Richard Gadson’s Big Brothers Big Sisters Mission Makes an Impact at Texas Motorplex

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

DALLAS (October 22, 2026) — Richard Gadson left the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals with a runner-up finish, a career-best performance and another memorable chapter in a mission that has become one of the most meaningful parts of his championship-winning career.

The reigning NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle world champion and current points leader rode his RevZilla/Mission/Vance & Hines Suzuki to the final round at Texas Motorplex, where he posted a career-best pass of 6.654 seconds at 203.79 mph against Matt Smith. Although Gadson came up short of the event victory, the weekend delivered a different kind of win through his continued partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS).

For the third consecutive year, Gadson has welcomed groups of Bigs and Littles from Big Brothers Big Sisters to NHRA events, giving kids the opportunity to experience professional drag racing while building connections and creating memories that extend beyond the racetrack. The initiative is especially personal for Gadson, who was himself a Big Brothers Big Sisters Little growing up.

Throughout the 2026 season, Gadson has welcomed BBBS groups to races in Charlotte, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Dallas. His final opportunity to host the groups this season will come at the upcoming NHRA event in Las Vegas.

While Gadson typically hosts the children on Saturday, his Texas Motorplex visit was particularly special. Thanks to the generosity of Texas Motorplex co-owner Christie Meyer Johnson, the Bigs and Littles were able to attend both Friday and Saturday of the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. Meyer Johnson also donated tickets for the Stars of Texas Music Festival during the preceding weekend, expanding the experience for the mentorship organization and demonstrating her support for Gadson’s mission.
A group from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tarrant County on Friday night got to meet Gadson before he made his Q1 pass, photo credit Werner Communications
Meyer Johnson said Gadson’s commitment to giving back exemplifies the kind of impact motorsports can have beyond the racetrack.

“Richard’s story and the way he has turned his own experience with Big Brothers Big Sisters into something meaningful for other kids is incredibly inspiring,” said Meyer Johnson. “At Texas Motorplex, we believe our events should be about more than what happens on the track. They’re an opportunity to bring people together, create lasting memories and making a difference in our community. When I learned more about what Richard was doing, I knew we wanted to help him make that experience even bigger for these kids. Being able to welcome them for both days of racing and share the Stars of Texas Music Festival with them was a small way to support a mission that is having a real impact.”

For Gadson, the initiative has grown well beyond what he originally imagined when he first reached out to the Philadelphia chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“I thought it was just something cool to do,” said Gadson. “I never really imagined that it mattered as much as it does or that I would get the response I’ve gotten, not only from the kids, but from NHRA and everybody in general. It’s been really cool to see the impact it’s had on these kids. I don’t do it for the recognition, but it’s been a really cool experience.”

What began as a personal effort has continued to inspire others throughout the motorsports community. Gadson has heard from people interested in developing similar initiatives, including a sponsorship coordinator in Alberta, Canada who was motivated to create a comparable experience in his own community. Other organizations have also looked to Gadson’s approach as a model for connecting their causes with the racing community.

A group from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tarrant County and Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star on Saturday got to meet Gadson in between Q3 and Q4, photo credit Katy Gunter

Gadson credited the support of those who have helped grow the program, including Werner Communications, which has assisted in expanding the initiative’s reach, and Meyer Johnson for her generosity during the Stampede of Speed.

“The Stampede of Speed has become one of the premier events of our season, and for Christie to be willing to contribute to this cause is really cool,” said Gadson. “It’s an initiative that we’ve created that makes it hard to say no to, and I’m really happy to be a part of it.”

On the racetrack, Gadson continues to deliver the results expected of a world champion. He has claimed victories at Gainesville, Norwalk and Rockingham this season and has maintained the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead throughout the year. His runner-up finish at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals adds another strong result as he continues his pursuit of a second consecutive championship.

Gadson often refers to the Bigs and Littles as his lucky charm, and their presence has become a meaningful part of his race weekends. But the initiative represents far more than a superstition or a source of motivation. Having experienced the program himself as a teenager, Gadson understands the difference a mentor can make and is committed to helping the next generation experience that same encouragement and support.

A Little from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tarrant County on Friday night was able to sit on Gadson’s motorcycle, photo credit Werner Communications

His message to the kids reflects the mindset that has carried him to the top of his sport: live without limits.

Richard Gadson’s Big Brothers Big Sisters Mission Makes an Impact at Texas Motorplex

For Gadson, the initiative has grown well beyond what he originally imagined when he first reached out to the Philadelphia chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

A group from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tarrant County and Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star on Saturday got to meet Gadson in between Q3 and Q4, photo credit Katy Gunter

A Little from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tarrant County on Friday night was able to sit on Gadson’s motorcycle, photo credit Werner Communications

His message to the kids reflects the mindset that has carried him to the top of his sport: live without limits.

“Against all odds, I’m still here,” said Gadson. “I still think about that. I’ve gotten my butt kicked, and I’ve still come back. I’m still going to be the points leader. It’s been a pretty crazy ride. Just live without limits. I certainly do, and I think that’s what’s gotten me here.”

As Gadson prepares for his final Big Brothers Big Sisters visit of the 2026 season in Las Vegas, his Texas Motorplex weekend serves as a reminder that success is measured in more ways than trophies, elapsed times and championship points. For the reigning world champion, helping young people discover new possibilities is a victory worth celebrating every weekend.

“I would like to encourage everyone who is able to look into becoming a Big, or if there isn’t a BBBS chapter in your area, to see how you can give back to the next generation in your own way,” said Gadson. “There are a lot of good mentorship organizations out there who are trying to help put kids on a good path. It takes all of us.”

For additional information on Richard Gadson follow him on Instagram (@rg5racing) and Facebook (Richard Gadson Racing) and for more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters click here.

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World Racing Group Acquires SLS Promotions, Expanding Its Race Promotion Footprint

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CONCORD, NC (Oct. 22, 2026) – World Racing Group (WRG), the premier sanctioning body and advancement engine for dirt track racing in North America, announced today the strategic acquisition of SLS Promotions, one of the sport’s most respected independent race promotion companies.

The acquisition unites WRG’s extensive sanctioning power and digital media infrastructure with SLS Promotions’ decades of event management expertise, locking in a more seamless experience for drivers, tracks, and race fans across the United States.

For over 30 years, SLS Promotions has been a vital partner to dirt racing, specializing in promoting high-profile events for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. By bringing SLS fully under the World Racing Group umbrella, WRG secures long-term stability for crucial dates on the annual racing calendar while continuing to optimize event operations.

“SLS Promotions has built an incredible legacy of professionalism and dedication to dirt track racing,” said Brian Carter, World Racing Group CEO. “For decades, their team has been instrumental in bringing the World of Outlaws to premier venues and passionate fan bases across the country. Integrating SLS into the World Racing Group family allows us to streamline operations, enhance event marketing, and continue the growth of these marquee race nights.”

The acquisition focuses on SLS Promotions’ extensive portfolio of event promotional agreements, track relationships, and intellectual property. The transition will focus on the seamless transition of the 2027 scheduled events, and race fans can expect the same high-caliber, adrenaline-fueled race programs they have come to enjoy.

“We have worked hand-in-hand with World Racing Group for a generation to build the profile of Sprint Car racing,” said Scott Boyd with SLS. “Joining forces with WRG permanently is the natural next step for our company. Their resources, sponsorship network, and industry-leading DIRTVision streaming platform will provide the events with the tools needed to thrive for decades to come.”

Where can you find more information about current and upcoming World of Outlaws events? Visit the World of Outlaws schedule page.

World Racing Group Acquires SLS Promotions, Expanding Its Race Promotion Footprint

Where can you find more information about current and upcoming World of Outlaws events? Visit the World of Outlaws schedule page.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/world-racing-group-acquires-sls-promotions-expanding-its-race-promotion-footprint/

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Wood Brothers Racing–Talladega Advance

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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Thornton Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Sheppard Clinches Lucas Oil Title

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Brandon Sheppard’s runner-up finish secured his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national championship by 55 points over Devin Moran, who finished third. The championship was worth $250,000 to the West Virginia-based Rocket 1 team.

West Virginia native Zack Dohm was the highest-finishing driver from the Mountaineer State, advancing from 14th to fourth. Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five.

Thornton started from the pole, but Hudson O’Neal jumped to the early lead in the 100-lap race. O’Neal and Thornton ran first and second for the opening 32 laps before Thornton took the lead for the first time.

Thornton led for just two laps before O’Neal regained the top spot. The pair continued to run one-two until O’Neal ran over a mud clod, damaging the right front of his car and causing him to push up the track.

O’Neal pitted, dropping him to the tail of the lead lap. Thornton regained the lead and remained in front when a caution with 10 laps to go set up a single-file restart with Moran and Sheppard directly behind him.

Sheppard passed Moran for second on lap 91, putting himself in position to claim the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship. He stayed ahead of Moran to the checkered flag to secure the title.

Thornton celebrated his 66th career series victory in Wieland Victory Lane after winning his fourth straight LOLMDS race to close the season. He earned a total of $220,000 in winnings and bonuses for the night.

“He (O’Neal) was definitely better tonight. Really, early on, I was a little better than he was, and I could dictate his speed. The only way I could do that was to stay close enough and run the top whenever he went to the bottom, and the bottom whenever he went to the top. You can start getting them to run harder. He figured out the top, and I thought I wasn’t going to get a shot at him again. I just cooled myself back down during that caution. I showed my nose and kept running harder and harder. I don’t know if he just got tight or what. I saw him kind of turn backward at the wall, and I got by him. I was hoping to come out as the leader.”

Thornton’s Koehler Motorsports Longhorn Chassis, owned by Bobby and Jessica Koehler, is powered by a Cornett Racing Engine. Sponsors include Knight’s Companies, Hoker Trucking, Coltman Farms Racing, Capital Waste, Elite Ready Mix, Certified Inspection Services, Strange Oval, SI Towing and Recovery, Sunoco Race Fuels, and D&E Outside Services.

Completing the top 10 were Dan Ebert, Max Blair, Hudson O’Neal, Dennis Erb Jr., and Josh Rice.

Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series
Race Summary
46th Annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing Equipment | Night 2
Sunday, October 18, 2026
West Virginia Motor Speedway | Mineral Wells, WV

Fast Shafts B-Main Race #1 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 76-Brandon Overton[3]; 2. 25Z-Mason Zeigler[2]; 3. 22-Daniel Hilsabeck[1]; 4. 09-Michael Leach[7]; 5. 39-Henry Hornsby III[4]; 6. 18C-Chris Carpenter[6]; 7. 7*-Logan Hitt[11]; 8. 3S-Brian Shirley[5]; 9. 49M-Luke Morey[10]; 10. 12L-Dave Loudin[12]; 11. 3-Chase Hunley[8]; 12. R3X-Matthew Bosley[14]; 13. (DNS) 10-Garrett Smith; 14. (DNS) K2-Kristopher Southern; 15. (DNS) U2-Kristin Uhler; 16. (DNS) 72X-James Nicely Uhler; 17. (DNS) 00-Justin Cooper

UNOH B-Main Race #2 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 6-Clay Harris[2]; 2. 5T-Drake Troutman[1]; 3. 17SS-Brenden Smith[4]; 4. 17SR-Brody Smith[6]; 5. 27L-Michael Lake[3]; 6. 28-Tyler Carpenter[8]; 7. W1-Cory Workman[11]; 8. 32X-Chad Roush[14]; 9. 50-Kevin Davis[10]; 10. 32-Bobby Pierce[5]; 11. 17KN-Brock Morris[7]; 12. 74X-Ethan Dotson[9]; 13. 12R-Ryan Payne[13]; 14. S8-Jordan Stotts[15]; 15. (DNS) 47W-Brandon Weigle; 16. (DNS) J0Y-James Joy; 17. (DNS) 8W-Wyatt Ervin

MyRacePass B-Main Race #3 Finish (12 Laps, Top 2 Transfer): 1. 99H-Kyle Hardy[1]; 2. 44-Dave Hess Jr[4]; 3. 55-Benji Hicks[3]; 4. 22M-Corey Miller[8]; 5. 31-Lincoln Smith[2]; 6. 14-Corey Conley[11]; 7. 0-Braeden Dillinger[9]; 8. 2-Brandon Francis[5]; 9. 21G-Corey Galbreath[16]; 10. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[7]; 11. 9 11-Corey DeLancey[6]; 12. 69-Jon Hodgkiss[14]; 13. 11M-Michael Chilton[10]; 14. (DNS) 44M-Lucas McDonald; 15. (DNS) C9-Brandon Morrow; 16. (DNS) 17K-Kenny Newhouse

Jim Dunn Non-Qualifier Finish (25 Laps): 1. 55-Benji Hicks[1]; 2. 17SR-Brody Smith[3]; 3. 7*-Logan Hitt[11]; 4. 27L-Michael Lake[6]; 5. 31-Lincoln Smith[7]; 6. 28-Tyler Carpenter[9]; 7. 49M-Luke Morey[16]; 8. 22M-Corey Miller[4]; 9. 18C-Chris Carpenter[8]; 10. 12M-Ryan Montgomery[20]; 11. 9 11-Corey DeLancey[22]; 12. 0-Braeden Dillinger[13]; 13. 12L-Dave Loudin[19]; 14. 32X-Chad Roush[14]; 15. 3-Chase Hunley[21]; 16. 39-Henry Hornsby III[5]; 17. 50-Kevin Davis[17]; 18. W1-Cory Workman[12]; 19. R3X-Matthew Bosley[23]; 20. 21G-Corey Galbreath[18]; 21. 2-Brandon Francis[15]; 22. 69-Jon Hodgkiss[24]; 23. 14-Corey Conley[10]; 24. 09-Michael Leach[2]

46th Annual ARP Dirt Track World Championship presented by Summit Racing Equipment | Feature Finish (100 Laps):
Pos – Start – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Earnings
1 – 1 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – $106,300
2 – 6 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – $26,000
3 – 4 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – $11,300
4 – 14 – 17 – Zack Dohm – Cross Lanes, WV – $8,000
5 – 3 – 49 – Jonathan Davenport – Blairsville, GA – $7,500
6 – 7 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – $7,900
7 – 11 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – $7,400
8 – 2 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – $7,400
9 – 8 – 28E – Dennis Erb Jr – Carpentersville, IL – $5,500
10 – 9 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – $6,000
11 – 19 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – $5,100
12 – 10 – 22F – Chris Ferguson – Mt. Holly, NC – $3,600
13 – 17 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – $3,900
14 – 20 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – $3,800
15 – 26 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – $3,700
16 – 12 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – $3,600
17 – 25 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – $3,500
18 – 16 – 1T – Tyler Erb – New Waverly, TX – $2,575
19 – 5 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – $3,450
20 – 13 – 75 – Eddie Carrier Jr – Fairmont, WV – $2,535
21 – 23 – 5T – Drake Troutman – Hyndman, PA – $2,525
22 – 28 – 55 – Benji Hicks – Mount Airy, NC – $2,515
23 – 18 – 93F – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – $3,400
24 – 24 – 44 – Dave Hess Jr – Waterford, PA – $2,500
25 – 22 – 25Z – Mason Zeigler – Chalk Hill, PA – $2,500
26 – 15 – 19R – Ryan Gustin – Marshalltown, IA – $2,500
27 – 27 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – $100
28 – 21 – 99H – Kyle Hardy – Winchester, VA – $2,500

Race Statistics
Entrants: 68
Bilstein Shocks Pole Sitter: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
MD3 Lap Leaders: Hudson O’Neal (Lap 1-32); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 33-34); Hudson O’Neal (Laps 35-75); Ricky Thornton, Jr. (Laps 76-100)
Hellraizer Jacks Halfway Leader: Hudson O’Neal
Wieland Feature Winner: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Margin of Victory: 0.650 seconds
Hellraizer Jacks Cautions: Daniel Hilsabeck (Lap 37); Ryan Gustin (Lap 54); Debris (Lap 57); Brandon Overton (Lap 74); Hudson O’Neal (Lap 76); Debris (Lap 89); Benji Hicks (Lap 90)
MyRacePass Series Provisional: Brian Shirley; Daniel Hilsabeck
Fast Time Provisional: n/a
Emergency Provisionals: Brenden Smith
Track Provisional: n/a
Big River Steel Podium Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran
Penske Shocks Top 5: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran, Zack Dohm, Jonathan Davenport
Behrent’s One-Lap-to-Go Top 3: Ricky Thornton, Jr., Brandon Sheppard, Devin Moran
PEM 4th Place Feature: Zack Dohm
Diversified Machine 5th Place Feature: Jonathan Davenport
Wilwood Brakes 7th Place Feature: Max Blair
Wehrs Machine 11th Place Feature: Brandon Overton
Velocity Manufacturing 13th Place Feature: Kyle Bronson
XS Power Batteries 15th Place Feature: Deniel Hilsabeck
Hoker Trucking Hard Charger of the Race: Daniel Hilsabeck (Advanced 11 positions)
MD3 Most Laps Led: Hudson O’Neal (73 Laps)
Sunoco Race Fuels Race for Gas Highest Finisher: Ricky Thornton, Jr.
Midwest Sheet Metal Spoiler Challenge Point Leader: Brandon Sheppard
O’Reilly Auto Parts Rookie of the Race: Josh Rice
Pro Fabrication Headers Fastest Lap of the Race: Hudson O’Neal | Lap 3 | 14.731 seconds
FK Rod Ends Hard Luck Award: Hudson O’Neal
Victory Fuel Power Move of the Race: Ricky Thornton Jr.
Outerwears Crew Chief of the Race: Justin Tharp
ARP Engine Builder of the Race: Cornett Racing Engines
Miller Welders Chassis Builder of the Race: Longhorn Chassis
Dirt Draft Fastest in Hot Laps: Jonathan Davenport | 16.4384 seconds
Time of Race: 58 minutes 22 seconds

Big River Steel Championship Standings Presented by ARP:
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Earnings
1 – 1 – Brandon Sheppard – New Berlin, IL – 7585 – $356,100
2 – 99 – Devin Moran – Dresden, OH – 7530 – $455,774
3 – 71 – Hudson O’Neal – Martinsville, IN – 7405 – $298,700
4 – 20RT – Ricky Thornton Jr – Chandler, AZ – 7195 – $538,325
5 – 76 – Brandon Overton – Evans, GA – 6915 – $198,975
6 – 111 – Max Blair – Centerville, PA – 6865 – $201,875
7 – 11 – Josh Rice – Crittenden, KY – 6655 – $264,575
8 – 3S – Brian Shirley – Chatham, IL – 6405 – $187,650
9 – 58 – Garrett Alberson – Las Cruces, NM – 6245 – $135,325
10 – 40B – Kyle Bronson – Brandon, FL – 6070 – $110,625
11 – 6 – Clay Harris – Jupiter, FL – 5970 – $115,175
12 – 93 – Carson Ferguson – Lincolnton, NC – 5950 – $111,625
13 – 60 – Dan Ebert – Lake Shore, MN – 5890 – $164,325
14 – 8 – Dillon McCowan – Urbana, MO – 5740 – $127,900
15 – 22 – Daniel Hilsabeck – Earlham, IA – 5140 – $73,350
16 – 17SS – Brenden Smith – Dade City, FL – 4770 – $54,825
17 – 93L – Cory Lawler – Hanover, PA – 4470 – $34,475

Big River Steel Top 5 Bonus Standings Presented by ARP ($100,000):
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Gap
1 – 20RT – Thornton, Ricky Jr – Chandler, AZ – 925 – 0
2 – 99 – Moran, Devin – Dresden, OH – 915 – -10
3 – 1 – Sheppard, Brandon – New Berlin, IL – 820 – -105
4 – 76 – Overton, Brandon – Evans, GA – 715 – -210
5 – 71 – O’Neal, Hudson – Martinsville, IN – 690 – -235

Thornton Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Sheppard Clinches Lucas Oil Title

West Virginia native Zack Dohm was the highest-finishing driver from the Mountaineer State, advancing from 14th to fourth. Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five.

Sheppard passed Moran for second on lap 91, putting himself in position to claim the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series championship. He stayed ahead of Moran to the checkered flag to secure the title.

Completing the top 10 were Dan Ebert, Max Blair, Hudson O’Neal, Dennis Erb Jr., and Josh Rice.

Big River Steel 6th-15th Bonus Standings Presented by ARP ($25,000):
Pos – Car # – Competitor – Hometown – Points – Gap
1 – 11 – Rice, Josh (R) – Crittenden, KY – 815 – 0
2 – 111 – Blair, Max – Centerville, PA – 795 – -20
3 – 3S – Shirley, Brian – Chatham, IL – 700 – -115
4 – 40B – Bronson, Kyle – Brandon, FL – 665 – -150
5 – 60 – Ebert, Dan – Lake Shore, MN – 650 – -165
6 – 93 – Ferguson, Carson – Lincolnton, NC – 635 – -180
7 – 6 – Harris, Clay – Jupiter, FL – 575 – -240
8 – 8 – McCowan, Dillon (R) – Urbana, MO – 570 – -245
9 – 58 – Alberson, Garrett – Las Cruces, NM – 540 – -275
10 – 22 – Hilsabeck, Daniel – Earlham, IA – 490 – -325

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BRINGING BACK THE MAGIC: Johnson, Sides on Short Track Nationals Titles, Event’s Evolution

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEXARKANA, AR (October 21, 2026) – The Short Track Nationals has long been a coveted crown of the southern Sprint Car scene.

The race launched in 1988 at Little Rock, AR’s I-30 Speedway. The first podium featured a legendary trio, with Steve Kinser taking the win over Sammy Swindell and Bobby Davis Jr.

The event grew over the many years that followed as dozens of teams flocked to “The Natural State” every fall to battle for the right to be known as a Short Track Nationals champion, and fans packed the stands to watch as car counts soared to nearly triple digits.

Hearts hurt in 2022 when I-30 shut its doors for good after 66 years in operation. The sendoff was fitting as the 35th Short Track Nationals punctuated the track’s more than six decades of action.

The event’s original home may have closed, but that didn’t mean the story of the Short Track Nationals was over. Winner of the 1998 running, Tim Crawley, brought the race to Texarkana 67 Speedway in 2023. Fast forward to 2026, and he’s elevating the southern staple to a new level. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will sanction it for the first time this weekend. The Jason Johnson Classic presented by FK Rod Ends is on Friday, Oct. 23 at the tracka, before the 39th running of the Short Track Nationals on Saturday, Oct. 24.

This new chapter allows a pair of former winners to return in a new role. The driving days may be complete for Jason Sides and Wayne Johnson, but their time in the sport is far from done. Both have shifted to operating as the crew chief for the cars they once wheeled. Sides turns the wrenches on his own Sides Motorsports No. 7S with Chris Windom in the seat while Johnson calls the shots on Todd Carlile’s TwoC Racing ride as Cole Macedo carves out his driving career.

Rewind three decades to 1997 to when Johnson had a dominant showing at I-30 in the Bobby Sparks No. 91 that nearly didn’t happen. Travel trouble almost prevented the Oklahoma City, OK native from even arriving at the track, but it also gave him a story he’ll never forget and a rental car agent one of his strangest days on the job.

“It was a crazy weekend,” Johnson recalled. “Me and Bobby had won a lot of races at Little Rock that year. I used to fly to Little Rock every time we’d race there. I’d fly to Dallas and then fly over. Well, I got bumped in Dallas. So, on Friday, when I landed it’s a funny story. I was waiting on my rental car at like five or six o’clock. It was crazy, already missed Hot Laps and everything. Anyway, I’m on the sidewalk waiting on the rental car guy to bring me the car, and I’m sitting there on a bench changing into my uniform and everything. So, when the guy pulls up here, I am in a race suit, and he’s looking at me like, ‘What are you doing?’

“Anyway, I hauled butt straight to the racetrack, pulled right into the pit area, never even got a pit pass or anything. I just pulled straight up to the trailer, got into the car, and thank God we were in the last Heat because it was a draw race, not a time trial race. Never hot lapped, never did anything, and I owe all the credit to Bob because he was such a good mechanic, but I get in the car and start dead last in the Heat Race and win. You could look back, but I’m pretty sure that we won every race that we were in that weekend.”

Sides’ Short Track Nationals score came in 2001. The Bartlett, TN native bested a field featuring more than 60 entries at the track roughly 150 miles from home. It was a major moment in the early portion of his career as “Double Down” went full-time with the World of Outlaws two years later and picked up Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies honors.

“You see some of the names on that list of who’s won it, and it’s kind of a who’s who of racing,” Sides said. “Just to get on that list and to win it was pretty special.”

Both Sides and Johnson are eager to return to the event this weekend. The venue may have changed, but the spirit of Short Track Nationals is strong and tracking toward its former glory courtesy of Crawley’s dedication. The best drivers in the country are heading to the event like they once did when prestige continued to build. They’re ready to battle for $25,000 and the right to be called a Short Track Nationals champion.

“It’s moved down the road a couple hours, but it’s still the same type of dirt, same type of racetrack,” Sides said. “Tim’s done a great job with the place, building it up. We raced there several times back in the late 90s and early 2000s. From then to now, he’s taken the racetrack and kind of made it better. I think it’s pretty much the same size and all, but he’s just done so many improvements. Now, getting it to be an Outlaw show, I think that’ll be great for all of us.”

“The atmosphere that Tim brings to the Texarkana racetrack is the same as it was at Little Rock,” Johnson said. “I just feel like Tim’s doing a great job promoting this race, and I’m so excited to get to come back with it being a World of Outlaws race… Bringing in the Outlaws, I think will bring organization, and hopefully this will turn into a marquee event for years to come and bring back the Short Track Nationals that we grew up having a ball at.”

Sides and Johnson hope to return to Short Track Nationals Victory Lane as a crew chief this weekend (Oct. 23-24) at Texarkana 67 Speedway. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/bringing-back-the-magic-johnson-sides-on-short-track-nationals-titles-events-evolution/

BRINGING BACK THE MAGIC: Johnson, Sides on Short Track Nationals Titles, Event’s Evolution

TEXARKANA, AR (October 21, 2026) – The Short Track Nationals has long been a coveted crown of the southern Sprint Car scene.

The race launched in 1988 at Little Rock, AR’s I-30 Speedway. The first podium featured a legendary trio, with Steve Kinser taking the win over Sammy Swindell and Bobby Davis Jr.

“You see some of the names on that list of who’s won it, and it’s kind of a who’s who of racing,” Sides said. “Just to get on that list and to win it was pretty special.”

Sides and Johnson hope to return to Short Track Nationals Victory Lane as a crew chief this weekend (Oct. 23-24) at Texarkana 67 Speedway. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/bringing-back-the-magic-johnson-sides-on-short-track-nationals-titles-events-evolution/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/schedule/event-info/?event=4549654, https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/schedule/event-info/?event=4549999
TRACK INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/tracks/?track=Texarkana%2B67%2BSpeedway

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John Henderson, ASD Motorsports Embracing Chance to Go World of Outlaws Racing at Home

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

MODOC, SC (October 21, 2026) – The World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision is debuting at Modoc Speedway this weekend, and no one has been looking forward to the occasion for longer than John Henderson.

The 3/8-mile dirt track, located about 30 minutes north of Henderson’s hometown of North Augusta, SC, is where his love of dirt Late Model racing blossomed. That passion led him to get behind the wheel himself before eventually launching a nationally touring race team, ASD Motorsports, and hiring Ethan Dotson to take it on the road with the World of Outlaws.

Either from the grandstands or the driver’s seat, Henderson has seen every iteration of Modoc firsthand since it opened in 1984. The future of dirt racing in the Augusta area came into question when the track closed at the end of the 2021 season, but when local businessman Ronnie Powell purchased the property and commenced a large-scale renovation, Henderson knew something special was in the works.

The process took time, but his visits to Modoc earlier this season for some of their regional Late Model events confirmed to Henderson that the result was worth the wait. Nearly every inch of the facility has been updated in some form, and the track will get its first chance to shine under the national spotlight this weekend.

“It’s a world of difference,” Henderson said. “Ronnie’s worked his butt off and done a bunch of stuff to it. I really think it’ll be really, really good. Just facility-wise, he’s done a lot, racetrack-wise, he’s done a lot. He’s only raced a handful of times [in 2026], so he’s still trying to figure out the track some. Ethan ran a race there earlier this year, I think he started like 16th and almost passed for the lead there with a few laps to go and ended up finishing third.

“It was just super racey, and the old Modoc was just really filthy red dirt, typical south racetrack that usually wasn’t really wide when it started slowing down. Now, with that gray dirt he’s got in there, it’s definitely got some opportunity to race on it. It ought to be a good show, and it’s definitely better facility-wise and racetrack-wise than what it’s ever been.”

This weekend’s Modoc 100 may seem like a new event to those unfamiliar with racing at Modoc, but it has a legacy stretching back decades. The Modoc 100was known as one of the biggest Crate Late Model races in the region for many years, often attracting Super Late Model regulars to come battle Modoc’s rising stars. The event’s revival as part of the World of Outlaws schedule brings back countless memories for those who are part of that history, including Henderson.

“When I raced there early on in my career, it was mostly FASTRAK races, Crate races,” Henderson said. “That was when me and Jonathan [Davenport], Brandon [Overton], we were all starting. I remember racing there with Jonathan and Brandon in what used to be the Modoc 100, the Jack Starrette Memorial. It was a Crate race, but [Chris] Madden, any big name from the south was there and raced there. To see it get a national-touring race, it kind of comes full circle with all that used to happen there and the people that started their racing career around here.”

A lot has changed for Henderson since those early days of the event. His primary role in racing has transitioned from a regional driver to a World of Outlaws team owner, while still making sporadic starts in his No. 2X when his schedule allows. Since Dotson came on board in May 2024, the Bakersfield, CA native has become the face of Henderson’s ASD operation and taken the team to Victory Lane in each of their first two seasons as World of Outlaws regulars. Henderson has had plenty to take pride in over the past two and a half years, but he recognizes that there’s still room to grow.

“We’ve learned a lot together,” Henderson said. “When we first started, we won quite a few races right out the gate and were doing pretty good. When you get on that touring series, people always say they’re ready to run a tour until they go do it, and then reality sets in. We made it and we did OK, I’m not disappointed with what we did, we won a race each year. But there’s a huge learning curve, and we had to learn that together. I tried to be more assertive the first year, and this year, I’ve tried to back off and let him make some of his own decisions. Some of it’s been good, some of it’s been bad, but I’m not saying I would have made a different decision.

“It’s been good for us to learn together, just because we’re a lot alike and we don’t get upset with each other. We can have a hard conversation and still know that our hearts are in the right place, which is hard to do. Being able to have that relationship and seeing him grow as a driver, now I feel like if our car’s decent, then he’s as good as anybody in the field. We’ve just got to work on our stuff and work on our program to get it to be competitive with the 32, the 9 and a couple others. We’ve been through spurts where we showed speed and were consistent and then we fell off. Right here, we fell off in the past few weeks, but we’ve also been trying some new stuff with a new motor package and a new car, just trying to do stuff to get better. When you try new stuff, it can either go good or it can go bad.”

Ahead of the final five race nights of the season, the ASD team finds themselves sixth in the World of Outlaws standings, up four spots from their 10th-place finish a year ago. With two of those nights taking place 28 miles from the race shop, Henderson sees it as a perfect opportunity to wrap up 2026 on a high note in front of their home crowd while looking ahead to further improvement in 2027.

“You may not see it all on the racetrack, but it’s been leaps and bounds,” Henderson said of his team’s progression in their sophomore World of Outlaws campaign. “We’ve finally got an established crew that’s been with us for several months, and I think everybody’s coming back next year. Having an established crew, everybody knows how everybody works. It’s not just Ethan, I mean, Ethan’s gotten better on the racetrack; his racecraft’s gotten better, but our crew being consistent, learning each other and then learning Ethan.

“This week, we’re going back to our standard package that we’ve been running, like when we won the race [at Shelby County Speedway on Aug. 29]. I hope that we can go right back where we were when we had some speed then, getting away from some of that experimental stuff. Just having the same crew so we can go back to that, go back to where we were and get back in our box makes it so much easier. Just being prepared for next year, we’re already working on stuff for next year like parts, pieces and everything so that we’re not starting from scratch. The past two years, we’ve kind of started from scratch at the beginning. It’s been good to have an established crew and Ethan and his racecraft getting better. I hope it really starts to show next year, and we can figure out how to get in that top three and just keep improving like we have this year.”

Dotson and the rest of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision will be in action at Modoc Speedway in the Modoc 100 on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23-24. Tickets will be available at the gate.

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

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/john-henderson-asd-motorsports-embracing-chance-to-go-world-of-outlaws-racing-at-home/

John Henderson, ASD Motorsports Embracing Chance to Go World of Outlaws Racing at Home

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

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/john-henderson-asd-motorsports-embracing-chance-to-go-world-of-outlaws-racing-at-home/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/schedule/event-info/?event=4549509
TRACK INFO: https://www.modocspeedwaysc.com/

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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Talladega Advance

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE Talladega Superspeedway October 23-25, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

With just three races remaining in the 2026 NASCAR Chase, Chevrolet heads to arguably the biggest wildcard stop of the postseason, Talladega Superspeedway, leading two championship battles and looking to gain ground in the third. While it was a rough day in the desert for Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team, they were able to lean on their points cushion from a strong first-half of The Chase to maintain a five-point advantage over second. For Jesse Love and the No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team, it was a near-perfect outing that vaulted them to a 36-point advantage over the Chase field, leading Chevrolet’s sweep of the top-seven positions of the standings. Christian Eckes and the No. 91 McAnally-Hilgemann Racing team are on the heels of their third-straight runner-up finish and another position gained in the Craftsman Truck Series standings, leading the Bowtie brand to Alabama with a third-place ranking.

Chevrolet’s Cup Series History at Talladega: Chevrolet has recorded 46 victories in the 114 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Talladega Superspeedway, a count that includes Carson Hocevar’s breakthrough victory in the track’s spring event that made the young Team Chevy driver a first-time winner in the sport’s top division. Highlights of the manufacturer’s history at the iconic superspeedway includes a record-setting streak of 13-straight wins (Apr. 1999 – May 2005), as well as Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s 10th win at the track (Oct. 2000), a record that still stands, that also marked his 76th and final victory of his career. The Bowtie brand has carried that success into the Next Gen era, winning five of the nine races at Talladega with five drivers from five different organizations: Ross Chastain (Trackhouse, Apr. 2022), Chase Elliott (Hendrick, Oct. 2022), Kyle Busch (RCR, Apr. 2023), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak, Oct. 2024) and Hocevar (Spire, Apr. 2026).

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Talladega Superspeedway: o  NASCAR Cup Series: Specially themed pink Corvette Stingray in support of the American Cancer Society and its ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ initiative o  NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Silverado RSTo  NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Silverado RST
·        Sunday’s YellaWood 500 will mark the fourth of five races in Chevrolet’s ‘Making Strides Against Breast Cancer’ campaign for the 2026 season.o  Chevrolet will donate $1,500 (up to $25,000) for each Team Chevy driver that earns a top-10 finish in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas, Charlotte, Phoenix, Talladega and Martinsville.o  In addition, every caution lap the pink Corvette Stingray pace car makes in the NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega and Martinsville will generate a donation of $500 (up to $25,000). o  The current contribution total is $13,500 heading into the Talladega race weekend.
·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Talladega Superspeedway:    o  Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – two wins (2017 & 2024) o  Chase Elliott – two wins (2022 & 2019)o  Carson Hocevar – one win (2026)o  Ross Chastain – one win (2022)
·        In 114 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet has recorded 46 victories, five of which have come during the Next Gen era to lead its manufacturer competitors.
·        Chevrolet holds a winning percentage of 70 percent in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Talladega Superspeedway with 28 wins in 40 races. The manufacturer enters the weekend with 14-straight wins in the division at the Alabama venue, a streak that dates back to the Apr. 2018 event.
·        Chevrolet has earned wins in 27 of the 30 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, setting the series’ record for the most wins by a single manufacturer during a season in the division.
·        With Grant Enfinger’s win at Lime Rock Park, Chevrolet sits just two wins away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.

·        In 176 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 75 victories – a winning percentage of 42.6%.

·        Chevrolet is coming off its 29th all-time sweep of the NASCAR Cup Series championship titles – capturing its 34th driver championship and 44th, and fifth consecutive, manufacturer championship in 2025.

·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 889 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.   FOR THE FANS: Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Talladega Superspeedway, which will feature a variety of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2027 Traverse Z71, 2027 Equinox RS, 2027 Tahoe Z71, 2027 Grand Sport, 2026 Silverado 1500 Trail Boss, 2026 Silverado 2500 High Country, 2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss, 2026 Colorado ZR2 and No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet show car.
Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Friday, October 23: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.   Saturday, October 24: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sunday, October 25: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:Friday, October 23: Tyler Ankrum: 10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Christian Eckes & Daniel Hemric: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Andres Perez de Lara: 1:15 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Grant Enfinger: 1:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Saturday, October 24: Daniel Suarez: 10:20 a.m. – 10:35 a.m. Michael McDowell: 10:35 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. Corey Day: 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. Justin Allgaier: 12:35 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. Carson Kvapil & Rajah Caruth: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Sunday, October 25: Ross Chastain: 8:30 a.m. – 8:45 a.m. Carson Hocevar: 9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m. Kyle Larson: 9:15 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Alex Bowman: 9:40 a.m. – 9:55 a.m. William Byron: 10:10 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.Austin Dillon: 10:25 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup SeriesYellaWood 500Sunday, Oct. 25, at 2 p.m. ETNBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts SeriesThe Progress Group 250Saturday, Oct. 24, at 3:30 p.m. ETCW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesLove’s RV Stop 225Friday, Oct. 23, at 4 p.m. ETFS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletNASCAR announced they’re cutting 1/2 inch off the spoiler heading for Talladega. Is that going to change the racing much, or is it just kind of wait to see when you get there?“I think that we took a big step at the August Daytona race. It was the first step towards it and now we’ll see what happens this weekend. I don’t know really what to expect and how much more a half inch will do, but I definitely think it’s the right direction. I’m not on the committees, I’m not voting on rules packages, but I’m up for whatever the league, whatever NASCAR wants to do. This package was a good step for us at Daytona and a place we went and qualified on the pole. That was a really cool moment for me and our team. So we’ll see what happens this weekend in Talladega with the change.” With the stage lengths changing, fuel saving is still going to come into play. How much are you focused on that?“I’ll be honest, I leave all of that to my crew. They lay out our plan and I go execute it. We’ve got live telemetry coming off the cars that they can see how much fuel I’m using and coach me throughout each run. I’ll drive to what they say to do to make that run as fast as possible. You’re going to have to save at some point and they’ll tell me when we get a little closer to that time and when it seems to be the best to do that.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletWhat makes Talladega so special? “The history behind it. It’s a big, huge place. There’s no track like it. So, if you love speed and the adrenaline rush of being packed up, then this is the place.” In the closing laps of the race, how do you keep yourself patient as a driver when it comes to making moves for the win? “Patience is key in every form of racing. The guys that are comfortable do a really good job of staying patient and putting themselves in a good position. Everyone at RCR, ECR and CT Spring does such a good job of setting our cars up for superspeedways, so I know our No. 3 Get Bioethanol Chevrolet will have what I need to get it done.” Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletIn the spring you finished 12th, and your past three races at Talladega all resulted in top 15s. What are your thoughts going to Talladega?“I feel good heading back to Talladega. We finished 12th in the spring race and that gives us a lot of confidence going into this weekend. Superspeedway racing can be unpredictable, so we just need to stay patient. Hopefully, we can put ourselves in a good position and bring home an even better finish this time.” Ty Dillon, No. 10 Kaulig Racing ChevroletWhat are your thoughts on Talladega Superspeedway?“Talladega has been a track that I have been quite successful at in my career. I’ve had a really good average finish at Talladega over the years and come close a few times but just haven’t been able to cross the finish line first yet. You’re kind of holding on at times, waiting to see what happens. Everybody is pushing, and you’re hoping you can get through the mess.It’s an odd feeling knowing you’re putting yourself out there and something is about to happen. It’s an issue of timing. You’re hoping you just get through it. I’ve been fortunate to sneak through some of them, or be in front of some of them. You usually know when the intensity is rising and the pack is starting to get a little bit out of control. You try to do your best to give yourself an out or be in front of it.” AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Kaulig Racing ChevroletYou’ll have Morris-Shea Bridge Company on your car at Talladega. How important would it be to deliver a strong finish for them at their home track?“It’s very important to us to deliver a strong finish for Morris-Shea Bridge Company at their home track. We always want to perform well for all of our partners and the men and women at Kaulig Racing. Between Ty (Dillon) and I, we’ve had some fast superspeedway cars, and at a place like Talladega, it’s all about making the right decisions and putting yourself in the best position possible to bring home a strong finish. We’ve got a win there in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. It would be cool to snatch a Cup win at Talladega.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“Talladega is always an exciting race because you never know what can happen, and we’re looking forward to getting back there this weekend. It’s great to have NOS Energy Drink back on the No. 47 Chevrolet, along with First Bank of Alabama joining us as an associate sponsor. We’ve had some strong runs at superspeedways, and Talladega is a place where we know we can be competitive. The biggest thing is staying out of trouble, making smart decisions throughout the race and putting ourselves in a position to fight for the win at the end. Hopefully we can put together a strong day for everyone at Hyak Motorsports and our partners.” Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“I liked the updated rules package we had at Daytona, and I’m good with NASCAR taking it a step further at Talladega. It definitely made it more of a driver’s car. You can’t just take any racecar and run it to the front. You’ve got to have good handling and good balance, so you’re going to be working on your car. Talladega’s a little bit different than Daytona. The corners aren’t as narrow. You have a lot more track width, so you can trim your car out and run a more aggressive baseline setup to have more raw pace in a straight line.” Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletHow does fuel conservation continue to shape superspeedway racing?“You’re still going to save fuel at some point. Fuel saving is just part of superspeedway racing. The changes in stage length will make the end of the race more exciting and we’ll still want to bring home as many stage points as possible. Making the last stage shorter has made things more ‘hammer-down’ in the end. Heading into Stage 3, you’re still going to want the shortest stop you can get. The last few superspeedway races we have really hit the strategy with fuel saving in the last stage. That’s just going to be a part of what we do. Regardless, I feel really good about our chances going into this weekend. We have had a ton of speed at Talladega in the past, sat on the pole a few times, led a lot of laps, and had some shots to win the race, but ended up wrecked or just short of the checkers. I am eager to get back to Talladega. I feel like we didn’t get the shot we deserved in the spring so hopefully, we can have a Spire Motorsports sweep at Talladega this time.” Carson Hocevar, No. 77 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat are your thoughts as you return to Talladega for the first time since your victory?“Obviously, I’m looking forward to it. I already enjoyed going to Talladega, but coming back after winning will be a really fun experience. That was a big moment for Spire Motorsports, so I know there are a lot of people excited for us to head back there. Dale, Jr., was my favorite driver as a kid, and he swept the races in 2002. It would be really cool if I could join him on that list.” What is your opinion on superspeedway racing, in general?“I love superspeedway racing. From my seat, it’s the most fun we have in the sport. I enjoy the fact you don’t have to worry about car speed. You either get awarded for making a good decision, or you make a bad decision and you go backwards. You aren’t dictated off handling or downforce numbers. It is really methodical racing.” Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletThis is your first season running the full Cup Series schedule. Where are you now at this time of the year physically? What kind of a physical toll does that schedule take on you? “Thankfully I’m pretty young so the physical toll hasn’t been as much of a burden as the mental toll. At some point you do start to feel it physically when you are racing every single weekend for pretty much 38 weeks straight. Sometimes you just want to sleep and stay at home all day but it’s pretty rare you get the opportunity to do that. I’ve grown up a lot as a person this year and learned a lot about myself mentally and physically.” How long does it take you to recover from a race? How long does it take your body to rebound from that and get ready for the next race?“I think by Tuesday things are pretty much back to normal. Mondays are a little tough because I’m trying to catch up on hydration and all the things that you lose throughout the race. Once I get caught up on sleep Monday night that pretty much brings me back to normal.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturer Championships:Total (1949-2025): 44First title for Chevrolet: 1958Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)Most recent: 2025 Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Driver Championships:Total (1949-2025): 34First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29 Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025 Event Victories:Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007) 2026 STATISTICS: Wins: 8Poles: 6Laps Led: 2,479Top-Fives: 53Top-10s: 112Stage Wins: 22 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 889 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 772Laps led to date: 259,213Top-fives to date: 4,489Top-10s to date: 9,263 Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date: General Motors: 1,223 Chevrolet: 889 Pontiac: 154 Oldsmobile: 115 Buick: 65 Ford: 855 Ford: 755 Mercury: 96 Lincoln: 4 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467 Dodge: 217 Plymouth: 191 Chrysler: 59 Toyota: 221

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCETalladega SuperspeedwayOctober 23-25, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

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TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Two Big Events Set the Stage for World of Outlaws Texarkana Debut

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEXARKANA, AR (October 20, 2026) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is set to debut in a big way at Texarkana 67 Speedway.

Two huge events are packed into one weekend (Oct. 23-24) as The Greatest Show on Dirt is ready to debut at the dirt track built on the Arkansas side of the city that bridges Texas and Arkansas.

The weekend launches the seventh running of the Jason Johnson Classic presented by FK Rod Ends. The World of Outlaws continue to honor one of the best men to ever grace the sport by hosting the $20,000-to-win race, and this year will be Texarkana’s first time hosting it.

Then a new chapter begins for a historic event as the weekend closes out with the Short Track Nationals becoming a World of Outlaws event for the first time. The race was a staple of Little Rock, AR’s I-30 Speedway for several years before the track shuttered at the end of 2022. Now, The Greatest Show on Dirt and Texarkana are rebuilding momentum with the 39th running, showcasing the top Sprint Car talent and dishing out $25,000 to the winner.

BUY TWO-DAY TEXARKANA TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY FRIDAY TEXARKANA TICKETS HERE
BUY SATURDAY TEXARKANA TICKETS HERE

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision

Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:

MIKE’S MAKING HISTORY

The Roth Motorsports organization has been around for more than three decades, but Michael “Buddy” Kofoid may be about to secure the best season the team has ever had.

It’s already been an unforgettable 2026 for the pairing as they tackle their third full campaign on tour together. They’ve collected 16 victories and are fresh off their latest thanks to Kofoid topping the Series debut at Belle-Clair. That number is tied for the most Dennis and Teresa Roth’s team has reached in a single season, matching Danny Lasoski’s mark set back in 1999. Five more opportunities are ahead for Kofoid to break the record. The team has also guaranteed at least a tie for the most World of Outlaws wins in 2026. If David Gravel or Sheldon Haudenschild don’t win the final five races, Kofoid and the Roth crew will own sole possession of that honor. Roth Motorsports has never led the “W” category, and Kofoid looks poised to give them that honor for the first time.

Kofoid will make his Texarkana debut this weekend, but new tracks haven’t slowed him this season. Four of his 16 scores this year have been at facilities where he was making his first appearance.

RACIN’ FOR THE RAGIN’ CAJUN

The Jason Johnson Classic is always circled on Jason Johnson Racing’s calendar.

It’s the race that honors their founder and a man beloved across the pit area during his time in the sport. Hard work, integrity, and kindness helped the “Ragin’ Cajun” construct a top-tier Sprint Car organization. Today, Johnson’s cousin Philip Dietz carries on that legacy by leading the No. 41 team as they remain one of the best operations in the sport.

Carson Macedo badly wants to bag a Jason Johnson Classic for his crew as his sixth season with JJR nears its conclusion. He came so close in 2023 when he started on the pole and finished runner-up at 81 Speedway. His last effort in the event was a 2024 top-five finish at Arrowhead Speedway. Jason Johnson Racing has claimed the event once before, coming out on top of the inaugural running in 2019 with David Gravel behind the wheel during a storybook night.

WAYNE’S WORLD

Cole Macedo will have a larger notebook than most teams, helping him this weekend thanks to TwoC Racing Crew Chief Wayne Johnson.

The American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) days for Johnson sent him to Texarkana sporadically throughout his long career behind the wheel. He competed there as far back as 1998 and as recently as 2022. The Oklahoma City, OK native tallied a trio of ASCS National Tour podiums there before shifting his role to wrenching on the TwoC Racing No. 2C and jumping back on the World of Outlaws tour in 2025 with Macedo.

The combination of Macedo and TwoC is winding down a sophomore season together that the numbers say has been an improvement. The Lemoore, CA driver’s top 10 total (26) is already six more than last year, and his 2026 average finish is roughly one position better than 2025. He’ll head to Texarkana not entirely unfamiliar with the oval. He and TwoC competed in last year’s Short Track Nationals during a World of Outlaws off-weekend, picking up a pair of 11th-place finishes.

A NEW CHAPTER

The World of Outlaws is ready to help breathe some life into one of the southern Sprint Car scene’s most coveted events.

Some of the sport’s top talent flocked to I-30 Speedway for decades with the goal of winning the Short Track Nationals. The event took a hit when I-30 closed, but Texarkana is putting forth a mighty effort to restore the glory by bringing the best of the best to town.

The list of winners includes names like Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Brad Sweet, Christopher Bell, Jason Meyers, and more. Some of the greatest to ever get behind the wheel made the trip to Arkansas to take on the famed race. Now modern-day superstars like David Gravel, Donny Schatz, Buddy Kofoid, Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart, and more are ready for their shot to put their name on the legendary list of champions.

#ALLDIRTROADS

The end of the journey is within sight for the world’s best Sprint Car drivers.

Texarkana serves as the final stop before All Dirt Roads lead the tour to The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Nov. 4-7 for the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals. Time is running out to make a move in the points or end the season on a high note and create momentum to build on heading into 2027.

David Gravel is marching toward a third consecutive championship and will join Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, and Brad Sweet as only the fourth driver to ever reach the feat should he hold on. He holds a 128-point advantage over Buddy Kofoid.

Looking at some battles a little further down the field, Garet Williamson’s sophomore surge has him sitting sixth in the standings, but Donny Schatz is within striking distance, just 22 points back. It’s a four-car brawl for ninth with only 106 points separating spots nine through 12. Emerson Axsom leads that bunch with Spencer Bayston 12 markers behind him and Bill Balog and Chris Windom in pursuit.

For the full standings, CLICK HERE.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 23-24 at Texarkana 67 Speedway in Texarkana, AR

AROUND THE TURN
Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 4-7 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC (TICKETS)

CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (73/79 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (9446 PTS)
2. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-128 PTS)
3. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-218 PTS)
4. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-308 PTS)
5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-476 PTS)
6. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-688 PTS)
7. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-710 PTS)
8. Cole Macedo – TwoC Racing No. 2C (-1052 PTS)
9. Emerson Axsom – Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports No. 27 (-1114 PTS)
10. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-1126 PTS)

NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (23 Drivers):
16 Wins – Michael Kofoid
11 Wins – David Gravel, Sheldon Haudenschild
6 Wins – Carson Macedo
3 Wins – Anthony Macri, Logan Schuchart,
2 Wins – Donny Schatz, Corey Day, Chase Dietz
1 Win – Spencer Bayston, Tyler Courtney, Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne, Rico Abreu, Aaron Reutzel, Brent Marks, Bryce Lucius, Chris Windom, Kyle Larson, Garet Williamson, Emerson Axsom, James McFadden, Justin Sanders

FEATURE LAPS LED (35 Drivers):
481 Laps Led – Michael Kofoid
366 Laps Led – David Gravel
177 Laps Led – Logan Schuchart
151 Laps Led – Carson Macedo
147 Laps Led – Sheldon Haudenschild
136 Laps Led – Garet Williamson
77 Laps Led – Bill Balog
69 Laps Led – Corey Day
66 Laps Led – Emerson Axsom
64 Laps Led – Donny Schatz
62 Laps Led – Chase Dietz
59 Laps Led – Kyle Larson
56 Laps Led – Anthony Macri
40 Laps Led – Aaron Reutzel, Chris Windom
37 Laps Led – Tyler Courtney
33 Laps Led – Brady Bacon, Rico Abreu
28 Laps Led – Ryan Timms, Justin Sanders
26 Laps Led – Steven Snyder Jr.
25 Laps Led – Brad Sweet, Kasey Kahne
21 Laps Led – Kasey Jedrzejek
17 Laps Led – Spencer Bayston, Nate Dussel
16 Laps Led – Bryce Lucius
15 Laps Led – Christopher Thram
12 Laps Led – Cole Macedo
11 Laps Led – Giovanni Scelzi
8 Laps Led – Justin Whittall
7 Laps Led – Brian Brown
6 Laps Led – Brock Zearfoss, James McFadden
3 Laps Led – Brent MarksPODIUM FINISHES (40 Drivers):
33 Podiums – Michael Kofoid
31 Podiums – David Gravel
27 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild
20 Podiums – Carson Macedo
11 Podiums – Logan Schuchart, Garet Williamson
8 Podiums – Donny Schatz
5 Podiums – Anthony Macri
4 Podiums – Ryan Timms, Rico Abreu, Bill Balog, Emerson Axsom, Corey Day
3 Podiums – Spencer Bayston, Aaron Reutzel, Chris Windom, Chase Dietz
2 Podiums – Brady Bacon, Cole Macedo, Tyler Courtney, Giovanni Scelzi, Kasey Kahne, James McFadden, Justin Peck
1 Podium – Ashton Torgerson, Scott Bogucki, Brad Sweet, Justin Whittall, Troy Wagaman Jr., Kasey Jedrzejek, Brent Marks, Bryce Lucius, Daryn Pittman, Logan Rumsey, Kelby Watt, Kyle Larson, Steven Snyder Jr., Justin Sanders, Parker Price-Miller, Karter Sarff

SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (25 Drivers):
23 Quick Times – David Gravel
7 Quick Times – Michael Kofoid
6 Quick Times – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Quick Times – Bill Balog
3 Quick Times – Logan Schuchart, Brady Bacon
2 Quick Times – Kasey Jedrzejek, Corey Day, Chase Dietz, Carson Macedo
1 Quick Time – Ashton Torgerson, Will Armitage, J.J. Hickle, Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich, Rico Abreu, Aaron Reutzel, Justin Henderson, Daryn Pittman, Logan Rumsey, Kasey Kahne, Tanner Thorson, Emerson Axsom, Cole Macedo, Colton Robinson

HEAT RACE WINNERS (67 Drivers):
38 Heat Wins – David Gravel
26 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
20 Heat Wins – Carson Macedo, Bill Balog
17 Heat Wins – Michael Kofoid
14 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart
13 Heat Wins – Garet Williamson
12 Heat Wins – Emerson Axsom
7 Heat Wins – Spencer Bayston, Donny Schatz
6 Heat Wins – Cole Macedo
5 Heat Wins – Christopher Thram
4 Heat Wins – Rico Abreu, Brent Marks, Ryan Timms
3 Heat Wins – Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Aaron Reutzel, Giovanni Scelzi, Anthony Macri, Kerry Madsen, Chris Windom, Steven Snyder Jr., Corey Day, Chase Dietz, Daryn Pittman
2 Heat Wins – Kasey Kahne, Austin McCarl, Jacob Hughes, Tyler Courtney, Justin Whittall, Kelby Watt, Brock Zearfoss, Rees Moran, Bryce Lucius, James McFadden, Max Mittry, Justin Sanders
1 Heat Win – Justin Peck, Tanner Holmes, Scotty Thiel, Will Armitage, Brian Brown, Danny Dietrich, Chad Trout, Joel Myers Jr., Andy Pake, Sam Henderson, Dayne Kingshott, Daison Pursley, Terry McCarl, Kyle Larson, Brady Bacon, Brent Shearer, Logan Rumsey, Danny Sams III, Riley Goodno, Chris Martin, Ayrton Gennetten, Carson McCarl, Kaleb Johnson, Skylar Gee, Cameron Smith, Lance Dewease, Parker Price-Miller, Karter Sarff, Zach Daum

TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (80 Drivers):
51 Dashes – David Gravel
44 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
40 Dashes – Michael Kofoid
31 Dashes – Carson Macedo
28 Dashes – Bill Balog
27 Dashes – Garet Williamson
20 Dashes – Logan Schuchart
19 Dashes – Emerson Axsom
15 Dashes – Donny Schatz
13 Dashes – Cole Macedo, Spencer Bayston
9 Dashes – Chris Windom
8 Dashes – Ryan Timms
7 Dashes – Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Chase Dietz
6 Dashes – Aaron Reutzel
5 Dashes – Rico Abreu, Brent Marks, Anthony Macri
4 Dashes – Brian Brown, Brady Bacon, Logan Rumsey, Kelby Watt, Christopher Thram, Skylar Gee, Steven Snyder Jr., Corey Day, Daryn Pittman
3 Dashes – Kerry Madsen, Tanner Holmes, Justin Henderson, Bryce Lucius, Justin Whittall, Justin Peck
2 Dashes – Scotty Thiel, Kasey Kahne, Troy Wagaman Jr., Will Armitage, J.J. Hickle, Austin McCarl, Joe B. Miller, Brenham Crouch, Conner Morrell, Tyler Courtney, Kyle Larson, Cory Eliason, Gage Pulkrabek, Max Mittry, James McFadden, Justin Sanders, Lance Dewease, Cameron Smith, Parker Price-Miller
1 Dash – Brock Zearfoss, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Rees Moran, Bryce Norris, Brad Sweet, Danny Dietrich, Logan Rumsey, Kody Hartlaub, Freddie Rahmer, Chad Trout, Giovanni Scelzi, Joel Myers Jr., Andy Pake, Tanner Thorson, D.J. Christie, Ricky Peterson, Brent Shearer, Dylan Norris, Sam Henderson, Sean Rayhall, Jett Yantis, Kaleb Montgomery, Dominic Gorden, Greg Wilson, Nate Dussel, Karter Sarff, Zach Daum

MICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (39 Drivers):
5 LCS Wins – Donny Schatz
4 LCS Wins – Garet Williamson, Cole Macedo, Emerson Axsom, Chris Windom
3 LCS Wins – Spencer Bayston, Logan Schuchart
2 LCS Wins – Michael Kofoid, Giovanni Scelzi, Skylar Gee, Tyler Courtney, Bryce Norris
1 LCS Wins – Cameron Martin, Bill Balog, Blake Hahn, Landon Crawley, Doug Hammaker, Daryn Pittman, Kerry Madsen, Justin Henderson, Joel Myers Jr., Daison Pursley, Zane DeVault, Logan Julien, Jordan Poirier, Matt Farnham, Jordan Thomas, Dylan Norris, Justin Whittall, Brent Shearer, Danny Dietrich, Rico Abreu, Lynton Jeffrey, Kelby Watt, Jacob Peterson, Sam Henderson, Bryce Lucius, Tim Kaeding, Brady Bacon, Nate Dussel

KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (27 Drivers):
9 Hard Chargers – Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart
8 Hard Chargers – Michael Kofoid
7 Hard Chargers – Donny Schatz
4 Hard Chargers – Spencer Bayston, Ashton Torgerson, Sheldon Haudenschild
3 Hard Chargers – Chris Windom, Cole Macedo
2 Hard Chargers – Garet Williamson, Ryan Timms, Shane Golobic, Danny Dietrich
1 Hard Charger – Giovanni Scelzi, Brady Bacon, Tyler Ross, Cameron Smith, David Gravel, Emerson Axsom, Logan Julien, Tyler Courtney, Kasey Jedrzejek, James McFadden, Corey Day, J.J. Hickle, Tanner Holmes, Ricky Peterson

ACME FASTEST LAP AWARDS (31 Drivers):
12 Fastest Laps – Michael Kofoid
7 Fastest Laps – David Gravel
6 Fastest Laps – Logan Schuchart
5 Fastest Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild, Bill Balog
4 Fastest Laps – Carson Macedo
3 Fastest Laps – Garet Williamson
2 Fastest Laps – Brady Bacon, Aaron Reutzel, Kasey Jedrzejek, Anthony Macri, Kyle Larson, Steven Snyder Jr., Donny Schatz
1 Fastest Lap – Brock Zearfoss, Cole Macedo, Ryan Timms, Brad Sweet, Kelby Watt, Kasey Kahne, Giovanni Scelzi, Rico Abreu, Christopher Thram, Bryce Lucius, Corey Day, Chase Dietz, Jace Park, Emerson Axsom, Justin Sanders, Justin Whittall, Nate Dussel

RACE READY CLOTHING HOTTEST LAP OF THE NIGHT AWARDS (24 Drivers):
20 Hottest Laps – David Gravel
9 Hottest Laps – Sheldon Haudenschild, Michael Kofoid
5 Hottest Laps – Carson Macedo, Garet Williamson
3 Hottest Laps – Logan Schuchart
2 Hottest Laps – Ashton Torgerson, Daryn Pittman, Bill Balog, Emerson Axsom
1 Hottest Lap – Austin McCarl, Brent Marks, Cole Macedo, Tyler Courtney, Ryan Timms, Giovanni Scelzi, Bryce Lucius, Nate Dussel, Logan Rumsey, Chris Windom, Spencer Bayston, Steven Snyder Jr., Camerson Smith, Skylar Gee

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner
Wed, Feb 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Spencer Bayston (1)
Fri, Feb 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Michael Kofoid (1)
Sat, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (1)
Sun, March 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
Mon, March 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (2)
Fri, March 6 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Donny Schatz (1)
Fri, March 13 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / David Gravel (1)
Fri, March 20 / Lawton Speedway / Lawton, OK / David Gravel (2)
Sat, March 21 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / David Gravel (3)
Fri, March 27 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO / Carson Macedo (1)
Sat, March 28 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS / Michael Kofoid (2)
Fri, April 10 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (3)
Sat, April 11 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Michael Kofoid (4)
Sun, April 19 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN / Tyler Courtney (1)
Fri, April 24 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brad Sweet (1)
Sat, April 25 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / David Gravel (4)
Tues, May 5 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA / Michael Kofoid (5)
Fri, May 8 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Kasey Kahne (1)
Sat, May 9 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / David Gravel (5)
Fri, May 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Rico Abreu (1)
Sat, May 16 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Logan Schuchart (1)
Tues, May 19 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL / Carson Macedo (2)
Sat, May 23 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Aaron Reutzel (1)
Mon, May 25 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (6)
Fri, May 29 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Carson Macedo (3)
Sat, June 6 / Plymouth Dirt Track / Plymouth, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (2)
Sun, June 7 / Angell Park Speedway / Sun Prairie, WI / Carson Macedo (4)
Fri, June 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Brent Marks (1)
Wed, June 17 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (7)
Thurs, June 18 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (8)
Fri, June 19 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Sheldon Haudenschild (3)
Sat, June 20 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / David Gravel (6)
Fri, June 26 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / David Gravel (7)
Sat, June 27 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (4)
Thurs, July 9 / Hartford Speedway / Hartford, MI / Sheldon Haudenschild (5)
Fri, July 10 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Michael Kofoid (9)
Sat, July 11 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI / Sheldon Haudenschild (6)
Tues, July 14 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH / Bryce Lucius (1)
Fri, July 17 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Corey Day (1)
Sat, July 18 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH / Anthony Macri (3)
Wed, July 22 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada / David Gravel (8)
Sat, July 25 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / Sheldon Haudenschild (7)
Sun, July 26 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY / David Gravel (9)
Wed, July 29 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA / Chase Dietz (1)
Fri, July 31 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Michael Kofoid (10)
Sat, Aug 1 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / David Gravel (10)
Fri, Aug 7 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Chris Windom (1)
Sat, Aug 8 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Logan Schuchart (2)
Wed, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA* / Sheldon Haudenschild
Thurs, Aug 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA* / Kyle Larson
Fri, Aug 14 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA* / Donny Schatz
Sat, Aug 15 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA / Kyle Larson (1)
Fri, Aug 21 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Sheldon Haudenschild (8)
Sat, Aug 22 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN / Logan Schuchart (3)
Fri, Aug 28 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Garet Williamson (1)
Sat, Aug 29 / Fix It Forward Speedway / West Fargo, ND / Carson Macedo (5)
Mon, Aug 31 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND / Michael Kofoid (11)
Fri, Sept 4 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Sheldon Haudenschild (9)
Sat, Sept 5 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Michael Kofoid (12)
Sun, Sept 6 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD / Emerson Axsom (1)
Sat, Sept 12 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS / Michael Kofoid (13)
Mon, Sept 14 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO / Michael Kofoid (14)
Fri, Sept 18 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA / James McFadden (1)
Sat, Sept 19 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA / Justin Sanders (1)
Tues, Sept 22 / Kings Speedway / Hanford, CA / Carson Macedo (6)
Fri, Sept 25 / Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway / Bakersfield, CA / Donny Schatz (2)
Sat, Sept 26 / Ventura Raceway / Ventura, CA / Corey Day (2)
Fri, Oct 2 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / David Gravel (11)
Sat, Oct 3 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA / Chase Dietz (2)
Thurs, Oct 8 / Millstream Speedway / Findlay, OH / Michael Kofoid (15)
Fri, Oct 9 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (10)
Sat, Oct 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Sheldon Haudenschild (11)
Sat, Oct 17 / Belle-Clair Fairgrounds Park Speedway / Belleville, IL / Michael Kofoid (16)
Fri, Oct 23 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Sat, Oct 24 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Wed, Nov 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thurs, Nov 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Fri, Nov 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Sat, Nov 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

*denotes unofficial split-field prelim race.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/top-five-storylines-two-big-events-set-the-stage-for-world-of-outlaws-texarkana-debut/

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Two Big Events Set the Stage for World of Outlaws Texarkana Debut

TEXARKANA, AR (October 20, 2026) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is set to debut in a big way at Texarkana 67 Speedway.

Two huge events are packed into one weekend (Oct. 23-24) as The Greatest Show on Dirt is ready to debut at the dirt track built on the Arkansas side of the city that bridges Texas and Arkansas.

BUY TWO-DAY TEXARKANA TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY FRIDAY TEXARKANA TICKETS HERE
BUY SATURDAY TEXARKANA TICKETS HERE

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision

Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:

MIKE’S MAKING HISTORY

The Roth Motorsports organization has been around for more than three decades, but Michael “Buddy” Kofoid may be about to secure the best season the team has ever had.

Kofoid will make his Texarkana debut this weekend, but new tracks haven’t slowed him this season. Four of his 16 scores this year have been at facilities where he was making his first appearance.

RACIN’ FOR THE RAGIN’ CAJUN

The Jason Johnson Classic is always circled on Jason Johnson Racing’s calendar.

WAYNE’S WORLD

Cole Macedo will have a larger notebook than most teams, helping him this weekend thanks to TwoC Racing Crew Chief Wayne Johnson.

A NEW CHAPTER

The World of Outlaws is ready to help breathe some life into one of the southern Sprint Car scene’s most coveted events.

#ALLDIRTROADS

The end of the journey is within sight for the world’s best Sprint Car drivers.

For the full standings, CLICK HERE.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 23-24 at Texarkana 67 Speedway in Texarkana, AR

AROUND THE TURN
Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 4-7 at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC (TICKETS)

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/top-five-storylines-two-big-events-set-the-stage-for-world-of-outlaws-texarkana-debut/

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TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Carolina Favorites Battle Invaders in World of Outlaws Debut at Modoc

October 22, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

MODOC, SC (October 20, 2026) – The 2026 season is down to its final five nights.

A journey that began nine months ago in Florida is approaching its climax in the Carolinas. But before this year’s World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision champion is crowned at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in two weeks, the penultimate weekend of action will take the Series to new territory.

For the first time ever, The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet are set to tackle Modoc Speedway. The Modoc 100 is the culmination of years of work for those involved in the track – after its closure at the end of the 2021 season, local businessman Ronnie Powell purchased the facility and commenced a $2 million renovation that turned Modoc into one of the premier dirt tracks in the southeast. The track reopened its gates in March and will host the biggest weekend of racing in Modoc history when the World of Outlaws roll through the gates this weekend.

The festivities begin on Thursday, Oct. 22, when Ethan Dotson and Tyler Erb will meet fans and have their cars on display at North Augusta Customs from 4-7 p.m. They’ll hit the track for the first time alongside the rest of the Outlaws on Friday, Oct. 23, for a 40-lap, $12,000-to-win, program. The weekend wraps up on Saturday, Oct. 24, when $25,000 will be on the line in the 60-lap finale.

The World of Outlaws will be joined on both nights by the Red Clay Series 602 Late Models and the Crown Vics.

GET TICKETS

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVISION

Here are this week’s top storylines:

KEEP IT ROLLING: Fall 2026 has been a good time to be Nick Hoffman.

After a summer filled with second- and third-place runs, the Tye Twarog Racing driver finally got the monkey off his back in the best way possible with his first World 100 victory. Hoffman cemented his spot as the hottest driver in the nation with a pair of World of Outlaws wins at one of his home tracks, I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park, followed by a podium finish in the Pittsburgher one week later.

Hoffman vowed to continue chasing as many wins as possible in his final weeks with Twarog’s team before his move to Spire Motorsports, and he plans to continue delivering on that promise in his Modoc debut this weekend.

WRAPPING IT UP: Bobby Pierce may already have one hand on his third World of Outlaws championship trophy, but he’s still focused on closing out the season in style.

A summer of dominance has turned into a trying fall by Pierce standards. Since his most recent World of Outlaws victory at Adams County Speedway on Aug. 28, the “Smooth Operator” has won only twice and failed to qualify for the final two crown jewels of the season, the World 100 and the Dirt Track World Championship. It’s a similar story to 2025, when Pierce’s lucrative spring and summer allowed him to win the title in convincing fashion despite going winless in the final nine races.

Like Hoffman, Pierce is also getting his first look at Modoc this weekend in pursuit of his first win in the state of South Carolina. One thing Pierce can look forward to is the dirt – Modoc’s renovation included a resurfacing with gumbo “gray clay” similar to what’s used at Senoia Raceway, where Pierce won with the World of Outlaws in March.

IN THEIR BACKYARD: For the first time since joining the World of Outlaws full-time last season, ASD Motorsports gets to battle the best on their home turf.

The team is based about 30 minutes from the racetrack in North Augusta, SC, and their driver, Ethan Dotson, now resides in nearby Graniteville, SC. With plenty of family, friends and fans getting a rare chance to see their team compete locally, the Modoc 100 has been circled on the ASD calendar since the day the schedule was released.

Dotson and the No. 74X crew have already gotten to turn some laps at the new-look Modoc, as they finished third when the Southern Nationals Series came to town in July. With his first World of Outlaws win of the year out of the way at Shelby County Speedway in August, Dotson has the chance to go after a few more before the season is done while also focusing on locking up a career-high sixth-place points finish.

FINISHING AT HOME: Daulton Wilson also falls into the category of drivers who won’t have to put many miles on their odometer in the closing weeks of the 2026 campaign.

The Fayetteville, NC native has made plenty of starts over the past decade at both Modoc and The Dirt Track at Charlotte, the site of the season-ending Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals (Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 4-7). In the case of Modoc, his record includes a top 10 with the Xtreme DIRTcar Series in 2021, as well as a trio of starts on the Ultimate Super Late Model Series trail. However, they all came on the former red clay surface, meaning Wilson will be a first-timer at Modoc 2.0 alongside most of the World of Outlaws roster.

With five races remaining and a 105-point lead in the MD3 Rookie of the Year battle, avoiding any major issues will likely be enough for Wilson to prevent Trey Mills from passing him. But if the No. 58V can run up front consistently the rest of the way, Wilson stands a chance at eliminating the 55-point gap between himself and Dotson and moving up to sixth in the standings.

JOINING THE FUN: With race season winding down in many parts of the country, plenty of teams will join the World of Outlaws to get a few more nights in before putting the cars away for the winter.

They include a pair of southeastern heroes in Jonathan Davenport and Chris Madden. The former rivals have put their grudges aside and become a tight-knit pair as of late, as Madden now runs the Wells Motorsports No. 44 operation out of a building on Davenport’s property in Belton, SC. Both men are multi-time Modoc winners, although all of Davenport’s triumphs came more than 15 years ago with the FASTRAK Racing Series in his Crate Late Model days.

Hudson O’Neal also plans to be in action in the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6 at both Modoc and Charlotte. Days after hitting a mud clump while leading at West Virginia Motor Speedway, which damaged the nose and ended his chance at a $100,000 Dirt Track World Championship victory, O’Neal will be looking to right the ship in the car in which he’s had so much success this year. All three of O’Neal’s World of Outlaws wins this season have come with Rumley, and he’s finished first or second in six of his 10 Series appearances in the No. 6.

Other drivers with plans to go World of Outlaws racing this weekend include Chris Ferguson, Carson Ferguson, Cody Overton, Ross Bailes, Luke Morey and many more.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 23-24, at Modoc Speedway in Modoc, SC

CURRENT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Bobby Pierce (6775 points)
2. Nick Hoffman (-96)
3. Tyler Erb (-373)
4. Tim McCreadie (-428)
5. Ryan Gustin (-568)
6. Ethan Dotson (-693)
7. Daulton Wilson (-748)
8. Trey Mills (-853)
9. Dennis Erb Jr. (-855)
10. Dustin Sorensen (-966)

FEATURE WINNERS (13):
Bobby Pierce – 20
Nick Hoffman – 8
Tyler Erb – 4
Brandon Sheppard – 3
Hudson O’Neal – 3
Tim McCreadie – 2
Ryan Gustin – 1
Ethan Dotson – 1
Daulton Wilson – 1
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 1
Chris Madden – 1
Mason Zeigler – 1
Mike Marlar – 1

FEATURE TOP FIVES (33):
Nick Hoffman – 38
Bobby Pierce – 36
Tyler Erb – 22
Tim McCreadie – 18
Brandon Sheppard – 13
Ryan Gustin – 13
Hudson O’Neal – 12
Ethan Dotson – 11
Drake Troutman – 11
Daulton Wilson – 10
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 6
Dennis Erb Jr. – 6
Jonathan Davenport – 6
Chris Madden – 5
Dustin Sorensen – 4
Mason Zeigler – 2
Dale McDowell – 2
Brandon Overton – 2
Trey Mills – 2
Ashton Winger – 2
Jason Feger – 2
Mike Marlar – 1
Max Blair – 1
Brent Larson – 1
Tristan Chamberlain – 1
Josh Rice – 1
Garrett Alberson – 1
Dallon Murty – 1
Zack Mitchell – 1
Devin Moran – 1
Brian Shirley – 1
Justin Duty – 1
Dave Hess Jr. – 1

FEATURE LAPS LED (27):
Bobby Pierce – 630
Nick Hoffman – 383
Tyler Erb – 144
Daulton Wilson – 142
Brandon Sheppard – 118
Drake Troutman – 99
Hudson O’Neal – 95
Ryan Gustin – 73
Chris Madden – 73
Trey Mills – 63
Tim McCreadie – 59
Jonathan Davenport – 57
Garrett Alberson – 46
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 41
Mike Marlar – 39
Dallon Murty – 31
Mason Zeigler – 24
Ethan Dotson – 23
Ashton Winger – 22
Dan Ebert – 14
Brandon Overton – 12
Michael Leach – 10
Dustin Sorensen – 9
Dennis Erb Jr. – 5
Sam Seawright – 5
Dale McDowell – 4
Jason Feger – 3

BILSTEIN POLE AWARDS (24):
Nick Hoffman – 8
Daulton Wilson – 4
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 3
Drake Troutman – 3
Dallon Murty – 3
Bobby Pierce – 2
Tyler Erb – 2
Hudson O’Neal – 2
Tim McCreadie – 2
Ethan Dotson – 2
Chris Madden – 2
Brandon Sheppard – 1
Ryan Gustin – 1
Jonathan Davenport – 1
Dennis Erb Jr. – 1
Dustin Sorensen – 1
Brandon Overton – 1
Trey Mills – 1
Ashton Winger – 1
Tristan Chamberlain – 1
Garrett Alberson – 1
Dan Ebert – 1
Sam Seawright – 1
Michael Leach – 1
Jason Feger – 1

SIMPSON QUICK TIME AWARDS (20):
Nick Hoffman – 10
Chris Madden – 5
Tyler Erb – 4
Bobby Pierce – 3
Brandon Sheppard – 3
Hudson O’Neal – 3
Tim McCreadie – 3
Michael Leach – 3
Jonathan Davenport – 2
Ethan Dotson – 1
Daulton Wilson – 1
Drake Troutman – 1
Brandon Overton – 1
Brent Larson – 1
Boom Briggs – 1
Cody Overton – 1
Ross Robinson – 1
Sam Seawright – 1
Jason Feger – 1
Tanner English – 1
Trey Mills – 1

HEAT RACE WINS (45):
Nick Hoffman – 27
Bobby Pierce – 21
Tyler Erb – 12
Brandon Sheppard – 11
Hudson O’Neal – 9
Ryan Gustin – 9
Chris Madden – 8
Tim McCreadie – 7
Daulton Wilson – 7
Drake Troutman – 7
Ethan Dotson – 6
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 6
Dustin Sorensen – 5
Dennis Erb Jr. – 4
Jonathan Davenport – 4
Brandon Overton – 4
Trey Mills – 4
Tristan Chamberlain – 4
Dallon Murty – 4
Mason Zeigler – 3
Jason Feger – 3
Devin Moran – 2
Dan Ebert – 2
Sam Seawright – 2
Michael Leach – 2
Jared Miley – 2
Mike Marlar – 1
Dale McDowell – 1
Ashton Winger – 1
Brent Larson – 1
Josh Rice – 1
Garrett Alberson – 1
Zack Mitchell – 1
Justin Duty – 1
Dave Hess Jr. – 1
Donald McIntosh – 1
Blair Nothdurft – 1
Logan Zarin – 1
Cody Overton – 1
Austin Smith – 1
Sam Mars – 1
Dylan Thornton – 1
Lane Snook – 1
Tanner English – 1
Jake O’Neil – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (46):
Ethan Dotson – 5
Dennis Erb Jr. – 4
Dallon Murty – 4
Bobby Pierce – 3
Ryan Gustin – 3
Daulton Wilson – 3
Dustin Sorensen – 3
Trey Mills – 3
Tristan Chamberlain – 3
Josh Rice – 3
Logan Zarin – 3
Nick Hoffman – 2
Hudson O’Neal – 2
Drake Troutman – 2
Jason Feger – 2
Brent Larson – 2
Boom Briggs – 2
Carson Ferguson – 2
Tim McCreadie – 1
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 1
Brian Shirley – 1
Clay Stuckey – 1
Cory Hedgecock – 1
Jake Timm – 1
Cody Overton – 1
Kyle Bronson – 1
Dan Ebert – 1
Michael Leach – 1
Chase Junghans – 1
Luke Morey – 1
Chris Ferguson – 1
Dalton Cook – 1
Shane Clanton – 1
Michael Page – 1
Derrick Stewart – 1
Chad Simpson – 1
Chris Simpson – 1
Dylan Thornton – 1
Gordy Gundaker – 1
Nick Davis – 1
Dylan Yoder – 1
Lincoln Smith – 1
Wesley McCray – 1
Tanner English – 1
Billy Moyer – 1
Kayden Clatt – 1

2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS LATE MODEL SERIES PRESENTED BY DIRTVISION SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Jan. 21 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL (Practice)
Thursday, Jan. 22 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Chris Madden (1)
Friday, Jan. 23 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Hudson O’Neal (1)
Saturday, Jan. 24 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Tim McCreadie (1)
Thursday, Feb. 12 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Nick Hoffman (1)
Friday, Feb. 13 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Nick Hoffman (2)
Saturday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Brandon Sheppard (1)
Thursday, Feb. 19 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL (Practice)
Friday, Feb. 20 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL / Bobby Pierce (1)
Saturday, Feb. 21 / Hendry County Motorsports Park / Clewiston, FL / Nick Hoffman (3)
Friday, March 13 / Volunteer Speedway / Bulls Gap, TN / Mike Marlar (1)
Saturday, March 14 / Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, TN / Bobby Pierce (2)
Thursday, March 19 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS (Practice)
Friday, March 20 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Bobby Pierce (3)
Saturday, March 21 / Magnolia Motor Speedway / Columbus, MS / Hudson O’Neal (2)
Friday, March 27 / East Alabama Motor Speedway / Phenix City, AL / Nick Hoffman (4)
Saturday, March 28 / Senoia Raceway / Senoia, GA / Bobby Pierce (4)
Thursday, April 9 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL (Practice)
Friday, April 10 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / Brandon Sheppard (2)
Saturday, April 11 / Farmer City Raceway / Farmer City, IL / Bobby Pierce (5)
Tuesday, April 28 / Independence Motor Speedway / Independence, IA / Bobby Pierce (6)
Thursday, April 30 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / Bobby Pierce (7)
Friday, May 1 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / Nick Hoffman (5)
Saturday, May 2 / Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, WI / Ryan Gustin (1)
Wednesday, May 13 / Georgetown Speedway / Georgetown, DE / Bobby Pierce (8)
Thursday, May 14 / Selinsgrove Speedway / Selinsgrove, PA / Tim McCreadie (2)
Sunday, May 17 / Bedford Speedway / Bedford, PA / Mason Zeigler (1)
Wednesday, May 27 / Marion Center Raceway / Marion Center, PA / Bobby Pierce (9)
Thursday, May 28 / Wayne County Speedway / Orrville, OH / Ricky Thornton Jr. (1)
Friday, May 29 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH / Tyler Erb (1)
Saturday, May 30 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH / Nick Hoffman (6)
Friday, June 12 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV / Bobby Pierce (10)
Saturday, June 13 / West Virginia Motor Speedway / Mineral Wells, WV / Tyler Erb (2)
Saturday, June 20 / 141 Speedway / Maribel, WI / Bobby Pierce (11)
Monday, June 22 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN / Bobby Pierce (12)
Wednesday, June 24 / I-94 emr Speedway / Fergus Falls, MN / Bobby Pierce (13)
Friday, June 26 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND / Bobby Pierce (14)
Sunday, June 28 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND / Bobby Pierce (15)
Tuesday, June 30 / Norman County Raceway / Ada, MN / Bobby Pierce (16)
Wednesday, July 8 / Stateline Speedway / Busti, NY / Daulton Wilson (1)
Saturday, July 11 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH / Bobby Pierce (17)
Saturday, July 25 / Fairbury Speedway / Fairbury, IL / Brandon Sheppard (3)
Thursday, July 30 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Tyler Erb (3)
Saturday, Aug. 1 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI / Bobby Pierce (18)
Thursday, Aug. 20 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA (Practice)
Friday, Aug. 21 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA / Huson O’Neal (3)
Saturday, Aug. 22 / Maquoketa Speedway / Maquoketa, IA / Bobby Pierce (19)
Wednesday, Aug. 26 / Southern Iowa Speedway / Oskaloosa, IA / Tyler Erb (4)
Friday, Aug, 28 / Adams County Speedway / Corning, IA / Bobby Pierce (20)
Saturday, Aug. 29 / Shelby County Speedway / Harlan, IA / Ethan Dotson (1)
Friday, Sept. 25 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Nick Hoffman (7)
Saturday, Sept. 26 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO / Nick Hoffman (8)
Friday, Oct. 23 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC
Saturday, Oct. 24 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC
Wednesday, Nov. 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thursday, Nov. 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Friday, Nov. 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Saturday, Nov. 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/top-five-storylines-carolina-favorites-battle-invaders-in-world-of-outlaws-debut-at-modoc/

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Carolina Favorites Battle Invaders in World of Outlaws Debut at Modoc

MODOC, SC (October 20, 2026) – The 2026 season is down to its final five nights.

The World of Outlaws will be joined on both nights by the Red Clay Series 602 Late Models and the Crown Vics.

GET TICKETS

WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVISION

Here are this week’s top storylines:

KEEP IT ROLLING: Fall 2026 has been a good time to be Nick Hoffman.

WRAPPING IT UP: Bobby Pierce may already have one hand on his third World of Outlaws championship trophy, but he’s still focused on closing out the season in style.

IN THEIR BACKYARD: For the first time since joining the World of Outlaws full-time last season, ASD Motorsports gets to battle the best on their home turf.

FINISHING AT HOME: Daulton Wilson also falls into the category of drivers who won’t have to put many miles on their odometer in the closing weeks of the 2026 campaign.

Other drivers with plans to go World of Outlaws racing this weekend include Chris Ferguson, Carson Ferguson, Cody Overton, Ross Bailes, Luke Morey and many more.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 23-24, at Modoc Speedway in Modoc, SC

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/latemodels/top-five-storylines-carolina-favorites-battle-invaders-in-world-of-outlaws-debut-at-modoc/

EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/schedule/event-info/?event=4549509
TRACK INFO: https://www.modocspeedwaysc.com/

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ARP to Support Annual California Hot Rod Reunion

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

ARP, the fastener manufacturing firm, is sponsoring cash awards for racers and specialty awards during the California Hot Rod Reunion.

By Greg Jones Greg Jones is Content Director and Editor of Engine Builder Magazine. Published: Oct 19, 2026

The upcoming California Hot Rod Reunion, presented by Good Vibrations Motorsports, will benefit from special bonus cash awards from ARP worth $12,500. These include $1,000 for the winners of Top Fuel and Funny Car, $500 for AA/FA and additional $250 awards for Heritage Series Groups 1 & 2, Pro Mod, and other classes. Related Articles

The fastener manufacturing firm is also sponsoring specialty awards for fan favorite longest D/G wheelstand and back-up girl competition, which will be voted on by race fans via cell phone.

First held in 1992, the October 23-25 event at the historic Famoso Dragstrip now includes NHRA Heritage Series racing, the always-popular Cacklefest of vintage fuel cars and the Nitro Revival social gathering of racers, including many drag racing legends.

ARP to Support Annual California Hot Rod Reunion

ARP, the fastener manufacturing firm, is sponsoring cash awards for racers and specialty awards during the California Hot Rod Reunion.

By Greg Jones Greg Jones is Content Director and Editor of Engine Builder Magazine. Published: Oct 19, 2026

The fastener manufacturing firm is also sponsoring specialty awards for fan favorite longest D/G wheelstand and back-up girl competition, which will be voted on by race fans via cell phone.

Special “Bonus Participant” stickers have been created to qualify CHRR contestants for the cash awards and will be made available at the track.

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American Sprint Car Series Awards Banquet Wraps Final Bow on 35th Season

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TULSA, OK (October 19, 2026) — As the dust settled on the American Sprint Car Series’ 35th season, a championship trophy and special awards awaited ASCS teams at Sunday night’s Awards Banquet in Tulsa.

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino hosted the annual ceremony, bringing together champions and guests of honor from the National and regional levels to hand out checks and close out the 2026 season.

National Champion: Sam Hafertepe Jr.

Sam Hafertepe Jr. added to his place in Sprint Car history in 2026 with a record-setting seventh ASCS National Tour championship.

The Sunnyvale, TX veteran began the year with five podiums and the Sonoran Clash event title before starting his winning streak in June.

Hafertepe did not have an easy path to the crown, though. He battled Matt Covington and Seth Bergman throughout the year for the top spot in the overall standings. Entering the Fuzzy’s Fall Fling season finale, he held a slim 21-point lead over Covington that he needed to manage over the 40-lap Feature.

The Hill’s Racing Team No. 15H marched from an eighth-place start to take the lead on the final lap for his seventh win of the season and set the new all-time title record. Hafertepe and car owner Miles Hill left the evening with two Emmett Hahn trophies between driver and owner points.

“I owe it all to Miles and this team,” Hafertepe said. “For the last nine years, you’ve given us everything we need. This team never wavered this entire year, and as a driver, it’s the best kind of ownership you can have. It’s been a long road for us. I look back to Creek County, and I just didn’t want to win that championship by riding around there. Seven is such a special number, and it’s been a good ride.”

BRODIX Rookie of the Year: Cole Schroeder

What started as a dream became reality for Cole Schroeder in 2026.

The Bozeman, MT native took on the challenge of a national tour for the first time with the 360 Sprint Cars, with the majority of tracks being a first-time visit. Schroeder earned three top fives, 11 top-10s, and a career-high second-place finish in the Harvey Ostermiller Memorial at Big Sky Speedway.

Taking a seventh-place result in the standings and clinching the Rookie of the Year award, Schroeder received a fresh set of BRODIX cylinder heads that match ASCS specifications.

Lee Maier Crew Chief of the Year: Bobby Craft

Bobby Craft carries a personal honor with the Lee Maier Crew Chief of the Year award.

Having been involved in Sprint Car racing for over 50 years, he shares a close friendship with inaugural ASCS champion Garry Lee Maier and his late father, Lee.

Working between full-time drivers Austyn Gossel and Ryder Laplante in 2026, Craft has his eyes set on fostering the next generation of Sprint Car drivers with his knowledge and mechanical skills while using the lessons learned from the valuable bond shared with the Maier family.

“There’s only a few people in this room that knew Lee,” Craft said. “He was so smart. When I worked for Karl (Kinser), we were leading, and we would clean a shock. We’d bring a five-gallon bucket of shocks to the track because we didn’t have a clip. Lee was the man that designed the clip. He was the man behind all that. We owe so much to him. This is a great privilege. Anything I’ve ever won, championships and all, this probably tops it off. Thank you all.”

Sportsmanship Award: Terry Easum & Kacee Frazier

While the teams of ASCS appear at the track to beat the competition, respect and camaraderie between drivers and crew members rise beyond the season’s statistics.

Broken Arrow, OK’s Terry Easum and fiancé Kacee Frazier exemplified sportsmanship beyond the track, lending a helping hand to anybody who needed it and always bringing a positive attitude at every race they contested. Their kindness and friendship earned them the 2026 Sportsmanship Award.

Jason Johnson Hard Charger Award: Seth Bergman

Seth Bergman knew how to bust a move from the drop of the green flag.

Passing 77 cars in Feature competition throughout the course of the season, the 2024 Series champion earned the Jason Johnson Hard Charger Award. The accolade is a special honor for Bergman as he formed a close relationship with the “Ragin’ Cajun” throughout his tenure in ASCS and the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.

“Well, I knew we weren’t good at qualifying this year,” Bergman said jokingly. “It’s hard to not get emotional when you talk about a man like Jason. He and I were friends and helped me so much along the way. He was a great driver and human being, and I am honored to receive this award in Jason’s name.”

Gary Wright Determination Award: Kyler Johnson

Since joining the American Sprint Car Series as a rookie in 2022, Kyler Johnson has shown progression with his brother, Kahne, by his side as crew chief.

The 2026 season saw the heights for Johnson in both his personal and professional life as he earned his first career National Tour Feature at Viking Speedway, qualified for his first Saturday Feature start at Xtream powered by Mediacom 360 Knoxville Nationals presented by Great Southern Bank, and welcomed his first daughter, Vivian.

His never-quit attitude and willingness to learn and grow at every race helped the 23-year-old receive the Gary Wright Determination Award – named in honor of the all-time wins leader and four-time Series champion.

Regional Crowns – While Hafertepe received the accolades as a seven-time National Tour champion, seven kings of the ASCS regions were highlighted for their 2026 achievements.

Jack Thomas (Midwest Region)
Bryant Wiedeman (Gunsmoke Region)
Cody Gardner (Hurricane Area Super Sprints)
Bradley Fezard (Sooner Region)
Bryan Gossel (Western Plains Region)
Kelly Miller (Northern Plains Region)

Each of the nine drivers who completed the full run of events in the 2026 season received their points fund checks:

Sam Hafertepe Jr. ($40,000)
Matt Covington ($25,000)
Seth Bergman ($20,000)
Kyler Johnson ($15,000)
Ryder LaPlante ($12,000)
Austyn Gossel ($10,000)
Cole Schroeder ($9,000)
Brogan Carder ($8,000)
Terry Easum ($7,000)

The American Sprint Car Series returns in 2027 at Volusia Speedway Park for the 57th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 4-6.

Where can you find info about Volusia? Click Here

Where can you watch every lap of the American Sprint Car Series? Live on DIRTVision.

American Sprint Car Series Awards Banquet Wraps Final Bow on 35th Season TULSA, OK (October 19, 2026) — As the dust settled on the American Sprint Car Series’ 35th season, a championship trophy and special awards awaited ASCS teams at Sunday night’s Awards Banquet in Tulsa.

The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino hosted the annual ceremony, bringing together champions and guests of honor from the National and regional levels to hand out checks and close out the 2026 season.

National Champion: Sam Hafertepe Jr.

Sam Hafertepe Jr. added to his place in Sprint Car history in 2026 with a record-setting seventh ASCS National Tour championship.

The Sunnyvale, TX veteran began the year with five podiums and the Sonoran Clash event title before starting his winning streak in June.

BRODIX Rookie of the Year: Cole Schroeder

What started as a dream became reality for Cole Schroeder in 2026.

Taking a seventh-place result in the standings and clinching the Rookie of the Year award, Schroeder received a fresh set of BRODIX cylinder heads that match ASCS specifications.

Lee Maier Crew Chief of the Year: Bobby Craft

Bobby Craft carries a personal honor with the Lee Maier Crew Chief of the Year award.

Having been involved in Sprint Car racing for over 50 years, he shares a close friendship with inaugural ASCS champion Garry Lee Maier and his late father, Lee.

Sportsmanship Award: Terry Easum & Kacee Frazier

While the teams of ASCS appear at the track to beat the competition, respect and camaraderie between drivers and crew members rise beyond the season’s statistics.

Jason Johnson Hard Charger Award: Seth Bergman

Seth Bergman knew how to bust a move from the drop of the green flag.

Gary Wright Determination Award: Kyler Johnson

Since joining the American Sprint Car Series as a rookie in 2022, Kyler Johnson has shown progression with his brother, Kahne, by his side as crew chief.

Regional Crowns – While Hafertepe received the accolades as a seven-time National Tour champion, seven kings of the ASCS regions were highlighted for their 2026 achievements.

Jack Thomas (Midwest Region)
Bryant Wiedeman (Gunsmoke Region)
Cody Gardner (Hurricane Area Super Sprints)
Bradley Fezard (Sooner Region)
Bryan Gossel (Western Plains Region)
Kelly Miller (Northern Plains Region)

Each of the nine drivers who completed the full run of events in the 2026 season received their points fund checks:

Sam Hafertepe Jr. ($40,000)
Matt Covington ($25,000)
Seth Bergman ($20,000)
Kyler Johnson ($15,000)
Ryder LaPlante ($12,000)
Austyn Gossel ($10,000)
Cole Schroeder ($9,000)
Brogan Carder ($8,000)
Terry Easum ($7,000)

The American Sprint Car Series returns in 2027 at Volusia Speedway Park for the 57th Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 4-6.

Where can you find info about Volusia? Click Here

Where can you watch every lap of the American Sprint Car Series? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://ascsracing.com/news/american-sprint-car-series-awards-banquet-wraps-final-bow-on-35th-season/

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Thornton Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Sheppard Clinches Lucas Oil Title

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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Thornton Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Sheppard Clinches Lucas Oil Title

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Ricky Thornton Jr. won his second ARP Dirt Track World Championship on Sunday night at West Virginia Motor Speedway, earning $100,000 for Koehler Motorsports. His victory in the 46th annual event, which returned to West Virginia for the first time in 16 years, was his first in the crown jewel race since 2021. Brandon Sheppard’s runner-up finish secured his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national championship by 55 points over Devin Moran, who finished third. The championship was worth $250,000 to the West Virginia-based Rocket 1 team. West Virginia native Zack Dohm was the highest-finishing driver from the Mountaineer State, advancing from 14th to fourth. Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five. Thornton started from the pole, but Hudson O’Neal jumped to the early lead in the 100-lap race. O’Neal and Thornton ran first and second for the opening 32 laps before Thornton took the lead for the first time. Thornton led for just two laps before O’Neal regained the top spot. The pair continued to run one-two until O’Neal ran over a mud clod, damaging the right front of his car and causing him to push up the track. O’Neal pitted, dropping him to the tail of the lead lap. Thornton regained the lead and remained in front when a caution with 10 laps to go set up a single-file restart with Moran and Sheppard directly behind him.

Thornton Wins Dirt Track World Championship; Sheppard Clinches Lucas Oil Title
Ricky Thornton Jr. won his second ARP Dirt Track World Championship on Sunday night at West Virginia Motor Speedway, earning $100,000 for Koehler Motorsports. His victory in the 46th annual event, which returned to West Virginia for the first time in 16 years, was his first in the crown jewel race since 2021. Brandon Sheppard’s runner-up finish secured his first Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series national championship by 55 points over Devin Moran, who finished third. The championship was worth $250,000 to the West Virginia-based Rocket 1 team. West Virginia native Zack Dohm was the highest-finishing driver from the Mountaineer State, advancing from 14th to fourth. Jonathan Davenport rounded out the top five. Thornton started from the pole, but Hudson O’Neal jumped to the early lead in the 100-lap race. O’Neal and Thornton ran first and second for the opening 32 laps before Thornton took the lead for the first time. Thornton led for just two laps before O’Neal regained the top spot. The pair continued to run one-two until O’Neal ran over a mud clod, damaging the right front of his car and causing him to push up the track. O’Neal pitted, dropping him to the tail of the lead lap. Thornton regained the lead and remained in front when a caution with 10 laps to go set up a single-file restart with Moran and Sheppard directly behind him.

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Wood Brothers Racing–Phoenix Post race

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Event: Freeway Insurance 500

Location: Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona

Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026

Start: 9th

Finish: 11th

For much of Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway, Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team appeared poised to contend for a top-five finish, showcasing competitive speed throughout the opening two stages of the 312-lap event.

However, handling challenges in the final stage, coupled with a series of aggressive late-race moves in the field, ultimately left Berry with an 11th-place finish in the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.

Berry started Sunday’s race from the ninth position and wasted little time moving forward, breaking into the top five within the opening nine laps. He maintained a presence among the top 10 throughout the 80-lap opening stage before finishing 10th to collect one stage point.

The second stage saw Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team continue to demonstrate their strength, as he quickly worked his way back into the top five and remained there for the duration of the segment. Berry crossed the line fourth at the conclusion of Stage 2, adding seven valuable stage points to his afternoon.

As the race progressed into its final stage, the handling of the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse became more challenging, making it difficult for Berry to maintain the pace he had demonstrated earlier in the afternoon. Despite the changing conditions, he continued to battle inside the top 10 as the race winded down.

A pair of restarts in the final segment brought intensified competition throughout the field, with Berry getting shuffled back in the running order amid the aggressive racing. After slipping as low as 16th with 13 laps remaining, Berry rallied in the closing laps to regain five positions and secure an 11th-place finish.

Event: Freeway Insurance 500

Location: Phoenix Raceway, Avondale, Arizona

Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026

Start: 9th

Finish: 11th

Berry and the Wood Brothers Racing team now shift their focus to next Sunday’s YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway as the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season enters its final three races.

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HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILE LOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILE
LOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) — Spencer Hyde and the Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car team continued to demonstrate their consistency at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, recording a 3.9-second elapsed time on every pass throughout the weekend at Texas Motorplex. Although a first-round loss to J.R. Todd ended Hyde’s race day, the reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year leaves Texas encouraged by the performance as the Countdown to the Championship enters its final two races.

Hyde, the only full-time Canadian driver in the NHRA nitro ranks, opened qualifying with a competitive performance in the crowded Funny Car field. His best qualifying effort came Friday night during the Battle for the Saddle, when he powered the Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car to a 3.922 second pass at 323.93 mph. The run secured him the No. 12 qualifying position in a tightly contested field where every thousandth of a second mattered.

Spencer Hyde lit up the Texas sky on Friday at the Texas Fall Nationals,
photo cfredit Innovation Creative Experts

Hyde’s consistency continued into Sunday’s opening round of eliminations, where he faced Todd. Both drivers delivered competitive performances, but Hyde’s quicker elapsed time was not enough to overcome Todd’s advantage at the starting line. Hyde recorded a 3.940 second pass at 329.60 mph, his best run of the weekend in terms of speed and elapsed time, but Todd reached the finish line first for the win.

“Obviously, losing in the first round is tough,” said Hyde. “We ran a 3.940 at 329.60 mph, and it was a great run, but J.R. did what he needed to do on the starting line. That’s part of this sport. You can have the quicker car and still come up short. We’ll take the positives from this weekend, keep working on the little things and focus on finishing these last two races strong.”

While the result was not what Hyde and crew chief Jim Head had hoped for, the weekend offered a positive indication of the team’s ability to deliver consistent performance under pressure. Every one of Hyde’s runs fell within the 3.9-second range, a notable achievement in a competitive Funny Car category where track conditions and changing weather can make repeatable performance difficult.

“I feel really good about the consistency we showed this weekend,” said Hyde. “Every run we made was in the 3.9s, and that’s something we can take a lot of confidence from. To go out there and make that kind of run after run tells us the car is in a good place, and Jim and the guys are doing a great job giving me something I can race with every time we pull up to the starting line.”

The Texas NHRA Fall Nationals marked the fourth race of the six-event Countdown to the Championship and was part of the Stampede of Speed, a 10-day celebration of motorsports, entertainment and fan experiences at Texas Motorplex. The event brought together top NHRA competitors and fans for a week of activities leading into the on-track action.

Hyde embraced the opportunity to connect with fans throughout the event, participating in the Pre-Stage FanFest presented by Red Line Synthetic Oil on Thursday in Waxahachie, where he signed autographs, before taking part in a Q&A session with fans in the Champion’s Club on Saturday.

“The Stampede of Speed is such a cool event, and I think it’s one of the best examples of what makes NHRA drag racing special,” Hyde said. “It’s not just about what happens on the track. There’s so much going on all week, and the fans get a chance to be part of the experience in a meaningful way. Getting out to FanFest and then spending time with everyone in the Champion’s Club was a lot of fun.”

The 2026 season is a landmark year for NHRA, which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary. Hyde and the Head Contractors & Engineers team have continued to build on his Rookie of the Year campaign, working to establish themselves among the competitive Funny Car field while pursuing a strong finish to the season.

Hyde leaves Texas ranked 10^th in the championship standings, with two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship. With the field separated by narrow margins, every qualifying position, bonus point and round win will be critical as the championship battle approaches its conclusion.

Supported by Hyde Construction, OUTLAW Light Beer and The Caine Group, Hyde and the team will look to carry the consistency they demonstrated in Texas into the final two events of the Countdown.

“We know what’s in front of us, and we’re not giving up on anything,” said Hyde. “We have two races left, and our focus is on making the most of every opportunity. The consistency we showed here is encouraging because we know we can put good numbers on the board. Now we need to keep building on that, qualify well and turn those performances into round wins.”

Hyde and the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car will be back in NHRA competition in two weeks at the MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge on October 29-November 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, October 30 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, October 31. The fifth race day of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship will be contested on Sunday. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals visit nhra.com.

Qualifying Results – Funny Car
Q1: 3.956, 320.90 mph; Qual. 5
Q2: 3.922, 323.93 mph; Qual. 10
Q3: 3.954, 325.47 mph; Qual. 11
Q4: 3.935, 328.18 mph; Qual. 12
Bonus Points: 0

Race Results
First Round
J.R. Todd, Jupiter, Fla., DHL Toyota GR Supra, (0.057), 3.940 sec, 329.60 mph def. Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car, (0.089), 3.917 sec, 324.00 mph

Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Point Standings – Funny Car

HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILE
LOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) — Spencer Hyde and the Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car team continued to demonstrate their consistency at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, recording a 3.9-second elapsed time on every pass throughout the weekend at Texas Motorplex. Although a first-round loss to J.R. Todd ended Hyde’s race day, the reigning NHRA Rookie of the Year leaves Texas encouraged by the performance as the Countdown to the Championship enters its final two races.

Hyde, the only full-time Canadian driver in the NHRA nitro ranks, opened qualifying with a competitive performance in the crowded Funny Car field. His best qualifying effort came Friday night during the Battle for the Saddle, when he powered the Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car to a 3.922 second pass at 323.93 mph. The run secured him the No. 12 qualifying position in a tightly contested field where every thousandth of a second mattered.

Spencer Hyde lit up the Texas sky on Friday at the Texas Fall Nationals,
photo cfredit Innovation Creative Experts

Hyde’s consistency continued into Sunday’s opening round of eliminations, where he faced Todd. Both drivers delivered competitive performances, but Hyde’s quicker elapsed time was not enough to overcome Todd’s advantage at the starting line. Hyde recorded a 3.940 second pass at 329.60 mph, his best run of the weekend in terms of speed and elapsed time, but Todd reached the finish line first for the win.

“Obviously, losing in the first round is tough,” said Hyde. “We ran a 3.940 at 329.60 mph, and it was a great run, but J.R. did what he needed to do on the starting line. That’s part of this sport. You can have the quicker car and still come up short. We’ll take the positives from this weekend, keep working on the little things and focus on finishing these last two races strong.”

While the result was not what Hyde and crew chief Jim Head had hoped for, the weekend offered a positive indication of the team’s ability to deliver consistent performance under pressure. Every one of Hyde’s runs fell within the 3.9-second range, a notable achievement in a competitive Funny Car category where track conditions and changing weather can make repeatable performance difficult.

“I feel really good about the consistency we showed this weekend,” said Hyde. “Every run we made was in the 3.9s, and that’s something we can take a lot of confidence from. To go out there and make that kind of run after run tells us the car is in a good place, and Jim and the guys are doing a great job giving me something I can race with every time we pull up to the starting line.”

The Texas NHRA Fall Nationals marked the fourth race of the six-event Countdown to the Championship and was part of the Stampede of Speed, a 10-day celebration of motorsports, entertainment and fan experiences at Texas Motorplex. The event brought together top NHRA competitors and fans for a week of activities leading into the on-track action.

Hyde embraced the opportunity to connect with fans throughout the event, participating in the Pre-Stage FanFest presented by Red Line Synthetic Oil on Thursday in Waxahachie, where he signed autographs, before taking part in a Q&A session with fans in the Champion’s Club on Saturday.

“The Stampede of Speed is such a cool event, and I think it’s one of the best examples of what makes NHRA drag racing special,” Hyde said. “It’s not just about what happens on the track. There’s so much going on all week, and the fans get a chance to be part of the experience in a meaningful way. Getting out to FanFest and then spending time with everyone in the Champion’s Club was a lot of fun.”

The 2026 season is a landmark year for NHRA, which is celebrating its 75^th anniversary. Hyde and the Head Contractors & Engineers team have continued to build on his Rookie of the Year campaign, working to establish themselves among the competitive Funny Car field while pursuing a strong finish to the season.

Hyde leaves Texas ranked 10^th in the championship standings, with two races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship. With the field separated by narrow margins, every qualifying position, bonus point and round win will be critical as the championship battle approaches its conclusion.

Supported by Hyde Construction, OUTLAW Light Beer and The Caine Group, Hyde and the team will look to carry the consistency they demonstrated in Texas into the final two events of the Countdown.

“We know what’s in front of us, and we’re not giving up on anything,” said Hyde. “We have two races left, and our focus is on making the most of every opportunity. The consistency we showed here is encouraging because we know we can put good numbers on the board. Now we need to keep building on that, qualify well and turn those performances into round wins.”

Hyde and the Head Contractors and Engineers Funny Car will be back in NHRA competition in two weeks at the MOPAR NHRA Las Vegas Nationals powered by Dodge on October 29-November 1 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. There will be two qualifying sessions on Friday, October 30 and two qualifying sessions on Saturday, October 31. The fifth race day of the 2026 Countdown to the Championship will be contested on Sunday. For tickets or more information on the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals visit nhra.com.

Qualifying Results – Funny Car
Q1: 3.956, 320.90 mph; Qual. 5
Q2: 3.922, 323.93 mph; Qual. 10
Q3: 3.954, 325.47 mph; Qual. 11
Q4: 3.935, 328.18 mph; Qual. 12
Bonus Points: 0

Race Results
First Round
J.R. Todd, Jupiter, Fla., DHL Toyota GR Supra, (0.057), 3.940 sec, 329.60 mph def. Spencer Hyde, Stratford, Ontario, Head Contractors & Engineers Funny Car, (0.089), 3.917 sec, 324.00 mph

Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Point Standings – Funny Car

Matt Hagan, 2503
Jordan Vandergriff, 2405
J.R. Todd, 2384
Austin Prock, 2348
Jack Beckman, 2343
Ron Capps, 2315
Alexis DeJoria, 2276
Daniel Wilkerson, 2207
Chad Green, 2155
Spencer Hyde, 2149

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PAWUK CLOSES FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN SERIES SEASON WITH VICTORY IN DALLAS

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) – Reigning two-time Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world champion Mark Pawuk closed out the 2026 season with a victory at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals today outrunning Lee Hartman in the final round. In a close race, Pawuk’s winning time of 7.522 seconds at 185.07 mph got to the finish line first over Hartman’s 7.542 second, 183.32 mph run.

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charge team celebrate their Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series victory in the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

“This is unbelievable,” said Pawuk from the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle stage. “We really struggled this year with this new Charger. Dodge has been good to us. We worked our butts off with Ray Barton Racing Engines, Mike Valerio, Frank Madonia, my son Kyle, and my wife. This would have been my dad’s 101st birthday. He was looking over us all day. How cool is that?”

Pawuk had to work his way through a tough quartet of drivers to secure his sixth Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series National event. As the No. 9 qualifier, Pawuk beat Rouven Dawson and then took out David Davies II in the quarterfinals. Racing into the semis against No. 1 qualifier Doug Duell both drivers took off at the same time and Pawuk took the win with a solid 7.546 seconds at 184.58 mph pass to reach the final.

In a match-up against the Great Lakes Nationals winner Hartman, Pawuk had a nearly perfect reaction time with a .017 second jump off the line and never trailed in the race. At the finish line, Pawuk’s Empaco Dodge Charger crossed in 7.522 seconds at 185.07 mph.

Prior to Pawuk’s Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown win, his son Kyle Pawuk won in Super Gas. The Pawuks became the 17th family to double-up at an NHRA national event.

“When Kyle won today, I said the kid can’t outdo The Cowboy and I got the win,” said Pawuk, who has been known as The Cowboy throughout his career. “My dream all year has been to win one of these diamond Wallys. Dallas was one I never won, and I finally got it done.”

For the fourth time this season Jonathan Allegrucci drove his Mustang Cobra Jet into the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series winner’s circle. Today in front of a near sell-out crowd at World Wide Technology Raceway, Allegrucci clinched his first Flexjet Factory Stock Shodown Series world championship reaching the final round. Then he defeated Scott Libersher in a classic Ford versus Chevrolet final round. It was Allegrucci’s sixth final round appearance in 2026 and put an exclamation point on a dominant season.

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charger (foreground) launch off the starting line against Lee Hartman on his way to his first Texas Fall Nationals Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series win, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

PAWUK CLOSES FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN
SERIES SEASON WITH VICTORY IN DALLAS

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) – Reigning two-time Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown world champion Mark Pawuk closed out the 2026 season with a victory at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals today outrunning Lee Hartman in the final round. In a close race, Pawuk’s winning time of 7.522 seconds at 185.07 mph got to the finish line first over Hartman’s 7.542 second, 183.32 mph run.

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charge team celebrate their Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series victory in the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

“This is unbelievable,” said Pawuk from the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle stage. “We really struggled this year with this new Charger. Dodge has been good to us. We worked our butts off with Ray Barton Racing Engines, Mike Valerio, Frank Madonia, my son Kyle, and my wife. This would have been my dad’s 101st birthday. He was looking over us all day. How cool is that?”

Pawuk had to work his way through a tough quartet of drivers to secure his sixth Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series National event. As the No. 9 qualifier, Pawuk beat Rouven Dawson and then took out David Davies II in the quarterfinals. Racing into the semis against No. 1 qualifier Doug Duell both drivers took off at the same time and Pawuk took the win with a solid 7.546 seconds at 184.58 mph pass to reach the final.

In a match-up against the Great Lakes Nationals winner Hartman, Pawuk had a nearly perfect reaction time with a .017 second jump off the line and never trailed in the race. At the finish line, Pawuk’s Empaco Dodge Charger crossed in 7.522 seconds at 185.07 mph.

Prior to Pawuk’s Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown win, his son Kyle Pawuk won in Super Gas. The Pawuks became the 17th family to double-up at an NHRA national event.

“When Kyle won today, I said the kid can’t outdo The Cowboy and I got the win,” said Pawuk, who has been known as The Cowboy throughout his career. “My dream all year has been to win one of these diamond Wallys. Dallas was one I never won, and I finally got it done.”

For the fourth time this season Jonathan Allegrucci drove his Mustang Cobra Jet into the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series winner’s circle. Today in front of a near sell-out crowd at World Wide Technology Raceway, Allegrucci clinched his first Flexjet Factory Stock Shodown Series world championship reaching the final round. Then he defeated Scott Libersher in a classic Ford versus Chevrolet final round. It was Allegrucci’s sixth final round appearance in 2026 and put an exclamation point on a dominant season.

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charger (foreground) launch off the starting line against Lee Hartman on his way to his first Texas Fall Nationals Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series win, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

For the second race in a row Duell claimed the $1,000 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown bonus. Today he outran Scott Libersher in the second round with a winning elapsed time of 7.544 seconds at 184.69 mph against Libersher’s 7.612 second at 183.01 mph pass.

The 2026 Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series featured five different national event winners including four-time national event winner and 2026 world champion Jonathan Allegrucci. The series will return in 2027 with the schedule release slated for later this year.

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KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS AT TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS AT
TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) — NHRA Funny Car driver and team owner Chris King left the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex with a pair of career-best performances, highlighting the progress his Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car team has made throughout the 2026 season.

Making his 19^th career appearance and third start at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, King recorded his quickest and fastest runs to date during Saturday’s third qualifying session. The Chicago-based driver powered down the quarter mile in 4.038 seconds at 311.22 mph, establishing career bests in both elapsed time and speed.

Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car wowed the crowd on Friday night at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts

KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS AT
TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) — NHRA Funny Car driver and team owner Chris King left the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex with a pair of career-best performances, highlighting the progress his Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car team has made throughout the 2026 season.

Making his 19^th career appearance and third start at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, King recorded his quickest and fastest runs to date during Saturday’s third qualifying session. The Chicago-based driver powered down the quarter mile in 4.038 seconds at 311.22 mph, establishing career bests in both elapsed time and speed.

Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car wowed the crowd on Friday night at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts

The performance put King in the No. 16 qualifying position, on the bump in a deep and competitive Nitro Funny Car field. With the potential to become part of NHRA history in the first-ever Funny Car field in which every qualified entry ran in the three-second range, King and his team entered the final qualifying session with an opportunity to secure a place in the show.

“I’m really proud of what this team accomplished this weekend,” said King. “To run a 4.038 at 311.22 mph and set career bests in both elapsed time and speed is a big deal for us. Those are numbers we’ve been working toward, and to see them happen together tells us we’re making progress. We’ve made a lot of improvements to this car this year, and this is the kind of result that gives everybody confidence that we’re moving in the right direction.”

Unfortunately, King was bumped out during the fourth and final qualifying session, pushing the Howards Cams/Competition Products entry to No. 17 and leaving the team just short of qualifying for Sunday’s eliminations.

Despite missing the field, King departed Texas with plenty of reasons for optimism. The career-best performance represented a significant milestone for the team, which has continued to develop its Funny Car program while navigating the challenges of a competitive Nitro category. The team also relocated its race shop to Brownsburg, Indiana this season, an important step in its continued efforts to improve its operation.

“It’s frustrating to be that close to making the show and get bumped out in the final session, especially with the opportunity to be part of that historic nearly all three-second Funny Car field,” said King. “We wanted to be in that show, and we gave it everything we had. But I’m not going to let missing the field take away from what we did. Those career-best numbers are something we can build on, and they show what this team is capable of.”

The Texas NHRA Fall Nationals was the signature element of the Stampede of Speed, a 10-day celebration of drag racing and entertainment at the Texas Motorplex. Beyond the on-track competition, King made the most of the event’s fan-focused activities, attending the Champion’s Dinner on Wednesday evening before signing autographs during Thursday’s Pre-Stage FanFest presented by Red Line Synthetic Oil. On Saturday, he also participated in a Q&A session with fans in the Champion’s Club.

“The Stampede of Speed does a great job of making this more than just a race weekend,” said King. “There is so much going on throughout the week, and you can feel how much the Texas Motorplex puts into making it a great experience for the fans. Getting to attend the Champion’s Dinner with my wife, sign autographs at FanFest and spend time answering questions in the Champion’s Club was a lot of fun. That’s one of the things I really enjoy about this sport. We get to share what we do with people who are passionate about racing.”

As a full-time lieutenant with the Chicago Fire Department, King has developed a strong connection with first responders and military veterans. He regularly invites fellow first responders and veterans to sign his Funny Car, creating a personal connection between his racing program and the people who serve their communities and country.

“I especially enjoy meeting other first responders and veterans,” said King. “I know what that commitment looks like, and it means a lot when they come out to support us. If someone wants to sign the car, I want them to have that opportunity. We’re all part of the same community, even if we’re doing different jobs.”

The Texas event marked King’s fourth race of the 2026 season, and the team will carry its career-best performance into its continued development efforts. With crew chief Bob Peck leading the tuning program, King and his team remain focused on translating their progress into consistent qualifying performances and opportunities to compete on race day.

The move to Brownsburg, combined with the team’s ongoing work to improve the car’s performance, has helped establish a foundation for future growth. While the Texas weekend did not end with a qualifying position, the results reinforced the team’s belief that its best performances are still ahead.

“We’re building something, and weekends like this are important,” said King. “Moving the shop to Brownsburg and continuing to work through the car has taken a lot of effort from everybody involved. To come out here and run a career-best makes that work feel worthwhile. We know we still have things to improve, but we’re seeing the results, and that’s what keeps us motivated. We’re going to keep working, keep learning and keep pushing to get this Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car where we want it to be.”

This was the final race of the year for King and his Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car team. He will release news about his plans for 2027 in the coming months.

Qualifying Results – Funny Car
Q1: 4.077, 268.02 mph; Qual. 8
Q2: 4.577, 188.50 mph; Qual. 16
Q3: 4.038, 311.22 mph; Qual. 16
Q4: 8.781, 81.41 mph; Qual. 17
Bonus Points: 0

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HADDOCK MAKES MOST OF TEXAS FALL NATIONALS

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) — Texan Terry Haddock showed the kind of grit and resilience that ranchers and cowboys exhibit across the state. The owner and driver of the Concho Supply Inc. Funny Car qualified No. 16 at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals in one of the stoutest fields in recent memory before losing in the opening round at Texas Motorplex. For Haddock and his team, the early exit did not take away from the positive momentum the team will carry into the final two races of the NHRA Countdown.

“I’m super proud of my guys for this weekend,” said Haddock. “We’ve had a lot of adversity, and all the guys just keep stepping up to the challenge. It just shows that there’s a lot of good stuff happening here with this team. These guys work hard, and we never give up. Very fortunate to have the sponsors that helped us this weekend: Concho Supply, T&D Express, P&C Cable, and Priority Systems. Without all my friends and family feeding money to this car, we couldn’t keep racing.”

On Saturday Haddock had one shot to get into the field and his team stepped up with a solid final effort. The Concho Supply Inc. Funny Car blasted to the finish line with a 4.033 second at 310.97 mph pass that moved him into the final spot in the field.

Terry Haddock, driver of the Concho Supply Inc. Funny car talks with FOX’s Amanda Busick following his final qualifying session run, photo credit Werner Communications

“We broke something on Friday and when I finally found it, it was too late for us to make the second session on Friday night,” said Haddock. “That was on me, not on my guys. We fixed it but it was hard to know where to start again. I started conservatively yesterday. It put some cylinders out and didn’t go as fast as it should have on the first run. We came back and we thought that we could run 3.98 or 3.99 in that last session to make it an all three-second field. We’re blessed we got through it all.”

For his efforts Haddock faced No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman in the first round. Haddock made his best run of the weekend, a solid 4.000 second at 315.21 mph beside Beckman’s 3.884 second pass at 335.12 mph, the third quickest run of the session.

“That was an adventurous run,” said Haddock. “I always like to do the big, long burnouts. I know that this is entertainment as much as it is racing, and the burnouts are so much fun to do. I always do big burnouts when I can. It got exciting at the finish line because the throttle hung wide open. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Haddock was a part of every level of the Stampede of Speed and Texas Fall Nationals. On Wednesday night he was the guest of sponsor Concho Supply Inc. at the annual Champions Dinner. Thursday night he was a featured driver at the Pre-Stage FanFest presented by Red Line Synthetic Oil in downtown Waxahachie. Saturday morning he participated in a Q&A in the Champions Club in front of a packed house.

Terry Haddock (left) talks to the fans in the Texas Motorplex Champion’s Club, photo credit AJ Bohlander photography

HADDOCK MAKES MOST OF
TEXAS FALL NATIONALS

DALLAS (October 18, 2026) — Texan Terry Haddock showed the kind of grit and resilience that ranchers and cowboys exhibit across the state. The owner and driver of the Concho Supply Inc. Funny Car qualified No. 16 at the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals in one of the stoutest fields in recent memory before losing in the opening round at Texas Motorplex. For Haddock and his team, the early exit did not take away from the positive momentum the team will carry into the final two races of the NHRA Countdown.

“I’m super proud of my guys for this weekend,” said Haddock. “We’ve had a lot of adversity, and all the guys just keep stepping up to the challenge. It just shows that there’s a lot of good stuff happening here with this team. These guys work hard, and we never give up. Very fortunate to have the sponsors that helped us this weekend: Concho Supply, T&D Express, P&C Cable, and Priority Systems. Without all my friends and family feeding money to this car, we couldn’t keep racing.”

On Saturday Haddock had one shot to get into the field and his team stepped up with a solid final effort. The Concho Supply Inc. Funny Car blasted to the finish line with a 4.033 second at 310.97 mph pass that moved him into the final spot in the field.

Terry Haddock, driver of the Concho Supply Inc. Funny car talks with FOX’s Amanda Busick following his final qualifying session run, photo credit Werner Communications

“We broke something on Friday and when I finally found it, it was too late for us to make the second session on Friday night,” said Haddock. “That was on me, not on my guys. We fixed it but it was hard to know where to start again. I started conservatively yesterday. It put some cylinders out and didn’t go as fast as it should have on the first run. We came back and we thought that we could run 3.98 or 3.99 in that last session to make it an all three-second field. We’re blessed we got through it all.”

For his efforts Haddock faced No. 1 qualifier Jack Beckman in the first round. Haddock made his best run of the weekend, a solid 4.000 second at 315.21 mph beside Beckman’s 3.884 second pass at 335.12 mph, the third quickest run of the session.

“That was an adventurous run,” said Haddock. “I always like to do the big, long burnouts. I know that this is entertainment as much as it is racing, and the burnouts are so much fun to do. I always do big burnouts when I can. It got exciting at the finish line because the throttle hung wide open. I wasn’t expecting that.”

Haddock was a part of every level of the Stampede of Speed and Texas Fall Nationals. On Wednesday night he was the guest of sponsor Concho Supply Inc. at the annual Champions Dinner. Thursday night he was a featured driver at the Pre-Stage FanFest presented by Red Line Synthetic Oil in downtown Waxahachie. Saturday morning he participated in a Q&A in the Champions Club in front of a packed house.

Terry Haddock (left) talks to the fans in the Texas Motorplex Champion’s Club, photo credit AJ Bohlander photography

“The Meyer family goes all out with this race and tries to make it a special event for everybody who attends,” said Haddock. “The Texas hospitality is shown around the world. It’s awesome. We’ve got a group of people here from Europe and England, and we got to show them what it was like, to be a Texan and an American. The Stampede of Speed is just incredible.”

Haddock and the Concho Supply Funny Car team will be back in action at the Las Vegas Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, October 29 – November 1.

Qualifying Results
Q1: 4.954 sec, 157.63 mph; Qual. 11
Q2: No Run; Qual. 20
Q3: 4.140 sec, 284.99 mph: Qual. 19
Q4: 4.033 sec, 310.97 mph; Qual. 16

Race Results

First Round
Jack Beckman, Corona, Calif., PEAK Funny Car, (.082), 3.884 sec, 335.12 mph def. Terry Haddock, New Braunfels, Tex., Concho Supply Inc. Funny Car, (.148), 4.000 sec, 315.21 mph

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John Force Racing–Dallas Post Race

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

VANDERGRIFF NABS SEMIFINAL FALLNATIONALS FINISHBeckman and DeJoria depart in Round 2, Hart out in Round 1

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

VANDERGRIFF NABS SEMIFINAL FALLNATIONALS FINISHBeckman and DeJoria depart in Round 2, Hart out in Round 1

ENNIS, Texas (Oct. 18, 2026) – Jordan Vandergriff went into the semifinal round of the Texas NHRA FallNationals against Matt Hagan knowing a win would move John Force Racing’s Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team one round closer to the 2026 NHRA Funny Car point leader but a loss would extend Hagan’s lead over the second-place Vandergriff with just two races remaining. The late afternoon race was over as soon as it began, however, as the Cornwell Tools Chevy smoked the tires at the step while Hagan crossed the Texas Motorplex finish line in 3.931 seconds at 335.10 mph. Jack Beckman’s PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car team and Alexis DeJoria’s Bandero Café Chevrolet SS Funny Car team both bowed out in Round 2 while Josh Hart and the Speedmaster Top Fuel team were eliminated in Round 1. Vandergriff defeated No. 11 qualifier Blake Alexander in Round 1 with a run of 3.877 seconds at 338.37 mph, his career best speed, to Alexander’s 3.913 seconds at 332.47 mph. In Round 2, the Cornwell Tools Chevy ran 3.9232 at 332.01 mph, giving Vandergriff lane choice to in the semifinal against Hagan, while Austin Prock was disqualified for a red light. “It was a tough semifinal race against the points leader that didn’t go our way,” said Vandergriff. “We had a huge chance to make up some ground but, when you shoot for it, sometimes you miss and we missed it this time. But we’re not out of it yet. We’re still in second in the points and we still have a shot at it. We have two races left and, if we go win both of those, then let the chips fall where they may. I have full confidence in Chris Cunningham, Jason Bunker, this entire Cornwell Quality Tools team and in myself that we can get the job done.” Beckman defeated No. 16 qualifier Terry Haddock in the first round of eliminations, running 3.884 seconds at 335.12 mph to Haddock’s 4.000 seconds at 315.21 mph. In Round 2 against Ron Capps, the PEAK Chevy overpowered the track and smoked the tires almost immediately after the hit, allowing Capps to take the win. “That’s about it for our championship hopes,” said Beckman. “Is there a kernel of hope left there? Yes, but we can’t control it. So, we will go to the next two races with the intent of winning every single round, leaving with the trophies and having a fantastic offseason. It’s super frustrating to be the No. 1 qualifier, run consistently quick like that, and then have our PEAK Chevy not go five feet in the second round before it blew the tires off. Daniel (Hood) and Tim (Fabrisi) will have that remedied by the time we roll into Las Vegas. We have such a great race car. I’m not going to let one run get us down.” DeJoria defeated No. 13 qualifier Dave Richards in Round 1 with a pass of 3.902 seconds at 331.56 mph to Richards’ 3.953 seconds at 332.84 mph. The Bandero Café Chevy lined up against J.R. Todd in the second round and ran 3.890 seconds at 314.66 mph but lost on a holeshot to Todd’s run of 3.930 seconds at 333.75 mph. “We have a very strong Bandero Café Chevy right now and I’m so blessed to be able to race under the JFR banner with a great group of guys I get to call my teammates,” said DeJoria. “We continued our excellent runs through qualifying like we did last race and earned some valuable bonus points. To run three consecutive 3.87-second runs during qualifying is just unheard of. We ran a 3.90 in the first round today and a 3.89 in Round 2 but I just got beat on a holeshot. It’s unfortunate because the fans here are great and I’ve lived in Austin for quite a while so I call the Texas Motorplex one of my home tracks. We haven’t been able to win here yet but I’ll be back.” No. 8 qualifier Hart had lane choice in Round 1 against No. 9 qualifier Will Smith in their first round matchup. The Speedmaster Top Fuel dragster ran 3.778 seconds at 338.04 mph but wasn’t able to get around Smith who ran 3.746 seconds at 334.65 mph. “That was just a good old fashioned drag race,” said Hart. “I cut a 60 light to his 40 light. He went 3.74 and we went 3.77. So, for the fans, I’m sure it was a good race and if you’re going to lose, that’s definitely the way you want to lose. It was just a nice, clean drag race. The JFR Speedmaster team does a fabulous job and those guys deserve the praise. They live the life, work countless hours and give us an honest shot every time we pull up to the starting line.”
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after 18 of 20 races are: 1. Shawn Langdon, 2,546; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,407; 3. Antron Brown, 2,322; 4. Tony Stewart, 2,294; 5. Leah Pruett, 2,281; 6. Will Smith, 2,261; 7. Maddi Gordon, 2,260; 8. Justin Ashley, 2,227; 9. Billy Torrence, 2,198; 10. Josh Hart, 2,197.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after 18 of 20 races are: 1. Matt Hagan, 2,503; 2. Jordan Vandergriff, 2,405; 3. J.R. Todd, 2,384; 4. Austin Prock, 2, 348; 5. Jack Beckman, 2,443; 6. Ron Capps, 2,315; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,276; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,207; 9. Chad Green, 2,155; 10. Spencer Hyde, 2,149.
The 19^th of 20 races on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule is the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Phoenix Post Race

October 19, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Phoenix Raceway Freeway Insurance 500 Team Chevy Post-Race Report October 18, 2026

Elliott Leads Chevrolet with Third-Place Finish; Larson Maintains Points Lead at Phoenix Raceway

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

A late-race gamble by crew chief, Alan Gustafson, gave Chase Elliott prime track position for the final restart that ultimately led to a strong third-place finish in the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The result marked the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team’s seventh top-five finish of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season and his sixth top-five finish at the desert oval. It was a turbulent day for the reigning champions Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, but leaning on the points cushion he carried to the west coast, Larson managed to maintain his points lead with the team heading to Talladega Superspeedway with a five-point lead.

RACE RECAP:

Stage One: William Byron led Chevrolet’s Chase contenders in yesterday’s qualifying session at Phoenix Raceway, earning a top-10 starting position to kick off the seventh race of the NASCAR Cup Series’ title run. Taking the green flag for the opening stage, Byron hovered around ninth for what built into a 43-lap stretch en route to the first caution of the day. With a mix of pit strategy already seen down pit road, the Rudy Fugle-led team were among the group that called for a two-tire stop, ultimately gifting his driver a spot on the front row for the restart and a 10-lap run to the stage end. Byron put up a valiant fight during a three-wide battle for the lead within the first couple of laps after the restart, a stint that saw him lead his first lap of the day. Despite losing the battle to those on four fresh Goodyear tires, Byron was able to muscle his way into a solid sixth-place points-earning effort to conclude Stage One.

Stage Two: A mix bag of strategies once again saw Byron lineup 11th, the third car on a four-tire strategy, for the start of Stage Two. On an alternate two-tire strategy, the Randall Burnett-led No. 88 team made the jump up into the top-five to lead the Bowtie brigade to the restart and the next 125-lap run. Zilisch’s teammate, Ross Chastain, had a set of four fresh Goodyear tires on his Chevrolet for the start of the stage, ultimately enabling him to drive up into the seventh position during the beginning laps of the stage. While on a tire deficit from his teammate, the rookie held his ground through much of the green flag run, staying within the top-nine to give Trackhouse Racing a solid showing en route to the first green flag pit cycle of the afternoon. The cycle kicked off on Lap 122, right at the halfway mark of the stage, with crew chief Brandon McSwain calling his driver to pit road six laps into the cycle from the sixth running position. A quick green flag pit cycle saw Chastain, along with his Team Chevy teammate, Chase Elliott, reenter and settle into the top-10 as the green flag laps continued to count down in the stage. Taking his turn in the top position for the Chevrolet camp, Elliott sat in the ninth position when a caution flew with 29 laps to go in the stage for Austin Dillon, who’s early top-15 campaign came to an early end when a flat tire led his No. 3 Chevrolet into the wall. With a four-tire and fuel call by crew chief Alan Gustafson under the caution, an one-position gain in the race off pit road put Elliott in the fourth row for a 22-lap run to the end of the stage. Overall happy with the gains in the balance of his No. 9 Chevrolet, Elliott remained as the manufacturer’s leading driver when he took the second green-white checkered flag in the 10th position.

Final Stage: With a stellar three-position gain in the race off pit road during the stage break, Elliott found the fourth row once again to lead Chevrolet to the green flag for the final stage of the race. While a long green flag run took over much of the final stage, Elliott remained a steady fixture within the top-10. Sitting in the ninth position, a caution flew for his teammate, Kyle Larson, whose already turbulent day came to an end when he suffered a flat tire with 29 laps to go in the race. Gustafson was one of just three crew chiefs that made the gamble to stay out during the caution. The call moved Elliott back up into a spot on the front row to lead the field to the restart for the final 19 laps around the desert oval. While on a tire deficit, Elliott showed the strength of his Chevrolet as he managed to hold onto the third position to go on and lead the manufacturer to the checkered flag and claim his seventh top-five finish of the season.

Team Chevy Unofficial Top-10 ResultsPos. Driver
3rd – Chase Elliott7th – Daniel Suarez9th – Ross Chastain

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 33 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
Wins: 8Poles: 6Top-Fives: 53Top 10s: 112Stage Wins: 22

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase will continue at Talladega Superspeedway with the YellaWood 500 on Sunday, October 25, at 2 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

NASCAR Cup SeriesPhoenix RacewayFreeway Insurance 500Team Chevy Post-Race ReportOctober 18, 2026

Elliott Leads Chevrolet with Third-Place Finish; Larson Maintains Points Lead at Phoenix Raceway

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Team Chevy Unofficial Top-10 ResultsPos. Driver
3rd – Chase Elliott7th – Daniel Suarez9th – Ross Chastain

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 33 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
Wins: 8Poles: 6Top-Fives: 53Top 10s: 112Stage Wins: 22

Post-Race Driver Quotes: Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletFinished: 9th“We put together a solid weekend at Phoenix in the Busch Light Chevrolet. We stayed towards the front in track position all day and made small adjustments. We went through the range of weather from starting overcast and cooler to the sun coming out and it really heating up. It feels good to leave Phoenix with a ninth-place finish and have a good day overall.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletSidelined by damage sustained from a tire issue during Stage Two. Finished: 37th “Unfortunate ending for the No. 3 Dow Arm & Hammer Chevrolet at Phoenix Raceway. We had a strong Chevrolet and I’m really proud of the work the No. 3 team put into giving us a good car this weekend. We were going forward, passing cars and having fun. We cut a right-rear tire in Stage Two and ended up in the wall. I wish I would have recognized that a tire was going down sooner, but I just thought it was rubber build up or something, and at that point, there was nothing we could do. We had too much damage to come back from. We’ll make notes and regroup before going to Talladega next weekend.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletSidelined by damage sustained from a tire issue in the final stage. Finished: 34th“This No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet wasn’t going to quit today. We never found the improvements we needed, so that was a bummer. I didn’t expect to be good, but I didn’t expect to be that bad either. It wasn’t a lot of fun today, but we were just trying to salvage what we could of the day. We’ll go to Talladega (Superspeedway) and try to forget about today and get back after it. We’ve done well at the superspeedway’s, so hopefully we can execute, get some points and keep ourselves in the hunt.” Daniel Suarez, No. 7 Spire Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 7th“We had a little bit of everything today, good and bad pit stops, and some challenges we had to overcome. We fought all day, and this No. 7 Freeway Insurance team never gave up. The guys kept working, and we were able to fight our way back and get another top 10 this season. I’m proud of this team and the effort everyone put in.” Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 3rdHow did you hang on there at the end? “Honestly, I was really surprised. I thought more people would stay out. I’m curious to see if those guys had scuffs, or if they had already burnt their scuffs earlier and had stickers on. In our situation, the call was going to be two tires and they were going to be two scuffs. That didn’t really do a whole lot for me in my head at that point in time. I thought that maybe if we could get a couple rows of a buffer, we’d be okay. But I’m really proud of this No. 9 Kelley Blue Book Chevrolet team for putting together a solid day. It’s been a while since we’ve had one, so that was nice. We made some legitimate improvements, I thought, which was encouraging. The No. 45 (Tyler Reddick) got me there through (turns) one and two on the restart, but to settle in and be able to hold the rest of those guys off, I thought it was solid. I’m looking forward to finishing these next three races off strong and be more prepared and ready for next year.” Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletFinished: 24th“Our FICO Chevrolet was decent in the first two stages and we were consistently a top-20, 21st-place car. Our car fired off free on entry and exit, tight rolling in the center. We were burning the right rear tire off it but once we made an adjustment, the car reacted positively. Right after our green flag stop, I found something with a line that definitely worked better. I just needed to be tightened up in Turns 1 and 2. Unfortunately the next adjustment didn’t fix the problem and netted out negative for our balance. We flipped back and forth from loose to tight in the final stage. Glad we finished inside the top-25 when it’s all said and done, and we can learn a few things from today to help in the future.” Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletFinished: 20th“It was a decent day at Phoenix Raceway for this No. 88 Jockey 150th Anniversary Chevrolet team. I thought we fired off the race really well. We did a good job in qualifying to get the car where we needed it to be, but it just didn’t quite keep up with the track as the race went on. It started to slip a little bit there near the end. We still recovered for a top-20 and a decent finish to look forward to Talladega (Superspeedway).”

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HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILELOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

Spencer Hyde lit up the Texas sky on Friday at the Texas Fall Nationals,photo cfredit Innovation Creative Experts

HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILELOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

Spencer Hyde lit up the Texas sky on Friday at the Texas Fall Nationals,photo cfredit Innovation Creative Experts

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charge team celebrate their Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series victory in the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charger (foreground) launch off the starting line against Lee Hartman on his way to his first Texas Fall Nationals Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series win, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

PAWUK CLOSES FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN SERIES SEASON WITH VICTORY IN DALLAS

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charge team celebrate their Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series victory in the Texas Fall Nationals winner’s circle, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

Mark Pawuk and his Empaco Dodge Charger (foreground) launch off the starting line against Lee Hartman on his way to his first Texas Fall Nationals Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown Series win, photo credit Auto Imagery/Gary Nastase

KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS ATTEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car wowed the crowd on Friday night at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts

KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS ATTEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

Chris King and the Howards Cams/Competition Products Funny Car wowed the crowd on Friday night at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, photo credit Innovation Creative Experts

Terry Haddock, driver of the Concho Supply Inc. Funny car talks with FOX’s Amanda Busick following his final qualifying session run, photo credit Werner Communications

Terry Haddock (left) talks to the fans in the Texas Motorplex Champion’s Club, photo credit AJ Bohlander photography

HADDOCK MAKES MOST OFTEXAS FALL NATIONALS

Terry Haddock, driver of the Concho Supply Inc. Funny car talks with FOX’s Amanda Busick following his final qualifying session run, photo credit Werner Communications

Terry Haddock (left) talks to the fans in the Texas Motorplex Champion’s Club, photo credit AJ Bohlander photography

Racer News and Results

HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILE
LOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

Spencer Hyde lit up the Texas sky on Friday at the Texas Fall Nationals,
photo cfredit Innovation Creative Experts

HYDE SHOWS CONSISTENCY IN DALLAS WHILE
LOOKING AHEAD TO FINISH THE COUNTDOWN

Spencer Hyde lit up the Texas sky on Friday at the Texas Fall Nationals,
photo cfredit Innovation Creative Experts

PAWUK CLOSES FLEXJET FACTORY STOCK SHOWDOWN
SERIES SEASON WITH VICTORY IN DALLAS

KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS AT
TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

KING SETS CAREER-BEST NUMBERS AT
TEXAS NHRA FALL NATIONALS

HADDOCK MAKES MOST OF
TEXAS FALL NATIONALS