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The World of Outlaws Late Model Series Presented by DIRTVision is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners. Official partners include, Real American Beer (Official Beer), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier), Simpson Performance Products (Preferred Safety Gear Partner), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), Toyota (Official Vehicle), and VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel).  Also supported by : AMKUS, Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Behrent's Performance Warehouse, Bilstein, Capital Race Cars, Coltman Farms, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Dave Warren Powersports, Dirt King Simulators, Evolve Transporters, FAST 1 Speed Shop, FIREBULL, Fox Factory (Hard Charger Award), Gorsuch Performance, Infinity Chassis, Integra Racing Shocks, Intercomp, Jarrett Rifles, Keyser Manufacturing, Landa Pressure Washers, Lifeline USA, Longhorn Chassis, MD3, MSD, Penske Racing Shocks, Quarter Master, Reliable Painting, Rocket Chassis, STAKT Products, Swift Springs, WELD Racing, and Wieland (Exclusive Racing Aluminum).

Thornton Strikes First in Opening DIRTcar Nationals Feature with UMP Modifieds

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 29, 2026) - Ricky Thornton Jr is hunting for a spot in elite company at Volusia Speedway Park.

After winning the 2025 Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator championship in his Super Late Model, the Chandler, AZ native began his event activity with the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds in 2026 by taking a visit to Victory Lane Thursday night.

Commencing the 20-lap Feature from Pole Position, Thornton took command as his two Koehler Motorsports teammates, Evan Koehler and Jordan Koehler, followed in tow. He grew the lead to 1.7 seconds over the first seven laps of the Feature until the first caution waved for a slowing Kyle Hammer.

Thornton kept the dominance into the restart by using the cushion, while the Koehler brothers felt the “Bluegrass State” pressure of Tyler Nicely. The Owensboro, KY, racer started in 11th and worked his No. 25 machine into the top five for the restart, then used his momentum in the entrance of Turn 1 to slide under Jordan for third place. On Lap 10, Nicely powered his Modified to the inside of Evan in the same corner for second place.

At the helm of the pack, Thornton experimented with his Elite Chassis around multiple lanes before settling with the high side through Turns 1-2, then shifting the car to the bottom of Turns 3-4 to build a 2.7-second gap over Nicely.

When lapped traffic became an obstacle for Thornton to create forward progress, Nicely chopped the distance to a 1.1-second distance with five laps remaining. Thornton added lapped cars between him and Nicely, and he regained the lead by 1.8 seconds as the “Grand Canyon State” racer crossed the twin checkered flags.

With Thornton’s victory, he joins Nick Hoffman, Kyle Bronson, Ryan Gustin, and Kyle Strickler as the only drivers to win a UMP Modified and Late Model Golden Gator.

“Hats off to Nick [Hoffman] and everyone at Elite Chassis,” Thornton said. “I think I had six or seven laps before tonight, and it was really good. Really, our whole team was good. I feel like I had a really good car, I could go where I needed to, and really, I think the lapped cars made me learn a lot more about my racecar than I really thought. So hopefully I can be a little bit better come tomorrow.”

Up Next: The second night of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals will see the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds and American Sprint Car Series join forces for a Friday night battle on Jan. 30. Grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m ET, and Hot Laps will begin at 5:30 p.m.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS WEBSITE

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

Feature (20 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 2. 25-Tyler Nicely[11]; 3. 66-Cole Falloway[8]; 4. 36-Kenny Wallace[4]; 5. K9-Will Krup[3]; 6. 13-Charlie Mefford[10]; 7. 35A-Michael Altobelli[17]; 8. 35-David Stremme[7]; 9. 99H-Justin Haley[18]; 10. 77D-George Dixon[6]; 11. 97-Mitch Thomas[9]; 12. 09-Michael Ledford[14]; 13. 12L-Lucas Lee[20]; 14. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[16]; 15. 114K-Evan Koehler[1]; 16. 114-Jordan Koehler[5]; 17. 777-Trevor Neville[15]; 18. 17C-Coleman Evans[24]; 19. 77B-Ray Bollinger[23]; 20. 56-Chris Wilson[13]; 21. 3-Josh Sanford[19]; 22. 24CS-Curt Spalding[12]; 23. 45H-Kyle Hammer[21]; 24. 15X-Justin Stone[22]

ARTICLE:https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/thornton-strikes-first-in-opening-dirtcar-nationals-feature-with-ump-modifieds/ 

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 

McCreadie Collects 40th World of Outlaws Victory in Sunshine Nationals at Volusia

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 24, 2026) – Tim McCreadie made one thing clear on Saturday night at Volusia Speedway Park – he plans on being a part of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision championship conversation all year long.

Last season, the primary reason he wasn’t in contention down the stretch was his poor start to the year, as the Briggs Transport team didn’t reach Victory Lane until May. McCreadie was determined to not let that happen again, and he only needed three nights to finish the job and score his first win of the year at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

“I’ve said this before, I love winning at Volusia,” McCreadie said. “Whether it’s now, whether it’s here during Cup week, I love racing at Volusia. I wish it was up where New York was, I’d probably still be racing weekly.”

Early in the 50-lap contest, Ryan Gustin wasted no time jumping out to a sizeable lead and commanded the first 20 laps. But McCreadie was busy hustling his way through the field from the 10th starting spot, and with 20 laps on the board he had ran down the “Reaper.” McCreadie soon set sail from the rest of the pack, but a Lap 34 restart gave Gustin another shot.

With McCreadie rolling the bottom and Gustin ripping the high side, the two remained door-to-door for laps on end. But a slider with 14 to go put McCreadie on top, and he never relinquished the lead from there on his way to his third World of Outlaws win at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

“This place is different and you’ve got to build a balance,” McCreadie said. “Last night, I couldn’t steer on the bottom even though I was there the whole time. We worked on that tonight and the track kind of came to us. Felt like I was a sitting duck, but I moved back to the middle and I didn’t hear nobody anymore, so it must have been good.”

Brandon Sheppard moved up to second late to clinch the Sunshine Nationals championship, while Dennis Erb Jr., Gustin and Drake Troutman completed the top five.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision returns to Volusia Speedway Park to wrap up Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 12-14. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

RACE NOTES:

Ryan Gustin set the Dirt King Simulators Fastest Hot Lap.

Brandon Overton won the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Brandon Overton won Heat 1.

Bobby Pierce won STAKT Products Heat 2.

Ryan Gustin won Keyser Manufacturing Heat 3.

Chris Madden won Jarrett Rifles Heat 4.

Josh Rice and Ricky Thornton Jr. won the Last Chance Showdowns.

Ryan Gustin won the Bilstein Pole Award.

Ricky Thornton Jr. won the FOX Factory Hard Charger Award.

Brandon Sheppard was the WELD Racing Second-Place Finisher.

Dennis Erb Jr. was the WIX Filters Third-Place Finisher.

Ryan Gustin was the ARP Fourth-Place Finisher.

Drake Troutman was the MSD Fifth-Place Finisher.

Bobby Pierce was the Swift Springs Sixth-Place Finisher.

Ricky Thornton Jr. was the Penske Racing Shocks Seventh-Place Finisher.

Brandon Overton was VP Racing Fuels Eighth-Place Finisher.

Nick Hoffman was the Lifeline Ninth-Place Finisher.

Hudson O’Neal was the COMP Cams 10th-Place Finisher.

Chris Madden was the Quarter Master 11th-Place Finisher.

Daulton Wilson was the Cometic Gaskets 12th-Place Finisher.

Tristan Chamberlain was the Quarter Master 13th-Place Finisher.

Donald McIntosh was the ARP 14th-Place Finisher.

Dustin Sorensen was the Arizona Sport Shirts 18th-Place Finisher.

Feature (50 Laps): 1. 9M-Tim McCreadie[10]; 2. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[6]; 3. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[7]; 4. 19R-Ryan Gustin[1]; 5. 22*-Drake Troutman[12]; 6. 32-Bobby Pierce[3]; 7. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[18]; 8. 76-Brandon Overton[2]; 9. 9-Nick Hoffman[20]; 10. 6-Hudson O’Neal[5]; 11. 44-Chris Madden[4]; 12. 58V-Daulton Wilson[8]; 13. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[19]; 14. 7M-Donald McIntosh[16]; 15. 5-Mark Whitener[9]; 16. 1-Tyler Erb[25]; 17. 49-Jake Timm[24]; 18. 19-Dustin Sorensen[23]; 19. 114-Jordan Koehler[22]; 20. 1Z-Logan Zarin[15]; 21. 40B-Kyle Bronson[11]; 22. 97-Cody Overton[21]; 23. 14-Trey Mills[26]; 24. 11R-Josh Rice[17]; 25. 11S-Allen Styck[13]; 26. 55E-Eli Johnson[27]; 27. B1-Brent Larson[14]

 
 

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/mccreadie-collects-40th-world-of-outlaws-victory-in-sunshine-nationals-at-volusia/

TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

O'Neal Fends Off Erb in Friay Night Duel at Sunshine Nationals

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 23, 2026) – The K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 team wasn’t even planning on coming to DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals until days before the event. By the end of Friday night, they were glad they changed their minds.

After Hudson O’Neal finished up a two-win trip to Arizona for the Wild West Shootout, car owner Kevin Rumley elected to take a detour on his way home to Lexington, NC and swing by Volusia Speedway Park to try to keep the hot streak going. They did exactly that on Friday night, as O’Neal pulled off the wire-to-wire victory on the second night of the 2026 season for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision.

The Martinsville, IN driver powered around the outside of Bilstein Pole Award winner Brandon Overton on the start, but the No. 76 remained his closest competitor early on. The most dominant driver throughout the weekend, Chris Madden, was never far behind until he slowed at the top of Turn 4 while running second to bring out the first caution of the night.

Overton began to fade on the ensuing restart, and in his place, Tyler Erb emerged as the driver to take the fight to O’Neal. By the final lap, “Terbo” was right on O’Neal’s back bumper and dove low through Turns 1 and 2 to make it side-by-side down the backstretch. However, O’Neal had enough speed on the top to clear Erb into Turn 3, shutting the door at the checkers to seal his fourth Volusia win.

“I about gave it away going down into [Turn] 1,” O’Neal said. “I got a little bit too high, got my left-rear in the rough and it kind of jumped my right-front up. Whenever I seen [Erb] leaving [Turn] 2, I was like, ‘Oh no.’ I knew I got a better run than him, and I was just trying my best not to miss the bottom. I wasn’t sure where he was at.”

Erb crossed the line second by a car length to match his Volusia career best, while Tim McCreadie, Brandon Sheppard and Nick Hoffman made up the rest of the top five.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision will wrap up DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals on Saturday, Jan. 24, with a $20,000-to-win main event at Volusia Speedway Park. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

RACE NOTES:

Ryan Gustin set the Dirt King Simulators Fastest Hot Lap.

Chris Madden won the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Brandon Overton won Heat 1.

Hudson O’Neal won STAKT Products Heat 2.

Chris Madden won Keyser Manufacturing Heat 3.

Tyler Erb won Jarrett Rifles Heat 4.

Cody Overton and Dennis Erb Jr. won the Last Chance Showdowns.

Brandon Overton won the Bilstein Pole Award.

Bobby Pierce won the FOX Factory Hard Charger Award.

Tyler Erb was the WELD Racing Second-Place Finisher.

Tim McCreadie was the WIX Filters Third-Place Finisher.

Brandon Sheppard was the ARP Fourth-Place Finisher.

Nick Hoffman was the MSD Fifth-Place Finisher.

Max Blair was the Swift Springs Sixth-Place Finisher.

Kyle Strickler was the Penske Racing Shocks Seventh-Place Finisher.

Dale McDowell was VP Racing Fuels Eighth-Place Finisher.

Ryan Gustin was the Lifeline Ninth-Place Finisher.

Bobby Pierce was the COMP Cams 10th-Place Finisher.

Drake Troutman was the Quarter Master 11th-Place Finisher.

Cody Overton was the Cometic Gaskets 12th-Place Finisher.

Brandon Overton was the Quarter Master 13th-Place Finisher.

Dennis Erb Jr. was the ARP 14th-Place Finisher.

Logan Zarin was the Arizona Sport Shirts 18th-Place Finisher.

Feature (35 Laps): 1. 6-Hudson O’Neal[2]; 2. 1-Tyler Erb[4]; 3. 9M-Tim McCreadie[11]; 4. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[5]; 5. 9-Nick Hoffman[8]; 6. 111-Max Blair[7]; 7. 8-Kyle Strickler[9]; 8. 17M-Dale McDowell[15]; 9. 19R-Ryan Gustin[12]; 10. 32-Bobby Pierce[23]; 11. 22*-Drake Troutman[14]; 12. 97-Cody Overton[17]; 13. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 14. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[18]; 15. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[22]; 16. 74X-Ethan Dotson[10]; 17. 11R-Josh Rice[20]; 18. 1Z-Logan Zarin[26]; 19. 58V-Daulton Wilson[25]; 20. 49-Jake Timm[24]; 21. B1-Brent Larson[16]; 22. 14-Trey Mills[27]; 23. 114-Jordan Koehler[19]; 24. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[13]; 25. 19-Dustin Sorensen[21]; 26. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[6]; 27. 44-Chris Madden[3]; 28. 55E-Eli Johnson[28] 

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/oneal-fends-off-erb-in-friday-night-duel-at-sunshine-nationals/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/schedule/event-info/?event=4548491
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Madden Conquers Sunshine Nationals Opener in Wells Motorsports Debut

Emily Schwanke

 

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 22, 2026) – When Chris Madden was announced as the driver of the newly-formed Infinity Chassis house car program fielded by Wells Motorsports, not even he could have imagined the partnership would have gotten off to the start that it did.

From the moment they unloaded at Volusia Speedway Park for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, the No. 44 team were the ones to beat. In Wednesday’s practice night, Madden was the fastest man on the property with a lap faster than the official track record. When it mattered on Thursday, he was fastest overall in Qualifying and dominated his Heat Race.

Once Feature time rolled around, Madden led all 35 circuits on his way to the 40th win of his career with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at the same track where he won his first two decades ago.

“It’s awesome, you couldn’t ask for a better day today,” Madden said. “David and Eric [Wells] and his family, everybody at Infinity Chassis, what an awesome race car they sent me down here with. Couldn’t ask for anything any better.”

Madden initially got the lead from second-starting Nick Hoffman on the outside on the opening lap, but it wouldn’t be long until his first close call of the night. Twelve laps in, a broken oil pump belt caused Tristan Chamberlain to slow directly in front of the leaders, forcing Madden to take evasive action to avoid a race-ending collision.

The ensuing green-flag run saw Hoffman find his stride, and with four laps remaining, the No. 9 was side-by-side with Madden. Hoffman briefly led through Turns 1 and 2 before Madden pulled the crossover and found another gear, quickly pulling away with the laps winding down.

As Madden was coming off Turn 4 to the checkered flag, Jake Timm spun to the inside wall to create a green-white-checkered finish. Madden remained unfazed though, and drove two more flawless laps to earn his first win since a Southern Nationals triumph at Volunteer Speedway last July.

“Obviously, starting up front is very important,” Madden said. “Was able to get by Nick there on the start, I knew he was going to be very good. He got by me there, I got extremely tight, couldn’t enter where I needed to be entering. Nick caught me there and got by me, and then I just got up on the wheel and let her rip.”

Hoffman settled for second to open his season, while Brandon Sheppard, Dennis Erb Jr. and Ricky Thornton Jr. rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision will return to action on Friday, Jan. 23, at Volusia Speedway Park for the second night of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

RACE NOTES:

Brandon Overton set the Dirt King Simulators Fastest Hot Lap.

Chris Madden won the Simpson Quick Time Award.

Chris Madden won Heat 1.

Nick Hoffman won STAKT Products Heat 2.

Donald McIntosh won Keyser Manufacturing Heat 3.

Dustin Sorensen won Jarrett Rifles Heat 4.

Ethan Dotson and Tim McCreadie won the Last Chance Showdowns.

Nick Hoffman won the Bilstein Pole Award.

Tyler Erb won the FOX Factory Hard Charger Award.

Nick Hoffman was the WELD Racing Second-Place Finisher.

Brandon Sheppard was the WIX Filters Third-Place Finisher.

Dennis Erb Jr. was the ARP Fourth-Place Finisher.

Ricky Thornton Jr. was the MSD Fifth-Place Finisher.

Dustin Sorensen was the Swift Springs Sixth-Place Finisher.

Max Blair was the Penske Racing Shocks Seventh-Place Finisher.

Tyler Erb was VP Racing Fuels Eighth-Place Finisher.

Bobby Pierce was the Lifeline Ninth-Place Finisher.

Kyle Strickler was the COMP Cams 10th-Place Finisher.

Dale McDowell was the Quarter Master 11th-Place Finisher.

Brandon Overton was the Cometic Gaskets 12th-Place Finisher.

Donald McIntosh was the Quarter Master 13th-Place Finisher.

Tim McCreadie was the ARP 14th-Place Finisher.

Cory Hedgecock was the Arizona Sport Shirts 18th-Place Finisher.

Feature (35 Laps): 1. 44-Chris Madden[2]; 2. 9-Nick Hoffman[1]; 3. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[6]; 4. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[10]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[13]; 6. 19-Dustin Sorensen[4]; 7. 111-Max Blair[11]; 8. 1-Tyler Erb[26]; 9. 32-Bobby Pierce[12]; 10. 8-Kyle Strickler[7]; 11. 17M-Dale McDowell[19]; 12. 76-Brandon Overton[8]; 13. 7M-Donald McIntosh[3]; 14. 9M-Tim McCreadie[18]; 15. B1-Brent Larson[5]; 16. 15-Clay Stuckey[21]; 17. 19R-Ryan Gustin[14]; 18. 79-Cory Hedgecock[16]; 19. 22*-Drake Troutman[23]; 20. 76N-Blair Nothdurft[9]; 21. 58V-Daulton Wilson[27]; 22. 1Z-Logan Zarin[28]; 23. 74X-Ethan Dotson[17]; 24. 49-Jake Timm[24]; 25. 99B-Boom Briggs[15]; 26. 114-Jordan Koehler[22]; 27. 20TC-Tristan Chamberlain[25]; 28. 81-Jason Riggs[20]

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/madden-conquers-sunshine-nationals-opener-in-wells-motorsports-debut/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/schedule/event-info/?event=4548490
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

Behrent’s Performance Bringing One-to-Go Championship to World of Outlaws Late Models

CONCORD, NC (Feb. 10, 2026) – Being in the top three on the white flag lap at every World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision and Super DIRTcar Series will come with a benefit this year.

Behrent’s Performance Warehouse is bringing the One-to-Go Championship to both series in 2026, awarding points to drivers who are in the top three on the white flag lap of every Heat Race, Last Chance Showdown, and Feature – three points to the leader, two points for second, and one point for third.

At the end of the season, the top three in points of the One-to-Go Championship will be rewarded with a Behrent’s gift card – $1,000 to the champion, $500 to the runner-up, and $250 to the third-place finisher.

“We’re excited to continue and expand our partnership with World Racing Group, the World of Outlaws, and Super DIRTcar Series,” said Jeff Behrent, vice president of Behrent’s Performance Warehouse. “The One-to-Go Championship is a unique program that gives drivers and fans another fun battle to follow throughout the year and provides an extra incentive to be leading when it counts... one lap to go.”

The One-to-Go Championship kicks off for the Super DIRTcar Series during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 11-14, and continues for the World of Outlaws Late Models at Volusia this week, Feb. 12-14 – with points already collected during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

To learn more about Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, visit behrents.com.

Click the links to see the full World of Outlaws Late Models Series schedule and Super DIRTcar Series schedule.

Where can you watch the World of Outlaws Late Models and Super DIRTcar Series all year? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/behrents-performance-bringing-one-to-go-championship-to-world-of-outlaws-late-models/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Why a Big Gator Championship Can Be a Sign of What's to Come

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 6, 2026) – There’s one prize that every driver in every division at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals has their eye on – the Big Gator trophy.

The golden reptile signifies more than a flawless week of racing at Volusia Speedway Park. It also means that the driver holding it is going to be one to beat throughout the season ahead.

Next week’s stretch of six-straight nights of racing in Barberville (Monday-Saturday, Feb. 9-14) is set to draw the best field of Super Late Models found anywhere so far in 2026 in terms of both quantity and quality. The last driver standing on Saturday night will be someone who can beat anyone at any time, and history suggests that the Big Gator will likely be their first of several major scores to come this season.

Here’s a look at every Late Model Big Gator champion, and what they went on to accomplish that season:

Dennis Erb Jr. (2012): The Carpentersville, IL native strung together a win and three top fives in six starts to claim the inaugural award 14 years ago. That Volusia score was his first of two World of Outlaws wins on the season, with the second coming at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in September. Additional victories came at East Bay Raceway Park during the Winternationals and on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals trail at Clarksville Speedway, and Erb also finished top five in that year’s Dirt Late Model Dream at Eldora Speedway.

Josh Richards (2013): With two World of Outlaws wins at Screven Motor Speedway and Ocala Speedway already under his belt prior to DIRTcar Nationals, Richards kept the good times rolling at Volusia with two wins, four top fives and a Big Gator at the end. The Rocket1 Racing team maintained that pace all season long, collecting 10 Series wins in total on the way to Richards’ third World of Outlaws championship.

Scott Bloomquist (2014): “Black Sunshine” stayed up front all week long at Volusia with one win and no finishes worse than sixth in five starts. It marked the start of another signature season by Bloomquist, highlighted by his fourth World 100 victory as well as major wins in the Silver Dollar Nationals, Dirt Track World Championship and the Jackson 100.

Shane Clanton (2015): The “Georgia Bulldog” picked up his first Big Gator in dominant fashion with four wins in five starts. Clanton knew then that he was in for a special year, and nine months later, he was standing on the stage at World of Outlaws World Finals hoisting his first championship trophy following a 10-win season.

Josh Richards (2016): The Shinniston, WV driver became the first two-time Big Gator champion by winning half of the six nights contested at Volusia, setting the stage for one of his best years behind the wheel. Richards’ 18 World of Outlaws wins that year not only earned him a landslide championship, it also tied him with his successor in the Rocket house car, Brandon Sheppard, for the most wins in a single season in Series history. Between the Prairie Dirt Classic, USA Nationals, Gopher 50, Pittsburgher 100 and many more, no trophy was safe from the wrath of the Richards camp in 2016.

Shane Clanton (2017): After handing the Big Gator over to Richards in 2016, Clanton grabbed it right back in 2017 with a win and three top fives in four races. He secured the third spot in the Series standings thanks to his five wins at a wide array of tracks, ranging from Cherokee Speedway and Tazewell Speedway in the southeast to River Cities Speedway in North Dakota.

Chris Madden (2018): “Smokey” became the first driver to win the Big Gator without winning a race at DIRTcar Nationals, although he did finish second three times in five nights. He got the monkey off his back on home turf at Cherokee with the Southern All Stars a few weeks later, and went on to win eight times in World of Outlaws competition – including his first Firecracker 100 victory at Lernerville Speedway – and finished third in the final points tally.

Brandon Sheppard (2019): Following an 11th-place run on night one, “B-Shepp” was on rails the rest of the week with four-straight trips to Victory Lane en route to the Big Gator. The week stood as a microcosm of the year ahead, as Sheppard won his second World of Outlaws championship by more than 300 points and picked off wins in the Dirt Late Model Dream, Prairie Dirt Classic, Dirt Track World Championship and the Dirt Million.

Brandon Sheppard (2020): The New Berlin, IL native became the first back-to-back Big Gator champion in 2020 with two wins and five top fives over the course of the week. Sheppard went on to win 14 of the 40 World of Outlaws races held in the pandemic-constrained season on the way to another title, plus two crown-jewel wins at the Silver Dollar Nationals and Dirt Track World Championship. Sheppard even wheeled a Modified to a pair of wins at RPM Speedway with the United States Modified Touring Series (USMTS).

Devin Moran (2021): Despite recording a DNF on one of the four nights completed, a win and two podiums on the other three nights were enough to secure the weeklong championship. The 2021 season turned into a breakout campaign for the “Mailman,” as he took down the World of Outlaws three more times in 2021 at Bristol Motor Speedway and twice at Davenport Speedway, plus two Summer Nationals wins among several more regional scores.

Devin Moran (2022): The momentum from a strong 2021 season carried over to February of 2022, as a string of four top fives in a row to open DIRTcar Nationals put Moran out of reach for the rest of the field. The Dresden, OH driver did plenty of winning in his native “Buckeye State” that season, going to Victory Lane at Hilltop Speedway, Atomic Speedway, Oakshade Raceway, Sharon Speedway and his home track at Muskingum County Speedway.

Tim McCreadie (2023): “T-Mac” laid down one of the best DIRTcar Nationals performances in the event’s history in 2023 with two wins and a worst run of fourth. McCreadie’s week at Volusia turned out to include 40% of his wins that season, as he only won three more times after leaving Florida. Despite not winning as often as he would like, McCreadie still ran up front all year, finishing top five in several big events including the Show-Me 100, Topless 100, Pittsburgher 100 and the Dirt Track World Championship.

Brandon Sheppard (2024): Sheppard’s record-setting third Big Gator also made him the first to win the title with two different teams, as his most recent one came with the Longhorn Factory Team at Sheppard Riggs Racing. His three World of Outlaws wins on the year may be dwarfed by the totals from his previous championship seasons, but he remained consistent enough all year to claim title number five just the same.

Ricky Thornton Jr. (2025): Two wins and four podiums in six races made the Chandler, AZ native the ninth different Big Gator champion in the Late Model ranks. Seven months later at Eldora, Thornton joined Bloomquist as the second driver to win a DIRTcar Nationals championship and the World 100 in the same year. Thornton’s first victory in the sport’s biggest race was joined on his win list last year by the likes of the Hillbilly Hundred, Jackson 100, the Modified crown at the Gateway Dirt Nationals and more.

Catch the chase for the Big Gator on the final week of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Monday-Saturday, Feb. 9-14) at Volusia Speedway Park. For tickets and more information, click here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/why-a-big-gator-championship-can-be-a-sign-of-whats-to-come/

PHOTO CREDIT: David Shank (left), Emily Schwanke (center), Jim DenHamer (right)

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 
 

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: World of Outlaws Returning to Volusia to Wrap Up DIRTcar Nationals


 Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 5, 2026) – Less than two weeks have passed since the opening week of the 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, and another round of action at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” is already on the horizon.

As has become tradition over the past two decades, Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals will conclude with six-straight nights of Late Model racing at Volusia Speedway Park. The week begins with three full programs under the DIRTcar Late Model banner, with a pair of $7,000-to-win shows on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 9-10, before a split-field night on Wednesday, Feb. 11, including three Features paying $5,000-to-win each.

Points-paying World of Outlaws competition begins with two $12,000-to-win main events on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 12-13, before DIRTcar Nationals concludes with a $20,000-to-win finale on Saturday, Feb. 14, followed by the presentation of the Big Gator trophy to the weeklong champion.

The Late Models will be joined by two more fan-favorite divisions throughout the week, as the AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship will be on hand on Monday and Tuesday before the Super DIRTcar Series rolls into Volusia for four nights on Wednesday-Saturday.

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Here are this week’s top storylines:

GATOR HUNTING: Ask anyone who’s won one, and they’ll tell you about how the Big Gator is one of the most unique and prized trophies in their collection.

The golden reptile was first awarded to Dennis Erb Jr. in 2012, and since then, eight more drivers have hoisted it on stage on Saturday night. Last year, the title went to Ricky Thornton Jr. after he won twice, stood on the podium four times and never finished worse than sixth in six races.

That achievement placed Thornton’s name alongside Erb, Josh Richards, Scott Bloomquist, Shane Clanton, Chris Madden, Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran and Tim McCreadie as drivers who can call themselves Late Model Big Gator champions. However, none of them have won it more than Sheppard, who has earned top honors on three occasions in 2019, 2020 and 2024.

Thornton, Erb, Madden, Sheppard, Moran and McCreadie will all be in attendance looking to add another one to the trophy cabinet, while the pits will be filled with plenty of other contenders looking to stop them and collect their first Big Gator.

SO FAR SO GOOD: Thanks to his finishes of second, fifth and ninth at Sunshine Nationals, Nick Hoffman trails only the event champion Sheppard as the de facto World of Outlaws points leader entering DIRTcar Nationals.

Hoffman’s speed at Volusia should come as no surprise considering he has an entire corner of his race shop dedicated to displaying the dozens of Gators he’s collected over the past 15 years. But he would gladly trade all of them for a World of Outlaws championship trophy to put in that spot at the end of the year, and the road to a potential title is off to the right start.

On the other hand, two-time and defending champion Bobby Pierce didn’t get off to the start he dreamed of with runs of ninth, 10th and sixth at Sunshine Nationals. That leaves him fifth in the standings, 18 points behind Hoffman.

Given the points format which only counts a driver’s five finishes across the eight scheduled races at Volusia and Hendry County Motorsports Park, they won’t have a clear picture of where they stand until the Florida slate is complete. But every ounce of momentum helps in the championship chase, and “The Thrill From Mooresville” has it on his side at the moment.

STILL GOT IT: Hoffman wasn’t the only driver with a No. 9 on his door that started 2026 on the right foot, as Tim McCreadie became the first World of Outlaws full-timer in the win column with his Saturday triumph at Sunshine Nationals.

The contrast to the start of his 2025 campaign couldn’t be more apparent. Last year, McCreadie finished in the top 10 only once in the first seven races of the season while adjusting to his new Briggs Transport team and wheeling a chassis he never felt entirely comfortable in. This time around, he’s back in his tried-and-true Longhorn Chassis fresh off a six-win campaign last year.

If he can maintain his current level of speed and consistency long-term, McCreadie will have every reason to believe that a second World of Outlaws championship – 20 years after his first – is within the realm of possibility.

DUST YOURSELF OFF: While plenty of drivers are going back to Volusia looking for more of the same, just as many are aiming to rebound from a rough outing at Sunshine Nationals.

Daulton Wilson may have had the best week of the five MD3 Rookie of the Year candidates, but he knows there’s more in the tank than the best finish of 12th they laid down last month. “Big Perm” has finished in the top five four times at DIRTcar Nationals since 2023, and Volusia is a home game for his Big Frog/Viper Motorsports team, with owner William “Augie” Burttram residing an hour away in Ocala, FL.

Much like Wilson, Trey Mills is also looking to turn up the wick at DIRTcar Nationals after failing to crack the top 20 in the first three nights of his rookie season. The St. Augustine, FL native has grown up racing at Volusia and is a former winner in the Crate Late Model ranks, and is set to continue searching for a taste of Super Late Model success at the track.

ANYONE’S GAME: If the first month of the 2026 dirt Late Model season proved anything, it’s that picking the winner each night has never been tougher.

Twelve Super Late Model races have been contested so far this year across the national and regional levels, and 10 different drivers have reached Victory Lane. The only team to do so more than once doesn’t even compete full-time, as the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 won twice at the Wild West Shootout and once at Sunshine Nationals with Hudson O’Neal behind the wheel.

The “New Deal” will be back at Volusia for DIRTcar Nationals looking to add to that total, but he’ll do so with his full-time team at SSI Motorsports for the first time in 2026. If O’Neal’s fourth win of the year comes next week, it would make SSI the third different team he’s won with at Volusia in four years following Rocket1 Racing in 2023 and 2024 and Rumley Enterprises last month.

This year’s list of winners is still missing plenty of the sport’s top names, including Ryan Gustin, Tyler Erb, Drake Troutman, Devin Moran, Brian Shirley and more, but they’re all ready to head south to Volusia with the goal of eliminating the goose egg.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL

CURRENT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Brandon Sheppard (432 points)
2. Nick Hoffman (-13)
3. Tim McCreadie (-16)
4. Dennis Erb Jr. (-24)
5. Bobby Pierce (-31)
6. Tyler Erb (-33)
7. Ryan Gustin (-41)
8. Brandon Overton (-46)
9. Chris Madden (-49)
10. Hudson O’Neal (-51)

FEATURE WINNERS (3):
Chris Madden – 1
Tim McCreadie – 1
Hudson O’Neal – 1

FEATURE TOP FIVES (10):
Brandon Sheppard – 3
Tim McCreadie – 2
Nick Hoffman – 2
Dennis Erb Jr. – 2
Hudson O’Neal – 1
Chris Madden – 1
Drake Troutman – 1
Ryan Gustin – 1
Tyler Erb – 1
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 1

FEATURE LAPS LED (4):
Chris Madden – 36
Hudson O’Neal – 35
Tim McCreadie – 28
Ryan Gustin – 22

BILSTEIN POLE AWARDS (3):
Nick Hoffman – 1
Brandon Overton – 1
Ryan Gustin – 1

SIMPSON QUICK TIME AWARDS (2):
Chris Madden – 2
Brandon Overton – 1

HEAT RACE WINS (8):
Chris Madden – 3
Brandon Overton – 2
Nick Hoffman – 1
Tyler Erb – 1
Ryan Gustin – 1
Dustin Sorensen – 1
Bobby Pierce – 1
Donald McIntosh – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (6):
Tim McCreadie – 1
Dennis Erb Jr. – 1
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 1
Josh Rice – 1
Cody Overton – 1
Ethan Dotson – 1

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES PRESENTED BY DIRTVISION SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Jan. 21 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL (Practice)
Thursday, Jan. 22 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Chris Madden (1)
Friday, Jan. 23 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Hudson O’Neal (1)
Saturday, Jan. 24 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tim McCreadie (1)
Thursday, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Friday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Saturday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Thursday, Feb. 19 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL (Practice)
Friday, Feb. 20 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL
Saturday, Feb. 21 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL
Friday, March 13 / Volunteer Speedway / Bulls Gap, TN
Saturday, March 14 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN
Friday, March 20 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS
Saturday, March 21 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS
Friday, March 27 / East Alabama Motor Speedway / Phenix City, AL
Saturday, March 28 / Senoia Raceway / Senoia, GA
Thursday, April 9 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL (Practice)
Friday, April 10 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL
Saturday, April 11 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL
Friday, April 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL
Saturday, April 25 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL
Tuesday, April 28 / Independence Motor Speedway / Independence, IA
Thursday, April 30 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Friday, May 1 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Saturday, May 2 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Wednesday, May 13 / Georgetown Speedway / Georgetown, DE
Thursday, May 14 / Selinsgrove Speedway / Selinsgrove, PA
Friday, May 15 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA
Saturday, May 16 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA
Sunday, May 17 / Bedford Speedway / Bedford, PA
Thursday, May 28 / Wayne County Speedway / Orrville, OH
Friday, May 29 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Saturday, May 30 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Friday, June 12 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV
Saturday, June 13 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV
Friday, June 19 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI
Saturday, June 20 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI
Monday, June 22 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN
Wednesday, June 24 / I-94 emr Speedway / Fergus Falls, MN
Friday, June 26 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sunday, June 28 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND
Tuesday, June 30 / Norman County Raceway / Ada, MN
Thursday, July 2 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Friday, July 3 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Saturday, July 4 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Wednesday, July 8 / Stateline Speedway / Busti, NY
Friday, July 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Saturday, July 11 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Friday, July 24 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Saturday, July 25 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Thursday, July 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Friday, July 31 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Saturday, Aug. 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Thursday, Aug. 20 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA (Practice)
Friday, Aug. 21 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Saturday, Aug. 22 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Wednesday, Aug. 26 / Southern Iowa Speedway / Oskaloosa, IA
Friday, Aug, 28 / Adams County Speedway / Corning, IA
Saturday, Aug. 29 / Shelby County Speedway / Harlan, IA
Friday, Sept. 25 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Saturday, Sept. 26 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Friday, Oct. 2 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Saturday, Oct. 3 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Friday, Oct. 23 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC
Saturday, Oct. 24 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC
Wednesday, Nov. 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thursday, Nov. 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Friday, Nov. 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Saturday, Nov. 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/top-five-storylines-world-of-outlaws-traveling-back-to-volusia-to-wrap-up-dirtcar-nationals/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

THE MONTH AHEAD: Florida Fun Rolls On at DIRTcar Nationals, Swamp Cabbage 100

Emily Schwanke
 

CONCORD, NC (January 29, 2026) – With winter weather continuing to blanket much of the United States, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision will stay put in the “Sunshine State” for a few more weeks to open 2026.

The February schedule includes a visit to two of Florida’s most historic dirt tracks in Volusia Speedway Park and Hendry County Motorsports Park.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead:

Volusia Speedway Park | Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 12-14): As they have every year since the tour was relaunched in 2004, The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will serve as the closing act at Volusia’s signature event.

The three-week festival of speed gets underway this weekend with the American Sprint Car Series and DIRTcar UMP Modifieds in action, while the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, the AMSOIL USAC Sprint Car National Championship and the Super DIRTcar Series will also pay a visit to the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” during the event. The chase for the Late Model Big Gator will once again include six-straight nights of racing on the final week, as the first three nights on Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 9-11, will be contested under the DIRTcar Late Model banner prior to three nights of World of Outlaws action on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14.

The Series has already spent the first three nights of 2026 at Volusia for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, with Chris Madden, Hudson O’Neal and Tim McCreadie taking the victories. The on-track product received rave reviews from fans and drivers alike thanks to the new dirt put down last spring, and more of the same is expected come February.

For tickets and other event information, visit the DIRTcar Nationals site.

Hendry County Motorsports Park | Swamp Cabbage 100 (Feb. 20-21): Days after wrapping up an annual staple stretching back decades, the Series will head further south than ever before to usher in a new tradition.

The Swamp Cabbage 100 has been held as a Factory Stock race at Hendry County for several years, but the event has been taken to the next level in 2026 with the addition of the World of Outlaws as the headline division. Following a practice night on Thursday, Feb. 19, drivers will race for $12,000 on Friday, Feb. 20, and $20,000 on Saturday, Feb. 21, in the biggest weekend of racing in the history of “The Southernmost Dirt Track in the United States.”

In addition to the on-track activity, the World of Outlaws has partnered with the Hendry County Tourism Development Council to expand the festivities for locals and vacationers alike. The fun begins with a fishing tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 18, ahead of the Swamp Cabbage Festival in downtown LaBelle, FL all weekend. The Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade is set for Saturday at 11 a.m., featuring multiple Late Models rolling down the streets.

Additionally, Clewiston, FL’s own Taylor Beebe, a former Miss Hendry County in 2011 and Teacher of the Year at Westside Elementary School in 2025, has been named honorary starter of the event and will wave the green flag to start Friday’s Feature.

For tickets and other event information, click here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/the-month-ahead-florida-fun-rolls-on-at-dirtcar-nationals-swamp-cabbage-100/

EVENT INFO: Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Swamp Cabbage 100
TRACK INFO: Volusia Speedway Park, Hendry County Motorsports Park

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

From Tow Hook to Podium: Tyler Erb Details First Weekend Back as an Outlaw

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 27, 2026) – Tyler Erb knew that his first full season on tour with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision would be a roller coaster ride. What he didn’t expect was a month’s worth of highs and lows packed into one weekend.

The first race night of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park on Thursday got off to a fairly uneventful start. Erb’s Qualifying lap placed him fourth on the grid in his Heat Race, and he was running third when things went sideways – literally.

Out of nowhere, the Best Performance Motorsports No. 1 shot left exiting Turn 4 and made a beeline for the inside wall. With his primary car destroyed, there was a moment when “Terbo” considered calling it a night and turning his focus to getting the backup car ready for Friday’s action. But several of his fellow competitors in the pit area had other ideas.

“I still don’t even know what happened for it to wreck,” Erb said. “Just turned left and obviously it junked that car. My guys did a great job, got [the backup car] out. Ethan Dotson came and helped, Drake Troutman, Clay Harris, they were unloading it before I was even really ready to do it. I was almost like, ‘I’ll call it off for the day.’ But they got it out, which kind of helped push us, like, ‘OK, we’ll see what happens here.”

The choice to push forward proved to be the right one come Feature time. After taking a provisional to start 26th, Erb wasted no time charging through the field. He needed 12 laps to crack the top 15, and a late restart gave him the chance to pass a few more cars and salvage an eighth-place finish to start what he hopes is a championship bid.

“Ran really good in the Feature from starting dead last,” Erb said. “It was a big day. You know, you don’t want to start the year out with something like that, but we persevered and made the most of it.”

Not only did that performance prevent Erb from starting the season behind the eight ball, it also showed that the car he’d be running the rest of Sunshine Nationals with was equally as capable as the primary. That remained true early in Friday’s program, as Erb qualified on the pole of his Heat Race and won it wire-to-wire.

He drew the fourth spot in the Feature and soon made his way up to second behind the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 of Hudson O’Neal. There were points when it looked like Erb would complete the recovery with his first win on the second night of the year, particularly on the final lap when he briefly made it side-by-side for the lead off Turn 2. O’Neal was ultimately out of reach on that night, but Erb’s runner-up effort let the world know he isn’t one to stay down for long.

“I fired off, and I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m in trouble.’ But as the race went on, I just got better and better,” Erb recalled from Friday’s Feature. “In hindsight, I feel like I should have moved down in [Turns] 1 and 2 sooner because I slid [Brandon] Sheppard. On the restarts, I could slide them and make so much speed into the center. I just never thought to actually slow down and try to run the middle or bottom, because Hudson was setting such a good pace. The last three or four laps, I was actually like, ‘OK, I’m going to run the middle, bottom. I’m never going to catch him on the top of [Turns] 1 and 2.’ I just started doing it, and we were actually making gains in [Turns] 3 and 4, I feel like I was a little bit better.”

In Saturday’s finale, early-night struggles relegated Erb to a Last Chance Showdown, and he was only able to climb to 16th in the main event. However, the points damage could be minimized by the format that only counts a driver’s five best finishes in the eight winter races at Volusia Speedway Park and Hendry County Motorsports Park toward the season-long standings. Erb is confident that the speed necessary to win World of Outlaws races is there, and he already has his eyes on Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals as his next chance to finish the job.

“Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve,” Erb said. “All in all, it was a great run. Definitely excited to race again.”

Erb will continue his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for both events by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/from-tow-hook-to-podium-tyler-erb-details-first-weekend-back-as-an-outlaw/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

Todd Morrow Living Out World of Outlaws Dream Full-Time in 2026

EmilySchwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 26, 2026) – The 2026 season may already be underway, but the roster of full-time World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision drivers is still expanding.

Todd Morrow has declared his intentions to contest the full 2026 season with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet behind the wheel of the Britton Motorsports No. T1. The 40-year-old Penton, AL driver becomes the fifth World of Outlaws newcomer chasing this year’s MD3 Rookie of the Year Award, joining Trey Mills, Logan Zarin, Eli Johnson and Daulton Wilson.

“We just started last year at the World [100], we put all this together and we’ve only been doing it for six months,” Morrow said. “I originally retired because it had just got so expensive, and I had been out of it for about eight years. Just started back at Eldora [Speedway] for my debut. We’ve got a lot of learning, but they wanted to do it. I always wanted to do this one time, so we’re going to see if we can make it happen.”

Following the Eldora trip, Morrow traveled to seven more events across the southeast last fall in preparation for the upcoming season. The signs of progress were there, as Morrow made his first World of Outlaws Feature start at Senoia Raceway and earned a Southern All Stars top five at Dixie Speedway, marking the resumption of his story in the sport that began decades ago.

“My dad was always around it, grew up around Cleveland Speedway with Joe Lee Johnson,” Morrow said. “I just always wanted to race. Started racing when I was probably six in go karts, then started in cars when I was 14.”

Morrow went on to become a well-respected regional racer in the south, with five Southern All Stars wins highlighting his resume. He knows that expanding his footprint to the national level this season will bring plenty of challenges, which is why he’s keeping his expectations modest in the short-term while building toward the future.

“Just run all the races and be competitive,” Morrow said regarding his goals for 2026. “Sure, a win would be nice, but with me being out of the game, just building a notebook, getting competitive, and working on it for next year.”

Morrow will continue his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for both events by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/todd-morrow-living-out-world-of-outlaws-dream-full-time-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Meet the Drivers Chasing a World of Outlaws Championship in 2026

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 21, 2026) – The 10-month, 61-race journey that is the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision is set to commence this week.

For 17 of the top dirt Late Model teams in the nation, Volusia Speedway Park’s DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) marks the start of the toughest test the sport has to offer.

Some know what it takes to win a championship and are ready to return to the top of the mountain and add to their legacy. Others are brand new to racing at the national level, dreaming of their first taste of World of Outlaws glory.

Here’s a look at the 2026 roster of World of Outlaws contenders:

Tristan Chamberlain: The 18-year-old is entering his third season as a full-time Outlaw looking to crack the top 10 in points for the first time in his career. In addition to his Late Model schedule, Chamberlain has also begun making scattered DIRTcar UMP Modified starts and plans to chase a Big Gator Championship in the division at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

Ethan Dotson: The ASD Motorsports pilot’s top moment of 2025 came in April at Farmer City Raceway with his first World of Outlaws win, becoming the first of last year’s rookies to break into Victory Lane. He plans on making a few more visits in his sophomore season and will do so with veteran crew chief Cody Mallory by his side.

Dennis Erb Jr.: Following a strong end to 2025 that earned him a top-five points finish, Erb is back with crew chief Heather Lyne aiming to hit the ground running at Volusia. The 2022 Series champion hasn’t won multiple races in a season since that title-clinching campaign, but knows he has what it takes to change that in 2026.

Tyler Erb: After spending the last two seasons running the full DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour as part of a larger journeyman schedule, “Terbo” will follow the World of Outlaws full-time for the first time since 2018 in search of his first Series championship. Erb has been known throughout his career as a driver who’s willing to win by any means necessary, and he has no plans to change course anytime soon.

Ryan Gustin: The second half of last season brought some of the biggest triumphs of Gustin’s career, including his first crown jewel at Cedar Lake Speedway in the USA Nationals and a $50,000 payday at Boothill Speedway’s Bayou Classic. The “Reaper” has shown he has the speed to beat the best in the nation when he’s dialed in, and his next challenge will be maintaining that form over the course of a full season to insert himself into the championship conversation.

Nick Hoffman: “The Thrill From Mooresville” has improved his points result in each of his three seasons with the World of Outlaws, culminating with his runner-up finish to Bobby Pierce last year. That leaves only one spot left to cross off the list for the Modified legend eyeing his first Late Model championship.

Eli Johnson: With only one full season of Super Late Model experience under his belt, the Clewiston, FL native is diving into the shark tank with his MD3 Rookie of the Year bid. However, he’ll have the upper hand in experience early on when the tour makes its first stop at his home track, Hendry County Motorsports Park, for the Swamp Cabbage 100 (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21).

Brent Larson: No one has been going up and down the road with the World of Outlaws longer than the “B1 Bomber,” who is gearing up for his ninth consecutive season on tour. He’ll have several prime opportunities to score his long-awaited first World of Outlaws win when the Series travels to the upper Midwest, including a night 90 minutes from his Lake Elmo, MN home at Ogilvie Raceway (Monday, June 22) for the first time since 2019.

Tim McCreadie: Last season saw “T-Mac” let the world know he isn’t ready to ride off into the sunset quite yet. In his first season back as a World of Outlaws full-timer and first with Briggs Transport, the 51-year-old Watertown, NY native won six times en route to a fourth-place finish in the standings and is looking for more in 2026.

Trey Mills: The youngest of this season’s full-timers, 17-year-old Trey Mills enters his first full World of Outlaws campaign as one of the sport’s top young talents. The St. Augustine, FL driver tackled the Hell Tour in 2025, highlighted by a win in the Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway in a thrilling duel with Brandon Sheppard.

Cody Overton: “Lil Sexy” may be heading into his third season as an Outlaw, but 2026 will be his first year as an owner-driver on the national level. That means a return to the familiar No. 97 that Overton has sported for most of his career, which he hopes to park in Victory Lane this year for the first time with the World of Outlaws.

Bobby Pierce: The past three years have been nothing short of a dream for the No. 32 team, with Pierce earning two World of Outlaws championships and a career’s worth of crown jewels and Feature wins. The “Smooth Operator” doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon as he chases his third title in four years.

Dustin Sorensen: With two years of World of Outlaws racing under his belt, the Rochester, MN native appears to be closer than ever to breaking through for his first Series win, and he’s riding high into Sunshine Nationals after rattling off four-straight top 10s to close out the Wild West Shootout.

Jake Timm: Last season was one of learning for the former Modified star as he moved up to full-time Late Model competition and turned his first laps around a majority of tracks on the schedule. With a year of experience to lean on, Timm is ready to begin climbing the pecking order in his sophomore season.

Drake Troutman: Last season’s top rookie is back for his second season with G.R. Smith Motorsports with aspirations of becoming a regular winner with the Series. The 20-year-old is known for racing anything he can get his hands on – including a Midget at the Chili Bowl Nationals – and has set a goal of making 150 starts in 2026.

Daulton Wilson: In his first full season with Big Frog/Viper Motorsports, “Big Perm” following the World of Outlaws for the first time searching for his first Series victory. He’s has several near misses, including a third-place run in the 2024 Prairie Dirt Classic.

Logan Zarin: With a Super Late Model resume that includes stints racing weekly at Lernerville Speedway and with the United Late Model Series (ULMS), the Hookstown, PA driver is moving up to the national level with the World of Outlaws in 2026. He’s made 10 Series Feature starts over the past five years, with his best results coming close to home at Sharon Speedway.

The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season begins at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Tickets and more information for all three events are available by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/meet-the-drivers-chasing-a-world-of-outlaws-championship-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

 

Hendry County Tourism Development Teams With World of Outlaws For Swamp Cabbage Weekend

CLEWISTON, FL (Jan. 20, 2026) – Hendry County’s Swamp Cabbage Weekend will have some extra horsepower behind it with a new partnership between the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision and Hendry County Tourism Development Council.

The partnership pairs one of Florida’s most celebrated cultural events with one of the country’s premier dirt racing series, creating a unique opportunity to showcase Hendry County to a national audience.

The Swamp Cabbage Festival, celebrating its 60th anniversary, Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 21-22, is an annual Hendry County tradition that celebrates the region’s history, culture, and community, drawing visitors from across the state and beyond. This year, for the first time in the event’s history, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series will play a major role with the addition of the World of Outlaws Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21.

The best Late Model drivers in the country will make the trip south to the “Southern Most Dirt Track” for two nights of wheel-to-wheel action with $12,000 on the line for the winner the first night and then a $20,000 prize up for grabs on Saturday night.

“Partnering with the World of Outlaws during Swamp Cabbage Weekend allows us to showcase Hendry County on a national stage while honoring one of our most treasured traditions,” said Ramon Iglesias, Hendry County commissioner and chair of the Tourist Development Council. “This collaboration brings together culture, community, and world-class motorsports, creating an unforgettable weekend for residents and visitors alike."

In addition to the Swamp Cabbage 100, race fans and Hendry County residents will also get to see some of the stars and cars of the Series participate in the Swamp Cabbage Festival Parade, which takes place in LaBelle – 30 minutes from the dirt track – on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. There will be floats, music, and local food – including swamp cabbage dishes – for all to enjoy. This year’s theme will be “Denim and Diamonds” to honor the festival’s 60th year.

Fans can plan an entire week around the events by also enjoying Hendry County’s other attractions, such as Lake Okeechobee, boat tours, sky diving adventures, multiple parks, the Clewiston Museum, and much more.

"Hendry County is home to the cities of LaBelle and Clewiston - small town communities known for outdoor recreation and strong ties to their natural surroundings and agricultural heritage,” Iglesias said. “With direct access to both the Caloosahatchee River and Lake Okeechobee as well as an expanse of open space, Hendry offers world-class fishing, boating, and waterfront dining, as well as hiking, hunting, and cycling adventures for all to enjoy."

To learn more about what Hendry County has to offer, visit discoverhendrycounty.com.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/hendry-county-tourism-development-teams-with-world-of-outlaws-for-swamp-cabbage-weekend/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/schedule/event-info/?event=4549504
TRACK INFO: https://hendryracing.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: World of Outlaws Roaring Back to Life for Sunshine Nationals at Volusia

Tyler Carr

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 19, 2026) – For the first time since early November, it’s race week for the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision.

As they have every year since 2021, The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will begin the 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 22-24.

A practice night on Wednesday will give teams an opportunity to knock the rust off before Thursday’s opening night, which features a 35-lap, $12,000-to-win, World of Outlaws main event. Another 35-lapper will follow on Friday before the stakes are raised on Saturday, which will see drivers race 50 laps for $20,000 in the Sunshine Nationals finale.

Crate Racin’ USA DIRTcar Pro (604) Late Models and 602 Late Models will also be on the card on all three nights to round out the “Late Model Palooza.”

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WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVISION

Here are this week’s top storylines:

CHASING THREE: Only four drivers in the history of the sport can call themselves a three-time World of Outlaws champion – Billy Moyer, Darrell Lanigan, Josh Richards and Brandon Sheppard. By the end of the year, Bobby Pierce wants to make it five.

Eleven weeks after wrapping up his second championship at World of Outlaws World Finals, the chase for a third title in four years begins this week at Volusia. The “Smooth Operator” is a four-time winner at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile,” but all four have come in February at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

With his first win of 2026 under his belt from Sunday at the Wild West Shootout, Pierce will look to build on that momentum and earn the first straw hat of his career this week.

CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS: Breathing down Pierce’s neck is a hungry crop of drivers looking to start their own dynasty at the top of dirt Late Model racing.

Leading that charge is Nick Hoffman, who ended 2025 only 56 points behind Pierce after a strong end to the year at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. It was the best points finish of his three-year World of Outlaws career, and a strong start at Volusia – a place he’s won at twice in a Late Model and dozens of times in a DIRTcar UMP Modified – could go a long way toward putting him in prime position come World Finals.

One of the other primary threats also has a No. 9 on the side of his car, as Tim McCreadie is back with Briggs Transport for another full-time World of Outlaws run. “T-Mac” got off to a lackluster start a year ago while he was working through chassis changes and other growing pains in his new surroundings. Now that he’s coming back with the same combination he finished 2025 in top form with, McCreadie will be ready to start the new season with his first Sunshine Nationals victory and his first Volusia score in three years.

Ryan Gustin is looking to claim the season opener for the second year in a row. Last season’s Sunshine Nationals win was his first of five with the World of Outlaws in 2025, tying his single-season high. The “Reaper” has already gotten his 2026 campaign off to a hot start, scoring three top fives in six starts at the Wild West Shootout.

HELLO, MY NAME IS: Over the past few weeks, plenty of new and returning names have announced their plans to tackle the full World of Outlaws schedule in the year ahead.

Leading that charge is Tyler Erb, who will be a full-time Outlaw this season for the first time since 2018. “Terbo” has never reached Victory Lane at Volusia, but has stood on the podium three times at DIRTcar Nationals in 2017, 2024, and 2025.

The roster also includes a quartet of MD3 Rookie of the Year candidates, and two of them will begin their maiden World of Outlaws season in their home state. St. Augustine, FL’s Trey Mills began his driving career at the Volusia go-kart track, competed in the track’s 602 and 604 Late Model divisions on his rise through the ranks, and ran his first Super Late Model race at the track in 2022 at age 13.

Residing four hours south in Clewiston, FL is Eli Johnson, who will race a Super Late Model at Volusia for the first time this week. He has been there in a 604 Late Model though, picking up a top 10 in “Fab 5” weekly racing last March.

Logan Zarin is set for his second trip south to Volusia this week after making his debut at the track two years ago at DIRTcar Nationals. That event only yielded one Feature start in five nights, but he’s confident in his ability to use what he learned to make improvements in his Volusia return.

The latest addition to the list of first-year Outlaws is Daulton Wilson, who is starting his first full season driving for Florida-based team owner William “Augie” Burttram and Big Frog/Viper Motorsports. The Fayetteville, NC native has been an annual staple at Volusia since 2022, and while he has four DIRTcar Nationals top fives, Wilson has never finished better than 17th at Sunshine Nationals.

VOLUSIA 2.0: Ten months after Volusia was coated in truckloads of dark gumbo clay, Super Late Models will hit the track for the first time in competition at Sunshine Nationals.

However, that doesn’t mean the entire field will be flying blind. Drake Troutman and Ethan Dotson finished 1-2 in Modified action at last year’s Emil and Dale Reutimann Memorial, and both will be looking for more of the same as they begin their sophomore seasons with the World of Outlaws. Volusia has also hosted several Late Model test sessions in recent months, with the likes of McCreadie, Mills, Brandon Overton and more all turning laps on the new dirt.

NEW FACES, NEW PLACES: With Sunshine Nationals serving as the first event of the season for many teams, fans will get their first look at several new pairings that shook the Late Model world during “Silly Season.”

After Ricky Thornton Jr. collected his first win of the year in the Adam Family Motorsports ride at Central Arizona Raceway, he’ll return to his usual seat at Koehler Motorsports with a familiar face on the wrenches. Anthony Burroughs reunited with Thornton last month at the Gateway Dirt Nationals and will officially begin his first campaign as part of the Koehler camp at Volusia. The Thornton-Burroughs duo won 56 races together at SSI Motorsports between 2021 and 2024 – including a stellar 34-win season in 2023 – and will look to rekindle that magic starting this week.

Chris Madden will also start a new chapter at Sunshine Nationals, as the Gray Court, SC native will begin his stint as driver of the Infinity Chassis house car at Wells Motorsports. “Smokey” enters the week as a four-time Volusia winner, with his most recent victory coming in 2023.

One of the nation’s top regional talents is set for his first season at the national level in 2026, as Loudon, TN’s Cory Hedgecock will make his first start in the Billy Hicks Racing No. 79 on Thursday night. The two-time World of Outlaws winner at 411 Motor Speedway has never been to Volusia in a Super Late Model, but has a Sunshine Nationals record of five top fives in eight starts in a 604 Late Model.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES PRESENTED BY DIRTVISION SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Jan. 21 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL (Practice)
Thursday, Jan. 22 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Friday, Jan. 23 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Saturday, Jan. 24 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Thursday, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Friday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Saturday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL
Thursday, Feb. 19 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL (Practice)
Friday, Feb. 20 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL
Saturday, Feb. 21 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL
Friday, March 13 / Volunteer Speedway / Bulls Gap, TN
Saturday, March 14 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN
Friday, March 20 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS
Saturday, March 21 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS
Friday, March 27 / East Alabama Motor Speedway / Phenix City, AL
Saturday, March 28 / Senoia Raceway / Senoia, GA
Thursday, April 9 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL (Practice)
Friday, April 10 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL
Saturday, April 11 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL
Friday, April 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL
Saturday, April 25 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL
Tuesday, April 28 / Independence Motor Speedway / Independence, IA
Thursday, April 30 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Friday, May 1 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Saturday, May 2 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI
Wednesday, May 13 / Georgetown Speedway / Georgetown, DE
Thursday, May 14 / Selinsgrove Speedway / Selinsgrove, PA
Friday, May 15 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA
Saturday, May 16 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA
Sunday, May 17 / Bedford Speedway / Bedford, PA
Thursday, May 28 / Wayne County Speedway / Orrville, OH
Friday, May 29 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Saturday, May 30 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Friday, June 12 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV
Saturday, June 13 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV
Friday, June 19 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI
Saturday, June 20 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI
Monday, June 22 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN
Wednesday, June 24 / I-94 emr Speedway / Fergus Falls, MN
Friday, June 26 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sunday, June 28 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND
Tuesday, June 30 / Norman County Raceway / Ada, MN
Thursday, July 2 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Friday, July 3 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Saturday, July 4 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN
Wednesday, July 8 / Stateline Speedway / Busti, NY
Friday, July 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Saturday, July 11 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Friday, July 24 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Saturday, July 25 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL
Thursday, July 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Friday, July 31 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Saturday, Aug. 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Thursday, Aug. 20 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA (Practice
Friday, Aug. 21 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Saturday, Aug. 22 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA
Wednesday, Aug. 26 / Southern Iowa Speedway / Oskaloosa, IA
Friday, Aug, 28 / Adams County Speedway / Corning, IA
Saturday, Aug. 29 / Shelby County Speedway / Harlan, IA
Friday, Sept. 25 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Saturday, Sept. 26 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Friday, Oct. 2 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Saturday, Oct. 3 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA
Friday, Oct. 23 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC
Saturday, Oct. 24 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC
Wednesday, Nov. 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thursday, Nov. 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Friday, Nov. 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Saturday, Nov. 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/what-to-watch-for-world-of-outlaws-roaring-back-to-life-for-sunshine-nationals-at-volusia/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/schedule/event-info/?event=4548489
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

  

 

Sorensen's Quest for Maiden World of Outlaws Victory Continuing in 2026

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 16, 2026) – Dustin Sorensen is embarking on his third season as a touring member of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision with one mission: win.

For much of the 2025 season, the Rochester, MN native’s name was toward the top of the list of potential first-time winners with the Series. There were several nights when he was in position to break through, but for one reason or another, the trophy slipped out of his hands.

Sorensen will get his next chance to finish the job in less than a week at Volusia Speedway Park during the season-opening DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24), and he’s never been more ready to solidify himself as the 105th different winner in World of Outlaws history.

“Like Humboldt [Speedway] last year, I felt like I had a good shot to win it, I just didn’t make the right moves in lap traffic,” Sorensen said. “Highland [Speedway], I felt like I had the car to beat there at Highland too and didn’t get to the lead before the track took rubber. I feel like we have the car to do it, I’ve just got to make the right moves when I get my opportunity.”

The fact that Sorensen was in contention to begin with showed that the program is on the right track, which is why the changes in the No. 19 camp over the winter have been minimal. He’ll travel to Volusia with his familiar combination of Longhorn Chassis and Pro Power Racing Engines, as well as the same crew lineup that he finished 2025 with, all in an effort to hit the ground running in the “Sunshine State.”

“We kind of figured our stuff out at the end of the year last year,” Sorensen said. “Hopefully we can carry the good setups that we had in the car as well as my driving into this season. It takes everything, so when we came out last year and just struggled at the start of the year, I don’t know if it was just a little bit of everything or what. But everything was kind of clicking there at the end of the year, I felt like we had a good car, I was doing my job and we were running up front.”

Sorensen has already had a chance to shake down his equipment prior to making the trip to Florida, as he’s midway through six nights of racing at Central Arizona Raceway’s Wild West Shootout. Following a DNF on Saturday, Sorensen improved to 12th on Sunday and eighth on Wednesday with three nights left to show his full potential.

“I feel like we’re pretty good,” Sorensen said. “I feel like we’ve been a top-five car both nights. The first night, I got myself buried in Qualifying, and then [Sunday] night, I just made a mistake there that cost me a few spots. I was running seventh and I caught the holes wrong and fell back to 12th, but I felt like we had a good enough car to be in the top five.”

Once racing concludes in Arizona on Sunday night, the Sorensen crew will begin the 2,000-mile cross-country journey to Volusia ahead of Wednesday’s practice night. While he’s a two-time winner at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” in a DIRTcar UMP Modified, it hasn’t been one of his better tracks in a Late Model, with a record of two top 10s in 13 starts over the past two years. But given his overall uptick in performance in recent months, Sorensen is optimistic about those numbers changing this year.

“I feel like I’ve been fast there, I’ve just never put together a whole night,” Sorensen said. “I’ve had a couple good runs there, but I feel like I’ve learned a lot going there the past couple of years. Kind of figured out what I need to do to be better there. I feel like our car is in a good spot right now, we learned a lot there last year and hopefully have a good notebook going there this year.”

Sorensen will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/sorensens-quest-for-maiden-world-of-outlaws-victory-continuing-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Daulton Wilson, Big Frog Motorsports Join World of Outlaws Full-Time in 2026

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 16, 2026) – In his first full season piloting the Big Frog Motorsports No. 58V, Daulton Wilson will run the full World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision in 2026.

The Fayetteville, NC driver affectionately known as “Big Perm” is the latest addition to an expanding roster of drivers planning to chase a World of Outlaws championship. Wilson is the fourth first-time Outlaw to join the tour in pursuit of the MD3 Rookie of the Year Award alongside Trey Mills, Logan Zarin and Eli Johnson.

“We just kind of looked at the schedule, starting out kind of down where I’m from,” Wilson said. “They’ve run the Outlaw deal before, and it would be something new for me to do. Just felt like it was a good thing, a good time for a change, and it just kind of fit our program a lot better.”

Wilson teamed up with Big Frog last fall after a four-year run with JRR Motorsports came to an end. The pairing earned a pair of top 10s in their first weekend together in the Blue-Gray 100 at Cherokee Speedway before traveling to the Dirt Track World Championship, National 100, and World of Outlaws World Finals to round out 2025. By the end of that stint, Wilson knew the combination was capable of bigger things in the new year.

“We just kind of picked some races that we wanted to go run,” Wilson said. “We were just kind of taking it week by week, seeing how everything went. Me and Augie [Burttram, team owner] and everybody, we all got along pretty good. We threw around the idea of maybe putting something together for this year and it just all worked out.”

The 28-year-old has put together a respectable resume in his 15-year Late Model career, including the title of being the last Super Late Model winner at the legendary East Bay Raceway Park in 2024. One missing accolade is a World of Outlaws victory, although he’s come close on multiple occasions.

Most notably, Wilson had a front-row seat for the final-lap thriller between Bobby Pierce and Nick Hoffman at the 2024 Prairie Dirt Classic, crossing the line third that night. It was his third Series podium, as he also finished third at Cherokee in 2021 and 2022.

With a new team around him and a fresh schedule of races to look forward to, Wilson is entering the year feeling better than ever about his chances to break into Victory Lane with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.

“Just win some races,” Wilson said regarding his goals for the upcoming season. “Be competitive and, you know, let the points kind of be what they’ll be.”

Wilson will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/daulton-wilson-big-frog-motorsports-join-world-of-outlaws-full-time-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

Timm Set to Keep Learning, Building in Sophomore World of Outlaws Campaign
 

CONCORD, NC (January 15, 2026) – When Jake Timm chased the full World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision for the first time in 2025, it was much more than a one-time, bucket-list endeavor.

The former Modified standout has every intention of being a long-term fixture at the pinnacle of Late Model racing, and the next step on that path comes in 2026 with his second season as one of The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.

Timm’s first season as a full-time Late Model racer yielded six World of Outlaws top 10s – including a season-best of fifth at Norman County Raceway – on the way to a 12th-place finish in the standings. Now that he’s laid the foundation, he’s ready to start the building process toward more strong runs moving forward.

“You always wish you could have done better, but at the end of the day, we learned a lot,” Timm said. “We did have some good runs at certain points throughout the year. I wouldn’t say terrible, but we definitely hope to do better this year. Hopefully start breaking into the top five a little bit more, maybe some top threes here and there. Overall, just try and learn and get better, faster.”

As a first-timer on the national stage last year, one of Timm’s biggest hinderances was his lack of notes and experience to lean on. He had only been to a handful of tracks on the World of Outlaws schedule prior to 2025 and had laps in a Late Model at even less of them. That deficit will be a much smaller factor in 2026, which will allow Timm to focus less on playing catch-up and more on finding an edge over the rest of the field.

“I think it showed last year when we went to tracks that I knew or had been to before,” Timm said. “Just knowing where to be faster, how to race the tracks and how they transitioned throughout the night. It gives you a huge advantage, and you can just make better adjustments, make faster decisions driving and all that. I think that’s going to play a big factor in helping us improve our results this year.”

Timm is already three nights into his 2026 season, as the No. 49 crew was one of several World of Outlaws teams that traveled to Central Arizona Raceway for the Wild West Shootout ahead of next week’s DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) at Volusia Speedway Park. A B-Main exit on Saturday wasn’t the start to the year Timm had in mind, but he’s improved since with finishes of 10th on Sunday and 16th on Wednesday.

“The first night, we tried a different car out,” Timm said. “Kind of had some issues with it and it really kind of ruined our first night. That’s part of why we’re testing [Tuesday], we’re trying to figure that out. The second night, we just got the car out that we ran the majority of the year last year with. We know it’s pretty decent and it proved to still be consistent.”

That positive trajectory puts Timm on track for a vastly improved start in comparison to his rookie year, when he had to wait until June for his first top 10. If he can leave himself a smaller hole to dig out of later in the season, he knows he could find himself in a much more desirable position by the time World of Outlaws World Finals rolls around.

“I’d say our goal is probably to try and get to top eight, top 10 in points,” Timm said. “Run more consistently in the top 10 and get some more top fives, top threes. A win would be awesome. I know how difficult they are, they don’t come easy. Really just improve our results quite a bit over last year.”

Timm will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/timm-set-to-keep-learning-building-in-sophomore-world-of-outlaws-campaign/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Diploma In Hand, Chamberlain Ready to Tackle Third Full-Time World of Outlaws Season

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 14, 2026) – For most dirt Late Model drivers, the winter months involve recharging their batteries after a long season and restocking parts and pieces ahead of the new year. But if you’re Tristan Chamberlain, the break also includes graduating high school.

The 18-year-old’s first two seasons on the road with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision were a balance between attending online school while also racing full-time. There were plenty of days when Chamberlain wrote essays in the toterhome in the morning before putting on his firesuit and rolling out for Hot Laps hours later.

Starting in 2026, Chamberlain will be able to place his full focus on racing, which he believes will accelerate his growth behind the wheel in season three with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.

“Before, I’d have school from 8 a.m. to sometimes 1 or 2 p.m.,” Chamberlain said. “It didn’t matter when it was, doing homeschool at the racetrack and it was just my dad out there working. It’s definitely good for me, I get to work on it more to help my dad out, take some of the load off him. Getting more involved, shifting my focus more to it, I can focus more on the driving aspect. I don’t have to switch my brain off and on between school and racing. Definitely looking forward to that this year, it’ll be different than the past two years where I was juggling that.”

Aside from academics, it’s been a busy offseason for the Gibson Racing team as they prepare to head to Volusia Speedway Park next week for the season-opening DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24). Like several teams in the sport, they’re on the hunt for additional crew help while also making a chassis swap.

“I think going to Florida, it’s just going to be the family as of right now,” Chamberlain said. “Our longtime friend, Mark Saul, he’ll be coming down during the February run, so he’ll be helping out. But as of right now, it’s just us. And then my dad went to pick up a new car from Tye Twarog, we’ll be switching back to Longhorn this upcoming year. We’ve got one done right now, then he’s picking up that one, and we’ll be working this week to get it ready since we’ll be leaving Monday. Kind of in a little bit of a pinch, but it won’t be that bad.”

Chamberlain is entering his third year as an Outlaw with a renewed sense of confidence with multiple nights of experience under his belt at most tracks on the schedule. The signs of progress between his freshman and sophomore seasons were there, as evidenced by his back-to-back top 10s at Arrowhead Speedway in August and his six local wins between the Late Model and the DIRTcar UMP Modified he debuted in the second half of 2025.

“Going to all those different tracks, it just takes time,” Chamberlain said. “I mean, you look at all the rookies, it just takes time to adapt to every different racetrack. Even this year, we’re going to a bunch of new racetracks that I’ve never been to before either. That’s one thing with the World of Outlaws, they always end up changing the schedule here and there and involve a bunch of different, unique tracks from down south to up north. The longer you do this, the more you’ll be able to adapt quickly, have a notebook and go back and see what you did before.”

After placing 14th in the final standings in 2024 and 13th in 2025, Chamberlain is ready to take the next step up the order this season and become a true contender. Doing so against the toughest Late Model competition in the nation isn’t going to come easy, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

“Really, I just want good finishes,” Chamberlain said. “I’m not afraid to say I’ve been a 12th, 13th-place car, had some top-10 runs. I definitely want this to be my year. I want to show everyone that I have the speed to do this and the drive to do it, that my team is definitely capable of running the World of Outlaws. As long as I do my job and everyone else does their jobs like they’ve been doing, I think we’ll have a good year.”

Chamberlain will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/diploma-in-hand-chamberlain-ready-to-tackle-third-full-time-world-of-outlaws-season/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

Dennis Erb Jr. Looking to Build on Strong End to 2025 in World of Outlaws Return

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 13, 2026) – Last fall, Dennis Erb Jr.’s trip to Victory Lane at Humboldt Speedway signaled to the world that he was back.

Now, he’s ready to maintain his status as a nightly contender in his full-time return to the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision.

The 2022 Series champion’s Kansas win was far from a fluke – rather, it was one of three top fives in four races in October, a run that highlighted a larger stretch of 10 top 10s in the last 14 races. That consistency has Erb primed for a strong start to 2026, which will be his eighth consecutive season as a member of The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.

“I’m looking forward to getting started here,” Erb said. “I think we’re ready to get back at it. Our equipment’s running really good, I’m really happy with the way we finished last year. I’m looking forward to getting a good start here right off the bat.”

In years past, Erb has been known for his willingness to experiment with chassis changes and other new equipment in his ongoing search for an edge over the competition. However, given Erb’s satisfaction with the current state of his program, no such changes are on the horizon ahead of the new season.

“No major changes,” Erb said. “We’ll be coming back with our Rocket cars, Clements motors, McBride Mack and VoMac Truck Sales as our main sponsors. Not much of an offseason here, but we’re getting ready to get started back up again.”

The first stop of Erb’s 2026 tour comes next week at Volusia Speedway Park for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24). One of the overarching stories at the event will be the new gumbo clay that was laid down in March with the goal of enhancing the on-track product at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.” As someone who’s been competing at Volusia since his first Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals appearance in 2001, Erb has seen several variations of the track’s surface through the years and has high hopes for what this one can deliver.

“I’m looking forward to it, hopefully they’ll have the track in good shape and we can have a good race there,” Erb said.

Upon leaving the “Sunshine State,” the early-season schedule features multiple fresh additions to the tour that Erb knows well. Among them are Volunteer Speedway (March 13), where Erb has two top fives in his last three World of Outlaws starts, plus a top 10 in last year’s Scott Bloomquist Memorial, as well as East Alabama Motor Speedway (March 27), which hosts the National 100 that he won in 2016 and finished runner up in 2025.

“There’s a lot of good racetracks that we’ve been going to for a long time,” Erb said. “Looking forward to getting back to some of those places. East Alabama is one of them, we go there to race the National 100 pretty much every year at the end of the season down there. I really look forward to going back to that place and running there. You know, our normal Midwest swings and all that, places I feel that we’re really good at. No matter where we go, we’ve just got to be prepared and ready to go at it.”

Erb will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

How can you watch the World of Outlaws? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/dennis-erb-jr-looking-to-build-on-strong-end-to-2025-in-world-of-outlaws-return/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

 

Pierce Starting Chase for Third World of Outlaws Championship at Sunshine Nationals

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 9, 2026) – One year ago, Bobby Pierce famously dubbed his 2025 campaign that would eventually lead him to his second World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision championship the “Vengeance Tour.”

Now that the “Smooth Operator” is set to begin his quest for title number three in less than two weeks at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24), does 2026 have a theme yet?

“It’s always a vengeance tour, really,” Pierce said. “Super competitive as always, so hopefully we go and get that third championship.”

Since the No. 32 team’s debut season with the World of Outlaws in 2023, they have reached double-digit Series wins each year, won more than 100 races overall in the past three seasons and have been widely regarded as one of the best Late Model teams in the nation across that span.

For any other team in the pits, it’s easy to use Pierce’s operation as an example to strive toward. But when you’re already at the top of the mountain, staying motivated to continue finding new ways to improve can be a challenge for some. Nevertheless, Pierce keeps on winning and shows no signs of slowing down.

“It’s kind of like a drug. When you win a race, you just want to keep winning more of them,” Pierce said. “That’s for me anyways, and I think my dad too and most of my team. It’s just a really good feeling when you can accomplish your goals, and really, the last couple years, we’ve kind of gone past our goals.

“It’s tough when you race so much through the year, it is a grind and you have to stay motivated. Even if you have a bad night, you want to then go and perform well the next day to redeem yourself. And then if you win, it’s a good feeling, and you just want to get that feeling again. Either way, I feel like it’s pretty easy to stay motivated.”

Should Pierce ever need a refresh amid the never-ending grind of national Late Model racing, one look at the Series record books makes the end goals crystal clear. Less than five years removed from his first World of Outlaws win in 2021, Pierce has already made 42 trips to Victory Lane, placing him in a tie with Billy Moyer for fifth all-time. His next target isn’t far off, as he needs six more to catch Shane Clanton in fourth.

“I was just on the phone with Ruben [Mireles] yesterday, updating something for my profile,” Pierce said. “I was like, ‘Hey, how many wins do I have?’ And he was like, ‘Oh, you’re fifth, tied with [Billy] Moyer. And I’m like, ‘Dang, that’s pretty cool.’ As far as setting records and stuff, that’s definitely somewhat in the back of your mind.

“When you look at the list of guys that I’m starting to catch, it’s kind of getting into another tier of drivers. Like Billy Moyer, he’s the GOAT, so to be tied with him is pretty impressive. It makes me feel very accomplished, it’s a good feeling, and hopefully we can just keep going. Maybe someday, you never know, catch Brandon [Sheppard] and Josh [Richards]. That’ll be a long time from now, but we’ll just keep digging.”

Pierce will travel to plenty of tracks he’s never been to as an Outlaw in 2026, with eight hosting their first Series race and eight more returning to the schedule after a hiatus. One of the most notable additions is the revived Mansfield Speedway for the $57,000-to-win, $5,700-to-start 57 Special on May 29-30. But the largest purse of the season isn’t the only reason that weekend is circled on the calendar – it’s the chance to avenge his near miss at the track in 2018.

“That Mansfield race, that’s interesting because the last time I was there, it was the Dirt Million,” Pierce said. “I was leading that race and a caution came out toward the very end. I got passed by Earl Pearson Jr. and I ran second, so that would have been one of my biggest wins. I’m excited to go back to that place, I know they’ve done a lot to it.”

While the site of the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park isn’t new, the surface at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” will still throw teams a curveball in comparison to recent years. Last spring, a layer of dark gumbo clay was laid down in an effort to bring back the wide, slick racing of Volusia’s past, and the track’s weekly racing program in 2025 delivered exactly that.

Given Pierce’s sluggish start last season with only one top five in five World of Outlaws starts at Volusia between Sunshine Nationals and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, he welcomes the change as a chance to reset and begin his title defense in peak form.

“That dirt that they used to have, as long as its shaped right and stuff, I feel like that track was really fun,” Pierce said. “That dirt that they had on recently, with how the track was graded, it kind of felt like the middle was always fast for such a long time. The track didn’t necessarily widen out really good every night. I feel like it’s going to help really get a bottom and a top going like it used to. I’m looking forward to it.”

Pierce will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision. 

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/pierce-starting-chase-for-third-world-of-outlaws-championship-at-sunshine-nationals/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Tyler Erb Returning to Full-Time World of Outlaws Competition in 2026

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 8, 2026) – The man they call “Terbo” has a new title: “Outlaw.”

Tyler Erb is gearing up to run the full World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision tour for the first time since 2018, with his sights set on clinching a championship at World of Outlaws World Finals in November.

“The last two years, I’ve just picked and chose,” Erb said. “It’s been really good and I’m glad we did. The way the money is now, the money keeps going up and up for the major series. It was just time for us to give it another go this year and hopefully try to win the points. That’s the whole goal behind it.”

Despite not chasing season-long points, the New Waverly, TX native hasn’t been lacking in the win column in recent seasons. He’s won 33 times in the past two years, including major scores like his World of Outlaws win at Mississippi Thunder Speedway last May and the last two National 100s at East Alabama Motor Speedway.

The way Erb sees it, the quantity of his wins and the variety of tracks they’ve come at proves that his Best Performance Motorsports team is returning to the tour with everything they need to contend for a title.

“It’s just a good time for us to do it,” Erb said. “I feel like we have all our ducks in a row, our equipment’s the best it’s ever been. My owner Eric [Brock], all of my sponsors are super excited to try and do it again, and it just seems like the perfect time to do it. And on top of that, we’re running good. The last two years, we’ve gotten a good grasp on what’s going on, so it’s just time to make the most of it. Winning a championship would be the ultimate deal here.”

Many of Erb’s biggest moments as of late have come while following the DIRTcar Summer Nationals full-time in 2024 and 2025. He earned a combined 17 wins across those two campaigns and scored his first Hell Tour title in 2024, all while learning firsthand what it takes to race for a championship.

“We won it the first year, and last year we came up a little bit short,” Erb said. “It wasn’t from a lack of speed or effort, it’s just a tough deal. You’re not going to win every single thing you go to, but we were obviously very consistent both years doing it. It’s been good, just because we can kind of say, ‘OK, we ran 30 races and this is what it took, this is how we did it.’ So, to spread that out over a year, it just really puts it into perspective what you need to do to have a chance to win the Outlaw points.”

Erb is set to join a clash of titans all season long, with the likes of reigning champion Bobby Pierce, Nick Hoffman, Tim McCreadie, Ryan Gustin and more committed to the full tour. By the end of the season, Erb wants to be known as more than the driver with the goofy firesuits and quirky line of merchandise. He wants to go down as one of the best in this generation of Late Model superstars.

“It’s just a testament to our team, we can unload anywhere,” Erb said. “We’ve won all the way from Arizona to Florida, New York, Wisconsin, anything and anywhere in between. We obviously don’t shy away from going to races. Really, for the last five or six years, I’ve gone to basically every major event. I feel like I’ve got good notes and a good idea, and just trying to put it all into fruition this year.”

Erb will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/tyler-erb-returning-to-full-time-world-of-outlaws-competition-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Cody Overton Embracing New Role as Team Owner in Third World of Outlaws Season

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 5, 2026) – The past two months since World of Outlaws World Finals have been anything but quiet for Cody Overton.

Toward the end of 2025, team owner Dave Steine elected to scale back from owning a nationally touring dirt Late Model team. But Overton wasn’t ready for his stint as a full-timer on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision to be over, which meant taking matters into his own hands.

The Thomson, GA driver’s third full-time season with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will look considerably different than the first two as he assumes a new job title as both the owner and driver at Cody Overton Racing.

“Dave, he’s still going to help a little bit, just kind of back scaled,” Overton said. “I had to kind of take it all over and start doing it myself running as my own team, so that’s going to be a big change for this year. He’ll still direct me and help me, look out after me, I guess. It’s just going to be a lot different, I suppose. I’ve got to start nickel and diming more, but for the last two years I’ve been with him, I’ve kind of ran it like it was my own. I watched what I spent, I didn’t just go spend reckless money because it wasn’t mine.

“There are a lot of new people coming on board, and then another one that’s been with me a long time, Bruce Kane, he’s coming back on board. We’re going to kind of team together, so it’ll be like my racing and then Bruce Kane’s racing. That’ll be a big deal, he’s going to be a really, really big part of my racing. And then also Allen Murray, he’s supposed to come on and help. So I think there will be a lot of new names on it, honestly.”

Ask anyone who is responsible for owning the race car they drive, and you’ll hear about how much it changes the view of the entire operation. It’s a lesson Overton has learned through a trial by fire in recent weeks as he starts the process of making COR a mainstay at the pinnacle of Late Model racing.

“Them bills, they rack up faster than I thought,” Overton said. “I never really saw them as much. I knew what I was getting, but I never really thought it was just one after another after another, they just keep racking up. That was the biggest thing that surprised me. The engine refreshes and all that, everything just racks up. It looks bad right now because we’re not racing and nothing’s coming back in, but once we get going, I think it’ll kind of smooth its way out.”

Once the season-opening DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) rolls around and Overton gets to focus on his driving duties once again, he’ll be looking to replicate the weekend he had one year ago. After a third-place run on the first night of 2025 and an 11th on night two, Overton left Volusia Speedway Park as the World of Outlaws points leader for the first time in his career.

With six nights of racing at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile,” followed by several more southeastern facilities Overton has historically ran well at, the ingredients could be in place for a solid start to the year and a potential first-career Series win.

“I think it’s going to be a lot better this year,” Overton said. “I feel like I’ve got way more experience now and really know what’s going on. That was the big deal, I just didn’t want to give up another year. I just wanted one more year because I really want to win one bad. I really feel like this maybe will be the year, so hopefully it all works out.”

There’s one other aspect of team ownership Overton hasn’t forgotten about over the winter – designing the race car. Fans can expect a familiar look on the side of Overton’s machine when he rolls onto the track at Volusia, as he plans on bringing back the number he has sported for most of his time behind the wheel.

“I think we’re going to go back to the 97, see how it goes,” Overton said. “But I told [Steine], if I go to Speedweeks and I suck, I’m going to change it back to the 2 as fast as I can.”

Overton will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/overton-embracing-new-role-as-team-owner-in-third-world-of-outlaws-season/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Eli Johnson Plans 2026 Rookie of the Year Run with World of Outlaws

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 6, 2026) – For Eli Johnson, there’s no better time than now to turn a dream into reality.

The driver of the Clyde Johnson Contracting & Roofing No. 55 has signed up for his first full season of national Late Model racing, joining Trey Mills and Logan Zarin as this year’s third MD3 Rookie of the Year contender with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision.

The 31-year-old Clewiston, FL native spent a half-decade racing locally at a variety of “Sunshine State” tracks leading into 2025, when Johnson dove headfirst into the Super Late Model world. The team put more miles on the hauler than ever, traveling to major events including the Dirt Late Model Dream, World 100, and World of Outlaws World Finals. In between, Johnson teamed up with his fellow Floridians Brenden and Brody Smith to take on the majority of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals schedule.

All that effort was put in with one goal in mind – learn as much as possible in advance of his debut World of Outlaws season in 2026.

“Some sponsors wanted to step in and basically see if we could hang and get involved,” Johnson said. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for Summer Nationals, the Smith guys, if I didn’t have the opportunity to do that, I wouldn’t be doing it at all right now. I mean, I’m super thankful for those guys.”

Johnson proved on multiple occasions last year that he could run up front, collecting a pair of Hell Tour top fives at Shadyhill Speedway and Oakshade Raceway, plus one more with the Southern All Stars at Wartburg Speedway. Matching those numbers at the pinnacle of the sport will be no easy feat, which is why he’s enlisted the help of those who know national Late Model racing inside and out.

“I mean, I feel pretty prepared,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot that we don’t know. I’ve got Boom Briggs, he’s helping me a lot. Kind of letting me know what’s going to happen and how I need to move forward in the program. I feel like we’ll be OK, mainly because we’ve got a lot of help from him also.”

One circumstance that could play into Johnson’s favor is the fact that the first three weeks of the season will take place in his home state. Following two trips to Volusia Speedway Park for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), the tour will head south to Johnson’s home track, Hendry County Motorsports Park.

The Swamp Cabbage 100 (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21) will be the first national Late Model race in the track’s history, giving Johnson his lone opportunity in 2026 to have the upper hand in experience over the rest of the World of Outlaws field.

“I’m really excited for that one, mainly because I’ve got so many laps around that place,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be really exciting, I hope it’s a really good race. I think a lot of the guys will like the place. It’s going to be fun for sure, having all those guys down here.”

Once the calendar turns to spring, Johnson will begin venturing out to plenty of uncharted territory throughout his first season on tour. He knows he’s in for the tallest task of his career and nothing will be handed to him, but he wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I’d like to get quite a few top 10s and some top fives,” Johnson said. “Obviously, if I was to get a win this year, that would be amazing. The biggest thing is to just be consistent.”

Johnson will begin his 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/eli-johnson-plans-2026-rookie-of-the-year-run-with-world-of-outlaws/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

Logan Zarin Gearing Up for World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year Bid in 2026

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (January 2, 2026) – The newest member of The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet has arrived.

Logan Zarin is set to make the jump to the national level with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision in 2026, joining Trey Mills as the second freshman to officially join the upcoming class of MD3 Rookie of the Year contenders.

The 22-year-old Hookstown, PA driver has spent the past eight years competing regionally in and around western Pennsylvania, beginning in RUSH Late Model competition at his home track of Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway. Zarin turned his full focus to the Super Late Model division in 2022, scoring one win and a third-place points finish in weekly action at Lernerville Speedway that year.

His last three seasons have been spent on the United Late Model Series (ULMS) trail, where he’s finished top five in the standings each year against some of the top Late Model competition in the northeast. But the ultimate goal has always been to race against and beat the best in the nation, and the team decided the time was right to chase that dream in 2026.

Zarin knows that the 61-race World of Outlaws tour will require an entirely different level of preparation than what he’s done previously, and his main objective last year was to ensure his operation is ready for what lies ahead. That meant acquiring a new truck and trailer, as well as a fleet of fresh Longhorn Chassis and Durham Racing Engines.

“I think we are prepared enough,” Zarin said. “Just kind of going through everything, making sure we’ve got everything. So, I think we’re about as prepared as we’re going to be, we’ve just got to see what the tour brings us.”

The majority of the tracks Zarin will visit in season one with the World of Outlaws will be new to him, but the first stop at Volusia Speedway Park isn’t one of them. He made the trip south for Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in 2024, and while he failed to start a full-field Feature, he picked up plenty of notes that will serve him well when he returns for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24).

“Our results really weren’t what we expected,” Zarin said of his first Volusia outing. “It’s just big, it’s extremely big and fast. It’s just kind of different, and then the dirt down there is a little bit different, too. You’ve just got to kind of adapt to it a little bit. But I think we’ve got a little bit of a notebook built up with [Longhorn Chassis consultant] Vinny Guliani, so I think we should be good.”

In his scattered World of Outlaws appearances over the past five years, Zarin has proven he’s capable of mixing it up with the sport’s best, racing his way into 10 Features and picking up a pair of top 15s at Sharon Speedway in 2021 and 2025. That’s a total Zarin plans on adding to at tracks across the country on his way to one simple goal.

“Win the Rookie of the Year,” Zarin said.

The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season is set to begin at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/logan-zarin-gearing-up-for-world-of-outlaws-rookie-of-the-year-bid-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Hoffman's Mindset Ahead of 2026: 'We Can Win Any of Them Now'

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (December 18, 2026) – In each of his first three seasons on tour with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision, Nick Hoffman has taken another step toward the top of Late Model racing.

His rookie campaign in 2023 included his first Series win and the MD3 Rookie of the Year Award. The following year, he upped the ante to five victories. Then in 2025, five more World of Outlaws wins followed, as well as the inaugural Coltman Farms Racing Cup title, a runner-up in the overall standings and podium finishes in the sport’s two biggest races, the Dirt Late Model Dream and the World 100.

After coming up 56 points short of Bobby Pierce in the final points tally, Hoffman believes he’s capable of finding even more speed and dethroning the “Smooth Operator” in 2026. The Tye Twarog Racing crew has been working toward that goal since before the end of the 2025 season, and it’s a grind that won’t stop until it’s time to head south to Volusia Speedway Park in January.

“You can never be prepared enough, I guess,” Hoffman said. “We have one car sitting here completely ready that’s in pretty good shape, and we’re building new cars too right now. I feel like our stuff’s in decent shape, but you can never be prepared enough. I’ve got to get more crew guys and more crew help, that would help our program. But crew guys are the toughest thing to find right now.”

When the season commences at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), Hoffman and the rest of the World of Outlaws roster will be in for a new, yet familiar challenge. Shortly after the tour left Volusia in 2025, truckloads of dark gumbo clay were brought in to recreate the surface that was heralded by drivers and fans alike in the past.

While no Super Late Models have turned a competitive lap on the new dirt, the track has hosted plenty of thrilling DIRTcar UMP Modified races during “Fab 5” weekly competition and at the Reutimann Memorial. Given Hoffman’s integral role in the Modified world as owner of Elite Chassis, he’s received plenty of feedback from customers about what lies ahead at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

“The guys I’ve talked to that have either made laps or raced on it say it’s more similar to what we had before, which is good,” Hoffman said. “I don’t know what to expect. We had a really good package there for what we’ve been racing on for the last couple years, and I think it’s going to change our program just a little bit. But at the end of the day, the infield wall and the outfield wall are still in the same spot, and I’ve been able to win there throughout the last 13 years now.

“I’m excited to get back either way, but I think they did a great job with the surface, it looks great. I do hope it’s closer to what we had before where the track would fall off more drastic. Back in the day, it used to start off Mach speed, probably the fastest racetrack we would go to in the country and then slow down two or three seconds. I think that’s when the racing was best, and hopefully it does that for us this year.”

Following a quick trip further south to Hendry County Motorsports Park, four of the next five weekends in the spring will be contested at tracks across the southeast. That itinerary would have been nightmare fuel for a past version of Hoffman considering his historically lackluster results on red clay. But Hoffman flipped that script last fall with his first Late Model win in the south at Needmore Speedway and a strong weekend to close the year at World of Outlaws World Finals, which has him feeling much more optimistic about his chances of starting the year on the right foot.

“A couple of those places, East Alabama [Motor Speedway], Volunteer [Speedway], I’ve never even been to, so it’s hard to say, but I just feel like our stuff is pretty good right now in any situation,” Hoffman said. “It’s just capitalizing on some of the bad nights. There were a couple places that you run in the 20th to 25th range, and you can’t let that happen.”

Aside from a potential championship bid and plenty more race wins, there’s one more goal at the top of Hoffman’s list going into the new season – winning one of Late Model racing’s crown jewels. He’s had numerous close calls, most notably in the 2024 Prairie Dirt Classic that saw a last-lap lead swap leave Pierce overjoyed and Hoffman heartbroken.

Some call Hoffman the best active Late Model driver without a crown jewel on their resume. While he’s proud of that recognition, he would love nothing more than to remove his name from consideration in 2026.

“It’s probably one of my main priorities,” Hoffman said. “Nowadays, there’s eight or 10 of them in the country, and I feel like we can win any of them now. There was a couple of them that, if you asked me a year ago or two years ago, I’d be like, ‘Yeah, there’s probably no shot we’ll win that.’ But now, being as good as we’ve been at Eldora [Speedway], Fairbury [Speedway]. For instance, I’ve won a lot of Mod races [at Fairbury], but never figured I’d be great there, especially in a Late Model. It’s just not my style of racing, but I’ve been up front both years there.

“It’s very difficult to win those races, but I feel like we’ve been really close and knocking on the door. Just need a couple things to go our way to actually get it done.”

Hoffman will begin his 2026 season with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/hoffmans-mindset-ahead-of-2026-we-can-win-any-of-them-now/

EVENT INFO: DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Swamp Cabbage 100
TRACK INFO: Volusia Speedway Park, Hendry County Motorsports Park

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Revisiting Two Decades of World of Outlaws Sunshine State History

Dick Ayers

CONCORD, NC (December 10, 2026) – Since the revival of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series in 2004, the opening weeks of every season have included a stint in Florida.

Whether for a few nights or multiple weeks of racing, the warm weather, salty air and sandy coasts have served as a destination for racers and fans looking to escape the cold and usher in a new season.

The past 22 seasons of World of Outlaws racing in the “Sunshine State” have been split between two iconic facilities, with a third set to join the list in 2026 by hosting The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet for the first time.

Here’s a look at the events that have shaped Florida’s Late Model legacy:

DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals: Starting in 2020, fans no longer had to wait until February to see Late Models ripping around Volusia Speedway Park.

The inaugural edition of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals featured several divisions of Crate Late Models kicking off the season in mid-January. Florida’s own Kyle Bronson dominated the weekend, going three-for-three in the 604 Late Models.

It was then decided that no “Late Model Palooza” could be complete without the Super Late Models, and the World of Outlaws were brought in to open the season at the event beginning in 2021. Bronson’s Sunshine Nationals speed carried over into the open motor division, as he won the first January World of Outlaws race at Volusia before Kyle Strickler collected his first Series victory to close out the weekend.

In the five Sunshine Nationals featuring the World of Outlaws, Devin Moran tops the win column with three victories in the event, while Dale McDowell, Hudson O’Neal, Ryan Gustin and Garrett Alberson have also hoisted trophies.

Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals: Since the inception of Volusia’s signature event in the 1970s, Late Models have been one of the premiere divisions entertaining fans each February.

The early years of DIRTcar Nationals saw names like Wayne Shugart, Morgan Shepherd and Larry Moore lead the way around the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.” Racing in the 1980s and 1990s fell under the banner of several of the premiere touring series of the era, including the Hav-A-Tampa Dirt Racing Series and the STARS Late Model Series.

In the leadup to the 2004 season, a new era of national Late Model racing dawned with the revival of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series, and the first stop was set for Barberville, FL. A star-studded field of drivers converged on Volusia for the week, with Steve Francis taking the checkers on opening night to become the first fendered World of Outlaws winner in 15 years.

Francis was the first of four different winners in four races contested that week, as Bart Hartman, Shannon Babb and Scott Bloomquist also added their names to the list of Volusia winners.

The new February tradition quickly grew into one of the premiere weeks of racing on the Late Model calendar as more teams and fans began making the annual pilgrimage to Volusia. But every marquee event needs a signature prize, and DIRTcar Nationals got one in 2012 with the introduction of the “Big Gator” trophy.

The award went to the top points earner over the course of the week, and Dennis Erb Jr.’s one win and three top fives were enough to become the first Late Model Big Gator champion. In total, nine different drivers have earned the award in the 14 years since its debut. Brandon Sheppard tops them all with three (2019, 2020 and 2024).

Gator 100: For two seasons in the mid-2000s, World of Outlaws racing in Florida wasn’t confined to the winter. Eight months after the season began at Volusia, the Series returned in October to finish the year in the same spot with the Gator 100.

The inaugural running in 2005 was led wire-to-wire by Bloomquist, but the real excitement was behind him. On the final lap, Billy Moyer got around Francis for second to earn his third World of Outlaws championship in a tiebreaker over the “Kentucky Colonel.”

One year later, Chris Madden took command from Rick Eckert to score the 2006 victory. That marked the end of Volusia’s tenure as the season finale, as the final race moved to its current home at The Dirt Track at Charlotte as part of World of Outlaws World Finals in 2007.

Winter Nationals: The only other Florida track with a history of hosting the World of Outlaws lies an hour west of Volusia. The egg-shaped Ocala Speedway can be one of the most difficult tracks in the sport to master, with the fast and sweeping Turns 1 and 2 requiring a vastly different approach than the hairpin at the opposite end in Turns 3 and 4.

Ocala’s initial slot on the calendar was in March, with Darrell Lanigan winning the first two stops in 2010 and 2011. Beginning in 2012, the track was added to the Speedweeks slate, and the tour began visiting the 3/8-mile oval prior to DIRTcar Nationals for the track’s Winter Nationals event.

The date change didn’t bother Lanigan, as he won four more times at Ocala between 2012 and 2014 to bring his total to six World of Outlaws wins at the track. Josh Richards was the only other Outlaw to win at Ocala more than once, picking up three wins before the track left the schedule after 2015.

Swamp Cabbage 100: A new marquee Late Model event is set to join the calendar in 2026, as the World of Outlaws will venture the furthest south they’ve even been in Florida for the inaugural World of Outlaws Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park on Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21.

The race, held in conjunction with the Swamp Cabbage Festival in nearby LaBelle, FL, has been held since 2023 with a 100-lap Factory Stock Feature as the main attraction. However, the festivities are set to take on a new look, as one week after the 2026 DIRTcar Nationals, the World of Outlaws will head to the southernmost dirt track in the United States for two full programs.

Between a bass fishing tournament prior to the event on Wednesday, Feb. 18, and an all-inclusive ticket policy which grants grandstand ticket holders access to the pit area throughout the night, fans have plenty of reasons to extend their stay in Florida and be part of the first chapter of the state’s newest early-season tradition.

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series kicks off 2026 at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 22-24) and Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14), followed by the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21). Get tickets and more information for all three events by clicking here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/revisiting-two-decades-of-world-of-outlaws-sunshine-state-history/

EVENT INFO: DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Swamp Cabbage 100
TRACK INFO: Volusia Speedway Park, Hendry County Motorsports Park

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

17 Drivers Climb World of Outlaws All-Time Wins List

Emily Schwanke

CONCORD, NC (December 2, 2025) – The 2025 season for the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision was one of the most competitive in recent memory, with plenty of new and returning faces making their way to Victory Lane.

In total, 17 different drivers won at least one Series race this year, nearly twice as many as the previous season. That included nine of the top 10 drivers in the final point standings, as well as three drivers who scored their first win with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.

Take a look at this season’s winners:

Brandon Sheppard (Rank: 1 / Wins: 88): The five-time World of Outlaws champion made it nine-straight years with at least one win with his drive to victory at Farmer City Raceway. His fourth win on Illini 100 weekend was the 88th of his career with the Series, 10 more than his closest challenger and fellow Rocket1 Racing star, Josh Richards.

Bobby Pierce (Rank: 5 / Wins: 42): For the third year in a row, Bobby Pierce assembled a double-digit win total en route to his second World of Outlaws championship. His 11 wins came at 10 different tracks, eight of them being places he had never won at previously with the Series. Pierce enters 2026 in a tie with Billy Moyer for fifth all-time, and is in position to continue climbing the order for years to come, as Sheppard is the only driver ahead of him who is still competing full-time at the national level.

Tim McCreadie (Rank: 7 / Wins: 39): “T-Mac” took advantage of his first full World of Outlaws campaign since 2015 to make major moves up the leaderboard with his six-win season. After picking up his first two wins of the year in familiar territory at Raceway 7 and Bedford Speedway, three of his final four scores came at tracks he had never turned a lap at – Nodak Speedway, 81 Speedway and Boothill Speedway. McCreadie’s success moved him up to seventh on the list in a tie with fellow Late Model legend Chris Madden with 39 wins apiece.

Mike Marlar (Rank: 14 / Wins: 18): Despite not running a full national schedule in 2025, Mike Marlar was consistently in contention whenever he rolled through the gates. The “Winfield Warrior” won the final night of the Battle at the Border at Sharon Speedway in July, which turned out to be the final win of his two-year stint with Skyline Motorsports before he rejoined Delk Racing in September. The 2018 champion has amassed 18 wins at 17 different tracks, with The Dirt Track at Charlotte being the only place he has won at more than once in World of Outlaws competition.

Jonathan Davenport (Rank: 15 / Wins: 17): Sitting one win behind Marlar is Jonathan Davenport, who got his year rolling with a win at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals and closed it out with two more at World of Outlaws World Finals. That trio of victories moved Davenport to 15th all-time, and he’s second behind Jimmy Owens among drivers who have never ran a full season with the Series.

Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin (Rank: 17 [tied] / Wins: 15): Following a season littered with strong finishes and near misses, Dennis Erb Jr. broke through in the waning weeks of the year at Humboldt Speedway for his first World of Outlaws win in more than two years. Eight days later, Ryan Gustin joined him at the 15-win mark with his Boothill triumph, capping off a five-win season that also included his first crown jewel at the USA Nationals as well as wins at Volusia Speedway Park, Swainsboro Raceway and Wilmot Raceway.

Devin Moran (Rank: 19 / Wins: 14): Volusia win number six for the “Mailman” came in February, putting him in a four-way tie with Scott Bloomquist, Richards and Sheppard on top of the World of Outlaws winners list at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.” The victory moved him into the top 20 overall and solidified his status as the second-winningest Ohio driver in Series history behind Richards.

Brian Shirley (Rank: 22 / Wins: 13): The 13th World of Outlaws win of Brian Shirley’s career was easily the biggest, as he became the newest winner of the Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury Speedway. His lone Series win on the year tied him with fellow Illinois star Shannon Babb for 22nd on the list.

Nick Hoffman (Rank: 25 / Wins: 11): After a breakout five-win sophomore season with the World of Outlaws in 2024, Nick Hoffman backed it up by matching that total in 2025. The upper Midwest continued to be fertile ground, with Hoffman’s first four wins coming in Wisconsin, North Dakota and Minnesota. But even though he’s called North Carolina home for the entirety of his adult life, Hoffman had never won a Late Model race on the southern red clay until finally breaking through at Needmore Speedway in September. Only three seasons into his full-time Late Model career, Hoffman has already become one of the top 25 winningest drivers on the World of Outlaws trail.

Ashton Winger (Rank: 28 / Wins: 5): For the second time in five years, Ashton Winger took down the Outlaws at his home track, Senoia Raceway, to bring his career win total to five with the Series. That equals him with several other stars of the sport’s past and present, including Donnie Moran, Earl Pearson Jr. and Ricky Thornton Jr.

Tyler Erb, Tanner English (Rank: 35 [tied] / Wins: 4): Tyler Erb’s first World of Outlaws win at a track other than Atomic Speedway came 700 miles to the northwest at Mississippi Thunder Speedway on the opening night of Dairyland Showdown weekend. Three months later, Tanner English conquered the tight 1/4-mile Highland Speedway for his first Series win in three years, delivering Coltman Farms Racing their first trophy on the national stage.

Hudson O’Neal (Rank: 41 / Wins: 3): Hudson O’Neal won in back-to-back years at Volusia to kick off 2023 and 2024, but this year, his annual World of Outlaws win came at the end of the season with a last-corner pass at World Finals. It was his first Series triumph behind the wheel of the Rumley No. 6, and the team’s first since Kyle Larson won at Sharon Speedway in 2021.

Garrett Alberson (Rank: 49 / Wins: 2): It was a breakout 2025 season for Garrett Alberson and Roberts Motorsports, and one that included the Las Cruces, NM driver’s first two World of Outlaws victories. The first came on the final night of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals in January, when Alberson took command from Jimmy Owens past halfway and traded sliders with Davenport in the closing circuits. The encore performance came less than a month later, when Alberson led flag-to-flag in the first of three World of Outlaws Features at DIRTcar Nationals.

Ethan Dotson, Drake Troutman (Rank: 63 [tied] / Wins: 1): Two members of the 2025 rookie class scored a win in their first full tour, starting at Farmer City Raceway where Ethan Dotson took the checkers. One of the drivers he denied on that night was Drake Troutman, who went on to pick up a trophy of his own at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park to become the 104th different winner in World of Outlaws history.

World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Models All-Time Wins List (Rank, Driver, Wins)

1. Brandon Sheppard (88)
2. Josh Richards (78)
3. Darrell Lanigan (74)
4. Shane Clanton (48)
5. Billy Moyer, Bobby Pierce (42)
7. Chris Madden, Tim McCreadie (39)
9. Rick Eckert (38)
10. Scott Bloomquist (33)
11. Steve Francis (28)
12. Jimmy Owens (21)
13. Brandon Overton (20)
14. Mike Marlar (18)
15. Jonathan Davenport (17)
16. Chub Frank (16)
17. Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin (15)
19. Tim Fuller, Dale McDowell, Devin Moran (14)
22. Shannon Babb, Brian Shirley (13)
24. Clint Smith (12)
25. Nick Hoffman (11)
26. Jimmy Mars (8)
27. Brian Birkhofer (7)
28. Bart Hartman, Donnie Moran, Earl Pearson Jr., Brady Smith, Max Blair, Ricky Thornton Jr., Ashton Winger (5)
35. Steve Shaver, Cade Dillard, Gregg Satterlee, Chase Junghans, Tyler Erb, Tanner English (4)
41. Jackie Boggs, Davey Johnson, Austin Hubbard, Billy Moyer Jr., Frank Heckenast Jr., Ricky Weiss, Kyle Bronson, Hudson O’Neal (3)
49. Willy Kraft, Rick Egersdorf, Dan Stone, Bub McCool, Chris Ferguson, Jeep VanWormer, Don O’Neal, Mike Norris, Kyle Strickler, Dave Hess Jr., Kyle Larson, Jason Feger, Cory Hedgecock, Garrett Alberson (2)
63. Larry Phillips, Les Hare, Johnny Stokes, Gary Stuhler, Kevin Thompson, Rick Auckland, Mitch Johnson, Kevin Gundaker, Dan Schlieper, John Blankenship, Dick Barton, Brian Harris, Patrick Sheltra, Jeremy Miller, Kelly Boen, Rod Conley, Jeff Smith, Jamie Lathroum, Ricky Elliott, Jared Hawkins, Brad Neat, Chris Garnes, Eric Wells, Dale Hollidge, Casey Roberts, Curtis Roberts, Steve Casebolt, Billy Ogle Jr., Tim Dohm, Eric Spangler, Timothy Culp, Jeff Rine, Chad Simpson, Ross Bailes, Mason Zeigler, Zack Mitchell, Mike Spatola, Ben Watkins, Michael Brown, Jared Miley, Ethan Dotson, Drake Troutman (1)

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/17-drivers-climb-world-of-outlaws-all-time-wins-list-in-2025/

FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/

 

Super DIRTCAR series

   

/www.superdirtcarseries.com

The Super DIRTcar Series remains the premier traveling tour for Big Block Modifieds in the nation.

Each Super DIRTcar Series event follows a traditional short-track program including pre-race Hot Lap sessions, qualifying through Time Trials, Heat Races, and a Last Chance Showdown, all leading up to the 30-car Feature. The number of cars entered that night determines the number of preliminary races. The top 12 qualifiers in the heat races redraw for starting positions.

 

 

 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Super DIRTcar Series Kicks Off 2026 Season With DIRTcar Nationals Gator Hunt
 The Beasts of the Northeast will race Feb. 11-14 at Volusia Speedway Park

Josh James

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 9, 2026) – After a three-month hibernation, the Beasts of the Northeast will awaken for their annual trip to Florida.

The Super DIRTcar Series kicks off its 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL, during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14.

Drivers will battle for four straight nights, starting with three 30-lap, $5,000-to-win Features on Wednesday-Friday, Feb. 11-13. Then, a Big Gator champion will be crowned on Saturday, Feb. 14, following a 50-lap, $7,500-to-win finale.

While the four nights in Florida won’t count toward the 2026 championship, competitors will accumulate points throughout the week to determine who becomes the 15th Big Block Big Gator champion.

Along with the Super DIRTcar Series, Super Late Models will be on the card during all four nights. The DIRTcar Late Models will be in action on Wednesday, Feb. 11, before the World of Outlaws Late Models Series presented by DIRTVision join the Big Blocks for the rest of the week.

BUY VOLUSIA TICKETS HERE

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVISION

Here’s a look at the top storylines for DIRTcar Nationals:

Lightning Chasers: Both Mat Williamson and Matt Sheppard have a shot at history this week at Volusia. If either wins their third Big Gator trophy at DIRTcar Nationals, they’ll tie Larry Wight for the most all-time. 

Williamson, the defending Series champion, missed out on that accomplishment by three points last year despite not reaching Victory Lane. The St. Catharines, ON driver has six wins at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile,” including victories in 2023 and 2024 when he won the week-long points championship.

A victory by “Money Mat” will be his 37th career Super DIRTcar Series win, breaking a tie with Tim Fuller for eighth on the Series all-time wins list.

Sheppard, who has the most Super DIRTcar Series wins at Volusia (11), is also searching for his third Big Gator after winning the first one in 2012 and another in 2016. The Savannah, NY driver, who’ll race with new colors in 2026, earned his 11th win with his triumph on the season’s opening night. 

READ MORE: Matt Sheppard Launches 2026 with New Colors, Same Championship Drive

If he wins Wednesday’s opener, it’ll be his third consecutive season-opening victory, and his 104th Series victory overall, continuing his chase of Brett Hearn’s Series-leading 141 Feature wins.

Wight, meanwhile, will be one of the cars in attendance trying to prevent Williamson and Sheppard from tying his accomplishment. The Phoenix, NY driver is a four-time Volusia winner, including three wins in 2020 en route to his third Big Gator. A win by “Lightning Larry” would be his 13th Series win and first since 2022. 

PA History: Alex Yankowski made history at last year’s DIRTcar Nationals, becoming the first driver from Pennsylvania to earn the Big Gator title. The Covington Township, PA driver used that momentum toward a second-place finish in the Series standings.

“Kid Rocket” also earned a Feature win at Volusia last year, becoming the first “Keystone State” driver to earn a Super DIRTcar Series win at the track since Rick Laubach in 2016.

Yankowski can continue his drive toward history with a second Big Gator trophy this week. If he wins the week-long championship again, he’ll join Williamson, Sheppard, and Wight as multi-time Big Gator winners.

Freeze Warning: Wednesday night’s season opener at Volusia will mark the return of Stewart Friesen to Super DIRTcar Series competition for the first time since a crash in July sidelined him for the remainder of the 2025 season. Like in past years, the Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON driver is not scheduled to compete every night, splitting time between Volusia and his NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series duties at Daytona International Speedway. 

READ MORE: Stewart Friesen Ready For Super DIRTcar Series Return at DIRTcar Nationals

Friesen is a 10-time Super DIRTcar Series winner at Volusia but hasn’t reached Victory Lane at the track since 2022. An 11th victory at the Barberville, FL, track would be his 53rd Series triumph.

Early Season Momentum: Along with a Big Gator trophy, the four nights at DIRTcar Nationals are a chance to grab momentum toward the remainder of the 2026 season.

While Sheppard and Yankowski stole headlines early in the week last year with wins, Peter Britten returned to the track’s Victory Lane for the first time since 2022, and Erick Rudolph earned his first Volusia win after 11 years of trying.

Britten, from Brisbane, QLD, added another win later in the season during SummerFAST, giving him his first multi-win Super DIRTcar Series season. Rudolph, meanwhile, didn’t return to Victory Lane, but still had a consistent season by finishing fifth in the season’s final standings and passing more cars than any other Super DIRTcar Series driver throughout the year.

One driver to keep an eye on who didn’t win at Volusia last year is Alex Payne – the third-place finisher in the 2025 championship battle. The Hopewell, NY driver finished second to Britten in Florida last year and used that early-season momentum to earn three victories by the end of the year.

All three drivers are searching for their first Big Gator trophy.

WHEN AND WHERE
Volusia Speedway Park (1/2-mile) in Barberville, FL, Feb. 11-14

TRACK RECORD
Volusia Speedway Park: 16.794 by Jamie Mills on Feb. 1, 2015

Big Gator Champions:
 2025 – Alex Yankowski
2024 – Mat Williamson
2023- Mat Williamson
2022 – Jimmy Phelps
2021 – Max McLaughlin
2020 – Larry Wight
2019 – Larry Wight
2018 – Tim McCreadie
2017 – Brett Hearn
2016 – Matt Sheppard
2015 – Larry Wight
2014 – Stewart Friesen
2013 – Danny Johnson
2012 – Matt Sheppard

Prospective DIRTcar Nationals Entry List:

Car #                                             Name                                              Hometown

1                                                   Billy Pauch Jr.                                  Frenchtown, NJ
2                                                   Jack Lehner                                     Saratoga Springs, NY
3                                                   Justin Haers                                     Phelps, NY
4V                                                Billy VanInwegen                              Port Jervis, NY
5C                                               Ayden Cipriano                                  Hermitage, PA
5H                                               Amy Holland                                      Fulton, NY
6                                                   Matt Stangle                                     Neshanic Station, NJ
8                                                   Rich Scagliotta                                 Boundbrook, NJ
8M                                              Macey Adamik                                    Leechburg, PA
9S                                                Matt Sheppard                                  Savannah, NY
10C                                            Danny Creeden                                  Wurtsboro, NY
11                                                Matt Caprara                                     Clayton, NY
11T                                             Jeff Taylor                                           Chittenango, NY
12                                                Darren Smith                                     Binghamton, NY
14                                                Brian Swarthout                                Beaver Dams, NY
15X                                             Justin Stone                                       Middlebury, VT
16                                                Louden Reimert                                Oley, PA
17                                                Marcus Dinkins                                 Watkins Glen, NY
18$                                             Sean Beardsley                                 Central Square, NY
18V                                            Bobby Varin                                        Johnstown, NY
20                                                Rick Laubach                                    Quakertown, PA
21A                                            Peter Britten                                       Brisbane, QLD
21M                                           Bob McGannon                                  Garnerville, NY
22J                                              Richard Murtaugh                             Fulton, NY
25                                                Erick Rudolph                                   Ransomville, NY
28                                                Mike Trautschold                              Roscoe, NY
29                                                Garrett Krummert                             West Middlesex, PA
30                                                H.J. Bunting                                      Milford, DE
32R                                            Ronnie Davis III                                 Memphis, NY
33                                                Eddie Strada                                    Lake Ariel, PA
35                                                Chris Curtis                                      E. Canaan, CT
44                                                Stewart Friesen                              Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
48Too                                       Dave Rauscher                                  Waterloo, NY
58                                                Mike Gular                                      Harleysville, PA
61L                                             Donovan Lussier                          St. Denis-Sur-Richelieu, QC
66W                                          Wallace Stacey                                  Kahnawake, QC
70                                              Duane Howard                                  Oley, PA
70A                                            Alex Payne                                        Hopewell, NY
84Y                                             Alex Yankowski                                Covington Township, PA
88                                                Mat Williamson                                St. Catharines, ON
91                                                Felix Roy                                         Napierville, QC
92                                                Andrew Buff                                     Latham, NY
92S                                            Dexter Stacey                                    Kahnawake, QC
98H                                            Jimmy Phelps                                    Baldwinsville, NY
99L                                             Larry Wight                                        Phoenix, NY
118                                             Duane Howard                                  Oley, PA
165                                             Rex King Jr.                                      Bristolville, OH
444                                             Russell Morseman IV                       Addison, NY

 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/what-to-watch-for-super-dirtcar-series-kicks-off-2026-season-with-dirtcar-nationals-gator-hunt/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

 

Justin Stone Gains Volusia Edge Ahead of Super DIRTcar Series Opener
The Middlebury, VT driver is doubling up on Modified action at Volusia

Joe Grabianowski

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 4, 2026) – For the second consecutive season, Justin Stone is gaining valuable experience at Volusia Speedway Park. However, it’s not behind the No. 15X Big Block Modified fans are accustomed to.

Before the Super DIRTcar Series season begins on Feb. 11, the Middlebury, VT driver is getting track time driving a DIRTcar UMP Modified, which means he’ll have more laps than any other Big Block driver at Volusia when the Series makes its annual stop at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

That extra track time at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” is important, as he’s the first Big Block driver to race on the track’s new clay.

“The biggest thing is to see what the track progression does throughout the night,” Stone said. “It seems like there’s a little less grip than in previous years that I’ve been here. So, hopefully I can adjust my car and get it right so we can go out and be competitive and fast.

“I know the dirt is different, so it’s going to be different for the Big Block, too. But these UMP cars are definitely different from the Big Block Modifieds. You have to drive them differently. Hopefully, I can take some of the stuff I’m learning here and put it toward the Big Block.”

While he’s searching for his first gator trophy in his Big Block, he’s already found success in the UMP Modified. Last year, he scored his first Feature win at Volusia, just days after sitting behind the wheel of the car for the first time.

However, it was still a learning curve for the third-generation driver. 

“Some of the instincts on a Big Block are different,” Stone said. “Where you need to be off the gas with a Big Block, you need to be on the throttle in these, to an extent. It’s a different driving style. I guess I haven’t figured out how to describe it yet. Just trying to knock the rust off.

“To come down in a car I’d never been in before and get better throughout the week and be competitive and get lucky enough to win one was awesome. It was good for my confidence, too, just knowing I can get it done. It’s great for my crew, too. They put a lot of time and effort into it, so it’s great for everybody.”

That team will wrench on the UMP Modified for the rest of the week, before switching to the Big Block when the Beasts of the Northeast kick off the season on Feb. 11. And while none of the four races during the event will count toward the 2026 Series title, he’s still focusing on a single goal.

“We’ve messed around with some different things,” Stone said. “The biggest thing is to be comfortable and get in a rhythm and get consistent. Consistency is huge in this sport.

“I’m probably going to mess around with some different stuff, but at the end of the day, you still want to start up front and finish up front. I’m excited for it, just to see what we can do. I know in previous years we lose a motor every year, so, knock on wood that doesn’t happen. But if it does, it does, it is what it is.”

No matter what happens at Volusia, Stone is looking forward to his third full-time season with the Super DIRTcar Series. Despite finishing 16th in last year’s standings, he said he’s confident he’ll improve since he won’t be seeing many tracks for the first time.

“We have a couple of years of notes to go back to some of these tracks and hopefully come out of the box better and be more consistent,” Stone said. “I’m looking forward to the season just to see the progression between notes, and experience, and driving different places. Hopefully, I can have better, consistent finishes and qualify better.

“Once you dig yourself a hole, it’s hard to get out of. Especially against those guys on the Series. They’re really tough competitors and they’re fast out of the box.”

Stone will compete in the DIRTcar UMP Modified for the rest of the week, before bringing out his Big Block when the Super DIRTcar Series opens the 2026 season at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL, Feb. 11-14.

Where can you get tickets for DIRTcar Nationals? Tickets are available now at the DIRTcar Nationals website.

How can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? Live on DIRTVision. 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/justin-stone-gains-volusia-edge-ahead-of-super-dirtcar-series-opener/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

 

A FRESH START: Matt Sheppard Launches 2026 with New Colors, Same Championship Drive
The 10-time Series champion welcomes IHRA as a new partner on the No. 9S car

A FRESH START: Matt Sheppard Launches 2026 with New Colors, Same Championship Drive
The 10-time Series champion welcomes IHRA as a new partner on the No. 9S car

SAVANNAH, NY(February 3, 2026) – The word “change” isn’t typically associated with 10-time Super DIRTcar Series champion Matt Sheppard.

But in 2026, change is exactly what the Savannah, NY driver will endure, with a brand-new sponsor on the quarter-panel of his No. 9S Big Block Modified, and new colors for the first time since 2018.

When Sheppard makes his first Series appearance at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14, he’ll have the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) on the side of the car, following an eight-season run with Hurlock Auto and Speed Supply as his main sponsor.

“It’s exciting for us and the whole team to have a new rebranding, new colors, and a fresh start after a long, successful run,” Sheppard said. “Things were good, but everything runs its course, and sometimes you need a reset.”

While IHRA is the main sponsor, Sheppard is also welcoming Sunrise Insulation, Chemung Concrete, Danube Dairy, and VP Racing Fuels, among several returning sponsors. For Sheppard, who owns the team, each partner is an important part of putting him in a position to contend for another Super DIRTcar Series title.

“As a self-owned team, I’m not a millionaire like a lot of these guys are,” Sheppard said. “I rely heavily on the sponsorship to keep us competitive and keep us in the equipment we need to be competitive. It’s been a crazy off-season, but it’s also been a good off-season for us, too.”

New sponsors and new colors aren’t the only changes Sheppard will endure in 2026, as Hall of Fame crew chief Randy Kisacky retired at the end of 2025. However, it puts Sheppard back into a role he’s familiar with – serving as the driver and crew chief of the No. 9S.

“It’s going to be a hole to fill, but I think the timing of everything with Randy leaving, new sponsors, and new blood, it kind of adds to the whole fresh start that we got going on right now,” Sheppard said.

Even with the changes, Sheppard’s goal when he gets to the racetrack doesn’t change. The 103-time Series Feature winner has the same goal he’s always had: go out and win every night and earn a record-11th Super DIRTcar Series title. 

And after a fourth-place finish in the 2025 standings, he said he knows what he must do to get back to championship form.

“We need to eliminate the bad nights,” Sheppard said. “Our championship years, we didn’t have any breakdowns, didn’t have any failures, and we didn’t really have any bad nights. We kind of came back last year and got back to winning races, getting podiums, and had a lot of strong performances. But we also had some poor performances, too. And those poor performances are the difference in winning championships and not winning championships.”

Before heading to Volusia Speedway Park, “Super Matt” will debut his IHRA sponsored-Big Block with its new colors at All-Tech Raceway during Dirt Track Digest’s Showdown in the Sunshine State, Feb. 4-7.

Then, he’ll search for his third consecutive opening night victory in the Super DIRTcar Series return to Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in Barberville, FL, Feb. 11-14, where he’s earned 11 victories.

Where can you get tickets for DIRTcar Nationals? Tickets are available now at the DIRTcar Nationals website.

How can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? Live on DIRTVision. 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/a-fresh-start-matt-sheppard-launches-2026-with-new-colors-same-championship-drive/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

BACK TO BUSINESS: Stewart Friesen Ready For Super DIRTcar Series Return at DIRTcar Nationals
It's the Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON driver's first appearance since his crash at Autodrome Drummond

Joe Grabianowski

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 26, 2026) – Stewart Friesen has had one goal for the last seven months: get behind the wheel of a race car again.

He’ll officially accomplish that goal in February. Along with returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series, he’ll be back behind the wheel of a Big Block Modified during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 11-14.

Earlier this month, Friesen drove a Big Block during a test session at Friendship Motor Speedway in North Carolina. It was the first time he’d driven the car since his horrific crash at Autodrome Drummond in July.

“It was a little bit emotional for me and Tommy (Conroy, his Crew Chief),” Friesen said. “But it was good to get out there to knock the rust off, knock those feelings off, and get back to work. We had a good test.

“There were a lot of questions going in, obviously. And it’s been a long recovery process. I knew I wanted to get back in as soon as I possibly could to see if it’d work. With the weather in North Carolina and having our stuff ready to go early, we were able to get down and do that test at Friendship.” 

Friesen’s test at Friendship marked the tail-end of a long recovery process to return to racing in 2026. That included physical therapy and added exercise on his own time.

“It was simple things like riding a bike, and doing calf raises, and leg lifts, and just trying to rebuild muscles,” Friesen said. “I probably spent more time in the gym over the past two months than I have in the last five years. Just trying to rebuild that muscle. We still have a little way to go, but once we get back to competitively racing, I think we’ll be good.”

Those exercises were only one part of the process. It also included work inside the driver’s seat. Over the past few months, Friesen and his team have worked to fit him into a new seat and make it more comfortable for him to drive.


That offseason work paid off, as Friesen said there were no issues in his ankle, foot, or leg.

“During the test, it felt really, really good,” Friesen said. “We were able to run through some things, and it felt good. I didn’t feel like I was trying to teach myself how to drive again. After a couple of laps, it was like riding a bike. I just got back on the horse, and away we go.”

The next step: make his goal from the last seven months come true. He’ll return to competitive action in Florida behind the wheel of a Big Block and a Truck.

But once he’s back into the swing of competing for a Truck Series title, his dirt schedule might look a little different this year with Halmar-Friesen Racing expanding to a two-truck team.

“We’ll see how it goes,” Friesen said. “We always just fill in the blanks around the Truck schedule with the Modified stuff, and we’ll continue to do so. It won’t be like we only run 10 races. I think it’ll still be like 40. Maybe not the 60 we had planned in 2025. But we’ll see how it goes and go week to week like we always have.”

Before Volusia, Friesen plans on racing at All-Tech Raceway during Dirt Track Digest’s Showdown in the Sunshine State, Feb. 4-7.

Then, he’ll make his Super DIRTcar Series return at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL., Feb. 11-14, where he’s won 10 times.

Where can you get tickets for DIRTcar Nationals? Tickets are available now at the DIRTcar Nationals website.

How can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? Live on DIRTVision. 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/back-to-business-stewart-friesen-ready-for-super-dirtcar-series-return-at-dirtcar-nationals/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

Super DIRT Week Champion Richard Murtaugh to Make Super DIRTcar Series Debut at Volusia
 The Fulton, NY driver will driver the John McPhee-owned No. 22m at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals

Joe Grabianowski

The Fulton, NY driver will drive a Big Block Modified for the first time when the Super DIRTcar Series kicks off its 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14.

It’s an opportunity that started with a simple phone call prior to Super DIRT Week 53.

“I was at the garage working on the Super DIRT Week car, and I got a phone call from John McPhee,” Murtaugh said. “He said he’s looking for a driver for 2026 to run his Big Block and take over the seat. So, we talked for a while, and I told him I was interested and just needed to get more details. 

“As the weeks went on, we talked and figured we’d hit up Volusia and go from there.”

While DIRTcar Nationals will be the first time he’ll officially race McPhee’s No. 22 car, he won’t be getting in the car for the first time at Volusia. Murtaugh is expected to test at All-Tech Speedway following the final night of Dirt Track Digest’s Showdown in the Sunshine State, where he’ll compete in a Sportsman.

Even with little experience, he said he isn’t nervous, but confident.

 “We got a good piece under us,” Murtaugh said. “I’ve been doing a lot of research, and I’ve been talking with all the guys at DIG Race Products. We took the car over there, and got it scaled up, went through it, and we’re looking forward to getting to Volusia.”

The four nights with the Super DIRTcar Series at DIRTcar Nationals are the only races Murtaugh has planned with McPhee – for now. He still plans on running a full Sportsman schedule in his family-owned No. 33 car, and will chase another Great Lakes 75 win at Super DIRT Week 54.

However, that doesn’t mean you won’t see him back in the Big Block throughout the season.

“They gave me the opportunity to pick and choose what I wanted to do,” Murtaugh said. “But I told them I was pretty packed in 2026 already with the Sportsman stuff. I’m very dedicated and really want to win a couple of championships in that, and win Super DIRT Week again, and get the Vermont 200. 

“Those are some of the races I’m focusing on in 2026, doing the Sportsman stuff again, and some special events in the Big Block car. 2027 may be a totally different deal where we run a Big Block weekly. We’ll know more after Volusia.”

While Murtaugh is confident about racing at DIRTcar Nationals, he’s not reaching for unattainable goals. He said he’s going to start off small and aim to make every Feature, while soaking up his chance to race against the top drivers in the Northeast.

“It’s going to be very exciting racing against the guys I’ve grown up watching,” Murtaugh said. “I talk with most of the Big Block guys all the time, so I’m very familiar with all the guys, and they’ve already been a lot of help. I’m looking forward to racing against the top guys and seeing what we can do. I know it’s going to be a huge learning curve.”

Murtaugh will join the Super DIRTcar Series when it kicks off the 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14.

Where can you get tickets for DIRTcar Nationals? Tickets are available now at the DIRTcar Nationals website.

How can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? Live on DIRTVision. 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/super-dirt-week-champion-richard-murtaugh-to-make-super-dirtcar-series-debut-at-volusia/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

Through Adversity, Alex Payne Emerges at Super DIRTcar Series Title Contender
The Hopewell, NY driver finished third in the Series standings in 2023

Brent Smith

Barberville, FL (January 13, 2026) – In just two years on the Super DIRTcar Series, Alex Payne has moved from Rookie of the Year to championship contender.

The Hopewell, NY driver delivered a career-high third-place points finish in 2025, along with three wins, 18 top fives, and 24 top 10s.


However, Payne’s dream season almost didn’t happen.

 

Following a strong run at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Payne’s main sponsor decided to focus on new business ventures, which forced him to start from scratch.

“Our program had been centered around what it was for three to four years we spent building it,” Payne said. “And that’s where we spent all of our time, putting it into a program like we should’ve been doing. The problem was when it was over, I didn’t have anything. And we literally had to start from ground zero. 

“I had a Big Block that was my first Big Block ever. And we got that out and got a car together and just started from there. We ran half of the year on the motor and put more laps on an engine than I ever thought was possible. But slowly over time, the right people came along and slowly turned the year into what we’d write into a storybook year.”

Despite the wear on his car and motor, Payne still delivered early in the season, earning eight top fives in the first 13 championship season races, culminating in his second career Series win at Brockville Ontario Speedway in July. 

And he didn’t stop there. Along with the additions of sponsors Jenik Enterprises, Honeoye Auto Parts, and Big Creek Concrete throughout the season, Payne added two more wins at the end of the year at Georgetown Speedway and The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The “Slide Job Express” attributed that to everything clicking once they reached September. 

“When some things work, they just work, and there’s no explanation, and you don’t even try to find one,” Payne said. “By no means did we have it all figured out. The 88 team was so good every time, but we were there. That’s the difference. We went second at Brockville, won Georgetown, second at Charlotte, won Charlotte. Like, back-to-back-to-back. We just did the same things, kept our heads down, and kept working for it. And it all just wound up to be pretty cool.”

 

His consistency throughout the season was also attributed to a slight change in his racing toward the end of the year. While he still went for the win in every race, he said there were nights when he was more conservative. However, he also said there were nights he left valuable Series points on the table.

“I think there were a few things that wound up being DNFs that should’ve been top fives, which would’ve made the stats even better,” Payne said. “As far as overall, I think there was definitely a few situations I was a little more cautious with and ended up running third, second, or fourth. Just really strong points runs where I maybe would’ve done something stupid or try something I shouldn’t have tried. I think I was in conserve mode more than I ever had been, I guess.”

Payne’s next stop with the Super DIRTcar Series comes at DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14, where he narrowly missed out on a win against Peter Britten last season. One year later, he enters Florida with a chip on his shoulder and more prepared than ever before.

“As far as our equipment goes and the position we’re in, it’s definitely the most well-prepared that I’ve ever been with equipment that’s been under our own roof,” Payne said. “We have everyone coming back. We really had a great year. And we’re looking forward to the tour this year with Jenik Group. Honeoye Auto Parts with Doug Dulen, and Big Creek Concrete and Butch Getz.  We’re ready to go, and hopefully we can get a gator.”

The Super DIRTcar Series and Payne will kick off its 2026 season with its annual “Big Gator” hunt at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 11-14.

GET TICKETS TO DIRTCAR NATIONALS

Then, the Series opens its Championship Season on Saturday, March 28, at Georgetown Speedway for the Delaware Diamond.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App. 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/through-adversity-alex-payne-emerges-as-super-dirtcar-series-title-contender/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

1 MONTH ALERT: Annual Gator Hunt Kicks Off 2026 Season For Super DIRTcar Series 

 
Josh James

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 12, 2026) – Only one month remains until the best Big Block Modified drivers in the country bring a “Shower of Big Block Power” to fans at Volusia Speedway Park.

The Super DIRTcar Series kicks off 2026 with its annual trip to Florida during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at the Barberville, FL track, Feb. 11-14. Four nights of action for the Beasts of the Northeast will determine who takes home the coveted Big Gator Championship trophy.

While the event won’t count toward the 2026 championship, it serves as a momentum builder before the points season commences at Georgetown Speedway on March 28.

Reigning Big Gator champion Alex Yankowski won his first event title in 2025, scoring a win on night two and holding off a charge from three-time and defending Series champion Mat Williamson. Joining Yankowski as Feature winners in Florida last season were Matt Sheppard, Peter Britten, and Erick Rudolph – who picked up his first win at the track.

Larry Wight currently holds the title of most Big Gator titles (three: 2015, 2019, and 2020), but Williamson and Sheppard have the chance this year to tie him.

The Super DIRTcar Series will be joined by the DIRTcar Late Models on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and then the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision, Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 12-14.

KEY INFO: 

Date: Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 11-14
How do you buy tickets to DIRTcar Nationals? The DIRTcar Nationals website
Where can you watch the Super DIRTcar Series? DIRTVision online or the DIRTVision App

Schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 11

4:00pm – Grandstand Gates Open
5:30pm – Hot Laps

Thursday, Feb. 12

4:00pm – Grandstand Gates Open
5:30pm – Hot Laps

 

Friday, Feb. 13

4:00pm – Grandstand Gates Open
5:30pm – Hot Laps

Saturday, Feb. 14

4:00pm – Grandstand Gates Open
5:30pm – Hot Laps

 

Super DIRTcar Series Big Gator Winners:

2025 – Alex Yankowski
2024 – Mat Williamson
2023 – Mat Williamson
2022 – Jimmy Phelps

2021 – Max McLaughlin
2020 – Larry Wight
2019 – Larry Wight
2018 – Tim McCreadie
2017 – Brett Hearn
2016 – Matt Sheppard
2015 – Larry Wight
2014 – Stewart Friesen
2013 – Danny Johnson
2012 – Matt Sheppard

Super DIRTcar Series Volusia Feature Winners:

 

Feb. 14, 2005- Brett Hearn
Feb. 15, 2005 – Andy Bachetti
Feb. 16, 2005- Billy Decker
Feb. 18, 2005- Jamie Mills
Feb. 15, 2006- Jimmy Horton
Feb. 16, 2006 – Tim Fuller
Feb. 17, 2006- Brett Hearn
Feb. 18, 2006- Brett Hearn
Feb. 14, 2007 – Danny Johnson
Feb. 16, 2007- Tim Fuller
Feb. 17, 2007- Danny Johnson
Feb. 13, 2008- Billy Pauch
Feb. 14, 2008 – Brett Hearn
Feb. 15, 2008- Dale Planck
Feb. 16, 2008 – Jimmy Horton
Feb. 11, 2009- Pat Ward
Feb. 12, 2009- Pat Ward
Feb. 13, 2009- Jamie Mills
Feb. 14, 2009- Brett Hearn
Feb. 10, 2010- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 11, 2010- Matt Sheppard
Feb. 13, 2010- Matt Sheppard
Feb. 16, 2011- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 17, 2011-Matt Sheppard
Feb. 18, 2011-Brett Hearn
Feb. 19, 2011- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 23, 2012- Danny Johnson
Feb. 24, 2012- Alan Johnson
Feb. 24, 2012- Matt Sheppard
Feb. 25, 2012- Rob Bellinger
Feb. 20, 2013- Danny Johnson
Feb. 21, 2013- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 22, 2013- Rick Laubach
Feb. 24, 2013- Brett Hearn
Feb. 19, 2014- Justin Haers
Feb. 20, 2014- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 22, 2014- Matt Sheppard
Feb. 18, 2015- Brett Hearn
Feb. 19, 2015- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 20, 2015- Rick Laubach
Feb. 21, 2015- Neal Williams
Feb. 17, 2016- Tim Fuller
Feb. 18, 2016- Matt Sheppard
Feb. 19, 2016- Rick Laubach
Feb. 20, 2016- Brett Hearn
Feb. 24, 2017- Justin Haers
Feb. 25, 2017 – Brett Hearn
Feb. 15, 2018- Tyler Siri
Feb. 15, 2018-  Tim McCreadie
Feb. 16, 2018 – Matt Sheppard
Feb. 17, 2018- Tim McCreadie
Feb. 13, 2019- Billy Decker
Feb. 14, 2019 – Matt Sheppard
Feb. 15, 2019- Larry Wight
Feb. 16, 2019- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 11, 2020 – Mat Williamson 
Feb. 12, 2020 – Larry Wight
Feb. 13, 2020 – Larry Wight
Feb. 14, 2020 – Larry Wight
Feb. 15, 2020 – Mat Williamson
Feb. 9, 2021 – Stewart Friesen
Feb. 10, 2021 – Stewart Friesen
Feb. 11, 2021 – Max McLaughlin
Feb. 12, 2021 – Michael Maresca
Feb. 15, 2022- Stewart Friesen
Feb. 16, 2022 – Peter Britten
Feb. 17, 2022 – Mat Williamson
Feb. 18, 2022 – Max McLaughlin
Feb. 19, 2022 – Jimmy Phelps
Feb. 15, 2023 – Max McLaughlin
Feb. 16, 2023 – Mat Williamson
Feb. 18, 2023 – Mat Williamson
Feb. 14, 2024 – Matt Sheppard
Feb. 15, 2024 – Mat Williamson
Feb. 16, 2024 – Matt Sheppard
Feb. 12, 2025 – Matt Sheppard
Feb. 13, 2025 – Alex Yankowski
Feb. 14, 2025 – Peter Britten
Feb. 15, 2025 – Erick Rudolph
 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/1-month-alert-annual-gator-hunt-kicks-off-2026-season-for-super-dirtcar-series/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

Rookie Lessons Pay Off as Matt Stangle Prepares For 2026
 The Neshanic Station, NJ driver earned MD3 Rookie of the Year honors in 2025

CONCORD, NC (January 6, 2026) – Matt Stangle knew his first year with the Super DIRTcar Series was going to be an uphill climb.

But after earning MD3 Rookie of the Year honors, that uphill climb has built his confidence as he prepares for another season in 2026.

“I feel like (2025) was a struggle, but we definitely enjoyed it,” Stangle said. “We knew it was going to be hard before we even went. I don’t think it was as bad as we expected it to be. The traveling was harder than anything. It was difficult but it was fun at the same time.”

While he dealt with that learning curve throughout the 2025 season, the Neshanic Station, NJ driver had two successful mentors to lean on. Every race he parked next to 10-time Super DIRTcar Series champion Matt Sheppard, and six-time Series Feature winner Anthony Perrego. 

His friendship with those two gave him an idea of what setup to run when he went to facilities he’d never been to, which represented most of the Series schedule.

“Being friends with them and parking next to them helped,” Stangle said. “Before even going there I could ask them what gear, and basic stuff you don’t have for the first time. Just having them to help me was nice.”

Between the help from Sheppard and Perrego, and learning throughout his rookie year, Stangle delivered three of his best performances of the season at the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

After finishing 12th and 11th on the first two nights, Stangle crossed the line sixth in the season finale—his best finish of the season. He was later bumped up to a fifth-place finish after Ryan Godown was disqualified for a fuel violation.

“I felt like the whole week we were good,” Stangle said. “I felt like we ran better than the results showed the first couple of nights. And then the last night, when we passed a decent amount of cars, even finishing sixth felt like a good run. That was the best I’ve felt all year, and hearing we got a top five was even better.

“It felt good to run good in the last race of the year.”

Those finishes at the end of the season give Stangle momentum entering the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14. It also gives him added confidence, knowing what’s ahead of him.

“I just feel like having a notebook and going to these tracks that I’ve been to before, I know what to expect,” Stangle said. “Based off everything we learned last year, and me as a driver, it’ll be a lot more comfortable. 

“Now it’ll just be getting better in general.”

Stangle and the Super DIRTcar Series open the 2026 season with a stop in Florida during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14, at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL.

GET TICKETS TO DIRTCAR NATIONALS

Then, the Series opens its Championship Season on Saturday, March 28, at Georgetown Speedway for the Delaware Diamond.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App. 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/rookie-lessons-pay-off-as-matt-stangle-prepares-for-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

HOLLYWOOD IRONMAN: Felix Roy Hit 101 Races This Year, Looks Ahead to More in 2026
The Napierville, QC driver finished 11th in the Super DIRTcar Series Standings in 2025

Brent Smith

CONCORD, NC (December 23, 2025) – At 20 years old, Felix Roy accomplished a feat in 2025 that hadn’t been reached in 10 years.

The Napierville, QC driver made 101 Feature starts this season, the first driver since Danny Johnson in 2015 to race that many times in a single season.

Roy accomplished that feat by racing at his home tracks and 29 races with the Super DIRTcar Series. It’s also a feat that’s possible again in 2026, as he’ll split races with his family’s King Autosport team, the Elmo’s Speed and Supply car prepared by Chris Reckner, and his new ride with the ONE Racing team.

“I’m very fortunate to be able to race that much,” Roy said. “And we’re about to partner up with the [ONE Racing Team], so we’ll be able to do the same amount next year, maybe more. 

“It’s a nice milestone to achieve. Not many people have done it. So, we’re really looking forward to next year, and we’re very happy with the season we’ve had.”

In those 101 starts, Roy earned 13 victories, including wins at Autodrome Drummond, Albany-Saratoga Speedway, Airborne Park Speedway, Devils Bowl Speedway, and Cornwall Motor Speedway. Along with those wins, he also added DIRTcar 358 Modified championships at Airborne, Albany-Saratoga, and Devils Bowl.

“Hollywood” said that success comes from the experience he’s gained traveling with the Super DIRTcar Series.

 “When we went back to Small Block racing, we brought the information with us, and it’s great,” Roy said. “We have a great car every week, pretty much. A few nights we started at the front and we’re able to stay there, but a few nights we were able to come from the back and win, too.”

While the Quebec driver said he’s happy with the 2025 season. He also said he’s far from satisfied. He’s still aiming for his first Super DIRTcar Series Feature win, a feat he came close to accomplishing after leading the first half of the race during the season finale at the Dirt Track at Charlotte during the World of Outlaws World Finals.

Unfortunately for Roy, he tangled with a lap car while leading, ending his chances for a victory. 

“If I would’ve won Charlotte, I probably would’ve [met my expectations of the season],” Roy said. “I’m very happy with the season we had, except for the Series. If we can run more at the front like we did in Charlotte and be in the draw in 80 percent of Series races, it would be nice. Just get in the draw, get a good Qualifying run, start up front and stay there.”

As he enters his fourth year of Super DIRTcar Series competition in 2026, he’ll have more chances to defend home turf, with Airborne being added to the schedule in July.  The Thunder in the Adirondacks finishes off a three-night swing between Drummond and Airborne, which means Roy will compete at his home tracks for three straight nights.

“I’m really happy to see Airborne on the schedule,” Roy said. “I grew up running that track. My dad ran that track. And it’s one of the tracks I’ve been looking forward to getting to over the past three years. I know one of the years it got rained out. But I’m just really happy to see that on the schedule, along with going to Cornwall twice. 

“There’s a lot more home tracks for me than in my first year, so I’m very happy to see that.”

Before the chase for his first Series championship begins, Roy will kick off the season at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Feb. 11-14. However, it’ll be a different experience for Roy this time around. He’ll drive the Elmo’s Speed and Supply No. 91 car, the Big Block he drove at Albany-Saratoga weekly and ran during a few Series events last year.

“We did pretty good with that car at Ransomville and had some great speed,” Roy said. “So, we’re looking forward to Volusia in that car. And we’re chasing that Gator for sure. To be consistently in the top 10 or the top five would be really nice.

“But we’re looking forward to that gator. I know it’s a tough one to get, but I think it could happen. I really want to do better on the Series, and I think next year’s going to be the year.”

After kicking off the 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park to chase the Big Gator Championship, the 2026 Super DIRTcar Series championship season will begin at Georgetown Speedway for the Delaware Diamond on Saturday, March 28.

GET TICKETS TO DIRTCAR NATIONALS

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/hollywood-ironman-felix-roy-hit-101-races-this-year-looks-ahead-to-more-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

READY TO WIN: Alex Yankowski Ready For Super DIRTcar Series Title Run in 2026
The Covington Township, PA driver finished second to Mat Williamson in 2025

Joe Grabianowski

CONCORD, NC (December 18, 2025) – Alex Yankowski main goal for 2026 is simple. Win the Super DIRTcar Series championship.

That motivation is fueled by his second-place finish to Mat Williamson in 2025, after leading the points standings throughout the first half of the season. And even though it’s only been six weeks since 2025 ended, he’s wasted no time preparing for next year, whether it’s building engines at S.Y. Murray Performance, or working on his No. 84Y Big Block Modified. 

“The amount of hours in the shop have been a lot,” Yankowski said. “I did 15 and a half hours in the shop yesterday, and probably on track to do 12 more. Stuff like that, just keeping everything moving. And I got some really good guys that enable that. I got help first shift and second shift, and my girlfriend, Chesnee, puts up with it. It’s tough. The engine shop is so tricky, and this is our busy season, but we also need to prep the race cars, too. 

“That time balance is a really tough thing, but I don’t want to feel like I could’ve done more.”

The Covington Township, PA driver hopes to get off to a similar start to 2025, where he won the Big Gator Championship trophy at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals before earning four second-place finishes in the first six points-paying races of the season. However, he said a mid-season slump came at the worst time of the year, right when Williamson and Buzz Chew Racing were building momentum. 

“In the middle of the summer, we just kind of had a bad funk for about a month,” Yankowski said. “We had a lot of brand-new parts breaking and stuff of that nature, and it kind of killed the championship run. I think that’s where the Buzz Chew 88 team with Spot and Mat did a really good job. By the time I had some misfortune, those guys really turned it up.

“That’s a real strong team that fueled me into this winter, and I’m making sure I don’t get outworked at all.”

While part failures contributed to that slump, those came during a stretch where “Kid Rocket” was learning.  He ran at four straight venues he’d never been to before – Autodrome Drummond, Brockville Ontario Speedway, Sharon Speedway, and Ransomville Speedway.

After that stretch, he battled back to earn 10 top 10s in the season’s final 11 races, including a victory at Can-Am Speedway in the R.D. Hutchinson Memorial. While it may seem that the win was just a normal victory, it was anything but for the 22-year-old driver. 

Even though he drove for four different teams throughout the season, his September win was the first he earned with his own equipment—a significant moment in his career.

“That win was just so big,” Yankowski said. “All these people that I’ve driven for, they’ve done their fair share of helping me. Half the time, we don’t have a primary sponsor. To go out there and win a Super DIRTcar Series race with 100 percent cost on the line, and to get $7,500 to go right back in the racing checking account was pretty special.

“I’ve won some big races but never really done with something 125 percent of my own.”

While the chase for the Series championship begins March, the hunt for another Big Gator Championship begins in February during the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Feb. 11-14. Yankowski will again pilot the Millman’s NAPA Auto Parts No. 84Y in his quest for more gator trophies.

“I love Volusia,” Yankowski said. “Volusia is just something special. Something like a Charlotte. Volusia and Charlotte are the two most ‘Man, this is awesome,’ type feels of the year. Oswego is great, but being there with the Late Models at Volusia, and being with the Late Models and Sprint Cars at Charlotte, you can’t replicate that.”

GET TICKETS TO DIRTCAR NATIONALS

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/ready-to-win-alex-yankowski-ready-for-super-dirtcar-series-title-run-in-2026/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

 

2026 SCHEDULE: Three New Venues, Super DIRT Week 54, SummerFAST Highlight Super DIRTcar Series Schedule

CONCORD, NC (December 9, 2025) – After an exciting conclusion to the 2025 season that ended with Mat Williamson winning his third Super DIRTcar Series title, the page has been turned to 2026.

The Beasts of the Northeast return next season with a 33-race schedule, kicking off the season at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in February and ending with the World of Outlaws World Finals in November. Along the way are vital events to the Northeast, including SummerFAST in August, Super DIRT Week 54 in October, and more.

“The addition of new tracks along with many of the traditional stops over the years makes for another exciting season, “Series Director Dean Reynolds said. “We had our most competitive group of drivers to date and it looks like the fans will see the absolute best wheel a Big Block Modified again in 2026.”

Here is a look at the highlights of the 2025 Super DIRTcar Series Schedule:

NEW IN 2026

Airborne Park Speedway: For the first time since 2019, the Super DIRTcar Series returns to the shores of Lake Champlain with a stop at Airborne Park Speedway in Plattsburgh, NY. The event will run on Wednesday, July 22, joining the two-night King of the North at Autodrome Drummond as part of a three-night swing.

Mansfield Speedway: Mansfield Speedway will have its revival in 2026, and the Super DIRTcar Series will be part of the track’s highly anticipated first season under Matt Tifft’s ownership.

The Beasts of the Northeast will visit the Mansfield, OH, track on Tuesday, Aug. 11, for the Big Block Invasion of Mansfield. The race kicks off a two-night swing through the “Buckeye State,” joining a return to Sharon Speedway on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Utica-Rome Speedway: With Utica-Rome Speedway moving to a DIRTcar sanction in 2026, it means the Super DIRTcar Series will return to the 1/2-mile oval.

Drivers will head to the Vernon, NY, facility on Wednesday, Aug. 19, for the final night of SummerFAST, where the 2026 event champion will be crowned. It’s the first stop at Utica-Rome since 2018 when Series veteran Jimmy Phelps scored the victory.

GATOR HUNT

A Florida tradition continues Feb. 11-14, as the Super DIRTcar Series heads to Volusia Speedway Park for four nights of action at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

Alex Yankowski will try to defend his DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator Championship from last year. But he’ll again have to deal with the likes of defending Series champion Mat Williamson, and 2025 Volusia winners Matt Sheppard, Peter Britten, and Erick Rudolph.

TWICE IS NICE

Throughout the 33-race schedule, six tracks in the Northeast will host at least two Super DIRTcar Series events in 2026.

Georgetown Speedway: Last season, Georgetown returned to the Super DIRTcar Series schedule for the first time since 2008. And in 2026, the Beasts of the Northeast will visit the Delaware track twice. The “First State” oval will kick off the championship season with the Delaware Diamond on Saturday, March 28, and also be the final stop before World Finals with the Mid-Atlantic Championship on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Can-Am Speedway: For the third straight season, the Series is scheduled to visit the “Nasty Track of the North” on two occasions. The first will be part of Thunder in the Thousand Islands weekend on Saturday, April 11, followed by the R.D. Hutchinson Memorial on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Albany-Saratoga Speedway: Like in 2025, the Super DIRTcar Series will start and finish Albany-Saratoga’s 2026 schedule, kicking things off with the 61st Anniversary Special on Friday, April 17. Then, the Series returns on Saturday, Sept. 26, as part of Malta Massive Weekend.

Cornwall Motor Speedway: After returning to the schedule in 2025, Cornwall Motor Speedway will host two Super DIRTcar Series events in 2026.

The first stop will kick off the track’s 2026 season on Sunday, May 17. Then, the Beasts of the Northeast return to the 1/4-mile track on Tuesday, July 7, as part of a two-night doubleheader with Mohawk International Raceway.

Weedsport Speedway: The Series will once again make three stops at Weedsport Speedway during the 2026 season, kicking off with its traditional Memorial Day Weekend stop for the Heroes Remembered on Sunday, May 24. 

Then, the 3/8-mile track will kick off the 2026 edition of SummerFAST on Sunday, Aug. 16, marking the first of four straight nights of racing in Central New York. 

The final stop of 2026 at Weedsport will be during Labor Day Weekend, with the Cavalcade Cup on Sunday, Sept. 6.

Land of Legends Raceway: Two nights in the Finger Lakes are on tap for the Super DIRTcar Series again in 2026, with Land of Legends Raceway returning for its two traditional dates next season.

The Stars and Stripes Spectacular, during Fourth of July weekend, marks the first visit on Thursday, July 2, before the Series returns on Tuesday, Aug. 18, as part of SummerFAST.

Along with the two Super DIRTcar Series events, you can catch all of the weekly action from Land of Legends live on DIRTVision.

Autodrome Drummond: One of the popular stops on the Super DIRTcar Series schedule returns for two nights when drivers visit Quebec and Autodrome Drummond. The two-night King of the North is a week earlier in 2026, running on Monday and Tuesday, July 20-21, at the “F1 of Dirt.”

Drummond will kick off a three-night, two-country swing that ends at Airborne on Wednesday, July 22.

 

Traditional Stops

As is tradition, part of the jam-packed schedule includes traditional stops, including two in June.
 
First, the Series returns to Lebanon Valley Speedway on Tues. June 16, for Mr. DIRT Track USA, where Kolby Schroder pulled the upset last weekend. Then, the Series returns to Ransomville Speedway on Tues. June 23, for the Ron Martin Memorial Summer Nationals.
 
Both events are long-standing stops on the Super DIRTcar Series schedule, and will be run within eight days of each other in 2026.

SummerFAST

Since its inception in 2022, SummerFAST has continued to evolve each season, and 2026 is no different.

For the second straight year, the four-night event will kick off at Weedsport on Sunday, Aug. 16, before returning to Brewerton Speedway, the site of a 2025 “race-of-the-year” candidate on Monday, Aug. 17.

Then, drivers will head to Land of Legends on Tuesday, Aug. 18, before crowning a SummerFAST champion at Utica-Rome on Wednesday, Aug. 19.

Super DIRT Week 54

The most significant event in Big Block Modified racing returns to Oswego Speedway during Super DIRT Week 54, Oct. 5-10. A $54,000 prize is on the line in this year’s Billy Whittaker Cars 200, marking the 54th running of the event. Williamson, the defending race winner, chases his fifth Billy Whittaker Cars 200 victory after winning the event in October. 

The Northeast’s biggest dirt racing event will again include the DIRTcar 358 Modifieds, DIRTcar Sportsman, and DIRTcar Pro Stocks.

Tickets are already on sale for Racing’s Biggest Party at SuperDIRTWeek.com.

All Dirt Roads

A November staple will finish off the 2026 season again, with the Super DIRTcar Series crowning its champion at The Dirt Track at Charlotte during the World of Outlaws World Finals.

Williamson closed out his third Super DIRTcar Series title in Charlotte last season and aims to keep his competitors at bay again to raise the trophy for a fourth time on Championship Saturday (Nov. 4-7).

For tickets to Super DIRTcar Series events, CLICK HERE.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

Stay tuned to the Series’ website and social channels as more events may be added for the 2026 season.

2026 Schedule:

Big Gator Championship
 Wed. Feb. 11/ DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)
Thurs. Feb. 12/ DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)
Fri. Feb. 13/DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)
Sat. Feb. 14/DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)

2026 Championship Season

Sat. March 28/Delaware Diamond/Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, DE
Sat. April 11/Thunder on the Thousand Islands/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY 
Fri. April 17/ 61st Anniversary Special/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY 
Sun. May 17/Spring Shootout at Cornwall/Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall, ON
Sun. May 24/Heroes Remembered/Weedsport Speedway/ Weedsport, NY 
Mon. May 25/The Natural 77/Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, NY 
Tues. June 16/Mr. Dirt Track USA/Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon, NY 
 Tues. June 23/Ron Martin Memorial Summer Nationals/Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville, NY
Thurs. July 2/Stars and Stripes Spectacular/Land of Legends Raceway/Canandaigua, NY
Tues. July 7/Oh Canada 75/Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall, ON
Wed. July 8/ Summer Shootout at Mohawk/Mohawk International Raceway/Akwesasne, NY 
Mon. July 20/King of the North/Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville, QC
Tues. July 21/King of the North/Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville, QC 
Wed. July 22/Thunder in the Adirondacks/Airborne Park Speedway/Plattsburgh, NY
Tues. Aug. 11/Big Block Invasion of Mansfield/Mansfield Speedway/Mansfield, OH
Wed. Aug. 12/Steel Valley 75/Sharon Speedway/Hartford, OH
Sun. Aug. 16/Hall of Fame Special/SummerFAST/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY
Mon. Aug. 17/SummerFAST/Brewerton Speedway/Central Square, NY
Tues. Aug. 18/SummerFAST/Land of Legends Raceway/Canandaigua, NY
Wed. Aug. 19/SummerFAST/Utica-Rome Speedway/Vernon, NY
Sun. Sept. 6/Cavalcade 100/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY
Sat. Sept. 12/R.D Hutchinson Memorial/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY
Sat. Sept. 26/Malta Massive Weekend/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY
Mon.-Sat., Oct. 5-10/Super DIRT Week 54/Oswego Speedway/Oswego, NY
Fri. Oct. 16/Fall Nationals/Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville, ON
Sat. Oct. 31/Mid-Atlantic Championship/Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, DE
Wed. Nov. 4/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC (Qualifying Night)
Thurs. Nov. 5/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC
Fri. Nov. 6/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC
Sat. Nov. 7/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC
 

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/2026-schedule-three-new-venues-super-dirt-week-54-summerfast-highlight-super-dirtcar-series-schedule/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

 

MOVIN' ON UP: Record Setting 13 Drivers Climb Series All-Time Wins List

Quentin Young

CONCORD, NC (December 5, 2025) – The Super DIRTcar Series soared to new heights in 2025, including seeing a record-breaking 13 different drivers score a win during the 30-race season.

Among that group of veterans and rising stars who climbed the all-time wins list, three drivers earned their first career Series win.

Here’s a look at the Super DIRTcar Series Feature winners in 2025:

Matt Sheppard (Rank: 2, Wins: 103): The milestones keep coming for 10-time Series champion Matt Sheppard, as he joined Brett Hearn as the only drivers to win 100 Super DIRTcar Series races in their career. Overall, the Savannah, NY driver took the checkered flag on six occasions, earning victories at Volusia Speedway Park, Thunder Mountain Speedway, Autodrome Drummond (2), Albany-Saratoga Speedway, and The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Sheppard is currently 38 wins away from tying Hearn for the most Series wins all-time (141).

Stewart Friesen (Rank: 6, Wins: 52): Like Sheppard, Stewart Friesen earned a milestone victory this season, becoming the eighth driver to earn 50 Series Feature wins with a Victory at Selinsgrove Speedway. Along with his Selinsgrove victory, the Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON driver won at New Egypt Speedway, Mohawk International Raceway, and Weedsport Speedway (2).

Mat Williamson (Rank: T-8, Wins: 36): Despite being shut out of Victory Lane until July, three-time defending Series champion Mat Williamson won on five occasions this season, including a walk-off win in the season finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. He also won on the Northeast’s biggest stage, capturing his fourth Billy Whittaker Cars 200 victory at Oswego Speedway during Super DIRT Week 54.

Along with wins at Oswego and Charlotte, Williamson defended home turf at Land of Legends Raceway and Ransomville Speedway, and earned another win at Brockville Ontario Speedway.

Erick Rudolph (Rank: 25, Wins: 11): Erick Rudolph returned to the Super DIRTcar Series as a full-time competitor in 2025, and he didn’t have to wait long to earn a trip to Victory Lane. The Ransomville, NY, star drove from 11th to win the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals finale at Volusia. It was his 11th Series triumph, moving him into 25th on the Series all-time wins list.

Anthony Perrego (Rank: T-33, Wins: 6): Anthony Perrego added his sixth win over the past five seasons in 2025 with a triumph in the Series’ return to Sharon Speedway in August. That gives the Montgomery, NY driver six Series wins at six different tracks in his career and moves him into a tie for 33rd on the all-time wins list.

Peter Britten (Rank: T-38, Wins: 5): After a three-year wait, Peter Britten made his triumphant return to Victory Lane with a win on Valentine’s Day at DIRTcar Nationals. Then, he added another win to his resume during SummerFAST, outdueling Sheppard and Williamson to earn his first Weedsport Speedway Super DIRTcar Series win. 

It’s the first time the “Batman” has won two Series Features in a single season.

Alex Yankowski (Rank: T-44, Wins: 4): Alex Yankowski earned two victories in the 2025 season en route to his second-place finish in the final Super DIRTcar Series standings. The Covington Township, PA driver earned a win on night two of DIRTcar Nationals, a vital step toward his first “Big Gator” trophy. Then, he added another late in the season at Can-Am Speedway, giving him four Series wins in his career.

Alex Payne (Rank: T-44, Wins: 4): Like Yankowski, Alex Payne also finished the season with four career Series wins. However, it came in a three-win season for the Hopewell, NY driver.

After earning his second win at Brockville in July, Payne won a thriller over Tim Sears Jr. at Georgetown Speedway, before earning his first World Finals win six days later at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

L.J. Lombardo (Rank: T-71, Wins: 2): Three years after winning his first Super DIRTcar Series Feature at Lebanon Valley, L.J. Lombardo did it again at another track in New York’s Capital Region. The Danbury, CT driver outdueled Yankowski to win the 60th Anniversary Special at Albany-Saratoga, giving him his second career Series victory.

Ryan Godown (Rank: T-71, Wins: 2): Like Lombardo, Ryan Godown also returned to Super DIRTcar Series Victory Lane after a drought. Three years after capturing his first Series win at Bridgeport Motorsports Park, the Ringoes, NJ driver led all 75 laps to win the Anthracite Assault at Big Diamond Speedway in June.

Mario Clair (Rank: T-93, Wins: 1): Mario Clair had won everything Cornwall Motor Speedway had to offer, except a Super DIRTcar Series Feature at the 1/4-mile track. That changed when the Series returned to the track in June, as “Super Mario” led all 100 laps to win his first Super DIRTcar Series event.

Tim Sears Jr. (Rank: T-93, Wins 1): After narrowly missing out on wins over the past two seasons, Tim Sears Jr. finally reached Super DIRTcar Series Victory Lane with a win at Brewerton Speedway in August. The Hastings, NY driver moved from eighth to the lead in the race-of-the-year candidate during SummerFAST and held on to win the thriller at the “D-Shaped Dirt Demon.”

Kolby Schroder (Rank: T-93, Wins: 1): Kolby Schroder didn’t waste his opportunity when the Series stopped at Lebanon Valley Speedway, his home track, in August. The Staatsburg, NY driver stormed from eighth to the first to win Mr. DIRT Track USA, the biggest win of his career. Along with the $15,500 payday, he also earned a guaranteed starting spot in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200 at Super DIRT Week 53. 

For a complete look at the Super DIRTcar Series all-time wins list: CLICK HERE.

The Super DIRTcar Series returns to action, Feb. 11-14, at Volusia Speedway Park during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

GET TICKETS TO DIRTCAR NATIONALS

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every race live on DIRTVision – either at DIRTVision.com or by downloading the DIRTVision App.

ARTICLE: https://superdirtcarseries.com/dirtcar-ne/big-block-modifieds/super-dirt-car-series/movin-on-up-record-setting-13-drivers-climb-series-all-time-wins-list/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

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DIRTcar Racing is brought to fans by many important sponsors and partners. Official partners include, Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), Summit Racing Equipment, and VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel).  Also supported by : AMKUS, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Bassett Racing Wheel, Bell Helmets, Beyea Custom Headers, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Fast Shafts, FIREBULL, Fox Factory, Intercomp, Jerovetz Motorsports Shock Service, KSE Racing Products, Lifeline, MD3, MSD, Multi Fire X, Quarter Master, Schoenfeld Headers, Simpson Performance Products, Swift Springs, Velocita USA, WELD Racing, Wieland Metal Services (Exclusive Racing Aluminum), and Xceldyne.

 

Brandon Overton Earns Fourth-Straight Late Model Win in DIRTcar Nationals Opener

Emily Schwanke
BARBERVILLE, FL - The 2026 dirt Late Model season may only be a few weeks old, but Brandon Overton has already matched his win total from the entirety of 2025.

He got the ball rolling with a Hunt the Front Super Dirt Series victory at Needmore Speedway on Jan. 30. The Evans, GA native then went to his home track of Screven Motor Speedway for the Southern All Stars-sanctioned Winter Freeze and swept the weekend. But winning in regional action in your home state is one thing – beating the best in the business at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals is another.

Nevertheless, Overton remained in top form on Monday night at Volusia Speedway Park, dominating the first DIRTcar Late Model Feature of the week. It was the Evans, GA driver’s first national-level triumph in over nine months and his fifth DIRTcar Nationals win in the past six years.

“I’m so glad I won, because I’m so sick and tired of hearing this s**t about how I don’t race against nobody,” Overton said. “There’s no slouches anymore. If you race a Super Late Model, no matter where we go in the country, there is somebody there that’s fast. You couldn’t have scripted it any better. The only bad thing about winning is losing. You get a little taste and you want to win, and when you lose, damn it sucks.”

Overton’s Heat Race win put him on the pole of the main event, and after fending off a challenge from Cade Dillard in the opening laps, he went to work on building a gap. After Dillard slotted into second, he came under attack from Nick Hoffman, who took away the runner-up spot prior to the first caution of the race 13 laps in for a flat tire on Chris Madden’s machine.

Hoffman tried to make a move on the restart, but he couldn’t clear the No. 76 and instead lost second to Cody Overton. Another yellow for a slowing No. 97 of Dillard reracked the field once more, but Brandon Overton pulled away once more and drove home to the checkers. Behind him, the younger Overton came out on top of a battle with Devin Moran to secure the Overton 1-2, signifying a much-needed turnaround from his last trip to Volusia for DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals when a pair of blown engines nearly ruined his season before it began.

“I gambled on the tires, I put a three on. [Brandon] said he was putting a two on, so I said I’m going to be different, maybe I can beat him that way,” Cody Overton said. “I’m just glad nothing fell off, nothing’s broke, still looking for a transmission. Shoutout to [Brandon’s] guys, soon as I got done with my Heat, they were actually at my trailer, trying to help me figure out what I need to do for tomorrow. I don’t mind running second to him, I guess.”

Moran finished third for the final spot on the podium, while Max Blair and Hoffman completed the top five.

UP NEXT: The chase for the Big Gator trophy continues on Tuesday, Feb. 10, with another $7,000-to-win DIRTcar Late Model Feature at Volusia Speedway Park. To get your tickets in advance, click here.

Want to watch live? Stream every lap of DIRTcar Nationals on DIRTVision.

Feature (25 Laps): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[1]; 2. 97-Cody Overton[3]; 3. 99-Devin Moran[12]; 4. 111-Max Blair[7]; 5. 9-Nick Hoffman[4]; 6. 71-Hudson O’Neal[17]; 7. 32-Bobby Pierce[9]; 8. 16-Tyler Bruening[8]; 9. 1-Tyler Erb[5]; 10. 9M-Tim McCreadie[18]; 11. 28-Dennis Erb Jr[10]; 12. 19R-Ryan Gustin[13]; 13. 22*-Drake Troutman[6]; 14. 5-Mark Whitener[19]; 15. 1S-Brandon Sheppard[16]; 16. 44-Chris Madden[11]; 17. 14-Trey Mills[22]; 18. 18-Chase Junghans[21]; 19. 388-Jackson Hise[23]; 20. 58V-Daulton Wilson[24]; 21. 16S-Sam Seawright[20]; 22. 13-Dallon Murty[14]; 23. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[15]; 24. 97D-Cade Dillard[2]

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/brandon-overton-earns-fourth-straight-late-model-win-in-dirtcar-nationals-opener/

EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 
KOEHLER'S BIG CATCH: Jordan Koehler Earns First Career DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator Titles in UMP Modifieds at Volusia

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 7, 2026) - Entering the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Jordan Koehler’s goal was to leave Volusia Speedway Park with a trip.

Leaving Saturday night’s Gator Championship Feature, the Mt. Airy, NC, racer completed the task with the $5,000 winner’s check, the Big Gator points title, and a week that saw three little gators collected.

Koehler rolled from Pole Position as multi-time Big Gator champ Kyle Strickler started to his outside. On the initial green flag, Strickler took the lead as Koehler moved his car to the cushion. 

In the middle of Turn 3, Koehler spun across the track and stopped at the Turn 4 pit entrance without a scratch. Though the first caution was thrown, Koehler retained his position for the restart, as the lap was not officially completed, resetting the field to its original positions.

Multiple cautions affected multiple contenders in the Big Gator title, including Trevor Neville spinning on Lap 2 and a multi-car pileup involving Will Krup, David Stremme, and Ray Kable. At the front, the 24-year-old driver held the lead over Strickler while third-place Ricky Thornton Jr mounted a charge toward the leaders.

Thornton passed Strickler on Lap 11 by using the top side of the half-mile while Strickler was using the bottom. When the yellow flag waved for the final time on Lap 16, Koehler drove through the middle lane as Thornton took to the bottom and reached Koehler’s door. However, Koehler’s Turn 2 exit helped him speed away from the No. 20RT.

The Chandler, AZ native did not relent in his pressure towards his Koehler Motorsports teammate as he shifted to arcing his car to the bottom and reaching the cushion by the corner exit. While it kept him within a one-second gap of the lead, Koehler widened the distance to 2.5 seconds with four laps remaining.

As Koehler crossed the twin checkered flags to claim his first career Gator Championship victory and Big Gator championship, he capped a dominant nine days for the team that included triumphs from Koehler, Thornton, and little brother Evan Koehler.

“Probably, just me getting in my own head,” Koehler said regarding the Lap 1 accident. “Ricky slid me, and it was so slimy at the top that I just got into it. It happens, probably getting into my own head more than anything, that’s about it. Luckily, it worked out for us, and I’m tickled, man. I probably won’t even be able to go to bed tonight.”

RESULTS: Gator Championship (30 Laps): 1. 114-Jordan Koehler[1]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 3. 72H-Tristan Chamberlain[23]; 4. 99K-Ray Kable[25]; 5. 5CS-Curt Spalding[26]; 6. 7D-Brad DeYoung[16]; 7. 8S-Kyle Strickler[2]; 8. 71-Pierce McCarter[28]; 9. 45H-Kyle Hammer[21]; 10. 7J-Justin Allgaier[20]; 11. 17-Chris Wilson[13]; 12. 36-Kenny Wallace[19]; 13. 01-Aidan Hinds[24]; 14. 66F-Cole Falloway[10]; 15. 24-Zeke McKenzie[11]; 16. 77B-Ray Bollinger[30]; 17. 15X-Justin Stone[15]; 18. 1H-Ben Harmon[22]; 19. 10Y-Trent Young[18]; 20. 97-Mitch Thomas[6]; 21. 25-Tyler Nicely[9]; 22. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[8]; 23. 13-Charlie Mefford[7]; 24. 09-Michael Ledford[27]; 25. 777-Trevor Neville[5]; 26. K9-Will Krup[3]; 27. 35-David Stremme[14]; 28. 96M-Mike McKinney[12]; 29. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[17]; 30. 27-Jason Garver[29]

Up Next: DIRTcar Racing keeps the racing activity into the final week of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals with the DIRTcar Late Models tackling the Barberville, FL track from Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 9-11.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS INFO

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/jordan-koehler-earns-first-career-dirtcar-nationals-big-gator-titles-in-ump-modifieds-at-volusia/

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/
 

FRIDAY GATORS: 18 Drivers Clinch Gator Championship Spot Through Friday Features at DIRTcar Nationals

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 6, 2026) - Of the 100 DIRTcar UMP Modifieds that set a lap time at Volusia Speedway Park during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, 18 drivers have locked up a chance to fight for the title.

Friday night at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” saw the final set of six Features run for the division, with the top three finishers from each race earning a position in Saturday’s 30-lap, $5,000-to-win Gator Championship Feature and the overall Big Gator points crown.

Appearing in the 2026 finale includes Will Krup, Tyler Nicely, Chris Wilson, Mitch Thomas, Zeke McKenzie, David Stremme, Kyle Strickler, Charlie Mefford, Justin Stone, Jordan Koehler, Cole Czarneski, Brad DeYoung, Trevor Neville, Mike McKinney, Tyler Spalding, Ricky Thornton Jr, Cole Falloway, and Trent Young.

Here’s how each Feature played out:

Feature #1 

Will Krup entered the penultimate night of Modified racing during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals as the Big Gator Championship points leader and DIRTcar UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks points leader. After, he padded that lead in both categories. 

The Mount Carmel, IL native led the field to the green in the first 15-lap Feature of the night and never looked back. 

He never had to either. Krup had a more than two-second lead over second-place Chris Wilson by the halfway point of the race. 

While the blue No. K9 drove away Wilson found himself under fire from third-place Tyler Nicely in the closing laps of the race. Nicely used the high side to his advantage and snuck by Wilson for the runner-up spot on the final lap. 

Krup beat them both to the line by nearly four seconds – his eighth DIRTcar Nationals victory and fourth podium this week. 

“We found some things there, but definitely a hard way to find them, but, yeah, the car’s been pretty good,” Krup said. “Just tweaking here and there, and, you know, with the limited time that we get to be on the racetrack, you gotta really try to make your adjustments matter, and you know, these guys are very good, so you have to be on your game all the time.” 

RESULTS: Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. K9-Will Krup[1]; 2. 25-Tyler Nicely[3]; 3. 17-Chris Wilson[2]; 4. J82-Treb Jacoby[4]; 5. 35H-Michael Altobelli[6]; 6. 72H-Tristan Chamberlain[5]; 7. 5T-Jonathan Taylor[7]; 8. X-Wyatt Scott[8]; 9. 8-Jimmy Lennex Jr[12]; 10. 114B-Clayton Bryant[11]; 11. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[10]; 12. 2K-Taylor Kuehl[14]; 13. 0-Glenn Styres[9]; 14. T23-Keith Tincher[17]; 15. (DNS) 155-Peyton Harlow; 16. (DNS) 78-Rich Pratt; 17. (DNS) 72-Todd Neiheiser 

Feature #2 

Mitch Thomas earned his fourth Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals little gator trophy Friday night but had to fight for it. 

Zeke McKenzie led the field at the start with Thomas in tow. Then, on Lap 3, Thomas got out of shape and slid up the track in Turn 1, allowing Pierce McCarter and David Stremme to get by him. 

Now in fourth, he had work to do. And he pulled his gloves tight and got to it. 

He got by Stremme for third on Lap 5 and then passed McCarter for second two laps later. 

A caution on Lap 8 brought him back to McKenzie’s rear bumper, and he didn’t let the opportunity to pounce slip away on the restart. When the green flag flew again, Thomas about drove through McKenzie’s right rear quarter panel to get to his outside before entering Turn 1. 

The two dueled side by side through the corner with Thomas winning the battle for traction off the corner, pulling ahead and taking the lead into Turn 3. 

Once out front, he went unchallenged for the remainder of the race, picking up another DIRTcar Nationals win. 

“I really thought I gave it away there on like lap four, or five. I went way up there,” Thomas said. “I was going up there to the concession stand to get a hot dog, or something, but we got things back together, and I knew if I got that caution, I felt like we really had a good shot at winning that race.” 

RESULTS: Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. 97-Mitch Thomas[3]; 2. 24-Zeke McKenzie[1]; 3. 35-David Stremme[4]; 4. 45H-Kyle Hammer[5]; 5. 71-Pierce McCarter[2]; 6. 99K-Ray Kable[7]; 7. 99H-Justin Haley[6]; 8. 46-Matt Crafton[11]; 9. 11-Dylan Drake[13]; 10. 9-Ken Schrader[9]; 11. 11N-Gene Nicholas[16]; 12. 1-Eric Kinney II[12]; 13. 28-Mason Lobb[8]; 14. 25B-Greg Belyea[15]; 15. 99W-Wade Olmsted[10]; 16. (DNS) 43J-Jacob Hall; 17. (DNS) 77-Jim Shipman 

Feature #3

Kyle Strickler’s mastery of Volusia Speedway Park continued Friday night with another display of domination for his 19th career UMP Modified DIRTcar Nationals Feature win. 

The 42-year-old from Mooresville, NC, led all 15 laps in the third main event of the evening, fending off the challenge from runner-up Charlie Mefford to collect his second gator trophy of the week. With the win, he’s now only four DIRTcar Nationals wins away from tying seven-time Big Gator champion Nick Hoffman for most wins all-time. 

With the win, Strickler has locked himself into the redraw for Saturday’s $5,000-to-win Gator Championship Feature, which he has won a record four times in his career. 

“I think we’ll have a really good car,” Strickler said. “We were working on some things and kinda went back to more of a standard package that we had. The car felt a lot better than it had in previous days.”

RESULTS: Feature 3 (15 Laps): 1. 8S-Kyle Strickler[1]; 2. 13-Charlie Mefford[2]; 3. 15X-Justin Stone[7]; 4. 7J-Justin Allgaier[5]; 5. 51-Dalton Lanich[6]; 6. 01-Aidan Hinds[3]; 7. 90-Jason Beaulieu[9]; 8. 21B-Hunter Breland[8]; 9. 21C-Drew Charlson[12]; 10. 54-Zachary Hawk[10]; 11. 60F-Shannon Fisk[11]; 12. 55-Blaze Melton[14]; 13. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[15]; 14. 10X-Billy Uptegraff[16]; 15. 77D-George Dixon[4]; 16. 0K-Damian Kiefer[13]; 17. (DNS) 21J-Clay Harris

Feature #4

Coming into the week, Jordan Koehler had never seen Victory Lane at Volusia. After Friday’s wire-to-wire performance, he’s now visited three nights in-a-row. 

The 24-year-old from Mt. Airy, NC, got his first gator trophy on Tuesday, backed it up with another on Wednesday, and led all 15 laps of the fourth Feature on Friday for his third career DIRTcar Nationals triumph. 

Not once did he let any of his competition get close enough to seriously challenge for the lead, beating Cole Czarneski to the checkered flag by 1.3 seconds to secure the win and lock himself into Saturday’s redraw, which guarantees him a top-12 starting spot in the Gator Championship Feature. 

“This just shows what kind of team we’ve got,” Koehler said. “We’ve done a really good here, and they’ve got us so good, I’ll I’ve got to do is halfway do my job here driving.”

RESULTS: Feature 4 (15 Laps): 1. 114-Jordan Koehler[1]; 2. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[3]; 3. 7D-Brad DeYoung[2]; 4. 1H-Ben Harmon[11]; 5. 05-Dave Wietholder[4]; 6. 12L-Lucas Lee[6]; 7. 77B-Ray Bollinger[7]; 8. 70B-Ty Norder[10]; 9. 57-Charlie Sandercock[9]; 10. 7-Evan Taylor[8]; 11. 29C-Joey Cotterman[13]; 12. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[15]; 13. 3G-Bryce Graber[14]; 14. 60-Jim Manka[12]; 15. 66K-Joshua Kunstbeck[17]; 16. 114K-Evan Koehler[5]; 17. (DNS) 81K-Kyle Cole

Feature #5

Trevor Neville wants to keep the winning times rolling.

The Mackinaw, IL native began the Feature from Pole Position as fellow “Land of Lincoln” driver Mike McKinney started to his outside. While McKinney attempted to get a jump on Neville through the cushion of Turns 1-2, Neville withstood the challenge from the bottom lane and gained clearance through Turns 3-4 with the top spot.

While Neville stayed at the front, McKinney did not make his lead comfortable. The former Summit Modified Nationals champion kept within a one-second gap of Neville by driving across the bottom lane while the No. 777 Lethal Chassis opted for the cushion.

When Neville navigated through lap traffic that appeared with two laps remaining, he created a bubble that McKinney was unable to break in the final seconds as Neville secured his fifth career little gator trophy and fourth consecutive appearance in the Gator Championship.

“Me and Mike go up and down the road all the time,” Neville said. “Actually, last night after the races, I went over, seen him and his dad, and we talked a little crap back and forth, of course. But he beats me, I beat him every now and then. It was a little aero racing there, a little traction, and a little hope, honestly.”

RESULTS: Feature 5 (15 Laps): 1. 777-Trevor Neville[1]; 2. 96M-Mike McKinney[2]; 3. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[4]; 4. 36-Kenny Wallace[3]; 5. 17W-Mikey Wilson[7]; 6. 49-Brian Ruhlman[5]; 7. 14-Dalton Lane[9]; 8. 56-Chris Wilson[8]; 9. 5B-Bobby Bagley[12]; 10. 43A-Mark Anderson[11]; 11. 17T-Tyler Evans[10]; 12. 3S-Josh Sanford[6]; 13. 17C-Coleman Evans[13]; 14. 81C-Christopher Cole[15]; 15. 88-Cody Thornhill[14]; 16. (DNS) 712-Drake Troutman

Feature #6

Ricky Thornton Jr is one night away from etching new Volusia Speedway Park history.

Adding a fourth Golden Gator to his tenure with Koehler Motorsports in a UMP Modified on Friday, the Chandler, AZ, racer punched his ticket to a first Gator Championship appearance in a flag-to-flag triumph around the half-mile track.

While Thornton kept a one-second gap over Trent Young through the first half, third-place running Cole Falloway used the middle lane to forge a duel against Young for the runner-up position.

As Falloway and Young battled for position, Thornton faced his own obstacle with lap traffic on Lap 10. Cruising around the slower cars with ease on the bottom lane, his No. 20RT Elite Chassis built a 2.9-second gap to cap the Friday program with a seventh career Golden Gator trophy between the UMP Modified and Late Model divisions.

“I feel like our whole team is one big family,” Thornton said. “I don’t know if I consider (Jordan and Evan Koehler) my brothers or my kids because they’re a bit younger than me. But, anytime we can go race together, I feel like our heads get together, and we joke around, have a good time.

“Whenever I’m serious at the racetrack, usually that’s where there’s something wrong. Just to be able to have this opportunity with Koehler Motorsports has been phenomenal. From the get-go, it’s been everything I’ve dreamt of, so hopefully we can keep it going.”

RESULTS: Feature 6 (15 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 66F-Cole Falloway[3]; 3. 10Y-Trent Young[2]; 4. 09-Michael Ledford[5]; 5. 17X-Richard Michael Jr[7]; 6. 27-Jason Garver[4]; 7. 5CS-Curt Spalding[16]; 8. 99-Cole Hilton[10]; 9. 66-Adam Wright[8]; 10. 11D-Brian Diveley[9]; 11. 43J-Jacob Hall[17]; 12. 52-Mikey Kopka[15]; 13. 26-Adam Ogle[11]; 14. 3F-Rob Fuqua[13]; 15. T9-Zack Tate[14]; 16. 84-Ryan Toole[12]; 17. (DNS) 28B-Jason Brookover

Up Next: The final night of DIRTcar UMP Modifieds in the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals begins with Last Chance Showdowns, leading up to the 30-lap, $5,000-to-win Gator Championship Feature to conclude the division’s portion at Volusia Speedway Park. Grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m and on-track activity starts at 5:30 p.m.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS INFO

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE:https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/friday-gators-18-drivers-clinch-gator-championship-spot-through-friday-features-at-dirtcar-nationals/ 

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 

WEDNESDAY GATORS: Koehler Motorsports Sweep, Former DIRTcar Champions Headline Halfway Point of DIRTcar Nationals

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 5, 2026) - The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds are inching closer towards determining the newest Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator champion.

Wednesday night at Volusia Speedway Park brought six Features for the division to contest, with each winner making their bid for the overall championship by adding to the collection. 

Here is how each Feature played out:

Feature #1 

Ricky Thornton Jr. entered the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals having never won at Volusia Speedway Park in a DIRTcar UMP Modified. After Wednesday night, his collection of Modified gator trophies is already up to three. 

Fellow Late Model competitor and DIRTcar Nationals winner, Tristan Chamberlain, led the first two laps of Feature #1 before watching Zeke McKenzie drive around the outside of him through Turns 1-2. Once passed, Chamberlain continued to fall, losing second to Charlie Mefford and third to Thornton. 

The top three remained in that order until a caution on Lap 9 packed them back together. When the race resumed, Thornton and Mefford got the jump on McKenzie. Thornton passed the No. 13 and No. 24 around the outside to take the lead, while Mefford followed him by McKenzie for second. 

Like the previous two races Thornton won, once he put his Koehler Motorsports No. 20RT in clean air, it became untouchable. He beat Mefford to the finish by over four seconds. 

“I feel like our stuff has been really good,” Thornton said. “I felt like coming here, our stuff should run well. Obviously, being in an Elite Chassis, Nick (Hoffman) knows his stuff, and with Koehler Motorsports giving me everything.” 

RESULTS: Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 2. 13-Charlie Mefford[5]; 3. 72H-Tristan Chamberlain[1]; 4. 7J-Justin Allgaier[7]; 5. 24-Zeke McKenzie[2]; 6. 90-Jason Beaulieu[9]; 7. 99H-Justin Haley[12]; 8. 70B-Ty Norder[13]; 9. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[11]; 10. 0K-Damian Kiefer[14]; 11. 57-Charlie Sandercock[6]; 12. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[15]; 13. T23-Keith Tincher[17]; 14. 21C-Drew Charlson[8]; 15. 10X-Billy Uptegraff[16]; 16. (DNS) 5CS-Curt Spalding; 17. (DNS) 52-Mikey Kopka

Feature #2 

Twenty-four hours after watching his brother earn his first little gator trophy, Evan Koehler decided it was his turn Wednesday night. 

Chris Wilson led the field to the green with Tyler Spalding hot on his tail. After getting a couple laps underneath him, Wilson was able to pull away from Spalding, leaving him to battle Koehler in third. 

The two young drivers in second and third had an aggressive battle for the runner-up spot, occasionally leaning on each other and rubbing fenders. Koehler won the battle, getting by Spalding on Lap 7. 

Once the 20-lap Feature hit the halfway point, Wilson began to struggle to get off the corners, especially Turn 4, rarely facing straight by the time he saw the front stretch. That allowed Koehler and Spalding to close in lap after lap. 

With Koehler feet away on Lap 11, Wilson again couldn’t get traction off Turn 4, and allowed the No. 114K to sneak under him. Koehler had the lead before they entered Turn 1, and like his teammate, Ricky Thornton Jr., in the first Feature, he took off. 

Spalding got by Wilson for second, but had nothing for Koehler, who beat him to the line by over four seconds. 

With Koehler’s win, all three Koehler Motorsports cars have earned a little gator trophy in the last five days of DIRTcar Nationals. 

“It took us a couple races to finally get dialed in,” Koehler said. “We had a bit of miscommunication between me and my dad last night. You know, it was on me. The night before last, me and my brother, I took him out of the race. We both had a really good run, you know? I hate it for him, and you know, it sucked for us, but took me a couple races, and we finally got this thing right.” 

RESULTS: Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 114K-Evan Koehler[4]; 2. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[2]; 3. 7D-Brad DeYoung[6]; 4. 17-Chris Wilson[1]; 5. 2K-Taylor Kuehl[17]; 6. 99W-Wade Olmsted[13]; 7. 97-Mitch Thomas[9]; 8. 51-Dalton Lanich[12]; 9. 8-Jimmy Lennex Jr[11]; 10. 1-Eric Kinney II[8]; 11. 5B-Bobby Bagley[7]; 12. 7-Evan Taylor[5]; 13. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[14]; 14. 25B-Greg Belyea[16]; 15. T9-Zack Tate[15]; 16. 35-David Stremme[3]; 17. 77B-Ray Bollinger[10]

Feature #3

Few drivers have mastered Volusia in a UMP Modified like Kyle Strickler, and he showed exactly why for the 18th time in his DIRTcar Nationals career Wednesday night. 

Strickler, 42, of Mooresville, NC, punched through to Victory Lane for the first time this week after starting fifth on the grid. After getting up to third on the opening lap, he made the move on Ray Kable for second with a big dive into Turn 1 on Lap 3. 

On a Lap 10 restart, defending national DIRTcar UMP Modified points champion Cole Falloway had made his way up to third from 10th on the starting grid and got a great run through Turns 1 and 2 on the restart, driving by Strickler and into the runner-up spot. When the caution flag flew again four laps later, Strickler knew it was his chance to get the spots back. 

“I screwed up that first restart pretty bad, and I wasn’t gonna do it twice,” he said. 

The green flag dropped and Strickler sped off Turn 4 past Falloway on the top, then drove deep into Turn 1 with a burst of speed and slid up in front of Wilson to take the lead away. From there, it was all “The Highside Tickler” as he opened up a gap on the field and led them back around to collect his 18th career gator trophy. 

“I’m just tired of being mister nice guy,” Strickler said. “Tired of spinning myself out, wrecking myself and trying to stay off everybody because they’re gonna whine and cry and say I run over everybody whether I do it or not. 

“Back to the old ‘Tickler’ I guess.”

RESULTS: Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 8S-Kyle Strickler[5]; 2. 56-Chris Wilson[1]; 3. 66F-Cole Falloway[10]; 4. 71-Pierce McCarter[7]; 5. 99K-Ray Kable[3]; 6. 17X-Richard Michael Jr[12]; 7. 3S-Josh Sanford[4]; 8. 26-Adam Ogle[13]; 9. 21B-Hunter Breland[8]; 10. 11D-Brian Diveley[11]; 11. 3G-Bryce Graber[15]; 12. 14-Dalton Lane[14]; 13. 60F-Shannon Fisk[6]; 14. 17T-Tyler Evans[2]; 15. 54-Zachary Hawk[9]; 16. (DNS) 77-Jim Shipman; 17. (DNS) 81K-Kyle Cole

Feature #4

In one of the most dominant performances of the week thus far, Tyler Nicely dominated Feature #5 Wednesday night for his second gator trophy of the week and 13th of his career. 

The 30-year-old native of Owensboro, KY, took the lead from the pole on the opening lap and drove away from the field instantly, amassing a gap that no driver was able to cut into over the 20-lap affair. With a 2.5 second lead, the 2024 national DIRTcar UMP Modified points champion crossed the finish line unchallenged and added yet another piece of Volusia history to his trophy cabinet. 

“We had a big hole to dig out of after the first night, but my racecar’s good,” Nicely said. “We’ll just have to keep everything together, and I think we’ll have a good shot.” 

RESULTS: Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 25-Tyler Nicely[1]; 2. K9-Will Krup[5]; 3. 10Y-Trent Young[6]; 4. 777-Trevor Neville[3]; 5. 45H-Kyle Hammer[10]; 6. 9-Ken Schrader[2]; 7. 46-Matt Crafton[14]; 8. 99-Cole Hilton[8]; 9. 15X-Justin Stone[7]; 10. 43A-Mark Anderson[12]; 11. 55-Blaze Melton[16]; 12. 28B-Jason Brookover[4]; 13. 3F-Rob Fuqua[13]; 14. (DNF) 49-Brian Ruhlman[9]; 15. (DNS) 155-Peyton Harlow; 16. (DNS) 21J-Clay Harris

Feature #5

With two Koehler Motorsports machines earning a little gator trophy on Wednesday, the final driver to complete the team’s sweep was Jordan Koehler.

Koehler began the Feature in the second row as polesitter Aidan Hinds led the field to the green flag. The UNOH Motorsports driver blocked both lanes, preventing front-row starter Jonathan Taylor and Koehler from gathering up momentum for a pass. 

With Taylor driving through the middle lane and Koehler keeping the No. 114 Modified on the bottom, they were gridlocked behind Hinds until the sole caution of the Feature flew on Lap 4.

On the restart, Hinds built an early gap over Koehler and Taylor as Treb Jacoby flew around the top of the cushion in Turns 1-2 to push Koehler and Taylor three-wide entering Turn 3. Jacoby took over second place on Lap 5, then Koehler retook the spot on Lap 6. 

On Lap 8, Koehler created speed on the exit of Turn 2 to reach the inside of Hinds across the backstretch, then secured the high point through Turns 3-4 by powering his Elite Chassis on the bottom lane.

The 24-year-old North Carolinian jetted away from the lead pack through the final 12 laps by reaching a 7.3-second lead for his second Golden Gator of 2025 and completing the Koehler Motorsports sweep of wins on Wednesday.

“We’ve been really good,” Koehler said. “I just didn’t want to be the only one left out, so I had to make sure I’ve done it. I really gotta thank my mom and dad, I definitely wouldn’t be able to do this without them.”

RESULTS: Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 114-Jordan Koehler[4]; 2. 01-Aidan Hinds[3]; 3. 35H-Michael Altobelli[6]; 4. 114B-Clayton Bryant[11]; 5. J82-Treb Jacoby[8]; 6. 5T-Jonathan Taylor[2]; 7. 17W-Mikey Wilson[9]; 8. 11-Dylan Drake[12]; 9. 66-Adam Wright[10]; 10. 29C-Joey Cotterman[15]; 11. 84-Ryan Toole[14]; 12. 81C-Christopher Cole[16]; 13. 17C-Coleman Evans[7]; 14. (DNF) 43J-Jacob Hall[13]; 15. (DNS) 72-Todd Neiheiser; 16. (DNS) 712-Drake Troutman

Feature #6

Mike McKinney is looking to create his own DIRTcar Nationals trophy section with his growing number of little gator trophies.

2025 Volusia track champion Jason Garver led the field of 15 UMP Modifieds to the green flag, but St. Louis, MO native Kenny Wallace had other plans. Garver was unable to keep Wallace from reaching the bottom of Turns 1-2 as he powered around the No. 27 on the backstretch.

As Wallace flew to a two-second lead by Lap 4, McKinney and Garver raced side-by-side for the runner-up spot until the 2024 Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals champion mimicked Wallace’s pass on Garver, reaching his inside and darting away from the Starke, FL racer across the back straightaway.

The “Herminator” kept his No. 36 Elite Chassis to the bottom lane as McKinney worked to a 1.5-second gap over Wallace through the first half of the final Wednesday Feature.

Coming to Lap 11, Wallace dropped a left rear shock shaft on the track - instantly ending his chances for a second Feature win in 2026 and hurting his Big Gator points lead.

McKinney inherited the lead on the restart as Michael Ledford and Lucas Lee took over the podium. The “Magic Man” cruised to a 4.7-second lead as he caught the final little gator available on Wednesday.

“In this deal, there’s a lot of good cars out here, and you take them any way you can get them,” McKinney said. “Honestly, Kenny was really good, and I was content with running second. When he broke there, I was able to take advantage of it, get out in clean air, and keep testing this Elite racecar.

“Two in a week here is awesome. I might ask Hoffman for that blueprint of the Gator Pond and maybe build my own.”

RESULTS: Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. 96M-Mike McKinney[3]; 2. 09-Michael Ledford[9]; 3. 12L-Lucas Lee[13]; 4. 05-Dave Wietholder[10]; 5. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[6]; 6. 27-Jason Garver[1]; 7. 1H-Ben Harmon[11]; 8. 28-Mason Lobb[7]; 9. 77D-George Dixon[5]; 10. 60-Jim Manka[14]; 11. 0-Glenn Styres[8]; 12. X-Wyatt Scott[2]; 13. 11N-Gene Nicholas[15]; 14. 36-Kenny Wallace[4]; 15. 88-Cody Thornhill[16]; 16. (DNS) 78-Rich Pratt

Up Next: The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds will continue the hunt for the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator championship with six Features set for Thursday, Feb. 5. Joining the “Ironmen of DIRTcar Nationals” in the program will be the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS INFO

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE:https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/wednesday-gators-koehler-motorsports-sweep-former-dirtcar-champions-headline-halfway-point-of-dirtcar-nationals/ 

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 

TUESDAY GATORS: Stremme, Koehler, Neville, Wilson, Nicely, Krup Capture Golden Gators at DIRTcar Nationals

 Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 4, 2026) - The 2026 edition of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals has brought several memorable moments from the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds.

Tuesday’s program was no exception as the night at Volusia Speedway Park provided unpredictability, with first-time Feature winners, last-lap drama, and a look at the drivers seeking to leave Saturday night hoisting the Big Gator title.

Here’s a look at how each Feature went down:

Feature #1 

David Stremme rode a wave of up-and-down finishes during the first four nights of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. But on the fifth night, the surf ended with another trip to Victory Lane at Volusia Speedway Park. 

When the first Tuesday night Feature commenced, Stremme took the lead from the outside pole, passing polesitter Aidan Hinds on the entrance into Turn 1. 

However, Hinds saw the lead almost come back into his hands before the second lap when Stremme washed up the track off Turn 4, allowing Hinds to get underneath him. The two raced side by side for a lap before Stremme got a strong enough run off Turn 4 to build a gap between him and Hind. 

Shortly after, a caution brought the field back together. When the race resumed, Stremme pulled away, and Ricky Thornton Jr., with two Little Gator trophies already, passed Hind for second. 

Stremme maintained over a second lead for most of the Feature, but in a long-run situation, Thornton’s car started to come alive. 

With three laps to go, Thornton cut Stremme’s lead down to a few tenths. With two laps to go, he dove into Turn 1, going from three car lengths back to underneath Stremme in the corner. But Stremme had a better run off Turn 2 and kept the No. 20RT behind him. 

Knowing Thornton was on his tail, Stremme got up on the wheel to drive to his ninth DIRTcar Nationals golden gator trophy. 

“Our car wasn’t very good,” Stremme said. “The track has been great here. We had to go to work, work on some stuff. This is a brand-new car. It’s been pretty good. We just had to work on some things. Trevor (Neville) has been really good with his new car. We got with a bunch of guys and just started saying, ‘Hey, what do we have to do here?’ 

“We’ve had an OK effort here and really had to throw some things at it. To beat Ricky, he was tough. He’s so good, and he’s on his game, and I knew I had to be on the wheel. So, it feels pretty good to beat him.” 

RESULTS: Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 35-David Stremme[2]; 2. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 3. 01-Aidan Hinds[1]; 4. 45H-Kyle Hammer[12]; 5. J82-Treb Jacoby[11]; 6. 27-Jason Garver[7]; 7. 7J-Justin Allgaier[9]; 8. 57-Charlie Sandercock[8]; 9. 8-Jimmy Lennex Jr[13]; 10. 3F-Rob Fuqua[15]; 11. 28-Mason Lobb[10]; 12. 1H-Ben Harmon[14]; 13. 55-Blaze Melton[16]; 14. 28B-Jason Brookover[3]; 15. 72H-Tristan Chamberlain[6]; 16. (DNS) 17T-Tyler Evans 

Feature #2 

Koehler Motorsports has been one of the top teams throughout the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, with Ricky Thornton Jr. in contention for the win every night. But a new Koehler driver led the charge Tuesday night. 

Jordan Koehler scored his first DIRTcar Nationals victory after besting the likes of Monday night winner Mike McKinney and veteran Modified driver Ray Bollinger. 

McKinney led the first two laps before a caution came out on Lap 2. When the race resumed, Koehler flipped on his hyperdrive, rocketing around the outside of second-place Ray Kable and McKinney through Turns 1-2. He cleared both by the time his No. 114 car reached the backstretch and continued to drive away. 

A caution on Lap 14 saw McKinney’s chances of scoring back-to-back wins end due to a flat right rear tire.  

When the race resumed, Ray Bollinger, who started 12th, continued his climb, going from sixth to second in a lap. However, the restart ended up as the only highlight of the race for him, as Koehler set sail out front. 

His victory brought Koehler Motorsports to three wins in four days. 

“I was really pumped,” Koehler said about earning his first Little Gator. “I was watching my stick guy, Bryce, there, and I hit a hole and probably about gave it away. But, no, I was really pumped.” 

RESULTS: Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 114-Jordan Koehler[3]; 2. 77B-Ray Bollinger[12]; 3. 7-Evan Taylor[7]; 4. 05-Dave Wietholder[13]; 5. 35H-Michael Altobelli[8]; 6. 21C-Drew Charlson[10]; 7. 17W-Mikey Wilson[11]; 8. 99K-Ray Kable[2]; 9. 114K-Evan Koehler[4]; 10. 56-Chris Wilson[6]; 11. 9-Ken Schrader[5]; 12. 96M-Mike McKinney[1]; 13. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[15]; 14. 5B-Bobby Bagley[9]; 15. 11-Dylan Drake[14]; 16. 10X-Billy Uptegraff[16] 

Feature #3

After coming up one spot short twice in the last four races, Trevor Neville finally punched through to Volusia Victory Lane Tuesday night in dominant fashion. 

Neville, 25, of Mackinaw, IL, started on the outside of the front row and had only one challenge to beat when polesitter Tyler Spalding gave him a run through Turns 1 and 2 and down the backstretch on the opening lap. Side-by-side they raced into Turn 3, but Neville’s high-side momentum carried him off Turn 4 with greater speed as he zoomed past Spalding into the lead at the flag stand. 

From there, Neville was nearly untouchable out front. He fended off all opponents through multiple restarts, including multi-time DIRTcar Nationals Feature winner Kenny Wallace, who nearly pulled alongside Neville on the final restart. 

In the end, Neville led the field back around to the checkered flag to collect the fourth gator trophy of his career. 

“We’ve got this new Lethal Chassis, this Ryan engine, we’ve got a buddy here from Freedom Race Lifts, so we’re having a good ol’ time this weekend,” Neville said. “David Stremme and us, hopefully we keep knocking a few more out this week with the Lethal boys, Neville Farms and Multi-Fire Spark Plug Wires.” 

RESULTS: Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 777-Trevor Neville[2]; 2. 36-Kenny Wallace[3]; 3. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[1]; 4. 712-Drake Troutman[7]; 5. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[8]; 6. X-Wyatt Scott[5]; 7. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[12]; 8. 11D-Brian Diveley[13]; 9. 17X-Richard Michael Jr[14]; 10. 3S-Josh Sanford[4]; 11. 1-Eric Kinney II[10]; 12. 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[15]; 13. 17C-Coleman Evans[9]; 14. 52-Mikey Kopka[11]; 15. 72-Todd Neiheiser[6]; 16. (DNS) 81K-Kyle Cole

Feature #4

In the wildest ending of any UMP Modified Feature run over the past five days, Chris Wilson scored his first career DIRTcar Nationals win with a last-lap pass after white-flag leaders Zeke McKezie and Charlie Mefford came together in the final corners. 

Wilson, 45, of Louisa, KY, had led the first 13 laps but had slipped back to third for a green/white-checkered finish. As the green flag waved with Zeke McKenzie leading, Charlie Mefford got a big run on the outside through Turns 1 and 2 and nearly pulled even with McKenzie down the backstretch. 

Mefford drove deep down low into Turn 3 with speed and made contact with McKenzie, sending Mefford’s No. 13 car around in front of the field. This opened the door for Wilson coming through on the bottom as he sped past the colliding drivers, took the lead out of Turn 4 and beat everyone to the checkered flag to score the win in epic fashion. 

“I know [Mefford] is a younger kid, and I was hoping that maybe he was a little more aggressive than an older guy like me,” Wilson said. “I put myself in position, and it worked out in our favor.” 

RESULTS: Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 17-Chris Wilson[1]; 2. 24-Zeke McKenzie[4]; 3. 7D-Brad DeYoung[3]; 4. 14-Dalton Lane[10]; 5. 97-Mitch Thomas[5]; 6. 99H-Justin Haley[8]; 7. 15X-Justin Stone[2]; 8. 21B-Hunter Breland[6]; 9. 13-Charlie Mefford[7]; 10. 81C-Christopher Cole[16]; 11. T9-Zack Tate[13]; 12. 25B-Greg Belyea[15]; 13. 99W-Wade Olmsted[12]; 14. 11N-Gene Nicholas[14]; 15. 78-Rich Pratt[9]; 16. 46-Matt Crafton[11]

Feature #5

After struggling through Monday with 14th and 16th-place finishes, Tyler Nicely turned the pendulum in his direction with a trip to Volusia Victory Lane for the first time since his 2024 Big Gator championship on Tuesday.

The Owensboro, KY driver brought the field to the green flag for the fifth Feature as outside starter Cole Hilton slotted into second place. On Lap 2, Hilton lost control of his Modified and slid across the middle of the track, collecting seven cars and ending his chances to fight for a Golden Gator.

When the field restacked for the restart, Nicely kept control at the front as Kyle Strickler took over second place and Pierce McCarter occupied third. As each lap ticked, Nicely used the clean air to his advantage by reaching a two-second lead before he entered lap traffic at the halfway mark.

When the lapped cars blocked space for Nicely to use in passing, the “High Side Tickler” chopped the gap by using the cushion around each corner of the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” - reaching his back bumper by Lap 15.

Nicely picked up the pace once Strickler arrived at the back bumper of the No. 25 Elite Chassis and started diverting from the cushion to use the lapped cars to his advantage.

When Strickler cut to the bottom on Lap 18, he immediately lost control of the car entering Turn 1 and began to spin. However, the Mooresville, NC, racer was able to save the car and maintained second place while Nicely drove away to his 11th Golden Gator trophy.

“I’m just glad I have a good crew behind me,” Nicely said. “Special thanks to Nick [Hoffman] for coming down this morning and helping us get everything back together. Brandon and Blade, they help me all week, so just thankful to have a good crew behind me.”

RESULTS: Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 25-Tyler Nicely[1]; 2. 8S-Kyle Strickler[4]; 3. 71-Pierce McCarter[6]; 4. 51-Dalton Lanich[8]; 5. 0-Glenn Styres[14]; 6. 49-Brian Ruhlman[5]; 7. 66-Adam Wright[9]; 8. 43A-Mark Anderson[10]; 9. 3G-Bryce Graber[13]; 10. T23-Adam Ogle[15]; 11. 60-Jim Manka[12]; 12. 2K-Taylor Kuehl[16]; 13. 99-Cole Hilton[2]; 14. 60F-Shannon Fisk[3]; 15. 84-Ryan Toole[11]; 16. 155-Peyton Harlow[7]

Feature #6

While Will Krup left Tuesday with a DIRTcar Nationals Feature win, he also has work ahead of him to keep a Big Gator hunt in his favor.

The Mt. Carmel, IL driver started in the second row behind polesitter Michael Ledford for the start of the 20-lap Feature. Entering the first turn, Ledford jumped the entrance of Turn 1 and lost momentum by sliding up to the exit of Turn 2. Krup capitalized by powering his Modified under Ledford into Turn 3 and secured the lead on the opening lap.

At the helm of the field, Krup extended his lead to 3.3 seconds over Ledford until the first caution waved on Lap 9. The Illinois native held the lead in his possession as he built the distance to Ledford by 1.9 seconds using the bottom lane throughout the second half.

As Krup made his way to the exit of Turn 4 on the final lap, he drove through a slick patch across the bottom and darted into the outside wall. The “Land of Lincoln” driver limped the damaged No. K9 to a seventh Golden Gator trophy, but will evaluate the work that lies ahead for his chance at a first Big Gator championship.

“There was a bunch of water down there off of [Turn 4],” Krup said regarding the accident. “It wasn’t there the previous lap, and I was already committed there. By the time I had seen it and tried to slow down, the car took off and went straight into the wall.”

RESULTS: Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. K9-Will Krup[3]; 2. 09-Michael Ledford[1]; 3. 10Y-Trent Young[8]; 4. 66F-Cole Falloway[5]; 5. 77D-George Dixon[4]; 6. 54-Zachary Hawk[2]; 7. 12L-Lucas Lee[14]; 8. 70B-Ty Norder[12]; 9. 0K-Damian Kiefer[9]; 10. 5T-Jonathan Taylor[6]; 11. 29C-Joey Cotterman[15]; 12. 88-Cody Thornhill[16]; 13. 114B-Clayton Bryant[10]; 14. 90-Jason Beaulieu[7]; 15. 43J-Jacob Hall[11]; 16. 21J-Clay Harris[13]

Up Next: The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds enter the second half of the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals visit with the set of six Features on deck for Wednesday, Feb. 4. The Modifieds will share the track with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for their season opener.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS INFO

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/tuesday-gators-stremme-koehler-neville-wilson-nicely-krup-capture-golden-gators-at-dirtcar-nationals/

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/
 

MONDAY WINNERS: Mefford, McKinney, Wallace, Jacoby, Thomas, Chamberlain Open DIRTcar Nationals Week 2 with UMP Modified Victories

 Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (February 2, 2026) - The second week of the 55th annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals opened with a packed Monday slate of seven Features for the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds

While Ricky Thornton Jr captured the Saturday makeup Feature for his second Golden Gator trophy of the year, the opening quest towards the 2026 Big Gator Championship saw the field of 97 UMP Modifieds compete at the Barberville, FL property through six Feature races

Here is how each Feature played out:

Feature #1 

Every year during Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, a new Modified driver takes their turn as the top gator wrangler. This year, Charlie Mefford is making a case for it to be him after back-to-back wins. 

The 20-lap Feature started with Pierce McCarter leading the field into the first turn with Trent Young in second and Mefford in third. 

As McCarter drove away, Mefford kept the pressure on Young for second. His lurking paid off on Lap 5 when he was able to steal the runner-up spot and then begin his charge for the lead. 

“Chargin’ Charlie” was 1.8 seconds behind McCarter when he moved into second. Nine laps later, he cut over a second off the No. 71 car’s lead. On Lap 16, McCarter’s line was hindered while trying to pass a slower car, but Mefford, kept his foot in the gas and split them three-wide to charge into Turns 3-4 and take the lead. 

From there, Mefford went uncontested and picked up his sixth DIRTcar Nationals golden gator trophy. It’s also the fourth straight year he’s scored a win at Volusia Speedway Park. 

“I was just driving the hell out of it really,” said Mefford, of Belton, KY. “That was the hardest I’ve ever driven a race car, just matted it to the floor… When I got to them, I knew I could get around them, leaving the corner because he was committed to that bottom.” 

RESULTS: Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford[3]; 2. 71-Pierce McCarter[1]; 3. 8S-Kyle Strickler[5]; 4. 10Y-Trent Young[2]; 5. 66F-Cole Falloway[8]; 6. 15X-Justin Stone[12]; 7. 60F-Shannon Fisk[14]; 8. 99W-Wade Olmsted[11]; 9. 8-Jimmy Lennex Jr[15]; 10. 66-Adam Wright[7]; 11. 78-Rich Pratt[10]; 12. 21C-Drew Charlson[13]; 13. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[6]; 14. 54-Zachary Hawk[9]; 15. (DNS) 5CS-Curt Spalding; 16. (DNS) 72-Todd Neiheiser; 17. (DNS) 81K-Kyle Cole 

Feature #2 

Mike McKinney entered the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals armed with a new Elite Chassis. However, growing pains plagued his debut with the car. He missed the opening night Feature and then finished eighth the next time. 

That all changed Monday night. 

Trevor Neville led the way at the start of the Feature, but Ricky Thornton Jr. put the pressure on him on Lap 6. Side by side through Turns 3-4, Neville ran the middle while Thornton had snuck underneath him. However, Thornton went too low and hit the inside wall with his nose, stuffing the panel under his car. 

That allowed McKinney to move into second and take his shot at Neville, which was about handed to him when Neville nearly spun entering Turn 1. 

After patiently building a run, McKinney was able to dive under Neville going into Turn 2 on Lap 12, stayed side by side with him down the backstretch and powered ahead to the lead through Turns 3-4. 

McKinney built a gap between he and Neville until a slower car killed his pace in the closing laps, allowing the No. 777 to catch back up to him. 

But when McKinney found clean air again, he was gone. The second golden gator trophy of his career was placed on his hood when he pulled into Victory Lane. 

“The track conditions were a little bit more like Illinois, so it was pretty familiar,” said McKinney of Plainfield, IL. “I won three races last year, and hell yeah, it’s been a while, so this feels pretty good.” 

RESULTS: Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 96M-Mike McKinney[3]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville[1]; 3. 45H-Kyle Hammer[9]; 4. 114-Jordan Koehler[5]; 5. 99H-Justin Haley[10]; 6. 01-Aidan Hinds[8]; 7. 35H-Michael Altobelli[11]; 8. 7J-Justin Allgaier[2]; 9. 114K-Evan Koehler[14]; 10. 60-Jim Manka[13]; 11. 29C-Joey Cotterman[15]; 12. 99-Cole Hilton[12]; 13. 5B-Bobby Bagley[7]; 14. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[4]; 15. 56-Chris Wilson[6]; 16. (DNS) 0K-Damian Kiefer 

Feature #3 

It’s one thing to bring an Elite Chassis to Volusia Speedway Park, which won the first five Features of DIRTcar Nationals this year. It’s another to have the chassis builder himself, Nick Hoffman, jump in your car to provide a few tips during Hot Laps. 

That benefit came to Kenny Wallace, who is driving for Hoffman again this year in the No. 36 Modified. 

The result was Wallace rocketing around polesitter Jason Beaulieu on the initial start of the race, after Beaulieu washed up the track on entrance, and then running away with the lead. 

Multiple cautions plagued Wallace’s march, including one that saw Beaulieu spin and get hit by another car. But no one could touch the Missouri native on the restarts. 

That trait came to Wallace’s benefit late in the race after Chris Wilson started to reel him in on a long run. A caution came out on Lap 17, and when the race resumed, Wilson couldn’t keep pace with the blue No. 36. 

Wallace went on to win his sixth DIRTcar Nationals victory, and first since 2024. 

“I grew up a racer, and your race car has to handle. There’s a reason all three of these (cars in Victory Lane) are Elites, and this man right here, look here, this is Nick Hoffman,” Wallace said while pointing to the veteran racer and chassis builder. “This is his dad, Darrell. Me and Darrell are about the same age. Because of Nick and his dad is the only reason I won.” 

RESULTS: Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 36-Kenny Wallace[2]; 2. 17-Chris Wilson[5]; 3. 35-David Stremme[3]; 4. 7D-Brad DeYoung[9]; 5. 77D-George Dixon[6]; 6. 1H-Ben Harmon[13]; 7. 3S-Josh Sanford[11]; 8. 7-Evan Taylor[8]; 9. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[12]; 10. T9-Zack Tate[14]; 11. 70B-Ty Norder[10]; 12. 90-Jason Beaulieu[1]; 13. 11Z-Zane Oedewaldt[15]; 14. 25-Tyler Nicely[4]; 15. 52-Mikey Kopka[7]; 16. (DNS) 2K-Taylor Kuehl 

Feature #4 

Ray Bollinger opened DIRTcar UMP Modified Florida Speedweeks with a win at Hendry County Motorsports Park, and was poised to add another trophy to his collection at Volusia Speedway Park Monday night. But Treb Jacoby, in his DIRTcar Nationals debut, had other plans. 

Bollinger led the first half of the 20-lap Feature. Then came the second half. 

After a restart on Lap 11, Jacoby, running second, began cutting tenths out of Bollinger’s lead by running the top lane of the 1/2-mile track. That propelled him to drive around Bollinger for the lead with six laps to go. 

However, a caution shortly after gave Bollinger one more shot to fight back. When the green flag flew again, Jacoby got out of shape in Turn 2, allowing Bollinger to pull even with him down the backstretch. The yellow No. 77 threw a slider at Jacoby into Turn 3 and reclaimed the top spot. But the next lap, the roles reversed with Bollinger getting sideways in Turns 3-4, and Jacoby on the attack. 

The two crossed the white flag about even at the line. Turn 1 asked who wanted it more. And Jacoby answered, beating Bollinger through the corner and pulling away with his first DIRTcar Nationals win in the David Reutimann-built Beak Built Chassis – the first non-Elite Chassis Modified win of the event. 

“To be honest, we weren’t even gonna come. This car was dirty from November,” Jacoby admitted in Victory Lane. “Thankfully, for the first time ever, I didn’t tear the car down to a bare frame in the off-season, so we kind of just loaded it back up, and we cleaned it yesterday. You know, I can’t believe it.” 

RESULTS: Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. J82-Treb Jacoby[6]; 2. 77B-Ray Bollinger[1]; 3. 24-Zeke McKenzie[3]; 4. 05-Dave Wietholder[5]; 5. 46-Matt Crafton[12]; 6. X-Wyatt Scott[8]; 7. 155-Peyton Harlow[11]; 8. 88-Cody Thornhill[15]; 9. 43J-Jacob Hall[10]; 10. 3F-Rob Fuqua[14]; 11. 0-Glenn Styres[2]; 12. T23-Keith Tincher[16]; 13. 17C-Coleman Evans[9]; 14. (DNF) 5T-Jonathan Taylor[4]; 15. (DNF) 114B-Clayton Bryant[7]; 16. (DNF) 10X-Billy Uptegraff[13] 

Feature #5

Mason Lobb and Mitch Thomas set the front row for the Feature’s opening start, with Thomas using speed around the outside line of Turns 1-2 to claim the lead ahead of Lobb.

Behind Thomas, Will Krup, and Ray Kable applied pressure for Lobb’s position with Krup taking second place on Lap 2 from the outside. 

As Kable began to make a move for third place on Lap 3, Lobb lost control in Turn 4, spinning to the bottom of the track and ending his chance to win.

On the ensuing restart, Krup kept his No. K9 Modified within striking distance of Thomas by maintaining the cushion as Thomas kept rolling his No. 97T to the bottom lane. While the two kept a half-second gap, Krup was unable to garner enough positive momentum to overmatch the Oakland, MD driver.

When the final caution waved with eight laps remaining, Krup used the restart as an opportunity to jump Thomas for the lead. When the green flag dropped, the Mt. Carmel, IL driver reached the inside of Thomas in Turns 1-2. 

Despite Krup’s attempts to dominate the pace that Thomas established on the low lane, Thomas built a 1.7-second lead over Krup as he led the charge to his third career Golden Gator trophy.

“Will, he’s won multiple of these, and he’s really good,” Thomas said. “He don’t make mistakes, and that’s usually where it goes wrong because I’m the one who makes the mistakes. But, we had a really good race there. I just knew I needed to get out front, getting clean air, and just try to check out.”

RESULTS: Feature 5 (20 Laps): 1. 97-Mitch Thomas[2]; 2. K9-Will Krup[4]; 3. 17X-Richard Michael Jr[7]; 4. 12L-Lucas Lee[10]; 5. 28-Mason Lobb[1]; 6. 11D-Brian Diveley[12]; 7. 17T-Tyler Evans[5]; 8. 84-Ryan Toole[11]; 9. 1-Eric Kinney II[15]; 10. (DNF) 55-Blaze Melton[14]; 11. (DNF) 26-Adam Ogle[9]; 12. (DNF) 21B-Hunter Breland[3]; 13. (DNF) 99K-Ray Kable[6]; 14. (DNF) 43A-Mark Anderson[8]; 15. (DNF) 3G-Bryce Graber[13]; 16. (DNS) 11N-Gene Nicholas

Feature #6

Before Tristan Chamberlain rejoins the World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision for Week 3 of DIRTcar Nationals aboard the Gibson Racing No. 20TC, he can add the label “DIRTcar Nationals Feature winner” to his résume.

Seeking more laps inside a race car at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” before the Super Late Models revisit the track from Feb. 9-14, Chamberlain left Monday night with added notes and a first step towards his first Modified Big Gator campaign.

The Martinsville, IN teenager started the 20-lap Feature from Pole Position as Brian Ruhlman sat to his outside. Ruhlman gained the first-turn advantage over Chamberlain by using the outside, but “Tricky Tristan” never allowed Ruhlman to gain clearance as his No. 72H worked to the lead on the bottom lane.

While driving through the clean air, Chamberlain developed a rhythm of entering the corner in the middle and rolling to the bottom while Ruhlman’s No. 49 machine stayed committed to the cushion for each lap.

With lap traffic staying out of Chamberlain’s preferred line, the 18-year-old racer widened the gap to Ruhlman by 7.4 seconds as he crossed the twin checkered flags for his first win at Volusia Speedway Park.

“One of the main reasons to bring the Modified is to get more laps here,” Chamberlain said. “Volusia is definitely a unique place, and I think it’s my third year here. Do, get as much laps as possible for the Late Model is what we’ve been looking for, and the car was really good tonight.”

RESULTS: Feature 6 (20 Laps): 1. 72H-Tristan Chamberlain[1]; 2. 49-Brian Ruhlman[2]; 3. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[3]; 4. 17W-Mikey Wilson[9]; 5. 27-Jason Garver[5]; 6. 28B-Jason Brookover[4]; 7. 51-Dalton Lanich[8]; 8. 11N-Gene Nicholas[17]; 9. 11-Dylan Drake[12]; 10. 25B-Greg Belyea[14]; 11. 14-Dalton Lane[11]; 12. 9-Ken Schrader[10]; 13. (DNF) 57-Charlie Sandercock[6]; 14. (DNF) 77-Jim Shipman[13]; 15. (DNF) 00B-Buzzie Reutimann[15]; 16. (DNS) 09-Michael Ledford; 17. (DNS) 81C-Christopher Cole

Thornton Bags $2,500 in DIRTcar Nationals UMP Modified Makeup Feature

Through three nights of the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, Ricky Thornton Jr has proven his hunger for a second career Big Gator title.

The Chandler, AZ driver scored his second Golden Gator trophy behind the wheel of the Koehler Motorsports No. 20RT DIRTcar UMP Modified on a night when he recovered from an early exit in Monday Feature #2 after damaging the front nose.

Thornton and former Big Gator champion Tyler Nicely brought the field to the initial green flag, with Nicely’s first-turn momentum from the cushion giving him an advantage over Thornton for the lead. However, a caution for an accident in the back forced a complete restart. 

On the second attempt to start the 25-lap Feature, Thornton stayed equal to Nicely on the bottom through Turns 1-2, then overpowered Nicely in Turns 3-4 to take the lead in his protection.

While Nicely charged at Thornton by driving his No. 25 Elite Chassis deep into the corners, his strategy hurt momentum as he slid to the top side off each exit - scrubbing his speed in the process.

Nicely’s struggles allowed fellow Kentucky natives Charlie Mefford and Cole Falloway to capitalize by taking second and third place, respectively, on Lap 13.

When the caution waved with 12 laps remaining, Thornton was tasked with blocking any sort of passing attack from Mefford or Falloway on the restart. Entering the first corner, Thornton made a car-length’s space to Mefford across the backstretch, then the Belton, KY driver sent his No.13 Modified to the top of the cushion as Thornton slid up the surface. The two made slight contact, but Thornton’s Modified continued pacing the field as Mefford kept second place.

Thornton’s line around the top gave him an extension of the lead by over one second as he completed the night with a $2,500 payday and a fifth career Golden Gator trophy.

“The driver’s not doing his job,” Thornton said. “Simple as that. I’ve killed two noses pretty much just driving too easy. I think I need to drive a lot harder right there. I probably wasn’t the best car, but I knew at the end, the top was actually way better. No one was gonna go out there, and I’m like, ‘Well, you know what? There’s only a handful of laps, so I might as well get out there, make some speed, and try to make myself a gap.’”

RESULTS: Saturday Make-Up Feature (25 Laps): 1. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[1]; 2. 13-Charlie Mefford[3]; 3. 66-Cole Falloway[5]; 4. 99H-Justin Haley[12]; 5. 36-Kenny Wallace[4]; 6. 35A-Michael Altobelli[9]; 7. 72H-Tristan Chamberlain[23]; 8. 77D-George Dixon[11]; 9. 45H-Kyle Hammer[15]; 10. 777-Trevor Neville[7]; 11. 90-Jason Beaulieu[22]; 12. 56-Chris Wilson[16]; 13. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[24]; 14. 114K-Evan Koehler[13]; 15. 57-Charlie Sandercock[21]; 16. 25-Tyler Nicely[2]; 17. 35-David Stremme[8]; 18. 114-Jordan Koehler[20]; 19. 05-Dave Wietholder[18]; 20. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[14]; 21. 96M-Mike McKinney[17]; 22. (DNF) K9-Will Krup[6]; 23. (DNF) 12L-Lucas Lee[19]; 24. (DNS) 97-Mitch Thomas

Up Next: The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds tackle Tuesday at Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals with six Features on deck for Feb. 3 as the hunt for the Big Gator marches forward. Grandstand gates will open at 4 p.m ET, and Hot Laps will start at 5:30 p.m. ET.

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/monday-winners-mefford-mckinney-wallace-jacoby-thomas-chamberlain-open-dirtcar-nationals-week-2-with-ump-modified-victories/, https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/thornton-bags-2500-in-dirtcar-nationals-ump-modified-makeup-feature/

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 

Mefford Parks UMP Modified in DIRTcar Nationals Victory Lane at Volusia

Emily Schwanke

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 30, 2026) - Over the last three years, Charlie Mefford has pieced together his ideal driving style around Volusia Speedway Park.

The Belton, KY native earned his fifth Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals win on Friday by wheeling his No. 13 Elite Chassis UMP Modified around the middle lane of the slick half-mile track in preparation for hunting his first career Big Gator championship from Feb. 2-7.

Kenny Wallace brought the field of 24 Modifieds to the opening green flag with Thursday winner Ricky Thornton Jr to the outside. Using the bottom lane to gain momentum, Wallace got clear of the lead and protected the inside line as Thornton attempted to create speed on the cushion.

Through the early stages, Wallace grew the gap to Thornton by 1.6 seconds as Mefford experimented with different lanes in third place until the first caution waved on Lap 6.

On the restart, the St. Louis, MO driver escaped the pack as Thornton faced a position battle from Mefford. “Chargin’ Charlie” used the bottom lane of Turns 3-4 to gain clearance of the reigning Late Model Big Gator champion on Lap 8.

As Wallace kept the No. 36 Modified glued to the low lane and jumped to a 1.6-second lead, Mefford found speed in the middle groove and cut the lead to 0.2 seconds when the caution was displayed once again on Lap 13.

The ensuing restart saw Mefford ride the middle lane to reach the right-rear of “The Herminator” at the exit of Turn 2, then outgassed Wallace through Turns 3-4 to take the lead. Trevor Neville noticed Mefford’s success and passed Wallace for second place in Turns 3-4 through the middle on Lap 14.

Secure in the top spot, the 19-year-old flew to a 3.6-second advantage over Neville in the final six circuits around the Barberville, FL grounds to capture the twin checkered flags at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” for a fourth consecutive year.

“Those first six or seven laps, we were all following Kenny,” Mefford said. “Ricky went to the top, and I was like, ‘Man, I got to try the middle,’ and I kept a lot of momentum through the center of the corner like [Scott Bloomquist] would. I drove by [Thornton], and then the caution came, so I knew I had to capitalize then. If it wasn’t for that caution, I don’t know if I could have gotten by [Wallace].”

Feature (20 Laps): 1. 13-Charlie Mefford[3]; 2. 777-Trevor Neville[6]; 3. 36-Kenny Wallace[1]; 4. 25-Tyler Nicely[13]; 5. 20RT-Ricky Thornton Jr[2]; 6. 35A-Michael Altobelli[11]; 7. K9-Will Krup[5]; 8. 96M-Mike McKinney[4]; 9. 66-Cole Falloway[16]; 10. 35-David Stremme[7]; 11. 99H-Justin Haley[10]; 12. 97-Mitch Thomas[8]; 13. 45H-Kyle Hammer[22]; 14. 99-Cole Hilton[14]; 15. 114K-Evan Koehler[17]; 16. 43A-Mark Anderson[18]; 17. 77D-George Dixon[9]; 18. 56-Chris Wilson[15]; 19. 51-Dalton Lanich[21]; 20. 1TS-Tyler Spalding[23]; 21. 21CZ-Cole Czarneski[12]; 22. 12L-Lucas Lee[19]; 23. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[20]; 24. 05-Dave Wietholder[24]

Up Next: The opening week of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals closes with the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds hunting a $2,500 payday as the American Sprint Car Series crowns a second Big Gator champion on Saturday, Jan. 31. With the frigid temperatures later in the evening, grandstand gates will open at 3 p.m, and Hot Laps will roll at 4 p.m.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS WEBSITE

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE:https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/mefford-parks-ump-modified-in-dirtcar-nationals-victory-lane-at-volusia/ 

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/
Page Ascends 19 Positions for Sunshine Nationals Finale Win, Williams Earns First 604 Late Model Surfboard

Chris Anderson

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 25, 2026) - For the first time since 2021, Michael Page is a Feature winner at Volusia Speedway Park.

The Douglasville, GA driver took the grind from a 20th-place starting spot to leave the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals finale with a $10,000 reward on Saturday night with the Crate Racin’ USA 604 Late Models.

602 Late Model champion Hayden Cardwell took the 34-car field to the initial start by maintaining the lead in the first three laps before Friday winners Pearson Williams and Trynt Lloyd made contact and spun into the back stretch guardrail. Williams rolled over once after the contact, but the two drivers were OK.

On the restart, Justin Williams took his chance for the lead by taking the No. 7W Longhorn Chassis to the cushion while Cardwell kept his Late Model to the bottom of the track. They stayed even for two laps around the track until Williams was clear of the Tennessee native on Lap 6.

Behind the two drivers, Page had a near-scare after a fuel pressure issue forced him to visit the work area before the racing began. When the green flag waved, Page gained 10 spots by taking every hole that his Late Model was able to fit through on the opening circuit.

Page kept the charge by shifting to sixth on the Lap 3 restart, then worked up to the top five on Lap 11. When the caution waved again on Lap 15, Page drove around the cushion to move into the podium over Cardwell. He used the momentum to reach the bottom of Logan Bradford for the runner-up spot.

When the final caution flew on Lap 24, it erased a 1.7-second lead by Williams and offered a final chance for Page to strike. He did just that as the “Peach State” racer threw a slide job into Turn 1, shifted to the top, and outran William through Turns 3-4 through the middle for the Feature’s lead.

Page never relinquished the position as he crossed the finish line to complete a mountainous climb for a significant payday.

“Man, this is good,” Page said. “I just can’t qualify, man. Every time I come here, I have to come from the back. When it’s wide open, I feel like I have no motor. Then, when it slicks off, I have more motor. I don’t really understand it, but don’t give up. Like I told (the crew), we’re here to have fun, win or lose. We’re here to win, we come to win. I knew it from the first lap, I was like ‘Holy shit, this thing is rolling.’”

Williams finishing in second place earned him the overall title after the 30-lap battle for his first surfboard trophy in his second visit to the “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

“To come down here and get a win and the second place, we couldn’t ask for any better,” Williams said. “We coulda went with a little different tire and been a little bit better, I started to lose the right front towards the end. But, all in all, it was a good weekend for us and our team.

“It’s kind of unbelievable, really. I work on my cars in a little small shop, and I got a full-time job, so to be able to come in here and do that means the world.”

RESULTS: Feature (30 Laps): 1. 18X-Michael Page[20]; 2. 7W-Justin Williams[2]; 3. 17C-Hayden Cardwell[1]; 4. T99-Mario Gresham[14]; 5. 5-Wil Herrington[23]; 6. 09-Ross Bailes[5]; 7. 18IH-Clay Harris[25]; 8. 67-Logan Bradford[4]; 9. 99-Kyle Hardy[8]; 10. 46-Deisel Jones[10]; 11. 2S-Layton Sullivan[22]; 12. C02-Daulton Wilson[9]; 13. 611-Koulten Herbert[29]; 14. 18BY-Austin Yarbrough[15]; 15. 15-Marty Massey[30]; 16. 24-Austin Bloodworth[19]; 17. 515-Bubba Roling[7]; 18. 15M-Mason Massey[26]; 19. 56-Christian Schneider[28]; 20. 7N-Corey Neil Jr[16]; 21. 12C-Chase Giddens[34]; 22. 17-Austin Storm[33]; 23. 85-Corey North[24]; 24. 22S-Jeremy Steele[13]; 25. 23V-Matt Henderson[17]; 26. 97T-Ty Giles[6]; 27. 16S-Sam Seawright[21]; 28. G4-Trent Ivey[11]; 29. 44P-Kole Platt[31]; 30. 121-Pearson Williams[3]; 31. 2L-Trynt Lloyd[12]; 32. 8W-Bubba Whitener[18]; 33. 7A-Corey Almond[27]; 34. 31S-Tim Swartz[32]

Ivey Captures 602 Late Models Sunshine Nationals Finale, Cardwell Clinches 2026 Championship

Trent Ivey came to Volusia Speedway Park to add some good stock to his racing program.

Leaving the seventh edition of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, he’ll need room to fit two trophies earned from 602 Late Model racing at the Barberville, FL facility. 

Hayden Cardwell began the week as the World of Outlaws iRacing Pro Series winner, and exited as the overall points champion after contending for the Feature win each night.

Polesitter Dawson Lowe led the field of 30 cars to the green flag as Cardwell split Chase Blackwell and Wyatt Coffey three wide across the backstretch to take second place as Coffey slotted into third, and Ivey took over fourth.

When the caution waved on Lap 5, multiple drivers used the restart as a way to steal multiple positions for early momentum. Coffey used the middle lane to his advantage by outrunning Cardwell for second, then sliced to the bottom of Lowe to take the lead. The race for the lead did not end immediately as Cardwell tossed a slide job in Turns 3-4 for the top point.

After a Lap 15 multi-car incident on the frontstretch halted the racing momentarily, the “Lil’ Headknocker” took his opportunity to fight against the leaders on the restart by taking over second from Coffey through Turns 3-4 as Cardwell tried to run away from the field. 

With four laps remaining, Ivey threw his Late Model to the bottom and slid up on Cardwell. The two made contact with Ivey’s right rear hitting Cardwell’s left front bumper. They both had to save cars, but did not lose enough speed to lose positions as Ivey became the new leader.

Ivey grew his margin to Cardwell by one second as he caps the weekend with two victories and a combined $4,500 from his efforts.

“I just want to apologize to Hayden,” Ivey said. “I caught him a lot quicker than I thought, and I didn’t plan on really sliding him, but I hit the inside wall and I just ended up in it. But, we’re down here racing, trying to keep our name in a hat, let people know we got some good stock in Trent Ivey Racing.”

While Cardwell left the Feature without the finale trophy, his two wins and runner-up performance across three days earned him a first career Surfboard trophy.

“It’s cool, this thing’s been badass all week,” Cardwell said. “So, yeah, it sucks to get raced like that. We kind of fell off pretty bad there towards the end of the race. I race everybody as clean as I possibly can, but it’s just unfortunate. I knew Trent was obviously pretty good there, but it is what it is.”

RESULTS: Feature (20 Laps): 1. 28I-Trent Ivey[5]; 2. 17C-Hayden Cardwell[4]; 3. 611-Koulten Herbert[8]; 4. 2-Wyatt Coffey[2]; 5. 67-Logan Bradford[15]; 6. 25W-Wiley McDaniel[11]; 7. 51-Mack McCarter[16]; 8. T9-Brodie Thompson[18]; 9. 3-Grayson Ott[17]; 10. 16-Dawson Lowe[1]; 11. 53-Brandon Yates[21]; 12. 21-Mario Gresham[9]; 13. 7K-Matthew Kade[10]; 14. 131-Matt Herlong[14]; 15. 51C-Luke Clements[12]; 16. 6-Chase Blackwell[3]; 17. 01-Ben Lanford[13]; 18. 17J-Griffin Jones[19]; 19. KO-Caylan Kettle[20]; 20. 88-Dustin Rollins[27]; 21. 1-Hania Humphries[29]; 22. 25-Brandon Lunsford[25]; 23. 9-John Marshall Pursley[7]; 24. 21M-Mayson Mossow[30]; 25. 28B-Jeff Queen[24]; 26. 17B-Timmy Blackwell[22]; 27. 1M-Morghan Johnson[28]; 28. 27-Tim Ryan[23]; 29. 7L-Jordan Lockhart[6]; 30. 28-Austin Leamon[26]

Up Next: Volusia Speedway Park will continue to open the 2026 racing season with Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Thursday, Jan. 29, with the American Sprint Car Series National Tour and DIRTcar UMP Modifieds taking stage.

DIRTCAR NATIONALS INFO

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/ivey-captures-602-late-models-sunshine-nationals-finale-cardwell-clinches-2026-championship/, https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/page-climbs-from-20th-for-sunshine-nationals-finale-win-williams-earns-first-604-late-model-surfboard/

EVENT INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/schedule/event-info/?event=4548491
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

FRIDAY WINNERS: Pearson Williams, Jones, Bradford, Justin Williams, Cardwell, Ivey, Coffey Take Triumph in Sunshine Nationals

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 23, 2025) - Fans that attended Volusia Speedway Park on Friday saw 205 cars hit the racing surface to hunt for a DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals straw hat through eight Features.

As Hudson O’Neal took his second career event win with the World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision, four Crate Racin’ USA 604 Late Models Features and three 602 Late Models Features saw 20 drivers from each division clinch a position in Saturday’s finale races.

In the 604 Late Models, drivers who are a lock include Bubba Roling, Pearson Williams, Hayden Cardwell, Justin Williams, Ross Bailes, Ty Giles, Kyle Hardy, Logan Bradford, Trent Ivey, Daulton Wilson, Mario Gresham, Jeremy Steele, Corey Neil Jr, Trynt Lloyd, Deisel Jones, Austin Yarbrough, Matt Henderson, Bubba Whitener, Austin Bloodworth and Michael Page.

The 602 Late Model racers that made the big show are Wyatt Coffey, Hayden Cardwell, Chase Blackwell, Trent Ivey, Dawson Lowe, Jordan Lockhart, Matthew Kade, Luke Clements, Koulten Herbert, Richard Stephens, Wiley McDaniel, John Marshall Pursley, Mario Gresham, Ben Lanford, Matt Herlong, Mack McCarter, Grayson Ott, Brodie Thompson, Griffin Jones and Logan Bradford.

Read More: O’Neal Fends Off Erb in Friday Night Duel at Sunshine National

Here is how each Feature played out:

602 Late Model Feature #1 

Hayden Cardwell can’t be beat. At least not yet. 

After running away with a preliminary Feature win with the 602 Late Models on the opening night of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, and winning the World of Outlaws iRacing Pro Series race on Monday, Cardwell picked up another trophy Friday night at Volusia Speedway Park. 

The Knoxville, TN driver started third in the first 602 Late Model prelim Feature of the night but wasn’t interested in staying there long.

A caution on Lap 1 halted a clean start. But when the race resumed, Cardwell split the two leaders going into Turn 1, racing three-wide in the middle with Jordan Lockhart to his outside and John Marshall to his inside. That led to a side-by-side battle down the backstretch with Lockhart, which Cardwell ended by the time they reached Turn 3. 

“I think that he knew that I was restarting on the outside, so I think that he went ahead and protected that and just kind of opened the door for me on the bottom and just was able to hit it and stick it pretty good.” 

He darted ahead to the lead and never looked back. Lockhart faded, moving Kade up to second, but the No. 7K had nothing to match Cardwell’s speed. 

“First off, I want to give a big shoutout to Volusia, man, this track is on kill right now,” Cardwell said. “I struggled a little bit earlier… But I feel like we have a good piece for the longer race tomorrow. We still have a little bit of work to do, but I’m really pleased with it.” 

RESULTS: Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 17C-Hayden Cardwell[3]; 2. 7K-Matthew Kade[6]; 3. 9-John Marshall Pursley[1]; 4. T9-Brodie Thompson[11]; 5. 17J-Griffin Jones[5]; 6. 51C-Luke Clements[4]; 7. 3-Grayson Ott[7]; 8. 7L-Jordan Lockhart[2]; 9. 111-Brennen Shirley[8]; 10. 10-Karli Bennett[12]; 11. 11S-Brad Kinchen[10]; 12. 25-Brandon Lunsford[13]; 13. 5-Curtis Thomas[9]; 14. 20-Kody Cook[15]; 15. C4-Devin Whatley[14]; 16. 51H-Tim Holston[16]; 17. B17-Braxton Faucett[18]; 18. 48-Brody Yarbrough[17]; 19. (DNF) 44K-Troy Kidd[19] 

602 Late Model Feature #2 

Trent Ivey came up short of getting his first DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals win last night, but made sure to capitalize on Friday. 

When the 15-lap prelim Feature commenced, Chase Blackwell pulled ahead of the pack, while there was a three-wide battle for second behind. Ivey won the battle, crawling around the bottom of the 1/2-mile track to pull ahead of his contenders and then set his sights on Blackwell. 

By Lap 5, Ivey was on Blackwell’s rear bumper coming off Turn 4 and crossed underneath him to dive to the lead into Turn 1. The South Carolina driver pulled ahead by a car length and grew the distance each lap. 

A caution on Lap 10 brought the field back together, but Ivey continued on to the win when the race went green again. 

“I knew how good our race car was, and, man, I wasn’t going to let nobody take that one from me,” Ivey said. “I came down here to get a (Sunshine Nationals straw) hat, and I’m leaving with one.” 

RESULTS: Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. 28I-Trent Ivey[3]; 2. 67-Logan Bradford[5]; 3. 21-Mario Gresham[7]; 4. 6-Chase Blackwell[1]; 5. 51-Mack McCarter[4]; 6. 32-Jack Mills[12]; 7. 17B-Timmy Blackwell[10]; 8. 611-Koulten Herbert[6]; 9. 1M-Morghan Johnson[9]; 10. 00-Richard Stephens[8]; 11. 27-Tim Ryan[19]; 12. F17-Johnny Faucett[14]; 13. 11-Bart Studdard[11]; 14. (DNF) 11R-Hunter Robbins[2]; 15. (DNF) 28-Austin Leamon[15]; 16. (DNF) 71C-Davy Cline[13]; 17. (DNF) 1J-Jason Papp[16]; 18. (DNF) 37-Layne Smith[17]; 19. (DNF) 14T-Tristen Kinchen[18] 

602 Late Model Feature #3 

The final 602 Late Model prelim Feature of the night ended the theme of the third-place starter winning the race, and instead traded it for a duel of the top two. 

Twelve-year-old Wyatt Coffey, of Waynesboro, VA started on the pole with Dawson Lowe to his outside. When the two drivers drag raced into Turn 1, Lowe outpowered Coffey through the corner, getting the better run around the outside, and took the lead. 

Coffey never let Lowe get away, though. Methodically running consistent laps, Coffey crept his way closer and closer to Lowe each lap until he was able to pull the trigger. 

On Lap 10, Coffey mastered the top lane and pulled the same move Lowe pulled on him, firing his car around the outside of the leader to take the top spot. 

Lowe tried to stay within striking distance of Coffey, but couldn’t match his pace for the remainder of the race. 

“I definitely can’t thank my guys enough for getting me in the position I am today,” Coffey said. “I watched Trent the race before, and I saw he was getting around the top pretty good, so I was just able to move around and get around him then.” 

RESULTS: Feature 3 (15 Laps): 1. 2-Wyatt Coffey[1]; 2. 16-Dawson Lowe[2]; 3. 01-Ben Lanford[3]; 4. 25W-Wiley McDaniel[4]; 5. 53-Brandon Yates[7]; 6. 131-Matt Herlong[6]; 7. 1A-David Showers Jr[13]; 8. 88-Dustin Rollins[5]; 9. 28B-Jeff Queen[10]; 10. KO-Caylan Kettle[9]; 11. 8-Zack Owens[14]; 12. 23H-Kade Hunkapiller[8]; 13. 86-Kody Jett[11]; 14. 21M-Mayson Mossow[15]; 15. 13-Devin Rooks[12]; 16. (DNS) 1-Hania Humphries; 17. (DNS) KB-Kerry King; 18. (DNS) 19-Sam Oakley; 19. (DNS) 149-Seth Speed 

604 Late Model Feature #1

In the first trip to Volusia Speedway Park for Sunshine Nationals, Pearson Williams has found immediate comfort in the 604 Late Models.

Jared Delk led the field to the green flag with Williams to his outside. He attempted to take the lead on the opening lap by attempting a crossover move in Turns 3-4, but Delk held off his first chance to control the field.

Delk found his rhythm through the first four laps by keeping his No. 118 Late Model to the bottom while Williams followed suit.

On Lap 5, Delk began to lose control of his car through Turns 3-4 by losing his ability to keep the car on the bottom lane. Williams took advantage of the opportunity for the lead by keeping his car as low as possible to cut the distance between the two leaders.

On Lap 8, Delk’s handling struggled while defending the top spot from Williams through Turns 3-4, opening the door for the No. 121 Late Model to sweep under the Jamestown, TN driver.

As Delk faltered from his handling, Bubba Roling and Koulten Herbert entered the picture as the biggest challengers to Williams in the Feature’s second half. As lapped traffic came in view of Williams, Roling picked up the effort to shorten the bubble by arcing his No. 515 to the bottom, then sliding up to the cushion off of each turn. 

When Roling attempted to pass Williams with two laps remaining, the sole caution waved to give the 604 Late Model drivers a final dash for the win. Williams nailed the restart perfectly as Roling slipped to the cushion in Turns 1-2. Though Roling mustered a final slide job, Williams sped away to his first career win at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

“Oh my God, God is good,” Williams said. “I wish my wife was here. I can’t thank everybody enough. I’m speechless. It took a long time to get back here, and I mean, we go to the race to win. I just never expected to be here. We got an awesome racecar.”

RESULTS: Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 121-Pearson Williams[2]; 2. 515-Bubba Roling[3]; 3. 611-Koulten Herbert[4]; 4. 18BY-Austin Yarbrough[14]; 5. C02-Daulton Wilson[7]; 6. 16S-Sam Seawright[5]; 7. 41-Derike Bennett[8]; 8. 25-Derrick Stewart[6]; 9. 8-Josh Henry[17]; 10. USA1-Jimmy Thomas[9]; 11. 118-Jared Delk[1]; 12. 26-Jack Brown[13]; 13. 2S-Layton Sullivan[21]; 14. 7T-Tyler Thomason[10]; 15. 94-Holden Allen[11]; 16. 28-Austin Leamon[25]; 17. 17-Austin Storm[16]; 18. 55-Kyle Courtney[18]; 19. 17X-Brett Gray[20]; 20. 14W-Jake Whitehead[12]; 21. 4F-Rye Faulk[26]; 22. 125-Mark Underwood Jr[23]; 23. 3B-Billy Boyd Sr[22]; 24. 6B-Hunter Boyd[24]; 25. 6-Clay Harris[19]; 26. (DNS) 257-Skylar Marlar; 27. (DNS) 3-Caleb Gay

604 Late Model Feature #2

After spinning in Thursday’s 604 Late Models Feature 2, Deisel Jones left Volusia on Friday as a first-time Sunshine Nationals winner.

The Alabaster, AL driver began the 20-lap Feature from the Pole Position as Trent Ivey and Bubba Whitener followed in tow through the bottom lane.

Ivey kept his distance from the Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series points leader by a one-second interval, but found it harder to gain ground on Jones.

When the lapped traffic occupied multiple lanes, Jones kept the No. 46 glued to the bottom of the track while the slower cars used higher lanes of the half-mile track.

In the final laps, Ivey took his No. G4 Late Model to the cushion in a last-ditch effort for victory, but Jones’s ability to stick to the deep end of the track proved the winning strategy, as he earned his first career win at the track on his first visit.

“We spun out yesterday, I heard it about 300 times today after we went fastest,” Jones said. “They’re like ‘Don’t spin out!’ and I was like ‘Yeah, that sounds good.’ So, I thought we were gonna get the win then, so this makes my confidence come back.”

RESULTS: Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 46-Deisel Jones[1]; 2. G4-Trent Ivey[2]; 3. 8W-Bubba Whitener[4]; 4. 99-Kyle Hardy[5]; 5. 09-Ross Bailes[10]; 6. 18X-Michael Page[8]; 7. K7-Keaton Smith[3]; 8. 23V-Matt Henderson[6]; 9. 7A-Corey Almond[16]; 10. 15M-Mason Massey[7]; 11. 56-Christian Schneider[11]; 12. 5-Wil Herrington[9]; 13. 85-Corey North[14]; 14. 87-Jake Rainey[18]; 15. 12C-Chase Giddens[19]; 16. 15N-Nevin Gainey[13]; 17. 2P-Terry Poore[15]; 18. 15-Marty Massey[12]; 19. 36H-James Haynes[26]; 20. 33-Gavin Johnson[17]; 21. 7-Slate Jones[20]; 22. 59-Brandon Catto[21]; 23. 18-Josh Vinyard[23]; 24. 18B-Todd Brewster[25]; 25. 27W-Rob Westergard[24]; 26. 18I-Jason Intoppa[22]

604 Late Model Feature #3

In Logan Bradford’s first visit to Volusia, he will leave the weekend as a Sunshine Nationals Feature winner.

The Huntsville, AL driver worked from ninth at the drop of the green flag as polesitter Austin Bloodworth took a one-second advantage over Tim Clark through the first half of chasing a $1,500 payday.

Behind the leaders, Bradford maneuvered through the pack by reaching the top five by Lap 7, then moved into the podium with a three-wide dive into Turn 3 on the bottom for the positions on the next lap.

On Lap 12, the caution was thrown for a slowing Mikey Kopka in Turn 4. On the ensuing restart, Clark got loose through the middle of Turn 1 and clipped the right rear of Hayden Ownby, sending Clark into the Turn 2 wall and out of the race. He was able to drive away, but his chances of winning ended.

The final restart of the Feature saw the “Rocket City Kid” take a slide job against Bloodworth in Turns 1-2. While the two drivers narrowly made contact, Bradford took the lead and grew the gap to 2.7 seconds in the final seven laps for his first Sunshine Nationals straw hat.

“This is my first-ever CRUSA win, and to be at this place, it’s probably one of the biggest things I’ll do in my career,” Bradford said. “I just can’t thank everybody enough for helping me. I felt like if we got some green flag laps in, I felt like I would have been one of the contenders. After we got going, I knew I had the car to win.”

RESULTS: Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 67-Logan Bradford[9]; 2. 51-Mack McCarter[5]; 3. 24-Austin Bloodworth[1]; 4. 44O-Hayden Ownbey[6]; 5. 9-Nick Johnson[4]; 6. 14AJ-AJ Miller[16]; 7. 13-Landon Mathews[8]; 8. 721-Blake Clouser[14]; 9. 17J-John Winge[12]; 10. 67C-Gregory Carrico[17]; 11. 19P-Matthew Porter[10]; 12. 44P-Kole Platt[7]; 13. 1A-David Showers Jr[15]; 14. 28W-David Williamson[11]; 15. 43-Jarrett Edwards[23]; 16. 4-Kale Green[18]; 17. 54T-Tuck Trentham[13]; 18. 58-Trent McLeod[19]; 19. (DNF) 22T-Tim Clark[2]; 20. (DNF) 96-Mikey Kopka[20]; 21. (DNF) 32K-Kimber Crooms[25]; 22. (DNF) 23S-Toby Sims[3]; 23. (DNF) 4M-Billy Boyd Jr[21]; 24. (DNF) 16G-Austin Gonzalez[22]; 25. (DNF) 91A-Matt Adams[24]; 26. (DNS) 00R-John Ruggiero Jr

604 Late Model Feature #4

In the first visit to Volusia since 2022, Justin Williams completed Friday night’s 604 Late Model racing with his first trip to Sunshine Nationals Victory Lane.

Williams began the Feature in sixth as 602 Late Model winner Hayden Cardwell set the early pace in his No. 17C machine. Then, racing slowed on Lap 4 with the first caution of the Feature.

On the restart, Williams caught momentum on the outside line while Cardwell struggled to gain race-leading speed. The Lynchburg, VA driver gained clearance across the backstretch, then cut to the bottom of Turn 3. In doing so, Cardwell’s Late Model was disrupted by the dirty air and sent him out of the groove. 

While Cardwell kept the forward momentum, it left a gap for Jeremy Steele and Thursday winner Ty Giles to move into the podium positions. With Williams at the front, he paced the field to a 1.1-second lead over Steele until a near-scare on Lap 13 with a slowing lapped car forced him to move up into the wall. Fortunately for Williams, no damage hurt his chances as he led to the restart.

Steele gained the outside momentum against Williams to set up for a pass, but Williams defended by moving to the high side. Steele reached the left quarter panel of the No. 7W, but the two made contact at the bottom of Turn 3, forcing Steele to shift to the high side exiting Turn 4.

After securing the lead, Williams drove to a 1.4-second lead to set the stage for him to prepare a chase for $10,000 on Saturday night.

“Man, this is an awesome racetrack,” Williams said. “I thought that lapped car screwed me up there, and I thought I was going to let it get away. Luckily, the caution ended up coming out and I got my spot back. Like I said, what an awesome racetrack. This is my second time coming down here, and this time was a lot better than my first experience.”

RESULTS: Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 7W-Justin Williams[6]; 2. 22S-Jeremy Steele[4]; 3. 97T-Ty Giles[8]; 4. T99-Mario Gresham[5]; 5. 17C-Hayden Cardwell[1]; 6. 1*-Mavrick Davidson[13]; 7. 2L-Trynt Lloyd[23]; 8. 66-Jody Knowles[7]; 9. 7N-Corey Neil Jr[2]; 10. 57-Landen Zakalowski[18]; 11. 30-Curtis Glover[3]; 12. 00W-Ethan Wilson[9]; 13. 2-Zack Carley[17]; 14. 14-Cade Brookshire[16]; 15. 25C-Donnie Chappell[20]; 16. 44-Kam Boyd[12]; 17. 131-Matt Herlong[19]; 18. 23D-Tim Damron[14]; 19. 07B-Baily Cardwell[11]; 20. 31S-Tim Swartz[21]; 21. 4D-Trey Davis[22]; 22. 18G-Ricky Greene[10]; 23. 71C-Davy Cline[24]; 24. 26B-Adam Bedenbaugh[15]; 25. 07-Ivedent Lloyd[25]; 26. 47-Ryan West[26]

Up Next: The final night of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals will see the Crate Racin’ USA 604 Late Models and 602 Late Models chase the surfboard trophies alongside the World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision.

SUNSHINE FINALE TICKETS

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/friday-winners-pearson-williams-jones-bradford-justin-williams-cardwell-ivey-coffey-take-triumph-in-second-night-of-sunshine-nationals/

EVENT INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/schedule/event-info/?event=4548491
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 

SHINING THURSDAY: Seven Drivers Claim Sunshine Nationals Victory Through 602 Late Models, 604 Late Models


 

Chris Anderson


 

Chris Anderson

 

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 22, 2025) - Volusia Speedway Park opened the 2026 racing season with over 200 Late Models on the Barberville, FL property Thursday night for the seventh edition of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals.

While Chris Madden took victory with the World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision in the season opener, three 602 Late Model Features and four Crate Racin’ USA/DIRTcar 604 Late Models Features laid the groundwork for the top-20 drivers between the two classes to compete for the event championship on Saturday night.

Read More: Madden Conquers Sunshine Nationals Opener in Wells Motorsports Debut
 

Here is how each Feature played out:

By Nick Graziano

602 Late Model Feature #1 

Six thousandths of a second. That’s how close the finish was to kick off Feature racing at Volusia Speedway Park in 2026. 

The 602 Late Models kicked things off during the first night of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals with Jordan Lockhardt and Marty Massey leading the field to the green in the 15-lap prelim race. 

Lockhardt held command for the majority of the event, leaving everyone behind him racing for second. 

Massey had a strong hold of the runner-up position until he brought out a caution on Lap 11 due to a motor issue. His exit moved Luke Clements up to second and Dawson Lowe into the final podium spot. However, Hayden Cardwell, in fourth, was the one to watch on the restart. 

When the race resumed, Cardwell jumped to the high side and found a new head of steam. While everyone else hugged the bottom, he passed Lowe for third off Turn 2 and then passed Clements for second off Turn 4. With two laps to go, he hunted down Lockhardt and gave him a challenge for the first time all night. 

On the final lap, Cardwell drove as hard as he could into Turns 3 and 4, which allowed him to pull side by side with Lockhardt off Turn 4 and edge ahead of him by 0.006 seconds at the checkered flag. 

It was his first Sunshine Nationals win and second big win of the week, as he won the World of Outlaws iRacing Pro Series event on Monday. 

RELATED: Hayden Cardwell claims World of Outlaws iRacing Pro Series win at Eldora 

“I thought we were going to fire off better there from Lap 1, but didn’t really have the speed at the bottom at all,” Cardwell said. “I feel like everyone thought it was kind of one lane there on the bottom and said, ‘What the hell, man,’ we didn’t have much to lose there, so I stepped out of the groove there, and I thought it was really good. I think we were just a little too snug for the bottom. The outside opened up for us, and it was a crazy finish for sure.” 

RESULTS: Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. 17C-Hayden Cardwell[4]; 2. 7L-Jordan Lockhart[1]; 3. 51C-Luke Clements[3]; 4. 16-Dawson Lowe[5]; 5. 25W-Wiley McDaniel[6]; 6. 3-Grayson Ott[8]; 7. KO-Caylan Kettle[7]; 8. 149-Seth Speed[10]; 9. 28B-Jeff Queen[17]; 10. 44K-Troy Kidd[18]; 11. 15-Marty Massey[2]; 12. 55-Kyle Courtney[15]; 13. 32-Jack Mills[12]; 14. (DNS) 1M-Morghan Johnson; 15. (DNS) 5-Curtis Thomas; 16. (DNS) 48-Brody Yarbrough; 17. (DNS) C4-Devin Whatley; 18. (DNS) 71C-Davy Cline; 19. (DNS) KB-Kerry King

602 Late Model Feature #2 

After the first 602 Feature of the night opened with a blink and you’ll miss it finish, Koulten Herbert wanted less of a heart attack moment to end the second prelim Feature of the night. 

The Georgia driver took the lead from the outside pole at the start of the 15-lap Feature and never looked back. 

Behind him, polesitter John Marshall Pursley faded after the green flag, allowing Trent Ivey to move into second. The rest of the field went three wide, lap after lap, to settle the other positions. 

Herbert’s stout pace was slowed when Braxton Faucett slowed on Lap 9, and the field was brought to his back bumper. 

Ivey didn’t waste his opportunity to pounce on Herbert on the restart, diving underneath him going into Turn 1. However, Herbert was able to find the grip he needed through Turn 2 to pull ahead down the backstretch. 

Ivey went from looking at the lead to fading to third after Chase Blackwell was able to take advantage of Ivey’s failed attempt and dart by him for second. 

Blackwell had nothing for Herbert, though. The No. 611 set sail and pulled away to a 1.4-second lead. 

“It’s a rocket ship right now,” Herbert said about his ride. “We got the right things on it, and I was able to do my job. My crew provided me a great, great race car. I have to thank Logan, Colby, and my dad. Cody Overton has been helping us this week. Bubba Roling. Everyone that has a hand on his. They made this thing really fast.

RESULTS: Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. 611-Koulten Herbert[2]; 2. 6-Chase Blackwell[3]; 3. 28I-Trent Ivey[4]; 4. 21-Mario Gresham[9]; 5. 27-Tim Ryan[13]; 6. 11R-Hunter Robbins[7]; 7. 67-Logan Bradford[17]; 8. 51-Mack McCarter[10]; 9. 01-Ben Lanford[5]; 10. 17J-Griffin Jones[8]; 11. 53-Brandon Yates[14]; 12. 17B-Timmy Blackwell[6]; 13. 9-John Marshall Pursley[1]; 14. 111-Brennen Shirley[18]; 15. 88-Dustin Rollins[12]; 16. 23H-Kade Hunkapiller[19]; 17. 11S-Brad Kinchen[11]; 18. 86-Kody Jett[16]; 19. B17-Braxton Faucett[15] 

602 Late Model Feature #3 

Richard “Richie” Stephens came all the way from Arizona to try and score a win at the famed Volusia Speedway Park, but the field in prelim Feature #3 didn’t make it easy on him. 

He started on the pole in the 15-lap Feature and had a clean launch ahead of the 19 cars behind him when the green flag flew for the first time. But he didn’t make it far around the 1/2-mile until the race was slowed by a caution. 

The trend continued the next couple of restarts, hindering Stephens from finding a rhythm. 

When the race went caution-free for a handful of laps, Stephens started to build some momentum and pull away from second-place Matthew Kade. However, another caution flew on Lap 5, group everyone together again. 

On the restart, Stephens pulled ahead again, while Wyatt Coffey got the jump on Kade to move into second. Behind them, Austin Leamon was on a march, up to fourth from 14th. 

The field saw the yellow again on Lap 7 after a couple of cars tangled. When the race resumed, the green flag was shown to the 602 Late Models for the final time of the night. 

Stephens continued to lead the field, followed by Coffey in second and then Leamon, who snuck into third on the restart. The top three remained that way to the Lap 11 caution, which ended the Feature due to reaching the race’s time limit. 

“I was just trying to survive man,” Stephens said. “I was trying to get a good rhythm. Trying to make everything happen and get going there. Tires get some heat in them and get going, and then the caution would come out. 

“To be honest, we put everything on this car to test for the (Saturday) Feature tonight. We was better, but we have a long way to go to get better, though.” 

RESULTS: Feature 3 (15 Laps): 1. 00-Richard Stephens[1]; 2. 2-Wyatt Coffey[3]; 3. 28-Austin Leamon[14]; 4. 131-Matt Herlong[7]; 5. 7K-Matthew Kade[2]; 6. 1J-Jason Papp[5]; 7. T9-Brodie Thompson[13]; 8. 20-Kody Cook[8]; 9. 25-Brandon Lunsford[16]; 10. 11-Bart Studdard[6]; 11. 13-Devin Rooks[9]; 12. 14T-Tristen Kichen[11]; 13. (DNF) 1A-David Showers Sr[15]; 14. (DNF) 8-Zack Owens[12]; 15. (DNF) 10-Karli Bennett[4]; 16. (DNF) 51H-Tim Holston[10]; 17. (DNF) F17-Johnny Faucett[17]; 18. (DNF) 21M-Mayson Mossow[18]; 19. (DNF) 1-Hania Humphries[19]; 20. (DNF) 19-Sam Oakley[20] 

By Matt Skipper

604 Late Models Feature #1

Trynt Lloyd hasn’t missed his footing around Volusia since capturing the 604 Late Model track title in 2025.

The Jacksonville, FL native took full control from the drop of the green flag in the opening Pro Late Model by keeping his No. 2L Longhorn Chassis around the bottom of the half-mile track while Hayden Cardwell kept pressure on Lloyd through the 20 laps.

Through the first half of the $1,500-to-win chase, Lloyd stretched his lead to 2.1 seconds over Cardwell by Lap 10. Then, Cardwell began to chop the gap by arcing his No. 17C towards the middle lane of the corner. 

While Lloyd kept to the bottom lane, Cardwell found momentum through the new racing line and cut three tenths off each lap. When the reigning champ was given the five-to-go signal, the Knoxville, TN driver was within 0.8 seconds of the lead.

On the final lap, Cardwell was behind Lloyd’s back bumper entering Turn 1. Unlike the 602 Late Model Feature, Cardwell fell short of stealing the win as Lloyd drove to his first career wins in both Crate Racin’ USA Late Models and Sunshine Nationals.

“I’ve been trying to get a Crate Racin’ USA or Sunshine win, either one for a while,” Lloyd said. “I wasn’t where I needed to be right there. I’ve been good here all year, and we just need to find it. I knew that 17 would be good, and I didn’t know exactly how far he was, but I figured he’d be right there, and I guess we just managed to hang onto it.”

Feature 1 (20 Laps): 1. 2L-Trynt Lloyd[2]; 2. 17C-Hayden Cardwell[3]; 3. 8-Josh Henry[6]; 4. 23V-Matt Henderson[4]; 5. 7W-Justin Williams[1]; 6. 22S-Jeremy Steele[10]; 7. 7A-Corey Almond[5]; 8. 16S-Sam Seawright[17]; 9. 25C-Donnie Chappell[19]; 10. 15-Marty Massey[12]; 11. 125-Mark Underwood Jr[16]; 12. 18G-Ricky Greene[8]; 13. 43-Jarrett Edwards[24]; 14. 7T-Tyler Thomason[7]; 15. 17-Austin Storm[14]; 16. 17X-Brett Gray[13]; 17. 23S-Toby Sims[25]; 18. 18I-Jason Intoppa[15]; 19. 19P-Matthew Porter[18]; 20. 22T-Tim Clark[9]; 21. 6B-Hunter Boyd[22]; 22. 4M-Billy Boyd Jr[20]; 23. (DNF) 26B-Adam Bedenbaugh[11]; 24. (DNF) 91A-Matt Adams[23]; 25. (DNF) 3B-Billy Boyd Sr[21]

604 Late Models Feature #2

In the first trip back to Volusia in over two years for Ross Bailes, he has not missed a step from the get-go.

The Clover, SC driver started the third Feature from Pole Position and took immediate command around the bottom through the first five laps as Pearson Williams, Daulton Wilson, and Wil Herrington kept Bailes in their sights.

As Bailes started to create significant distance on the cars behind him by driving through the middle lane, Fayetteville, NC’s Wilson became the biggest opponent for the No. 09 as he kept a one-second interval in second place.

While Wilson kept his Big Frog Motorsports Late Model within distance, “Big Perm” was unable to gain extra ground around the half-mile track as Bailes drove to his second win in the event - his first since the 2023 edition of Sunshine Nationals.

“I wanted to get running,” Bailes said. “I’ve only driven this car twice, and at Charlotte, we were really good in Qualifying and didn’t tighten up enough for the Feature. I was kinda worried about that tonight, but man, this thing was on a rail. It was really good.”

Feature 2 (20 Laps): 1. 09-Ross Bailes[1]; 2. C02-Daulton Wilson[5]; 3. 5-Wil Herrington[8]; 4. 18X-Michael Page[15]; 5. 121-Pearson Williams[2]; 6. T99-Mario Gresham[3]; 7. 56-Christian Schneider[6]; 8. 15M-Mason Massey[7]; 9. 8W-Bubba Whitener[10]; 10. 257-Skylar Marlar[11]; 11. 26-Jack Brown[19]; 12. 94-Holden Allen[13]; 13. 24-Austin Bloodworth[9]; 14. 46-Deisel Jones[4]; 15. 44-Kam Boyd[20]; 16. 51-Mack McCarter[18]; 17. 13-Landon Mathews[16]; 18. 17J-John Winge[22]; 19. 07B-Baily Cardwell[21]; 20. 44P-Kole Platt[12]; 21. 36H-James Haynes[26]; 22. 131-Matt Herlong[17]; 23. 07-Ivedent Lloyd[14]; 24. 71C-Davy Cline[23]; 25. 3-Caleb Gay[24]; 26. 14-Cade Brookshire[25]

604 Late Model Feature #3

While Bubba Roling led the majority of the third 604 Late Model Feature, Kyle Hardy left as the shining driver in Victory Lane.

Hardy started the 20-lap Feature in 10th as Roling’s No. 515 Late Model took the lead from the drop of the green flag. 

Hardy made ground immediately by moving to eighth by Lap 3, fifth by Lap 7, then reached the podium at Lap 11. While Roling broke away with his pace at the helm, Hardy found himself pacing around the bottom of the track to reel the leader back.

On Lap 16, Hardy made his move by moving below Roling in Turns 1-2. The two drivers stayed side-by-side through Turns 3-4 until Hardy gained enough speed to clear the Capital Race Cars machine across the finish line to take the top spot. 

Once Hardy felt the clean air on his No. 99 Late Model, the Winchester, VA racer built the distance to Roling by 1.173 seconds as he earned his first Sunshine Nationals trophy.

“I honestly don't know how we did it,” Hardy said.
”I think we beat (Roling) on tires there. I’m glad we were able to be down here and get this car out after we destroyed it last week and rebuilt it. 
They started sliding out the bottom, and I really made sure I hit the bottom. Once my tires got heated up, this thing was awesome. I could run wide open.”

Feature 3 (20 Laps): 1. 99-Kyle Hardy[10]; 2. 515-Bubba Roling[1]; 3. 2S-Layton Sullivan[16]; 4. 28W-David Williamson[3]; 5. 85-Corey North[2]; 6. G4-Trent Ivey[11]; 7. 25-Derrick Stewart[14]; 8. 87-Jake Rainey[25]; 9. 00W-Ethan Wilson[9]; 10. 2-Zack Carley[19]; 11. 31S-Tim Swartz[21]; 12. 1*-Mavrick Davidson[12]; 13. 9-Nick Johnson[4]; 14. 12C-Chase Giddens[15]; 15. 66-Jody Knowles[5]; 16. 57-Landen Zakalowski[18]; 17. 2P-Terry Poore[22]; 18. 118-Jared Delk[6]; 19. 18B-Todd Brewster[23]; 20. 4-Kale Green[26]; 21. 33-Gavin Johnson[24]; 22. 18-Josh Vinyard[20]; 23. 44O-Hayden Ownbey[7]; 24. K7-Keaton Smith[8]; 25. 67C-Gregory Carrico[17]; 26. 721-Blake Clouser[13]

604 Late Model Feature #4

Ty Giles brought a spark to Cody Overton’s squad when they needed it most by taking his first career Sunshine Nationals victory aboard the Factory 97 Late Model.

The 18-year-old Georgia native began the Feature by following polesitter Jimmy Thomas and second-place Koulten Herbert, then began to find a rhythm at a car length above the bottom to create extra speed entering the straightaways. 

When a restart on Lap 11 brought the field back together, Giles used his line to overtake Harris for second place, then kept his car above 602 Late Model Feature winner Herbert for the lead exiting Turn 4.

Once Giles took the lead, he had to withstand a charge from Harris for the lead as Herbert dropped from the race for mechanical issues. On the final restart with four laps remaining, Giles defended the lead from Harris to cross the checkered flag to complete Thursday’s racing program.

Before Thursday night, Giles had only seen Volusia as a member of Overton’s World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision crew. He left the night as a winner in his first time racing around the half-mile oval.

“I knew I had to slide Koulten or else I wouldn’t be able to get back by him,” Giles said. “The middle stuff was pretty good, and I just started rolling through the middle, and I’m really out of breath.”

Feature 4 (20 Laps): 1. 97T-Ty Giles[4]; 2. 6-Clay Harris[8]; 3. 127-Austin Yarbrough[10]; 4. 67-Logan Bradford[6]; 5. 7N-Corey Neil Jr[3]; 6. 30-Curtis Glover[7]; 7. 51KC-Kyle Courtney[27]; 8. 4D-Trey Davis[26]; 9. USA1-Jimmy Thomas[1]; 10. 47-Ryan West[9]; 11. 00R-John Ruggiero Jr[5]; 12. 4F-Rye Faulk[20]; 13. 14AJ-AJ Miller[11]; 14. 96-Mikey Kopka[15]; 15. 28-Austin Leamon[23]; 16. 16G-Austin Gonzalez[13]; 17. 23D-Tim Damron[18]; 18. 14W-Jake Whitehead[21]; 19. 58-Trent McLeod[19]; 20. 7-Slate Jones[16]; 21. 59-Brandon Catto[25]; 22. 1A-David Showers Jr[17]; 23. 32K-Kimber Crooms[22]; 24. 611-Koulten Herbert[2]; 25. 54T-Tuck Trentham[14]; 26. 71-Nevin Gainey[12]; 27. (DNS) 41-Derike Bennett

Up Next: DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals continues with the three divisions set for competition around Volusia Speedway Park on Friday-Saturday, Jan. 20-21. Gates will open at 12:00 p.m. ET, and Hot Laps will begin at 4:00 p.m.

SUNSHINE TICKETS

How can you watch every lap of racing at Volusia Speedway Park? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/shining-thursday-seven-drivers-claim-wins-at-sunshine-nationals/

EVENT INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/schedule/event-info/?event=4548489
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: UMP Modifieds Chase 9 Nights of Gators in 55th DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia 

Dave Olson.

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 27, 2026) - The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds are back at Volusia Speedway Park for the 21st year as the opening act of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals. 

Known as the “Ironmen of DIRTcar Nationals,” Modified drivers will kick off the nine nights of action with three straight nights during Week 1 in conjunction with the American Sprint Car Series, Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 29-31. The three races won’t count toward the Big Gator title, but will award the famed golden gator trophy and count toward the Florida Speedweeks title. 

The Big Gator Championship chase begins Monday, Feb. 2, with six split Features held from Monday through Friday. On Friday, the Feature lineups will be determined by order of the event standings, as the top three finishers from the six 20-lap races earn a place in Saturday’s Gator Championship Feature. 

The final night of UMP Modified racing on Saturday, Feb. 7, will begin with Last Chance Showdowns, which advance the top three from each race to the 30-lap, $5,000-to-win Big Gator closer to complete the week’s racing. From Feb. 4-7, the Modifieds will be paired alongside the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. 

DIRTCAR NATIONALS TICKETS

WATCH ON DIRTVISION

Here are the top storylines to watch: 

Spalding & Son - Reigning Big Gator champion Curt Spalding returns to Volusia for a quest to chase another Big Gator after winning both the Championship Feature and overall points last year. 

The Watervliet, MI native will have in-house competition as his son, Tyler, will make his debut in a UMP Modified at the Barberville, FL track. 

Both drivers enjoyed success outside of the “Sunshine State” as Curt took victory with the Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals at Shadyhill Speedway, and Tyler earned a runner-up finish in his first start at World Short Track Championship. 

Read More: Curt Spalding Keeps Focus on Florida UMP Modified Journey, Competing Alongside Son in 2026 

Sizzling Speedweeks - While much of the East Coast has been dealing with snow and frigid temperatures, Florida brought warmth for the UMP Modifieds in the FL Speedweeks opener at Hendry County Motorsports Park. 

The Speedweeks debut at the “Fastest Sand Pit in the South” saw a midwestern takeover as Kewanee, IL’s Ray Bollinger took the Friday opener and Claypool, IN’s Zeke McKenzie drove to Victory Lane in the Saturday finale. 

After the nine nights of racing at Volusia are completed, the Speedweeks champion will earn a $3,000 payday, in addition to a points fund for the top-10 in the standings. 

Sunshine Stronghold - As the best Modified drivers across the United States prepare for Volusia Speedway Park, they will be met with local Floridians seeking to defend home turf. 

Starke, FL’s Jason Garver comes fresh off his best career season with three Volusia track titles (UMP Modifieds, 602 Late Models, Factory Stocks) and the 2025 DIRTcar Florida championship. After suffering two DNFs at Hendry County, “Racin’ Jason” looks to the 1/2-mile in Barberville as his chance to regain early momentum. 

Before September 2025, Zane Oedewaldt had a career-high finish of fourth at Volusia, and itched for his turn in Victory Lane after six years since he left Illinois for Florida. Entering 2026, Oedewaldt owns a regular-season Feature win from the Battle in Barberville and a prelim victory in the Emil and Dale Reutimann Memorial. He and teammate Paul Shead will chase their first Golden Gator trophies before the “Fab 5” campaign commences in March. 

At 64 years old, Todd Neiheiser is still finding ways to park his No. 72 Elite Chassis in Volusia’s Victory Lane. In 2025, the Panama City, FL native went to Victory Lane in the inaugural Prelude to the Reutimann, along with celebrating a World Short Track Championship Feature win as a car owner for Ray Kable. Neiheiser owns a Golden Gator from 2023, but is hunting a first Big Gator.  

Gator Grip - The top DIRTcar UMP Modified racers got a feel for what to expect with Volusia’s new track surface when the 2025 campaign ended with the Emil and Dale Reutimann Memorial. 

After 50 laps of racing, World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision racer Drake Troutman earned his first win in the event, and fellow Outlaw Ethan Dotson finished in second place. The time proved to be helpful for the Series opener at DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, with Troutman earning a top five in the Saturday finale. 

Several veterans went for the $10,000 payday, including Kyle Strickler, Tyler Nicely, Justin Haley, Treb Jacoby, Kyle Hammer, among others. Armed with notes from the November trip, nine nights of DIRTcar Nationals will test their expectations of the gumbo surface alongside over 100 Modifieds that fill the property annually.  

BIG GATOR CHAMPIONS 

2025 – Curt Spalding 

2024 – Tyler Nicely 

2023 – Kyle Strickler 

2022 – Nick Hoffman 

2021 — Nick Hoffman 

2020 — Nick Hoffman 

2019 — Nick Hoffman 

2018 — Nick Hoffman 

2017 — Nick Hoffman 

2016 — Nick Hoffman 

2015 — Austin Dillon 

2014 — Ty Dillon 

2013 — Ken Schrader 

2012 — Ty Dillon 

ARTICLE:https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/what-to-watch-for-ump-modifieds-chase-9-nights-of-gators-in-55th-dirtcar-nationals-at-volusia/ 

EVENT INFO:https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals Opens Late Model Season at Volusia Speedway Park 

josh james

BARBERVILLE, FL (January 20, 2026) - The “Late Model Palooza” is back. 

For the seventh time, Volusia Speedway Park will open its doors for multiple divisions of dirt Late Models to tackle for three nights in the 2026 edition of DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals from Wednesday-Saturday, Jan. 21-24. 

The seventh edition of the track’s opening weekend will feature World of Outlaws Late Models presented by DIRTVision, Crate Racin’ USA (CRUSA) 604 Late Models, and 602 Late Models each night, starting with open practice for all teams on Wednesday.  

While each night of Sunshine Nationals will feature a complete program for the Outlaws, Thursday and Friday will see CRUSA and 602 Late Models competing in split Features to gain event points. The 604 Late Models will compete for $1,500-to-win, while the 602 Late Models will race for a $1,000 payday. 

The top 20 in event points from the two divisions after Friday will clinch a guaranteed position in Saturday night’s Features. The finale’s program will begin with Last Chance Showdowns, then close with 20 laps and $3,000 up for grabs in the 602 Late Models, along with 30 laps and a $10,000 prize in the 604 Late Models. For more information about the World of Outlaws, you can click the link below. 

Read More: WHAT TO WATCH FOR: World of Outlaws Roaring Back to Life for Sunshine Nationals at Volusia 

HOW CAN YOU ATTEND? SUNSHINE TICKETS 

HOW CAN YOU WATCH? WATCH ON DIRTVISION 

Here are the top storylines to look out for: 

Winter Brawl - While Sunshine Nationals marks an anticipated opening weekend for the World of Outlaws and Volusia Speedway Park, it is a key stop in the heart of the Crate Racin’ USA Winter Shootout Series. 

Entering the weekend, Alabaster, AL’s Deisel Jones holds the points lead with a third-place run in the Ice Bowl at Talladega Short Track and a win at Hendry County Motorsports Park. 

Ten points separate Jones from Georgia natives Michael Page and Koulten Herbert from stealing the Winter Shootout points lead. While Jones and Herbert seek to leave “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” with their first career surfboard trophy, Page has sought his first visit back to Volusia Victory Lane since 2021. 

Sunshine State Defenders - As the best dirt Late Model drivers in the country converge in Central Florida for the traditional tour-opening time of the year, there will be a plethora of Florida natives who will compete to defend the “Sunshine State” turf.

Jacksonville, FL’s Trynt Lloyd earned five wins across the 2025 points season to score the 604 Late Model championship. Lloyd also earned a podium in the 604 Late Model Sunshine Nationals finale last January. 

Bubba Roling began his 2025 Late Model season with his first career triumph in the 602 Late Models during the Saturday “Late Model Palooza” finale. The No. 515 Capital Race Cars machine returns to keep the event guarded by Florida faces. 

Southern Charm - Since the event’s inception in 2020, Sunshine Nationals has evolved into a stage that rising Southern racers have used to work their way up the ranks of dirt Late Model racing. 

In 2020, Kyle Bronson emerged as event champion while Cody Overton took a 602 Late Model win before moving up the ranks to the World of Outlaws. Trey Mills has taken multiple Feature wins at Volusia between the 602 and 604 Late Models, but is seeking a first in a Super Late Model as a rookie for the Outlaws in 2026. 

Sitting seventh and ninth in Winter Shootout points, respectively, include Lucas Oil Late Model racer Clay Harris and World of Outlaws rookie Daulton Wilson as they look ahead to an active schedule in Barberville. 

Fresh Change, New History - Much discussion has been made about the new surface that Volusia Speedway Park applied after the conclusion of the 2025 World of Outlaws Bike Week Jamboree and debuted for the local season’s opening event. 

While the new surface has been a part of the year’s most thrilling races at the Volusia County racetrack, it remains the traditional half-mile that produces high speeds and close-quarters competition that racers expect in Florida.  

The gumbo compound is an added variable in the longer equation that drivers will need to solve for a chance to leave the track with a career-defining victory. Among the national faces of dirt Late Model racing, Outlaws Drake Troutman and Ethan Dotson got their first tastes with a 1-2 finish in the Emil and Dale Reutimann Memorial, Cody Overton trying his hand at the surface in October in a 604 Late Model, and 2025 prelim winner Mark Whitener making scattered starts. 

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/what-to-watch-for-dirtcar-sunshine-nationals-opens-late-model-season-at-volusia-speedway-park/

EVENT INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/schedule/event-info/?event=4548489
TRACK INFO:https://volusiaspeedwaypark.com/ 

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/
 DIRTcar Champions, Special Award Winners Receive Accolades at 2025 Banquet 

SPRINGFIELD, IL (January 12, 2026) - DIRTcar Racing honored its 42nd year of weekly racing at the annual awards banquet at the Springfield Crowne Plaza on Saturday night. 

National and regional points champions were highlighted along with special award winners. Leading the award winners was Adam Mackey, who received DIRTcar’s most prestigious honor, the Bob Memmer Award. DIRTcar Director Sam Driggers received a standing ovation amongst his colleagues for his impending induction to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame, and Illinois Stock Car racer Ryan Taylor was recognized with the Lee J. Hall Sportsmanship Award. 

Bob Memmer Award - Adam Mackey 

Mackey, a longtime announcer and promoter, was bestowed the Bob Memmer Award for his continuous work and contributions throughout Illinois dirt track racing. 

Mackey was surprised by the honor from Sam Driggers onstage while hosting the banquet’s events. He returned the favor to Driggers by celebrating his nomination to the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame in 2026. 

“When you look at the folks that have won it, there’s guys that have been around for a long time,” Mackey said. “Now, I feel like I’m getting old. It was definitely a surprise, because when I see the people that have won it, it means so much because everyone’s meant so much to racing that I don’t really feel like I’m in that category. It’s really cool.” 

Working alongside Track Enterprises founder Bob Sargent, Mackey oversaw some of the most famed dirt racing events in the “Land of Lincoln.” Since 2016, Mackey and Sargent have promoted Lincoln (IL) Speedway with marquee events that include the DIRTcar Summer Nationals and FloRacing Night in America. 

“I think a lot of that is working with Bob; we get to do big events,” Mackey said. “His consistency for almost 40 years of race promoting, right? We had Macon Speedway for a long time, and it did well when I was there. Then, we’ve had Lincoln Speedway now for like 11 seasons, and we do really well.” 

The race that stands out the most to Mackey is the DIRTcar Fall Nationals, which closes out the points season annually for Super Late Model, UMP Modified, Pro Late Model, Pro Modified, and Street Stock competition. 

“We have the DIRTcar Fall Nationals, and that’s a big event we’ve done,” he said. “I really take a lot of effort just in that event. We draw a good field of cars, and we have great racing. The folks at the track do such a good job with track prep, whether it's Dennis Vandermeersch or Bob Sargent, they do so well. We have great officials that have been doing it for a long time, so it all helps too.” 

 

Lee J. Hall Sportsmanship Award - Ryan Taylor 

Taylor, a native of Danville, IL, was surprised with the presentation of the Hall Award for displaying respect and honorable traits between his competitors each night. The award was created three years ago in memory of the former Stock Car driver after he died in 2022. 

Taylor is the fourth recipient of the award, joining Hall’s son, Lee Joseph, Don Hilleary, and Kyle Anderson. In his 2025 campaign, Taylor finished third in Stock Car National points, which included 17 Feature victories, 32 top fives, and 35 top-10 finishes. 

 

National Points Champions 

Late Model - Jason Feger 

UMP Modified - Cole Falloway 

Pro Late Model - Dakota Ewing 

Pro Modified - Deece Schwartz 

UMP Sportsman - Lee Hobbs 

Stock Car - Nick Seplak 

Factory Stock - Blake Hull 

Sport Compact - Matt Mackey 

 

Other Special Awards 

Late Model Engine Champion - Clements Racing Engines 

Modified Engine Champion - Mullins Race Engines 

Late Model Chassis Champion - Longhorn Chassis 

Modified Chassis Champion - Elite Chassis 

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/dirtcar-ump/dirtcar-champions-special-award-winners-receive-accolades-at-2025-banquet/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

2025 NATIONAL CHAMPS: DIRTcar Points Champions To Be Honored in January Awards Banquet 

CONCORD, NC (December 12, 2025) - Of the thousands of drivers across the nation who competed in DIRTcar Midwest’s 42nd season, nine have earned the title of division champion. 

They include Jason Feger (Super Late Models), Cole Falloway (DIRTcar UMP Modifieds), Dakota Ewing (Pro Late Models), Deece Schwartz (Pro Modifieds), Lee Hobbs (UMP Sportsman), Nick Seplak (Stock Cars), Blake Hull (Factory Stocks), Matt Mackey (Sport Compacts), and Kaden Breymeier (Kid Modifieds). 

Each will be honored for their work during the DIRTcar Racing Awards Banquet, along with special award winners, on Saturday, Jan. 10, at the Springfield Crowne Plaza located in Springfield, IL. 

Late Model and UMP Modified drivers finishing inside the top-70 of national points, plus any driver in the top-25 of all other divisions, are eligible to receive their points fund check and trophies at the banquet. The top-10 of each division’s region are also eligible for recognition during the ceremony, in addition to the top-10 finishers in the overall DIRTcar Summer Nationals championship standings. 

Congratulations to each DIRTcar national champion from the 2025 season: 

Super Late Models - Jason Feger (Bloomington, IL) 

Continuing a three-year streak of winning DIRTcar’s biggest events and championships, Jason Feger again proved why he is considered one of the best in the division. 

The driver of the Longhorn Chassis No. 25 celebrated a plethora of achievements this year, including a national DIRTcar championship, his second championship with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Models – his first since 2010 – and a third consecutive title in the MARS Racing Series Late Models. 

“That was probably my most successful year to date,” Feger said. “We won five $10,000-to-win races, and 18 overall, so it was just a great year. Being MARS champion, Summer Nationals champion, and national champion, plus two region championships, so it was pretty amazing. 

“I’m fortunate to live where I do and have a lot of great tracks that it works out for us. We have really good regional drivers, and the competition was as tough as ever. It makes it really hard to make money, but we’re fortunate to keep running good.” 

At the heart of his success, the “High Side Hustler” has built a foundation with his two crew members, crew chief Jason Palubicki (Red Beard) and tire specialist David Karban. Since 2023, the three-man operation has led to the three-peat of championships in MARS and national standings. The Hell Tour title in 2025 was Karban’s first and Palubicki’s second. 

“It’s Jason’s fourth year and David’s third year with me,” Feger said. “Jason came here when I made the switch to Longhorn Chassis, David came a year after, and we’ve been able to like everything with the Longhorn program. During the summer, Craig and Richard from New Zealand got an extended visa, so they came over from the (Dirt Late Model) Dream to the World (100). Red Beard can focus on what he does, David focuses on what he’s good at, and same thing with me. So, we have a lot of big help from people close to us to help run a three-man team.” 

DIRTcar UMP Modifieds - Cole Falloway (Owensboro, KY) 

Cole Falloway has made it clear that he is here to stay in a DIRTcar UMP Modified. 

The 23-year-old driver from Owensboro, KY, was the shining star of the division in 2025, tackling a season of new tracks and building a resumé through his first career championship with the MARS Racing Series. 

Falloway started the season with his first visit to Volusia Speedway Park, winning five Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals Golden Gator trophies en route to a runner-up result in both the Big Gator and Florida Speedweeks points standings. 

“Our cars and stuff with Nick (Hoffman) and Tyler (Nicely) have been good down there for years,” Falloway said. “The way the racetrack was, it fits how we all drive the Modified anyway. After that first night, we had to drive back up the field and won. After that, we just got on a roll from there.” 

Through 61 total races in UMP Modified points competition, “Payday” earned 56 top-10s, 49 top fives, and 20 wins to clinch his first national Modified championship by 54 points over Pontiac, IL’s Michael Ledford. Falloway is the second “Blue Grass State” driver in three seasons to score the national title since his friend and mentor, Tyler Nicely, won in 2023. 

“It’s cool for sure,” Falloway said. “It was a lot there at the end of the year. Ledford was running really good at the end, and I knew I had to go out and keep winning races or else he was gonna catch me. It helps, and it hurts because me and him race together a lot. I mean, I knew that a lot of them races, I needed to outrun him to get the national title.” 

Pro Late Models - Dakota Ewing (Warrensburg, IL) 

Dakota Ewing has found a championship rhythm. 

Capturing his first career DIRTcar Pro Late Model championship in 2024, the 26-year-old “Land of Lincoln” driver backed up his performance in 2025 with his second consecutive Pro Late Model title. 

Through 26 starts across the midwestern dirt tracks, Ewing amassed 18 wins, 21 top fives, and 23 top-10s to best Denny Woodworth by 45 markers in the final points tally of the year. 

Pro Modifieds - Deece Schwartz (Ashmore, IL) 

Deece Schwartz is not finished with etching new records in the Pro Modifieds history books. 

The 22-year-old grandson of 2006 UMP Modified national champion, Denny Schwartz, has been unmatched in the category since he won his first title in 2022. While he’s begun the transition of moving up the ladder to a UMP Modified, his knowledge behind the Pro Modified helped him secure a fourth straight national championship in the category. 

“It’s great being able to go out there and still be competitive,” Schwartz said. “The Pro Mod guys are getting faster and faster, and it’s harder and harder to keep up in the work that me, Mark Bush, and all my other guys that I have helped over this past season to make a really good program.” 

To win the title this year, Schwartz had to go head-to-head with his 17-year-old brother, Drew. While Drew was able to top his older brother through three Feature wins, Deece scored 15 wins aboard the Mark Bush Race Cars No. 121 to clinch the title by 190 points over his younger sibling. 

“He’s beat me a couple times, and they think I definitely gave it to him, but it was not the case,” Schwartz said. “He has grown exponentially every single season. He's become a really, really fierce competitor in the Pro Mod scene. 

“Being able to run the last 20 or so nights with him was definitely a good moment in my heart. My little brother has always told me, ‘I want to win my first Feature, but like, I really want to beat you.’ Just seeing that he is not afraid of anything, and that he is here to win, it makes me feel happy. I've been able to help him and be with him along for the journey because that's kind of our brotherly bonding thing to do.” 

UMP Sportsman - Lee Hobbs (Mitchell, IN) 

With a racing career spanning four decades, Lee Hobbs earned a new honor to add to his accomplishments: DIRTcar UMP Sportsman national champion. 

After one of his sponsors floated the idea of chasing the title, the Indiana native turned the statement into a primary goal for the 2025 season. 

“We used to do some UMP Modified stuff, and this was actually the first year we've ever actually sit down to try to do the Sportsman,” Hobbs said. “It felt pretty good to get it. One of my sponsors wanted me to concentrate on that this year, and, since we'd never done it before, he said, ‘Let's go try to go for it this year.’ I mean, it was pretty special for us to get it for him.” 

Competing in 32 DIRTcar Sportsman events through the year, Hobbs captured a division-high 14 Feature wins, along with 25 top fives and 30 top-10s to best Zach Sasser by 40 points for the crown at season’s end. 

“We couldn’t have asked for a better year, I don't think,” Hobbs said. “I mean, we ended up with the Bloomington track championship, Putnamville, and Lincoln Park championships also. It seemed like the first part of the year, I was about ready to give up. I had a few problems breaking stuff, and I ended up talking to my sponsor. He told me, ‘Oh, you remember last year? You didn't really start doing real good until about May or so.’ Once we started getting everything together, we pretty much ended every night with a top two or top three car most of the time.” 

Stock Cars - Nick Seplak (Coal City, IL) 

Building his equipment from scratch, Nick Seplak holds an extra sense of gratitude towards his biggest career milestone. 

In his sophomore season behind the wheel of a DIRTcar Stock Car, the Illinois native claimed his first career national championship behind the wheel of a machine that was all built inside his race shop. 

“It means a lot to me,” Seplak said. “Me, my parents, and this car, we built it from the frame up by just me and my dad. The motor was built by us, all our shocks, suspension parts, we built all of it for this car. So, it means a lot when you put a lot of work. Being in Victory Lane damn near every weekend, I’m pretty proud to be able to do that from a shop-built car.” 

Seplak previously competed in the DIRTcar UMP Modifieds before making the switch to a Stock Car prior to the 2024 season. The Coal City, IL native took his second season to dominate the division for the title. Through 28 races, he earned 18 wins, 26 top fives and 27 top-10s in racing around the “Land of Lincoln.” 

“Last year was our first year in that car,” Seplak said. “Over the winter, we did a bunch of changes in the car. The attitude of the car, and honestly, more experience behind the wheel got me more confident every race with what we need to do.  

“The adjustments, for example, whenever we went to Fairbury, we felt dialed in when it came to Feature time. There’s 100,000 different things that can go wrong, 100,000 adjustments that we can do, and I feel like we had a car pretty much the best it could be all year long. That goes back to all the time my dad and I worked in the shop trying to get the car perfect.” 

Factory Stocks - Blake Hull (Butlerville, IN) 

Dominating across the Indiana dirt tracks, Blake Hull satisfied a dream in 2025 by claiming his first career DIRTcar Factory Stock championship. 

Before he began racing around Indiana dirt tracks in 2019, Hull had no prior knowledge of DIRTcar or UMP. After attending his first DIRTcar banquet in 2023, he set a goal to return to the event as a national champion. 

“Truthfully, it’s something I’ve dreamed of since I was young,” Hull said. “I started when I was 15 in 2019, and I actually didn’t know about DIRTcar, nothing about UMP. My dad raced his whole lifetime and drove Stocks back in the day with real four cylinders.  

When I moved up to Street Stocks, we finished eighth or ninth in the nation, and after seeing them checks at the banquet, I said ‘Man, next time I come back, my name’s gonna be all over them.’ So, we went back home, got busy, and built a new car before the start of last season. We put our hands together, and the rest is history, I reckon.”  

Hull depicted the season as one where he had to “find a way” to the front. The 22-year-old driver dominated the year at Brownstown Speedway, scoring 14 wins around the “Hoosier State” facility to leave the year possessing his first career track championship and national title. 

“We built that new car and our goal was to have fun,” Hull said. “We started at Brownstown for the Icebreaker, and we hit on something right out of the box. It matched my style, and it was what I was looking for. My style is forward drive, I gotta be able to go in a straight line. Brownstown’s usually slick and slow come Feature time, so you got to find a place to make speed where other guys ain’t.  

“We raced against 30 cars most nights, and that’s a lot of the ticket to how we won the title. We barely made the 20-night cut, but we just found a way to make speed and stay patient. I knew in the back of my mind once we started winning, the national title was what we set out to do. That was kind of my motto for the year; find a way.” 

Sport Compact - Matt Mackey (Delavan, IL) 

After scoring his second career DIRTcar Sport Compact national championship in 2025, Matt Mackey is taking the time to soak in the honors while building a racing future for his family. 

The 37-year-old Illinois native took the year to compete across the state to own eight Feature triumphs in DIRTcar-sanctioned competition. While racing against the best in the “Land of Lincoln,” Mackey also had to be one step above his two children in the division, Haylee Mackey and Matthew Mackey Jr. 

“It’s a great accomplishment,” Mackey said. “Fortunately, it meant a lot more to me this year getting to go racing with the kids. It made it more of a family thing. Definitely a bonus with being able to share the track with my kids. To experience that all year long was a good time for sure.” 

Mackey’s season of winning eight Features, 24 top fives and 29 top-10s helped him secure the season’s national championship. Mackey Jr kept pressure on his father in the points race as 24 points separated the 15-year-old from besting Matt in the final standings. 

“It's definitely a little complicated racing them,” Mackey said. “You want them to do well, but also, you gotta beat some of the best to be the best. That makes it much better that I get to race them, and I think that helped both kids out a lot. 

“Throughout the year racing with me, I think it gave them more inspiration to want to do better, to wanna beat dad. I want them to do better against me. I think their goal was to go out there and beat me weekly so they could rub it in my face all week long.” 

Kid Modifieds - Kaden Breymeier (Pekin, IL) 

At 14 years old, Kaden Breymeier can call himself a DIRTcar National champion. 

In the first year of Kid Modifieds sanction on the national DIRTcar level, the Pekin, IL driver was the dominant force to topple in the division, earning top 10s in each of his 21 starts. He also bagged seven wins and 19 top fives to claim the title by 11 points over Weston Hicks. 

“It feels so amazing,” Breymeier said. “Just getting to be the first one, that's history to me. That's something big to both me and my dad because we worked hard for it. So, I believe that it's good to have something like that.” 

As Breymeier begins to make a career through racing Modifieds in the American Heartland, 2025 gave him the chance to learn and succeed at tracks he’s never driven around. On top of scoring the national honors, the pilot of the No. 25K Modified also secured his first career Peoria Speedway track title. 

“Getting my first win and championship at Peoria was pretty awesome,” Breymeier said. “We got seven wins this year, and the most exciting thing for me was winning at Spoon (River Speedway). That’s a track I always wanted to win at. All these wins, and my sponsor, D&N Autobody, help us out a lot. I’d also say moments like getting to win with my little brother, my dad, and all of my family just make me excited about what we did this year.” 

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/news/2025-national-champs-dirtcar-points-champions-to-be-honored-in-january-awards-banquet/

FAN 101: https://about.dirtcar.com/

 

 Super DIRTCAR series  Dirt car racing seriesWOO  LATE MODEL SERIES

The Super DIRTcar Series 2026 Schedule:

Big Gator Championship
 Wed. Feb. 11/ DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)
Thurs. Feb. 12/ DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)
Fri. Feb. 13/DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)
Sat. Feb. 14/DIRTcar Nationals/Volusia Speedway Park/Barberville, FL (Non-points)

2026 Championship Season

Sat. March 28/Delaware Diamond/Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, DE
Sat. April 11/Thunder on the Thousand Islands/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY 
Fri. April 17/ 61st Anniversary Special/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY 
Sun. May 17/Spring Shootout at Cornwall/Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall, ON
Sun. May 24/Heroes Remembered/Weedsport Speedway/ Weedsport, NY 
Mon. May 25/The Natural 77/Thunder Mountain Speedway/Center Lisle, NY 
Tues. June 16/Mr. Dirt Track USA/Lebanon Valley Speedway/West Lebanon, NY 
Tues. June 23/Ron Martin Memorial Summer Nationals/Ransomville Speedway/Ransomville, NY
Thurs. July 2/Stars and Stripes Spectacular/Land of Legends Raceway/Canandaigua, NY
Tues. July 7/Oh Canada 75/Cornwall Motor Speedway/Cornwall, ON
Wed. July 8/ Summer Shootout at Mohawk/Mohawk International Raceway/Akwesasne, NY 
Mon. July 20/King of the North/Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville, QC
Tues. July 21/King of the North/Autodrome Drummond/Drummondville, QC 
Wed. July 22/Thunder in the Adirondacks/Airborne Park Speedway/Plattsburgh, NY
Tues. Aug. 11/Big Block Invasion of Mansfield/Mansfield Speedway/Mansfield, OH
Wed. Aug. 12/Steel Valley 75/Sharon Speedway/Hartford, OH
Sun. Aug. 16/Hall of Fame Special/SummerFAST/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY
Mon. Aug. 17/SummerFAST/Brewerton Speedway/Central Square, NY
Tues. Aug. 18/SummerFAST/Land of Legends Raceway/Canandaigua, NY
Wed. Aug. 19/SummerFAST/Utica-Rome Speedway/Vernon, NY
Sun. Sept. 6/Cavalcade 100/Weedsport Speedway/Weedsport, NY
Sat. Sept. 12/R.D Hutchinson Memorial/Can-Am Speedway/LaFargeville, NY
Sat. Sept. 26/Malta Massive Weekend/Albany-Saratoga Speedway/Malta, NY
Mon.-Sat., Oct. 5-10/Super DIRT Week 54/Oswego Speedway/Oswego, NY
Fri. Oct. 16/Fall Nationals/Brockville Ontario Speedway/Brockville, ON
Sat. Oct. 31/Mid-Atlantic Championship/Georgetown Speedway/Georgetown, DE
Wed. Nov. 4/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC (Qualifying Night)
Thurs. Nov. 5/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC
Fri. Nov. 6/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC
Sat. Nov. 7/World of Outlaws World Finals/The Dirt Track at Charlotte/Concord, NC

 

 2026 World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision Schedule:

Thursday, Jan. 22 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Friday, Jan. 23 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, Jan. 24 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / $20k to win, $81k purse

Thursday, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Friday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, Feb. 20 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, Feb. 21 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, March 13 / Volunteer Speedway / Bulls Gap, TN / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, March 14 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, March 20 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, March 21 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, March 27 / East Alabama Motor Speedway / Phenix City, AL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, March 28 / Senoia Raceway / Senoia, GA / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, April 10 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, April 11 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / $25k to win, $91k purse

Friday, April 24 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, April 25 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / $25k to win, $91k purse

Tuesday, April 28 / Independence Motor Speedway / Independence, IA / $12k to win, $53k purse

Thursday, April 30 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / $10k to win, $47k purse
Friday, May 1 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / $10k to win, $47k purse
Saturday, May 2 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / $40k to win, $134k purse

Wednesday, May 13 / Georgetown Speedway / Georgetown, DE / $20k to win, $81k purse
Thursday, May 14 / Selinsgrove Speedway / Selinsgrove, PA / $20k, $81k purse
Friday, May 15 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA / $6k to win x2, $53k purse
Saturday, May 16 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA / $30k to win, $103k purse
Sunday, May 17 / Bedford Speedway / Bedford, PA / $20k to win, $81k purse

Thursday, May 28 / Wayne County Speedway / Orrville, OH / $12k to win, $53k purse
Friday, May 29 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, May 30 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH / $57k to win, $240k purse

Friday, June 12 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, June 13 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV / $30k to win, $103k purse

Friday, June 19 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, June 20 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI / $25k to win, $91k purse

Monday, June 22 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / $12k to win, $53k purse

Wednesday, June 24 / I-94 emr Speedway / Fergus Falls, MN / $12k to win, $53k purse

Friday, June 26 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / $15k to win, $66k purse

Sunday, June 28 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND / $20k to win, $81k purse

Tuesday, June 30 / Norman County Raceway / Ada, MN / $20k to win, $81k purse

Thursday, July 2 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN / $10k to win, $47k purse
Friday, July 3 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN / $10k to win, $47k purse
Saturday, July 4 / Deer Creek Speedway / Spring Valley, MN / $40k to win, $134k purse

Wednesday, July 8 / Stateline Speedway / Busti, NY / $15k to win, $66k purse

Friday, July 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, July 11 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, July 24 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL / $5,000 to win x4, $57k purse
Saturday, July 25 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL / $50k to win, $220k purse

Thursday, July 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / $10k to win, $47k purse
Friday, July 31 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Prelim
Saturday, Aug. 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / $100k to win, $223k purse

Friday, Aug. 21 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, Aug. 22 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA / $25k to win, $91k purse

Wednesday, Aug. 26 / Southern Iowa Speedway / Oskaloosa, IA / $12k to win, $53k purse

Friday, Aug. 28 / Adams County Speedway / Corning, IA / $20k to win, $81k purse
Saturday, Aug. 29 / Shelby County Speedway / Harlan, IA / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, Sept. 25 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, Sept. 26 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / $20k to win, $81k purse

Friday, Oct. 2 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA / $10k to win, $47k purse
Saturday, Oct. 3 / Boothill Speedway / Greenwood, LA / $50k to win, $151k purse

Friday, Oct. 23 / Little River Speedway / Modoc, SC / $12k to win, $53k purse
Saturday, Oct. 24 / Little River Speedway / Modoc, SC / $25k to win, $91k purse

Wednesday, Nov. 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC / Qualifying
Thursday, Nov. 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC / $15k to win, $65k purse
Friday, Nov. 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC / $15k to win, $65k purse
Saturday, Nov. 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC / $25k to win, $100k purs

 

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This site is dedicated to my father " hoot " who introduced me to the Great sport of auto racing when I was a very young child

Thru the years I have befriended several people Thru Racing that have passed on and I honor them here

Larrt Criss. Charlie Patterson. Carrol Horton, Todd shaffer, gary lee and Judy Morris