CONCORD, NC (December 16, 2025) – Add another competitor to the hunt for the 2026 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.

Scott Bogucki is set for his first season with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. The McLaren Vale, SA, Australia native will pilot the Three Stooges Racing No. 51 full-time with The Greatest Show on Dirt next year. He joins Ashton Torgerson and Scotty Thiel as the third confirmed rookie for the tour’s 49th season of racing.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s been my dream since I was 15 years old,” Bogucki said. “It’s the reason I left home, left my family and everything behind, was to come here and chase that dream. For me, it’s always been to be an Outlaw. Honestly, I don’t even really have words. It’s something I had kind of thought was never going to happen, and mentally realized that and became okay with it. It was always going to be disappointing, but I’d given it my best shot. So, when you think that’s happening and then all of a sudden you get with a new team and get together, and they’re like, ‘Hey, let’s do this,’ it doesn’t even really feel real to be honest.”

Three Stooges Racing added 410 Winged Sprint Cars to their stable in 2025. Joel Myers Jr. ran a handful of races for the Jeff and Noah West-owned operation in the summer before Bogucki came aboard in August. Bogucki competed in 10 races with the team before the year concluded, highlighted by a pair of All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) top 10s, a fourth at Lee County Speedway with POWRi, and a respectable 12th at Lincoln Park Speedway in their only appearance together with the World of Outlaws.

“I’d spoken to Noah on and off with some other deals he’d been working on about racing with him,” Bogucki explained. “Timing had never played out in our favor. Jeff and I had created a relationship quite some time ago and became good friends. I think all the moving pieces just finally fell into place.

“I had, shortly before (Knoxville) Nationals, ended up parting ways with my previous deal. Around the same time, they (Three Stooges Racing) had with their people, and we got together right away and talked and were like, ‘Let’s run to the end of the year, go racing, have some fun, and see how we go, see how everything gels.’ I think we got three or four races in, and Noah and Jeff approached me and were like, ‘What do you think about this?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I’ve wanted to do it since I was 15 years old. You don’t have to ask me twice. That’s my dream right there.’”

Traveling tour experience is on Bogucki’s résumé. He’s a former full-timer with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) and owns eight wins with the country’s top 360 Sprint Car talent. Other highlights from his career so far include a top 10 run at the 2024 Knoxville Nationals and a top five outing with the World of Outlaws at Knoxville the same season.

Now, Bogucki is ready to take his career to the highest level by joining the World of Outlaws and taking on the nearly 90-race, coast-to-coast tour.

“Just going to the new places, the competition every night,” Bogucki said of what he’s most looking forward to. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to race with the best, and it’s time to finally do that.”

Bogucki and Three Stooges Racing begin the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 4-7 in Barberville, FL. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Scott Bogucki Signed on for World of Outlaws Rookie Campaign with Three Stooges Racing in 2026

CONCORD, NC (December 16, 2025) – Add another competitor to the hunt for the 2026 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.

Scott Bogucki is set for his first season with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. The McLaren Vale, SA, Australia native will pilot the Three Stooges Racing No. 51 full-time with The Greatest Show on Dirt next year. He joins Ashton Torgerson and Scotty Thiel as the third confirmed rookie for the tour’s 49th season of racing.

“It’s unbelievable. It’s been my dream since I was 15 years old,” Bogucki said. “It’s the reason I left home, left my family and everything behind, was to come here and chase that dream. For me, it’s always been to be an Outlaw. Honestly, I don’t even really have words. It’s something I had kind of thought was never going to happen, and mentally realized that and became okay with it. It was always going to be disappointing, but I’d given it my best shot. So, when you think that’s happening and then all of a sudden you get with a new team and get together, and they’re like, ‘Hey, let’s do this,’ it doesn’t even really feel real to be honest.”

Three Stooges Racing added 410 Winged Sprint Cars to their stable in 2025. Joel Myers Jr. ran a handful of races for the Jeff and Noah West-owned operation in the summer before Bogucki came aboard in August. Bogucki competed in 10 races with the team before the year concluded, highlighted by a pair of All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) top 10s, a fourth at Lee County Speedway with POWRi, and a respectable 12th at Lincoln Park Speedway in their only appearance together with the World of Outlaws.

“I’d spoken to Noah on and off with some other deals he’d been working on about racing with him,” Bogucki explained. “Timing had never played out in our favor. Jeff and I had created a relationship quite some time ago and became good friends. I think all the moving pieces just finally fell into place.

“I had, shortly before (Knoxville) Nationals, ended up parting ways with my previous deal. Around the same time, they (Three Stooges Racing) had with their people, and we got together right away and talked and were like, ‘Let’s run to the end of the year, go racing, have some fun, and see how we go, see how everything gels.’ I think we got three or four races in, and Noah and Jeff approached me and were like, ‘What do you think about this?’ And I was like, ‘Well, I’ve wanted to do it since I was 15 years old. You don’t have to ask me twice. That’s my dream right there.’”

Traveling tour experience is on Bogucki’s résumé. He’s a former full-timer with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) and owns eight wins with the country’s top 360 Sprint Car talent. Other highlights from his career so far include a top 10 run at the 2024 Knoxville Nationals and a top five outing with the World of Outlaws at Knoxville the same season.

Now, Bogucki is ready to take his career to the highest level by joining the World of Outlaws and taking on the nearly 90-race, coast-to-coast tour.

“Just going to the new places, the competition every night,” Bogucki said of what he’s most looking forward to. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to race with the best, and it’s time to finally do that.”

Bogucki and Three Stooges Racing begin the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 4-7 in Barberville, FL. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 15, 2025) — Regional racing has long been a part of the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) brand, featuring the best-of-the-best in multiple areas across the Midwest, Southwest and Great Plains.

Five champions of their respective regions were crowned in 2025. Three of which are returning champions — Adam Trimble, Kelly Miller, Sean McClelland — and two clinched their first crowns — Bryan Gossel, Jake Brashier.

From March to November, these weekend warriors ruled the local dirt tracks and earned their own piece of ASCS history.

Here are the 2025 American Sprint Car Series regional champions:

Western Plains Region — Bryan Gossel

For the first time in his career, Bryan Gossel is an ASCS regional champion.

The 49-year-old from Windsor, CO, made his Sprint Car debut in 1999 and has since split time racing on both dirt and asphalt. He’s been a competitor in multiple ASCS events every year, and in 2025 decided to chase the ASCS Western Plains Region schedule.

But that was never the plan at first.

“It was awesome. Kind of surreal, in a way,” Gossel said. “I didn’t really even know I was points racing until the promoter called me and asked, ‘Are you coming to the next race?’ and I said, ‘Ah, I don’t know.’ He said I was leading the points, and I was like, ‘I am?’ I didn’t even know.

“I was like, well shoot, we better give it a whirl. And we did.”

Gossel, father of national Series regular Austyn Gossel, ended his season with two Feature wins — one of which came at nearby El Paso County Raceway in Calhan, CO. The 1/4-mile oval was the site of one of the most special wins in his career on May 3, where Bryan scored the win, Austyn ran third, and runner-up was Sprint Car Hall-of-Famer Sammy Swindell, piloting a third Gossel Racing entry.

“I would have never even dreamed that. It was so cool,” Gossel said. “The promoter had been after us to have Sammy run our cars for quite a while, and we just never had enough equipment at the same time to do it. I had gotten to know him a little bit better the last couple years racing with him.

“We were like, ‘Yup, we can do it.’ It was awesome. Sammy is such an incredible person and so nice.”

Northern Plains Region — Adam Trimble

After securing his first ASCS championship with the Western Plains Region last year, Adam Trimble has now topped regional action two years in-a-row as king of the Northern Plains Region in 2025.

The 37-year-old from Pueblo, CO, dominated the region this year, winning three of the nine races and posted top-five finishes in five of them. A big bright spot for he and Matejka-Heffner Racing came in a sweep of Northern Plains action at Wyoming’s Sweetwater Speedway in June, winning both Friday and Saturday’s main events.

While he admits their season was not perfect, Trimble and the team forged their way through mechanical issues mid-season and brought home another 360 Sprint Car points title.

“There were just some odd things that seemed to happen this year that, collectively, between the three of us, haven’t happened in any of our careers,” Trimble said. “So, it felt like a struggle, but looking back at it, we’re like, ‘Man, this was still actually a really successful season.’ We felt like we worked hard at it and just kept things going.”

Trimble has now spent two seasons racing under car owners Mark Matejka and Jeff Heffner. The Denver-based team also went to Victory Lane in Midget competition at El Paso County Raceway in September and are already looking forward to another year of partnership in 2026.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re winning or if we’re losing, DNF-ing, whatever the case is — they are working as hard as they possibly can to make the cars as fast as we can get,” Trimble said. “It’s hard to even think that we had DNFs with as hard as those guys work, really. But DNFs, wins, it doesn’t matter. They keep their heads down, and they keep going. It paid off for us.”

Hurricane Area Super Sprints — Jake Brashier

The second new regional champion to ASCS in 2025 is Jake Brashier — king of the ASCS Hurricane Area Super Sprints.

The 39-year-old from Denham Springs, LA, scored five top-fives and 11 top-10s in 12 starts to top all drivers in both categories.

“It was great for us. My goal was to make as many top-fives as I could, and I did a lot better than I had done previously,” Brashier said. “I learned a lot of stuff and made progress.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Brashier will take on a more integral role in the operations of the Hurricane Area Super Sprints as co-owner of the organization with former Series champion Lane Whittington. The two broke the news they had purchased the group in November, marking the start of a new era in southern Sprint Car racing.

The two racers are eager to get to work next year in their new managerial roles and already have plans in place to ensure the prosperity of the Series while they continue their own careers on the track.

“I couldn’t do it by myself, and I didn’t want to see it go away, which is what it looked like it was about to do,” Brashier said. “So, I talked to Lane and told him if we get the money to purchase it, he (said) he’d be willing to help do everything.

“Hopefully, we can get more Sprint Car racing in this area, more places to race at, and make it better for the racers and fans and tracks. We like racing, number one. There’s no politics or anything like that. No ulterior motives, we just want to race.”

Frontier Region — Kelly Miller

For the second consecutive year, the ASCS Frontier Region championship lands north of the border into the shop of Kelly Miller.

The 34-year-old from Lethbridge, AB, Canada, dominated the circuit in 2025, topping the region with eight Feature wins, 14 top fives and 16 top 10s in 18 Feature starts. No other driver had more than two wins in Frontier Region action.

Four of his eight Frontier wins came in back-to-back fashion, starting with the sweep of a two-day event at Big Sky Speedway in May and a second weekend sweep at fellow Montana oval Gallatin Speedway and Big Sky in September.

In the end, Miller held a gap of 301 points in the standings over runner-up Trever Kirkland to seal his third ASCS regional championship in two years after topping both the Frontier and Northern Plains Regions in 2024.

“This year, we definitely had some pretty good numbers to show for it,” Miller said. “Overall, we did continue to improve from last year and the year before that as well. Outside of the Frontier Region, we did manage to pick up some speed at Knoxville and through our little West Coast Speedweek as well. Everything is all building in the right direction, for sure.”

Considering the six wins he put together in Northern Plains Region action last year, Miller’s last two seasons have been among the most successful of his career.

“I think it’s just a matter of just repeating on a good notebook from the year before and building off speed that we currently have,” Miller said. “Not trying to reinvent the wheel, but just trying to make our program better in the long run when it comes to DNFs and being a smart driver. It all comes with time and experience. It’s all coming together now, I think it just took a few years.”

Sooner Region — Sean McClelland

With the clinching of his sixth points title, Sean McClelland adds some cushion to the record he holds for most ASCS Sooner Region championships all-time.

The 51-year-old from Tulsa, OK, debuted with the region in 2002 and won his first Sooner championship in 2005. Since then, he’s collected 24 Feature wins — most of any driver — and subsequent championships in 2010, 2019, 2020, and 2022.

McClelland’s 2025 championship came on the back of one win, four top fives and six top 10s in nine Feature starts. His lone victory came at Creek County Speedway in September, continuing the strong partnership he’s forged with his crew and car owner Robert McLain.

WE THE KINGS: Five ASCS Regional Champions Crowned After 2025 Season

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 15, 2025) — Regional racing has long been a part of the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) brand, featuring the best-of-the-best in multiple areas across the Midwest, Southwest and Great Plains.

Five champions of their respective regions were crowned in 2025. Three of which are returning champions — Adam Trimble, Kelly Miller, Sean McClelland — and two clinched their first crowns — Bryan Gossel, Jake Brashier.

From March to November, these weekend warriors ruled the local dirt tracks and earned their own piece of ASCS history.

Here are the 2025 American Sprint Car Series regional champions:

Western Plains Region — Bryan Gossel

For the first time in his career, Bryan Gossel is an ASCS regional champion.

The 49-year-old from Windsor, CO, made his Sprint Car debut in 1999 and has since split time racing on both dirt and asphalt. He’s been a competitor in multiple ASCS events every year, and in 2025 decided to chase the ASCS Western Plains Region schedule.

But that was never the plan at first.

“It was awesome. Kind of surreal, in a way,” Gossel said. “I didn’t really even know I was points racing until the promoter called me and asked, ‘Are you coming to the next race?’ and I said, ‘Ah, I don’t know.’ He said I was leading the points, and I was like, ‘I am?’ I didn’t even know.

“I was like, well shoot, we better give it a whirl. And we did.”

Gossel, father of national Series regular Austyn Gossel, ended his season with two Feature wins — one of which came at nearby El Paso County Raceway in Calhan, CO. The 1/4-mile oval was the site of one of the most special wins in his career on May 3, where Bryan scored the win, Austyn ran third, and runner-up was Sprint Car Hall-of-Famer Sammy Swindell, piloting a third Gossel Racing entry.

“I would have never even dreamed that. It was so cool,” Gossel said. “The promoter had been after us to have Sammy run our cars for quite a while, and we just never had enough equipment at the same time to do it. I had gotten to know him a little bit better the last couple years racing with him.

“We were like, ‘Yup, we can do it.’ It was awesome. Sammy is such an incredible person and so nice.”

Northern Plains Region — Adam Trimble

After securing his first ASCS championship with the Western Plains Region last year, Adam Trimble has now topped regional action two years in-a-row as king of the Northern Plains Region in 2025.

The 37-year-old from Pueblo, CO, dominated the region this year, winning three of the nine races and posted top-five finishes in five of them. A big bright spot for he and Matejka-Heffner Racing came in a sweep of Northern Plains action at Wyoming’s Sweetwater Speedway in June, winning both Friday and Saturday’s main events.

While he admits their season was not perfect, Trimble and the team forged their way through mechanical issues mid-season and brought home another 360 Sprint Car points title.

“There were just some odd things that seemed to happen this year that, collectively, between the three of us, haven’t happened in any of our careers,” Trimble said. “So, it felt like a struggle, but looking back at it, we’re like, ‘Man, this was still actually a really successful season.’ We felt like we worked hard at it and just kept things going.”

Trimble has now spent two seasons racing under car owners Mark Matejka and Jeff Heffner. The Denver-based team also went to Victory Lane in Midget competition at El Paso County Raceway in September and are already looking forward to another year of partnership in 2026.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re winning or if we’re losing, DNF-ing, whatever the case is — they are working as hard as they possibly can to make the cars as fast as we can get,” Trimble said. “It’s hard to even think that we had DNFs with as hard as those guys work, really. But DNFs, wins, it doesn’t matter. They keep their heads down, and they keep going. It paid off for us.”

Hurricane Area Super Sprints — Jake Brashier

The second new regional champion to ASCS in 2025 is Jake Brashier — king of the ASCS Hurricane Area Super Sprints.

The 39-year-old from Denham Springs, LA, scored five top-fives and 11 top-10s in 12 starts to top all drivers in both categories.

“It was great for us. My goal was to make as many top-fives as I could, and I did a lot better than I had done previously,” Brashier said. “I learned a lot of stuff and made progress.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Brashier will take on a more integral role in the operations of the Hurricane Area Super Sprints as co-owner of the organization with former Series champion Lane Whittington. The two broke the news they had purchased the group in November, marking the start of a new era in southern Sprint Car racing.

The two racers are eager to get to work next year in their new managerial roles and already have plans in place to ensure the prosperity of the Series while they continue their own careers on the track.

“I couldn’t do it by myself, and I didn’t want to see it go away, which is what it looked like it was about to do,” Brashier said. “So, I talked to Lane and told him if we get the money to purchase it, he (said) he’d be willing to help do everything.

“Hopefully, we can get more Sprint Car racing in this area, more places to race at, and make it better for the racers and fans and tracks. We like racing, number one. There’s no politics or anything like that. No ulterior motives, we just want to race.”

Frontier Region — Kelly Miller

For the second consecutive year, the ASCS Frontier Region championship lands north of the border into the shop of Kelly Miller.

The 34-year-old from Lethbridge, AB, Canada, dominated the circuit in 2025, topping the region with eight Feature wins, 14 top fives and 16 top 10s in 18 Feature starts. No other driver had more than two wins in Frontier Region action.

Four of his eight Frontier wins came in back-to-back fashion, starting with the sweep of a two-day event at Big Sky Speedway in May and a second weekend sweep at fellow Montana oval Gallatin Speedway and Big Sky in September.

In the end, Miller held a gap of 301 points in the standings over runner-up Trever Kirkland to seal his third ASCS regional championship in two years after topping both the Frontier and Northern Plains Regions in 2024.

“This year, we definitely had some pretty good numbers to show for it,” Miller said. “Overall, we did continue to improve from last year and the year before that as well. Outside of the Frontier Region, we did manage to pick up some speed at Knoxville and through our little West Coast Speedweek as well. Everything is all building in the right direction, for sure.”

Considering the six wins he put together in Northern Plains Region action last year, Miller’s last two seasons have been among the most successful of his career.

“I think it’s just a matter of just repeating on a good notebook from the year before and building off speed that we currently have,” Miller said. “Not trying to reinvent the wheel, but just trying to make our program better in the long run when it comes to DNFs and being a smart driver. It all comes with time and experience. It’s all coming together now, I think it just took a few years.”

Sooner Region — Sean McClelland

With the clinching of his sixth points title, Sean McClelland adds some cushion to the record he holds for most ASCS Sooner Region championships all-time.

The 51-year-old from Tulsa, OK, debuted with the region in 2002 and won his first Sooner championship in 2005. Since then, he’s collected 24 Feature wins — most of any driver — and subsequent championships in 2010, 2019, 2020, and 2022.

McClelland’s 2025 championship came on the back of one win, four top fives and six top 10s in nine Feature starts. His lone victory came at Creek County Speedway in September, continuing the strong partnership he’s forged with his crew and car owner Robert McLain.

“It’s good for Robert, Gage, Gavin, and Darren — they’ve supported me all year,” McClelland said. “It’s good to win a championship for them. It’s all about them, and it’s all for them. I’ve won them before, but they haven’t, and it’s good for them. I can’t thank them enough for allowing me to drive this race car.”

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 NationalsGolden 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. 

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 NationalsGolden 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.” 

Veteran JFR crew chief Chris Cunningham will call the shots

JOHN FORCE RACING NAMES JORDAN VANDERGRIFFDRIVER OF THE CORNWELL TOOLS FUNNY CARVeteran JFR crew chief Chris Cunningham will call the shots

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Dec. 12, 2025) – Drag racing rising star Jordan Vandergriff has been named as the driver of John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season. The announcement was made Friday at the NHRA booth during Day 2 of the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. “This is a dream come true to have the opportunity not only with John Force Racing, the premier team in NHRA Drag Racing, but to drive the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car for the greatest Funny Car driver of all time,” said Vandergriff. “As a kid growing up in the sport, you look at John and you see the greatness he’s portrayed, so the fact that I get to drive a Funny Car for him is amazing.” The California native had two NHRA starts in 2025, driving in relief of injured Top Fuel driver Shawn Reed at Brainerd and Indianapolis. In the 11 Top Fuel races of his rookie season in 2019, Vandergriff earned a runner-up finish at Dallas and two other semi-final showings. He has served as an NHRA on FOX reporter the past two seasons. “I think the transition to Funny Car is going to be fine. I’ve proven that I can drive the Top Fuel car well and the Funny Car presents a new fun challenge. It’s a shorter wheelbase and a lot more violent but I did some test hits in 2024 in John’s car and, ever since, I’ve had to itch to drive these cars.” Cornwell Quality Tools began its partnership with John Force Racing in 2019 and has steadily expanded its presence. They have been the primary sponsor of the Funny Car program the past two seasons and held the primary position on Brittany Force’s Top Fuel dragster team at the 2025 U.S. Nationals when she set the national speed record of 343.51 mph. Cornwell Quality Tools is also the Official Professional Tools of NHRA. “We are incredibly excited about today’s announcement from John Force Racing and to welcome Jordan Vandergriff to the Cornwell Tools Funny Car program,” said Cornwell Quality Tools CEO Bob Studenic. “Jordan is a dynamic talent with the skill, professionalism, and competitive fire that align perfectly with Cornwell’s values and our commitment to excellence. “With more than 810 hardworking, USA-based Cornwell dealers representing our brand coast to coast, this partnership is bigger than racing—it’s a celebration of the drive, integrity, and craftsmanship that define who we are. Our dealers, employees, and customers have helped build Cornwell Tools into a championship-caliber organization, and we look forward to standing beside Jordan and the entire JFR team as we chase even greater success in the year ahead. “This is an exciting moment for Cornwell Tools. We’re proud to continue our longstanding relationship with John Force Racing, and we can’t wait for our dealers to experience another season of world-class competition with the Cornwell Tools Funny Car.” “I have a great relationship with Cornwell Quality Tools and I’m super happy they decided to pick me,” said Vandergriff. “They’re such a quality brand and they’ve done so much in the world of NHRA Drag Racing. I’m excited that I get to help their dealers sell tools and celebrate race wins together!” John Force Racing’s full 2026 lineup will include 2012 Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman, Alexis DeJoria and Vandergriff in Funny Car and Josh Hart in Top Fuel. “We’re proud to announce Jordan Vandergriff as the driver of the Cornwell Quality Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car for John Force Racing,” John Force said. “We worked closely with the folks at Cornwell Tools to make sure we had the right fit for their program. Jordan did a great job when he tested with us a couple of years ago but we didn’t have a place for him at the time. Now that we have all of our drivers in place, we can focus 100 percent on preparing our cars and teams for the 2026 season.” Veteran crew chief Chris Cunningham will move to the Cornwell Tools team from John Force Racing’s Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Funny Car with 2012 Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman. Cunningham has been a key part of John Force Racing in various positions since 2016. “This is the opportunity I’ve been working towards. I’ve always wanted to run a full season and compete for a championship,” said Vandergriff. “I want the chance to run with the best and prove that I can be one of the best. This car has won two championships in a row, and Cunningham has so much experience. I have great respect for what he’s done in the sport, and I’m honored that I get to work with him.” Further announcements from John Force Racing will be made in the coming weeks.

CONCORD, NC (December 11, 2025) – Bryant Paver’s phone lit up with yet another suggestion from his employee Garet Williamson in late 2019.

The Micro-Sprint racer out of Columbia, MO was hungry. He spent chunks of free time searching online for racing equipment and sending options to Paver hoping he’d take the bait. Williamson craved just one shot behind the wheel of a Sprint Car. A foot in the door. It’s what he’d always wanted to do in life.

Finally, Paver bit.

A Facebook post advertised a 360 Sprint Car ready for the track. Car. Engine. Spare parts. Trailer. Everything needed to go racing. So, that’s what they did. Paver purchased the operation. Williamson mounted his seat. The next weekend Williamson debuted with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) at Lake Ozark Speedway.

“I’d always pestered him about getting a Sprint Car,” Williamson recalled. “Luckily enough, he did. Our first race was an ASCS National show at Lake Ozark, my first time running a Sprint Car. We went out and won the Heat Race. I think we were running eighth in the A (main), and the rear-end blew apart, I think. We bought it off Facebook Marketplace. It was a race-ready operation.

“We had no idea what we were doing. I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t know, I think you’re supposed to run the valves and stuff on these the next day.’ Nobody had any idea what to do. No idea about shocks, nothing. We had not a clue what we were doing and were really good the first night. I have no idea how.”

Fast forward six years, and Williamson is fresh off cementing himself as the 2025 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

The same fire that carried Williamson to finding his way into a Sprint Car never left. Fueled by dreams of joining The Greatest Show on Dirt, Williamson made a name for himself in the Midwest as Paver built up a team.

Eventually, longtime supporters of the sport, Curt and Devin Fischer, decided to construct a new Sprint Car team with the intent to compete at the sport’s highest level. They hired Williamson to drive the Fischer Motorsports No. 23 for a pick-and-choose schedule in 2024. Then, Williamson’s dream came true this year as they hit the road with the World of Outlaws.

“He (Williamson) took off for Australia last winter and told Dennis Moore Jr., ‘I want to go to the World of Outlaws, and I know there’s no chance of Curt taking me there at this point in time, but sooner or later I’m going to make the Outlaws,’” Curt Fischer recalled. “I called him up one night and said, ‘I hope you’re ready because you’re going to the Outlaws.’”

The Fischers were rewarded with a standout season from Williamson. Seven rookies joined the tour in 2025, and Williamson bested them all. He collected seven top fives, 26 top 10s, and qualified for a dozen Dashes en route to standing atop one of the most competitive rookie classes ever assembled.

It’s a testament to Williamson’s unrelenting work ethic. Family finances didn’t afford endless opportunities growing up. Youthful success in Micros proved he possessed talent. He got his shot in Sprint Car racing, and he continues to make the most of it every day.

“It’s crazy,” Williamson said. “If you would’ve told me six years ago or even two years ago that I’d be racing with the World of Outlaws and be Rookie of the Year for 2025, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. But my girlfriend has been with me basically since the start. I’ve always told her, and she’s kind of always known that this is what I want to do. She’s one of the people who’s really known how much I’ve really wanted this, to be an Outlaw driver. There’s really been no other choice.

“So, yeah, it’s cool. I try not to think about it and get caught up in it because it’s easy to do. I’m just really thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve been presented in my life. Each person has played a huge role in my life no matter if they’re still part of my career or not. It’s crazy to think six years ago is kind of when I started. We’ve come a long way.”

Curt Fischer admits he was nervous at times throughout the campaign. Winning the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year is no easy task, even during a normal season, let alone when an unparalleled number of worthy competitors sign up to battle for it. Williamson trailed Chris Windom through the early part of the summer but grabbed the top spot in August and never looked back.

“Garet came to me one night, and he said, ‘You said you’d take me to the Outlaws. I promise you I’m going to win the Rookie of the Year,’” Fischer said. “And then, all of a sudden, three or four or five more guys jumped on the boat, and I’m like, ‘Uh oh.’ But he was just bound and determined before the season got started that one way or another, he was going to win that thing.

“The crew chief, Chad Cypert, he kept saying, ‘Curt, just quit talking about points until after the (Knoxville) Nationals.’ And it’s just like after the Nationals, this kid came alive. The whole team came alive and just went like a house on fire. We were just so impressed with what they did.”

The record books will forever display Williamson’s name under one of the sport’s most coveted awards. Winning a championship may be the more difficult task, but you only get one shot at Rookie of the Year. Come up short, and that’s it. No trying again next year.

That box is checked, but Williamson isn’t spending much time celebrating. He’s already focused on getting better. A title is his ultimate goal, and focusing on what’s already accomplished won’t lead him to the top. The race-ready operation on Facebook opened the door to Sprint Car racing, and he’s not leaving anytime soon.

“I want to dedicate the rest of these years to grinding it out. I want to be a World of Outlaws champion,” Williamson said. “You see the guys like David (Gravel). They dedicate their time and their life into this sport to hopefully get a championship or be successful or be remembered as one of the good guys in the sport. That’s my goal with racing. I want to be remembered as someone that put in the effort, got better, and maybe one day be a champion.”

The 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign begins on Feb. 4-7 at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in Barberville, FL. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

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

GRINDING IT OUT: Williamson’s Dedication Leads to Rookie of the Year

CONCORD, NC (December 11, 2025) – Bryant Paver’s phone lit up with yet another suggestion from his employee Garet Williamson in late 2019.

The Micro-Sprint racer out of Columbia, MO was hungry. He spent chunks of free time searching online for racing equipment and sending options to Paver hoping he’d take the bait. Williamson craved just one shot behind the wheel of a Sprint Car. A foot in the door. It’s what he’d always wanted to do in life.

Finally, Paver bit.

A Facebook post advertised a 360 Sprint Car ready for the track. Car. Engine. Spare parts. Trailer. Everything needed to go racing. So, that’s what they did. Paver purchased the operation. Williamson mounted his seat. The next weekend Williamson debuted with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) at Lake Ozark Speedway.

“I’d always pestered him about getting a Sprint Car,” Williamson recalled. “Luckily enough, he did. Our first race was an ASCS National show at Lake Ozark, my first time running a Sprint Car. We went out and won the Heat Race. I think we were running eighth in the A (main), and the rear-end blew apart, I think. We bought it off Facebook Marketplace. It was a race-ready operation.

“We had no idea what we were doing. I was like, ‘Yeah, I don’t know, I think you’re supposed to run the valves and stuff on these the next day.’ Nobody had any idea what to do. No idea about shocks, nothing. We had not a clue what we were doing and were really good the first night. I have no idea how.”

Fast forward six years, and Williamson is fresh off cementing himself as the 2025 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

The same fire that carried Williamson to finding his way into a Sprint Car never left. Fueled by dreams of joining The Greatest Show on Dirt, Williamson made a name for himself in the Midwest as Paver built up a team.

Eventually, longtime supporters of the sport, Curt and Devin Fischer, decided to construct a new Sprint Car team with the intent to compete at the sport’s highest level. They hired Williamson to drive the Fischer Motorsports No. 23 for a pick-and-choose schedule in 2024. Then, Williamson’s dream came true this year as they hit the road with the World of Outlaws.

“He (Williamson) took off for Australia last winter and told Dennis Moore Jr., ‘I want to go to the World of Outlaws, and I know there’s no chance of Curt taking me there at this point in time, but sooner or later I’m going to make the Outlaws,’” Curt Fischer recalled. “I called him up one night and said, ‘I hope you’re ready because you’re going to the Outlaws.’”

The Fischers were rewarded with a standout season from Williamson. Seven rookies joined the tour in 2025, and Williamson bested them all. He collected seven top fives, 26 top 10s, and qualified for a dozen Dashes en route to standing atop one of the most competitive rookie classes ever assembled.

It’s a testament to Williamson’s unrelenting work ethic. Family finances didn’t afford endless opportunities growing up. Youthful success in Micros proved he possessed talent. He got his shot in Sprint Car racing, and he continues to make the most of it every day.

“It’s crazy,” Williamson said. “If you would’ve told me six years ago or even two years ago that I’d be racing with the World of Outlaws and be Rookie of the Year for 2025, I would’ve told you that you were crazy. But my girlfriend has been with me basically since the start. I’ve always told her, and she’s kind of always known that this is what I want to do. She’s one of the people who’s really known how much I’ve really wanted this, to be an Outlaw driver. There’s really been no other choice.

“So, yeah, it’s cool. I try not to think about it and get caught up in it because it’s easy to do. I’m just really thankful for the opportunities I’ve had and the people I’ve been presented in my life. Each person has played a huge role in my life no matter if they’re still part of my career or not. It’s crazy to think six years ago is kind of when I started. We’ve come a long way.”

Curt Fischer admits he was nervous at times throughout the campaign. Winning the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year is no easy task, even during a normal season, let alone when an unparalleled number of worthy competitors sign up to battle for it. Williamson trailed Chris Windom through the early part of the summer but grabbed the top spot in August and never looked back.

“Garet came to me one night, and he said, ‘You said you’d take me to the Outlaws. I promise you I’m going to win the Rookie of the Year,’” Fischer said. “And then, all of a sudden, three or four or five more guys jumped on the boat, and I’m like, ‘Uh oh.’ But he was just bound and determined before the season got started that one way or another, he was going to win that thing.

“The crew chief, Chad Cypert, he kept saying, ‘Curt, just quit talking about points until after the (Knoxville) Nationals.’ And it’s just like after the Nationals, this kid came alive. The whole team came alive and just went like a house on fire. We were just so impressed with what they did.”

The record books will forever display Williamson’s name under one of the sport’s most coveted awards. Winning a championship may be the more difficult task, but you only get one shot at Rookie of the Year. Come up short, and that’s it. No trying again next year.

That box is checked, but Williamson isn’t spending much time celebrating. He’s already focused on getting better. A title is his ultimate goal, and focusing on what’s already accomplished won’t lead him to the top. The race-ready operation on Facebook opened the door to Sprint Car racing, and he’s not leaving anytime soon.

“I want to dedicate the rest of these years to grinding it out. I want to be a World of Outlaws champion,” Williamson said. “You see the guys like David (Gravel). They dedicate their time and their life into this sport to hopefully get a championship or be successful or be remembered as one of the good guys in the sport. That’s my goal with racing. I want to be remembered as someone that put in the effort, got better, and maybe one day be a champion.”

The 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign begins on Feb. 4-7 at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in Barberville, FL. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

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

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/grinding-it-out-williamsons-dedication-leads-to-rookie-of-the-year/

2026 Season Kicks Off at DIRTcar Nationals with New ASCS Big Gator Points Fund

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 11, 2025) — With less than two months remaining before the start of the 2026 American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) campaign, the stars of the national 360 Sprint Car tour are looking forward to the big events and bigger paydays before the start of the new race season.

Six major events have announced their dates on the 2026 ASCS national lineup — each with a special purse and/or points fund for drivers — starting with the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 29-31.

While the full 2026 ASCS national calendar is forthcoming — set to be unveiled at a later date — several other standard points-paying races have been confirmed. See the preliminary list of confirmed race dates below.

55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Jan. 29–31)

The 55th edition of Florida’s biggest dirt track racing extravaganza will feature the stars of the American Sprint Car Series against several national 410 Sprint Car invaders for the second consecutive year in a three-day 360 Sprint Car showdown at Volusia Speedway Park. The historic, 1/2-mile oval will host two, $3,000-to-win programs on Thursday and Friday before the $12,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

New for 2026 will be an event points fund. Each night, drivers will earn points toward the Big Gator Championship standings. The driver with the most points after all three races will be crowned the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator champion, hoist the iconic golden gator trophy, and pocket a $2,000 bonus check. The runner-up will take home $1,000 and $500 will go to third place.

Rudeen Racing driver Justin Peck swept all three races of DIRTcar Nationals in the Series debut at Volusia in January and took home the first Big Gator trophy in ASCS history.

After ASCS, the multi-week event continues with more of the top racing series in the country, including the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, DIRTcar Late Models, and USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars.

To get your tickets for the event, which runs through Feb. 14, click the link below.

DIRTcar NATIONALS TICKETS

Sonoran Clash (Feb. 21–22, Feb. 28–March 1)

For the first time in Series history, Central Arizona Raceway will host the national 360 Sprint Car stars for two separate weekends of action at the 3/8-mile oval in the inaugural running of the Sonoran Clash – Feb. 21-22 and Feb. 29-March 1.

Drivers will compete for a $4,000 payday on both Saturdays, and then a $6,000 check on both Sundays.

Over the four-race stretch, drivers will earn points toward a special miniseries championship chase, which pays $3,000 to the winner, $2,000 to the runner-up and $1,000 to third place.

The Big One (June 26–27)

In July, the Series made its triumphant return to Belleville High Banks for the first time in 11 years. Next June, the historic, 1/2-mile oval welcomes the national 360 Sprint Car stars back in the second running of The Big One.

Friday’s preliminary program will pay $4,000-to-win before drivers compete in the $10,000-to-win, $700-to-start finale on Saturday.

Five-time Series champion Sam Hafertepe Jr. swept the inaugural event in July, beating Kansas native and fellow Series champion Jason Martin in a thrilling, high-speed battle through traffic on Friday before giving a dominant, flag-to-flag performance for the win on Saturday.

360 Knoxville Nationals (Aug. 6–8)

The biggest 360 Sprint Car race in the world goes green at Knoxville Raceway next August in the 36th annual Xtream Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank.

Two preliminary nights of action kick things off Thursday and Friday at the historic 1/2-mile oval, setting the stage for the $20,000-to-win finale Saturday night. An additional $15,000 are up for grabs in lap money, making for a possible $35,000 winner’s share.

In August, fans were treated to a thrilling battle for the lead in the closing laps between Rico Abreu and Kyle Larson. Abreu retook the lead in the end and pocketed $34,000 total in his first career 360 Knoxville Nationals title.

Harvey Ostermiller Memorial (Aug. 28–29)

Big Sky Speedway hosts the ninth edition of the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial next August with big money on the line in Big Sky Country.

The 3/8-mile oval, located in Billings, MT, hosts the Series for the 10th time in track history with a two-night program featuring a special purse. The event pays tribute to the late Montana resident and Sprint Car supporter, who helped to build the track before its opening in 2003.

2025 Knoxville Nationals winner Ryan Timms swept the weekend last year in a dominant showing over the 360 Sprint Car regulars, two weeks after his triumph on dirt track racing’s biggest stage.

Fuzzy’s Fall Fling (Nov. 13–14)

The American Sprint Car Series champion will once again be crowned at its homeland in 2026.

Creek County Speedway hosts the 11th edition of Fuzzy’s Fall Fling, paying tribute to one of the Series’ most honorable figures — Fuzzy Hahn — the late wife of track and Series founder, Emmett Hahn. A $4,000 winner’s share is up for grabs on Friday night before a $10,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

Following the checkered flag on Saturday comes a special championship celebration, complete with the presentation of the Emmett Hahn Trophy.

Confirmed 2026 Race Dates (more to come)

Thursday–Saturday, Jan. 29–31 | Volusia Speedway Park | Barberville, FL

Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 21–22 | Central Arizona Speedway | Casa Grande, AZ
Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 28–March 1 | Central Arizona Speedway | Casa Grande, AZ

Saturday, April 11 | Salina Highbanks Speedway | Salina, OK

Friday, May 8 | Benton Speedway | Benton, MO

Saturday, May 9 | Paducah International Raceway | Paducah, KY

Saturday, May 30 | Salt City Speedway | Hutchinson, KS

Friday, June 5 | Creek County Speedway | Sapulpa, OK

Saturday, June 6 | 81 Speedway | Park City, KS

Saturday, June 13 | Batesville Motor Speedway | Batesville, AR

Friday–Saturday, June 26–27 | Belleville High Banks | Belleville, KS

Friday, July 25 | Dodge City Raceway Park | Dodge City, KS

Saturday, July 26 | Dawson County Raceway | Lexington, NE

Friday, July 31 | Worthington Speedway | Worthington, MN

Saturday, Aug. 1 | Viking Speedway | Alexandria, MN

Thursday–Saturday, Aug. 6–8 | Knoxville Raceway | Knoxville, IA

Saturday, Aug. 22 | El Paso County Raceway | Calhan, CO

Friday–Saturday, Aug. 28–29 | Big Sky Speedway | Billings, MT

Friday–Saturday, Sept. 5–6 | Electric City Speedway | Great Falls, MT

Sunday, Sept. 13 | Eagle Raceway | Eagle, NE

Saturday, Oct. 10 | RPM Speedway | Crandall, TX

Friday–Saturday, Nov. 13–14 | Creek County Speedway | Sapulpa, OK

BIG ONES: Six Confirmed Marquee Events Highlight New ASCS Season

2026 Season Kicks Off at DIRTcar Nationals with New ASCS Big Gator Points Fund

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 11, 2025) — With less than two months remaining before the start of the 2026 American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) campaign, the stars of the national 360 Sprint Car tour are looking forward to the big events and bigger paydays before the start of the new race season.

Six major events have announced their dates on the 2026 ASCS national lineup — each with a special purse and/or points fund for drivers — starting with the 55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, Jan. 29-31.

While the full 2026 ASCS national calendar is forthcoming — set to be unveiled at a later date — several other standard points-paying races have been confirmed. See the preliminary list of confirmed race dates below.

55th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Jan. 29–31)

The 55th edition of Florida’s biggest dirt track racing extravaganza will feature the stars of the American Sprint Car Series against several national 410 Sprint Car invaders for the second consecutive year in a three-day 360 Sprint Car showdown at Volusia Speedway Park. The historic, 1/2-mile oval will host two, $3,000-to-win programs on Thursday and Friday before the $12,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

New for 2026 will be an event points fund. Each night, drivers will earn points toward the Big Gator Championship standings. The driver with the most points after all three races will be crowned the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator champion, hoist the iconic golden gator trophy, and pocket a $2,000 bonus check. The runner-up will take home $1,000 and $500 will go to third place.

Rudeen Racing driver Justin Peck swept all three races of DIRTcar Nationals in the Series debut at Volusia in January and took home the first Big Gator trophy in ASCS history.

After ASCS, the multi-week event continues with more of the top racing series in the country, including the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series, Super DIRTcar Series, DIRTcar UMP Modifieds, DIRTcar Late Models, and USAC Non-Wing Sprint Cars.

To get your tickets for the event, which runs through Feb. 14, click the link below.

DIRTcar NATIONALS TICKETS

Sonoran Clash (Feb. 21–22, Feb. 28–March 1)

For the first time in Series history, Central Arizona Raceway will host the national 360 Sprint Car stars for two separate weekends of action at the 3/8-mile oval in the inaugural running of the Sonoran Clash – Feb. 21-22 and Feb. 29-March 1.

Drivers will compete for a $4,000 payday on both Saturdays, and then a $6,000 check on both Sundays.

Over the four-race stretch, drivers will earn points toward a special miniseries championship chase, which pays $3,000 to the winner, $2,000 to the runner-up and $1,000 to third place.

The Big One (June 26–27)

In July, the Series made its triumphant return to Belleville High Banks for the first time in 11 years. Next June, the historic, 1/2-mile oval welcomes the national 360 Sprint Car stars back in the second running of The Big One.

Friday’s preliminary program will pay $4,000-to-win before drivers compete in the $10,000-to-win, $700-to-start finale on Saturday.

Five-time Series champion Sam Hafertepe Jr. swept the inaugural event in July, beating Kansas native and fellow Series champion Jason Martin in a thrilling, high-speed battle through traffic on Friday before giving a dominant, flag-to-flag performance for the win on Saturday.

360 Knoxville Nationals (Aug. 6–8)

The biggest 360 Sprint Car race in the world goes green at Knoxville Raceway next August in the 36th annual Xtream Powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank.

Two preliminary nights of action kick things off Thursday and Friday at the historic 1/2-mile oval, setting the stage for the $20,000-to-win finale Saturday night. An additional $15,000 are up for grabs in lap money, making for a possible $35,000 winner’s share.

In August, fans were treated to a thrilling battle for the lead in the closing laps between Rico Abreu and Kyle Larson. Abreu retook the lead in the end and pocketed $34,000 total in his first career 360 Knoxville Nationals title.

Harvey Ostermiller Memorial (Aug. 28–29)

Big Sky Speedway hosts the ninth edition of the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial next August with big money on the line in Big Sky Country.

The 3/8-mile oval, located in Billings, MT, hosts the Series for the 10th time in track history with a two-night program featuring a special purse. The event pays tribute to the late Montana resident and Sprint Car supporter, who helped to build the track before its opening in 2003.

2025 Knoxville Nationals winner Ryan Timms swept the weekend last year in a dominant showing over the 360 Sprint Car regulars, two weeks after his triumph on dirt track racing’s biggest stage.

Fuzzy’s Fall Fling (Nov. 13–14)

The American Sprint Car Series champion will once again be crowned at its homeland in 2026.

Creek County Speedway hosts the 11th edition of Fuzzy’s Fall Fling, paying tribute to one of the Series’ most honorable figures — Fuzzy Hahn — the late wife of track and Series founder, Emmett Hahn. A $4,000 winner’s share is up for grabs on Friday night before a $10,000-to-win finale on Saturday.

Following the checkered flag on Saturday comes a special championship celebration, complete with the presentation of the Emmett Hahn Trophy.

Confirmed 2026 Race Dates (more to come)

Thursday–Saturday, Jan. 29–31 | Volusia Speedway Park | Barberville, FL

Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 21–22 | Central Arizona Speedway | Casa Grande, AZ
Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 28–March 1 | Central Arizona Speedway | Casa Grande, AZ

Saturday, April 11 | Salina Highbanks Speedway | Salina, OK

Friday, May 8 | Benton Speedway | Benton, MO

Saturday, May 9 | Paducah International Raceway | Paducah, KY

Saturday, May 30 | Salt City Speedway | Hutchinson, KS

Friday, June 5 | Creek County Speedway | Sapulpa, OK

Saturday, June 6 | 81 Speedway | Park City, KS

Saturday, June 13 | Batesville Motor Speedway | Batesville, AR

Friday–Saturday, June 26–27 | Belleville High Banks | Belleville, KS

Friday, July 25 | Dodge City Raceway Park | Dodge City, KS

Saturday, July 26 | Dawson County Raceway | Lexington, NE

Friday, July 31 | Worthington Speedway | Worthington, MN

Saturday, Aug. 1 | Viking Speedway | Alexandria, MN

Thursday–Saturday, Aug. 6–8 | Knoxville Raceway | Knoxville, IA

Saturday, Aug. 22 | El Paso County Raceway | Calhan, CO

Friday–Saturday, Aug. 28–29 | Big Sky Speedway | Billings, MT

Friday–Saturday, Sept. 5–6 | Electric City Speedway | Great Falls, MT

Sunday, Sept. 13 | Eagle Raceway | Eagle, NE

Saturday, Oct. 10 | RPM Speedway | Crandall, TX

Friday–Saturday, Nov. 13–14 | Creek County Speedway | Sapulpa, OK

For more schedule updates, keep an eye on the ASCS social channels and website.

Ambitious collaboration ahead of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season will pave the road to the Grand National Championship for future stars of the sport

2025 Horizon Award Winner Bodie Paige (65) races at the O to the H Nationals in Harpster, OH this past season. 📸 Cory Texter Promotions

Progressive American Flat Track and Cory Texter Race Promotions Join Forces to Pave the Road to Grand National Championship

Ambitious collaboration ahead of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season will pave the road to the Grand National Championship for future stars of the sport

2025 Horizon Award Winner Bodie Paige (65) races at the O to the H Nationals in Harpster, OH this past season. 📸 Cory Texter Promotions

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (December 11, 2025) – AMA Pro Racing and Cory Texter Race Promotions are thrilled to detail an ambitious collaboration ahead of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season which will pave the road to the Grand National Championship for the future stars of the sport.  As part of this initiative, each of the first seven stops on the ‘26 Progressive AFT calendar will be preceded by an AMA-sanctioned Mission Foods CTR Showcase Event to be held at the same venue on the day before the subsequent American Flat Track National.  And it goes much deeper than merely introducing aspiring young amateur racers to the Progressive AFT paddock and providing them with an opportunity to showcase their skills in front of the key stakeholders of the sport.  Each Mission Foods CTR Showcase Event will feature the 450 Road to AFT class, which will utilize the same technical rules as the all-new AFT 450 ProSport class. The top 12 finishers in the Road to AFT Main Events will automatically qualify for an AFT 450 ProSport license and will be granted entry for the following day’s National event. Additionally, points from the Road to AFT class can be applied toward earning an AMA Pro Expert license for the 2027 season.  This direct pipeline connects the amateur and pro ranks of motorcycle dirt track racing like never before, helping ensure that the most promising talents are identified and provided with the maximum opportunity to both build their individual careers and strengthen the sport as a whole.  By its very design, AFT 450 ProSport plays a critical role in that masterplan. This stepping-stone class is built around stock 450cc single-cylinder motorcycles featuring minimal modifications. As such, AFT 450 ProSport reduces financial barriers while creating a level playing field that showcases rider talent more so than equipment to encourage broad participation from grassroots racers.   With lowered operating and bike preparation costs, amateurs, privateers, small teams, and regional aces alike will be provided a shared arena in which they can demonstrate their ability before a national audience.  Cory Texter, two-time AFT Production Twins Champion and founder of Cory Texter Race Promotions, said, “I’m extremely excited about our plans for next year. It’s been a long time coming, and we’ve been working tirelessly to make this happen. It’s a great opportunity for amateur riders to compete at the same venues as the professional series, racing in front of professional teams and partners. We will be at different venues all around the country, which was important so that we could provide this opportunity to riders from as wide a geographic area as possible. For as long as I can remember, my passion has been growing the sport, and I am excited to take this important step toward that goal.”  In addition to the 450 Road to AFT class, the AMA-sanctioned Mission Foods CTR Showcase events will feature amateur classes for all ages and motorcycle sizes, providing riders the opportunity to compete at professional-level facilities in front of the Progressive American Flat Track fans attending the weekend’s races.  Mission Foods CTR Showcase Event Schedule  March 4, 2026 – Royal Enfield Short Track at DAYTONA I, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL (Progressive AFT Nationals on March 5-6) March 20, 2026 – Atlanta Short Track, Senoia Raceway, Senoia, GA (Progressive AFT National on March 21) April 24, 2026 – Ventura Short Track, Ventura Raceway, Ventura, CA (Progressive AFT National on April 25) May 1, 2026 – Silver Dollar Short Track, Silver Dollar Speedway, Chico, CA (Progressive AFT National on May 2) May 15, 2026 – ThrottleFest, Budds Creek Motocross Park, Mechanicsville, MD (Progressive AFT National on May 16) May 22, 2026 – Williams Grove Half-Mile, Williams Grove, Mechanicsburg, PA (Progressive AFT National on May 23) June 5, 2026 – Nashville Short Track, Tennessee National Raceway, Hohenwald, TN (Progressive AFT National on June 6)  For more information on Progressive American Flat Track visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

CONCORD, NC (December 10, 2025) – “The Big Wheel” is rolling to The Greatest Show on Dirt.

Scotty Thiel has teamed with Greg Wheeler Motorsports for a rookie run with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2026. The Sheboygan, WI native joins Ashton Torgerson as the second driver committed to chasing Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year honors.

The move completes a lifelong goal for Thiel. He’s carved out a successful path for himself in the sport that includes the 2024 Interstate Racing Association (IRA) championship, and now he’s ready to make the final step to competing with the nation’s best Sprint Car drivers every week.

“At the end of this year, I started talking with Greg,” Thiel explained. “He didn’t really have any plans set for this coming season but mentioned doing a lot of races and maybe picking and choosing. I’m at the point in my life where I don’t really want to do that, just race to race. I want to race with a purpose and achieve a goal of racing full-time with the World of Outlaws.

“He was building up equipment over the years it seemed like, and the way that he laid it out to me, how we could run this thing kind of allowed me to build a package that I’m comfortable with.”

Thiel enters his maiden voyage with the World of Outlaws on the heels of a strong 2025. He topped seven main events in 40 nights of action, including four with IRA. A trio of his wins were at tracks on the 2026 World of Outlaws calendar: Plymouth Dirt Track, Angell Park Speedway, and Eldora Speedway.

Greg Wheeler Motorsports (GWM) had its own solid year in 2025 with Max Guilford behind the wheel of the No. 16C. They won three races together with IRA and finished fifth in points.

Now, Thiel and GWM are ready to join forces and see what they can do with The Greatest Show on Dirt. Thiel has worked hard to get to this point, and he intends to make the most of it.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be in this position with a program that is really able to go do this,” Thiel said. “I’m very grateful and excited for that. It’s going to be a stretch to get everything put together here, but we only have four races we have to worry about right away, and then we have a little break again, so we’ll be okay. I’m just really looking forward to the opportunity and just being able to use this leverage to build the program even more and racing with the best.”

Thiel and the Greg Wheeler Motorsports team kick off the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 4-7 in Barberville, FL. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

Scotty Thiel, Greg Wheeler Motorsports Partner for Rookie World of Outlaws Tour in 2026

CONCORD, NC (December 10, 2025) – “The Big Wheel” is rolling to The Greatest Show on Dirt.

Scotty Thiel has teamed with Greg Wheeler Motorsports for a rookie run with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2026. The Sheboygan, WI native joins Ashton Torgerson as the second driver committed to chasing Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year honors.

The move completes a lifelong goal for Thiel. He’s carved out a successful path for himself in the sport that includes the 2024 Interstate Racing Association (IRA) championship, and now he’s ready to make the final step to competing with the nation’s best Sprint Car drivers every week.

“At the end of this year, I started talking with Greg,” Thiel explained. “He didn’t really have any plans set for this coming season but mentioned doing a lot of races and maybe picking and choosing. I’m at the point in my life where I don’t really want to do that, just race to race. I want to race with a purpose and achieve a goal of racing full-time with the World of Outlaws.

“He was building up equipment over the years it seemed like, and the way that he laid it out to me, how we could run this thing kind of allowed me to build a package that I’m comfortable with.”

Thiel enters his maiden voyage with the World of Outlaws on the heels of a strong 2025. He topped seven main events in 40 nights of action, including four with IRA. A trio of his wins were at tracks on the 2026 World of Outlaws calendar: Plymouth Dirt Track, Angell Park Speedway, and Eldora Speedway.

Greg Wheeler Motorsports (GWM) had its own solid year in 2025 with Max Guilford behind the wheel of the No. 16C. They won three races together with IRA and finished fifth in points.

Now, Thiel and GWM are ready to join forces and see what they can do with The Greatest Show on Dirt. Thiel has worked hard to get to this point, and he intends to make the most of it.

“I didn’t think I’d ever be in this position with a program that is really able to go do this,” Thiel said. “I’m very grateful and excited for that. It’s going to be a stretch to get everything put together here, but we only have four races we have to worry about right away, and then we have a little break again, so we’ll be okay. I’m just really looking forward to the opportunity and just being able to use this leverage to build the program even more and racing with the best.”

Thiel and the Greg Wheeler Motorsports team kick off the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 4-7 in Barberville, FL. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

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

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.

Revisiting Two Decades of World of Outlaws Sunshine State History

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.

CONCORD, NC (December 9, 2025) – One of the best stories in Sprint Car Racing is set to add another chapter in 2026. Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing have announced their return to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for their 13th consecutive campaign.

The Hanover, PA native is fresh off securing a fourth-place result in the 2025 standings with The Greatest Show on Dirt, his fifth time finishing within the top five against the nation’s top talent. He tallied a pair of victories, 13 podiums, 32 top fives, 53 top 10s, 13 Heat wins, and 31 Dash appearances this year.

Schuchart and the team owned by his grandfather, Bobby Allen, hit the road with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2014. Many expected a lack of resources and experience to end their campaign early. But the calendar kept turning, and the Shark No. 1S kept pulling into dirt tracks across the country.

Determination and an unwavering willingness to finish what they started powered them to completing that first season.

Fast forward 11 years, and the pages of this feel-good story are still being written with no final chapter in sight.

The 32-year-old’s career résumé includes 44 victories (20th all-time) at 24 tracks, 151 podiums, 274 top fives, and 515 top 10s. He also won the highest-paying race in the sport’s history in 2023 at Eldora Speedway’s Eldora Million.

Schuchart and the Shark Racing team begin the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 4-7. For tickets, CLICK HERE. Schuchart will compete in a Federated Auto Parts-backed ride at the season opening event before the DuraMAX No. 1S debuts at Volusia’s Bike Week Jamboree on March 1-2.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

Logan Schuchart Set for 13th World of Outlaws Season with Shark Racing

CONCORD, NC (December 9, 2025) – One of the best stories in Sprint Car Racing is set to add another chapter in 2026. Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing have announced their return to the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for their 13th consecutive campaign.

The Hanover, PA native is fresh off securing a fourth-place result in the 2025 standings with The Greatest Show on Dirt, his fifth time finishing within the top five against the nation’s top talent. He tallied a pair of victories, 13 podiums, 32 top fives, 53 top 10s, 13 Heat wins, and 31 Dash appearances this year.

Schuchart and the team owned by his grandfather, Bobby Allen, hit the road with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series in 2014. Many expected a lack of resources and experience to end their campaign early. But the calendar kept turning, and the Shark No. 1S kept pulling into dirt tracks across the country.

Determination and an unwavering willingness to finish what they started powered them to completing that first season.

Fast forward 11 years, and the pages of this feel-good story are still being written with no final chapter in sight.

The 32-year-old’s career résumé includes 44 victories (20th all-time) at 24 tracks, 151 podiums, 274 top fives, and 515 top 10s. He also won the highest-paying race in the sport’s history in 2023 at Eldora Speedway’s Eldora Million.

Schuchart and the Shark Racing team begin the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 4-7. For tickets, CLICK HERE. Schuchart will compete in a Federated Auto Parts-backed ride at the season opening event before the DuraMAX No. 1S debuts at Volusia’s Bike Week Jamboree on March 1-2.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

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

CONCORD, NC (December 8, 2025) – Donny Schatz has secured a new home at CJB Motorsports for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

This pairs the 10-time Series champion with renowned crew chief Barry Jackson as Schatz enters his 30th consecutive full season with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

The move also marks a return to the World of Outlaws for CJB Motorsports, which last competed on tour in 2023 with Spencer Bayston. The Chad and Ann Marie Clemens-owned team was founded in 2005 and owns 52 triumphs with The Greatest Show on Dirt, supplied by drivers David Gravel (32), Paul McMahan (13), Spencer Bayston (four), Fred Rahmer (two), and Shane Stewart (one). Schatz’s joining expands CJB to a two-car organization.

The Fargo, ND driver will aim to add his name to the list and expand upon his all-time great résumé. His 10 World of Outlaws championships trail only Steve Kinser’s tally of 20 titles. His 316 career Series wins rank third behind Steve Kinser (690) and Sammy Swindell (394). Overall, he’s won more than 500 Sprint Car Features in his historic career. Among them are 11 Knoxville Nationals (second most), six Kings Royals (second most), and six National Opens (most).

It’s a brand-new chapter for Schatz, who parted ways with Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing in August, ending a run that began in 2008. Schatz completed his 29th campaign splitting time driving for Tod Quiring, Dave Lunstra, Kevin Kozlowski, and Jason Sides. The 48-year-old will continue to carry his familiar No. 15 as he pursues an 11th championship.

Schatz and the CJB team begin the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season with the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 4-7. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

Donny Schatz Joins CJB Motorsports for 2026 World of Outlaws Campaign 

CONCORD, NC (December 8, 2025) – Donny Schatz has secured a new home at CJB Motorsports for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

This pairs the 10-time Series champion with renowned crew chief Barry Jackson as Schatz enters his 30th consecutive full season with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

The move also marks a return to the World of Outlaws for CJB Motorsports, which last competed on tour in 2023 with Spencer Bayston. The Chad and Ann Marie Clemens-owned team was founded in 2005 and owns 52 triumphs with The Greatest Show on Dirt, supplied by drivers David Gravel (32), Paul McMahan (13), Spencer Bayston (four), Fred Rahmer (two), and Shane Stewart (one). Schatz’s joining expands CJB to a two-car organization.

The Fargo, ND driver will aim to add his name to the list and expand upon his all-time great résumé. His 10 World of Outlaws championships trail only Steve Kinser’s tally of 20 titles. His 316 career Series wins rank third behind Steve Kinser (690) and Sammy Swindell (394). Overall, he’s won more than 500 Sprint Car Features in his historic career. Among them are 11 Knoxville Nationals (second most), six Kings Royals (second most), and six National Opens (most).

It’s a brand-new chapter for Schatz, who parted ways with Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing in August, ending a run that began in 2008. Schatz completed his 29th campaign splitting time driving for Tod Quiring, Dave Lunstra, Kevin Kozlowski, and Jason Sides. The 48-year-old will continue to carry his familiar No. 15 as he pursues an 11th championship.

Schatz and the CJB team begin the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car season with the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 4-7. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

For the complete 2026 schedule, CLICK HERE.

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

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 8, 2026) – Forty years of DIRTcar Summer Nationals history will be celebrated during the 2026 campaign for the famed Hell Tour.

Since its inception in 1986, the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour has become the heart and soul for Late Model and Modified racing in the Midwest. Seventeen different drivers have been crowned a Late Model champion and thousands of drivers have tested their limits against the Series’ grueling schedule.

In 2026, the tradition continues with the Late Models set to run over 30 races in 34 days across nine different states. The DIRTcar Summit Racing Modified Nationals will race alongside the Late Models for 25 of those events and again crown its Series champion during the Prairie Dirt Classic, July 24-25.

Five tracks return to the schedule – two for the first time in over 30 years – and two will be brand new to the Series.

WHAT’S NEW

Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway (June 18) – The Summer Nationals Late Models’ final stop in Iowa this year will be their first appearance at the 3/8-mile dirt track – located about 15 minutes from the borders of Wisconsin and Illinois.  The last premier Super Late Model event at the track was a World of Outlaws Late Model race in 2018, won by Brandon Sheppard.

Camden Speedway (June 29) – Tennessee welcomes the Hell Tour for one stop again in 2026, but this time it’s for a debut at the 3/8-mile Camden Speedway. The event will open Week #4 on the tour with both the Late Models and Modifieds in attendance.

WELCOME BACK

West Liberty Raceway (June 16) – Iowa’s first appearance on the schedule in 2026 brings the Hell Tour back to West Liberty Raceway for the first time in over 30 years. The Series has made two previous stops at the 1/2-mile track – one in 1994, won by Bill Frye, and the other in 1995, won by Rick Aukland. The Summit Modified Nationals will make its debut appearance there.

Poplar Bluff Motorsports Park (June 22) – Week #3 on the Hell Tour opens with the Series’ first time back in Poplar Bluff, MO since 2007. During that visit, Billy Moyer became the inaugural Summer Nationals winner at the 3/8-mile track. It’ll also be another debut track for the Summit Modified Nationals.

Paducah International Raceway (June 26) – The Summer Nationals’ first Kentucky stop in 2026 sees Paducah back on the schedule after a year away. The 3/8-mile dirt track has hosted the tour 18 times since 1996. Tanner English won the last DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model event there, while Trent Young won the last Summit Modified Nationals race there in 2024.

Windy Hollow Speedway (June 28) – Week #3 starts with a long-awaited return and ends with an even longer-awaited return as Windy Hollow Speedway makes its first appearance back on the Summer Nationals schedule since 1995. In the three previous Summer Nationals stops there, Billy Moyer won the first two events (1993, 1994), while Steve Barnett won the last. The track will also be another new stop for the Summit Modified Nationals.

I-96 Speedway (July 8) – The tour’s first trip back to Michigan in July comes with its first trip back to I-96 Speedway since 2021. The 3/8-mile dirt track has hosted the Summer Nationals nine times since 2005. Devin Moran won the last Late Model race in 2021. The Summit Modified Nationals have raced at the track seven times with Hunt Gossum winning the last visit in 2021.

HELLUVA PAYOUT

Over $150,000 in points fund money will be distributed on a weekly basis to the Late Models — $10,000 to the points champion of each week, plus a check for each driver inside the top-10 in each week’s points. Overall points standings will also be kept, awarding another $10,000 bonus to the 2026 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion, in addition to checks for the top-10 in overall points. A tow money bonus is also in store for each driver who maintains perfect attendance throughout the summer — $500 for every 500 miles traveled.

Summit Modifieds will compete for a slice of the $15,000 points fund, which will be distributed at season’s end to the top-10 in the final championship standings — $5,000 to the champion, $2,500 for runner-up, $2,000 for third place, and so on. View the full championship points fund by clicking here.

Don’t miss a moment of the action next summer — buy a ticket at the gate of a track near you or watch every lap of every race live with a subscription to DIRTVision.

COMBINED TOUR SCHEDULES

Week #1
Tuesday, June 9 | Brownstown Bullring | Brownstown, IL
Wednesday, June 10 | Kankakee County Speedway | Kankakee, IL
Thursday, June 11 | Peoria Speedway | Peoria, IL
Friday, June 12 | Tri-City Speedway | Granite City, IL
Saturday, June 13 | Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL
Sunday, June 14 | Sycamore Speedway | Maple Park, IL (Late Models only)

Week #2
Monday, June 15 | Wilmot Raceway | Wilmot, WI (Late Models only)
Tuesday, June 16 | West Liberty Raceway | West Liberty, IA (Late Models only)
Wednesday, June 17 | Davenport Speedway | Davenport, IA (Late Models only)
Thursday, June 18 | Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway | Dubuque, IA (Late Models only)
Friday, June 19 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL
Saturday, June 20 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO
Sunday, June 21 | Lincoln Speedway | Lincoln, IL

Week #3
Monday, June 22 | Poplar Bluff Motorsports Park | Poplar Bluff, MO
Tuesday, June 23 | Benton Speedway | Benton, MO
Wednesday, June 24 | Quincy Raceways | Quincy, IL
Thursday, June 25 | Springfield Raceway | Springfield, MO (Late Models only)
Friday, June 26 | Paducah International Raceway | Paducah, KY
Saturday, June 27 | Tri-State Speedway | Haubstadt, IN
Sunday, June 28 | Windy Hollow Speedway | Owensboro, KY

Week #4
Monday, June 29 | Camden Speedway | Camden, TN
Tuesday, June 30 | TBA
Wednesday, July 1 | TBA
Thursday, July 2 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL
Friday, July 3 | Red Hill Raceway | Sumner, IL
Saturday, July 4 | Highland Speedway | Highland, IL
Sunday, July 5 | Macon Speedway | Macon, IL

Week #5
Monday, July 6 | TBA
Tuesday, July 7 | Montpelier Speedway | Montpelier, IN
Wednesday, July 8 | I-96 Speedway | Lake Odessa, MI
Thursday, July 9 | Butler Motor Speedway | Quincy, MI
Friday, July 10 | Crystal Motor Speedway | Crystal, MI
Saturday, July 11 | Oakshade Raceway | Wauseon, OH
Sunday, July 12 | Wayne County Speedway | Orrville, OH (Late Model Championship Finale)

2026 SCHEDULE: 40th Anniversary Season Packs Over 30 Races in 5 Week Span From June to July

CONCORD, NC (Dec. 8, 2026) – Forty years of DIRTcar Summer Nationals history will be celebrated during the 2026 campaign for the famed Hell Tour.

Since its inception in 1986, the DIRTcar Summer Nationals tour has become the heart and soul for Late Model and Modified racing in the Midwest. Seventeen different drivers have been crowned a Late Model champion and thousands of drivers have tested their limits against the Series’ grueling schedule.

In 2026, the tradition continues with the Late Models set to run over 30 races in 34 days across nine different states. The DIRTcar Summit Racing Modified Nationals will race alongside the Late Models for 25 of those events and again crown its Series champion during the Prairie Dirt Classic, July 24-25.

Five tracks return to the schedule – two for the first time in over 30 years – and two will be brand new to the Series.

WHAT’S NEW

Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway (June 18) – The Summer Nationals Late Models’ final stop in Iowa this year will be their first appearance at the 3/8-mile dirt track – located about 15 minutes from the borders of Wisconsin and Illinois.  The last premier Super Late Model event at the track was a World of Outlaws Late Model race in 2018, won by Brandon Sheppard.

Camden Speedway (June 29) – Tennessee welcomes the Hell Tour for one stop again in 2026, but this time it’s for a debut at the 3/8-mile Camden Speedway. The event will open Week #4 on the tour with both the Late Models and Modifieds in attendance.

WELCOME BACK

West Liberty Raceway (June 16) – Iowa’s first appearance on the schedule in 2026 brings the Hell Tour back to West Liberty Raceway for the first time in over 30 years. The Series has made two previous stops at the 1/2-mile track – one in 1994, won by Bill Frye, and the other in 1995, won by Rick Aukland. The Summit Modified Nationals will make its debut appearance there.

Poplar Bluff Motorsports Park (June 22) – Week #3 on the Hell Tour opens with the Series’ first time back in Poplar Bluff, MO since 2007. During that visit, Billy Moyer became the inaugural Summer Nationals winner at the 3/8-mile track. It’ll also be another debut track for the Summit Modified Nationals.

Paducah International Raceway (June 26) – The Summer Nationals’ first Kentucky stop in 2026 sees Paducah back on the schedule after a year away. The 3/8-mile dirt track has hosted the tour 18 times since 1996. Tanner English won the last DIRTcar Summer Nationals Late Model event there, while Trent Young won the last Summit Modified Nationals race there in 2024.

Windy Hollow Speedway (June 28) – Week #3 starts with a long-awaited return and ends with an even longer-awaited return as Windy Hollow Speedway makes its first appearance back on the Summer Nationals schedule since 1995. In the three previous Summer Nationals stops there, Billy Moyer won the first two events (1993, 1994), while Steve Barnett won the last. The track will also be another new stop for the Summit Modified Nationals.

I-96 Speedway (July 8) – The tour’s first trip back to Michigan in July comes with its first trip back to I-96 Speedway since 2021. The 3/8-mile dirt track has hosted the Summer Nationals nine times since 2005. Devin Moran won the last Late Model race in 2021. The Summit Modified Nationals have raced at the track seven times with Hunt Gossum winning the last visit in 2021.

HELLUVA PAYOUT

Over $150,000 in points fund money will be distributed on a weekly basis to the Late Models — $10,000 to the points champion of each week, plus a check for each driver inside the top-10 in each week’s points. Overall points standings will also be kept, awarding another $10,000 bonus to the 2026 DIRTcar Summer Nationals champion, in addition to checks for the top-10 in overall points. A tow money bonus is also in store for each driver who maintains perfect attendance throughout the summer — $500 for every 500 miles traveled.

Summit Modifieds will compete for a slice of the $15,000 points fund, which will be distributed at season’s end to the top-10 in the final championship standings — $5,000 to the champion, $2,500 for runner-up, $2,000 for third place, and so on. View the full championship points fund by clicking here.

Don’t miss a moment of the action next summer — buy a ticket at the gate of a track near you or watch every lap of every race live with a subscription to DIRTVision.

COMBINED TOUR SCHEDULES

Week #1
Tuesday, June 9 | Brownstown Bullring | Brownstown, IL
Wednesday, June 10 | Kankakee County Speedway | Kankakee, IL
Thursday, June 11 | Peoria Speedway | Peoria, IL
Friday, June 12 | Tri-City Speedway | Granite City, IL
Saturday, June 13 | Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL
Sunday, June 14 | Sycamore Speedway | Maple Park, IL (Late Models only)

Week #2
Monday, June 15 | Wilmot Raceway | Wilmot, WI (Late Models only)
Tuesday, June 16 | West Liberty Raceway | West Liberty, IA (Late Models only)
Wednesday, June 17 | Davenport Speedway | Davenport, IA (Late Models only)
Thursday, June 18 | Dubuque Fairgrounds Speedway | Dubuque, IA (Late Models only)
Friday, June 19 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL
Saturday, June 20 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO
Sunday, June 21 | Lincoln Speedway | Lincoln, IL

Week #3
Monday, June 22 | Poplar Bluff Motorsports Park | Poplar Bluff, MO
Tuesday, June 23 | Benton Speedway | Benton, MO
Wednesday, June 24 | Quincy Raceways | Quincy, IL
Thursday, June 25 | Springfield Raceway | Springfield, MO (Late Models only)
Friday, June 26 | Paducah International Raceway | Paducah, KY
Saturday, June 27 | Tri-State Speedway | Haubstadt, IN
Sunday, June 28 | Windy Hollow Speedway | Owensboro, KY

Week #4
Monday, June 29 | Camden Speedway | Camden, TN
Tuesday, June 30 | TBA
Wednesday, July 1 | TBA
Thursday, July 2 | LaSalle Speedway | LaSalle, IL
Friday, July 3 | Red Hill Raceway | Sumner, IL
Saturday, July 4 | Highland Speedway | Highland, IL
Sunday, July 5 | Macon Speedway | Macon, IL

Week #5
Monday, July 6 | TBA
Tuesday, July 7 | Montpelier Speedway | Montpelier, IN
Wednesday, July 8 | I-96 Speedway | Lake Odessa, MI
Thursday, July 9 | Butler Motor Speedway | Quincy, MI
Friday, July 10 | Crystal Motor Speedway | Crystal, MI
Saturday, July 11 | Oakshade Raceway | Wauseon, OH
Sunday, July 12 | Wayne County Speedway | Orrville, OH (Late Model Championship Finale)

36th Annual Prairie Dirt Classic (Modified Championship Finale)
Friday-Saturday, July 24-25 | Fairbury Speedway | Fairbury, IL

Eurocrew 2025: What a Weekend!

Last weekend, we headed out to Circuito Monteblanco, just outside Seville, for the Eurocrew trackday in Spain, packed with drifting, track cars, and show cars. Around 15,000 people came through the gates, and the atmosphere didn’t disappoint.

Baggsy and the GT86 were out on track with two demos on Saturday and two more on Sunday, giving everyone a taste of what the GT86 is about. Away from the demos, we filled the schedule with signing sessions, interviews, and plenty of time hanging out with fans. As always, the Spanish crowd brought the energy, and it was great to catch up with so many people.We were also testing some new kit, the GoPro Max 2 360. Safe to say, it’s wild. You can check out the footage on @baggsyboyuk to see it in action.

Eurocrew 2025: What a Weekend!

Baggsy and the GT86 hit Circuito Monteblanco for two days of drifting

Last weekend, we headed out to Circuito Monteblanco, just outside Seville, for the Eurocrew trackday in Spain, packed with drifting, track cars, and show cars. Around 15,000 people came through the gates, and the atmosphere didn’t disappoint.

Baggsy and the GT86 were out on track with two demos on Saturday and two more on Sunday, giving everyone a taste of what the GT86 is about. Away from the demos, we filled the schedule with signing sessions, interviews, and plenty of time hanging out with fans. As always, the Spanish crowd brought the energy, and it was great to catch up with so many people.We were also testing some new kit, the GoPro Max 2 360. Safe to say, it’s wild. You can check out the footage on @baggsyboyuk to see it in action.

Big thanks to Monster Energy Spain and the whole Eurocrew team for having us. These events are always relaxed, welcoming, and genuinely good fun to be part of. We love coming back to Spain and putting on a show.The GT86 is staying behind in Spain for a film shoot in early December, while Baggsy gets ready to head straight into a busy run: a Monster event in Budapest, followed by the Abu Dhabi F1.

O’Reilly Auto Parts Continues Support of Rookie of the Year Program

BATAVIA, Ohio (November 26, 2025) – O’Reilly Auto Parts is back as the title sponsor for the Rookie of the Year program through 2028, with the leading rookie driver earning a record-breaking $20,000 once more. In addition to their cash prize, the Rookie of the Year will receive product certificates from multiple manufacturers, valued at over $10,000. The second and third-place finishers will receive $5,000 and $2,500, respectively. “We are thrilled to have O’Reilly Auto Parts return as the title sponsor of the Rookie of the Year Program for the next three years. With their partnership, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series will pay the largest cash and product awards for the Rookie of the Year in dirt late model racing. We look forward to 2026 and another great partnership with all the O’Reilly Auto Parts employees and stores across the country”, stated Wayne Castleberry, Marketing and Sales for Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series. A driver wishing to compete for the Rookie of the Year must declare their intent before the drivers’ meeting at the first event beyond April 1. In addition to the cash and product awards to the Rookie of the Year, the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing will pay a $100 bonus to the highest finishing rookie driver in each feature event beyond April 1. Drivers competing for the 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year title will compete across the full Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series calendar, visiting a variety of racetracks for the first time. The schedule includes 58 events at 26 different venues spanning 15 states, from February through October. For the latest news, results, championship standings, and more about the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series presented by FloRacing, please visit www.lucasdirt.com. Previous O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Year:2025 – Donald McIntosh2024 – Drake Troutman2023 – Max Blair2022 – Garrett Alberson2021 – Ricky Thornton Jr.2020 – Tanner English2019 – Tyler Erb2018 – Mason Zeigler2017 – Hudson O’Neal2016 – Colton Flinner2015 – Brandon Sheppard2014 – Jason Hughes2013 – Billy Moyer Jr.2012 – Jonathan Davenport2011 – Jared Landers2010 – Chris Wall2009 – John Blankenship2008 – Terry Casey2007 – Justin Rattliff2006 – Steve Casebolt2005 – Scott James About O’Reilly Automotive, Inc.Since 1957, O’Reilly Automotive, Inc., has grown from a family-owned company to a leader in the automotive replacement parts industry. It supplies equipment, tools, parts, and accessories to professional service providers and do-it-yourself customers across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Canada. With more than 6,500 store locations and growing, the O’Reilly Professional Parts People deliver excellent customer service, knowledge and value to the communities they serve.

CONCORD, NC (November 26, 2025) – The fourth season of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota brought a season of firsts for many drivers and created historical markers in national competition.

Beginning at Farmer City Raceway and closing at Millbridge Speedway, nine drivers completed the full 23-race campaign, as eight parked a Midget in Victory Lane with the Series.

Here’s a look at the top moments from the season:

Denney’s Domination – Jacob Denney completed his first campaign with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets at the top of the list in almost every category. Most wins (11). Most top fives (20). Most laps led (203). And he was the only driver to finish every race in the top-10. All of which led to him being crowned the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets 2025 champion.

His first season as the pilot of the JBL Audio No. 67 for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports (KKM) began with a season-opening victory in the Illini 100. Then, he swept the Kansas weekend at Humboldt and 81 to start the year with three wins in the first four races.

The summer months showcased Denney’s true level of dominance, collecting seven wins from June to September, 12 podiums in 13 races, and the Appalachian Midget Week and Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series championships.

He closed the season with two podiums in the final three races, with a season-finale win at Millbridge cementing his place as the 2025 Series champion. Adding a championship in the POWRi National Midget League, he’s helped KKM build to a total of 20 national titles.

Five Firsts – Though Denney attained a history-creating season in 2025, his win at Farmer City made him one of five drivers to win their first career Xtreme Outlaw Midget Feature in the calendar.

After Denney, Missouri’s Joe B. Miller became the second first-time winner, driving Tim Engler’s No. 7X to Victory Lane at Spoon River Speedway. Two weeks later, fellow “Show Me State” native Kameron Key took his No. 9U Trifecta Motorsports Midget Victory Lane during the Ironman 55 finale at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park.

On the second night of Appalachian Midget Week, Kennedale, TX’s Kyle Jones snagged his first national Midget win at Linda’s Speedway as the second driver to win behind the wheel of the No. 7X machine. The final driver to earn first win honors went to Mooresville, NC’s Trevor Cline, who outdueled Denney in the final laps to score the Honest Abe Roofing Open Wheel Showdown triumph at Jacksonville Speedway.

Keith’s Big Three – While Denney carried the torch for KKM at the top of the standings in the 2025 Xtreme Outlaw Midget season, he was not the sole pilot to take the team to Victory Lane in 2025.

2024 Series champion Cannon McIntosh captured three wins between May and June, which include the Xtreme Outlaw Series’ debut at Airport Raceway, the inaugural King of Coles finale at Coles County Speedway, and the St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff at I-55. The Bixby, OK driver extended his lead in the all-time wins list to 14, leaving the 2025 calendar.

When he scored eight podiums in the first 12 races, the question of when Gavin Miller won his fourth Xtreme Outlaw Feature was prevalent. The moment came in the heart of his home state when the Allentown, PA driver dominated all 30 laps at Path Valley Speedway Park to tie former teammate Ryan Timms for seventh on the all-time list.

Veteran Farewell – Becoming the Xtreme Outlaw’s most experienced driver through 82 career appearances, Chase McDermand wrapped the bow on his full-time career behind the wheel of a Midget.

The Springfield, IL native spent the 2025 season as a first-time team owner for the Chase McDermand Racing (CMR) Toyota-powered No. 40. While it was the 24-year-old’s first season without winning a Feature, he visited the podium five times, earned 11 top fives, and drove to 19 top-10 finishes.

McDermand also fielded an occasional second Midget that Steven Snyder Jr filled for multiple races, including a night at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway that saw Snyder earn High Point honors and lead the most laps in the Feature. Though McDermand announced a departure from a full-time driving career, he’ll wear the crew chief hat for CMR as he focuses on growing his business.

Rookie Six Pack – The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets provide a proving ground for dirt racing’s brightest stars to make their name on a national scale. Six drivers who joined the Series in 2025 were rookies who made up the majority of the top-10 in the final points standings.

Trifecta Motorsports turned an unlikely combination into a friendship as Kameron Key and Michael Faccinto joined the team for the season. While Key’s crown jewel win and five total podiums drove him to Rookie of the Year honors, California driver Michael Faccinto soaked in the input from Key and the Trifecta squad as he wheeled the No. 5U to fifth in the Series standings – wheeling towards five top fives and 14 top-10s.

KKM welcomed three drivers to its team in 2025, who hail from diverse racing backgrounds. Titusville, FL’s Colton Robinson took the No. 67K LynK Chassis to six Heat Race victories and 16 top-10 finishes. Spring Branch, TX driver Alex Karpowicz took nine top-10 finishes in the No. 72 Big Red Soap Toyota, including his first High Point award at Action Track USA. Sheffield, England’s Brandon Carr took on his first dirt racing season in the No. 98K after building his resumé through karting. While he posted eight top-10s and a high of fourth at Clyde Martin, Carr won his first career national Midget Feature with POWRi in October.

Huntersville, NC’s Hayden Wise put together multiple standout performances in her first full year racing Midgets. She had a career best performance at Clyde Martin, winning her first Smith Titanium Quick Time award and finishing on the podium. The 14-year-old rookie also led laps at Airport and Millbridge, with her season stats showing three top fives and 12 top 10s.

Final Xtreme Outlaw Midgets Points Standings

1. Jacob Denney: 5073 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 67
2. Gavin Miller: -404 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 97
3. Kameron Key: -507 points | Trifecta Motorsports No. 9U
4. Chase McDermand: -562 points | Chase McDermand Racing No. 40
5. Michael Faccinto: -871 points | Trifecta Motorsports No. 5U
6. Colton Robinson: -873 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 67K
7. Hayden Wise: -937 points | Ninety-Four Motorsports No. 94
8. Cannon McIntosh: -972 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 71K
9. Alex Karpowicz: -1004 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 72
10. Brandon Carr: -1242 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 98K

2025 XTREME OUTLAW MIDGET SCHEDULE

No. | Date | Track | Location | Winner (Total Wins)

* Denotes Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series Races

1. *Friday, April 11 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | Jacob Denney
2. *Saturday, April 12 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | Karter Sarff
3. Friday, May 9 | Humboldt Speedway | Humboldt, KS | Jacob Denney (2)
4. Saturday, May 10 | 81 Speedway | Park City, KS | Jacob Denney (3)
5. Saturday, May 24 | Airport Raceway | Garden City, KS | Cannon McIntosh
6. *Friday, May 30 | Coles County Speedway | Mattoon, IL | Karter Sarff (2)
7. *Saturday, May 31 | Coles County Speedway | Mattoon, IL | Cannon McIntosh (2)
8. *Friday, June 20 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Cannon McIntosh (3)
9. *Saturday, June 21 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Jacob Denney (4)
10. Friday, July 18 | Spoon River Speedway | Lewistown, IL | Joe B. Miller
11. Friday, July 25 | Arrowhead Speedway | Colcord, OK | Jacob Denney (5)
12. Saturday, July 26 | Tulsa Speedway | Tulsa, OK | Jacob Denney (6)
13. *Friday, August 1 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Karter Sarff (3)
14. *Saturday, August 2 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Kameron Key
15. Wednesday, August 6 | Action Track USA | Kutztown, PA | Jacob Denney (7)
16. Thursday, August 7 | Linda’s Speedway | Jonestown, PA | Kyle Jones
17. Friday, August 8 | Path Valley Speedway Park | Spring Run, PA | Gavin Miller
18. Saturday, August 9 | Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway | Newmanstown, PA | Jacob Denney (8)
19. *Friday, September 5 | Doe Run Raceway | Doe Run, MO | Jacob Denney (9)
20. *Saturday, September 6 | Highland Speedway | Highland Park, IL | Jacob Denney (10)
21. Saturday, October 4 | Jacksonville Speedway | Jacksonville, IL | Trevor Cline
22. 2 Monday, November 3 | Millbridge Speedway | Salisbury, NC | Karter Sarff (4)
23. Tuesday, November 4 | Millbridge Speedway | Salisbury, NC | Jacob Denney (11)

SEASON IN REVIEW: 2025 Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series Produced Historic Moments with Rising Stars, Fan-Favorite Veterans 

CONCORD, NC (November 26, 2025) – The fourth season of the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota brought a season of firsts for many drivers and created historical markers in national competition.

Beginning at Farmer City Raceway and closing at Millbridge Speedway, nine drivers completed the full 23-race campaign, as eight parked a Midget in Victory Lane with the Series.

Here’s a look at the top moments from the season:

Denney’s Domination – Jacob Denney completed his first campaign with the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets at the top of the list in almost every category. Most wins (11). Most top fives (20). Most laps led (203). And he was the only driver to finish every race in the top-10. All of which led to him being crowned the Xtreme Outlaw Midgets 2025 champion.

His first season as the pilot of the JBL Audio No. 67 for Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports (KKM) began with a season-opening victory in the Illini 100. Then, he swept the Kansas weekend at Humboldt and 81 to start the year with three wins in the first four races.

The summer months showcased Denney’s true level of dominance, collecting seven wins from June to September, 12 podiums in 13 races, and the Appalachian Midget Week and Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series championships.

He closed the season with two podiums in the final three races, with a season-finale win at Millbridge cementing his place as the 2025 Series champion. Adding a championship in the POWRi National Midget League, he’s helped KKM build to a total of 20 national titles.

Five Firsts – Though Denney attained a history-creating season in 2025, his win at Farmer City made him one of five drivers to win their first career Xtreme Outlaw Midget Feature in the calendar.

After Denney, Missouri’s Joe B. Miller became the second first-time winner, driving Tim Engler’s No. 7X to Victory Lane at Spoon River Speedway. Two weeks later, fellow “Show Me State” native Kameron Key took his No. 9U Trifecta Motorsports Midget Victory Lane during the Ironman 55 finale at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park.

On the second night of Appalachian Midget Week, Kennedale, TX’s Kyle Jones snagged his first national Midget win at Linda’s Speedway as the second driver to win behind the wheel of the No. 7X machine. The final driver to earn first win honors went to Mooresville, NC’s Trevor Cline, who outdueled Denney in the final laps to score the Honest Abe Roofing Open Wheel Showdown triumph at Jacksonville Speedway.

Keith’s Big Three – While Denney carried the torch for KKM at the top of the standings in the 2025 Xtreme Outlaw Midget season, he was not the sole pilot to take the team to Victory Lane in 2025.

2024 Series champion Cannon McIntosh captured three wins between May and June, which include the Xtreme Outlaw Series’ debut at Airport Raceway, the inaugural King of Coles finale at Coles County Speedway, and the St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff at I-55. The Bixby, OK driver extended his lead in the all-time wins list to 14, leaving the 2025 calendar.

When he scored eight podiums in the first 12 races, the question of when Gavin Miller won his fourth Xtreme Outlaw Feature was prevalent. The moment came in the heart of his home state when the Allentown, PA driver dominated all 30 laps at Path Valley Speedway Park to tie former teammate Ryan Timms for seventh on the all-time list.

Veteran Farewell – Becoming the Xtreme Outlaw’s most experienced driver through 82 career appearances, Chase McDermand wrapped the bow on his full-time career behind the wheel of a Midget.

The Springfield, IL native spent the 2025 season as a first-time team owner for the Chase McDermand Racing (CMR) Toyota-powered No. 40. While it was the 24-year-old’s first season without winning a Feature, he visited the podium five times, earned 11 top fives, and drove to 19 top-10 finishes.

McDermand also fielded an occasional second Midget that Steven Snyder Jr filled for multiple races, including a night at Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway that saw Snyder earn High Point honors and lead the most laps in the Feature. Though McDermand announced a departure from a full-time driving career, he’ll wear the crew chief hat for CMR as he focuses on growing his business.

Rookie Six Pack – The Xtreme Outlaw Midgets provide a proving ground for dirt racing’s brightest stars to make their name on a national scale. Six drivers who joined the Series in 2025 were rookies who made up the majority of the top-10 in the final points standings.

Trifecta Motorsports turned an unlikely combination into a friendship as Kameron Key and Michael Faccinto joined the team for the season. While Key’s crown jewel win and five total podiums drove him to Rookie of the Year honors, California driver Michael Faccinto soaked in the input from Key and the Trifecta squad as he wheeled the No. 5U to fifth in the Series standings – wheeling towards five top fives and 14 top-10s.

KKM welcomed three drivers to its team in 2025, who hail from diverse racing backgrounds. Titusville, FL’s Colton Robinson took the No. 67K LynK Chassis to six Heat Race victories and 16 top-10 finishes. Spring Branch, TX driver Alex Karpowicz took nine top-10 finishes in the No. 72 Big Red Soap Toyota, including his first High Point award at Action Track USA. Sheffield, England’s Brandon Carr took on his first dirt racing season in the No. 98K after building his resumé through karting. While he posted eight top-10s and a high of fourth at Clyde Martin, Carr won his first career national Midget Feature with POWRi in October.

Huntersville, NC’s Hayden Wise put together multiple standout performances in her first full year racing Midgets. She had a career best performance at Clyde Martin, winning her first Smith Titanium Quick Time award and finishing on the podium. The 14-year-old rookie also led laps at Airport and Millbridge, with her season stats showing three top fives and 12 top 10s.

Final Xtreme Outlaw Midgets Points Standings

1. Jacob Denney: 5073 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 67
2. Gavin Miller: -404 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 97
3. Kameron Key: -507 points | Trifecta Motorsports No. 9U
4. Chase McDermand: -562 points | Chase McDermand Racing No. 40
5. Michael Faccinto: -871 points | Trifecta Motorsports No. 5U
6. Colton Robinson: -873 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 67K
7. Hayden Wise: -937 points | Ninety-Four Motorsports No. 94
8. Cannon McIntosh: -972 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 71K
9. Alex Karpowicz: -1004 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 72
10. Brandon Carr: -1242 points | Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports No. 98K

2025 XTREME OUTLAW MIDGET SCHEDULE

No. | Date | Track | Location | Winner (Total Wins)

* Denotes Xtreme-POWRi Challenge Series Races

1. *Friday, April 11 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | Jacob Denney
2. *Saturday, April 12 | Farmer City Raceway | Farmer City, IL | Karter Sarff
3. Friday, May 9 | Humboldt Speedway | Humboldt, KS | Jacob Denney (2)
4. Saturday, May 10 | 81 Speedway | Park City, KS | Jacob Denney (3)
5. Saturday, May 24 | Airport Raceway | Garden City, KS | Cannon McIntosh
6. *Friday, May 30 | Coles County Speedway | Mattoon, IL | Karter Sarff (2)
7. *Saturday, May 31 | Coles County Speedway | Mattoon, IL | Cannon McIntosh (2)
8. *Friday, June 20 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Cannon McIntosh (3)
9. *Saturday, June 21 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Jacob Denney (4)
10. Friday, July 18 | Spoon River Speedway | Lewistown, IL | Joe B. Miller
11. Friday, July 25 | Arrowhead Speedway | Colcord, OK | Jacob Denney (5)
12. Saturday, July 26 | Tulsa Speedway | Tulsa, OK | Jacob Denney (6)
13. *Friday, August 1 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Karter Sarff (3)
14. *Saturday, August 2 | I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | Pevely, MO | Kameron Key
15. Wednesday, August 6 | Action Track USA | Kutztown, PA | Jacob Denney (7)
16. Thursday, August 7 | Linda’s Speedway | Jonestown, PA | Kyle Jones
17. Friday, August 8 | Path Valley Speedway Park | Spring Run, PA | Gavin Miller
18. Saturday, August 9 | Clyde Martin Memorial Speedway | Newmanstown, PA | Jacob Denney (8)
19. *Friday, September 5 | Doe Run Raceway | Doe Run, MO | Jacob Denney (9)
20. *Saturday, September 6 | Highland Speedway | Highland Park, IL | Jacob Denney (10)
21. Saturday, October 4 | Jacksonville Speedway | Jacksonville, IL | Trevor Cline
22. 2 Monday, November 3 | Millbridge Speedway | Salisbury, NC | Karter Sarff (4)
23. Tuesday, November 4 | Millbridge Speedway | Salisbury, NC | Jacob Denney (11)

While the Xtreme Outlaw Midget season has come to a close in 2025, be sure to follow along on our social media pages on Facebook, X, and Instagram for all of the latest Series updates.

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

JOHN FORCE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER UNPARALLELED NHRA CAREERWinningest driver in NHRA history officially hangs up his firesuit

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

JOHN FORCE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER UNPARALLELED NHRA CAREERWinningest driver in NHRA history officially hangs up his firesuit

YORBA LINDA, Calif. (Nov. 14, 2025) – Legendary drag racer John Force, 16-time Funny Car champion and the winningest driver in NHRA history, announced Thursday during a media luncheon at his race shop in Yorba Linda that he is officially retiring from competition 17 months after suffering injuries in a devastating crash during competition at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, Va. The numbers Force accumulated over a career that began in the 1970s speak for themselves: 16-time NHRA Funny Car Champion (1990-91, 1993-2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2013); 157 event wins; 269 final-round appearances; 166 No. 1 Qualifiers; 1,460 round wins in competition. “I really love NHRA but I am officially done with driving,” said Force. “I’ve said so many times, ‘Until this race car kills me, they’re gonna have to drag me out of the seat.’ But the truth is, I was dragged out of the seat at Richmond and they thought it killed me then. So, I’m lucky that I’m back walking. They always say never say never, but I have grandchildren with Courtney and Graham, with Ashley and Danny, and now Brittany’s retired because she wants to have children.” “It’s time for me to retire. I had medical stuff that I had to address and ‘do I want to get back in the car and get hit in the head,’ and I don’t. So, I guess it’s official, I’m done. I won’t say I won’t ever get in a car to warm it up or maybe even make a burnout. Don’t know. I guess it’ll be the response from the fans. If they cheer loud enough, I’ll hear ya.” Force will continue to oversee John Force Racing, the 23-time championship winning organization based in Brownsburg, Ind., and it’s three champion drivers: Brittany Force, two-time Top Fuel Champion who is fourth in the point standings in the Monster Energy dragster; Austin Prock, reigning Funny Car Champion who has a 101-point lead going into the Finals in the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car; and 2012 Funny Car Champion Jack Beckman who took over the driving duties for Force in the Peak Antifreeze and Coolant Chevrolet SS Funny Car and is third in the point standings. Brittany Force announced September 12 that she would be stepping away from competition at the end of this season to focus on starting a family with husband Bobby Lyons, Jr. John Force Racing announced Oct. 15 that five-year veteran Top Fuel driver Josh Hart will be driving for its Top Fuel team in 2026.  The luncheon was held to promote this weekend’s NHRA In-N-Out Burger NHRA Nationals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip.

DETROIT – Chevrolet will hit the track for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season sporting an updated design of its Camaro ZL1 racecar, with its competition debut set to come in February at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray.

The latest edition Camaro ZL1 racecar will feature upgraded styling that is aligned with Chevrolet’s recently released Camaro ZL1 Carbon Performance Package accessories kit for owners to optimize the performance capabilities of the sixth-generation Camaro ZL1 production car. Chevrolet collaborated with NASCAR and its teams on this update. The most prominent racecar changes are a larger hood power dome, a revised front grille, and more pronounced rocker panels along the sides of the car. These mirror the new Carbon Performance Package’s carbon-fiber hood insert and rockers, plus ZL1 1LE-spec front grille and splitter.

Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Racecar Set to Debut New Look for2026 NASCAR Cup Series Season

MEDIA RESOURCES: Camaro ZL1 Carbon Performance Package |Photo Gallery

DETROIT – Chevrolet will hit the track for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season sporting an updated design of its Camaro ZL1 racecar, with its competition debut set to come in February at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray.

The latest edition Camaro ZL1 racecar will feature upgraded styling that is aligned with Chevrolet’s recently released Camaro ZL1 Carbon Performance Package accessories kit for owners to optimize the performance capabilities of the sixth-generation Camaro ZL1 production car. Chevrolet collaborated with NASCAR and its teams on this update. The most prominent racecar changes are a larger hood power dome, a revised front grille, and more pronounced rocker panels along the sides of the car. These mirror the new Carbon Performance Package’s carbon-fiber hood insert and rockers, plus ZL1 1LE-spec front grille and splitter.

Dating back to 1955, Chevrolet has competed with 14 different nameplates in the NASCAR Cup Series – recording 881 all-time victories, 34 Driver Championships, and 44 Manufacturer Championships, including the past five Manufacturer titles, to earn the title as the winningest manufacturer in the series’ history.

DETROIT (November 14, 2025) – Cadillac Racing statement regarding 2026 aerodynamic updates to its three IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Grand Touring Prototype (GTP) cars and two Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA Hypercars: As part of its ongoing development to improve performance in the pursuit of podiums and wins, Cadillac has joined other manufacturers in aligning timing of EVO use with the updated aerodynamic homologation for 2026. While the V-Series.R retains signature V-Series production design elements, notable changes include removal of front dive planes and winglets and reshaping the rear wing profile. Three GTP cars with the updates are participating in the November 14-15 IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona International Speedway:

SAPULPA, OK (Nov. 13, 2025) — Creek County Speedway has seen plenty of evolution in 40 years of operation, but one thing remains the same. It’s home for the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS).

It’s where owner/founder and former racer Emmett Hahn spawned the idea of the traveling Sprint Car tour. It’s where 34 Series events have taken place in the 34-year history of the country’s only national 360 Sprint Car organization. It’s where the 10th running of Fuzzy’s Fall Fling gets the green flag in the season finale for both the national Series and the ASCS Sooner Region this Friday–Saturday night.

And to think the idea of the track was born one night at nearby Port City Raceway.

“I was still racing at the big track then, and I had a pretty good following, and I had about 12 of my people and fans come out just to watch races,” Hahn said. “One of them had stopped by a convenience store and got a soft drink, and (the owner) wouldn’t let him in with that soft drink. And so, I thought, ‘You know, I think I can just build my own racetrack.’ So that’s the reason I bought it.”

In 1985, Hahn officially opened the track — originally named “66 Raceway Park” — as a 1/5-mile oval for Micro Sprint competition, and it didn’t take long for the track to establish itself as the place to race around the Tulsa area.

“I got a lot of cars,” Hahn said. “My first Fall Fling when I was running one class of Micros, I had 273 in one class.”

Six years after its establishment, Hahn began expansion of the track to its current 1/4-mile configuration, which was first raced in 1991. While the Micro Sprint division remained, Hahn’s aim was to attract a wider variety of cars and spectators.

“Me being smart — I thought well I’ll just build me a bigger track, and I can run bigger cars and make bigger money,” Hahn said with a laugh. “Never made much money after I made it bigger.”

Since then, the track has operated on a weekly basis for a variety of different car types including Modifieds, Street Stocks and more, in addition to nearly 100 ASCS events. For the 2025 season, Hahn turned the day-to-day operations of the facility over to grandson Matt Ward and his wife Ashleigh, who have been helping around the track for years in addition to their duties as directors of Hahn’s marquee Chili Bowl Nationals and Tulsa Shootout events.

As several others in the region will echo, there’s a reason the track has garnered continuous support for over four decades.

“It’s short bullring, it’s tight, and it just produces great racing here,” Ward said. “I just tell everybody to come out. If you want to see great racing, come here.”

The Wards spearheaded a renovation project at Creek County before the start of the 2025 weekly season that made several improvements to the property, including new lights in the pit area and around the racetrack, new poles, cables and fencing on the frontstretch and in front of the pit grandstands, new guardrails, added handrails in the main grandstands, and a new concession stand for alcoholic beverage sales — much to Hahn’s approval.

“We upgraded a lot of things in a short amount of time,” Ward said. “Thankfully, for a great team out here, we got them all accomplished. We still have some offseason projects this year that we’re gonna do, and we’re gonna continue to grow this place and improve it and carry on my family’s legacy here.”

“When we finished last year, they started tearing a lot of the stuff down because it had been there for a long time,” Hahn said. “They basically rebuilt that whole racetrack. New poles, new lights, new fence. They’ve really made some nice improvements on it and they’ve done a good job of running it this year. A real good job.”

This weekend, Creek County hosts one of the biggest events on its schedule in Fuzzy’s Fall Fling. It’s an event that not only caps the ASCS season but honors the life and legacy of Emmett Hahn’s wife, Wokeeta “Fuzzy” Hahn — one which Ward takes as much pride in putting on as any of his other involvements throughout the year.

“I want it to be where my grandpa can come out here and relax and enjoy himself,” Ward said. “I don’t want him stressing about what we need to do to the racetrack, or if this thing’s handled or that. I want everything do already be done so when he gets here and he comes and asks me or Ashleigh, we’re already there to tell him that it’s already handled and everything’s good to go.”

Hahn still projects his wife’s spirit around Creek County to this day. Her name was added to the Fall Fling event after her passing in 2021, honoring her dedication to her family’s beloved tradition of dirt track racing.

“They say, ‘Behind all men is a good woman.’ She worked out there every bit as hard as I did,” Hahn said. “She had a lot of good ideas. We thought we’d just name this Fall Fling after her.”

WHERE THE HEART IS: Creek County’s Evolution from Micro Sprint Hotspot to ASCS Homeland

SAPULPA, OK (Nov. 13, 2025) — Creek County Speedway has seen plenty of evolution in 40 years of operation, but one thing remains the same. It’s home for the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS).

It’s where owner/founder and former racer Emmett Hahn spawned the idea of the traveling Sprint Car tour. It’s where 34 Series events have taken place in the 34-year history of the country’s only national 360 Sprint Car organization. It’s where the 10th running of Fuzzy’s Fall Fling gets the green flag in the season finale for both the national Series and the ASCS Sooner Region this Friday–Saturday night.

And to think the idea of the track was born one night at nearby Port City Raceway.

“I was still racing at the big track then, and I had a pretty good following, and I had about 12 of my people and fans come out just to watch races,” Hahn said. “One of them had stopped by a convenience store and got a soft drink, and (the owner) wouldn’t let him in with that soft drink. And so, I thought, ‘You know, I think I can just build my own racetrack.’ So that’s the reason I bought it.”

In 1985, Hahn officially opened the track — originally named “66 Raceway Park” — as a 1/5-mile oval for Micro Sprint competition, and it didn’t take long for the track to establish itself as the place to race around the Tulsa area.

“I got a lot of cars,” Hahn said. “My first Fall Fling when I was running one class of Micros, I had 273 in one class.”

Six years after its establishment, Hahn began expansion of the track to its current 1/4-mile configuration, which was first raced in 1991. While the Micro Sprint division remained, Hahn’s aim was to attract a wider variety of cars and spectators.

“Me being smart — I thought well I’ll just build me a bigger track, and I can run bigger cars and make bigger money,” Hahn said with a laugh. “Never made much money after I made it bigger.”

Since then, the track has operated on a weekly basis for a variety of different car types including Modifieds, Street Stocks and more, in addition to nearly 100 ASCS events. For the 2025 season, Hahn turned the day-to-day operations of the facility over to grandson Matt Ward and his wife Ashleigh, who have been helping around the track for years in addition to their duties as directors of Hahn’s marquee Chili Bowl Nationals and Tulsa Shootout events.

As several others in the region will echo, there’s a reason the track has garnered continuous support for over four decades.

“It’s short bullring, it’s tight, and it just produces great racing here,” Ward said. “I just tell everybody to come out. If you want to see great racing, come here.”

The Wards spearheaded a renovation project at Creek County before the start of the 2025 weekly season that made several improvements to the property, including new lights in the pit area and around the racetrack, new poles, cables and fencing on the frontstretch and in front of the pit grandstands, new guardrails, added handrails in the main grandstands, and a new concession stand for alcoholic beverage sales — much to Hahn’s approval.

“We upgraded a lot of things in a short amount of time,” Ward said. “Thankfully, for a great team out here, we got them all accomplished. We still have some offseason projects this year that we’re gonna do, and we’re gonna continue to grow this place and improve it and carry on my family’s legacy here.”

“When we finished last year, they started tearing a lot of the stuff down because it had been there for a long time,” Hahn said. “They basically rebuilt that whole racetrack. New poles, new lights, new fence. They’ve really made some nice improvements on it and they’ve done a good job of running it this year. A real good job.”

This weekend, Creek County hosts one of the biggest events on its schedule in Fuzzy’s Fall Fling. It’s an event that not only caps the ASCS season but honors the life and legacy of Emmett Hahn’s wife, Wokeeta “Fuzzy” Hahn — one which Ward takes as much pride in putting on as any of his other involvements throughout the year.

“I want it to be where my grandpa can come out here and relax and enjoy himself,” Ward said. “I don’t want him stressing about what we need to do to the racetrack, or if this thing’s handled or that. I want everything do already be done so when he gets here and he comes and asks me or Ashleigh, we’re already there to tell him that it’s already handled and everything’s good to go.”

Hahn still projects his wife’s spirit around Creek County to this day. Her name was added to the Fall Fling event after her passing in 2021, honoring her dedication to her family’s beloved tradition of dirt track racing.

“They say, ‘Behind all men is a good woman.’ She worked out there every bit as hard as I did,” Hahn said. “She had a lot of good ideas. We thought we’d just name this Fall Fling after her.”

Tickets to the 10th running of Fuzzy’s Fall Fling will be sold at the track on race day. If you can’t be there, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.

Atlanta, GEORGIA — November 13, 2025 – The 2025 season has been a defined by determination, passion, and victory for Burtin Racing, TOP LINER® and Adam Andretti. From unforgettable performances in the Trans Am Series to the launch of an exciting new grassroots driver competition, the year has marked a new chapter of success both on and off the track. Now, that story culminates with the TOP LINER® Top Driver Challenge on Sunday, December 7, an event that promises to deliver excitement, inspiration, and fan engagement at its best.The Top Driver Challenge Finalists:Arun K.Kristofer C.Darrell L.William G.Jeremy H.Steven M.Dena B.Nicholas R.Michael P.Sarah V.Riley T.Adarius R.Earlier this year, Adam Andretti produced what many called the drive of the season at Barber Motorsports Park, claiming victory in the Trans Am TA Class after an astonishing comeback from half a minute off the pace. The win was a testament to Andretti’s skill, focus, and never-say-die attitude — and to the precision engineering and preparation of the Burtin Racing team. Adam finished the season in the runner-up spot in the Driver’s Championship and aims to go one better in 2026.“Barber was a special moment,” said Adam Andretti. “It showed what’s possible when you have faith in your team and your equipment. This entire season has been about pushing forward, overcoming challenges, and celebrating what makes motorsport great — the people, the passion, and the pursuit of excellence.”TOP LINER Top Driver Challenge Grand Final: A Celebration of Talent and FansTo cap off this remarkable season, Burtin Racing, TOP LINER®  and the Andretti Indoor Karting and Games family are inviting fans to join them for the TOP LINER® Top Driver Challenge Grand Final at Andretti Indoor Karting and Games in Buford, GA., an event designed to raise the profile of TOP LINER® spray-on bedliner products and showcase the excitement of Trans Am racing with prizes and autographs. All are welcome to attend and watch in person.Hopeful drivers entered the inaugural Top Driver Challenge in 2025, a nationwide search for emerging racing talent. Now, 12 finalists will battle it out on the karting circuit for the ultimate prize — an all-expenses-paid trip to Florida for the opening round of the 2026 Trans Am season at Sebring International Raceway, including behind-the-scenes access with Burtin Racing and Adam Andretti.December 7 Event Schedule and Fan HighlightsThe Top Driver Challenge takes place at Andretti Indoor Karting and Games in Buford, GA and promises an action-packed evening for both competitors and spectators.4:00 PM – Registration OpensAttendees are welcomed to the event and can sign in for the afternoon’s activities. Every fan in attendance will receive a free Burtin Racing hat signed by Adam Andretti — a token of appreciation for their support throughout the season.4:05–4:40 PM – Meet & Greet with Adam AndrettiFans will have a rare opportunity to meet Adam, take photos, and hear firsthand about his incredible 2025 season and upcoming plans with Burtin Racing.4:40 PM – Driver Briefing and Practice SessionThe 12 Top Driver finalists will be briefed before hitting the track for practice laps, qualifying session, preparing for the decisive timed session and the chance to win the Grand Prize.5:30 PM – Official Timed SessionThe pressure peaks as the finalists compete in a race against the clock. Their fastest laps will determine who takes home the coveted grand prize.6:00 PM – Appetizers and Media InterviewsWhile results are tabulated, all attendees and participants can enjoy complimentary appetizers and mingle with the Burtin Racing team, sponsors, and fellow racing fans.6:30 PM – Awards Ceremony and Winner AnnouncementThe day concludes with the presentation of trophies, celebration of all finalists, and the crowning of the 2025 TOP LINER Top Driver Challenge Champion.A Partnership Fueled by Performance and PassionThe partnership between Burtin Racing and TOP LINER®  has delivered tremendous results throughout 2025, both in the Trans Am paddock and within the broader motorsport community. Together, they’ve built a program that bridges professional racing and grassroots opportunity — and the Grand Final stands as a celebration of that shared vision.“This challenge has shown how much talent and enthusiasm there is out there,” said Claudio Burtin, founder of Burtin Racing. “It’s been incredible to watch it grow, and we can’t think of a better way to close the season than to share this event with the fans and our partners.”Event: TOP LINER® Top Driver Challenge Grand FinaleLocation: Andretti Indoor Karting and Games – Buford, GADate: Sunday, December 7, 2025Time: Starts at 4:00 PMAdmission: Free for all attendeesPerks: Free autographed hat for every attendee, complimentary appetizers and refreshments