information about VP and its products for racers, enthusiasts, and general consumers, visit vpracingfuels.com.
About VP Racing
VP Racing is best known as the World Leader in Racing and Performance Fluids, powering champions in virtually every form of motorsport on land, sea, and air since 1975. VP powers the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, MotoAmerica, World Racing Group, World of Outlaws, Fanatec GT World Challenge America, AMA Supercross, American Flat Track, SCORE, USAC, NMCA/NMRA, and more than 60 sponsored series and sanctioning bodies. VP is also the official performance coolant of IMSA, American Flat Track, and ATVMX.
VP also sells a full line of consumer products, including ethanol-free VP outdoor equipment fluids formulated for 2 and 4-cycle outdoor power equipment, lubricants, VP MadditiveŽ automotive performance additives, Stay FrostyŽ performance coolants, car appearance products, and accessories through national home improvement, automotive parts, and online retailers. The company also offers a program to independent operators of convenience stores and gas stations, car wash, quick lube, and marinas to brand as VP Racing and resell the company’s full range of automotive performance and outdoor small engine products. For more information, visit VPRacingFuels.com.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Port Royal’s Nittany Showdown Sets Stage for Final World of Outlaws vs. PA Posse Battle of 2023
Two nights at “The Speed Palace” conclude with a $15,000 to win finale and wrap up 2023 Pennsylvania dates
PORT ROYAL, PA (October 3, 2023) - The storied rivalry between the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars and Pennsylvania Posse turns the final page of another chapter this weekend.
The destination is Port Royal Speedway as The Greatest Show on Dirt invades the half mile for the Nittany Showdown. The two nights (October 6-7) will conclude with a $15,000 to win finale and punctuate the 2023 battle between the World of Outlaws and PA Posse. The weekend will mark the Series’ first visit to “The Speed Palace” of the season. The atmosphere promises to be electric. A massive field of cars expected. The two sides of the rivalry aiming for one last statement victory. A slew of invaders looking to steal the show. It’s going to be a wild final weekend in PA.
BUY PORT ROYAL TICKETS
Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
ADVANTAGE OUTLAWS: Seven races have been contested in Pennsylvania this season, and the World of Outlaws hold the upper hand with four victories heading into the final two rounds.
Four-time and reigning Series champion – Brad Sweet – has led the way with a pair of victories, both at Williams Grove Speedway including one this past Saturday. “The Big Cat” has only missed the top five once through the seven PA appearances in 2023. David Gravel scored one for the World of Outlaws in July when the Series made their long-awaited return to BAPS Motor Speedway. Former Posse turned Outlaw – Logan Schuchart – went to Williams Grove Victory Lane in July.
On the Posse side, Anthony Macri made PA proud with a thrilling last lap pass at Lincoln Speedway in May for his third career Series win. Myerstown, PA’s Brent Marks is fresh off topping the Champion Racing Oil National Open at Williams Grove for a $75,000 score.
The other two races have been chalked up to the “invader” category as Californian Rico Abreu, who races all over the country, took wins at Lincoln in March and Williams Grove in July.
A win on either night for the World of Outlaws would give them bragging rights over the rivalry this year while the Posse would need to sweep the weekend to even the score and force both sides to settle for a tie.
HOME TURF: With the amount of talent PA produces, it inevitably sends some stars to the World of Outlaws tour meaning visits to tracks like Port Royal are trips to home turf for some. Third year driver on the tour – Brock Zearfoss – is one of a few who currently fall into that category.
Before embarking on the World of Outlaws tour, Zearfoss earned a 2017 track championship at Port Royal that saw him pick up five victories along the way. The “Jonestown Jet” is yet to win at his home state oval with the World of Outlaws, but it is the site of one of his nine career Series top fives.
Logan Schuchart is another Pennsylvanian touring with The Greatest Show on Dirt. The second win of the Shark Racing driver’s World of Outlaws career came at Port Royal in 2016. The Hanover, PA native is yet to revisit Port Royal Victory Lane but could become only the fourth driver with multiple World of Outlaws wins at the track this weekend.
BAYSTON’S BREAKTHROUGH: Before Spencer Bayston became a full-time World of Outlaws competitor last season with CJB Motorsports, the pairing linked toward the end of 2021. In only their fourth start as a full-time duo, Bayston and CJB broke through with a victory. The track they topped? Port Royal Speedway.
It was this same October weekend in 2021 when Bayston took the PA-based team to Victory Lane at the team’s home state track. At the time, that was Bayston’s second career World of Outlaws win, and he’s since added three more behind the wheel of the #5.
The two nights at the half mile could be a welcome weekend as Bayston is looking to rebound after a tough National Open weekend. In addition to his win, Bayston has been in the top 10 in half of his 16 Sprint Car starts at Port Royal.
THE CONCRETE KID: History was made at last year’s Nittany Showdown. Entering the weekend, Anthony Macri didn’t own a World of Outlaws win, but he changed that in a big way by sweeping the two races. With the pair of victories, Macri became the fourth driver in Series history and first since 1979 to earn their first two triumphs back-to-back.
While Macri has excelled at other tracks and regions of the country, his prowess at Port Royal has always stood out. At only 24 years old, Macri already owns more than 20 victories at the Juniata County oval including two this year.
This Friday, “The Concrete Kid” could make a little more history by joining Donny Schatz as the only driver to win three consecutive World of Outlaws races at Port Royal. Another weekend sweep would make him the only to top four straight.
POSSE POTENTIAL: In addition to Macri, multiple other Posse representatives could best the World of Outlaws this weekend. Last year proved as much when the PA locals took five of the six podium spots over the two nights at Port Royal.
Like any conversation about the Posse, this one isn’t complete without mentioning Lance Dewease. The Fayetteville, PA native owns a whopping 122 wins at Port Royal, most recently topping the Bob Weikert Memorial this year against the All-Star Circuit of Champions.
Five-time and defending Port Royal track champion – Logan Wagner – is on the hunt for his first World of Outlaws win. Last year the Harrisonville, PA native collected his first Series podium at “The Speed Palace,” and it’s also been the site of all three of his top 10 finishes.
Fresh off his National Open win, Brent Marks can’t be counted out to tally more victories for the Posse. The “Myerstown Missile” has never bested the World of Outlaws at Port Royal, but he’s been a runner-up twice including the most recent visit to the track last year.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday and Saturday, October 6-7 at Port Royal Speedway in Port Royal, PA
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (63/72 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (8536PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-90PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-130PTS) 4. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-432PTS) 5. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-448PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-466PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-504PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-708PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1196PTS) 10. 7S – Robbie Price (-1696PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (17 Drivers):
10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2), Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)
3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
2 wins – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11, Roth Motorsports #83JR)
1 win – Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14), Brent Marks (Murray-Marks #19)
FEATURE LAPS LED (22 Drivers):
335 laps – Brad Sweet
228 laps – James McFadden
234 laps – Rico Abreu
195 laps – Carson Macedo
193 laps – David Gravel
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
114 laps – Buddy Kofoid
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
102 laps – Donny Schatz
62 laps – Brent Marks
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
24 laps – Brian Brown
15 laps – Cole Macedo
11 laps – Anthony Macri, Daryn Pittman
10 laps – Cory Eliason
5 laps – Tyler Courtney
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin, Justin Peck
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
14 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
12 QuickTimes – David Gravel
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Brad Sweet, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (45 Drivers):
29 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
27 Heat Wins – David Gravel
17 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, James McFadden
13 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid, Logan Schuchart
12 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Gio Scelzi, Rico Abreu
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Justin Peck, Brent Marks
4 Heat Wins – Cory Eliason, Brian Brown
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr.
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Justin Sanders, Tyler Courtney
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (48 Drivers):
42 Dashes – Carson Macedo
41 Dashes – David Gravel
38 Dashes – Brad Sweet
28 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
27 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
24 Dashes – James McFadden, Sheldon Haudenschild
22 Dashes – Donny Schatz, Rico Abreu
18 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
17 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
9 Dashes – Brent Marks
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
7 Dashes – Justin Peck
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne, Corey Day, Brian Brown, Tyler Courtney
4 Dashes – Justin Sanders
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Kyle Larson, Cole Macedo, Tanner Holmes
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Dominic Scelzi, Aaron Reutzel, Freddie Rahmer
1 Dash – Devon Borden, Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Lance Dewease, Daryn Pittman
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (35 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
3 LCS Wins - Noah Gass, James McFadden
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, Gio Scelzi, Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen
1 LCS Win – Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley, Buddy Kofoid
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
6 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Hard Chargers – James McFadden, Donny Schatz
4 Hard Chargers – Brock Zearfoss
3 Hard Chargers – Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu, Danny Dietrich
2 Hard Chargers – Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price
1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (28 Drivers):
30 Podiums – David Gravel
27 Podiums – Brad Sweet
18 Podiums – Carson Macedo
15 Podiums – Rico Abreu
13 Podiums – Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
9 Podiums – James McFadden, Buddy Kofoid
7 Podiums – Gio Scelzi
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson, Brent Marks
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi, Daryn Pittman
TOP 10 FINISHES (61 Drivers):
56 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
53 Top 10s – Carson Macedo
52 Top 10s – David Gravel
42 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
41 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild
40 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart
38 Top 10s – Donny Schatz
37 Top 10s – Spencer Bayston
34 Top 10s – James McFadden
31 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
25 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen, Justin Peck
13 Top 10s – Brent Marks
10 Top 10s – Kasey Kahne
9 Top 10s – Cory Eliason, Tyler Courtney
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson
7 Top 10s – Brock Zearfoss, Danny Dietrich
6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Corey Day
5 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders, Tanner Holmes
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Zeb Wise, Freddie Rahmer
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Shane Golobic, Dave Blaney, Dale Blaney, Cole Duncan, Lance Dewease, Daryn Pittman
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Larry Wight, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Chase Johnson, T.J. Stutts
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
58. Fri, Sept 15 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Brad Sweet (8)
59. Sat, Sept 16 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, CA / Buddy Kofoid (2)
60. Fri, Sept 22 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (6)
61. Sat, Sept 23 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Brad Sweet (9)
62. Fri, Sept 29 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (10)
63. Sat, Sept 30 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brent Marks (1)
1 MONTH ALERT: All Dirt Roads Lead to World of Outlaws World Finals
CONCORD, NC (Oct. 2, 2023) – The season-long journey for three premier series comes to its grand finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte for the World of Outlaws World Finals, Nov. 1-4
All four nights will feature the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series and Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds, along with an abundance of activities for fans.
The stakes have been raised this year with drivers racing for a more than $700,000 overall purse – an increase of over $50,000 spread throughout the fields.
Thursday and Friday’s Features for the Sprint Cars and Late Models will pay $15,000 to win and $1,200 to start, while Saturday’s Feature will pay $25,000 to win and $1,750 to start.
For the Super DIRTcar Series, its Features on Thursday and Friday will pay $10,000 to win and $750 to start. Its finale on Saturday will pay $15,000 to win and $1,000 to start.
Then, at the end of the night on Saturday, three champions will be crowned, bathed in a shower of confetti and illuminated by fireworks. This year, Brad Sweet is eyeing his fifth straight World of Outlaws Sprint Car title, Bobby Pierce is on target for his first World of Outlaws Late Model title and Matt Sheppard has the chance to claim a historic 10th Super DIRTcar Series title.
On-track action starts Wednesday, Nov. 1, with Low-E Insulation Qualifying for all divisions – setting the Heat Race line ups for Thursday and Friday. Points accumulated from Thursday and Friday’s Feature finishes will determine the Heat Race line ups for Saturday’s finale.
In addition to the racing action, there will be plenty of activities to keep fans entertained throughout the week. The first is on Halloween, Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 4pm (ET). Along with seeing your favorite teams’ haulers during the load-in parade, don’t miss announcers Johnny Gibson, Ruben Mireles and Mike Warren, in costume, as they announced the event.
After Low-E Insulation Qualifying on Wednesday, venture to the zMax Pavilion – next to the zMax Dragway – for the World Finals Kickoff Party at 9pm. Watch your favorite drivers get interviewed throughout the night and stay for the live concert after.
New this year, there will be a pre-race show before the gates open in the midway, Wednesday through Saturday, and a fashion show, showcasing series and driver merchandise at the zMax Pavilion on Friday, Nov. 3, at 1pm.
In addition to the championship celebration at the end of the night, Saturday will also feature the fan-favorite 3X4 Wide Salute before the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Feature and special driver introductions with drivers from all three series before the Last Chance Showdowns.
Things to know:
More Event Info
Track: 4/10 mile in Concord, NC
Track Records:
Sprint Cars: 11.880 seconds by Jeff Shepard on Oct. 6, 2001
Late Models: 14.183 seconds by Kyle Larson on Nov. 5, 2020
Big Block Modified: 15.088 seconds by Brett Hearn on May 25, 2005
Tickets: CLICK HERE
Full Schedule: CLICK HERE
Last Race Video Recap (Sprints Cars, Nov. 5)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqUMP_AvDCA
Last Race Video Recap (Late Models, Nov. 5)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_UioHphxp8
Last Race Video Recap (Big Blocks, Nov. 5)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqWmv4b8svw
2022 Winners:
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars:
Nov. 2: Logan Schuchart
Nov. 4: Donny Schatz
Nov. 5: Donny Schatz
World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models:
Nov. 2: Mike Marlar
Nov. 3: Tanner English
Nov. 5: Jonathan Davenport
Super DIRTcar Series:
Nov. 3: Mat Williamson
Nov. 4: Mathieu Desjardins
Nov. 5: Mat Williamson
HOW TO WATCH: If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap of the World of Outlaws World Finals (Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 1-4) live on DIRTVision.
MARKSMAN: Brent Marks Hunts Down Pittman for Second Williams Grove National Open Triumph
The Myerstown, PA native becomes the 13th driver with multiple National Open wins as Pittman settles for sixth runner-up
MECHANICSBURG, PA (September 30, 2023) - Chalk up the 61st Champion Racing Oil National Open to the Pennsylvania Posse.
Brent Marks is a native of Myerstown, PA, cut his teeth in the Sprint Car hotbed before embarking on a national schedule for a few seasons, and has refocused a majority of his racing on the region in recent years. On Saturday night at Williams Grove Speedway, Marks made his home state fans proud by topping the 2023 National Open for the Posse. Marks started on the pole of the 40-lap Feature and slipped back to third early before rallying to snatch the top in the second half of the main event on his way to victory in the final leg of Sprint Car racing’s Triple Crown and a huge $75,000 paycheck.
The grandstands erupted as the “Myerstown Missile” took the checkered flag. In Victory Lane, the roars thundered even louder as he rose atop the wing of the Murray-Marks #19. One of PA’s own had taken down the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars at the state’s premier event.
“It feels awesome. To be standing up here in front of this crowd is just absolutely amazing,” Marks said. “The support in Pennsylvania is second to none. I can’t thank all of the fans for coming out tonight enough and supporting this event and supporting us. Got a win for the PA Posse.”
Adding to his 2019 National Open triumph, Marks became the 13th driver in history to top the crown jewel multiple times. The win also served as his 13th with The Greatest Show on Dirt. Four of those have occurred at Williams Grove. The Posse now own back-to-back National Open titles after Lance Dewease notched his fifth “Natty O” in 2022.
While Marks began the main event from the front courtesy of winning the Toyota Racing Dash, the route to victory was no walk in the park. The 32-year-old led the opening circuit, but Justin Peck threw a successful slide job on the second lap to take over the lead. In the next set of corners, sixth-starting Daryn Pittman rolled by Marks on the bottom to snatch second.
Peck maintained roughly a one second advantage over Pittman for the next handful of laps. But as the leaders approached traffic, Pittman began to close in on the Buch Motorsports #13. On the 12th lap, Peck slipped up exiting Turn 2 allowing Pittman to power into the lead behind the wheel of the Kreitz Racing #69K.
World of Outlaws and Posse fans united in their joy as Pittman moved into the top spot. The 2013 World of Outlaws champion and former regular in Pennsylvania entered the weekend with five National Open runner-ups on his résumé but no wins. The semi-retired racer has only competed a handful of times this year but made sure to climb aboard a potent ride for the race that had long eluded him.
Marks lurked close behind as Pittman claimed the lead. Only three laps after Pittman passed Peck, Marks also moved ahead of him to grab second and set his sights on Pittman.
A pair of restarts bunched the field together as the Feature neared the halfway point, but Pittman aced both of them in his pursuit of National Open glory and pulled ahead. While Pittman initially gapped Marks on the second restart, Marks began to mount a charge as he got the #19 rolling on the top.
The race reached the 20-lap halfway mark, and it became clear was Marks was closing. The margin visibly shrank lap after lap as Pittman stayed glued to the bottom while Marks remained committed to the cushion. On Lap 22, Marks got a huge run out of Turn 4 and powered alongside Pittman down the front straightaway before sliding him in Turns 1 and 2. Pittman looked under Marks exiting the second corner but couldn’t nose back ahead.
“Our care is just a long run car. We always struggle a little bit at the beginning of a race with a full fuel load,” Marks explained. “We just need laps. That’s all it took tonight, just getting laps. The top started to clean off a little bit more and come in more than it was, and Daryn was running around the bottom down there.”
Even after getting passed, Pittman continued to put up a fight as he didn’t let Marks pull away at first. The Owasso, OK native kept the powder blue machine a few car lengths behind Marks lap after lap in search of his first National Open.
Eventually, Marks began to inch away from Pittman as the lead duo made their way through traffic, the margin extending beyond a second and a half at one point. One last glimmer of hope gleamed on the 32nd circuit when Pittman slashed Mark’s advantage from 1.1 seconds to nearly half a second in traffic.
But ultimately, Pittman also found himself slightly held up by the same cars, allowing Marks to again grow the gap. Marks expertly worked his way through lapped cars on his way to a comfortable 2.4 second lead when the checkered flag flew.
“To get my second National Open title is really special,” Marks said. “We had a shot to win this back in 2021, and I hit a lapped car and spun out while leading and last year we finished second. This kind of felt like a little bit of redemption for me. Just hats off to this whole team. The Murray-Marks Motorsports team is just awesome.”
Pittman crossed the finish line in second for his sixth National Open runner-up in a fifth different car as Kreitz Racing came up a spot short of two consecutive National Open victories. The effort was worth a $25,000 payday. Driving from sixth to first and leading 11 laps but ultimately coming up short again left Pittman with a tough pill to swallow.
“Second still sucks. I’ve just been so close,” Pittman said. “That one’s hard to swallow. Honestly, I just feel like I let these guys down. At the end of the day, this car is amazing, and I’m disappointed. Man, if we would’ve pulled that off, I can guarantee they were going to have to find a driver to start and park that second Feature because you weren’t ever going to see me here again. I would’ve gladly walked away with a National Open win and hung up my career at Williams Grove.”
Rounding out the top three was the night’s Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award winner – Rico Abreu. The St. Helena, CA native pocketed $10,000 for the third place run as he notched his 15th World of Outlaws podium of the year.
“It’s amazing to race in front of such a big crowd here at Williams Grove Speedway,” Abreu commented. “Those guys just had a little bit faster pace than us. The more I moved around the more I felt kind of numb leaving the corners, and I just needed to be up top.”
Sheldon Haudenschild and Brad Sweet completed the top five.
Sweet’s fifth coupled with his win in the second Feature of the night allowed him to extend his points lead up to 90 markers.
Danny Dietrich scored KSE Racing Hard Charger honors with a drive from 27th to 9th.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Rico Abreu. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Justin Peck, Brad Sweet, and Brent Marks.
Buddy Kofoid won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to Port Royal Speedway for the two-day Nittany Showdown, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 6-7. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps): 1. 19-Brent Marks[1]; 2. 69K-Daryn Pittman[6]; 3. 24-Rico Abreu[4]; 4. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[7]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[3]; 6. 13-Justin Peck[2]; 7. 2-David Gravel[5]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz[17]; 9. 48-Danny Dietrich[27]; 10. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[8]; 11. 5-Spencer Bayston[15]; 12. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[22]; 13. 11-Cory Eliason[10]; 14. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 15. 9-Kasey Kahne[9]; 16. 8E-Freddie Rahmer[26]; 17. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[21]; 18. 99-Skylar Gee[18]; 19. 41-Carson Macedo[12]; 20. 21-Brian Brown[16]; 21. 83-James McFadden[14]; 22. 1S-Logan Schuchart[25]; 23. 71-Anthony Macri[19]; 24. 26-Zeb Wise[24]; 25. 39M-Lance Dewease[13]; 26. 91-Kyle Reinhardt[20]; 27. 8-Aaron Reutzel[23]
FULL CIRCLE: Brad Sweet Scores Second Williams Grove Win of 2023 Season
Sweet won the first Williams Grove race of the 2023 World of Outlaws season in May and the last on Saturday night
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ 2023 journey to Williams Grove Speedway ended the same way it started – with Brad Sweet in Victory Lane.
Less than 30 minutes after finishing fifth in the 61st Champion Racing Oil National Open, “The Big Cat” found another gear and won the 25-lap Feature – that was postponed from Friday – for his second Williams Grove triumph of the year. His first came in May.
“Really had a great race car right there,” Sweet said. “Wish we had that for the National Open. But it is hard to win these races. Everyone is always trying things and it’s in a small window.
“My guys have been giving me good race cars. Not only here, but everywhere lately. We’ve been in contention to win; it seems like night in and night out.”
Sweet started outside pole, alongside Toyota Dash winner Tyler Courtney. When the Feature commenced, “Sunshine” got the early jump and pulled ahead. However, the NAPA Auto Parts #49 kept the pressure on every corner.
Sweet dove under Courtney going into Turn 3 on Lap 2, but the NOS Energy Drink #7BC propelled ahead from the momentum gained on the top lane.
Their battle was interrupted with a caution on Lap 5 for a slowed Chase Randall. Upon the race’s resumption, Sweet took another shot at a Turn 3 slider. This time, success.
New leader, Brad Sweet, on Lap 6. Three laps later, he was already ahead by nearly two seconds.
Courtney was left to try and fend of Carson Macedo for second, but a new hope emerged at the halfway point. While Sweet dealt with slower traffic, Courtney cut his lead in half.
With nine laps to go, Courtney closed within a second. With four to go, under half a second.
A potential July scenario was playing out again for Sweet where he got passed on the last corner by Logan Schuchart for the win.
However, Courtney lost his charge, getting passed by Macedo and David Gravel in the final two laps.
The four-time and reigning World of Outlaws champion went on to visit Victory Lane for the 10th time this season with the Series, extend his points lead – now 90 over Gravel – and score multiple wins at Williams Grove in a season for the first time in his career.
“We finally got the win with (my daughter) Savannah with me – she got to go on the wing – and my wife,” Sweet said. “My wife has spent a lot of miserable nights here at Williams Grove, (with us) having to take provisionals and stuff, so it is cool to see it come full circle and us get a win.”
After blowing a motor on the final lap of the National Open, Macedo and his Jason Johnson Racing crew thrashed in under 30 minutes to get a new motor in the car and have it ready for another 25 laps. Their resilience was rewarded with a second-place run.
“This JJR 41 team did an incredible job,” Macedo said. “That was about as quick as you can change a motor and try to make adjustments… I’m really proud of them. You work so hard and turn around and come back and get a runner up finish. I felt like we were pretty strong there at the end. I could get through (Turns 1 and 2) better than most guys.”
Gravel finished third for his 30th podium finish of the season – a Series high.
“I wish we could get to lap traffic there and dice it up a little bit more but just ran out of laps and got to third there on the last lap,” Gravel said.
“Overall, a solid weekend, but Brad (Sweet) beat us both nights and that’s not what you want. We’re going to keep working hard and digging and Port Royal (Speedway) is a pretty good track for us, so I’m really excited for [the Nittany Showdown, Oct. 6-7].”
Before the rain fell and postponed Friday's Feature to Saturday, Gravel had a strong start to the event, scoring the Simpson Quick Time Award and winning the CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat #1.
Courtney finished fourth and, after winning his second National Open title, Brent Marks finished fifth. Ten-time Series champion Donny Schatz won the KSE Hard Charger Award, making his way from 27th to 13th.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to Port Royal Speedway for the two-day Nittany Showdown, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 6-7. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[2]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[4]; 3. 2-David Gravel[6]; 4. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[1]; 5. 19-Brent Marks[13]; 6. 39M-Lance Dewease[7]; 7. 8E-Freddie Rahmer[8]; 8. 13-Justin Peck[9]; 9. 69K-Daryn Pittman[15]; 10. 11T-TJ Stutts[14]; 11. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[10]; 12. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[19]; 13. 15-Donny Schatz[27]; 14. 21-Brian Brown[5]; 15. 8-Aaron Reutzel[12]; 16. 27-Troy Wagaman Jr[20]; 17. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[29]; 18. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 19. 48-Danny Dietrich[24]; 20. 5-Spencer Bayston[30]; 21. 39T-Kyle Moody[26]; 22. 44-Dylan Norris[28]; 23. 1S-Logan Schuchart[25]; 24. 1X-Chad Trout[18]; 25. (DNF) 9-Kasey Kahne[23]; 26. (DNF) 58-Chase Randall[17]; 27. (DNS) 26-Zeb Wise; 28. (DNS) 83-James McFadden; 29. (DNS) 71-Anthony Macri; 30. (DNS) 24-Rico Abreu
THE NEXT CHAPTER: Clyde Knipp Prioritizing Family, Growing New Business After 2023
The Jason Johnson Racing car chief aims to end 2023 with a title before launching carbon fiber business
MECHANICSBURG, PA (Septeber 28, 2023) - Next year will look much different for Clyde Knipp. After seven years traveling the country in Sprint Car racing, the 25-year-old is stepping off the road.
The last decade of his life has been spent crossing state lines in pursuit of racing; Competing on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car tour as a teenager; Filling a role on the Buch Motorsports crew in 2019; And then back to The Greatest Show on Dirt for the past four years as a Jason Johnson Racing team member. But next year, the travel will slow for Knipp. Last July, he and his girlfriend – Taylor – welcomed their daughter Briella to the family. At the time, Knipp knew he’d need to settle into a more at home lifestyle in the future. So, he began to lay the foundations to pursue another passion within the sport – manufacturing carbon fiber parts.
“I found out about the process of carbon fiber back in 2019 whenever I was living in Pennsylvania,” Knipp recalled. “I just didn’t know how I would go about it. There’s a guy there that took me under his wing. His name is Bill Smith. He owns 717 Innovations. I just kept hounding him. I’d say ‘Hey, can you teach me how to do this? Can you teach me how to do this?’ because he’s really good at it.
“I kind of gave up on the idea whenever I got the job at JJR,” Knipp continued. “But in the back of my mind, I knew if I was to go into the manufacturing side that I wanted it to be composites. So, with my girlfriend and I having a baby last year, it forced me to sort of take another approach on what my future was going to consist of. I knew I wanted to stay in Sprint Car racing, but I knew that the traveling life was going to come to a close because I needed to be there as a father and a boyfriend. That’s when I started thinking about my exit as a crew member. I got ahold of Bill, and I said, ‘Hey, can you teach me how to do this stuff because this is something I’d like to go into business for myself?’ He started training me last year.”
Knipp’s new business will be located near where he lives in Missouri, meaning he’ll be able to be home more often. Since Smith began training him, Knipp has also been putting more pieces in place to make for a smooth transition.
“I have a business partner involved. His name is Doug Hetrick, and he’s the co-owner and founder of C&D Rigging,” Knipp said. “Him and I started Prime Composite Innovations. With the help of Bill Smith getting me started and Doug, we’re going to be in full production come November 10. So, a week after the World Finals will be our first day in production. I’ve been getting our building ready and getting material ordered and training off and on when I can.”
And while the new endeavor will allow him to stay within the sport and be home throughout the year, the transition will be bittersweet. Racing on the road is the only life Knipp has known throughout his adult life.
“The thing that I’ll miss the most is the racing,” Knipp said. “Watching the World of Outlaws night in and night out, you can’t put a dollar amount on that. I’m extremely blessed to do what I do and to do it as long as I have. I know I’m still young at 25 years old, but I’ve been in 45 different states racing these things and Canada. It’s just provided a really cool life.”
Knipp has also built a strong bond with his JJR crew – Carson Macedo, Philip Dietz, and Nate Repetz – and the team will miss the effort and charisma he brings.
“Over the course of the last three years, Clyde has become one of my best buddies,” Macedo said. “He’s a really good dude who obviously brings light to everybody’s life. He’s always lively and just a great person to be around, fun guy, always funny, always looking to lift the mood, and just an extremely hard worker… I know he’ll do a great job. Clyde’s got an incredible work ethic. He’s driven. I think he’ll be success and knock it out of the park.
“I’m happy for him, but it is bittersweet. I feel like I’m losing not only a crew guy but my buddy full-time. But at the same time, I’m very happy for him. I’m happy to see him move on and pursue something that’s a dream of his.”
But before Knipp goes anywhere, he and his team have the unified goal of a championship on their minds. Macedo sits third in points with 11 races to go. David Gravel sits 18 markers ahead in second while Brad Sweet is still within striking distance – 98 points in front of Macedo.
What better way to leave the World of Outlaws tour than going out on top?
“To win the championship and go out on top would be the icing on the cake,” Knipp said. “That would be tremendous. And ultimately that’s why I wanted to do another year on the road with these guys. I knew the potential of being a championship team was there. I know if we show up night in and night out then the rest will take care of itself.”
Knipp and the rest of the Jason Johnson Racing team continue their championship pursuit at this weekend’s Champion Racing Oil National Open at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA (Sept. 29-30). For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
Charlie Mellilo Joins Executive Team at World Racing Group
Former Endeavor Streaming executive will oversee World Racing Group’s media and marketing business
CONCORD, NC (Sept. 28, 2023) – World Racing Group expanded its executive team by adding Charlie Mellilo as its Chief Media and Marketing Officer.
Most recently, Charlie led Global Client Services for Endeavor Streaming, the direct-to-consumer technology division of Endeavor. In his new role, Charlie will oversee all areas of content creation, production, distribution and marketing for all World Racing Group properties, including the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series, the Super DIRTcar Series, as well as its direct-to-consumer platform DIRTVision.
About his new role, Charlie said, “World Racing Group is the pinnacle of the sport of dirt racing. The team is amazing, and I am very excited to join the organization.” He added, “They have created an amazing business that is positioned for tremendous growth. I am excited to help usher in that new stage.”
“Charlie is a proven leader and a true innovator in the sports media space, and we are thrilled to have him join the organization. We know he will help elevate our business, help us continue our evolution, and further strengthen our position as the leader in dirt racing,” said World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter.
Charlie joined Endeavor in 2018 through its acquisition of NeuLion. During his time at NeuLion and Endeavor, Charlie was responsible for the launch of numerous well-known services including UFC Fight Pass, Rogers Sportsnet NOW, and Univision NOW. He also worked with the NBA, NFL, WWE, ESPN, Sky New Zealand and many other premier sports properties on numerous direct-to-consumer services.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: 61st National Open Raises the Stakes in World of Outlaws vs. PA Posse Battle
The Pennsylvania crown jewel puts $75,000 and bragging rights up for grabs at Williams Grove
MECHANICSBURG, PA (September 26, 2023) - The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars vs. Pennsylvania Posse rivalry is back in a big way this week.
The 61st Champion Racing Oil National Open brings the stars of The Greatest Show on Dirt, plenty of potent Pennsylvanians, and more of the country’s top talent to Mechanicsburg, PA where Williams Grove Speedway awaits. The historic crown jewel is one of the most coveted crowns in Sprint Car racing. Not only does it hold high prestige in the minds of all within the sport, it also offers a healthy payday. The two nights (September 29-30) conclude with Saturday’s $75,000 to win, 40-lap finale, making it the fourth highest paying event on the World of Outlaws circuit.
With the power of the World of Outlaws, the PA Posse hoping to win for the home state, and a slew of invaders aiming to steal the glory, the 61st edition of the National Open promises to deliver a pair of can’t miss nights of racing.
BUY NATIONAL OPEN TICKETS
Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
DONNY’S DOMINANCE: Williams Grove has been extremely kind to Donny Schatz over the years.
Schatz has racked up 21 World of Outlaws checkered flags at the historic facility, ranking second only to Steve Kinser’s whopping tally of 38. While “The King” has Schatz beat in that category, no competitor can equal Schatz’s six National Open titles. The Fargo, ND native has topped the Pennsylvania crown jewel in three different decades (2000s, 2010s, 2020s).
On top of his winning ways, Schatz has been plenty consistent at the “Natty O.” In 24 Feature starts, Schatz has landed on the podium in more than half with 13 top threes. He’s also earned 56 overall podiums at Williams Grove in World of Outlaws competition.
A CHANCE AT HISTORY: Last year, it was Lance Dewease winning a fifth National Open much to the Posse fans’ delight. And this year the Fayetteville, PA native has a historic opportunity ahead of him.
Only Schatz’s six triumphs outrank Dewease’s tally, meaning the man that owns countless Williams Grove records could add another to the list with a win on Saturday to tie Schatz. If he were able to pull it off, he would also become the first since Schatz in 2004-2005 to go back-to-back.
Dewease enters the weekend as the most recent Williams Grove winner, topping his 114th Feature at the half mile this past Friday. That victory came aboard the Macri Motorsports #39M, the car he’ll be piloting this weekend.
GROOVIN’ AT THE GROVE: While his Williams Grove résumé may not be as robust as Schatz or Dewease, David Gravel has to be factored in among the favorites this weekend.
The two-time (2014 & 2017) National Open champion can become only the eighth driver to claim three titles in the coveted event. The Watertown, CT native has won the event with Roth Motorsports and CJB Motorsports, and on Saturday he could make it three victories with three different teams if he takes the Big Game Motorsports #2 to Victory Lane.
This weekend could also prove pivotal for Gravel with the ongoing points battle. He trimmed Brad Sweet’s lead down to 80 last weekend. This week serves as another strong opportunity to make up some ground as Williams Grove is the winningest track on Gravel’s World of Outlaws record. He’s topped eight Features at the Mechanicsburg oval.
LOGAN’S TIME?: Two months ago, in his 57th attempt, Hanover, PA native Logan Schuchart topped a Williams Grove World of Outlaws Feature for the first time. The Shark Racing driver snuck by Brad Sweet coming to the line in a thrilling finish.
With that victory under his belt, Schuchart has his sights on his home state’s most coveted race this weekend as he looks to join his grandfather – Bobby Allen – on the list of winners.
The 30-year-old has made 10 starts in the National Open finale and been banging on the door to Victory Lane. Three times Schuchart has wound up on the podium including a 2021 runner-up. Only the top step of the podium remains for Schuchart to stand atop.
CA IN PA: For many years, Williams wasn’t the most welcoming Pennsylvania track for California invaders. But recently, the “Golden State” drivers have begun to flex their muscle at the unique facility. Californians have claimed half of the most recent 10 World of Outlaws races at Williams Grove including two of three this season.
Grass Valley, CA’s Brad Sweet snagged his first Williams Grove victory last July and then got another earlier this year in May. During the most recent visit, it was Rico Abreu coming out on top. The duo will be in action this weekend with a chance to become the third California-born National Open title.
Also among the recent California success at Williams Grove is Carson Macedo. The Lemoore, CA native topped the 2021 National Open to join Jason Meyers as CA drivers with a win in the event.
BACK IN THE SADDLE: A potent driver-team pairing is expected to pull in the pit area that will attract plenty of attention this weekend.
Former World of Outlaws champion – Daryn Pittman – has partnered with the famed Kreitz Racing team to take on the 61st National Open. The owner of the iconic powder blue #69K enters as the defending team champion after topping the 2022 edition with Lance Dewease.
Pittman got acquainted with the team at last Friday’s local race and brought home a podium finish. Now, Pittman will seek his first National Open title. The Owasso, OK native has been remarkably close with five runner-ups in the crown jewel, most recently in 2019.
POSSE POWER: Along with Dewease going for a record tying win, the PA Posse will have plenty of names joining him looking to make the home fans proud by beating the World of Outlaws.
Brent Marks is a former National Open champion (2019) who could become the 13th driver with multiple titles. The “Myerstown Missile” has already topped four races at “The Grove” in 2023. Marks has been on the podium in five of his last eight Williams Grove starts with the World of Outlaws.
Danny Dietrich is another Posse representative with a National Open victory (2016) to his credit. Dietrich ranks 18th on Williams Grove’s all-time win list with 29 triumphs, most recently coming out on top of an Aug. 18 local show.
Freddie Rahmer is always a name to watch in Pennsylvania and could join his father – Fred Rahmer – on the list of winners this week. Two of Rahmer’s nation leading 17 victories in 2023 have occurred at Williams Grove.
This trio will be joined by many more Pennsylvania natives in the hunt for National Open glory.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday and Saturday, September 29-30 at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA
ON THE INTERNET
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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (61/72 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (8246PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-80PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-98PTS) 4. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-386PTS) 5. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-394PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-416PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-472PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-656PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1142PTS) 10. 7S – Robbie Price (-1586PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (16 Drivers):
10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2)
9 wins – Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S), Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)
3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
2 wins – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11, Roth Motorsports #83JR)
1 win – Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14)
FEATURE LAPS LED (20 Drivers):
315 laps – Brad Sweet
228 laps – James McFadden
234 laps – Rico Abreu
195 laps – Carson Macedo
193 laps – David Gravel
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
114 laps – Buddy Kofoid
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
102 laps – Donny Schatz
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
43 laps – Brent Marks
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
24 laps – Brian Brown
15 laps – Cole Macedo
11 laps – Anthony Macri
10 laps – Cory Eliason
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
14 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
11 QuickTimes – David Gravel
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart
4 QuickTimes – Rico Abreu
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Brad Sweet, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (43 Drivers):
29 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
25 Heat Wins – David Gravel
16 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz, James McFadden
13 Heat Wins – Buddy Kofoid, Logan Schuchart
12 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Gio Scelzi
10 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen, Justin Peck
4 Heat Wins – Brent Marks, Cory Eliason
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr.
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Justin Sanders
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (47 Drivers):
41 Dashes – Carson Macedo
39 Dashes – David Gravel
36 Dashes – Brad Sweet
28 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
27 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
24 Dashes – James McFadden
23 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
22 Dashes – Donny Schatz
20 Dashes – Rico Abreu
18 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
17 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
6 Dashes – Justin Peck
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne, Corey Day
4 Dashes – Brian Brown, Justin Sanders
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson, Cole Macedo, Tanner Holmes
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Dominic Scelzi, Aaron Reutzel
1 Dash – Freddie Rahmer, Devon Borden, Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (33 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
3 LCS Wins - Noah Gass
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, James McFadden, Gio Scelzi, Donny Schatz, Kerry Madsen
1 LCS Win – Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
6 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Hard Chargers – James McFadden
4 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz, Brock Zearfoss
3 Hard Chargers – Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
2 Hard Chargers – Danny Dietrich, Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price
1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (27 Drivers):
29 Podiums – David Gravel
26 Podiums – Brad Sweet
17 Podiums – Carson Macedo
14 Podiums – Rico Abreu
13 Podiums – Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
9 Podiums – James McFadden, Buddy Kofoid
7 Podiums – Gio Scelzi
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson
5 Podiums – Brent Marks
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi
TOP 10 FINISHES (60 Drivers):
54 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
52 Top 10s – Carson Macedo
50 Top 10s – David Gravel
42 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
40 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart, Sheldon Haudenschild
37 Top 10s – Donny Schatz, Spencer Bayston
34 Top 10s – James McFadden
30 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
25 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen
12 Top 10s – Justin Peck
11 Top 10s – Brent Marks
10 Top 10s – Kasey Kahne
9 Top 10s – Cory Eliason
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson
7 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Brock Zearfoss
6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich, Corey Day
5 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders, Tanner Holmes
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Zeb Wise
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Robbie Price, Freddie Rahmer, Tim Kaeding, Shane Golobic, Dave Blaney, Dale Blaney, Cole Duncan
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Lance Dewease, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Larry Wight, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Chase Johnson
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
58. Fri, Sept 15 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Brad Sweet (8)
59. Sat, Sept 16 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, CA / Buddy Kofoid (2)
60. Fri, Sept 22 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (6)
61. Sat, Sept 23 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Brad Sweet (9)
A SWEET SHOWDOWN: Brad Sweet Arises Victorious from Three-Man Sharon Speedway Battle
The four-time champion holds off challenges from Giovanni Scelzi and David Gravel for Sharon victory
HARTFORD, OH (September 23, 2023) - The box score from Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts Showdown at Sharon Speedway will simply show Brad Sweet led flag to flag. But the 30 laps were far from an easy cruise for “The Big Cat.”
The four-time and defending World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car champion took everything Giovanni Scelzi and David Gravel could throw at him. “The Big Cat” may have led every lap, but he had company challenging him for many of those trips around the Hartford, OH oval. Early in the main event, Scelzi searched every bit of racetrack real estate for speed. He found momentum multiple times, but Sweet fended off each challenge. Then in the second half of the race it was Sweet’s championship rival – Gravel – surging into second and looking to steal the win. Gravel showed Sweet a nose multiple times, but the Grass Valley, CA native kept the door closed. Ultimately, Sweet dodged every punch the two had as he went on to grab his ninth win of the year with The Greatest Show on Dirt.
“I just didn’t know where to be sometimes. Lapped traffic was tough,” Sweet explained. “I was probably a little too free. I started off a little too good and got free pretty quick and was trying to use the wall on the (corner) exits to get me down the straightaways. I just was struggling a little bit, but we got into Victory Lane. That’s half the battle.”
Sweet’s ninth victory of the year moved him up to 88 for his career. The 37-year-old also joined Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski as the only competitors with multiple World of Outlaws wins at Sharon through 13 Series visits to the 3/8-mile.
When the green flag dropped on the 30-lap Feature, Sweet led the way after topping the Toyota Racing Dash. The Napa Auto Parts #49 pulled ahead on the opening lap while Scelzi rocketed from fourth to second out of Turn 2 and down the back straightaway.
Early on in clean air, Sweet put a solid gap between himself and Scelzi, but the Fresno, CA driver wouldn’t allow Sweet to escape. Scelzi kept him well within his sights as they began to near traffic. While Sweet preferred the cushion all the way around Sharon as the race worked through its first third, Scelzi found speed rolling the bottom in Turns 3 and 4. The gap between the two began to vanish, and Scelzi began to show Sweet a nose repeatedly as they neared the halfway point.
After the cross flags were displayed, Scelzi ramped up the intensity in his pursuit of the lead. On Lap 19, Scelzi tried a slide job on Sweet in Turns 1 and 2 but came up slightly short as Sweet slipped back by on the outside. Two laps later, Scelzi hit the bottom perfectly in the same set of corners to nose ahead of Sweet as they hit the back straightaway. Sweet refused to go down, though, as he used the high side momentum to inch back in front heading into Turn 3 and protect the lead causing Scelzi to slip back.
With Scelzi losing ground to Sweet, he fell right into the clutches of a fast-closing Gravel who snuck by on the bottom on Lap 23 to take over runner-up. Up ahead, Sweet began to question where he needed to be as he struggled to move by a lapped car.
“I probably stayed up top a little too long, but I didn’t want to leave that lane open,” Sweet said. “With the lapped car there, I was just always kind of right off his right rear (tire)… Based off experiences kind of knowing how hard I was having to work to pass him on the top and what pace he was running. Once I got down to his pace, I knew someone would’ve had to really run the wall exceptionally well.”
Before Sweet wound up deciding to move to the bottom, Gravel gathered enough steam for one bid at the lead. On the 25th lap, Gravel used a strong run on the inside of Turns 1 and 2 to pull alongside Sweet and looked as if he may snatch the top spot. But heading into the next turn, Sweet slammed the door shut to maintain the lead as Gravel slipped back.
The move sealed the deal for Sweet who went on to cross the finish line with a half second advantage.
“I’m excited to get the win,” Sweet said. “It was a tough battle for sure. I saw Gio multiple times, I think, off of (Turn 2), or it could’ve been David. I just saw orange. It was a great race. The bottom got cleaned off. Once I found it, I knew if I was just patient and didn’t overdrive the car it would be really hard for someone to get by me.”
Gravel settled for second to net his 29th World of Outlaws podium of the season. While it was a strong run, he knows he needs to be finishing ahead of the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 if he wants a chance at running Sweet down in the title chase. Sweet’s victory grew the margin to 80 markers between the two.
“It was a good weekend,” Gravel said. “I just wish I could take that start back. I thought Brad was going to go to the top and he went to the middle and kind of confused me and Gio got by me. I thought Gio was really good early, and it looked like Brad was searching and didn’t know where to go as well. I thought the bottom was kind of the best place to be, but we were just a little too free down there. Then it started cleaning up, and our car really came to life when that bottom came in and the grip picked up and made our car sit right. We were alongside Brad there, and I guess I just wish I ran in harder than him and banged wheels and pushed him out of the way if I could do it over again. Obviously, we’ve got to beat him every night here moving forward. Obviously, if he wins, the best we can do is run second.”
After his early challenges for the lead, Giovanni Scelzi completed the podium aboard the KCP Racing #18. The World of Outlaws rookie knew he had a car capable of winning but simply came up short to two of the sport’s best at the top of their game.
“It was really good all night. I’m really proud of my guys. I can’t say enough about them,” a grateful Scelzi said. “I’m going to replay that one a lot in my head tonight and the next couple days. Brad and David are really good. They’re the two top guys out here, and they’re the most consistent guys to race against. You learn every time you race against them what moves to make. I just kind of panicked there. I didn’t realize it was cleaning off that much around the bottom. I saw Gravel try the top in (Turns) 3 and 4, and that was my chance to get him. Brad was playing the right game just staying the bottom.”
Tanner Holmes and Carson Macedo rounded out the top five.
Brock Zearfoss snagged KSE Racing Hard Charger honors with a 20th to 13th effort.
In Low-E Insulation Qualifying, Carson Macedo earned his 14th Simpson Performance Products QuickTime of the year and 33rd of his career.
CASE No. 1 Engine Oil Heat One went to David Gravel (235th Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Sheldon Haudenschild (96th of career), James McFadden (50th of career), and Giovanni Scelzi (35th of career).
Donny Schatz won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are Pennsylvania bound for one of the sport’s crown jewels. Mechanicsburg, PA’s Williams Grove Speedway is the destination next week (September 29-30) for the 61st Champion Racing Oil National Open. The winner of the finale will take home $75,000. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[1]; 2. 2-David Gravel[2]; 3. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[4]; 4. 1T-Tanner Holmes[3]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 7. 10-Dave Blaney[10]; 8. 32B-Dale Blaney[11]; 9. 5-Spencer Bayston[12]; 10. 22-Cole Duncan[9]; 11. 83-James McFadden[5]; 12. 1S-Logan Schuchart[17]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[20]; 14. 39M-Justin Sanders[7]; 15. 2F-AJ Flick[13]; 16. 15-Donny Schatz[21]; 17. 1M-Landon Myers[14]; 18. 13-Brandon Matus[16]; 19. 4-Danny Smith[23]; 20. 2X-Ricky Peterson[24]; 21. 5M-Jeremy Weaver[15]; 22. 11J-David Kalb[18]; 23. (DNF) 08-Danny Kuriger[22]; 24. (DNF) 6F-Bob Felmlee[19] ELDORA EXCELLENCE: Rico Abreu Fends Off Gravel for Third Eldora World of Outlaws Victory
Abreu survives Gravel’s final corner slider notch yet another win at the historic half mile
ROSSBURG, OH (September 22, 2023) - Rico Abreu is on a roll at Eldora Speedway. The high banks and high speeds of “The Big E” seem to suit the Californian perfectly. And on Friday night, Abreu delivered the latest testament to his prowess at the historic facility.
The 31-year-old took the lead on the opening circuit of the 30-lapper and never looked back. Abreu held off early challenges from Giovanni Scelzi and survived a Hail Mary slide job from David Gravel in the final corner to seal a win in the BeFour the Crowns Showdown as the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars kicked off Four Crown weekend. The victory moved Abreu up to six with The Greatest Show on Dirt in 2023. He’s now at four triumphs in his last 10 Sprint Car starts at the half mile. The other three are last year’s BeFour the Crowns Showdown, another World of Outlaws win this past May, and an Eldora Million prelim in July. As the World of Outlaws closed out their 2023 slate at Eldora, Abreu became the first and only to notch multiple Series victories at “The House that Earl Built.”
“Just more seat time around this track,” Abreu said of his recent Eldora success. “Ricky Warner and these guys work so hard. They’re so passionate about racing. What I’ve understood in my career is just surround yourself with people that are passionate about this sport and want to see me do good, and that’s how we stand up here in Victory Lane. We all just believe in each other.”
The pole position at the drop of the green flag belonged to Logan Schuchart courtesy of topping the Toyota Racing Dash. But it was Abreu blasting around the top side to lead down the back straightaway on Lap 1 and pace the first circuit.
On the second lap, Gio Scelzi quickly began to flex his muscle as he cleared a perfect slide job on Schuchart to take over the runner-up spot in Turns 1 and 2. Right after snagging second, Scelzi went to work tracking down Abreu.
While the pilot of the Rico Abreu Racing #24 ripped the thin cushion all around Eldora, Scelzi made up ground tip-toeing the low line in Turns 3 and 4. The Fresno, CA native rolled tightly along the inside fence to close in. On the seventh lap, Scelzi used a strong run out of Turn 4 to attack. He threw a massive slider at Abreu heading into Turn 1 in a bid for the lead. But Abreu kept the gas pedal mashed to the floor and motored around Scelzi as the two nearly touched exiting the second turn.
Scelzi’s unsuccessful slider scrubbed momentum from the KCP Racing #18 as Abreu pulled ahead down the backstretch. The close call appeared to lift Abreu’s elbows up as he began to distance himself from Scelzi and the rest of the field.
As the race neared the halfway point, Abreu opened up his advantage as the St. Helena, CA native expertly sliced through traffic. The gap between he and Scelzi eclipsed two seconds on Lap 16, and as the race dwindled to 10 laps to go, Abreu appeared headed to an easy win. But then the yellow lights flashed for the first time as James McFadden got into the fence and spun to a stop.
The race was interrupted one last time as Spencer Bayston had an issue in Turns 1 and 2 to set up a six-lap dash to the checkered flag.
On the late restart, Abreu inched ahead as a surging David Gravel began to challenge Scelzi for second. Gravel could comfortably move his Big Game Motorsports #2 around the surface, and he used a run to slide by Scelzi for the runner-up spot on Lap 27 before setting his sights on Abreu.
Like Scelzi earlier in the race, Gravel found speed on the bottom of Turns 3 and 4, and he trimmed three tenths of a second off Abreu’s lead on the lap after he took over second. The next lap another three tenths were erased as they took the white flag. And as the lead duo rolled down the backstretch one last time, Gravel launched a Hail Mary slider into Turn 3 but barely missed clearing Abreu as the exited Turn 4.
“I knew,” Abreu said of Gravel’s closing presence. “My pace slowed down on the top. There weren’t too many cars running all the way up on the wall and it was getting crumby. I knew I won a race here a couple years ago just cheating it into (Turns) 3 and 4. The sun bakes that end, so it’s the fastest corner to slicken up. You’ve just really got to pay attention. Racing with the Outlaws things happen really quickly.”
Abreu surviving Gravel’s last gasp allowed him to reach the finish line first to lock up another Eldora victory to continue his recent tear at the Rossburg, OH facility.
“That’s the best Eldora right there,” Abreu said. “It was just really maneuverable with our race car.”
The slide job that came up a little short caused Gravel to settle for second as he narrowly missed making the trip to Victory Lane. The runner-up result marked Gravel’s Series-high 28th World of Outlaws podium of the season. Gravel left feeling satisfied with the strong run but also wished the Feature could’ve been slightly longer with how his machine came alive late.
“We definitely needed a 40-lap race there,” Gravel said. “I felt like everybody was getting worse and we were either staying the same or getting better there at the end. I just kind of figured out (Turns) 3 and 4. And in (Turns) 1 and 2 Rico was leaning on the cushion really hard and hitting it and getting tight and wasn’t making a lot of corner speed where I felt like I was. If I was in clean air in front of him through (Turns) 1 and 2, we would’ve been really hauling ass through there, but still a solid run for us.”
After challenging for the lead early on, Gio Scelzi brought his #18 machine home third to round out the top three. The finish marked his sixth podium of his rookie World of Outlaws campaign. Most importantly, the strong run suppled he and the team with a much needed confidence boost following a rough west coast swing.
“We were fast all night from the drop of the green flag,” Scelzi said. “I felt like every move we made and every change we made really made the car a lot better. It’s been probably the crappiest three weeks I’ve had in my entire racing career. I don’t think people realize whether we suck or whether we win, the same amount of work goes in with my crew guys. This is 100% dedicated to them and all the sponsors that stay behind us.”
Carson Macedo and Logan Schuchart completed the top five.
With Brad Sweet finishing ninth, Gravel’s runner-up helped him trim Sweet’s point lead down from 90 markers to 76.
Donny Schatz collected the KSE Racing Hard Charger with a 15th to 6th drive.
David Gravel earned the Simpson Racing QuickTime Award for the 11th time in 2023 and 108th time in his career.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to David Gravel (234th Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Giovanni Scelzi (34th of career), Logan Schuchart (119th of career), and Justin Peck (ninth of career).
Kerry Madsen won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
After an incident with less than 10 laps to go ended a potential top 10 run, James McFadden was given the Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars make their last appearance in the state of Ohio on Saturday, September 23 at Sharon Speedway for the Federated Auto Parts Showdown. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[2]; 2. 2-David Gravel[4]; 3. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[3]; 4. 41-Carson Macedo[9]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart[1]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[15]; 7. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 8. 13-Justin Peck[7]; 9. 49-Brad Sweet[11]; 10. 26-Zeb Wise[19]; 11. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[13]; 12. 8-Aaron Reutzel[8]; 13. 9R-Chase Randall[12]; 14. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[17]; 15. 21H-Brady Bacon[10]; 16. 11-Cory Eliason[24]; 17. 88-Austin McCarl[16]; 18. 42-Sye Lynch[22]; 19. 4-Chris Windom[23]; 20. 7S-Robbie Price[26]; 21. 9-Kasey Kahne[18]; 22. 1T-Tanner Holmes[25]; 23. (DNF) 5-Spencer Bayston[14]; 24. (DNF) 83-James McFadden[5]; 25. (DNF) 55-Kerry Madsen[21]; 26. (DNF) 9P-Parker Price Miller[20]
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Final Ohio Trip of 2023 Brings World of Outlaws to Eldora, Sharon
The Greatest Show on Dirt heads back east for Ohio doubleheader
ROSSBURG, OH (September 19, 2023) - The final stop to “The Buckeye State” this year brings the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ title fight to two iconic Ohio tracks.
First, The Greatest Show on Dirt kicks off Eldora Speedway’s iconic Four Crown weekend with the BeFour the Crowns Showdown on Friday, Sept. 22. The next night, Hartford, OH’s Sharon Speedway will host the Federated Auto Parts Showdown as the Series completes its 11th and final Ohio race of the season. The pressure continues to mount as the World of Outlaws near the final month of this year’s campaign. The teams will scratch and claw for points as the fight for their share of the more than $1.7 million point fund rolls into Ohio.
BUY ELDORA TICKETS
BUY SHARON TICKETS
Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
BIG CAT ON THE PROWL: It’s no surprise that as the season nears its conclusion Brad Sweet is flexing his muscle. His lead atop the standings has grown to 90 markers as he hunts his fifth straight championship. The four-time and defending champ heads to a pair of tracks that have been kind to him this weekend.
At Eldora, Sweet is a three-time Series winner, and he topped his Eldora Million prelim earlier this year. In his last 11 World of Outlaws Feature starts at the half mile, Sweet has been in the top five on seven occasions.
“The Big Cat” topped the 2022 World of Outlaws visit to Sharon, and he also claimed the 2012 Lou Blaney Memorial. In three career Series starts at Sharon, Sweet has finished no worse than sixth.
NOT DONE YET: While Sweet has a decent advantage, David Gravel and Carson Macedo are both still well within striking distance as the pair pursue their first Series title.
Gravel is closest to Sweet and hopes to chip away at the 90-point margin that separates the two this weekend. The Watertown, CT native won two World of Outlaws Features at Eldora last year and hasn’t been outside the top five in his last six starts there. At Sharon, Gravel nearly won there in May, finishing second.
Macedo is a mere eight markers behind Gravel. Back in July, Macedo drove the Jason Johnson Racing #41 to an Eldora triumph during The Knight Before, one of three “Big E” wins he owns. The Lemoore, CA native has been close to a Sharon victory including a World of Outlaws podium (2021) and a pair of All-Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) runner ups (2017 & 2018).
OHIO EXPERTISE: Ten-time Series champion – Donny Schatz – has always shined in Ohio throughout his career, and 2023 has proven to be no exception.
All three of his wins this season have been Ohio triumphs, including a win at Sharon in May and his sixth King Royal win at Eldora in July – his 18th Series win at “The Big E.”
Schatz and his Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing team recently re-entered the top five in points, now only 20 markers behind Logan Schuchart for fourth.
SCHUCHART STRENGTH: Over the years, Eldora Speedway has become one of Logan Schuchart’s best tracks – a trend he hopes continues as he looks to hold on to fourth in points.
Back in May, Schuchart outdueled Rico Abreu for his fourth Series victory at Eldora, equaling the track as the facility he’s won the most at with The Greatest Show on Dirt. Then two months later, Schuchart etched his name into Sprint Car history by topping the inaugural Eldora Million. A fifth World of Outlaws trip to Eldora Victory Lane would give the track sole possession as his winningest on the tour.
Schuchart enters the weekend with a 20-point cushion between himself and fifth-place Donny Schatz in the standings.
BUCKEYE BREAKTHROUGH?: In his trip home this weekend, Sheldon Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH, will chase a win that’s continued to elude him.
Haudenschild has won at Sharon with the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2015, but on Saturday he’ll try to score his first victory at the track with the World of Outlaws.
In three attempts at Sharon, Haudenschild has been on the podium each time. Two years ago brought his closest attempt when he led the first 34 laps before Dave Blaney snuck by on the final lap. In the next two tries, he brought the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 home third.
BLANEY BROS: In local Sharon action this year, brothers Dave and Dale Blaney have been in control. The duo has combined to win six races this season, splitting three apiece. They’ve claimed the top two spots in the last two races Sharon’s hosted.
Dave – the 1995 World of Outlaws champion – who also happens to own Sharon, is a former World of Outlaws winner at his facility, thrilling the crowd with his 2021 triumph for his first Series win in 24 years.
Dale is yet to win a World of Outlaws race at Sharon, but he does own seven victories there with ASCoC.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, September 22 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, OH
Saturday, September 23 at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, OH
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (59/72 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (7964PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-90PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-98PTS) 4. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-370PTS) 5. 15 – Donny Schatz (-390PTS) 6. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-400PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-464PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-610PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1106PTS) 10. 7S – Robbie Price (-1504PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (16 Drivers):
10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2)
8 wins – Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S)
5 wins – Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)
3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
2 wins – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11, Roth Motorsports #83JR)
1 win – Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14)
FEATURE LAPS LED (20 Drivers):
285 laps – Brad Sweet
228 laps – James McFadden
204 laps – Rico Abreu
195 laps – Carson Macedo
193 laps – David Gravel
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
114 laps – Buddy Kofoid
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
102 laps – Donny Schatz
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
43 laps – Brent Marks
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
24 laps – Brian Brown
15 laps – Cole Macedo
11 laps – Anthony Macri
10 laps – Cory Eliason
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
13 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
10 QuickTimes – David Gravel
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart
4 QuickTimes – Rico Abreu
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild, Buddy Kofoid
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Brad Sweet, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (43 Drivers):
29 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
23 Heat Wins – David Gravel
16 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz
13 Heat Wins – James McFadden, Buddy Kofoid
12 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart
11 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
10 Heat Wins – Gio Scelzi, Rico Abreu
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen
4 Heat Wins – Brent Marks, Justin Peck, Cory Eliason
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr.
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield, Justin Sanders
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (47 Drivers):
40 Dashes – Carson Macedo
37 Dashes – David Gravel
35 Dashes – Brad Sweet
27 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
25 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
22 Dashes – Donny Schatz, James McFadden
21 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
19 Dashes – Rico Abreu
18 Dashes – Spencer Bayston
17 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Justin Peck, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne, Corey Day
4 Dashes – Brian Brown
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson, Cole Macedo, Justin Sanders
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi
1 Dash – Freddie Rahmer, Devon Borden, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Kalib Henry, Dylan Bloomfield
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (33 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
3 LCS Wins - Noah Gass
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, James McFadden, Gio Scelzi
1 LCS Win – Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Kerry Madsen, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Donny Schatz, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
6 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Hard Chargers – James McFadden
3 Hard Chargers – Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu, Brock Zearfoss, Donny Schatz
2 Hard Chargers – Danny Dietrich, Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price
1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (27 Drivers):
27 Podiums – David Gravel
25 Podiums – Brad Sweet
17 Podiums – Carson Macedo
13 Podiums – Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
9 Podiums – James McFadden, Buddy Kofoid
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson
5 Podiums – Brent Marks, Gio Scelzi
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi
TOP 10 FINISHES (60 Drivers):
52 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
50 Top 10s – Carson Macedo
48 Top 10s – David Gravel
40 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
39 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart
38 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild
36 Top 10s – Donny Schatz, Spencer Bayston
34 Top 10s – James McFadden
30 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
25 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen
11 Top 10s – Justin Peck, Brent Marks
10 Top 10s – Kasey Kahne
9 Top 10s – Cory Eliason
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson
7 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Brock Zearfoss
6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich, Corey Day
5 Top 10s – Dominic Scelzi, Justin Sanders
4 Top 10s – Tanner Holmes
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Robbie Price, Zeb Wise, Freddie Rahmer, Tim Kaeding, Shane Golobic
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Lance Dewease, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Dave Blaney, Larry Wight, Dale Blaney, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Chase Johnson
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
58. Fri, Sept 15 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Brad Sweet (8)
59. Sat, Sept 16 / Placerville Speedway / Placerville, CA / Buddy Kofoid (2)
TRIPLE DOUBLE: McDermand Wins at Red Hill, Third Back-to-Back Win of 2023
Avedisian takes points lead by 11 over McIntosh heading into championship weekend
SUMNER, IL (Sept. 17, 2023) – With the season winding down, Chase McDermand is heating up at exactly the right time.
The 23-year-old from Springfield, IL, notched his second Feature win in two races with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota Sunday night in Midget racing’s return to Red Hill Raceway for the first time in 20 years, passing Taylor Reimer early on and holding off all challenges to score his sixth Series victory of the year.
The win comes in he and Mounce/Stout Motorsports’ time of great need as they continue to mount a late-season push for the Series championship. Coming into the weekend 118 points out of first place, a perfect night gone wrong in the Feature on Friday set them back to 150 points down.
After wins on Saturday and Sunday, McDermand now sits 100 points out with three races left and a shot at the points title. Despite the steep deficit, he’s still keeping the faith.
“It’s better late than never, I guess,” he said with a chuckle about his late-season success. “We just try to carry as much momentum as we can when we have it. In racing, sometimes it’s kind of hard to grasp that momentum, and you’ve gotta cling to it as much as you can for as long as you can. You just never know how long it’s gonna be with you.”
The momentum was running high on Sunday as the field took to the fast, 4/10-mile of Red Hill Raceway for 25 laps. From the outside pole, Reimer jumped out to the early lead and looked to be in contention for her first win of the season, but McDermand was quickly on her trail.
From sixth on the grid, McDermand had jumped all the way to second in only three laps. Reimer was never able to completely break away from the field, and by Lap 7, McDermand was right on her heels.
He looked high, he looked low. McDermand tried multiple different avenues to get around the #25K but was finally able to make the move after Reimer stumbled out of Turn 2 on Lap 10. McDermand swung it down low off the corner, drag raced her down the backstretch and threw a slide job into Turn 3 to take the spot.
“I had a good enough run down the backstretch,” McDermand said. “It took a couple of times for me to get the right line in Turns 3-4 to be able to pull the pass off completely.”
“It’s so tough [leading] on tracks that are this big – it’s all about momentum,” Reimer said. “Turns 1-2, you definitely need to be around the top. I didn’t know that because I was out front, so it’s kinda hard to gauge where you need to be.”
Reimer did not go away quietly, however. She moved up to the top lane and caught back up to McDermand, hounding him for several laps, but was unable to find the speed she needed to make the pass.
“I just didn’t have the momentum that he did in the drive off,” Reimer said.
McDermand soon put Reimer in the rearview and drove the rest of the caution-free main event unchallenged to bag his third back-to-back victory of the season. Each of his six wins this season have come in back-to-back form, in three different states – Kansas in May, Pennsylvania in August and now his home state of Illinois in September.
Six wins gives McDermand sole possession of the winningest driver on tour this year and ties him with Jade Avedisian as the Series’ all-time winnigest driver at seven career victories. The wins keep coming, and his confidence keeps rising as the team heads into championship weekend in Oklahoma next month.
“We just have to focus on winning, and that’s no different than any other race,” McDermand said. “We always show up to win, but if you’re able to win, it takes care of the rest. You know you’ve done all you can do.”
Reimer crossed the stripe with the runner-up spot, but not without a strong challenge from Zach Daum in the final laps. Daum came from seventh on the grid and found his bread-and-butter lane on the bottom, catching all the way up to Reimer and nearly passing her in the final laps.
Despite the pressure, Reimer was able to hold off the defending champion for her seventh podium finish of the season. Though she’s not in contention for the points championship, she is focused on winning her first race this year as the season wraps up next month in her home state of Oklahoma.
“I know we have the car and I have the ability to win, it’s just whether or not I’m able to put together a whole night,” Reimer said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to my home track at Port City. It would be really awesome if I could get a win there; it would mean a lot to me.”
Daum crossed the stripe in third to collect his ninth top-five finish in the last 10 Series races. Jade Avedisian crossed in fourth – two spots ahead of Cannon McIntosh – giving her sole control of the Series points lead by 11 heading into championship weekend, where she’ll aim to clinch her first national Midget championship with Keith Kunz Motorsports.
NEXT RACES
Championship weekend for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series consists of a three-race weekend in Oklahoma, starting with a trip to Port City Raceway on Thursday (Oct. 12), and the final two races at I-44 Riverside Speedway on Friday-Saturday (Oct. 13-14). All three races will be co-sanctioned with the POWRi National Midget League, who will also crown a season champion along with an Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series champion on Saturday night.
Tickets for all three events will be available at the gate on race day. If you can’t be there to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Feature (25 Laps): 1. 40-Chase McDermand[6]; 2. 25K-Taylor Reimer[2]; 3. 7U-Zach Daum[7]; 4. 71-Jade Avedisian[4]; 5. 97-Gavin Miller[5]; 6. 08-Cannon McIntosh[3]; 7. 1K-Brayton Lynch[1]; 8. 7X-Thomas Meseraull[8]; 9. 97K-Cooper Williams[10]; 10. 81-Dekota Gay[11]; 11. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[9]; 12. 31K-Alex Midkiff[12]; 13. 31B-Kyle Beilman[13]
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The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series is brought to fans by important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Toyota (Title sponsor of the Midgets Series), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier) and SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider). Other partners include: TJ Forged and Whitz Racing Products.
CLEAN SWEEP: McDermand’s Perfect Night at Highland Nets Mounce/Stout Fifth Win of 2023
Avedisian drives out of Last Chance Showdown, 18th-to-3rd in Feature, ties McIntosh for points lead
HIGHLAND, IL (Sept. 16, 2023) – In their hour of need, Chase McDermand and Mounce/Stout Motorsports came through when it mattered most.
With the season winding down and time running out to make a run for the championship, McDermand urgently needed a good finish to stay in the thick of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota points battle. Twenty-four hours after their perfect night went awry in the Feature, the 22-year-old Illinoisan redeemed himself with a clean sweep of Saturday night’s program at Highland Speedway.
Garnering the Whitz Racing Products Quick Time Award and a win in Toyota Racing Heat 1, McDermand led the final 21 laps of the main event to secure his fifth Series victory of the year.
“Being able to win so close to home with a [home-state crowd] – that means a lot added on top of it,” McDermand said. “These are really hard races to win with these guys that we run with, so to be able to do it for the fifth time this year means a lot.”
The night prior, McDermand also had a clean sweep going, and sat on the pole for the 30-lap main event. He and car owner/crew chief Jay Mounce made some adjustments to the McDermand Plumbing, Spike/Stanton #40 before leaving the pits to take the track, but those only hindered their performance. McDermand was in-and-out of the work area on multiple occasions after spinning out, though he was able to battle back to finish 12th.
The team put their heads together on Saturday, learned from their past mistakes and applied it, bringing them another $4,000 winner’s check.
“It’s bittersweet to lose one like we did last night,” McDermand said. “I feel like we definitely had the fastest car. To be able to learn what we did really helped us pick up the win tonight.”
When Gavin Miller jumped out to the early lead, McDermand kept pace with him through the first 10 laps, ripping the top side around the 1/4-mile. Miller soon entered heavy lapped traffic and stumbled when cars checked-up in front of him through Turns 3-4, opening the door for McDermand to slip by underneath for the lead on Lap 10.
From there on out, McDermand was able to race his race at his pace. Which was hammer-down on the top, running away from and gapping his opponents – nearly three seconds at its largest ahead of Zach Daum.
After the final restart with nine laps left and McDermand checked-out up front, Taylor Reimer was hot on Daum’s case, throwing a big slide job on the Trifecta Motorsports #7U in Turns 3-4 to take second on Lap 24.
“I was just waiting to time it perfectly,” Reimer said. “I knew I was faster than him, but I was just waiting for the right time. I knew if I threw it too soon, we were just gonna lose ground.”
The 23-year-old Oklahoman held her ground the rest of the way and crossed the stripe runner-up, tying her best finish of the season thus far. Despite being denied of a win yet again, she knows she was fast in the closing laps.
“We were gaining on him,” Reimer said of McDermand. “We were looking at the lap times, and we were a couple tenths faster than him. I think he started to catch lapped traffic, eventually.”
In the bigger picture, Saturday’s win brought McDermand 41 points closer to the lead in the standings. Now sitting 109 points out of first place, he knows a run for the title will be difficult, but still possible with four races remaining.
“If you win, that just takes care of everything else, and you know that’s all you could do,” McDermand said. “Tonight was really the perfect night, we did as much as we could do as far as points go.”
Securing the final spot on the podium was 17-year-old Jade Avedisian, who drove from out of the Last Chance Showdown for the first time this season, started 18th on the grid and raced her way to third by the checkered flag.
“To be honest, I’m not really sure [the issue], but we were off our game early in the night,” Avedisian said.
The Californian struggled early in the program, Qualifying dead-last in her group and finishing seventh in her Heat. She got it together for the Feature, taking third on Lap 25 and holding on for her 10th podium finish of the year. With that, she now sits tied with Cannon McIntosh for the Series points lead.
“In Hot Laps, we timed in last, and I was like, ‘Alright, I can’t turn, I’m so tight,’” Avedisian said. “Jarrett [Martin, car chief] made a few changes and it was kinda the same way for Qualifying. Heat Race was not very good. We just had to put our heads down and get to work.”
Miller, who was sent to the tail for his involvement in an incident on Lap 11, climbed all the way back to finish fourth, while Daum hung on to round out the top five.
UP NEXT
The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets close out the Illinois tripleheader with a visit to Red Hill Raceway in Sumner, IL, on Sunday, Sept. 17. Tickets will be on sale at the gate; live stream available on DIRTVision.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 40-Chase McDermand[1]; 2. 25K-Taylor Reimer[7]; 3. 71-Jade Avedisian[18]; 4. 97-Gavin Miller[3]; 5. 7U-Zach Daum[5]; 6. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[4]; 7. 43-Gunnar Setser[9]; 8. 55-Trevor Cline[11]; 9. 08-Cannon McIntosh[6]; 10. 77W-Joe Wirth[8]; 11. 1K-Brayton Lynch[16]; 12. 31B-Kyle Beilman[13]; 13. 50-Daniel Adler[17]; 14. 97K-Cooper Williams[19]; 15. 3N-Jake Newman[12]; 16. 35-Tyler Robbins[15]; 17. 31K-Alex Midkiff[21]; 18. 21K-Karter Sarff[10]; 19. 53R-Sean Robbins[20]; 20. 16-Kyle Jones[2]; 21. 56-Mitchell Davis[14]; 22. 53-Miles Doherty[22]
ROTH WAR: Buddy Kofoid Outduels Teammate for Victory in World of Outlaws Placerville Return
The Penngrove, CA native comes out on top of thrilling battle with fellow Roth Motorsports driver – James McFadden – to claim Placerville win
PLACERVILLE, CA (September 16, 2023) - Four years had passed since the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars last visited Placerville Speedway. But the wait proved to be worth every minute.
In a race that featured battles all over the quarter mile, none could match the intensity of the war that waged for the win. Roth Motorsports teammates – Buddy Kofoid and James McFadden – threw absolutely everything they had at each other. Dramatic slide jobs. Searching different lanes for grip. The two gave it their all as they each hoped to give their California car owner a taste of home state glory. In the end, it was Kofoid who made his way to Victory Lane when the checkered flag waved on the Federated Auto Parts 49er Gold Rush Classic. The Penngrove, CA native climbed all the way atop the wing of his Roth #83JR as chants of “Buddy!” rang out from the Placerville grandstands.
“That’s badass for sure,” an ecstatic Kofoid said. “It’s even more special to do it here at Placerville where I cut my teeth in Sprint Cars. Man, I’m just so fortunate to have Dylan Buswell in my corner. He’s a wizard. Actually, I felt not great in the beginning of the day, and we just got better and better and better. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my time with Roth Motorsports.”
While Kofoid won last week’s Gold Cup prelim, the Placerville score is his first official World of Outlaws victory since joining forces with the historic California team. The 21-year-old became the 16th different driver to top a race with The Greatest Show on Dirt for Dennis and Teresa Roth. Kofoid now owns a trio of World of Outlaws wins, and he became the eighth different competitor to win at Placerville in the Series’ 10th visit.
After topping the Toyota Racing Dash, it was James McFadden leading the field to green with Justin Sanders to his outside. McFadden managed to power ahead when the race began to lead the opening circuit.
Kofoid started the 40-lap tilt in third and quickly challenged Sanders in the opening laps. On the fifth trip around, Kofoid slid Sanders to put the Roth duo atop the scoreboard. A few cautions interrupted the pace inside the opening 10 laps.
A green flag run as the race neared halfway allowed the battle between the Roth cars to ignite. Kofoid reeled in McFadden and attempted a slide job on Lap 15 in Turns 3 and 4 to no avail. A lap later Kofoid tossed another slider in the same set of corners and again came up short.
On the 18th lap, Kofoid pulled alongside McFadden heading to the finish line, and then on the next lap, Kofoid used the bottom to take the top spot. McFadden responded by heading to the low side in Turns 3 and 4 to slip right back by Kofoid. The back and forth continued on the next lap as the two swapped lines again, and Kofoid rolled under McFadden in Turns 1 and 2. Down on the other end of the racetrack, Kofoid’s slider attempt on a lap car came up short allowing McFadden to peek to the inside. The two came down the front straightaway side by side but Kofoid held on.
“I figured out the top down in (Turns) 1 and 2 pretty early I felt like,” Kofoid explained. “I started third, fell back to fourth, and got right back to second running the top and sliding people into (Turn) 3. When I got to James, it had already gotten dirty to where I’d fire one off and get really loose across and kill my momentum. It wasn’t going to clear, and I wasn’t going to send one off into anyone especially James. It was a really good race. I moved back to the bottom and felt really good on the bottom.”
“Those guys have done a lot of laps around here growing up,” McFadden said of the battle. “You could pick which line to get on, and I had absolutely no idea of where I needed to be. The cushion was tricky and really dirty up there. You sort of had to lean against it then get away from it at some points.”
After taking over the top spot, Kofoid began to inch away from the rest of the pack, adding a tenth or two to his lead each time around. He gave McFadden hope a couple times as the cushion tripped him up, but ultimately Kofoid stayed comfortably ahead on his way to the checkered flag.
While the prelim win at Silver Dollar Speedway was nice, the one that’ll officially go in the record books tasted a little sweeter for Kofoid.
“Happy to get a full Outlaw win and to do it kind of at a home track for me,” Kofoid said. “Man, that was a tough race but such a fun race.”
Carson Macedo capitalized on a late mistake by McFadden to claim the runner-up spot aboard the Jason Johnson Racing #41. The Lemoore, CA native worked his way forward from the sixth starting spot to post his 17th World of Outlaws podium of 2023.
“I felt like the restarts kind of went my way,” Macedo noted. “When I started on the top, I was able to get off the corner nice. Even when I started on the bottom, I could get through (Turns) 1 and 2 nice on the bottom and get down the backstretch and slide guys in (Turns) 3 and 4.”
After leading the opening 19 laps, McFadden wound up completing the top three. Even though losing out left him feeling slightly disappointed, McFadden felt proud to be a part of a special night for Roth Motorsports in their home state.
“What a night for Dennis and Teresa Roth,” McFadden said. “We’d like it to be the other way around, but it’s still cool for the team, unreal for the team. They put a lot in it, so it’s cool to get a first and third in California for them… I feel like I’ve struggled a bit on short tracks over the past couple months, and we turned it around tonight. Happy with our performance.”
Justin Sanders and Corey Day rounded out the top five.
For the second night in a row and fifth time in his career, Buddy Kofoid claimed Simpson Performance Products QuickTime.
A 17th to eighth run gave Sheldon Haudenschild the KSE Racing Hard Charger Award.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Kalib Henry (first Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Corey Day (third of career), Rico Abreu (43rd of career), and Justin Sanders (fifth of career).
Noah Gass won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Michael Faccinto after a mechanical issue ended a potentially strong night early in the Feature.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars head east for two nights in “The Buckeye State.” First is a one night stop at Rossburg, OH’s Eldora Speedway on Friday, September 22 for the BeFour the Crowns Showdown. The next night brings the final Ohio stop of 2023 as Hartford’s Sharon Speedway hosts the Federated Auto Parts Showdown. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps): 1. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[3]; 2. 41-Carson Macedo[6]; 3. 83-James McFadden[1]; 4. 2X-Justin Sanders[2]; 5. 14-Corey Day[5]; 6. 24-Rico Abreu[4]; 7. 5-Spencer Bayston[13]; 8. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[17]; 9. 17W-Shane Golobic[12]; 10. 57W-Chase Randall[9]; 11. 49-Brad Sweet[10]; 12. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[8]; 13. 2-David Gravel[14]; 14. 17M-Kalib Henry[7]; 15. 5V-Colby Copeland[22]; 16. 21-Cole Macedo[20]; 17. 15-Donny Schatz[16]; 18. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[11]; 19. 24X-Chase Johnson[18]; 20. 20G-Noah Gass[21]; 21. 83T-Tanner Carrick[24]; 22. (DNF) 1S-Logan Schuchart[23]; 23. (DNF) 42X-Justyn Cox[19]; 24. (DNF) X1-Michael Faccinto[15]
Karter Sarff Passes Cannon McIntosh Late to Win at Jacksonville
JACKSONVILLE, IL (Sept. 15, 2023) – It takes guts to challenge some of the best Midget racers in the country. It takes even more guts to try and drive around the national points leader on the top for the win in the final laps, but Karter Sarff never thought twice about going for it.
From over a second behind with 10 laps remaining, Sarff reeled-in leader Cannon McIntosh in five laps, ripping the top side around the 1/4-mile Jacksonville Speedway. With the momentum wound-up through Turns 1-2, Sarff zipped past McIntosh and led the final five circuits to bag his second Feature win of the year with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.
“I’ve always wanted to win a national Midget race at Jacksonville, it’s basically my home track,” Sarff said. “To finally be able to get it done, to win an Xtreme race with everyone here and passing Cannon for the win is a huge deal for us.”
The 20-year-old from Mason City, IL, won for the first time with the Series in August, driving around defending Series champion Zach Daum for the win at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55. While he admits that one was sweet, Sarff said winning at Jacksonville is something different.
“Jacksonville – it’s everything,” he said. “You’ve gotta be hammer-down, balls-to-the-wall. It’s just so cool to win here.”
From sixth on the starting grid, Sarff gradually made his way up through the field in the first half of the race, advancing to fourth by the halfway point, putting himself in position to make a late-race dash for the lead. A multi-time Feature starter at Jacksonville, Sarff figured out the best line right away and used it to his advantage.
“Everyone was running the bottom, so I wasn’t gonna follow them down there,” Sarff said. “I just kept working it and working it until I finally figured out how to rip around there with a bunch of momentum and not make mistakes.”
Out front, McIntosh had taken the lead after finding a magic lane on the bottom, zooming by both Jade Avedisian and Hayden Reinbold to take control of the race on Lap 11. But after several caution periods, McIntosh said the track began to dry-out, and the struggle for grip became a factor for the Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #08.
“I tried to hit my marks better and better, but I just started to slow down a little bit,” McIntosh said. “[Sarff] was just living and dying by the top. He just made it work.”
Following the final restart with 16-to-go, McIntosh soon dipped back into lapped traffic. He reached the back of a slower car on Lap 24, who was running right in front of him. Though McIntosh held his line and drove by down the backstretch, so had Sarff.
“As the bottom got worse and worse and I got in traffic, he just ripped by us,” McIntosh said. “I think by then he had enough momentum, it didn’t matter what I did. He was just going to get away.”
McIntosh gave it everything he had on the bottom to try and fend Sarff off but was unable to escape the #21K’s wrath the next time by in Turns 1-2. Sarff used the momentum from the top side and completed the pass out of Turn 2.
Though he settled for runner-up, McIntosh did consider what moving up a lane earlier in the race might have done for him in the end.
“I knew in the back of my head that the top is always good here, and I should’ve known that more in the Feature,” McIntosh said. “I didn’t really know if it would come in or not – it seemed so built-up and hard against the wall.”
Crossing the stripe with the final podium spot was 16-year-old Pennsylvanian Gavin Miller, who came all the way from ninth on the grid to finish third. Avedisian held on for fourth while Daum completed the top five after having to restart from the tail, following contact with Avedisian early in the event.
UP NEXT
The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets are back in action Saturday night, Sept. 16, in the Series debut at Highland Speedway in Highland, IL. Tickets will be on sale at the gate; stream will be live on DIRTVision.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 21K-Karter Sarff[6]; 2. 08-Cannon McIntosh[7]; 3. 97-Gavin Miller[9]; 4. 71-Jade Avedisian[3]; 5. 7U-Zach Daum[4]; 6. 56-Mitchell Davis[13]; 7. 25K-Taylor Reimer[8]; 8. 16-Kyle Jones[10]; 9. 1K-Brayton Lynch[18]; 10. 97K-Cooper Williams[11]; 11. 50-Daniel Adler[5]; 12. 40-Chase McDermand[1]; 13. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[2]; 14. 7X-Korey Weyant[17]; 15. 31B-Kyle Beilman[14]; 16. 81-Dakota Gay[19]; 17. 17B-Austin Barnhill[20]; 18. 16C-David Camfield Jr[16]; 19. 55-Trevor Cline[12]; 20. 53-Miles Doherty[21]; 21. 17C-Devin Camfield[23]; 22. 43-Gunnar Setser[15]; 23. 51R-Patrick Ryan[22]
KINGS CALIFORNIA CLASH: Brad Sweet Survives Wild Feature to Top Tom Tarlton Classic
The point leader outlasts Macedo and Day for eighth victory of 2023 and healthy payday
HANFORD, CA (September 15, 2023) - Friday’s Tom Tarlton Classic proved to be a battle of California in several ways. A California native who now shines on the national stage. A driver who has tested the waters outside the state in recent years. And “The Golden State’s” top young talent all battling for a $21,000 check at Kings Speedway.
After some sliders, jockeying for spots, and a little contact, it was Brad Sweet emerging victorious to top a wild night at the Hanford, CA oval. The Grass Valley, CA native drove around early race leader Cole Macedo and fended off a late race challenge from Corey Day to secure a trip to Victory Lane in the race that salutes a legendary California car owner. “Just happy to get a win,” Sweet said. “These are never easy to come by. There’s a lot of attrition in these races. It takes a great race car and a great race team, and we have all of that. Just happy to get out of here with a win and on to Placerville tomorrow night.”
The win marked Sweet’s first at the 3/8-mile in World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car competition in his seventh attempt. The four-time and defending Series champion notched his 87th World of Outlaws victory, breaking a tie with current championship rival – David Gravel – for ninth on the all-time list.
Cole Macedo and Sweet led the field to green, and Sweet nosed ahead to lead the opening circuit of the 35-lap Feature.
Sweet controlled the opening laps as a couple cautions slowed the early pace. Then on one of the restarts, Macedo gathered the momentum to challenge Sweet. While the Kasey Kahne Racing #49 opted for the bottom line all the way around, Macedo found speed on the top of Turns 3 and 4. On Lap 6, Macedo blasted by Sweet heading toward the finish line to take over the lead.
Over the next handful of laps, Macedo maintained the top spot but couldn’t pull away from Sweet. Behind the top two a fast closing Corey Day was in search of a second straight World of Outlaws win. He managed to slide by Sweet for second but Sweet quickly crossed over.
The leaders began to navigate traffic as they neared the halfway point. Then on the 17th circuit, Macedo got tripped up trying to lap a slower car, allowing both Sweet and Day to slip by heading down the back straightaway.
Macedo’s misfortune quickly shifted the battle for the lead to Sweet and Day. Sweet remained committed to the low side, and like Macedo earlier in the race, Day looked to the cushion in Turns 3 and 4 for momentum. But the bottom in Turns 1 and 2 is where a gap opened for Day as Sweet slipped up in traffic. Day caught the grip on corner exit and rolled by for the lead.
But owning the top spot would be short lived as the yellow flag flew for Tim Kaeding slowing to a stop, negating Day’s pass and returning the lead to Sweet.
On the ensuing restart, the battle for the lead resumed. With only 10 laps remaining, Day peeked to Sweet’s outside down the front straightaway but couldn’t clear him. After that attempt, “The Big Cat” began to creep away as the laps dwindled.
Lapped traffic again became a factor as Day reeled in Sweet for one final challenge. Then with four laps to go, calamity struck. Day nosed inside Sweet as they entered Turn 1. The two touched tires as they both aimed for the grip on the bottom. The contact resulted in Day spinning and the yellow flag flying.
With clean air ahead, Sweet pulled away unchallenged on his way to victory and a $21,000 paycheck. The defending champion was quick to offer praise to his competition.
“How about Corey Day?” Sweet said. “A 17-year-old from down in this area. He’s something special. He gave me everything he had. I think he actually had a better car tonight. We were fighting for the bottom there, and he got in there a little late and we touched wheels. I hate that we couldn’t race it out to the end.”
On the last lap, David Gravel snuck into second to grab the runner-up spot. The result marked his Series-best 27th World of Outlaws podium of the 2023 season aboard the Big Game Motorsports #2. Gravel noted that a couple early mistakes and a shortage of laps might’ve prevented him from posing a challenge to Sweet for the win.
“I thought there was a little bit more grip early on, and I just missed the bottom a couple times and lost track position,” Gravel said. “It got really slow and technical there, and after the checkered (flag), I kind of went through the middle and wished I’d maybe tried that… I thought we had a pretty good car. I felt like in the bottom of (Turns) 3 and 4, I was the only guy that could hit it good consistently while everybody else gave up on it and I had my own lane down there. I just kind of ran out of time.”
Rounding out the top three and leading the way for the California locals was Fresno, CA’s Dominic Scelzi. He surged as high as second late in the going and looked as if he may challenge for the win but couldn’t hold back Gravel at the end. The brakes fading on the Scelzi Motorsports #41 hampered his bid to collect his first World of Outlaws triumph.
“I just wore out my brakes,” Scelzi admitted. “You had to slow down quite a bit into (Turn) 1, and I was not being nice to them. I kind of just burnt them off, and I was trying to pump and could never really get them back. Brad had such a good start, and I wanted to try to just float the middle like I did the restart before and try to do a Hail Mary. At the end of the day, I would rather crash than run second. I want to win one of these races more than I want to breathe.”
Rico Abreu and Carson Macedo completed the top five.
A 22nd to 10th drive gave Donny Schatz the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
Buddy Kofoid earned his second Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award of 2023 in Low-E Insulation Qualifying.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Buddy Kofoid (15th Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were picked off by Carson Macedo (112th of career), Brad Sweet (233rd of career), and James McFadden (49th of career).
Cole Macedo topped the Toyota Racing Dash.
Giovanni Scelzi won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Corey Day after the late contact turned his potential victory into a 17th place finish.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars complete the 2023 west coast swing with the highly anticipated return to Placerville Speedway on Saturday, September 16 for the Federated Auto Parts 49er Gold Rush Classic. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[2]; 2. 2-David Gravel[3]; 3. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[4]; 4. 24-Rico Abreu[10]; 5. 41-Carson Macedo[6]; 6. 21-Cole Macedo[1]; 7. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[7]; 8. 83-James McFadden[8]; 9. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[9]; 10. 15-Donny Schatz[22]; 11. 2X-Justin Sanders[15]; 12. 17W-Shane Golobic[14]; 13. 1S-Logan Schuchart[16]; 14. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[11]; 15. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[21]; 16. 1T-Tanner Holmes[13]; 17. 14-Corey Day[5]; 18. 6-Tim Kaeding[17]; 19. 5-Spencer Bayston[12]; 20. 88N-DJ Netto[24]; 21. 57W-Chase Randall[23]; 22. 7S-Robbie Price[18]; 23. (DNF) 0-Jonathan Allard[20]; 24. (DNF) 3-Kaleb Montgomery[19]
‘MEANT THE WORLD’: Jade Avedisian Reflects on First Win at Jacksonville Ahead of Illinois Tripleheader
JACKSONVILLE, IL (Sept. 15, 2023) – Jade Avedisian crossed the finish line a second ahead of her opponents. Animated fist pumps soon followed.
At only 15 years old, she’d made history. National history. With her car parked in Victory Lane in front of a packed Jacksonville Speedway grandstand, and a shower of confetti around her, Avedisian became the first female to take the checkered flag in a national-level Feature event, winning with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.
Over one year later, she can still recall her jubilation in the moment.
“It meant the absolute world to me,” Avedisian said. “Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve seen all these kids get on top of the cage and celebrate. It’s always been a dream of mine to get on top of the cage and celebrate as a Midget winner.”
The Series returns to the 1/4-mile oval in Western Illinois for the first time since that evening on Friday, Sept. 15, in the first of a three-day stretch of racing that also includes visits to Highland Speedway on Saturday (Sept. 16) and Red Hill Raceway on Sunday (Sept. 17).
Avedisian, the 17-year-old Californian now residing in Mooresville, NC, has seen and won at several other bullring-style tracks this year, but Jacksonville is one that’s been circled on her calendar since the start.
“I’m super excited to get back to Jacksonville,” she said. “It’s one of my favorite tracks and it will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Looking back, she said it’s still a surprise that she was able to pull off the win that night, considering the three-straight DNFs she suffered that week.
“To pick that week as a bad week and then end it on such a high note on Saturday night was truly just the best feeling,” she said.
The win at Jacksonville, which was co-sanctioned by the Xtreme Outlaw Series, fell on the fifth night of the POWRi National Midget League’s annual Illinois SPEEDWeek event. After a 12th-place run in the opener at Charleston Speedway, Avedisian did not finish the main event in any of the next three nights due to on-track incidents, forcing her to go to a backup car later in the week.
After a third-straight DNF at Macon on Saturday, she drove the backup Spike/Toyota #84 for Chad Boat Industries in for the finale in Jacksonville and turned her fortune around in dramatic fashion, fending off the field for all 30 circuits to secure the win.
“I think I just wanted it so, so bad,” Avedisian said. “At the beginning of the week, we flipped almost every single night. Just realizing that, and kind of backing myself down for Saturday night… going out there and clearing my mind from the past week because it wasn’t a good week, and just retrying on Sunday night.”
This time around, she’ll make the trek back to site of that historic moment for the first time with her new team at Keith Kunz Motorsports, aiming for another win to kick off a crucial stretch of races that will set the scene before championship weekend in Oklahoma next month.
“It’s going to be up to me to make sure I put myself not in bad situations on the racetrack,” Avedisian said. “Thirty laps in the Feature may not seem like a long time, but 30 laps – I feel like it is.”
Seven points is all that separates her from the Series points lead. With six races to go and several opponents within striking distance in the points standings around her, any of the top-five drivers can make a run for the championship.
“I feel pretty confident going back there, just because I’ve won there before,” Avedisian said. “I’m gonna go in there with my best foot forward and be super smart.”
Tickets for each of the remaining races on the 2023 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series schedule can be purchased at the gate on race day. If you can’t make it to your favorite track, stream all the action live on DIRTVision.
CAREER YEAR: Maturity, Strong Team Leading Rico Abreu to Remarkable 2023
The Californian is enjoying home stretch during a year filled with victories all over the country
HANFORD, CA (September 14, 2023) - On Friday night at Kings Speedway’s Tom Tarlton Classic, Rico Abreu returns to where his Sprint Car career began amid the best season of his career. And not just where his career began, but with the same Series. Believe it or not, the St. Helena, CA native’s first race behind the wheel of one of the winged beasts was against the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
“March of 2011 at the Outlaw race in the spring was my first ever,” Abreu said. “We were actually going to rent the track on the day after. The Outlaws were going to Tulare the following day and started at Hanford. It was going to rain (the next day), so we just said we might as well buy a pit pass and go run laps. It was a pretty cool experience for me to have my first race be an Outlaw race.
“I held off Donny Schatz in Hot Laps,” Abreu added with a laugh.
Fast forward 12 years, and Abreu has come a long way. World of Outlaws victories. Chili Bowl triumphs. Wins all over the country from a career that blossomed in California. But with all of his accomplishments over more than a decade in a Sprint Car, no season can parallel his 2023 performance.
Abreu has racked up 10 Sprint Car victories this season, half of which have come against The Greatest Show on Dirt. Entering this year, the 31-year-old owned nine Series victories and never tallied more than two in one season.
In World of Outlaws competition, he’s making trips to Victory Lane at some of the toughest tracks to do so. Twice he’s topped battles against the Pennsylvania Posse including a night when a whopping 49 cars checked in at Lincoln Speedway. He bested a field of 41 at Eldora Speedway in May. The prestige of the Jason Johnson Classic also went to Abreu when he came out on top at 81 Speedway.
And it’s not only that Abreu is winning at a high rate. His consistency is also as strong as ever. The Rico Abreu Racing #24 has been on the World of Outlaws podium 13 times in 2023. That’s enough to be tied for the fourth most even though he’s only competed in 63% of the races.
“It’s definitely a career best year for me,” Abreu said. “The consistency and things I’ve learned as a race car driver developmental wise have just matured me and being able to process things while I’m racing and just focusing on not putting myself in bad positions on the race track and a little more give and take instead of forcing things to put us in bad spots.”
That maturity has also extended beyond the racetrack itself for Abreu. While he’s normally running up front, he and the team value the down nights. Instead of being frustrated, they use them to learn for the next time.
“Some nights you’re off a little bit, and there’s nothing to hang your head about those nights,” Abreu said. “They’re all just learning curves as a team. I think those nights are more important than the nights that you win because that’s what you learn the most from.”
One of the largest contributors to Abreu’s success is Ricky Warner. The legendary crew chief joined his race team at the beginning of last year. The pairing began to gather momentum toward the end of 2022 before coming out of the gates hot this year and not slowing down. Listen to any of Abreu’s Victory Lane interviews this year, and he’s quick to credit Warner’s critical thinking abilities.
“I think his attention to detail to little things throughout the race team when it comes to driver communication,” Abreu said of Warner’s qualities. “Ricky has a really good eye of seeing the balance of the race car where if I’m off a little bit on my communication side of setup to where I think we need to be. I think he just has a great system and gets along with everybody, which is a huge plus for the team. He’s just a good balance. I think he gets our car really close, but where he really excels is he keeps my confidence up as a race car driver. Confidence is so key in our sport.”
With Warner leading the way, Zack Middlebrooks, and Brady Forbrook completing the trio working on the car, and Abreu behind the wheel, the #24 has become one of the fastest cars in the country this year.
And now they head to the track where it all started for Abreu with as strong a shot as anyone at what would be a special win. He’s won at Kings Speedway three times with the Northern Auto Racing Club. He’s won there with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour. And now he hopes to top The Greatest Show on Dirt and pocket $21,000.
“The unique thing about Hanford is I was really hot and cold there,” Abreu said. “And then over the years as I’ve been there we’ve gotten better and better with different crew chiefs and myself as a driver. It’s such a tricky track with no walls and a fast paced (Turns) 3 and 4 and a slower speed (Turns) 1 and 2. I’m just really looking forward to getting there. They’ve got great car counts in that central California area. They’ve got really passionate race fans.”
For tickets to the Tom Tarlton Classic at Kings Speedway, CLICK HERE. Abreu will also make the trip to Placerville Speedway on Saturday night for the Federated Auto Parts 49er Gold Rush Classic. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Jacksonville, Highland, Red Hill to Set Stage for Championship Weekend
CONCORD, NC (Sept. 13, 2023) – A tripleheader weekend in Illinois will set the stage for the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota as drivers march closer toward the end of the season and championship weekend in October.
A return to Jacksonville Speedway (Jacksonville, IL) will kick things off Friday, Sept. 15, followed by first-time Xtreme Outlaw Series events at Highland Speedway (Highland, IL) and Red Hill Raceway (Sumner, IL) on Saturday and Sunday. Each program will pay $4,000 to the winner, featuring 30-lap events Friday-Saturday and a 25-lap main event on Sunday.
The points battle has tightened between Cannon McIntosh and Jade Avedisian, who are separated by only seven points with third-place Gavin Miller and fourth-place Zach Daum both inside of 75 points back.
With six races left, this weekend’s races will be crucial in setting up everyone’s scenarios heading into the final weekend next month as the chase the 2023 title, worth $25,000.
Tickets for all three of this weekend’s races will be available at the gate on race day. If you can’t make it to your favorite track, stream all the action live on DIRTVision.
Here are the drivers to watch for and storylines to follow this weekend:
CLOSING IN – Only six races stand between Cannon McIntosh and his first career national Midget series championship. But his seat is getting warmer.
McIntosh holds the Series points lead by seven over Jade Avedisian coming into the weekend. That advantage once stood at 121 points over Gavin Miller prior to the summer break in June and has since been cut down as a result of only six top-five finishes and two podiums in the 13 races contested since then. Prior to the break, McIntosh had only two finishes outside the podium.
Despite he and Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports’ roller-coaster moments this season, they have plenty of reasons to be confident. In addition to winning a POWRi National Midget race at Jacksonville last year, McIntosh will finish-up the season in his home state of Oklahoma next month – a three-race swing that begins with his old home track Port City Raceway and ends with two races at I-44 Riverside Speedway, where he won on Friday night last year.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN – On Friday, Jade Avedisian returns to Jacksonville Speedway for the second time since her history-making first national Midget series Feature win in June of last year.
Since that night, the 16-year-old Californian has gone on to become the Series’ all-time winningest driver, compiling five Toyota Racing Feature wins this year to go with the two races she topped in 2022. Avedisian currently sits second in the Series points standings, only seven behind leader McIntosh.
She comes into the three-race weekend riding high on the momentum of a win in the last Series race at Paragon Speedway two weeks ago and will need to at least keep pace with McIntosh in all three races if she and Keith Kunz Motorsports are to have a shot as the points championship in Oklahoma next month.
BACK IN BLACK – For the first time since Appalachian Midget Week, Kyle Jones rejoins the Series roster Friday and Saturday night behind the wheel of the Dan Minear-owned, Spike/Stanton #16.
Jones, 29, of Kennedale, TX, has made 11 starts with the Series this season, compiling four top-fives and seven top-10 finishes in that span. He tied his best finish of the season on a national Midget tour on Aug. 9 at Action Track USA in Pennsylvania in a Ripper/PME #60x owned by North Carolinian John Levecque. That night, he led laps in the Feature and brought home a third-place finish.
The last time he drove the Minear #16, he led laps as well, spending most of the Toyota Racing Feature at Southern Illinois Raceway out front before Avedisian passed him on a late restart for the win. Though he did not get the result he was hoping for, the run showed his ability to be competitive in any car at any track – an attribute he’ll need to bring with him again this weekend as he shoots for his first career national Midget Series win.
HOME GAME – If there’s anything Zach Daum needs at this point in the season on his path to a possible repeat as Series champion, it’s a three-pack of races in his home state.
Daum, 32, of Pocahontas, IL, will get exactly that this weekend, piloting the Trifecta Motorsports #7U at a few tracks where he’s won before – Jacksonville and Highland. The open-wheel veteran won a POWRi Illinois Speedweek show at Jacksonville in 2016 and has notched multiple top-five finishes in Midget events there since. As for Highland, Daum once took the checkers in a local Micro Sprint event at the 1/4-mile oval nearly 10 years ago.
Lately, Daum has been on a remarkable surge, collecting six top-five finishes – including two wins – in the last seven Series events. These runs have been part of his larger, near season-long climb back up from the depths of the points standings, where he now sits fourth – 75 points out of the lead.
SHARK SIGHTING – Twenty-year-old Karter Sarff, of Mason City, IL, will join the Series roster this weekend, looking for a rebound from his last time out with the Xtreme Outlaws.
Sarff was victorious at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on Aug. 4, winning the Toyota Racing Feature over Daum and Avedisian for his third national Midget series victory. His next Xtreme Outlaw weekend outing was not as fruitful, posting finishes of 18th and ninth three weeks ago at Davenport Speedway.
Sarff is trying to regain the POWRi National Midget League points lead that he once had after McIntosh took it with his top-five runs in Davenport. Though POWRi is not in action this weekend, Sarff will be tuning-up his machine for the final POWRi shows, co-sanctioned with Xtreme Outlaw championship weekend in October.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
When and where
Friday, Sept. 15 at Jacksonville Speedway in Jacksonville, IL
Saturday, Sept. 16 at Highland Speedway in Highland, IL
Sunday, Sept. 17 at Red Hill Raceway in Sumner, IL
On the internet
Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota
Twitter – @Xtreme_Outlaw
Instagram – @XtremeOutlaw
Facebook – @XtremeOutlawSeries.WRG
Live broadcast
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com. Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month.
Current championship points standings (view full standings)
- Cannon McIntosh: 4742 points | Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #08
- Jade Avedisian: 4735 points (-7) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #71
- Gavin Miller: 4670 points (-72) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #97
- Zach Daum: 4667 points (-75) | Trifecta Motorsports #7U
- Chase McDermand: 4624 points (-118) | Mounce/Stout Motorsports #40
- Taylor Reimer: 4486 points (-256) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #25K
- Hayden Reinbold: 4063 points (-679) | Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports #19AZ
- Austin Barnhill: 2999 points (-1743) | Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #17B
- Chance Crum: 2910 points (-1832) | Rudeen Racing #26
- Ethan Mitchell: 2497 points (-2245) | Bundy Built Motorsports #19M
Toyota Feature winners (9 drivers)
5 wins – Jade Avedisian (Keith Kunz Motorsports), Zach Daum (Trifecta Motorsports)
4 wins – Cannon McIntosh (Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports), Chase McDermand (Mounce/Stout Motorsports)
1 win – Jesse Love (Chad Boat Industries), Daniel Whitley (Abacus Racing), Karter Sarff (Sarff Racing), Daison Pursley (Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports), Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz Motorsports)
Toyota Feature laps led (16 drivers)
101 laps – Jade Avedisian
88 laps – Zach Daum
80 laps – Cannon McIntosh
73 laps – Chase McDermand
72 laps – Ryan Timms
59 laps – Daniel Whitley
41 laps – Karter Sarff
36 laps – Gavin Miller
33 laps – Kyle Jones
30 laps – Daison Pursley
26 laps – Thomas Meseraull
22 laps – Shane Cottle
21 laps – Ashton Torgerson
11 laps – Hayden Reinbold
4 laps – Jesse Love
1 lap – Nick Drake
Whitz RC Racing Products Quick Time Awards (14 drivers)
4 awards – Cannon McIntosh
2 awards – Ethan Mitchell, Daniel Whitley, Chase McDermand, Zach Daum, Ryan Timms, Taylor Reimer
1 award – Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Jesse Love, Kevin Thomas Jr, Joe B. Miller, Corbin Rueschenberg, Briggs Danner
Heat Race winners (21 drivers)
9 wins – Jade Avedisian, Chase McDermand
8 wins – Cannon McIntosh
6 wins – Zach Daum
5 wins – Hayden Reinbold
4 wins – Gavin Miller
3 wins – Ethan Mitchell, Daison Pursley
2 wins – Chance Crum, Nick Drake, Corbin Rueschenberg, Andrew Felker, Daniel Whitley, Ryan Timms
1 win – Austin Barnhill, Shane Cottle, Thomas Meseraull, Kyle Jones, Rico Abreu, Briggs Danner, Chase Johnson
High-points honors (15 drivers)
4 honors – Cannon McIntosh
3 honors – Chase McDermand
2 honors – Daniel Whitley, Jade Avedisian, Gavin Miller
1 honor – Chance Crum, Rico Abreu, Landon Brooks, Briggs Danner, Hayden Reinbold, Kyle Jones, Andrew Felker, Daison Pursley, Zach Daum, Ryan Timms
Last Chance Showdown wins (12 drivers)
2 wins – Kyle Jones
1 win – Landon Brooks, Karter Sarff, Howard Moore, Ryan Timms, Taylor Reimer, Henry Chambers, Chance Crum, Chase Briscoe, Mitchell Davis, Cannon McIntosh, Corbin Rueschenberg
DIRTVision Hard Charger Awards (18 drivers)
2 awards – Hayden Reinbold, Kyle Jones, Taylor Reimer, Zach Daum, Cannon McIntosh
1 award – Mitchel Moles, Chase Johnson, Ryan Timms, Chance Crum, Gavan Boschele, Chase McDermand, Shane Cottle, Cooper Williams, Jerry Coons Jr, Jade Avedisian, Steve Buckwalter, Gavin Miller, Trevor Cline
Podium finishes (17 drivers)
11 podiums – Zach Daum
9 podiums – Chase McDermand, Cannon McIntosh, Jade Avedisian
8 podiums – Gavin Miller
5 podiums – Taylor Reimer
3 podiums – Daniel Whitley, Ryan Timms
2 podiums – Shane Cottle, Kyle Jones, Hayden Reinbold
1 podium – Thomas Meseraull, Ashton Torgerson, Landon Brooks, Jesse Love, Jerry Coons Jr, Karter Sarff, Daison Pursley
Top-10 finishes (45 drivers)
21 top-10s – Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller
20 top-10s – Jade Avedisian
19 top-10s – Chase McDermand, Zach Daum
15 top-10s – Taylor Reimer
9 top-10s – Chance Crum, Hayden Reinbold
7 top-10s – Kyle Jones, Ethan Mitchell
6 top-10s – Ryan Timms
5 top-10s – Landon Brooks, Daniel Whitley, Karter Sarff, Austin Barnhill
4 top-10s – Gavan Boschele, Thomas Meseraull, Corbin Rueschenberg
3 top-10s – Chase Johnson, Briggs Danner, Cooper Williams
2 top-10s – Shane Cottle, Chase Briscoe, Kevin Thomas Jr, Branigan Roark, Andrew Felker, Jerry Coons Jr, Mariah Ede, Daison Pursley, Tim Buckwalter, Mitchell Davis, Kyle Beilman, Trevor Cline
1 top-10 – Mitchel Moles, Daniel Adler, Sam Johnson, Rico Abreu, Ashton Torgerson, Don Droud Jr, Nick Drake, Jesse Love, Trey Marcham, Joe B. Miller, Preston Lattomus, Bryan Stanfill
2023 Schedule & Winners – Race No. Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, March 10 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Cannon McIntosh (1)
2. Sat, March 11 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Jade Avedisian (1)
3. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Cannon McIntosh (2)
4. Fri, May 5 / Humboldt Speedway / Humboldt, KS / Chase McDermand (1)
5. Sat, May 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Chase McDermand (2)
6. Tue, May 22 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (3)
7. Wed, May 23 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (4)
8. Thu, June 1 / Tri-City Speedway / Pontoon Beach, IL / Jesse Love (1)
9. Fri, June 2 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (1)
10. Sat, June 3 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (2)
11. Fri, July 21 / Doe Run Raceway / Doe Run, MO / Zach Daum (3)
12. Sat, July 22 / Southern Illinois Raceway / Marion, IL / Jade Avedisian (2)
13. Sat, July 29 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Jade Avedisian (3)
14. Sun, July 30 / Brushcreek Motorsports Complex / Peebles, OH / Daniel Whitley (1)
15. Fri, Aug. 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Karter Sarff (1)
16. Sat, Aug. 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Jade Avedisian (4)
17. Tue, Aug. 8 / Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway / Newmanstown, PA / Chase McDermand (3)
18. Wed, Aug. 9 / Action Track USA / Kutztown, PA / Chase McDermand (4)
19. Fri, Aug. 11 / Path Valley Speedway Park / Spring Run, PA / Daison Pursley (1)
20. Fri, Aug. 25 / Davenport Speedway / Davenport, IA / Zach Daum (4)
21. Sat, Aug. 26 / Davenport Speedway / Davenport, IA / Gavin Miller (1)
22. Fri, Sept. 1 / Paragon Speedway / Paragon, IN / Zach Daum (5)
23. Sat, Sept. 2 / Paragon Speedway / Paragon, IN / Jade Avedisian (5)
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: World of Outlaws go Two More Rounds With Cali Clique at Kings, Placerville
Tom Tarlton Classic puts $21,000 up for grabs at Kings, and Series makes highly anticipated return to Placerville
HANFORD, CA (September 12, 2023) - One more weekend of California Dreamin’ awaits the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars in 2023.
The Greatest Show on Dirt will carry a hotly contested points battle into a pair of “Golden State” facilities to wrap up this year’s west coast swing. First up is a Friday, Sept. 15 stop at Hanford, CA’s Kings Speedway for the Tom Tarlton Classic. As a nod to the longtime California car owner, the race will again award $21,00 to the winner.
The next night takes the tour north where Placerville Speedway is waiting and ready to host the World of Outlaws for the first time in four years at the Federated Auto Parts 49er Gold Rush Classic. The World of Outlaws full-timers head into the weekend looking to rebound after being kept off the podium at Silver Dollar Speedway. And the Cali Clique aims to defend home turf at two more facilities.
BUYS KINGS SPEEDWAY TICKETS
BUY PLACERVILLE SPEEDWAY TICKETS
Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
HOME IN HANFORD: Carson Macedo’s hometown of Lemoore, CA is a mere 10 miles down the road from Hanford, making Friday’s race as close to a home game as you can get for the World of Outlaws competitor. On top of the significance of racing where he’s from, the man that the race salutes – Tom Tarlton – played a major role in Macedo’s career.
The father-son duo of Tom and Tommy Tarlton own the Fresno based Tarlton Motorsports, and Tom happens to be Macedo’s uncle while Tommy is his cousin. When Macedo was struggling early in his career, the two stuck behind him and helped him arrive at where he is today. The 27-year-old’s first World of Outlaws win came behind the wheel of the Tarlton #21 in 2014.
Macedo has brought out his best talents each year for this event. The first wasn’t World of Outlaws sanctioned in 2020, but he was able to be in attendance and held off Kyle Larson for the triumph. The next year he went back-to-back. Last season his bid for a third straight $21,000 check fell a little short as he lost the lead late, so he’ll be hungry to climb back atop the podium this Friday.
On a relevant note, it’ll be Carson’s brother – Cole – owning the honors of driving the Tarlton machine this weekend.
SLIDIN’ INTO THE CENTRAL VALLEY: Friday’s race in Hanford is close to home for another team on the tour, too.
Roth Motorsports brings a two-car stable to Kings Speedway, which is less than an hour south from their Fresno shop. James McFadden and Buddy Kofoid will pilot the pair of #83 machines with hopes of grabbing the trophy for Dennis and Teresa Roth.
McFadden has competed five times at the Hanford oval, three times with the World of Outlaws and twice with the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC), and been on the podium four times but is still chasing a win. Kofoid has never competed there with the World of Outlaws but has been in the top five with the Sprint Car Challenge Tour (SCCT) 360 Sprints.
RETURN TO P-VILLE: Circumstances outside of Series and track control caused the cancelation of the Placerville Speedway date over the last three years, but the World of Outlaws are set to return to the bullring on Saturday for the first time since 2019.
The night will mark the World of Outlaws’ 10th visit to the El Dorado County quarter mile since the first trip back in 1985. Through nine Placerville races to date, seven different drivers have gone to Victory Lane. The most recent five have yielded no repeat winners.
Four years ago, when the World of Outlaws last rolled into Placerville, it was a California local claiming the checkered flag in the form of Shane Golobic. The Rocklin, CA driver is fresh off a sixth place showing at Gold Cup and will finally get the chance to defend his win this weekend.
THE BIG CAT’S BACK: One driver especially looking forward to the return to Placerville is Brad Sweet. The four-time Series champion is originally from Grass Valley, CA and now calls the Placerville area home. Sweet has a hand in helping promote this Saturday’s race.
Sweet has been stout recently at his home state bullring. In his last four Series starts at Placerville, he’s finished no worse than sixth and picked up a 2018 victory.
“The Big Cat” rolls into the weekend with the points lead and looks to add more cushion to the 82-marker margin that separates him and David Gravel.
OUTLAWS VS. CALI CLIQUE: The Cali Clique was clicking this past weekend in Chico, and the World of Outlaws hope to regain the upper hand on the rivalry with the “Golden State” gassers this weekend.
At Kings, Logan Schuchart stands out as a prime candidate to score one for the World of Outlaws. He’s topped two of the last four Series visits including a wild charge from 19th in 2017. Donny Schatz and David Gravel are also former Hanford winners. The locals typically haven’t excelled at Kings, but Tim Kaeding did claim one for California in 2003.
Over at Placerville, Donny Schatz (2015), David Gravel (2017), and Brad Sweet (2018) have won as World of Outlaws competitors and will be looking to do so again this Saturday.
Corey Day leads the California locals fresh off topping Gold Cup for his first career World of Outlaws win. Now he heads to Kings, where he’s already won four times with NARC in his young career. The Clovis, CA native has bested NARC at Placerville as well.
As previously stated, Shane Golobic is the most recent Series winner at Placerville. Since that 2019 triumph, the pilot of the NOS Energy Drink #17W has collected six Placerville wins in 360 Sprint Car competition.
After bagging a pair of runner-ups at Gold Cup, Justin Sanders is hungrier than ever for that first World of Outlaws win. The Aromas, CA native owns a stout résumé at Placerville with 10 Sprint Car triumphs at the quarter mile since the beginning of 2021.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, September 15 at Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA
Saturday, September 16 at Placerville Speedway in Placerville, CA
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
Twitter – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (57/72 Races):
1. 49 – Brad Sweet (7686PTS) 2. 2 – David Gravel (-82PTS) 3. 41 – Carson Macedo (-106PTS) 4. 1S – Logan Schuchart (-322PTS) 5. 18 – Gio Scelzi (-356PTS) 6. 15 – Donny Schatz (-358PTS) 7. 17 – Sheldon Haudenschild (-452PTS) 8. 5 – Spencer Bayston (-580PTS) 9. 3Z – Brock Zearfoss (-1040PTS) 10. 7S – Robbie Price (-1422PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (16 Drivers):
10 wins – David Gravel (Big Game Motorsports #2)
7 wins – Brad Sweet (Kasey Kahne Racing #49)
6 wins – James McFadden (Roth Motorsports #83), Carson Macedo (Jason Johnson Racing #41), Logan Schuchart (Shark Racing #1S)
5 wins – Rico Abreu (Rico Abreu Racing #24)
4 wins – Kyle Larson (Silva Motorsports #57)
3 wins – Donny Schatz (Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15), Sheldon Haudenschild (Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17)
1 win – Buddy Kofoid (CMS Racing #11), Brady Bacon (TKH Motorsports #21), Anthony Macri (Macri Motorsports #39), Brian Brown (Brian Brown Racing #21), Gio Scelzi (KCP Racing #18), Spencer Bayston (CJB Motorsports #5), Corey Day (Jason Meyers Racing #14)
FEATURE LAPS LED (20 Drivers):
261 laps – Brad Sweet
209 laps – James McFadden
204 laps – Rico Abreu
195 laps – Carson Macedo
193 laps – David Gravel
172 laps – Logan Schuchart
118 laps – Kyle Larson
108 laps – Sheldon Haudenschild
102 laps – Donny Schatz
93 laps – Buddy Kofoid
57 laps – Gio Scelzi
43 laps – Brent Marks
40 laps – Spencer Bayston, Corey Day
24 laps – Brian Brown
11 laps – Anthony Macri
10 laps – Cory Eliason
4 laps – Cole Macedo
3 laps – Brady Bacon, Danny Varin
1 lap – Austin McCarl
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (17 Drivers):
13 QuickTimes – Carson Macedo
10 QuickTimes – David Gravel
5 QuickTimes – Logan Schuchart
4 QuickTimes – Rico Abreu
3 QuickTimes – Sheldon Haudenschild
2 QuickTimes – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog, Justin Peck, Gio Scelzi, Brad Sweet, Tanner Holmes
1 QuickTime – Brian Brown, Donny Schatz, Buddy Kofoid, James McFadden, Jacob Allen, Kyle Larson
HEAT RACE WINNERS (40 Drivers):
28 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo
23 Heat Wins – David Gravel
15 Heat Wins – Brad Sweet
14 Heat Wins – Donny Schatz
12 Heat Wins – James McFadden, Buddy Kofoid, Logan Schuchart
11 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
10 Heat Wins – Gio Scelzi
9 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston
5 Heat Wins – Jacob Allen
4 Heat Wins – Brent Marks, Justin Peck, Cory Eliason
3 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Brian Brown, Bill Balog, Parker Price-Miller
2 Heat Wins – Brock Zearfoss, Noah Gass, Kerry Madsen, Robbie Price, Tim Kaeding, Sam Hafertepe Jr.
1 Heat Win – Danny Dietrich, Freddie Rahmer, Mark Dobmeier, Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Lachlan McHugh, Ryan Timms, Tim Estenson, Kyle Larson, Shane Stewart, Lance Dewease, Cole Macedo, Chase Randall, Ian Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Dominic Scelzi
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (45 Drivers):
38 Dashes – Carson Macedo
36 Dashes – David Gravel
34 Dashes – Brad Sweet
27 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
25 Dashes – Gio Scelzi
22 Dashes – Donny Schatz
21 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
20 Dashes – James McFadden
18 Dashes – Rico Abreu, Spencer Bayston
15 Dashes – Buddy Kofoid
8 Dashes – Jacob Allen, Brent Marks, Cory Eliason, Brock Zearfoss
5 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Justin Peck, Robbie Price, Kasey Kahne
4 Dashes – Brian Brown
3 Dashes – Danny Dietrich, Parker Price-Miller, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson, Corey Day
2 Dashes – Garet Williamson, Austin McCarl, Bill Balog, Cole Macedo, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders
1 Dash – Freddie Rahmer, Devon Borden, Aaron Reutzel, Brady Bacon, Chad Trout, Dylan Norris, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Shane Stewart, Danny Varin, Ian Madsen, Shane Golobic, Dominic Scelzi
MICROLITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (33 Drivers):
4 LCS Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild, Spencer Bayston, Robbie Price
2 LCS Wins – Parker Price-Miller, Noah Gass, Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Brock Zearfoss, Tim Estenson, James McFadden
1 LCS Win – Gio Scelzi, Hunter Schuerenberg, Wayne Johnson, Ryan Timms, Ayrton Gennetten, Kraig Kinser, Freddie Rahmer, Henry Malcuit, Cole Macedo, Aaron Reutzel, Kerry Madsen, Sye Lynch, Cory Eliason, Donny Schatz, Tyler Courtney, Rico Abreu, Jacob Allen, Daryn Pittman, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Jamie Veal, Kaleb Johnson, Lachlan McHugh, Tanner Holmes, Austen Wheatley
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (35 Drivers):
5 Hard Chargers – Sheldon Haudenschild, James McFadden
3 Hard Chargers – Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu, Brock Zearfoss
2 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz, Danny Dietrich, Justin Peck, David Gravel, Spencer Bayston, Corey Day, Robbie Price
1 Hard Charger – Gio Scelzi, Blake Hahn, Buddy Kofoid, Joe B. Miller, Kyle Larson, Hunter Schuerenberg, Kyle Moody, Freddie Rahmer, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin Pierce, Brenham Crouch, Tim Kaeding, Jacob Allen, Caden Englehart, Zeb Wise, Carson Macedo, Dale Blaney, Tasker Phillips, Brent Marks, Kaleb Johnson, Tanner Holmes
PODIUM FINISHES (26 Drivers):
26 Podiums – David Gravel
24 Podiums – Brad Sweet
16 Podiums – Carson Macedo
13 Podiums – Donny Schatz, Logan Schuchart, Rico Abreu
10 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
8 Podiums – James McFadden, Buddy Kofoid
6 Podiums – Kyle Larson
5 Podiums – Brent Marks, Gio Scelzi
4 Podiums – Spencer Bayston
3 Podiums – Brian Brown, Jacob Allen, Corey Day
1 Podium – Danny Dietrich, Kasey Kahne, Devon Borden, Parker Price-Miller, Brady Bacon, Anthony Macri, Garet Williamson, Dave Blaney, Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders
TOP 10 FINISHES (60 Drivers):
51 Top 10s – Brad Sweet
48 Top 10s – Carson Macedo
47 Top 10s – David Gravel
40 Top 10s – Gio Scelzi
39 Top 10s – Logan Schuchart
36 Top 10s – Sheldon Haudenschild
35 Top 10s – Donny Schatz, Spencer Bayston
32 Top 10s – James McFadden
28 Top 10s – Rico Abreu
23 Top 10s – Buddy Kofoid
14 Top 10s – Jacob Allen
11 Top 10s – Justin Peck, Brent Marks
10 Top 10s – Kasey Kahne
9 Top 10s – Cory Eliason
8 Top 10s – Kyle Larson
7 Top 10s – Tyler Courtney, Brock Zearfoss
6 Top 10s – Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich
5 Top 10s – Corey Day
4 Top 10s – Tanner Holmes, Justin Sanders, Dominic Scelzi
3 Top 10s – Anthony Macri, Bill Balog
2 Top 10s – Aaron Reutzel, Blake Hahn, Brady Bacon, Parker Price-Miller, Robbie Price, Zeb Wise, Freddie Rahmer, Cole Macedo, Tim Kaeding, Chase Randall
1 Top 10 – Devon Borden, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Joe B. Miller, Hunter Schuerenberg, Brandon Rahmer, Chad Trout, Lance Dewease, Cap Henry, Stuart Brubaker, Skylar Gee, Cole Duncan, Austin McCarl, Garet Williamson, Shane Stewart, Dave Blaney, Larry Wight, Dale Blaney, Noah Gass, Rusty Hickman, Kerry Madsen, Jason Solwold, Shane Golobic, Chase Johnson
2023 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (1)
2. Fri, Feb 10 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (2)
3. Sat, Feb 11* / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / James McFadden (1)
4. Sun, March 5 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Carson Macedo (1)
5. Mon, March 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / David Gravel (3)
6. Sat, March 18 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Rico Abreu (1)
7. Fri, March 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Buddy Kofoid (1)
8. Sat, March 25 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Brad Sweet (1)
9. Fri, March 31 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / Brad Sweet (2)
10. Sat, April 1 / Devil’s Bowl Speedway / Mesquite, TX / James McFadden (2)
11. Fri, April 7 / U.S. 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
12. Sat, April 8 / 81 Speedway / Wichita, KS / Rico Abreu (2)
13. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Brad Sweet (3)
14. Fri, April 28 / Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, IL / David Gravel (4)
15. Sat, April 29 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Brady Bacon (1)
16. Fri, May 5 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
17. Sat, May 6 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (3)
18. Wed, May 10 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Anthony Macri (1)
19. Fri, May 12 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Brad Sweet (4)
20. Fri, May 19 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Donny Schatz (1)
21. Sat, May 20 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Donny Schatz (2)
22. Fri, May 26 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Brad Sweet (5)
23. Sat, May 27 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Carson Macedo (2)
24. Mon, May 29 / Lawrenceburg Speedway / Lawrenceburg, IN / James McFadden (3)
25. Fri, June 2 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / David Gravel (5)
26. Sat, June 3 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Carson Macedo (3)
27. Fri, June 9 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brian Brown (1)
28. Sat, June 10 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (6)
29. Fri, June 16 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Gio Scelzi (1)
30. Sat, June 17 / Beaver Dam Raceway / Beaver Dam, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
31. Wed, June 21 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Kyle Larson (1)
32. Thurs, June 22 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / James McFadden (4)
33. Fri, June 23 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Logan Schuchart (2)
34. Sat, June 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (7)
35. Fri, June 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Brad Sweet (6)
36. Sat, July 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (8)
37. Sat, July 8 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
38. Tues, July 11 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Kyle Larson (2)
39. Fri, July 14 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Carson Macedo (5)
40. Sat, July 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Donny Schatz (3)
41. Thurs, July 20 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / David Gravel (9)
42. Fri, July 21 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Logan Schuchart (3)
43. Sat, July 22 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Rico Abreu (4)
44. Sun, July 30 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (10)
45. Fri, Aug 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Spencer Bayston (1)
46. Sat, Aug 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Kyle Larson (3)
47. Sat, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (4)
48. Thurs, Aug 17 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (5)
49. Fri, Aug 18 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / James McFadden (6)
50. Sat, Aug 19 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Carson Macedo (6)
51. Fri, Aug 25 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Logan Schuchart (4)
52. Sat, Aug 26 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Logan Schuchart (5)
53. Thurs, Aug 31 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
54. Fri, Sept 1 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Rico Abreu (5)
55. Sat, Sept 2 / Skagit Speedway / Burlington, WA / Brad Sweet (7)
56. Mon, Sept 4 / Grays Harbor Raceway / Elma, WA / Logan Schuchart (6)
57. Sat, Sept 9 / Silver Dollar Speedway / Chico, CA / Corey Day (1)
1 MONTH ALERT: Oklahoma Tripleheader to Host Xtreme Outlaw Championship Finale in OctoberOKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Sept. 12, 2023) – For the second consecutive year, Oklahoma will be home of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota championship finale – one that’s already poised to be a barn burner.
Before the $25,000 championship check is handed out, drivers will contend at Port City Raceway, in Tulsa, OK, on Thursday, Oct. 12, and then run a doubleheader at I-44 Riverside Speedway, in Oklahoma City, OK, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 13-14.
With six races left – starting with Jacksonville Speedway on Sept. 15, Highland Speedway on Sept. 16, and Red Hill Raceway on Sept. 17 – Oklahoma’s Cannon McIntosh holds a narrow seven-point lead over Jade Avedisian. Gavin Miller and reigning Series champion Zach Daum are also still in the fight, 72 and 75 points back, respectively, from the lead.
Last year, Daum, McIntosh and Avedisian walked away as Oklahoma winners. Daum’s win at Port City and McIntosh’s win at I-44 were their first wins with the Series. Avedisian’s I-44 win was her second after becoming the first female driver to take the checkered flag in a national Midget event.
The weekend will also feature the POWRi Midgets and host the final three races of the Xtreme Outlaw-POWRi Challenge Series, paying out $2,500 to the winner. There’s another tight points battle in that hunt with Daum leading Avedisian by five points.
What you need to know:
DRC Sooner State 55 at Port City, Oct. 12
More Event Info
Track: 1/8 mile in Tusla, OK
Portcityraceway.net
Times (CT):
12 p.m. Pit Gates Open
5 p.m. Grandstand Gates Open
6 p.m. Hot Laps/Qualifying
-Racing to follow
Tickets: Available at the track
Last Race Video Recap (Oct. 13, 2022):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Hcy6oiw5aw
Previous winner:
2022 – Zach Daum on Oct. 13
I-44 RIVERSIDE, Oct. 13-14
More Event Info
Track: 1/5 mile in Oklahoma City, OK
i44riversidespeedway.com
Times (CT):
3:30 p.m. Pit Gates Open
6 p.m. Hot Laps/Qualifying
-Racing to follow
Last Race Video Recap (Oct. 15, 2022):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlyzmp50UoQ
Previous Winners:
2022 – Cannon McIntosh on Oct. 14, Jade Avedisian on Oct. 15
If you can’t make it to the tracks, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
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The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series is brought to fans by important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Toyota (Title sponsor of the Midgets Series), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier) and SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider). Other partners include: TJ Forged and Whitz Racing Products.
THE DAY HAS ARRIVED: Corey Day Cruises to Gold Cup Win for First World of Outlaws Victory
The Clovis, CA phenom leads all 40 laps for Gold Cup glory in home state
CHICO, CA (September 9, 2023) - The Sprint Car world knew a Corey Day breakthrough on the big stage was imminent. And the day arrived Saturday at Silver Dollar Speedway’s California crown jewel event.
The Clovis, CA native has shined primarily on the west coast but also in other parts of the country over the past two years. Racking up wins against California’s toughest competition and impressing as he debuted at tracks in the Midwest suggested the kid was destined for stardom. And in Chico, CA, Day made the strongest testament to that path. In the 69th running of the Curb Records Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by Riebes Auto Parts, Day started on the pole and drove a perfect race to claim his first career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victory. The 17-year-old led every circuit of the 40-lap finale to collect a $25,000 payday and a special triumph in his home state.
After the checkered flag flew, Day gassed the Jason Meyers Racing #14 around the quarter mile powered by emotion. After parking in Victory Lane, Day climbed completely atop the wing to a massive applause of the crowd happy to see one of their own take California’s biggest race.
“This is kind of where I got my start and really put myself on the map with my first breakout run,” Day said. “It’s unbelievable to be there. To do it in front of you fans is unreal. The amount of Corey Day shirts I’ve seen here this weekend is awesome. I appreciate you guys so much. I’m just at a loss for words. We’ve been close a couple times. We were close at Skagit, close at Perris and Bakersfield last year and couldn’t do it. This is a relief, for sure. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for a long time.”
The win came in only Day’s 19th career Feature start with The Greatest Show on Dirt. He became the seventh different driver to notch their first Series win at Silver Dollar Speedway and only the third, joining Kyle Larson (2011) and Jonathan Allard (2014), to do so in the Gold Cup finale. Day became the second competitor to earn their first victory this year along with Brady Bacon. The World of Outlaws all-time win list now sits at 151 different drivers. He also followed the footsteps of his car owner as Jason Meyers is a former Gold Cup champ (2010 & 2013).
For Day, the win came as a culmination of a nearly perfect night. After locking in the Toyota Racing Dash through his Thursday prelim night, the teenager was able to rest easy early on while most of the others competed in four Heat Races. When the time came to draw for Dash starting spots, Day was the last one to draw, and the one was all that was left, putting him on the pole. After trading a few sliders and crossovers with Buddy Kofoid, Day went on to top the Dash.
In the Feature, the main challenge became navigating a bevy of restarts early in the night. A collection of cautions interrupted the flow in the opening laps. But Day never got rattled. Each time the green flag flew, he would pull ahead of Buddy Kofoid.
As the race neared the halfway mark, the action ramped up behind Day. Kofoid tripped up on the cushion on Lap 15, allowing Justin Sanders and Carson Macedo by to take spots two and three. Then three circuits later, Macedo slipped by Sanders to take over the runner-up position.
Macedo looked to be closing on Day, but then disaster struck for the Lemoore, CA native on the 25th lap when he went over the cushion in Turn 2 and fell to 10th by the time he regained control, effectively ending his hopes. Sanders took over the second spot with Macedo’s misfortune.
As the laps faded, Day’s biggest challenge became traffic and getting smoothly through a part of the racetrack. He began to have problems exiting Turn 4 inside 10 laps to go allowing Sanders and Kofoid to close. The gap dwindled from over three seconds to less than two.
“I didn’t know if they (Sanders and Kofoid) were on me or if they weren’t,” Day admitted. “Honestly, I sucked on the bottom of (Turns) 3 and 4. I could not get off (Turn) 4 and get through the center to save my life. I’ve lost races by getting passed around the top at this place, and I’ve won doing the same thing, so I didn’t know where to be. I was just trying to get around lapped cars.”
But even with the trouble getting ahold of that part of the track, it wouldn’t matter in the end. Ultimately, Day maintained the speed he needed to take the checkered flag with more than a two-second lead and cement his name in the history books in front of his home crowd.
“It’s a dream come true,” Day said. “It’s been one of my goals for ever since I started racing. When you start racing, you want to be an Outlaw one day. To have my name on the list of winners is unreal.”
Claiming the second spot for the second night in a row was Justin Sanders. The result also marked Sanders’ second runner-up in the Gold Cup finale with the other coming in 2017. Overall, Sanders came away very satisfied with the effort of he and his Mittry 2X Racing team but did feel a tinge of disappointment with being a spot away.”
“This is awesome to run second at a big race like this,” Sanders said. “It’s kind of a bummer being just one spot short both nights. I would’ve liked to at least get one of them, but we’ll take it. Like I said, congrats to Corey. He’s going to win a lot of them. Hopefully we can get one one day.”
Completing the top three was Buddy Kofoid to give California natives a podium sweep every single night of this year’s Gold Cup. Like the two ahead of him, Kofoid landed on the podium both of his nights after topping Friday’s prelim. The Penngrove, CA native felt his Roth Motorsports #83 was strong enough to contend for the victory had circumstances presented him with the right opportunity.
“I felt like we had a really good car,” Kofoid said. “I moved up early to try the top, and it was just super dirty because the bottom was so good. I just tried to work it in and probably got tight a couple times and launched myself off and would fall back to fifth. I’d drive back to third, get second, fall back to fourth, and get back to second. So, I thought we had a really good car. I feel like even towards the end with Justin and I racing we were catching the leader a little bit. It would’ve been nice to have a yellow, or if the top would’ve come in a little bit better I feel like it would’ve created an even better race.
Dominic Scelzi and Brad Sweet rounded out the top five.
An 18th to ninth effort gave Chase Randall the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Spencer Bayston. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Dominic Scelzi, Carson Macedo, and Logan Schuchart.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars complete the west coast swing with two more nights in California. First up is Kings Speedway in Hanford, CA on Friday, September 15 for the $21,000-to-win Tom Tarlton Classic. The next night takes the tour up to Placerville Speedway for the Federated Auto Parts 49er Gold Rush Classic. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps): 1. 14-Corey Day[1]; 2. 2X-Justin Sanders[3]; 3. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[2]; 4. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[7]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[9]; 6. 17W-Shane Golobic[5]; 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart[6]; 8. 5-Spencer Bayston[8]; 9. 57W-Chase Randall[18]; 10. 24X-Chase Johnson[12]; 11. 24-Rico Abreu[14]; 12. 41-Carson Macedo[4]; 13. 15-Donny Schatz[20]; 14. 17M-Kalib Henry[11]; 15. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[16]; 16. 2-David Gravel[10]; 17. 42X-Justyn Cox[24]; 18. 83-James McFadden[21]; 19. 20G-Noah Gass[15]; 20. (DNF) 18-Giovanni Scelzi[17]; 21. (DNF) 0-Jonathan Allard[23]; 22. (DNF) X1-Michael Faccinto[13]; 23. (DNF) 92-Andy Forsberg[19]; 24. (DNF) 22-Ryan Bernal[22]
SILVER DOLLAR THRILLER: Last Lap Pass Lifts Buddy Kofoid to Gold Cup Prelim Victory
Kofoid outduels fellow Californian – Justin Sanders – in the final laps to top final Gold Cup prelim
CHICO, CA (September 8, 2023) - Silver Dollar Speedway delivered yet again.
The northern California bullring is known for providing some of the most intense, wheel-to-wheel battles in Sprint Car racing. And that’s exactly what the Chico, CA quarter mile offered on Friday night. The second and final prelim of the Curb Records Gold Cup Race of Champions presented by Riebes Auto Parts gave the fans a battle they’ll not soon forget. Two California heavyweights trading blows. A race coming down to the wire. And the outcome not being decided until the final lap.
When the dust settled at Silver Dollar Friday night, Buddy Kofoid arose triumphant after a fierce duel with Justin Sanders. After losing the lead coming to the white flag, Kofoid ripped back by Sanders on the final circuit to secure a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victory in his home state. The grandstands erupted as one of their own climbed atop the wing of the California-based Roth Motorsports machine following a classic finish.
For the Penngrove native who has always held Gold Cup close to his heart, the victory brought out emotion amid the celebration.
“I grew up coming to the Gold Cup as a kid,” Kofoid said. “It was a family tradition for us to take the week off work and the week off school. We would stay here when I was four, five, six, seven, eight years old, so this race is super special to me. And to do it in the Dennis and Teresa Roth-owned #83JR is pretty damn cool.”
When the green flag flew, the war commenced right away between Kofoid and Sanders. Pole-sitter Chase Randall slipped back on the initial lap while Kofoid and Sanders traded the top spot multiple times. On the second circuit Kofoid looked under Sanders in Turns 1 and 2, but the yellow flag flew as they were side by side for a spinning Jonathan Allard.
On the restart Sanders was able to inch ahead, but Kofoid never let the Mittry Racing #2X leave his sights. Another caution on Lap 8 set up a pivotal restart.
Sanders maintained his advantage exiting Turn 2, but it was Spencer Bayston who stuck the bottom perfectly to get a massive launch down the back straightaway. Bayston slipped ahead of both of the top two and went high in Turns 3 and 4. Kofoid responded by throwing a huge slide job on the two to grab the top spot.
Once he took over the lead, Kofoid began to put some distance between himself and Bayston. Meanwhile, Sanders stalked the CJB Motorsports #5 in search of an opportunity to move back into the runner-up spot.
On Lap 22, the gap he needed opened as Sanders utilized a big run out of Turn 2 to slip by Bayston heading into the next set of corners. From there, the pursuit of Kofoid was on.
Sanders quickly began to cut into the lead little by little. A tenth or two was trimmed each lap as the duo navigated traffic until Sanders was on the tail tank of the Roth #83JR.
On Lap 29, Sanders gave the top in Turns 1 and 2 a try and was able to pull alongside Kofoid on corner exit before Kofoid nosed ahead as they roared into the next set of corners with the white flag in sight. Sanders again committed to the top and was able to clear Kofoid to take the lead as he raced across the line for the white flag.
Heading into Turn 1, Sanders had to dive under a lapped car and slipped up slightly off the bottom at the apex of the corner. Kofoid, who had been running the bottom every lap on that end of the racetrack, fully sent his machine at the cushion and nailed it perfectly to rip by Sanders off of Turn 2.
With the lead secured, Kofoid protected in the final set of corners to earn his first trip to World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Victory Lane since joining the legendary Roth Motorsports that’s long called Fresno, CA home.
“When we got to traffic, there were a couple guys that were just good enough that I couldn’t spring in front of them and put them away,” Kofoid explained. “Then I heard Justin, but I didn’t want to get off the bottom. I tried it once and didn’t feel good at all and moved right back down. I was content with the middle-top in (Turns) 3 and 4 because I could feel it cleaning off. Then I heard him and saw him, and then I saw the white (flag) and thought just my luck. Then I sent it on the top and that was the best it felt on the top all day. I kind of got lucky but also just had a really good car and great people working on it that allowed me to maneuver last minute and to pick him back off.”
On top of the victory, Kofoid also earned enough points to secure one of the two remaining spots for Saturday’s important Toyota Racing Dash.
Sanders came home with a bittersweet runner-up. The Aromas, CA native was three-quarters of a lap away from his first trip to World of Outlaws Victory Lane, and the defeat was a tough pill to swallow. But on the bright side, he snagged the final lock-in to the Dash for the finale to position himself strongly for a chance at $25,000 on Saturday.
“I still don’t know if I would’ve went to the top on that last lap going into (Turn) 1,” Sanders said. “Honestly, when I ripped around those guys and got in front of Jonathan (Allard), I thought I was going to be clear. Buddy just kicked it into another gear and ripped around us coming off of (Turn) 2.”
Dominic Scelzi came home third to complete a second consecutive all California native podium sweep. The Fresno, CA pilot wheeled the Scelzi Motorsports #41 from 10th to earn a strong result in his home state.
“We were good. We were really good actually,” Scelzi said. “We’ve got to figure out the first half of the night. We’ve got to qualify better. I don’t know what I was doing in the Heat Race. I tried to be a hero on the start and missed the slider. I think I was just trying a little too hard. Jimmy (Carr) gave me an awesome race car tonight, especially in the Feature. The way the racetrack played out, we just kept getting better and better.”
Spencer Bayston and Rico Abreu rounded out the top five.
Abreu also earned the KSE Racing Hard Charger as he drove from 21st to fifth.
Tanner Carrick came out on top of Low-E Insulation Qualifying to claim Simpson Performance Products QuickTime honors.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Chase Randall. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Justyn Cox, Ryan Bernal, and Justin Sanders.
Rico Abreu won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars return to Silver Dollar Speedway for the $25,000-to-win, $2,000-to-start finale of the 69th Gold Cup Race of Champions on Saturday, September 9. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[3]; 2. 2X-Justin Sanders[2]; 3. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[10]; 4. 5-Spencer Bayston[4]; 5. 24-Rico Abreu[21]; 6. X1-Michael Faccinto[12]; 7. 22-Ryan Bernal[16]; 8. 2-David Gravel[6]; 9. 15-Donny Schatz[9]; 10. 5V-Colby Copeland[11]; 11. 57W-Chase Randall[1]; 12. 88N-DJ Netto[13]; 13. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[7]; 14. 42X-Justyn Cox[17]; 15. 1T-Tanner Holmes[23]; 16. 9-Kasey Kahne[22]; 17. 83T-Tanner Carrick[8]; 18. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[14]; 19. 51-Shane Hopkins[24]; 20. 0-Jonathan Allard[5]; 21. 46JR-Joel Myers Jr[19]; 22. 7-Ashton Torgerson[15]; 23. 115-Nick Parker[18]; 24. 25S-Seth Standley[20]
HEROIC HOMECOMING: Late Pass Leads Kyle Larson to Second Straight Gold Cup Prelim Victory
The Californian slips by Chase Johnson on Lap 22 for Silver Dollar Speedway win
CHICO, CA (September 7, 2023) - California loves Kyle Larson. And Kyle Larson loves California.
The Elk Grove, CA native’s talents were shaped by “The Golden State’s” bullrings. And Larson enjoys any opportunity to return to those racetracks. On Thursday night, the opportunity arose for Larson to return to Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA, and for the second year in a row, Larson gave his home state fans a show with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars. Fresh off a Southern 500 win with the NASCAR Cup Series last weekend, Larson flew to California for the opening prelim of the 69th Gold Cup Race of Champions. “Yung Money” lined up sixth for the 30-lap Feature, took the lead on the 22nd circuit, and drove away to the checkered flag for his 10th career win at the quarter-mile.
Any win at the historic Silver Dollar Speedway is a special one for Larson. Last year he, Brad Sweet, and Colby Copeland formed SLC Promotions and took the reins of the facility. Their efforts have already restored a measure of Gold Cup’s former glory. And Larson stood proud in Victory Lane in front of an admiring crowd as the atmosphere continues to grow toward feeling like the Gold Cup of old thanks in large part to his passion for the sport.
The only part that could make it any better for Larson? If he could stay to chase his third Gold Cup title, but NASCAR duties call.
“Thanks to all the fans. I wish I could stay the rest of the weekend but got to get to Kansas tomorrow,” Larson said. “It’s just great to see Gold Cup growing again. It’s awesome. I hope to hear about everybody having fun at the glow party… You get a little FOMO. You wish you could be at two places at once. It’s tough, but I’m fortunate to be here for Wednesday and Thursday. I wasn’t supposed to run tonight, but things changed with my schedule and was able to stay for tonight.”
While Larson began the main event back in sixth, it was Kalib Henry and Shane Golobic leading the field to green. But it was neither Henry or Golobic leading the opening lap. Fourth-starting Chase Johnson powered to third entering Turn 1 and went low while the front row starters opted for the high line. Johnson found enough grip to pull by Golobic going down the back straightaway and slide Henry for the lead in Turn 3.
Johnson wasted no time pulling ahead after the massive move from fourth to first while Larson quickly began his charge by jumping from sixth to fourth on the opening lap and claiming third on the next circuit.
At the front, Johnson drove away and even when first encountering traffic, he sliced through the slower cars to extend his lead. The Penngrove, CA native controlled the first half of the Feature.
Right at the halfway point was when Larson roared to life behind the wheel of the #57. The two-time Gold Cup champion began to pressure Henry for second. Then on the 15th lap Larson ripped the top in Turns 1 and 2 to take over the runner-up spot. Once he claimed second, Johnson’s lead began to vanish. On the lap Larson passed Henry, he was 2.047 seconds behind. The next lap he slashed the gap nearly in half to 1.197 seconds. Three laps later it was down to three tenths as he began to show Johnson a nose here and there.
On Lap 22 in traffic, the gap he needed opened as Larson ducked under Johnson exiting Turn 2 and cleared him heading into the next set of corners. Johnson tripped up on the cushion in Turn 4, and that was all Larson needed to drive away to the finish line with a four-second lead.
While the win will cap Larson’s racing for the week at Gold Cup, he fully intends to keep an eye from afar as the California crown jewel continues to grow again.
“I’ll for sure be tuned in on Saturday,” Larson said. “This is a race that I grew up coming to for so long. Won my first ever World of Outlaws race at this track in this event. This facility means a lot to me.”
After Johnson’s mistake on the cushion, Shane Golobic was able to roll by to claim the second spot. The pilot of the Matt Wood Racing/NOS Energy Drink #17W finished runner-up to continue his impressive year at Silver Dollar. Golobic is at four wins and two seconds in six starts at the Chico oval. His performance throughout the night earned him enough points to claim one of two lock-in spots for Saturday’s Toyota Racing Dash. Golobic came away happy with his team’s continued speed but wishing he could try the start of the race over.
“It just shows how fast this NOS Energy Drink #17W is,” Golobic said. “I didn’t do my job early in the race. You can’t go second to fourth and expect to do anything and let the #57 by early in the race. You’re going to be in trouble. I’ve got to clean that up. Really wish I could do that over to try again, but second is nothing to hang our heads about.”
Completing the top three by way of a charge from 11th was Corey Day in the Jason Meyers Racing #14. The Clovis, CA teenager completed an all-California native podium sweep by continuing his recent impressive stretch. Day is up to four consecutive World of Outlaws top fives and three podiums in the last four races. With Larson unable to attend Saturday, Day moved into the other available spot in Saturday’s Dash.
“We didn’t really have a good qualifying run there, and that hurt us in points,” Day said. “We needed to perform in that Feature, and that was about as good as I could do with no cautions. Glad we could be good at this place the first time here this year. We got rained out every single time we tried to come up here and race. Happy to run third our first night at this place for the biggest race of the year here.”
Logan Schuchart and Brad Sweet rounded out the top five.
Day’s efforts also earned him the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
Carson Macedo grabbed another Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat Race One went to Andy Forsberg. NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Sean Becker, Giovanni Scelzi, and Cole Macedo.
Dylan Bloomfield won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race was awarded to Chase Johnson. After leading the opening 21 laps, Johnson slipped back to seventh in the final rundown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are right back at Chico, CA’s Silver Dollar Speedway on Friday, September 8 for the second prelim of the 69th Gold Cup Race of Champions ahead of Saturday’s $25,000-to-win, $2,000-to-start finale. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 57-Kyle Larson[6]; 2. 17W-Shane Golobic[2]; 3. 14-Corey Day[11]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart[3]; 5. 49-Brad Sweet[5]; 6. 41-Carson Macedo[8]; 7. 24X-Chase Johnson[4]; 8. 83-James McFadden[7]; 9. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[9]; 10. 17M-Kalib Henry[1]; 11. 3-Kaleb Montgomery[12]; 12. 20G-Noah Gass[10]; 13. 21-Cole Macedo[16]; 14. 83V-Dylan Bloomfield[21]; 15. 6-Tim Kaeding[14]; 16. 92-Andy Forsberg[13]; 17. 7S-Robbie Price[17]; 18. 1-Chance Grasty[22]; 19. 2K-Gauge Garcia[19]; 20. 12J-John Clark[20]; 21. 55D-Dawson Hammes[23]; 22. 87-Ashlyn Rodriguez[24]; 23. 77-Ryan Lippincott[18]; 24. 7B-Sean Becker[15]
RESURGENT SHARK: Logan Schuchart Rebounds with Labor Day Grays Harbor Victory
After a tough Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals, Schuchart celebrates Labor Day with win in Elma, WA
ELMA, WA (September 4, 2023) - The last two weeks couldn’t have been more different for Logan Schuchart. First, a two-night sweep in North Dakota elevated him to the highest of highs. Then the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals brought the opposite as he finished 13th or worse three straight nights.
On Monday at Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA for the Labor Day Extravaganza, the Hanover, PA native returned to high ground. Schuchart led all but the first circuit of the 30-lap Feature on his way to a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car win. The Shark Racing pilot swiped the lead on Lap 2, worked through traffic, and benefited from some timely cautions to claim his third victory in the last six races. After that difficult stretch at Skagit, the Victory Lane visit served as a welcome confidence boost as Schuchart and the team continue their search to establish consistency.
“Skagit was tough on us. I’d like to get more consistent for sure. These guys work their butts off,” Schuchart said. “We’ve got a great group of people here at Shark Racing. They deserve the best. We’ll keep working hard and trying to get more consistent. Wins are great. It’s what you want. But to win championships, you’ve got to be more consistent.”
Schuchart moved up to 41 career World of Outlaws wins as he notched his sixth of 2023. Adding to his Grays Harbor triumph from 2021, Schuchart became the ninth different driver to top multiple races at the Washington oval.
After topping the Toyota Racing Dash, Schuchart led the field to green aboard his Drydene/Duramax #1S. On the first lap, outside pole sitter – Brad Sweet – snuck around Schuchart’s outside to nose ahead down the back straightaway. Coming to the line to complete the circuit Sweet narrowly beat him to lead Lap 1.
As the lead duo entered Turn 1 side by side on Lap 2, Schuchart used his momentum to throw a slide job and clear the Napa Auto Parts #49. Heading into Turn 3 Schuchart stayed far enough ahead to avoid a counter slider from Sweet.
On an early restart with 27 laps to go, battles broke out all over behind Schuchart. Rico Abreu pulled next to Sweet for second but couldn’t get by him. Behind them Donny Schatz and Buddy Kofoid engaged in war for fourth. The two traded sliders and crossovers and nearly touched wheels multiple times. Eventually, Schatz secured the spot.
At the front of the field, Sweet began to close in as Schuchart navigated traffic and the race neared the halfway mark. Schuchart struggled with a few lapped cars allowing Sweet to look under him. But Sweet lost momentum and not only couldn’t take the lead but also lost second to Abreu. Right after taking over runner-up, Abreu briefly challenged Schuchart for the top spot in traffic, but the yellow flag flew as Kofoid spun from his spot inside the top five.
On the ensuing restart, Schuchart pulled ahead while Sweet attempted to slide Abreu but couldn’t clear him.
As the laps dwindled Schuchart again found himself in heavy traffic. Abreu capitalized by closing in and appeared poised to duel with Schuchart. But with three laps to go, one final caution gave Schuchart clean air to the end and effectively sealed the victory.
When the green lights came back on Schuchart powered ahead and cruised to the checkered flag with over a one and a half second lead.
“I feel like the cautions definitely helped me out,” Schuchart said. “There wasn’t a whole lot around the bottom. I ran around there the first corner and heard Brad beside me and moved up right away to try and take his line and run a decent pace… My guys are working their butts off, and we’re picking up some wins here the past couple weeks, so it feels good.”
Abreu crossed the finish line in second for yet another strong run in what’s been an amazing year. The St. Helena, CA native upped his podium total for the season to 13, more than double his previous personal best for one season with the World of Outlaws. Abreu came away happy with the result but wished traffic could’ve played more of a factor to heighten his chances of a win.
“Really thankful for these guys on this car. Everybody works really hard,” Abreu said. “Lapped traffic, we needed that tonight. To get by Brad off the bottom. And Ricky (Warner) kept telling me the race was going to be won off Turn 4 on the bottom. I just waited and waited down there, moved up and then back down. Just the pace was so fast at the end of the race in clean air. You can almost run wide open around here.”
In the closing laps, Donny Schatz was able to slip under Sweet to snag the final podium spot in the Advance Auto Parts #15. Like Abreu, Schatz now owns a baker’s dozen top threes in 2023 with the World of Outlaws. And also like Abreu, the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing pilot hoped to contend with more traffic in the Feature.
“My guys did a great job, pretty solid night,” Schatz said. “We were competitive there most of the time. If we would’ve stayed in traffic, we might’ve been able to move around and do something. All in all a good night. The racetrack worked out fine. We could make the bottom work early and in traffic. Hats off to my guys.”
Brad Sweet and Corey Day completed the top five.
A 21st to seventh drive gave James McFadden the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
Rico Abreu began the night with his second straight Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award and the 17th of his career.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Brad Sweet (279th Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two and Three were topped by Logan Schuchart (117th of career) and Buddy Kofoid (14th of career).
Logan Schuchart claimed the Toyota Racing Dash.
Austen Wheatley topped the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Brake of the Race was given to Buddy Kofoid after his mid-race crash ended a potential top five run.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars invade California for the first time in 2023 as Chico, CA’s Silver Dollar Speedway for the 69th Gold Cup Race of Champions. The three-night (September 7-9) event features split-field prelims on Thursday and Friday before concluding with Saturday’s $25,000-to-win finale. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the racing live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 1S-Logan Schuchart[1]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu[4]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz[3]; 4. 49-Brad Sweet[2]; 5. 14-Corey Day[5]; 6. 2-David Gravel[10]; 7. 83-James McFadden[21]; 8. 41-Carson Macedo[12]; 9. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[8]; 10. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[7]; 11. 2X-Justin Sanders[17]; 12. 1T-Tanner Holmes[9]; 13. 55-Trey Starks[14]; 14. 5-Spencer Bayston[13]; 15. 9-Kasey Kahne[18]; 16. 7S-Robbie Price[15]; 17. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[11]; 18. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[16]; 19. 20G-Noah Gass[23]; 20. 44W-Austen Wheatley[19]; 21. 9A-Luke Didiuk[22]; 22. (DNF) 21S-Jesse Schlotfeldt[24]; 23. (DNF) 83JR-Michael Kofoid[6]; 24. (DNF) 21-Cole Macedo[20]
Jade Avedisian Executes Late-Race Pass at Paragon to Win Fifth of Season
Seven points separate McIntosh from Avedisian in championship standings with six races left
PARAGON, IN (Sept. 2, 2023) – Her first lap of the weekend in competition ended sitting upside down in the middle of the frontstretch, but her final lap ended with a trip to Victory Lane.
Jade Avedisian engineered one of the most notable comebacks of the season Saturday night at Paragon Speedway, winning her fifth Feature of the season with the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota – approximately 26 hours after going for a wild crash-and-flip on her first lap of Qualifying Friday.
Her team at Keith Kunz Motorsports rolled out the backup Mobil 1, LynK/Toyota #71 after the crash and pressed onward as she battled back to a seventh-place finish in the main event. After clearing her head of the Friday blunder, Avedisian came back with vengeance in Saturday night’s Feature, taking the lead on the final restart from Ryan Timms to bank the $5,000 grand prize and put an exclamation point on a critical weekend before the chase for the championship begins to wind down.
“Last night was super tough,” Avedisian, 16, of Clovis, CA, said. “Flipping in Qualifying is never a good thing. It’s one thing when you flip trying to win a race. When you flip in Qualifying, it’s just not a good feeling.”
“There’s no quit in this team, and I’m just truly grateful to be here and happy to be in Victory Lane again.”
In securing her seventh career Series victory, Avedisian also took a chunk out of her deficit in the points standings, going from 31 points out of the lead entering Saturday night down to only seven currently. With six races left on the schedule and three opponents also within striking distance behind her, Avedisian has little doubt of her and the team’s chances to be the ones left standing after the season’s over in October.
“I truly feel like this team is very capable of getting the championship,” Avedisian said. “It’s just going to be up to me to limit the mistakes. There’s only six more races to go, so it’s gonna come down to point-for-point. Hopefully, we can do good under the pressure; I feel like we can.”
While Avedisian got the upper hand in the end on Saturday, it was Chase McDermand who jumped out to the early lead from outside the front row and led the opening laps before Ryan Timms took advantage of an opening down low and threw a big slide job to take the top spot on Lap 10. Timms, the 17-year-old open-wheel star from Oklahoma City, OK, then set sail on the field in a long green flag stretch after a restart at the halfway point, leading 21 total laps and opening up a three-second gap in traffic before the caution was thrown again with five laps left.
With his large lead now erased and both Avedisian and McDermand right on his bumper for the restart, Timms ensured to hit his marks as the green flag dropped once again, but quickly encountered resistance.
“I slowed way down to hit the bottom because it was starting to slick-off real good,” Timms said. “I got a little push and pushed up the track. Going into Turn 3, I was expecting a slider. I got to about the middle of the corner, didn’t see anyone, and all of a sudden, I see a car right in front of me.”
McDermand pinned the throttle on the restart and headed full-bore into Turn 1, riding the extreme top side of the 3/8-mile course in an attempt to get by Avedisian for second. Once he advanced position down the backstretch, he quickly threw it down low under Timms in another slide job attempt for the lead but was unsuccessful after making contact in Turn 4.
“He backed up into me,” Timms said. “He got me all jacked-up and then got himself jacked-up, and Jade went under both of us.”
When McDermand and Timms scrubbed wheels in Turn 4, Avedisian was right there to take advantage, sneaking past both of them on the bottom of the track to swipe the top spot.
“I was just hoping and praying the third-place guy was gonna throw something, which he did, because I had nothing to throw; my restart was really bad,” Avedisian said. “It just bunched them up, and I was able to clear them off Turn 4. Sometimes, you’d just rather be lucky than good.”
From there, Avedisian was in control of her own racing destiny. She went nearly mistake-free in the closing laps, holding off Timms and the rest of the field behind her and garnered her seventh career Series win.
Timms quickly recovered to second from the incident on the restart, but despite his efforts, was unable to catch Avedisian in the end. After leading 21 laps – most of any driver for the third time this season – he, once again, comes up short in pursuit of his first career Xtreme Outlaw Series win.
“On the three nights I’ve been leading, we’ve got a blown tire, blown-up motor, and then just getting wheeled for the lead,” Timms said. “I feel like I’m doing everything I can here; just need a little bit of luck.”
Zach Daum crossed the stripe in third to collect his third podium in the last four races. With the win Friday and podium on Saturday, the Pocahontas, IL-driver once again chipped away at his points gap – now down to 75.
UP NEXT
The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets are back in action in two weeks’ time for a three-race swing through Illinois at Jacksonville Speedway (Sept. 15), Highland Speedway (Sept. 16) and Red Hill Raceway (Sept. 17). Tickets for all three events will be on sale at the gate on race day. If you can’t be at the track to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Feature (35 Laps): 1. 71-Jade Avedisian[3]; 2. 67-Ryan Timms[5]; 3. 7U-Zach Daum[8]; 4. 08-Cannon McIntosh[10]; 5. 40-Chase McDermand[2]; 6. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[1]; 7. 97-Gavin Miller[4]; 8. 55-Trevor Cline[13]; 9. 31B-Kyle Beilman[9]; 10. 75AU-Bryan Stanfill[15]; 11. 81-Dakota Gay[12]; 12. 93C-Chett Gehrke[14]; 13. 9M-Zach Wigal[11]; 14. 25K-Taylor Reimer[7]; 15. 17B-Austin Barnhill[6]
TASTE OF SWEET VICTORY: Brad Sweet Roars to the Win in Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals Finale
The California veteran holds off California phenom Corey Day for $26,000 payday
BURLINGTON, WA (September 2, 2023) - Thursday ended in bitter defeat for Brad Sweet at Skagit Speedway. But the Grass Valley, CA had no intentions of the same fate on Saturday as he found the taste of sweet victory.
Two days after Sheldon Haudenschild slipped by him on the final circuit, Sweet found himself in a similar spot leading late with Corey Day breathing down his neck. This time, though, Sweet would not be denied as he held off the teenage sensation on his way to Victory Lane at the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals. After the tough loss Thursday and running 10th Friday, Sweet saved his best for the last and most important day as the win came with a hefty $26,000 paycheck for the driver of the Kasey Kahne Racing/Napa Auto Parts #49.
“I get tired of getting passed late in these races,” Sweet said. “I saw the 14 (Day) climbing the board, and I saw the top getting cleaner and cleaner. Typically, he’s kind of one of those guys that’ll find a line. I’ve watched a lot of video, and he always seems to make a lot of speed on the cushion. I was a little nervous. I felt really good on the bottom, but you don’t really know what’s up there until you go up there. So, I tried it one lap and realized my car wasn’t as good up there, so I had to pretty much commit to the bottom. You keep your tires cooler on the bottom, so I felt like even if he stayed with me for a few laps his tires would get hot. It was a lot more challenging to make speed on the cushion. I just tried to hit my lines and drive as hard as I possibly could those last 10 laps. Just happy to be in Victory Lane.”
Sweet’s 2023 win total with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars grew to seven, giving him sole possession of the second most this season. His career win total rose to 86, putting him in a tie with former teammate – Daryn Pittman – and David Gravel for ninth on the all-time list. Two of those 86 checkered flags have come courtesy of Skagit.
And most importantly, the current point leader added some more cushion to his lead as he pursues a fifth straight title.
The 35-lap Feature was led to green by James McFadden and Sheldon Haudenschild after the duo finished first and second in the Toyota Racing Dash. When the green lights brought the field to life, McFadden rolled ahead to lead the opening lap.
Sweet started third and quickly got on the move as he threw a slide job at Haudenschild to take over second on Lap 2 but Haudenschild countered with a crossover. Three laps later Sweet rolled by the NOS Energy Drink #17 to regain control of runner-up and held onto the spot.
Shortly after claiming second, “The Big Cat” began the hunt for the lead. Up ahead, McFadden stayed committed to the top while Sweet stayed glued to the bottom. As they began to work through traffic, Sweet found the opening he needed on Lap 8 as he slipped under the Australian to grab the lead.
With the top spot secured, Sweet began to check out. The four-time and defending Series champion expertly worked through traffic as the margin between him and McFadden grew.
It wasn’t until late in the race that a challenger arose to face off with Sweet. Fresh off his third career World of Outlaws podium on Friday, Corey Day flexed his muscle early on in Saturday’s main event by starting 10th and cracking the top five on the eighth circuit. Then shortly after a restart with 12 laps to go, Day banged the cushion around Roth Motorsports teammates – Buddy Kofoid and James McFadden – to jump into second.
A restart with eight laps to go put the Clovis, CA phenom on the tail tank of Sweet for a quick dash to the finish.
When the green flag flew, Sweet, knowing Day must’ve been making speed on the top – abandoned the bottom for a set of corners to test the waters on the cushion. Day drew alongside in Turns 1 and 2, but Sweet was able to pull ahead down the back straightaway and shut the door entering Turn 3.
Day returned to the cushion and gathered enough momentum to close in multiple times. From laps 27 through 32, the gap between the two was less than half a second each time they crossed the line. But unfortunately for Day, a small mistake on Lap 33 in Turn 2 allowed Sweet to pull away to nearly a second lead. Sweet stayed comfortably ahead over the final two laps to claim the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals.
“We’ve gotten passed on the last lap three or four times this year it seems like and should’ve won more races,” Sweet said. “But we all stick together and win together and lose together. Tonight, all the hard work paid off. We had a great car all weekend, and to come out on top on the final night is what it’s all about.”
Day held onto the second spot to notch back-to-back World of Outlaws podiums after a third on Friday. The 17-year-old is up to four podiums in only 17 Series starts driving the Jason Meyers Racing #14. Saturday provided more evidence that a win with The Greatest Show on Dirt isn’t a matter of if for Day, but when.
Completing the top three was early race leader – James McFadden. He couldn’t hold back Sweet and Day after pacing the opening seven laps but did hold on for his eighth podium of the season aboard the Roth Motorsports #83.
Buddy Kofoid and David Gravel rounded out the top five.
Corey Day’s drive from 10th to second earned him the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
For the third time in 2023 and 16th time in his career, Rico Abreu claimed Simpson Performance QuickTime Award.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Abreu (42nd Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by James McFadden (48th of career), Carson Macedo (110th of career), and Buddy Kofoid (13th of career).
James McFadden won the Toyota Racing Dash.
The Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown belonged to Robbie Price.
After running up front in the Feature but getting upside down, Sheldon Haudenschild was given the Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars stay in the state of Washington but move to Elma’s Grays Harbor Raceway on Monday, September 4 for a Labor Day battle. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (35 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet[3]; 2. 14-Corey Day[10]; 3. 83-James McFadden[1]; 4. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[5]; 5. 2-David Gravel[9]; 6. 24-Rico Abreu[8]; 7. 5-Spencer Bayston[4]; 8. 18S-Jason Solwold[11]; 9. 15-Donny Schatz[16]; 10. 9-Kasey Kahne[6]; 11. 41-Carson Macedo[7]; 12. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[14]; 13. 1S-Logan Schuchart[19]; 14. 2X-Justin Sanders[18]; 15. 55-Trey Starks[12]; 16. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[15]; 17. 7S-Robbie Price[21]; 18. 95-Justin Youngquist[24]; 19. 96-Greg Hamilton[17]; 20. 21-Cole Macedo[23]; 21. (DNF) 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[20]; 22. (DNF) 1T-Tanner Holmes[13]; 23. (DNF) 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[2]; 24. (DNF) 99-Eric Fisher[22]
Zach Daum Leads Flag-to-Flag at Paragon for Fifth Win of Season
PARAGON, IN (Sept. 1, 2023) – If there’s one pair in the Midget racing world heating up at exactly the right time, it’s Zach Daum and Trifecta Motorsports. Their fifth Feature win of the season Friday night at Paragon Speedway has not only made Daum the winningest driver on tour thus far, but also given him a chance to repeat as champion of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota.
Since their pairing exactly three months ago, Trifecta has helped Daum surge in the driver championship standings from 287 points back in ninth place up to fourth, now only 82 points behind the leader with seven races left. Though he has his doubts about a title repeat, Daum has other goals to meet by season’s end.
“I don’t know if there’s enough time in the championship to catch them guys, so at this point in time, you’re just racing for wins,” Daum, 32, of Pocahontas, IL, said. “If we don’t win the championship, I at least want to win the most races.”
Friday featured the latest installment of team’s success story as Daum led all 30 circuits around the 3/8-mile of Paragon – one week following their victory at Davenport Speedway – nearly unchallenged to collect the $4,000 grand prize and Trifecta’s fifth national Midget Series victory.
“It’s pretty surreal how quickly we’ve gelled,” Daum said. “We’ve been really, really consistent, and there’s five wins in the equation, too. That’s cool.”
An inversion pill draw of six put Daum on the front row of the main event, which he took advantage of and jumped out to the lead on the opening lap. He opened a gap of over two seconds inside the first 10 laps, then stretched it to over three seconds before the race’s first caution with 18 laps complete.
“I hate getting into the lead early in the race; you feel like a sitting duck,” Daum said. “Luckily, we were out front and could run our own race.”
Directly behind him for the ensuing restart was 16-year-old Gavin Miller, of Allentown, PA, hot on the trail of another Feature win after breaking through to Victory Lane last weekend. Miller looked low on Daum out of Turn 2 several times but was unable to pull even and set up a pass for the lead.
Daum altered his line around the track slightly for the restarts, entering the corners differently to try and gain more speed and break away from the field again.
“I figured just give me a lap to get my momentum and then I’d go back to the line I was running,” Daum said. “I kinda didn’t want [Miller] to snooker me and then me move all the way to the bottom like he was, and him roll around me in the middle.”
In the end, Miller was unable to catch the man out front and settled for runner-up honors, shrinking his points gap down to 71. Daum’s veteran smarts behind the wheel propelled him across the line first for the second time in three races.
“I didn’t know if there was anybody there or not; I just tried to hit my marks,” Daum said. “When you’re on the pole – you’re fortunate enough to be on the front row, just don’t give the Feature away.”
For the second time in three races, Hayden Reinbold completed the podium with his third-place efforts. After riding his learning curve for most of the season, Reinbold has been on a hot streak as of late with six top-10 finishes in his last seven Series races.
“As you keep running forward, you realize where you are and where you deserve to be,” Reinbold said. “My car’s been super fast lately. Just need to keep doing my job and I feel like we can get a win here soon.”
UP NEXT
The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets return to Paragon Speedway for one more night of competition Saturday, Sept. 2, alongside the 410 Non-Wing Sprint Cars and Hornets. Tickets will be on sale at the gate; live stream available at DIRTVision.com or on the DIRTVision app.
ABBREVIATED RESULTS (view full results)
Feature (30 Laps): 1. 7U-Zach Daum[2]; 2. 97-Gavin Miller[3]; 3. 19AZ-Hayden Reinbold[4]; 4. 40-Chase McDermand[6]; 5. 25K-Taylor Reimer[9]; 6. 67-Ryan Timms[7]; 7. 71-Jade Avedisian[8]; 8. 08-Cannon McIntosh[5]; 9. 17B-Austin Barnhill[10]; 10. 55-Trevor Cline[17]; 11. 75AU-Bryan Stanfill[1]; 12. 31B-Kyle Beilman[15]; 13. 81-Dakota Gay[11]; 14. 99K-Robert Carson[16]; 15. 93C-Chett Gehrke[18]; 16. 18N-Weston Gorham[12]; 17. 21D-Justin Dickerson[13]; 18. 25-Jacob Denney[14]
SKAGIT SAGE: Rico Abreu Aces Skagit for Victory on Night Two of Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals
The Californian cruises to fifth World of Outlaws triumph of the season and first at Skagit
BURLINGTON, WA (September 1, 2023) - The magical 2023 season for Rico Abreu continues.
Since he won his first Sprint Car race of 2023 back in March at Lincoln Speedway, Abreu hasn’t slowed down as he’s put together a career year. The trend continued on Friday at Skagit Speedway as the St. Helena, CA native controlled all 30 laps of the Feature to top night two of the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals.
With renowned crew chief – Ricky Warner – leading a crew filled out by Zack Middlebrooks and Brady Forbrook, Abreu and company have been one of the fastest cars in the nation. And Abreu was quick to show appreciation for their efforts in helping him continue to arrive in Victory Lane.
“Hats off to my incredible team. Their critical thinking is unbelievable and they just execute when the time matters,” Abreu said. “Like I said, Ricky Warner, Zack, and Brady they work really good together. It’s a really cool time for me to be a part of such an unbelievable team that believes in me.”
Abreu is now up to five World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car victories this year, moving his career total up to 14, enough for 37th on the all-time win list. In overall Sprint Car competition this year, Abreu is up to 10 triumphs. Skagit became the 10th different track that Abreu has won at with The Greatest Show on Dirt.
After topping the Toyota Racing Dash, David Gravel led the field to green with Abreu to his outside. Abreu used the outside line to his advantage as he ripped the top to take the top spot and lead the opening circuit.
A Lap 2 red flag re-racked the field for an early restart. Abreu chose the outside and again pulled ahead of the field.
While Abreu extended his advantage in the early going, the action heated up behind him for spots inside the top five. Corey Day and Donny Schatz engaged in a war for the fourth spot in the early stages. Day opted for the top while Schatz rolled the bottom. The duo exchanged the position multiple times before Day maintained control.
Ahead of Day and Schatz, Thursday’s winner – Sheldon Haudenschild – closed on Gravel for the runner-up spot. On the 10th circuit Haudenschild pulled the trigger on a slide job to take over second. A lap later, Day moved by Gravel to climb onto the podium.
A few laps after passing Gravel for second, Haudenschild began to cut into Abreu’s advantage. On lap 13 he slashed the nearly two second gap almost in half. Four laps later, the Wooster, OH driver trimmed it down to seven tenths of a second.
But right as it appeared a battle for the lead might be brewing, Abreu found his rhythm and began to inch away again. Right after Haudenschild had closed in, Abreu pushed his advantage back over a second in one lap, and it continued to grow as he navigated traffic.
“I really tried to judge my pace in traffic,” Abreu explained. “I just noticed the more I spun my tires, the more the lapped cars drove away from me. The top would get dirty as guys were running down there, so I ran down a few laps just to see if I could maintain pace. Once guys started really slowing down at the end, I could really move up and make some steam. I started cheating it in (Turns) 1 and 2. You judge your pace off lapped traffic and try to listen behind you. I knew the 17 or the 2 was probably running it just as hard as I was and I wasn’t passing lapped cars. You just have to process things while you’re racing. I just kept my tires underneath me and everything cooled down and my car just kept getting better and better.”
Abreu’s continually improving race car proved to be too much for the competition to overcome. His lead continued to grow and eclipsed two seconds on Lap 25. Over the final five laps the gap hovered around that margin until Abreu took the checkered flag to seal a commanding win at an event he’s had his eyes on for a while.
“It’s just an amazing racetrack,” Abreu said. “Kevin Rudeen and everybody do an unbelievable job here. I know Peter Murphy and Chuck with Sage (Fruit) do great for this event. I made sure to mark it down on our calendar to be here and to be a part of this. I really love racing on the west coast.”
Haudenschild’s bid for back-to-back wins came up a spot short as he brought the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink #17 home second. The result marked his third podium in the last four races and 10th overall of the year, making him the seventh driver to reach double digit top threes. Haudenschild felt it took him a little too long to get going early in the race to have a chance at challenging Abreu.
“I don’t know if his car was better,” Haudenschild said. “I think Rico did a really good job. He was hammering it right from the get go. I probably waited 10 or 12 laps until I really got with it there.”
Rounding out the top three was Clovis, CA phenom – Corey Day – aboard the Jason Meyers Racing #14. “The Golden State” teenager was making only his 16th career World of Outlaws Feature start and notched his third podium. It served as a revitalizing result for Day after getting caught up in a wreck during Thursday’s opener. Day also continued his trend of success at Skagit after topping both prelims of Dirt Cup in June with the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) before running third in the finale.
“Last night didn’t go our way. I felt like we had a really good car and just wasn’t really given the chance there to see what we could do,” Day said. “To come here and run good with NARC is one thing, but to come here and run good with the Outlaws is a completely different thing. These are the best guys in the country.”
Donny Schatz and David Gravel completed the top five. With his fifth place run and Brad Sweet coming home 10th, Gravel chipped 10 points off Sweet’s championship lead. The margin now sits at 68 markers.
Gravel also claimed the Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award, his 10th of the season and 107th of his career.
Robbie Price wheeled the Sides Motorsports #7S from 25th to 15th for the KSE Racing Hard Charger.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One was topped by David Gravel (233rd Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four went to Spencer Bayston (19th of career), Donny Schatz (521st of career), and Rico Abreu (41st of career).
James McFadden won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Trey Starks. After a Heat Race crash ended his Thursday night early, Starks was caught up in a Feature crash on Friday to end his main event.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are at Skagit Speedway for the third straight night on Saturday, September 2 for the $26,000-to-win finale of the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 24-Rico Abreu[2]; 2. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[3]; 3. 14-Corey Day[6]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz[5]; 5. 2-David Gravel[1]; 6. 9-Kasey Kahne[8]; 7. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[12]; 8. 41-Carson Macedo[13]; 9. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[4]; 10. 49-Brad Sweet[9]; 11. 2X-Justin Sanders[10]; 12. 83-James McFadden[21]; 13. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[17]; 14. 1S-Logan Schuchart[23]; 15. 7S-Robbie Price[25]; 16. 5-Spencer Bayston[7]; 17. 1T-Tanner Holmes[22]; 18. 21-Cole Macedo[11]; 19. 18S-Jason Solwold[20]; 20. 21S-Jesse Schlotfeldt[16]; 21. 99-Eric Fisher[19]; 22. 19-Colby Thornhill[24]; 23. 9A-Luke Didiuk[18]; 24. 95-Justin Youngquist[15]; 25. (DNF) 55-Trey Starks[14]
HOLY HAUD: Sheldon Haudenschild Wheels from 16th to Victory on Night One of Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals
Haudenschild completes amazing drive for biggest charge to World of Outlaws victory in six years
BURLINGTON, WA (August 31, 2023) - On Thursday night at Skagit Speedway, Sheldon Haudenschild did Sheldon Haudenschild things.
He’s known for his exciting driving style. He’s known for venturing to lanes on the racetrack others shy away from. He’s known for bringing the fans to their feet. And he used every ounce of those traits on his way to victory on night one of the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals. With a drive that undoubtedly made his legendary father – Jac Haudenschild – proud, Sheldon wheeled the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing machine from 16th to the win. The Wooster, OH native sliced through the field in a thrilling display and snatched the lead from Brad Sweet on the final lap to secure a revitalizing victory.
“I feel like we say it every time, but it’s been a struggle of a year,” Haudenschild said. “We want to win more than anything, and we just haven’t put ourselves in position. We didn’t tonight either, but we got it done.”
The 16th spot was the farthest back a driver had won a World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car race from since Logan Schuchart drove from 19th at Kings Speedway (Hanford, CA) on March 31, 2017 – a 466 race gap.
Haudenschild is up to three World of Outlaws wins for the season and 34 for his career. The win was his third at Skagit, putting him in a tie for the second most in Series history at the Burlington, WA oval.
Another fact making the triumph even sweeter? Haudenschild was celebrating his 30th birthday – the second time he’s topped a Skagit race as a b-day celebration.
When the 30-lap Feature began it was Tanner Holmes and Giovanni Scelzi leading the field to green. Heading into Turn 1 Scelzi pulled ahead for the early advantage to pace the opening circuit.
Scelzi quickly neared traffic only a few laps into the main event, and the racing up front ramped up. Holmes closed in and took a swing at the top spot but Scelzi fended him off. Shortly after Holmes’ attempt for the lead, Brad Sweet and James McFadden slipped by to take the second and third spots.
Chaos struck on the 10th lap when Scelzi smacked the front stretch wall and bounced into McFadden who was challenging for the lead. The contact caused McFadden to spin and brought out a caution.
In the second half of the race the leaders again faced heavy lapped traffic. Scelzi struggled to work through the slower cars, and Sweet closed in. Then on Lap 19, “The Big Cat” pounced with a slide job to take over the top spot. The four-time and defending champion then pulled ahead as the race dipped inside 10 laps to go.
Behind Sweet, Haudenschild was surging in the NOS Energy Drink #17. He located a line in Turns 3 and 4 that nobody else could navigate. The gasser from “The Buckeye State” put all four tires in the fluff entering Turn 3 and powered down the banking to the bottom to get a huge run down the front straightaway.
“I feel like there after one of the restarts I kind of packed it in a little bit,” Haudenschild said of finding the groove. “I saw the 18 (Scelzi) up there doing it. Then it looked like he kind of aborted mission. I felt really smooth up there and could diamond that corner off and stay away from that ledge in Turn 4.”
On the 21st circuit, Haudenschild moved into fourth. Two laps later he moved into the runner-up spot.
Over the next few circuits Haudenschild quickly closed on the tail of the Kasey Kahne Racing #49. A couple close calls with lapped traffic nearly cost him an opportunity to take the lead as the laps waned.
But Haudenschild rallied with a major run with two laps to go and looked underneath Sweet heading into Turn 1. Sweet fended him off and took the white flag a car length ahead. Sweet went low in Turns 1 and 2 while Haudenschild went high and blasted by Sweet exiting Turn 2. Haudenschild protected in Turns 3 and 4 and held on to cap an incredible drive.
“I thought I got my nose under Corey (Day) and he’d let me by there but had to kind of take one lap off and regain how to get around him,” Haudenschild said of being in traffic late. “I had to see if it was plausible to go run the 49 down. It was close. He pushed in Turns 3 and 4 the one time, and I kind of figured we had to go then.”
Sweet’s runner-up marked his 23rd podium of the World of Outlaws season. While coming up short after taking the white flag with the lead was disappointing, Sweet did manage to extend his points lead as he pursues his fifth straight championship. The Grass Valley, CA native admitted he might’ve become a little too conservative in the closing laps.
“I wasn’t getting by those last couple lapped cars,” Sweet said. “I felt like they were setting a pretty good pace and I was setting a good enough pace, I thought. But obviously Sheldon found a new line, and that’s what it takes to win these races is searching around. My car didn’t really like to go up in the rough stuff, so I just kind of committed to staying down in the racing groove. I got a little free at the end but maybe just a little too conservative.”
Rounding out the top three was early race leader – Gio Scelzi. The KCP Racing pilot led the opening 18 laps, but the damage sustained after his contact with the wall made it difficult to drive his #18 machine. He still managed to hold on for his fifth podium of his rookie World of Outlaws campaign.
“I knocked the Jacobs Ladder off of it, and it wasn’t undriveable, just made it really hard to get up and get your right rear (tire) propped up and run above all the stuff like Sheldon was,” Scelzi said. “You could pass guys high and low. It was just really treacherous off (Turn) 4 where the curb was and on exit.”
Tanner Holmes and Spencer Bayston completed the top five.
Haudenschild’s 16th to the win drive earned him the KSE Racing Hard Charger honors.
Tanner Holmes claimed his second Simpson Performance Products QuickTime Award in six races since joining Shark Racing.
CASE No.1 Engine Oil Heat One went to Tanner Holmes (first Heat Race win of career). NOS Energy Drink Heats Two through Four were topped by Donny Schatz (520th of career), Carson Macedo (109th of career), and James McFadden (47th of career).
Tanner Holmes won the Toyota Racing Dash.
Robbie Price claimed the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.
UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are back at Skagit Speedway for night two of the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals on Friday, September 1 before Saturday’s $26,000 finale. For tickets, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
RESULTS:
NOS Energy Drink Feature (30 Laps): 1. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild[16]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet[4]; 3. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[2]; 4. 1T-Tanner Holmes[1]; 5. 5-Spencer Bayston[7]; 6. 15-Donny Schatz[8]; 7. 9-Kasey Kahne[13]; 8. 2-David Gravel[3]; 9. 41S-Dominic Scelzi[14]; 10. 24-Rico Abreu[9]; 11. 83JR-Michael Kofoid[20]; 12. 83-James McFadden[6]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[12]; 14. 41-Carson Macedo[5]; 15. 18S-Jason Solwold[11]; 16. 1S-Logan Schuchart[15]; 17. 2X-Justin Sanders[18]; 18. 7S-Robbie Price[21]; 19. 14-Corey Day[10]; 20. 21S-Jesse Schlotfeldt[22]; 21. 95-Justin Youngquist[23]; 22. 21-Cole Macedo[24]; 23. (DNF) 9A-Luke Didiuk[17]; 24. (DNF) 20G-Noah Gass[19]
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Paragon Hosts Xtreme Outlaws in Heat of Points Battle
McIntosh, Avedisian separated by 23 points with eight races left
PARAGON, IN (Aug. 30, 2023) – The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota dips into the home stretch of the season with its first-ever trip to Indiana this Friday-Saturday, Sept. 1-2, at Paragon Speedway.
Twenty-one races down, eight remain. Only three race weekends are left on the 2023 Series schedule, and the points battle is tightening up in the race for the Series championship and the $25,000 grand prize.
Paragon will play a crucial role in setting the stage for the championship battle going into the final race weekend before the October season finale in Oklahoma. A $4,000-to-win program on Friday night precedes a $5,000-to-win program on Saturday, accompanied by 410 Non-Wing Sprint Cars both nights plus Bombers on Friday and Hornets on Saturday.
A paperclip-shaped, 3/8-mile oval, Paragon is one of Indiana’s many dirt tracks home to weekly Non-Wing Sprint Car racing. The track, located 40 miles Southwest of Indianapolis, hosts the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets for the first time in the two-day stretch.
Tickets for each night of racing will be on sale at the gate on race day. If you can’t be at the track to watch in person, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
Here are the drivers to watch and storylines to follow this weekend:
MAC IS BACK – Back-to-back top-five runs for Cannon McIntosh at Davenport have he and the Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports squad re-energized and ready to take on Paragon this weekend – a place they’re already familiar with.
In the last national Midget series event held at Paragon – a USAC-sanctioned event during 2021 Indiana Midget Week – McIntosh grabbed the lead early in the 30-lap main event and led through the white flag but stumbled getting into Turn 3, opening the door for Thomas Meseraull to slip underneath and steal the win coming to the checkers.
This time, the team is coming in with the Series points lead and momentum from a solid outing last weekend. McIntosh was highly competitive on both nights at Davenport – his top-five runs were first in back-to-back fashion since late July – and he now holds a 24-point gap over Jade Avedisian in the championship standings with only three race weekends left.
KEEPING PACE – A difference of a single point was made to Jade Avedisian’s gap to McIntosh in the points standings after Davenport. Her ability to keep pace with the leader is setting the Series up for an epic finale in Oklahoma in October, where she and Keith Kunz Motorsports (KKM) will try and capture a national championship in their first season together.
Avedisian, 16, of Clovis, CA, closed her gap from 24 down to 23 points after finishes of seventh and third in Davenport last weekend. Once again, she takes on a track she’s not yet seen before this Friday-Saturday, visiting Paragon for the first time in her career.
The last time she ventured into unchartered territory, she nearly won, running second to Daison Pursley in the final race of Appalachian Midget Week at Path Valley Speedway Park. She did win in her first-ever appearance in Ohio at Atomic Speedway in late July, beating Daniel Whitley to the line in a last-lap pass for the win.
To regain the points lead she took after two events at I-55 Raceway three weeks ago, or at least prevent the gap from widening, she’ll need to match or better McIntosh’s finishes this weekend.
BEEN HERE, DONE THAT – Thomas Meseraull is no stranger to Paragon Speedway. A Midget winner and multi-time Sprint Car Feature starter at the venue, he’ll be the RMS Racing representative on the roster this weekend behind the wheel of the Envirofab, Spike/Engler No. 7x.
Meseraull, the veteran open-wheel racer from San Jose, CA, triumphed over the USAC Indiana Midget Week field at Paragon in 2021, beating McIntosh on a last-lap, last-corner pass for the win. Several Non-Wing Sprint Car starts there under his belt will also help his case, entering the event as one of, if not, the most experienced racer on the roster.
This past weekend at Davenport, Meseraull notched a fourth-place finish on Friday before mechanical failure kept his car out of competition on Saturday. The team has since made repairs and will truck to Paragon in search of their first Series victory this weekend.
SO CLOSE – Ryan Timms’ first Xtreme Outlaw start since early June last weekend at Davenport showed exactly how close he’s come to his first career Series victory.
Timms, the 17-year-old open-wheel star from Oklahoma City, OK, led the first 23 laps of Friday’s main event before a stray object punctured a hole in the oil tank of his JBL Audio, Lynk/Toyota #67, retiring him to the infield under green. The Keith Kunz Motorsports team swapped engines for Saturday and Timms rebounded nicely, competing inside the podium all race and crossing the stripe with a runner-up finish.
He'll again be one of four KKM entrants on the roster this weekend, taking on Paragon for the second time in his national Midget career after an 11th-place finish there with USAC in 2021.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
When and where
Thursday-Friday, Sept. 1-2 at Paragon Speedway in Paragon, IN
On the internet
Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota
Twitter – @Xtreme_Outlaw
Instagram – @XtremeOutlaw
Facebook – @XtremeOutlawSeries.WRG
Live broadcast
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com. Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month.
Current championship points standings (view full standings)
Cannon McIntosh: 4337 points | Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #08
Jade Avedisian: 4314 points (-23) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #71
Gavin Miller: 4248 points (-89) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #97
Zach Daum: 4232 points (-105) | Trifecta Motorsports #7U
Chase McDermand: 4197 points (-140) | Mounce/Stout Motorsports #40
Taylor Reimer: 4118 points (-219) | Keith Kunz Motorsports #25K
Hayden Reinbold: 3643 points (-694) | Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports #19AZ
Chance Crum: 2910 points (-1427) | Rudeen Racing #26
Austin Barnhill: 2649 points (-1688) | Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports #17B
Ethan Mitchell: 2497 points (-1840) | Bundy Built Motorsports #19M
Toyota Feature winners (9 drivers)
4 wins – Cannon McIntosh (Dave Mac-Dalby Motorsports), Jade Avedisian (Keith Kunz Motorsports), Chase McDermand (Mounce/Stout Motorsports), Zach Daum (Trifecta Motorsports)
1 win – Jesse Love (Chad Boat Industries), Daniel Whitley (Abacus Racing), Karter Sarff (Sarff Racing), Daison Pursley (Reinbold/Underwood Motorsports), Gavin Miller (Keith Kunz Motorsports)
Toyota Feature laps led (16 drivers)
96 laps – Jade Avedisian
80 laps – Cannon McIntosh
64 laps – Chase McDermand
59 laps – Daniel Whitley
58 laps – Zach Daum
51 laps – Ryan Timms
41 laps – Karter Sarff
36 laps – Gavin Miller
33 laps – Kyle Jones
30 laps – Daison Pursley
26 laps – Thomas Meseraull
22 laps – Shane Cottle
21 laps – Ashton Torgerson
11 laps – Hayden Reinbold
4 laps – Jesse Love
1 lap – Nick Drake
Whitz RC Racing Products Quick Time Awards (13 drivers)
4 awards – Cannon McIntosh
2 awards – Ethan Mitchell, Daniel Whitley, Chase McDermand, Zach Daum, Ryan Timms
1 award – Gavin Miller, Hayden Reinbold, Jesse Love, Kevin Thomas Jr, Joe B. Miller, Corbin Rueschenberg, Briggs Danner
Heat Race winners (21 drivers)
9 wins – Jade Avedisian
8 wins – Chase McDermand
6 wins – Cannon McIntosh, Zach Daum
5 wins – Hayden Reinbold
3 wins – Ethan Mitchell, Gavin Miller, Daison Pursley
2 wins – Chance Crum, Nick Drake, Corbin Rueschenberg, Andrew Felker, Daniel Whitley
1 win – Austin Barnhill, Shane Cottle, Thomas Meseraull, Kyle Jones, Rico Abreu, Briggs Danner, Chase Johnson, Ryan Timms
High-points honors (15 drivers)
4 honors – Cannon McIntosh
2 honors – Daniel Whitley, Jade Avedisian, Chase McDermand
1 honor – Gavin Miller, Chance Crum, Rico Abreu, Landon Brooks, Briggs Danner, Hayden Reinbold, Kyle Jones, Andrew Felker, Daison Pursley, Zach Daum, Ryan Timms
Last Chance Showdown wins (12 drivers)
2 wins – Kyle Jones
1 win – Landon Brooks, Karter Sarff, Howard Moore, Ryan Timms, Taylor Reimer, Henry Chambers, Chance Crum, Chase Briscoe, Mitchell Davis, Cannon McIntosh, Corbin Rueschenberg
DIRTVision Hard Charger Awards (17 drivers)
2 awards – Hayden Reinbold, Kyle Jones, Taylor Reimer, Zach Daum
1 award – Mitchel Moles, Chase Johnson, Ryan Timms, Chance Crum, Gavan Boschele, Chase McDermand, Shane Cottle, Cooper Williams, Cannon McIntosh, Jerry Coons Jr, Jade Avedisian, Steve Buckwalter, Gavin Miller
Podium finishes (17 drivers)
9 podiums – Chase McDermand, Cannon McIntosh, Zach Daum
8 podiums – Jade Avedisian
5 podiums – Taylor Reimer, Gavin Miller
3 podiums – Daniel Whitley
2 podiums – Shane Cottle, Kyle Jones, Ryan Timms
1 podium – Thomas Meseraull, Ashton Torgerson, Landon Brooks, Jesse Love, Jerry Coons Jr, Karter Sarff, Daison Pursley, Hayden Reinbold
Top-10 finishes (43 drivers)
19 top-10s – Cannon McIntosh, Gavin Miller
19 top-10s – Jade Avedisian
16 top-10s – Chase McDermand, Zach Daum
14 top-10s – Taylor Reimer
9 top-10s – Chance Crum
7 top-10s – Kyle Jones, Ethan Mitchell, Hayden Reinbold
5 top-10s – Landon Brooks, Daniel Whitley, Karter Sarff
4 top-10s – Gavan Boschele, Austin Barnhill, Thomas Meseraull, Corbin Rueschenberg, Ryan Timms
3 top-10s – Chase Johnson, Briggs Danner, Cooper Williams
2 top-10s – Shane Cottle, Chase Briscoe, Kevin Thomas Jr, Branigan Roark, Andrew Felker, Jerry Coons Jr, Mariah Ede, Daison Pursley, Tim Buckwalter, Mitchell Davis
1 top-10 – Mitchel Moles, Daniel Adler, Sam Johnson, Rico Abreu, Ashton Torgerson, Don Droud Jr, Nick Drake, Jesse Love, Trey Marcham, Joe B. Miller, Preston Lattomus, Kyle Beilman
2023 Schedule & Winners – Race No. Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Fri, March 10 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Cannon McIntosh (1)
2. Sat, March 11 / Southern Illinois Center / Du Quoin, IL / Jade Avedisian (1)
3. Fri, April 14 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Cannon McIntosh (2)
4. Fri, May 5 / Humboldt Speedway / Humboldt, KS / Chase McDermand (1)
5. Sat, May 6 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Chase McDermand (2)
6. Tue, May 22 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (3)
7. Wed, May 23 / Millbridge Speedway / Salisbury, NC / Cannon McIntosh (4)
8. Thu, June 1 / Tri-City Speedway / Pontoon Beach, IL / Jesse Love (1)
9. Fri, June 2 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (1)
10. Sat, June 3 / Wayne County Speedway / Wayne City, IL / Zach Daum (2)
11. Fri, July 21 / Doe Run Raceway / Doe Run, MO / Zach Daum (3)
12. Sat, July 22 / Southern Illinois Raceway / Marion, IL / Jade Avedisian (2)
13. Sat, July 29 / Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, OH / Jade Avedisian (3)
14. Sun, July 30 / Brushcreek Motorsports Complex / Peebles, OH / Daniel Whitley (1)
15. Fri, Aug. 4 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Karter Sarff (1)
16. Sat, Aug. 5 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Pevely, MO / Jade Avedisian (4)
17. Tue, Aug. 8 / Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway / Newmanstown, PA / Chase McDermand (3)
18. Wed, Aug. 9 / Action Track USA / Kutztown, PA / Chase McDermand (4)
19. Fri, Aug. 11 / Path Valley Speedway Park / Spring Run, PA / Daison Pursley (1)
20. Fri, Aug. 25 / Davenport Speedway / Davenport, IA / Zach Daum (4)
21. Sat, Aug. 26 / Davenport Speedway / Davenport, IA / Gavin Miller (1)
Photo credit – Jacy Norgaard
The Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series is brought to fans by important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Toyota (Title sponsor of the Midgets Series), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier) and SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider). Other partners include: TJ Forged and Whitz Racing Products.
PROUDLY REPRESENTING: Robbie Price Looks to Create More Career-Defining Moments in Washington
After joining Sides Motorsports last year, Price now heads to home region as a full-time rookie hoping to make fans proud
BURLINGTON, WA (August 30, 2023) - The Pacific Northwest is a special place for Robbie Price. Not only is it the region he proudly represents on the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car tour, but it’s also home to some of his career-defining moments.
Washington’s Skagit Speedway is an especially meaningful place for the 25-year-old from Cobble Hill, BC. Back in 2015, Price collected his first career Sprint Car win at the 3/10 mile. Two years later he became a track champion. Then, fast forward two more years to when Price claimed his biggest career victory – the Super Dirt Cup.
The event is one of Skagit’s premier races and is the Northwest’s most coveted jewel. The race has eclipsed 50 years of history, and in 2019 Price topped the 48th edition in a moment that he’ll always cherish.
“I grew up going to Dirt Cup watching,” Price said. “I remember when Jayme Barnes won it, and everyone was super excited about a local finally winning it. It had been a while. Watching him win it was really cool. And then obviously winning it was extremely cool. Being the first Canadian to do so and the youngest at the same time was really cool. Amazing night. That’s what we’re here doing. Everyone wants to have those type of nights.”
That accomplishment helped lead Price to his current opportunity of touring the country with The Greatest Show on Dirt, driving for Sides Motorsports. The travels will lead him to this week’s Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals (Aug. 31-Sept. 2) at Skagit Speedway before a visit to Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, WA on Monday, Sept. 4.
Last year, Price competed at the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals aboard the Sides #7S leading to another career highlight. On the final night of the event, Price earned his second career World of Outlaws top five to make his fans proud on the sport’s biggest stage.
“The first two nights we kind of struggled,” Price recalled. “Not struggled so much, but just didn’t really start the night the way we needed to. We just kind of started mid-field and ended mid-field. On the third night, I was actually able to put it in the Dash and put a whole night together. I go home, and I want to run good and have expectations to run good, so it’s nice to meet some of those.”
Now, Price gets to head to his home region amid his first full season as a rookie on the World of Outlaws tour. Throughout Series history, the Pacific Northwest hasn’t been the most thoroughly represented region. But Robbie Price is changing that trend one race at a time in 2023 and actually has a connection with one of the few who came before him.
“It’s really cool,” Price said of representing the Northwest on the tour. “There’s not a whole lot of people from out there that have been out here doing this. I grew up around there watching. My dad raced there. He owned another car which Chad Hillier drove for a couple years. We used to always go down and stay at Chad’s and watched his kid grow up. So, it was really cool, and obviously Chad has been on the Outlaw tour before. It’s cool looking back now.
“Obviously, everybody wants to be on the Outlaw tour at least one point in their life if they drive Sprint Cars I’d imagine. I can’t speak for everybody, but I feel like that’s probably the goal. So, just to be able to say I’ve done that one and a half times now is a pretty cool accomplishment.”
Price is enjoying his life on the road competing weekly with the toughest competition, but he’s looking forward to a trip back to familiar territory. The Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals and Monday’s stop at Grays Harbor present opportunities for Price to revisit familiar places and faces and also the chance to create more important memories in the region that shaped him.
“I’m really excited,” Price said of the upcoming races. “I feel bad for guys like J-Mac (James McFadden) that never get to go home. I’m lucky to go home once or twice in the year. It’s hard to explain until you’re out here what being away from home is like. I’ve been in Washington state for a while now, so I’ve been away from home-home for a long time, and now I’m away from my second home. It’s different. It’s tough. Obviously, I want to go home. I like being home. But I also know at the same time that I can’t race the way I want to if I’m at home. It’s a give and take.”
For tickets to the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals and Grays Harbor Raceway, CLICK HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, catch all of the action live on DIRTVision.
1 MONTH ALERT: Outlaw v.s. PA Posse Battle Resumes at National Open in September
MECHANICSBURG, PA (Aug. 30, 2023) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series sets course for Pennsylvania at the end of September for a prestigous crown jewel event at Williams Grove Speedway.
The Greatest Show on Dirt returns to the historic 1/2-mile speedway, Friday-Saturday, Sept. 29-30, to award $75,000 and the title of Champion Racing Oil National Open champion.
It's a bucket list event for any Sprint Car fan, featuring one of the most impressive entry list of drivers for the year.
World of Outlaws stars like 10-time Series champion and six-time National Open winner Donny Schatz, four-time and reigning Series champion Brad Sweet, two-time National Open winner David Gravel and 2021 National Open winner Carson Macedo will lead the charge against PA Posse stars like five-time National Open winner Lance Dewease, 2019 National Open winner Brent Marks, 2016 National Open winner Danny Dietrich and more.
Last year, Dewease, of Fayetteville, PA and more than 100-time winner at Williams Grove, scored his fifth National Open title. There have been four different National Open winners in the last four events – Dewease (2022), Macedo (2021), Schatz (2020) and Marks (2019). And, in the last four World of Outlaws races at Williams Grove, there have also been four different winners – Rico Abreu, Logan Schuchart, Sweet and Dewease.
What you need to know:
More Event Info
Track:
1/2 mile in Mechanicsburg, PA
Track Record: TJ Stutts on April 8, 2023
Times (ET):
4 p.m. Pit Gates Open
5 p.m. Grandstand Gates Open
7 p.m. Hot Laps/Qualifying
-Racing to follow
Tickets: Available HERE
Last Year’s Recap Video (Oct. 22, 2022):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDwXwp78rpQ
Previous winners:
2023 – Brad Sweet on May 12, Logan Schuchart on July 21, Rico Abreu on July 22
2022 - Brent Marks on May 14, Lance Dewease on July 22, Sept. 30 & Oct. 22, Brad Sweet on July 23
2021 –Carson Macedo on May 14, Aaron Reutzel on May 15, Sheldon Haudenschild on July 23, Brent Marks on July 24, Kyle Larson on Oct. 1, Carson Macedo on Oct. 2
2020 – Shane Stewart on July 24, David Gravel on July 25, David Gravel on Oct. 2, Donny Schatz on Oct. 3
2019 – David Gravel on May 17, Lance Dewease on May 18, Tim Shaffer on July 26, Donny Schatz on July 27, David Gravel on Oct. 4, Brent Marks on Oct. 5
2018 – Lance Dewease on July 20, Gio Scelzi on Sept. 28, Lance Dewease on Sept. 29,
2017 – David Gravel on May 19, Shane Stewart on May 20, Brock Zearfoss on July 21, Greg Hodnett on Sept. 28 (makeup from 7/22), David Gravel on Sept. 28, James McFadden on Sept. 29, David Gravel on Sept. 30
2016 – Lance Dewease on May 20, Daryn Pittman on July 22, Lance Dewease on July 23, Danny Dietrich on Oct. 14
2015 – Donny Schatz on May 15, Danny Dietrich on July 24, Stevie Smith on July 25, Stevie Smith on Oct. 4
2014 – Daryn Pittman on May 16, Daryn Pittman on May 17, Greg Hodnett on July 18, Lance Dewease on July 19, David Gravel on Oct. 4
2013 – Donny Schatz on May 17, Donny Schatz on July 20, Don Kreitz Jr. on Oct. 4, Fred Rahmer on Oct. 5
2012 – Fred Rahmer on May 11, Steve Kinser on May 12, Cody Darrah on July 21, Paul McMahan on Sept. 28, Donny Schatz on Sept. 29
2011 – Daryn Pittman on May 13, Greg Hodnett on July 22, Jason Meyers on July 23, Jason Meyers on Sept. 30, Jason Meyers on Oct. 7
2010 – Chad Layton on May 13, Fred Rahmer on May 14, Lance Dewease on July 23, Greg Hodnett on July 24, Greg Hodnett on Oct. 1, Sammy Swindell on Oct. 2
2009 – Greg Hodnett on May 14, Greg Hodnett on July 24, Greg Hodnett on Oct. 3, Cody Darrah on Oct. 3 (Completion of July 25 event)
2008 – Steve Kinser on May 15, Daryn Pittman on July 18, Donny Schatz on July 19
2007 – Donny Schatz on May 17, Donny Schatz on May 18, Donny Schatz on July 19, Brian Leppo on July 20, Donny Schatz on July 21, Donny Schatz on Sept. 29
2006 – Fred Rahmer on May 26, Fred Rahmer on May 27, Terry McCarl on July 20, Craig Dollansky on July 21, Daryn Pittman on July 22, Jason Solwold on Sept. 29, Doug Esh on Sept. 30
2005 – Craig Dollansky on May 26, Steve Kinser on May 27, Jason Johnson on July 21, Paul McMahan on July 23, Fred Rahmer on July 23, Donny Schatz on Oct. 1
2004 – Fred Rahmer on May 27, Don Kreitz Jr. on May 28, Lance Dewease on July 23, Danny Lasoski on July 24, Mark Smith on Oct. 1, Donny Schatz on Oct. 2
2003 – Don Kreitz, Jr. on July 24, Donny Schatz on July 25, Donny Schatz on July 26, Donny Schatz on Oct. 3, Steve Kinser on Oct. 4
2002 – Steve Kinser on May 16, Danny Lasoski on July 25, Joey Saldana on July 26, Greg Hodnett on July 27, Lance Dewease on Sept. 28
2001 – Donny Schatz on May 17, Donny Schatz on July 26 (completed May 18 event), Donny Schatz on July 26, Don Kreitz Jr., on July 27, Tim Shaffer on Sept. 28, Lance Dewease on Sept. 29
2000 – Mark Kinser on May 18, Fred Rahmer on May 19, Lance Dewease on July 27, Sammy Swindell on July 29, Steve Kinser on Sept. 29, Donny Schatz on Sept. 30
1999 – Mark Kinser on May 27, Steve Kinser on May 28, Mark Kinser on July 29, Mark Kinser on July 30, Cris Eash on Oct. 1, Mark Kinser on Oct. 2
1998 – Mark Kinser on May 21, Johnny Herrera on May 22, Stevie Smith on May 29, Kevin Gobrecht on July 31, Mark Kinser on Oct. 2
1997 – Sammy Swindell on May 22, Mark Kinser on May 23, Jac Haudenschild on May 30, Mark Kinser on July 31, Mark Kinser on Aug. 1, Sammy Swindell on Oct. 3, Sammy Swindell on Oct. 4
1996 – Johnny Herrera on May 24, Mark Kinser on May 25, Steve Kinser on May 31, Steve Kinser on Aug. 1, Mark Kinser on Aug. 2, Lance Dewease on Oct. 4, Lance Dewease on Oct. 5
1995 – Steve Kinser on May 26, Dave Blaney on Aug. 3, Mark Kinser on Aug. 4, Mark Kinser on Sept. 29, Mark Kinser on Sept. 30
1994 – Dave Blaney on May 26, Steve Kinser on May 27, Andy Hillenburg on June 3, Jeff Swindell on Aug. 4, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 5, Lance Dewease on Sept. 30, Steve Kinser on Oct. 1
1993 – Dave Blaney on May 27, Don Kreitz Jr., on May 28, Dave Blaney on June 4, Steve Kinser on Aug. 5, Steve Kinser on Oct. 1, Don Kreitz Jr. on Oct. 3
1992 – Mark Kinser on May 21, Don Kreitz Jr., on May 22, Don Kreitz Jr., on May 29, Steve Kinser on July 30, Steve Kinser on July 31, Keith Kauffman on Oct. 2, Steve Kinser on Oct. 3
1991 – Steve Kinser on May 23, Steve Kinser on May 24, Sammy Swindell on May 31, Mark Kinser on Aug. 1, Steve Kinser on Aug. 2, Sammy Swindell on Oct. 4, Stevie Smith on Oct. 6
1990 – Steve Kinser on May 24, Steve Kinser on May 25, Sammy Swindell on June 1, Steve Kinser on Aug. 2, Steve Kinser on Aug. 3, Steve Kinser on Sept. 28, Steve Kinser on Sept. 29
1989 – Bobby Allen on May 25, Sammy Swindell on May 26, Bobby Allen on June 2, Bobby Davis Jr., on July 27, Bobby Davis Jr., on July 28, Stevie Smith on Sept. 29, Stevie Smith on Sept. 30
1988 – Bobby Davis, Jr. on May 26, Bobby Davis Jr., on May 27, Mark Kinser on June 3, Cris Eash on July 28, Steve Kinser on July 29
1987 – Ron Shuman on May 21, Steve Kinser on May 22, Steve Kinser on May 29, Steve Kinser on July 30, Steve Kinser on July 31
1986 – Doug Wolfgang on May 22, Doug Wolfgang on May 23, Bobby Allen on May 30, Jac Haudenschild on July 31, Bobby Allen on Aug. 1
1985 – Keith Kauffman on May 24, Steve Kinser on May 31, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 1, Doug Wolfgang on Aug. 2
1984 – Steve Kinser on May 24, Steve Kinser on May 25, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 1, Brad Doty on Aug. 2, Steve Kinser on Aug. 3
1983 – Bobby Davis, Jr. on May 26, Bobby Davis Jr., on May 27, Steve Kinser on Aug. 4, Sammy Swindell on Aug. 5
1982 – Sammy Swindell on May 13, Bobby Allen on May 14, Bobby Allen on May 21
1981 – Steve Kinser on June 5, Steve Kinser on June 12
1980 – Sammy Swindell on May 16, Bill Stief on July 25, Keith Kauffman on July 26
1979 – Lynn Paxton on July 27
1978 – Kramer Williamson on Sept. 24
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all the action live on DIRTVision.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: West Coast Swing Begins with Lucrative Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals, Grays Harbor Visit
Three nights at Skagit with a $26,000-to-win finale and a Monday trip to Grays Harbor kick off three-week visit to the left coast
BURLINGTON, WA (August 29, 2023) - Washington is calling, and the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars are here to answer for a new west coast adventure.
A nearly 1,500-mile journey will take The Greatest Show on Dirt to Burlington, WA where Skagit Speedway awaits to host the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals. The three-night tilt (Aug. 31-Sept. 2) concludes with a $26,000-to-win finale. The overall purse over the trio of races at Skagit exceeds $180,000. Then, after a day off on Sunday, the tour travels to Elma, WA’s Grays Harbor Raceway for a Monday night battle on Sept. 4. The four races in five nights signal the start of a three-week stay on the left coast with California waiting to host the nation’s top drivers over the following two weekends. With the ongoing championship battle that has Brad Sweet 56 markers ahead of Carson Macedo, many drivers expected to make their season debut, and major money on the line, the 2023 west coast swing guarantees to deliver plenty of excitement beginning this week in Washington.
BUY SKAGIT TICKETS
BUY GRAYS HARBOR TICKETS
Let’s look at some of the weekend’s top storylines:
SHARK ATTACK: Fittingly, as the World of Outlaws head toward the ocean Shark Racing is carrying most the momentum thanks to Logan Schuchart. The Hanover, PA native is fresh off sweeping the weekend in North Dakota for wins four and five of 2023 – hitting 40 wins overall in his career.
All signs point toward the speed continuing as Schuchart owns an impressive Skagit résumé. Bobby Allen’s grandson is a three-time winner at the Burlington ova,l including claiming the 2019 Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals title. A fourth win this week would equal him with Donny Schatz as the winningest driver in Series history at Skagit.
While Schuchart hasn’t been quite as consistent at Grays Harbor, he did make a 2021 trip to Victory Lane.
COAST-TO-COAST: You can’t get much farther apart geographically than Connecticut and Washington, but that hasn’t stopped Watertown, CT native David Gravel from excelling in the Pacific Northwest state.
Like Schuchart, he’s a three-time Skagit victor hoping to equal Schatz’s record tally of triumphs. Gravel and his Big Game Motorsports #2 crew are also the defending Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals champions. The 31-year-old hasn’t finished worse than ninth in his last 14 starts at Skagit.
Over at Grays Harbor, Gravel is yet to win but he carries a streak of six consecutive top fives there including a trio of podiums highlighted by a runner-up last year.
HOME TURF: Neither Robbie Price or Tanner Holmes hail from Washington, but Skagit and Grays Harbor are a pair of tracks that they cut their teeth at while making a name for themselves.
Price came from Cobble Hill, BC, Canada. Skagit is home to perhaps Price’s biggest career win when he topped the 2019 Dirt Cup. Last year, he posted a top five with the World of Outlaws on the final night of the Sage Fruit Skagit Nationals.
Holmes grew up a state south of Washington in Oregon. The 19-year-old posted a trio of Skagit top fives at this year’s Dirt Cup including a runner-up on the second prelim. The week prior to Dirt Cup, Holmes podiumed with the Northern Auto Racing Club (NARC) at Grays Harbor. Holmes will return to his home region as the driver of the Shark Racing #1T on the World of Outlaws tour.
PNW FTW?: The Pacific Northwest has produced its fair share of notable Sprint Car names, and some of the region’s current best intend to test their talents against the best this weekend.
The local that consistently stands out best suited to battle with The Greatest |