Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Homestead Finals Advance

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCEHomestead-Miami SpeedwayNovember 6-8, 2026

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Chevrolet heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway with two NASCAR driver championships within reach and a milestone victory in its sights as the 2026 season comes to a close. In the NASCAR Cup Series, defending champion Kyle Larson carries a commanding 67-point advantage into Sunday’s finale, positioning the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team to deliver back-to-back titles. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the championship is guaranteed to go to a Chevrolet driver, with Justin Allgaier leading an all-Chevrolet group of five remaining title contenders representing four organizations. Adding to the championship weekend stakes, the Bowtie brand will look to close out the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season by earning its milestone 300th victory.

A Championship-Rich History in South Florida: Homestead-Miami Speedway has provided the backdrop for some of Chevrolet’s most memorable championship moments. The manufacturer enters the weekend with eight NASCAR Cup Series victories at the 1.5-mile oval, with Larson’s March 2025 triumph adding to a record previously built by seven different Chevrolet winners. Three of those victories came with a championship celebration: Tony Stewart’s dramatic title-clinching performance in 2011, Kevin Harvick’s first championship in 2014 and Jimmie Johnson’s record-tying seventh crown in 2016. After hosting the championship-deciding races for all three national series from 2002 through 2019, Homestead returns to that role this weekend, giving Chevrolet another opportunity to add to its title-winning history in South Florida.

FIVE CONTENDERS, ONE BOWTIE CHAMPIONSHIPThe NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship battle comes down to five Chevrolet drivers separated by 42 points. Justin Allgaier reclaimed the points lead with a runner-up finish at Martinsville, while Carson Kvapil’s victory kept the JR Motorsports driver firmly in the fight. Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love, Hendrick Motorsports’ Corey Day and Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed complete the title-eligible field. Allgaier and defending champion Love are each pursuing a second series championship, while Day, Kvapil and Creed are all seeking to add their names to the history book as a first-time champion in the division.

BOWTIE BULLETS:·        Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway: NASCAR Cup Series: Corvette Grand Sport NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Silverado RSTNASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Silverado RST

·        Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Homestead-Miami Speedway:Kyle Larson – two wins (2022 & 2025)William Byron – one win (2021)

·        In 27 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded eight victories, including Kyle Larson’s two career wins at the track that came in the Next Gen era (2022 & 2025).

·        Chevrolet has earned wins in 29 of the 32 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 Sammy Smith and the No. 7 Spire Motorsports team’s victory at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet sits just one win away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.

·        In 178 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 77 victories – a winning percentage of 43.3%.

·        With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 891 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 Homestead-Miami Speedway, which will feature a variety of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2027 Silverado ZR2, Silverado Trail Boss, Silverado HD, Blazer EV SS, Traverse Z71, Tahoe Z71, Equinox RS, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Grand Sport, and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 show car.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation: Friday, Nov. 6: 2:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7: 12:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.Sunday, Nov. 8: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:Friday, Nov. 6Corey Day: 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Daniel Suarez: 4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Tyler Ankrum: 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Grant Enfinger: 4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.Justin Allgaier & Carson Kvapil: 5:40 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.  Saturday, Nov. 7Jeremy Clements: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Rajah Caruth & Sammy Smith: 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Sam Mayer: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8 Shane van Gisbergen: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. Austin Dillon: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Connor Zilisch: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. Ross Chastain: 11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m. Kyle Larson: 11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.Chase Elliott: 11:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. Alex Bowman: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m. William Byron: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

TUNE-IN:NASCAR Cup Series Championship RaceSunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. ETNBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship RaceSaturday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. ETCW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship RaceFriday, Nov. 6, at 6:30 p.m. ETFS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

QUOTABLE QUOTES:Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletHow do you feel the No. 1 team is progressing?“We’ve had a solid last few weeks on the track which is very promising. I feel like we’re making gains, some smaller, some bigger, but we’re moving in the right direction and I think everyone can feel and see the progress. Last weekend at Martinsville was a very positive sign. We went forward after the start of the race and were able to stay up there. That means we hit the setup pretty close so we were making small adjustments and maintaining track position, instead of making big swings and trying to get the car to respond. Obviously, I’d love to get a win this weekend but it’s also nice to know we’re going into the off season seeing progress.” Final race of the season, thoughts on going to Homestead-Miami?“It feels good to be going back down to South Florida with the sun and humidity and get to Homestead-Miami Speedway. I’m going to drive over from Fort Myers, take the alley across and enjoy a couple of hours on the road. It’s been a few years since we’ve been at Homestead for the Championship race so it will have a little bit different feeling driving into the track. Of course, I wish we were in the Championship hunt, but the good news is we’ve experienced improvement over the last few weeks in our cars at Trackhouse. It feels good going into the off season with a positive direction. I’m certainly going to enjoy a few cold Busch Lights after the race, I know that.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletIt’s been a number of year since NASCAR ran the season finale at Homestead. How are you feeling about closing out the season in South Florida?“Homestead is probably my favorite track of the year, and I love that it’s the last race of the year down in Florida. I can’t wait to get there with the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet and just slide around, try to run the fence from the bottom, try to run everywhere. It’s a place that you can move all over and find grip. It’s slick, just a great place to go race.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet“We’re looking forward to wrapping up the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend with Commas and 7th Level on board the No. 47 Chevrolet. Homestead is a fun track where you can move around and try different lines to find speed, so having a good balance throughout the race will be important. We’ve had some ups and downs this season, but everyone at Hyak Motorsports has continued to work hard and push forward. Hopefully we can put together a strong weekend and finish the year on a high note for our team and partners.” Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet“I’m cautiously optimistic going into Homestead. Our intermediate-track package has definitely improved here in this last stretch of races between Kansas, Vegas and Charlotte, so I’m hopeful that will continue at Homestead. The track is a pretty unique mile-and-a-half oval. It’s its own animal. It’s not a traditional tri-oval, so we’ll see how much it translates. But for us to be able to hang our hat on some of the positives we’ve learned this season by just having a good run at Homestead – a no-frills, no-chaos weekend where we execute and earn a good result – that’ll give us all something to build off of for next year.” Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletWhat are your thoughts heading back to Homestead for the season finale?“Homestead it’s still one of those racetracks we go to with a good bit of fall off. You slip and slide around and work really hard as a driver all day. The racing presents a lot of options. You can run the bottom, run the top or run the top to the bottom. So, you can find where your car works best. You can find clean air. It’s just one of those tracks that you just drive all day long and it’s a lot of fun. It is special to be back at Homestead for the Championship. Being able to go down there to celebrate the end of the season has always been fun and rewarding. The track is special and I can’t wait to see what they have done since we were there last. I’m excited to feel the energy back in Miami with The Annika Driven by Gainbridge coming onboard and then head to Pelican Bay next week for their big week of LPGA golf!” Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletThe long and winding road that is the NASCAR Cup Series season concludes Sunday at Homestead Miami Speedway. What are your thoughts going into the last race of the year?“I’ve learned a lot about myself and continue to stay motivated through the bad weeks. It’s gotten better here toward the end of the season and I’m certainly proud of that. My entire team has stuck with me and not given up on me, and we’ve started to turn a corner. I never wanted the year to go like this, but I’m proud of the resilience and just the way that my team has handled it. I look forward to hopefully making gains as we head into 2027 and hopefully have a good year in 2027.” What about Homestead-Miami Speedway itself? This weekend we’re back after not being there for a year and seven months. What’s the fun level of Homestead like for you as a race car driver?“I love it. It’s just such a unique racetrack. You’re up on the fence and you have no grip. Tires are falling off a crazy amount and you’re just trying to find grip wherever you can. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve always enjoyed racing at Miami. I had a decent run going in the O’Reilly race last year, but I ended up getting a pit road penalty under green in the last stage. It’s a ton of fun racing there and certainly a place that I always enjoy going to.” Homestead is another weekend where you have a 50-minute practice session before qualifying. How much has that helped you?“It’s been super beneficial to me to dial my car in, feel changes and get laps on the racetrack. We almost did 100 laps of practice at Martinsville, which is super helpful for me going into a race. I don’t really have a notebook, a huge notebook, at least on setups and what I want out of the race car so when I get the opportunity to practice, and make changes to my race car and make it better on Saturday, it helps us a lot as a team.” Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletWhat do you expect this weekend at Homestead-Miami, given the progress the No. 97 Team has made this year?“Hopefully, I will do better there this time. I struggled there last year, but I guess it was like my fourth race of the year in this car. So, hopefully I’ve made some progress since then. It’s a tough track, riding the fence and getting used to that speed. Hopefully I’m a bit better this time around.” A couple of weeks ago, you mentioned using this period of the Chase to figure some things out on the ovals. Do you feel like that is happening?“Yeah, we are still missing a bit. Like at Phoenix (Raceway) we struggled. But our speed has been good at the mile and a half tracks. Overall, I think the team has done a really good job. It’s good to still be experimenting and all three cars trying stuff. We have to work forward as a team and I think as a team, we are working well together at the moment.”

Jesse Love, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletYou were winless in the regular season, but have since won two races in the Chase. What has clicked with the team?“This year, no doubt, the beginning was a struggle to find victory lane with the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. Racing can be hard because you don’t always get instant gratification or satisfaction from your work and effort that you put in. For whatever reason, throughout each race it was always something different. But I knew if we continued to see it through and stick with our plan, and put our best foot forward, that it was just a matter of time before things started to get back on the right track. Obviously once the Chase starts you start to see what teams and what group of people are capable of operating at the highest level and I believe that the No. 2 team has shown throughout the last couple of years, that when it comes to that, there’s nobody that can operate on as high of a level.”
What role is the track in Homestead going to play in determining the Champion this weekend?“Crowning a Champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it’s a dynamic racetrack, and it’s going to be a lot different than the year’s past in Pheonix. The track, like I said, is very dynamic. You move around a lot. You do somewhat at Pheonix too, but when you go to Homestead there’s a lot of risk versus reward, probably more so than there is at Pheonix. So balancing that risk and dancing more on that razor’s edge is something that you have to manage throughout the whole weekend, not just in the race and at the end of it, but through each stage, through qualifying and through practice as well. It’s also a track that we usually don’t go to twice a year, so all of these things add an impact to it, and make it probably more of a challenge, however it’s the same challenge for everybody. So you have to be prepared for that and get ready to execute a flawless weekend.”
What is it going to take as a driver to be a Champion this weekend?“People ask that a lot, what it’s going to take from the driver standpoint to be a Champion this weekend, and that’s going to change throughout the whole weekend. It’s going to change during practice, it’s going to change during qualifying, it’s going to change through each stage of the race and down to the wire of it. You don’t know 100% before you get there, but you can be present in the moment and live in the moment and be prepared to adapt. There are so many different things that can happen, point and situation scenarios can change, and reality will set in whether that is good, bad or somewhere in between. But I think where the real value and where the real champion will come from a driver standpoint and a team standpoint is those that are prepared to be champions, but are also living in the moment and ready to adapt to whatever Homestead throws at us.“

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: 10Poles: 6Laps Led: 2,896Top-Fives: 61Top-10s: 125Stage Wins: 24 CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:Total Chevrolet race wins: 891 (1949 to date)Poles won to date: 772Laps led to date: 259,630Top-fives to date: 4,497Top-10s to date: 9,276 Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date: General Motors: 1,225 Chevrolet: 891 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

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BRABHAM AIMS FOR TRANS AM TITLE IN TEXAS AS CD RACING CHASES 5TH COTA WIN IN SIX YEARS

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (November 4, 2026) – Matthew Brabham brings a commanding point lead in the Trans Am by Pirelli championship to the season finale at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, where CD Racing has won four of the last five TA races. While all Brabham needs is a fifth-place or better finish in his #16 GYM SODA Ford Mustang to claim his first Trans Am title (and CD Racing’s fourth in six years), he doesn’t plan to change the aggressive approach that has seen him win the pole at all 11 of the races run to date this season while taking him to victory in nine of them.

Team owner Chris Dyson, who has contested selected events this season, will be back in the team’s #20 GYM SODA/RACER Ford Mustang alongside Brabham.

“The team couldn’t be more ready than it is for this weekend,” said Dyson, a three-time Trans Am titlist. “Matty has driven a tremendous season, but the last couple seasons reminded us that you just can’t take anything for granted in this championship. The competition has been tough and consistent all year; and we never let our guard down. We’ve been doing this long enough to know that you don’t change your approach as a team no matter how well you’re doing. This game is about continuous improvement and our competitors aren’t rolling over. And because of how points are distributed, even with Matt’s incredible winning percentage coming into this final race, we’ve still got to hit all our marks as a team. this weekend.” When reminded that CD Racing has an unparalleled Trans Am record at COTA, Dyson added “And there’s no better place to finish the job.”

A win in Texas this weekend would be Brabham’s 18th of his still relatively brief but brilliant Trans Am career, promoting him out of a four-way tie for 10th in the all-time win list with series legends Willy T. Ribbs, Dorsey Schroeder, and Greg Pickett. (Dyson currently has 29 Trans Am victories and a win this weekend would lift him from a tie with Mark Donohue for second in the most-wins ranking.) Brabham’s qualifying record in 2026 has been superlative; he has not once been headed in time trials in all eleven events.

“I know what the points look like, but that’s not gonna change anything about how I drive,” a typically modest Brabham said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity Chris and Rob have given me this year and I owe it to the team and myself to go all out every time I get in the car. I know how to win at COTA and so does the team. They always give me a potential race winner, so I’m aiming for the top step of the podium.”

A Challenging Venue

“From the technical perspective COTA is one of the most challenging circuits on our calendar,” Dyson said. “High speed, heavy braking, super-low-speed corners, and you have to preserve the tires. We’ve always made it a point to show up with a set-up that’s in the ‘ballpark’ because the lap is so long and there isn’t much practice time. My job is to help the team any way I can – and to try to win the pole and the race, same as always.”

CD Racing’s Storied COTA History

No TA team has a better recent record at Austin. Brabham won on his Trans Am debut at COTA in 2021, qualifying on the front row and passing Ernie Francis Jr. on the last lap. Dyson won in 2022, leading a CD Racing 1-2 with Brabham second as the duo dominated the field, and won again in 2024. Last year Brabham, starting last in class after qualifying was canceled because of lightning, drove through the field to victory. Both of Brabham’s COTA wins came as a substitute for Dyson.
Click here for more on Chris Dyson Racing.Circuit of the Americas ScheduleQualifying takes place Saturday, November 7, 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.ET)

The 30-lap race takes the green flag Sunday, November 8, at 12:55 p.m. CT (1:55 p.m. ET)
Broadcast ScheduleAll Trans Am races are live-streamed on the Trans Am YouTube channel.

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Knoxville Raceway Extends Partnership with World of Outlaws, DIRTVision

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

KNOXVILLE, IA (Nov. 3, 2026) – Knoxville Raceway, the World of Outlaws, and DIRTVision are extending their sanctioning and streaming partnership, continuing a relationship dedicated to bringing the excitement and tradition of The Greatest Show on Dirt and Sprint Car Racing’s most iconic venue to fans around the world.

Through the extended partnership, which is locked in through 2031, DIRTVision will continue to showcase the iconic venue’s events to fans around the world, including Knoxville Raceway’s weekly races and premier events like the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s on Aug. 11-14, 2027.

“Knoxville Raceway and World Racing Group have a storied history and partnership that we’re thrilled to continue for many years. We continue to focus on filling the grandstands each year and allow those who can’t be at the track to have the best viewing experience no matter where they are through DIRTVision’s growing platform,” said Brian Carter, World Racing Group CEO. “We look forward to further enhancing the at-track and at-home viewing experience every year.”

“We are extremely pleased to extend our partnership with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and DIRTVision,” said Knoxville Raceway General Manager Jason Reed. “DIRTVision has played an important role in connecting our fans, race teams, and marketing partners. We appreciate the value this relationship brings to Knoxville Raceway and look forward to working together for many more seasons.”

Knoxville Raceway, known as the “Sprint Car Capital of the World” in Knoxville, IA, has built a reputation as one of the most historic and prestigious dirt tracks in the world. The track has welcomed generations of racing’s biggest stars and remains a destination for competitors and fans from across the globe.

Since 1978 the World of Outlaws has been the premier sanctioning body for Sprint Car Racing in the world, creating five decades of legendary racers and events. The foundation is now set for The Greatest Show on Dirt to deliver fans even more of what they love about the World of Outlaws in ways unimaginable when Ted Johnson founded the Series nearly 50 years ago.

DIRTVision, the leading streaming platform for dirt track racing, continues to expand the sport’s reach by delivering live racing coverage, exclusive content, and an unmatched connection between the sport and its passionate fan base.

The continued partnership reflects a shared commitment to growing the sport, connecting fans with their favorite tracks and drivers, and ensuring Knoxville Raceway’s rich racing tradition reaches audiences everywhere.

Knoxville’s 2027 season will get underway April 17 with the 74th annual PellaMotors.com/Kraig Ford Season Opener for the Knoxville Championship Series. The complete 2027 schedule will be released soon. Follow Knoxville Raceway, the World of Outlaws, and DIRTVision on social media for the latest news, announcements, and information. For tickets to events at Knoxville Raceway, click here.

Don’t have a DIRTVision subscription? You can sign up today at DIRTVision.com, giving you access to every event for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision, Super DIRTcar Series, American Sprint Car Series, DIRTcar Summer Nationals, along with weekly racing from premier tracks like Knoxville Raceway, Attica Raceway Park, Cedar Lake Speedway, Huset’s Speedway, Jackson Motorplex, Jacksonville Speedway, Land of Legends Raceway, Millbridge Speedway, Sharon Speedway, Volusia Speedway Park, and Williams Grove Speedway.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/knoxville-raceway-extends-partnership-with-world-of-outlaws-dirtvision/

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MELANIE JOHNSON SCORES FIRST NHRA NATIONAL EVENT VICTORY IN LAS VEGAS

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 3, 2026) – Melanie Johnson achieved a major career milestone at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, capturing her first career NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series national event victory behind the wheel of the Speedmaster McPhillips Racing Top Alcohol Dragster at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals. A full circle moment for Johnson as she made her Top Alcohol Dragster debut at the same track in November 2024.

Melanie Johnson and the McPhillips Racing Speedmaster Top Alcohol Dragster team celebrate the MOPAR Las Vegas Nationals victory in the winner’s circle, photo credit MJ Racing

The victory made for an unforgettable weekend in the Johnson household, as Melanie shared the winner’s circle with her father, 14-time Top Fuel world championship tuner Alan Johnson, who guided Doug Kalitta to the Top Fuel national event title.

Johnson set the tone early in qualifying on Friday, laying down a stout 5.205-second elapsed time at 273.55 mph in Q1 to take the provisional No. 1 spot. She backed up her performance in Friday’s second session with a 5.230 at 273.55 mph to maintain the pole position. On Saturday, Johnson locked up the official No. 1 qualifying position during Q3, clocking a 5.214 at 273.05 mph.

In round one, Johnson delivered a 5.278 at 274.39 mph to defeat Angelle Sampey’s 5.551 at 253.71 mph. She advanced through round two with a 5.262 at 272.72 mph to Randy Eakins’ 5.359 at 257.58 mph. In the semifinals, Johnson posted another consistent run, 5.276 at 268.22 mph to turn on the win light against Nick Januik, who slowed to a 7.718 at 118.31 mph.

Lining up for her second career national event final, following a runner-up finish at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals earlier this season, Johnson squared off against Jackie Fricke. Johnson defeated Fricke on a holeshot to win the prestigious NHRA JEGS Allstars in Dallas just weeks prior. In the Las Vegas final, Johnson delivered a dominant pass, posting low ET and top speed of the event with 5.201 seconds at 274.50 mph to defeat Fricke’s 5.268 at 272.72 mph.

First time NHRA national event winner Melanie Johnson hoists the Diamond Wally following her MOPAR Las Vegas Nationals TAD victory, photo credit MJ Racing

“This win feels so special. My guys have been working incredibly hard all year to get this car where it’s at right now. It felt like it was only a matter of time before it all came together. And despite running the final on Monday, it’s still a double up with my dad and Doug,” Johnson shared after her victory. “I will definitely remember this first National event win forever!”

Johnson would also like to acknowledge the unwavering support from primary sponsor Speedmaster, along with AJPE (Alan Johnson Performance Engineering), Lucas Oil, NGK Spark Plugs, ARP Fasteners, Shift Up Now, and WIMNA (Women in Motorsports North America). “It was so great to have Melissa [Parra] and Jason [Kencevski] from Speedmaster here today. We’re going to have a great time at SEMA this week celebrating this big win.”

Johnson will be back on track in Las Vegas for the NHRA Lucas Oil Regional event November 6-7 before closing out the 2026 season at the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif. November 12-15.

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CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Two Times the Title Fight!

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Two Times the Title Fight!

LMGT3 championship in reach for both TF Sport Corvettes entering WEC finale DETROIT (November 2, 2026) – The final race of the FIA World Endurance Championship season at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza will have a distinct Corvette flavor with TF Sport’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set to play feature roles.
Four entries are alive for the LMGT3 Teams Championship with the two of them from the TF Corvette camp. The yellow No. 33 Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating and Drivers Championship leader Jonny Edgar have been out front in the standings since their victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

2026 FIA World Endurance Championship PointsLMGT3 Drivers Standings1. Jonny Edgar – 92 2. Nicky Catsburg – 883. Richard Lietz/Riccardo Pera/Yasser Shahin – 744. Charlie Eastwood/Peter Dempsey/Salih Yoluc – 705. Ben Keating – 70 LMGT3 Teams Standings1. No. 33 TF Sport – 922. No. 92 The Bend Manthey – 743. No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF – 704. No. 69 Team WRT – 665. No. 21 Vista AF Corse – 64 CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: By the Numbers• 1: Race win for Corvette Racing at Monza: Tommy Milner and Nick Tandy’s GTE Pro victory in the No. 64 Corvette C8.R in 2022• 2: Championships already clinched this year for Corvette Z06 GT3.R entries – TF Sport’s ELMS LMGT3 championship and Orey Fidani’s Bob Akin Award in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship• 2: Wins for TF Sport this year in the FIA World Endurance Championship – Le Mans (No. 33) and Brazil (No. 34)• 2: Number of TF Sport Corvettes in the top-three of the LMGT3 Teams standings• 3: Number of TF Sport Corvette drivers in the top-five of the LMGT3 Drivers Championship• 4: Cars still eligible for the LMGT3 Teams Championship – two of them being TF Sport Corvettes• 16: Manufacturer Championships for Chevrolet and Corvette Racing since 2001• 35: Tracks at which Corvette Racing has won races – Baltimore, Charlotte Motor Speedway, COTA, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park/Mosport, Chang International Circuit (Thailand), Daytona, Detroit, Fuji, Houston, Imola, Indianapolis, Laguna Seca, Le Mans, Lime Rock, Long Beach, Lusail International Circuit (Qatar), Miami, Mid-Ohio, Monza, Portimão, Portland, Road America, Road Atlanta, Sāo Paulo (Brazil), Sebring, Sepang International Circuit (Malaysia), Sonoma, Spa-Francorchamps, St. Petersburg, Texas, Trois Rivieres, Utah, VIR, Washington DC and Watkins Glen• 44: Number of drivers to win races in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. The latest to join the list were TF Sport’s Peter Dempsey and Salih Yoluc at Sāo Paulo in WEC• 73: Years since Corvette was introduced to the world on Jan. 17, 1953 in New York City. A total of 300 cars were produced that year• 89: Number of drivers in Corvette Racing entries since 1999. Steller Motorsport’s Kasper Jensen joined the list at the GT World Challenge Europe finale at Portimão• 159: Victories worldwide for Corvette Racing – 119 in IMSA, 10 at Le Mans, six in the FIA WEC, 13 in GT World Challenge America, three in GT World Challenge Asia, GT America and the European Le Mans Series, and one in IGTC/GT World Challenge Europe• 400: Event starts by Corvette Racing since 1999• 525,499.82: Total number of racing miles completed by Corvette Racing since its inception. The program went over the half-million mark at this year’s 24 Hours of Spa
Corvette Racing at Monza (wins in bold)2022: No. 64 Corvette C8.R: Tommy Milner/Nick Tandy – 1st in GTE Pro
2023: No. 33 Corvette C8.R: Nicky Catsburg/Ben Keating/Nico Varrone – 4th in GTE Am

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CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Two Times the Title Fight!

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Two Times the Title Fight!LMGT3 championship in reach for both TF Sport Corvettes entering WEC finale DETROIT (November 2, 2026) – The final race of the FIA World Endurance Championship season at Autodromo Nazionale di Monza will have a distinct Corvette flavor with TF Sport’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs set to play feature roles.
Four entries are alive for the LMGT3 Teams Championship with the two of them from the TF Corvette camp. The yellow No. 33 Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Nicky Catsburg, Ben Keating and Drivers Championship leader Jonny Edgar have been out front in the standings since their victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.

CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R PRE-EVENT DRIVER QUOTES

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RESILIENT TERRY HADDOCK OVERCOMES TOUGH LAS VEGAS RACE WEEKEND

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

LAS VEGAS (November 1, 2026) — Terry Haddock and the Priority Systems Mechanical Services Funny Car team rolled into The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with momentum and a positive outlook for the second to last race of the season. Uncharacteristic weather conditions in the Las Vegas area wreaked havoc for all the teams with rain and unseasonably cold temperatures challenging tune-up decisions. For Haddock’s independent Texas-based team they had a strong plan coming into the Mopar Las Vegas Nationals but had to adjust throughout the weekend.

“I thought we were going to run a 3.90 right off the trailer, and then I fought it all weekend,” said Haddock. “It was numerous different things all weekend. You have got to be good at what you’re doing. You have to have a little bit of luck and have everything go your way. All the teams were facing the same thing. The conditions were way better than we expected. I struggled with stupid things that I shouldn’t have had to this weekend. Vegas has always been a tough race for our team. We will get it together for a great Pomona.”

Terry Haddock and the Priority Systems Mechanical Services Funny Car will bounce back from tough Las Vegas race weekend, photo credit Werner Communications

Two weeks ago, Haddock raced his way into the quickest Funny Car field in history. This weekend the Funny Car qualified field was comprised of all three second runs for the first time in history and Haddock, who has run in the 3.90s during the Countdown, was on the outside looking in at the end of qualifying. Haddock took the missed opportunity in stride but also knows he will have to continue to work hard to keep up a blistering pace.

“In one breath it gives you confidence because I know we can run threes,” said Haddock. “In another breath you get a little worried about are all the fields going to be three second fields? It’s hard to give this car everything it needs every lap. You have to think about which things are the most important. Throughout the race you’re going have to prioritize what to spend your time and attention on.”

Through two days of qualifying the Priority Systems Mechanical Services Funny Car with support from Conco Supply Inc., made progressively better runs. In the first round they came off the trailer and ran 4.212 seconds and in the second qualifying run the Funny Car pushed out a head gasket and suffered a quick flash fire but luckily suffered minimal damage thanks to Haddock’s driving skills and the variety of safety products on the race car. On Saturday the team stepped up with a 4.109 second pass but unfortunately a quick turnaround forced the team to skip the final qualifying session and a chance to race their way into the field.

“I have a really good young team and sometimes you have to make tough decisions,” said Haddock on the decision to skip the final qualifying session. “I want to make every run possible, but I am not going to cut corners. We are entertainers and we want to put on a good show. We are already getting ready for Pomona and we will be ready for that race.”

Even though the Priority Systems Mechanical Services Funny Car was not in competition on race day Haddock looked at all the positives. The team made solid runs, and his crew got valuable experience in a fast-paced environment. With one race left and some exciting news on the horizon, Haddock is thankful for the opportunity.

“The first thing you always have to do is say we’re blessed that we get to do this,” said Haddock. “I am so thankful we live in a country where we get to go out and race every weekend. Where you can come from nothing and you get to go out and race with the best in the world on any given weekend. This sport is so tough. Some days we do great and some weekends we struggle. This weekend we struggled. We still count our blessings, and I think we can do better and that is what we will work towards.”

Haddock and the Priority Systems Mechanical Services Funny Car team will be back in action for the final race of the 2026 Mission Foods Drag Racing Series at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip for the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals, November 12-15.

Qualifying Results
Q1: 4.212 sec, 299.40 mph; Qual. 13
Q2: 4.284 sec, 233.76 mph; Qual. 17
Q3: 4.109 sec, 303.50 mph: Qual. 19
Q4: No Run; Qual. 19

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John Force Racing–Las Vegas Post Race

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

VANDERGRIFF KEEPS CHAMPIONSHIP GOAL ALIVE WITH BIG WIN AT THE STRIPBeckman and Hart bow out in Round 2 and DeJoria in Round 1

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1, 2026) – Jordan Vandergriff had been fighting some sort of physical bug all week but woke up Sunday morning knowing he had a job to do to keep his championship hopes alive at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals and he did just that with a dominating final round victory at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The day for Jack Beckman and Josh Hart ended in Round 2 while Alexis DeJoria bowed out in the first round. Vandergriff saved his quickest performance of the day for the final round when the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car beat Ron Capps to the finish line with a run of 3.873 seconds at 331.68 mph to Capps’ 3.921 seconds at 335.15 mph. The win was the fourth of Vandergriff’s Funny Car rookie season in seven final round appearances and pulls the Cornwell Tools team to within 39 markers of point leader Matt Hagan, who exited in the second round, with just the Oct. 13-15 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at Pomona remaining. “This is the biggest win [of the year],” Vandergriff said. “Today literally worked out as I envisioned it this morning. It was, how do we need today to go? We need the day to go a certain way. We need somebody else to lose. We need this. We need that, and it literally played itself out the way I imagined. Vandergriff defeated No. 14 qualifier Julie Nataas in their first round matchup, with Vandergriff running 3.876 seconds at 324.28 mph to Nataas’ 3.985 seconds at 323.50 mph. In Round 2, the Cornwell Tools Chevy ran 3.912 seconds at 324.20 mph to Spencer Hyde’s tire-smoking run of 6.502 seconds at 103.54 mph. In the semifinal round against J.R. Todd, Vandergriff left the starting line by one hundredth of a second and took the win with a run of 3.911 seconds at 327.90 mph to Todd’s tire-spinning 4.525 seconds at 251.77 mph. “This fourth win I think is obviously huge, just because we’re 39 points back now of Hagan, and coming in today we were a really, really long shot,” said Vandergriff. “It felt like we were far away and we needed him to go out early, and he did. Now we can go to Pomona with a chance. So that’s all I wanted.” Beckman defeated No. 16 qualifier Jeff Diehl in Round 1, posting a time of 3.851 seconds (low E.T. of the round) at 329.69 mph to Diehl whose run was disqualified for hitting timing blocks. The second round matchup against Capps found both cars leaving the starting line almost identically (.071 for Beckman and .067 for Capps) and the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car leading most of the way before dropping cylinders and spinning the tires just before the finish line. Capps took the win with a run of 3.874 seconds at 336.82 mph to Beckman’s 3.893 seconds at 317.42 mph. “We were driving away on that run but NHRA has this silly rule that it doesn’t matter until you get to the finish line,” said Beckman. “We put a cylinder out at 440 feet and we were still well ahead. We put a second cylinder out at 630 feet and, with both out on the same side, the PEAK Chevy was trying desperately to go into Capp’s lane. I had my hands full there and we still ran a 3.89. Our car is just so wicked fast and people don’t understand that, when you’re really good at something, you make it look so easy that people don’t understand when it doesn’t go that way. Capps’ team laid one down against us and I think it’s a tribute to the PEAK SQUAD that the other teams swing harder when we’re in the other lane.” Hart defeated No. 14 qualifier Shawn Reed in the first round, running 3.719 seconds at 338.77 mph to Reed’s 3.785 seconds at 316.38 mph. In Round 2 against Leah Pruett, the Speedmaster Top Fuel dragster ran 3.681 seconds at 339.45 mph while Pruett ran 3.687 seconds at 333.58 mph but her quicker reaction time at the starting gave her the win. “The Speedmaster team worked relentlessly together all weekend to get this car going great and it paid off,” said Hart. “That’s a huge confidence booster for us all going into the final round at Pomona.” DeJoria had lane choice in her Round 1 matchup against Hunter Green and seemed headed toward victory when the Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car dropped cylinders nearing the finish line which allowed Green to take the win. DeJoria ran 3.931 seconds at 289.88 mph to Green’s 3.923 seconds at 321.73 mph. “I’m really at a loss for words,” said DeJoria. “My Bandero team is so awesome and we have such a good race car. We were on a great run and the car shut off and nosed over. We have a lot of good luck in the bank right now so I think we’re just preparing for a really good year in 2027. We have everything we need to win and we just need a little luck thrown our way so, Pomona, here we come.” The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Top Fuel point standings after 19 of 20 races are: 1. Shawn Langdon, 2,630; 2. Doug Kalitta, 2,523; 3. Antron Brown, 2,394; 4. Leah Pruett, 2,379; 5. Tony Stewart, 2,359; 6. (tie) Maddi Gordon, 2,293; Will Smith, 2,293; 8. Justin Ashley, 2,278; 9. Josh Hart, 2,254; 10. Billy Torrence, 2,250.
The 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series Funny Car point standings after 19 of 20 races are: 1. Matt Hagan, 2,563; 2. Jordan Vandergriff, 2,524; 3. J.R. Todd, 2,459; 4. Austin Prock, 2,422; 5. Jack Beckman, 2,412; 6. Ron Capps, 2,408; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 2,314; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 2,239; 9. Spencer Hyde, 2,204; 10. Chad Green, 2,187. The 20^th of 20 races on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule is the Nov. 13-15 In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals at In-N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip in Pomona, Calif.

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Wood Brothers Racing–Martinsville

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Event: Xfinity 500

Location: Martinsville Speedway, Ridgeway, Virginia

Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026

Start: 10th

Finish: 4th

Josh Berry and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse turned in a strong performance in Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, earning a fourth-place finish that propelled Berry to career highs in top-five and top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series.

With one race remaining in the 2026 season, Berry has recorded four top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, with an opportunity to add to those totals in next Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Both marks are the best for Wood Brothers Racing since 2014, when Ryan Blaney recorded four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes behind the wheel of the No. 21 Ford.

Berry started Sunday’s 500-lap race at the tight, half-mile Martinsville oval from the 10th position and quickly established himself as a contender for a strong finish.

Outside of green-flag pit stop cycles, Berry maintained a position inside the top 10 throughout the opening 130-lap Stage, ultimately finishing fifth to collect six valuable stage points.

The second Stage brought more of the same for Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, as he continued to run among the top 10 before finishing seventh and adding four more stage points.

Berry and the No. 21 team saved their best for the final segment of the race. With just over 90 laps remaining, Berry worked his way into the top five and maintained that position through the closing laps, ultimately taking the checkered flag in fourth. The result marked his best finish since another fourth-place effort four races earlier at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Following the race, Berry expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance.

“It was really fun,” he said. “The car was really solid all day. We just needed a little bit of track position and needed to get up to the front a little sooner.”

Berry also expressed his appreciation for those supporting the No. 21 team.

“I just want to thank everybody at Wood Brothers and Team Penske, Ford Racing for everything they for us.”

Berry and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team now turn their attention to next Sunday’s Cup Series Champions Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where they will look to close out the 2026 season with another strong performance.

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HYDE MAKES QUARTERFINAL RUN,POSTS SEASON-BEST NUMBERS IN VEGAS

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

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Byron Completes Chevrolet’s Season Sweep at Martinsville Speedway

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway Xfinity 500Team Chevy Post-Race Report November 1, 2026

Byron Completes Chevrolet’s Season Sweep at Martinsville Speedway

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

William Byron and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team showcased a near dominate afternoon at “The Paperclip” to earn their first trip to victory lane of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season. Byron’s fourth coveted grandfather clock came paired with a perfect points day, with the North Carolina native sweeping the stage wins and clocking in the fastest lap of the race to bring home the win and a 76-point day. The win, Chevrolet’s record-extending 64th all-time at Martinsville in NASCAR’s premier series, capped off a season sweep for Chevrolet at the track with Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott driving the manufacturer to victory lane in the spring event. For the second consecutive weekend, Chevrolet earned five top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series race. Chase Elliott took the checkered flag in second to give Hendrick Motorsports a one-two finish. Trackhouse Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen ended the afternoon in fifth to match his career-best short track result. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon finished seventh, with Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson rounding out the effort with a hard-fought ninth-place finish. Despite a challenging day for the defending champions, the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team will carry a 67-point lead to Homestead-Miami Speedway as they race for their third title in NASCAR’s premier series.

RACE RECAP:

Stage One: Despite a challenging practice session, Kyle Larson laid down a strong lap in qualifying to earn the third starting position for the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series Chase at Martinsville Speedway. As the field sorted out after a couple of laps around the .526-mile venue, Larson quickly settled into the fourth position for much of the opening run. It took just 32 laps around the Virginia venue for the leaders to reach lap traffic, allowing Larson to start making gains towards closing the gap to then-race leader, Denny Hamlin. A long run building opened up the door for the first green flag pit cycle, which ultimately got underway near the halfway point of the stage. A split pit strategy saw a handful of the top-10 runners, including Larson, opt to run out the stage. But it was the fresh tires that prevailed on the run to the end of the stage. Among those who called for four tires and fuel during the cycle was crew chief Rudy Fugle, giving his driver the opportunity to make a quick march from 16th to the lead that led to the stage win.

Stage Two: With a call for four tires and fuel under the stage break caution, the No. 24 pit crew kept their driver in position to lead the field to the green flag for Stage Two. Maintaining the lead on the restart, Byron quickly found his rhythm around “The Paperclip” – clocking the fastest lap of the race early in the run before reaching the tail-end of the field. With another green flag pit cycle on the horizon, Byron had yet to make his trip to pit road when the first natural caution of the day flew at Lap 199. While Byron and his teammate, Chase Elliott, continued to pace the field from the top-two positions, timely cautions found Larson back on the lead lap as a tight battle among the top-three title contenders ensued just inside the top-15. A caution with eight laps remaining ultimately brought the stage to a close, giving Byron the stage sweep.

Final Stage: With both pit crews maintaining their positions in the race off pit road, it was an all-Chevrolet front row with Byron and Elliott to lead the field to the start of the final stage. Byron continued to showcase his race-contending speed, resuming the lead to pace the field to the third green flag pit cycle of the day. Fugle was on the tail-end of the cycle, ultimately calling Byron to pit road on Lap 344 before going on to retake the lead just nine laps later. Within that timeframe saw the points leader, Larson, re-enter the top-10. Settled into 10th as the leaders worked through lap traffic just before the 400-lap marker, Daniels radioed to his driver to keep his pace as they were just within the 20-lap range towards their final trip to pit road of the afternoon. Meanwhile, Byron was able to progressively build his lead as he maneuvered through lap traffic, reaching a four-second advantage as the race hit 90 laps to go. Byron’s call to pit road came with 78 laps to go, quickly cycling back up into the top position six laps later. Never looking back, Byron went on to claim the checkered flag and complete Chevrolet’s season sweep at Martinsville.

Team Chevy Unofficial Top-10 ResultsPos. Driver
1st – William Byron2nd – Chase Elliott5th – Shane van Gisbergen7th – Austin Dillon9th – Kyle Larson

Chevrolet’s season statistics with 35 NASCAR Cup Series races complete:
Wins: 10Poles: 6Top-Fives: 61Top 10s: 125Stage Wins: 24

The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season will conclude at Homestead-Miami Speedway with the Championship Race on Sunday, November 8, at 3 p.m. ET. Live coverage can be found on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Post-Race Driver Quotes: Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletFinished: 11th“It felt really good to run consistently up front today at Martinsville in the Moose Fraternity Chevrolet. The car handled well and we didn’t need any major swings at adjustments, it was just small little things all day. Unfortunately, we had a little blip there on the last pit stop which hurt us at the end but that’s how it goes sometimes. We ended the day 11th and it certainly could’ve been worse, but it felt good to run well today.” Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletFinished: 7th“Heck of a day. Proud of everyone on the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Winchester Ducks Unlimited crew. We fought all day long, making the needed adjustments and battling back when we went a lap down. Excited to be one of the seven cars to finish on the lead lap, and happy to see the momentum we’re bringing to the end of the season as we look to conclude on a high note and carry that into 2027.” Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 9th How would you describe your day today? “It was a difficult race. The first stage got away with us on strategy. I assumed we were just kind of playing off the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin). The second-half of the run didn’t go like we needed it to. We could have used a caution at some point to save us, but unfortunately, it went green the whole way and we got ate up. I was just hanging on, really. Fortunately, we got back on the lead lap in the second stage, and we just kind of had to fight it out from there. It was just hard to pass. I tried some runs to pass and beat my tires up. Other runs, I tried to save and it was just kind of net-whatever. It was just a bummer day. I thought our No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet was going to be good, and I think it would have been okay had we kept the track position in Stage One. Obviously, William (Byron) and Chase (Elliott) were really, really good. I think they could have driven my car just as fast. Congrats to William and Chase, both, for the good run here. It was a good day for Hendrick Motorsports.” I know you wanted to clinch it today, but is it a sense of relief with the points cushion heading into Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend?“It is a sense of relief, for sure. The No. 20 (Christopher Bell) played the first stage right, and I thought things could get crazy and we could get damage in the back. We got through the day relatively clean. I didn’t lose as many points as I was expecting to today, so I’m happy with that. We’ll go to Homestead-Miami Speedway and try to collect a good points day.” Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 2ndWhat more did you need in the closing laps? “I just needed some rear tires. I was running as hard as I could go. I really fell off hard on the run before, and I think that’s probably what hurt me the most with having to make up that gap. William (Byron, race winner) had that gap to play with and he did a great job managing that. He saved and he knew I was pressing. I’m really proud of our No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet team. I thought we got our car better and better all day. That last run, I was really happy with it, but I just needed to be a little further up the road.” William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 1stHow relieving is it to get in the win column this year?“Yeah, it’s been a tough year, but we’ve grinded and never stopped working. It means a lot for everyone on this No. 24 Liberty University Chevrolet team. I think everyone’s felt it, but have worked hard and kept their heads down. To come to a place like this, where we’re traditionally good and just have an awesome performance like that, is incredible. We just kept getting a little bit better through the race and it was a lot of fun.” How much did you have to work on the car? How many adjustments did you have over the course of the race?“We just did little adjustments, but it’s hard to say. The track kind of came to us, and when we made that green flag stop, it just stayed good for us. It was awesome.” Austin Hill, No. 33 Richard Childress Racing ChevroletFinished: 20th “Solid top-20 day for our Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen team. We qualified in a decent spot, which helped us with pit stall selection. For most of the day, our Chevrolet was tight on fire off but built free as the run went on. Andy (Street, crew chief) and the guys kept adjusting on it and towards the end, the balance was better. We just kept burning the rears off it. Didn’t matter how easy I was on the pedals. Overall, a good day for our No. 33 group. Still room for improvement but today was definitely better than the spring.” Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports ChevroletFinished: 16th“It was such a busy day at Martinsville, it felt like we would go from the back to the front all the time with how the cautions played out. Outside of that, I feel like we had some good pace on our Delaware Life Chevrolet, we just couldn’t find our home in the top 10. We were right around that 15-20th mark all day, but it was a clean day without a torn up race car and that is always a good thing leaving Martinsville. One more to go, so hopefully we can build on Talladega and Martinsville into Homestead-Miami Speedway to go into 2027 with some good momentum.” Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletFinished: 17th“It was a good recovery for our team. We were three laps down at one point, but we were able to get back on the lead lap there to start the final stage and get a decent day out of it. Really proud of this No. 88 Red Bull Chevrolet team, as well as Shane (Van Gisbergen) and Ross (Chastain) for having a great day, as well. It was a good day for the organization and a great day for Chevrolet. I’m excited to get to Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend and close out the season strong.” Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing ChevroletFinished: 5thYou ran fifth at Martinsville. Can you label yourself as a fantastic short track racer? “I definitely feel like I’m getting there, thanks to having a great team around me. Our team did a great job getting our No. 97 Wendy’s Chevrolet better from yesterday and I qualified badly. It was a great day. The first stage was awesome with the different strategies. We managed to stay on the lead lap and we just kept working forward. I enjoyed it.”

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11th World Short Track Championship Features Thrill in Charlotte

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CONCORD, NC (Oct. 31, 2026) – The 11th World Short Track Championship at The Dirt Track at Charlotte concluded Saturday night with 10 thrilling Features.

Former champions returned to glory, first-time winners battled through wild Features, and memorable moments were created throughout the night in Charlotte.

Winners included:
FOX Factory 604 Late Models – Jeremy Steele
MSD 602 Late Models – Steven Thompkins
Race City Performance 525 Late Models– Layton Sullivan
VP Racing DIRTcar 358 Modifieds – Billy Dunn
RaceQuip Street Stocks – Rod Tucker
COMP Cams Mini Stocks – Matt Gilbert
SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Thunder Bombers – Stetsen Todd
DIRTVision Hornets – Newman Presnell
Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modifieds – Kyle Strickler
Hoosier Racing Tire Crate Modifieds – Ty Norder

All division recaps below:

604 LATE MODELS: Jeremy Steele Becomes First-Time World Short Track Champion in FOX Factory Pro Late Models
By Spence Smithback

Jeremy Steele has placed his focus on the Super Late Model ranks in 2026, but that doesn’t mean he forgot how to drive a Crate car.

The 2025 champion of the Crate Racin’ USA Dirt Late Model Series added another major accolade to his resume on Saturday, winning the FOX Factory 604 Pro Late Model portion of the World Short Track Championship for the first time in his career.

The early portion of the Feature was a battle between a pair of South Carolinians in Steele and Kale Green, who held the top spot while Steele rode behind in second. As the halfway point approached, Steele found a line on the cushion he liked and ran down Green, making the winning move in Turn 3 on Lap 13 of 25.

A pair of cautions immediately after the pass kept Green in the game, but Steele held his own and never gave Green a chance to get back out front. As the finish neared and traffic became a factor, Trent Ivey got to second and began closing in on Steele. But Ivey’s third World Short Track Championship victory in five years wasn’t meant to be, as Steele made the right moves to stay out front and make his first visit to Victory Lane at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

“Ive ran second up here in two different cars, two different classes,” Steele said. “I come up here every year and Trent and Dillon [Brown] kick my butt. John [Ruggiero Jr.], he’s the best of them all, probably. He kicks my butt every year. This year, that car right there is awesome. Never sat in it before this weekend. Cameron Tribble and Andrew [Stewart] gave me the opportunity to drive it, I couldn’t turn it down and here we are.”

Steele was followed across the line by Ivey, Green, Layton Sullivan and Dillon Brown in an all-South Carolina top five.

RESULTS: Feature (25 Laps): 1. 1-Jeremy Steele[3]; 2. G4-Trent Ivey[8]; 3. 4-Kale Green[2]; 4. 2S-Layton Sullivan[17]; 5. 6B-Dillon Brown[6]; 6. 09-Ross Bailes[13]; 7. 8-Jensen Ford[5]; 8. 44-John Ruggiero Jr[1]; 9. 2C-Wyatt Coffey[15]; 10. 611-Koulten Herbert[4]; 11. 7A-Corey Almond[19]; 12. 6-Chase Blackwell[7]; 13. K7-Keaton Smith[24]; 14. 2A-Jason Altiers[10]; 15. 5Q-Colby Quick[18]; 16. 66D-Preston Dimsdale[9]; 17. 52-Chris Stowe[22]; 18. 2-Mitchell Childress[25]; 19. 4C-Ace Claborn[20]; 20. 67-Austin Yarbrough[11]; 21. 35-Dillon Daves[12]; 22. 8L-Joe Leavell[14]; 23. 75-Joey Whitaker[16]; 24. 22-Nathan Walker[23]; 25. 2M-Shawn Martin[26]; 26. J1-Jake Jackson[21]

602 LATE MODELS: Steven Thompkins Conquers Charlotte in MSD 602 Late Models
By Spence Smithback

Steven Thompkins had only made a handful of starts this season prior to the World Short Track Championship, but he looked far from rusty.

The Grays Creek, NC native worked his way forward from sixth to the lead of the MSD 602 Late Model Feature and stayed there to win one of his home state’s biggest events for the first time in his career.

At the start, 13-year-old Wyatt Coffey shot from third to the lead on the bottom of Turns 1 and 2 on the opening lap as he challenged for his maiden victory at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The young Virginia driver looked to have the best car on the track, but his night came to an unscheduled end with seven laps complete when his engine expired while leading.

Coffey’s misfortune handed the lead to Olivia Gentry Williams, another driver chasing Charlotte glory for the first time. Williams had her work cut out for her with both John Ruggiero Jr. – a five-time World Short Track Championship winner across multiple divisions – as well as Thompkins directly behind her on the restart, but the Newnan, GA native held the lead when the green flag flew.

Another yellow came soon after when Thompkins was running second, putting him on the outside of the front row when the race restarted with 11 laps to go. The top lane turned out to be the perfect place for the No. 22T car, as Thompkins ripped around the outside of Williams and took command. It was all Thompkins in the second half of the 20-lap main event, as the gap back to Williams was nearly a second when Thompkins took the checkers for his first win since March 29, 2025 at his former home track of Fayetteville Motor Speedway.

“We’ve had a monkey on our back every time we come here,” Thompkins said. “We’ve qualified good, Heat raced good. Gotta draw a pill, man, it’s just tough luck. We were here last year, not on the stage. Every time we’ve come down here, we’ve unloaded, we’ve been pretty good. I’ll tell you what man, it just feels good to finally get it.”

Williams finished second in her second World Short Track Championship appearance ahead of Dalton Jacobs in third, who earned his second podium finish in the event. Joey Baughman and Shun Oreo Thomas rounded out the top five.

RESULTS: Feature (20 Laps): 1. 22T-Steven Thompkins[6]; 2. 03-Olivia Gentry Williams[5]; 3. 7J-Dalton Jacobs[13]; 4. 45J-Joey Baughman[8]; 5. 99T-Shun Oreo Thomas[12]; 6. 20S-Trey Stamper[26]; 7. 14-Jeff Robinson[14]; 8. 25T-Dylan Thompson[9]; 9. 00-Preston Blalock[10]; 10. 00T-Kendal Tucker[11]; 11. J12-Jason Dickerson[15]; 12. 02-Danny Hurley[20]; 13. 82-Canaan Clobes[17]; 14. 17-Case Daniels[21]; 15. 99-Dale Durham[25]; 16. 28-Matthew Nance[24]; 17. 5-Robbie Gibson[22]; 18. 2-Dylan Warden[18]; 19. 27-Mike Davidson[16]; 20. 20-Isaiah Parker[23]; 21. 300-Bill Tesh[28]; 22. 25A-Jaedyn Altiers[27]; 23. 44-John Ruggiero Jr[7]; 24. 1J-Morghan Johnson[19]; 25. 2C-Wyatt Coffey[3]; 26. 17B-Biscuit Williams[2]; 27. 22-Nathan Walker[1]; 28. 51-Luke Clements[4]

525 LATE MODELS: Layton Sullivan Captures Elusive World Short Track Championship Win with 525 Late Models
By Alex Nieten

Layton Sullivan is finally a World Short Track Championship winner.

The Gaffney, SC native has been trying to conquer The Dirt Track at Charlotte since the event launched in 2016. He’d come so close on multiple occasions. A podium at the 2019 Pro Late Model All-Star Invitational. A runner-up in the 2024 Pro Late Model Championship Feature. A fourth place finish earlier Saturday night with the Fox Factory 604 Pro Late Models.

No more waiting for Sullivan.

He finally got the job done on Saturday with the Race City Performance 525 Late Models. Sullivan lined up second and snatched the top spot by narrowly squeezing around Tyler Leach in Turn 2.

The job was far from over as he had to fend off not only Leach but also two-time World Short Track Championship winner Trent Ivey, who surged into second late. Ivey looked like he might have a shot in the closing laps as traffic slowed Sullivan, but the door never opened. Sullivan stayed ahead and finally grabbed a Charlotte checkered flag.

“I’m really just so proud of our guys and everybody who helps us,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got so many people here with us. I couldn’t be more proud. I had a really good car in that 604 Feature, and we kind of figured out what we needed to do to this one. The racetrack changed, and that changed the game. I didn’t expect that. I just did my best to hold them off. I just tried to minimize the mistakes. I’ve been coming to this thing since the first one, so this is freaking awesome.”

The victory came in Sullivan’s 14th overall World Short Track Championship Feature appearance as he can finally call himself a winner under the bright lights of Charlotte.

Trent Ivey fell just a spot shy of his third World Short Track Championship triumph, settling for runner-up.

Jordan Koehler wheeled from eighth to third to round out the podium.

Dillon Brown and Tyler Leach completed the top five.

RESULTS: Feature (25 Laps): 1. 2-Layton Sullivan[2]; 2. 28-Trent Ivey[5]; 3. 114-Jordan Koehler[8]; 4. 6-Dillon Brown[6]; 5. 05-Tyler Leach[1]; 6. 121-Blake Craft[9]; 7. 22-Russell Erwin[14]; 8. 8-Joe Leavell[12]; 9. 21B-Jamison McBride[4]; 10. 30-Tyler Bare[15]; 11. 28M-Justin Mintz[7]; 12. 71-Billy Thompson[16]; 13. 67-Bryan Mullis[10]; 14. 537-Jesse Rockett[17]; 15. P4-John Price[25]; 16. 57-Adam Yarbrough[11]; 17. 5J-Braden Jones[20]; 18. 7-Daniel Breuer[22]; 19. 4-Kale Green[23]; 20. 52-Timmy Mills[21]; 21. 18-Austin Mintz[19]; 22. 14-Baron McDowell[27]; 23. 07T-Larry Timms[24]; 24. 09-Michael Leach[13]; 25. 22T-Terry Caples Jr[28]; 26. D5-Justin Hobgood[18]; 27. 55-Matt Long[3]; 28. 42S-Anthony Sanders[26]

DIRTCAR 358 MODIFIEDS: Billy Dunn Dominates for 358 Modified Win in World Short Track Championship Debut
By Alex Nieten

Add a World Short Track Championship Feature win to Billy Dunn’s résumé.

The Watertown, NY native opted to make his debut in The Dirt Track at Charlotte late season showcase with the VP Racing Fuels 358 Modifieds joining the card this year, and he made the most of his first trip to the event.

Dunn absolutely dominated the 25-lap Feature on Saturday night. The 2013 Super DIRT Weekchampion lined up on the outside pole and rocketed around Chris Curtis on the opening circuit and left the field fighting for second. It didn’t take long for the No. 49 to check out. He quickly built a commanding advantage as the gap stretched to nearly seven seconds over the runner-up.

Lapped traffic slowed Dunn in the closing laps but still not nearly enough to present him with a challenge. The margin never dropped below six seconds as he motored to the finish line and Victory Lane in the “Queen City.”

“It was about as good of a car as you can get,” Dunn said of his machine. “I haven’t been here for World Finals in a Big Block in a while, but I still feel like I kind of knew what to expect with the track. I made just a few changes, and it was on rails.”

The win capped a nearly perfect week for Dunn as he made his first visit to The Dirt Track at Charlotte since 2019 when he competed with the Super DIRTcar Series. His only flaw was not laying down the fastest lap in qualifying by timing in second-quickest. After that, it was a Championship Feature win Thursday night, topping Friday’s Heat Race, and finally Saturday’s triumph in the finale.

Johnathon Ferguson closed out his first-ever week at Charlotte with a run from fourth to second.

Lance Willix rounded out the VP Racing Fuels 358 Modified podium.

Brian McDonald was the hard charger with a march from 10th to fourth, and polesitter Chris Curtis rounded out the top five.

RESULTS: Feature (25 Laps): 1. 49-Billy Dunn[2]; 2. 44-Johnathon Ferguson[4]; 3. 31-Lance Willix[3]; 4. 151KB-Brian McDonald[10]; 5. 35-Chris Curtis[1]; 6. 711X-Connor Crane[7]; 7. 18-Kalen Draper[8]; 8. 92-Andrew Buff[6]; 9. 58-Jessica Power[11]; 10. 47-Kreg Crooker[9]; 11. 21R-RJ Tresidder[5]; 12. 66W-Wallace Stacey[12]; 13. 92S-Dexter Stacey[13]; 14. 31CJ-CJ Castelletti[14]

STREET STOCKS: Rod Tucker Takes Second Mid-East Street Stocks Victory at World Short Track Championship
By Matt Skipper

Rod Tucker enjoys spending his Halloween at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

The Greenville, SC veteran put on a dominant performance in the RaceQuip Mid-East Street Stocks with his second division victory in the last three years at World Short Track Championship.

A win in his Heat race set the 31-year-old on the Pole Position for the 15-lap Feature, jumping out to the front spot as Jonathan Hinson and Ronnie Mosley followed his tracks to make a three-car gap ahead of the field.

As two cautions on Lap 5 and Lap 10 gave Hinson and Mosley an opportunity to close for the lead, Tucker grew his largest gap through the final three laps by crossing the twin checkered flags with a 2.13-second margin of victory.

Tucker’s win earned him a $2,000 payday and joined Mitchell Duvall and Ricky Greene as the only drivers to win multiple Street Stock Features at Concord, NC 3/8-mile oval. It’s a bittersweet win as he will sell his race-winning machine after leaving the property.

“Tonight’s a little bit bittersweet,” Tucker said. “We had some fellas come up here, they’re actually going to buy this car tonight when it leaves Victory Lane. We’ve run a lot of different brands over the years. We’re just wanting to get out and do our own thing. Just can’t thank all my guys enough.”

Hinson finished second, and Earl Petty rounded out the podium. Patrick Lyon charged forward 10 positions to finish fourth, and Blake Pryor cemented his night inside the top five.

RESULTS: Feature (15 Laps): 1. 12T-Rod Tucker[2]; 2. 4-Jonathan Hinson[1]; 3. 5-Earl Petty[6]; 4. 01L-Patrick Lyon[14]; 5. 78-Blake Pryor[12]; 6. 18-Dalton Peavy[9]; 7. 36-Jeff Parsons[7]; 8. 9S-Jessie Spradley[16]; 9. 04-Austin Brown[18]; 10. 92-Tanner Fortune[20]; 11. 11L-Kade Langley[23]; 12. 17-Jake Jackson[13]; 13. 52-Christian Patterson[24]; 14. 0W-Johnny Westmoreland[4]; 15. 00-Cody Ussery[17]; 16. 47-Mattison Hoots[11]; 17. M1-Dylan Lacey[8]; 18. 23-Ronald Rhodes[19]; 19. 32-Brandon Greene[26]; 20. 17H-Camden Harp[21]; 21. 83-Calob McLaughlin[5]; 22. 9-Ronnie Mosley[3]; 23. 34-Cameron Young[22]; 24. 55-Mike Manes[15]; 25. 6-Randy Benfield[27]; 26. 03-Matt Whitener[25]; 27. 7-Alan Benfield[28]; 28. 06-Andrew Durham[10]

MINI STOCKS: Matt Gilbert Becomes Holder of Most Monster Mini Stocks World Short Track Championship Feature Wins
By Matt Skipper

Matt Gilbert triumphed over the scares of the COMP Cams Monster Mini Stocks on Halloween.

The four-time Monster Mini Stock Association champion added to his resume at World Short Track Championship by becoming the first three-time division Feature winner at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Saturday night.

Starting the 15-lap race from the outside of the second row, Gilbert immediately challenged front-row starters Logan Richey and Cody Keith, slotting into third as the top two began to stretch away from the field of 25 Monster Mini Stocks behind them.

While Keith took over the lead, Gilbert followed Keith’s shadow to get ahead of Richey for the runner-up spot and ran behind Keith’s No. 51 machine until the caution waved on Lap 7. On the double-file restart, Gilbert gained momentum faster than Keith and became the Feature’s newest leader.

Gilbert never relinquished the lead through the remaining eight laps around the Concord, NC 3/8-mile to become the all-time leader in the Monster Mini Stocks in the event along with a $2,000 check.

“I knew it was going to go green the rest of the way, it’s our luck every year,” Gilbert said. “Luckily, Ron, Cody and them was gonna drive us hard and clean, and I’m just glad to be able to pull off (Turn 3). You never would have imagined we won one of them like that, but we knew we had to go right off the bat.”

Keith finished second, and Richey took third to solidify the podium. Travis Mosley took a fourth-place finish, and Tack Brown completed Saturday’s Feature top five.

RESULTS: Feature (15 Laps): 1. 117-Matt Gilbert[4]; 2. 51-Cody Keith[2]; 3. 10-Logan Richey[1]; 4. 19-Travis Mosley[3]; 5. 4-Tack Brown[6]; 6. A47-Austin Bottoms[9]; 7. 96X-Tyler Riddle[7]; 8. 121W-JR Warren[11]; 9. 16-Robert Arch[23]; 10. 115-Jason Horne[18]; 11. E82-Enzo Dillon[5]; 12. 8J-Tyler Johnson[21]; 13. 84-Kyle Cooper[19]; 14. X-Kevin Cooper[14]; 15. H3-Harley Holden[22]; 16. 3-Barrett Bishop[10]; 17. 12-Matt Gerrin[25]; 18. 121-Jacob Kinder[24]; 19. 56-Nick Fulcher[20]; 20. B3-Damien Bryant[12]; 21. 3C-Allen Cantrell[26]; 22. 50B-Van Bryant[27]; 23. 15-Zach Lankford[13]; 24. 56A-Ken Appleton[17]; 25. 27-Adam Piercy[15]; 26. (DNF) 8-Dustin Bolin[8]; 27. (DNF) J2-Justin Timmons[16]; 28. (DNF) 26-Johnny Raines[28]

THUNDER BOMBERS: Stetsen Todd Wins Wild World Short Track Thunder Bomber Feature
By Nick Graziano

For the past two years, Stetsen Todd has regretted letting a World Short Track Championship victory slip through his fingers. So, when another opportunity for a win presented itself Saturday night, he wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice.

The SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel & Aluminum Thunder Bomber Feature started in dramatic fashion with the front row colliding as they entered Turn 1, sending polesitter Bryson Sweatt spinning in front of the field. He was hit and flipped at the top of the turn as several other cars spun and piled into the wreck.

Once the field reset, the new front row had Austin Brown on the pole and Todd to his outside. They had a cleaner entrance into the first turn, leading to Todd charging by Brown to take the top spot.

Brown continued to fall after losing the lead, even spinning a lap later. That allowed Austin Holcombe to move into second and Cruz Mattison into third, where they would battle for the remainder of the Feature.

Several cautions put more stress on Todd’s reign out front, as Holcombe and Mattison threw attacks at him every restart. However, Todd proved to have the better car each time, pulling away in clean air. Mattison and Holcombe dueled lap after lap for the runner-up spot with Mattison winning that battle at the end.

Todd used his clean air advantage to earn his first World Short Track Championship victory during the 11th edition of the event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

“Two years ago, we set Quick Time, won out Heat Race, led some of the race, and I let that one get away from me, and I was upset,” Todd recounted in Victory Lane as he started to get more emotional with every word.

“Just a blessing, man. I’ve started crying. I mean, this is what it’s all about. There are other races that pay bigger money, but this is what we, what I shoot for.”

RESULTS: Feature (15 Laps): 1. 19-Stetsen Todd[3]; 2. 05-Cruz Mattison[7]; 3. 8A-Austin Holcombe[5]; 4. 21-Nate Jackson[13]; 5. 82B-James Baker[22]; 6. 83-Ricky Bogan[20]; 7. 119-Justin Barber[15]; 8. 71-Donny Atkins[9]; 9. 04-Austin Brown[2]; 10. 135J-Trenten Jamieson[14]; 11. 47-Parker Guice[23]; 12. S4-Tyler Smith[27]; 13. 4S-Cory Skipper[10]; 14. P8-Christopher Patterson[25]; 15. 46-Bailey Hipp[4]; 16. 28-Bryson Guice[8]; 17. 88-Luke Doggett[6]; 18. S2-Garrett Sweatt[11]; 19. 4-Doug Penny[21]; 20. 13-Bundy Stowe[12]; 21. G41-Grant Burton[26]; 22. 44-Hunter Aiken[19]; 23. 9R-Ray Cagle Jr[16]; 24. 114-Jonathon Holcombe[24]; 25. (DNF) 45-Jamie Decker[28]; 26. (DNF) 43F-Jacob Funderburke[17]; 27. (DNF) S1-Bryson Sweatt[1]; 28. (DNF) 13P-Blake Pryor[18]

HORNETS: Newman Presnell Holds Off Hornets’ Nest For 7th World Short Track Title
By Nick Graziano

Newman Presnell went on a run of six World Short Track Championship victories in his first seven starts at the event but had been shut out of Victory Lane in his last three starts.

He put himself in the position to end that streak Saturday night, starting on the pole of the 20-lap DIRTVision Hornet Feature at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

A hornets’ nest of 4-Cylinder stars starting behind him were poised to spoil that plan, though.

When the Feature commenced, Coby Lambert, who had yet to finish outside of Victory Lane at World Short Track, looked like Superman at the drop of the green, flying around the outside the first three rows, going from seventh to second in one turn.

While Presnell took the lead, Lambert used his video game run to pull even with the No. M34 car down the backstretch and then charge ahead to the lead off Turn 4.

Presnell wasn’t interested in letting Lambert gain any more distance, though. While the No. 33 could pull ahead down the straightaways, Presnell was able to charge into each corner, pulling side by side with his rival.

On Lap 7, Presnell threw his car deep enough into the corner in Turns 1 and 2 to clear Lambert and reclaim the lead. Once out front, he turned on the afterburners, putting yards between he and Lambert every lap.

By Lap 18, Presnell had a 3.5-second lead over Lambert, and had to watch it evaporate when the ProFabrication Caution Flag came out of cars stopped on track.

When the race resumed, “all hell broke loose.”

Presnell didn’t fire off strong on the restart, allowing Lambert to charge to his outside with momentum. The No. 33 looked to have a charge set to pull ahead of Presnell, but Casey Towell in the No. 11C gave Presnell a push off Turn 2, helping the No. M34 stay even with Lambert entering Turn 3.

Presnell reclaimed the lead, but Towell followed him by Lambert and took his own shot at the leader on the final lap. The No. 11C darted underneath Presnell in Turn 1, allowing him to pull ahead down the backstretch.

When they entered Turn 3, Presnell kept his foot on the throttle, perfecting a slide job on Towell to reclaim the lead with the checkered flag ahead. Before Towell could try to counter his attack, Jeffrey Erb came charging into the corner, running into the side of Towell and getting him sideways.

With the calamity behind him, Presnell drove away with his first World Short Track Championship victory since 2024. Erb grabbed the runner-up spot, and Marc White snuck his way into third at the end.

“I didn’t want to see that caution; I know how the restarts here can be at Charlotte. They get a little wild,” Presnell said. “I felt like I had a pretty comfortable lead there. The car was handling great. Probably the best I’ve ever been here. Then the caution came out, and I didn’t want to see that. The outside got a good run on me there, and I couldn’t let them get in front of us. Then I had the push from behind and thought they’re all over me now. So, I just gotta settle in and see how this thing plays out; we don’t know what’s going to happen here.

“But dang. It was fun. I enjoyed it.

RESULTS: Feature (20 Laps): 1. M34-Newman Presnell[1]; 2. 777-Jeffrey Erb[10]; 3. 81M-Marc White[4]; 4. 11C-Casey Towell[5]; 5. 88-Joey Kelly[11]; 6. 58-Kason Bright[17]; 7. 33-Coby Lambert[2]; 8. 1-Justin Harris[7]; 9. 48-Kayden Presnell[13]; 10. 3C-Scott Cloninger[14]; 11. 41H-Bryson Harper[18]; 12. F1-Travis Lankford[8]; 13. 8-Gavin Bright[19]; 14. 39-Brian Barfield[12]; 15. 513-Greyson Coley[21]; 16. 44-Jordan Webb[15]; 17. 13-Trent Blackwell[23]; 18. 2L-Kylee Laws[16]; 19. 95-Jacob Bright[22]; 20. 212-Mitchell Coggins[20]; 21. 33W-Scootdog Wilson[9]; 22. 511-Bentley Caudle[25]; 23. 417X-Shannon Barnhill[26]; 24. 22-Phillip Gee II[24]; 25. 23-Lane Crow[6]; 26. N2-Jamie Massey[3]

DIRTCAR UMP MODIFIEDS: Kyle Strickler Dominates UMP Modifieds at Charlotte for Record Fifth World Short Track Championship
By Jordan DeLucia

For the fifth time in his storied Dirt Modified career, Kyle Strickler is a World Short Track Champion.

The 43-year-old from Mooresville, NC, has been one of the brightest talents in Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modified action at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, winning the marquee event four times since its inception in 2016. Saturday night, he padded his all-time record again, leading the main event flag-to-flag for his fifth World Short Track Championship victory and an $8,000 grand prize.

For a driver who’s won at tracks from Pennsylvania to Florida, to Minnesota and back to “The Old North State,” does winning at home for the fifth time feel as special as it did the first?

“I think it feels more special, actually,” Strickler said. “When you’re getting older and you’re trying to make a name for yourself or whatever, the records and stuff that will last long, it’ll be hard to beat. That’s the stuff that’s really important to me.”

After qualifying halfway down the 27-car field on Thursday, Strickler rebounded for a Heat Race win from the fifth starting spot on Friday to give him an outside front row starting spot for Saturday’s main event.

From the drop of the green, Strickler put on a clinic around the 4/10-mile oval. He grabbed the lead from polesitter and Thursday’s fast qualifier Logan Roberson on the opening lap and never looked back, leading all 25 circuits and collecting the checkered flag without any serious challenge from his opponents.

“It took a little bit to knock the rust off, and I knew once the racetrack had slowed down, we’d be really good,” Strickler said. “We went back to our notebook and got everything right, and it played out perfect. We didn’t have to deal with a redraw or anything, and winning that second Heat Race I think put me in the preferred groove because when it starts to rubber, you can kinda run down that hill on the start there, and the guy on the inside is almost going uphill. So, I thought that I had the best starting spot.”

Virginia native Roberson crossed the finish line in second to record his best finish in the event, followed by Sportsman of the Year Award winner Chris Arnold in third, two-time Charlotte winner Taylor Cook in fourth and three-time Crate Modified event winner Austin Holcombe rounding out the top five.

RESULTS: Feature (25 Laps): 1. 8-Kyle Strickler[2]; 2. 5R-Logan Roberson[1]; 3. 99W-Chris Arnold[4]; 4. 21-Taylor Cook[7]; 5. 8A-Austin Holcombe[9]; 6. 00-Blake Tasker[5]; 7. 99-Cole Hilton[19]; 8. 6-Ryan Ayers[8]; 9. Z77-Austin Self[25]; 10. 46-Matt Crafton[26]; 11. 84-Ryan Toole[10]; 12. 28-Owen Lacey[15]; 13. 2A-Matt Altiers[14]; 14. 11-Troy Loomis[12]; 15. 9T-Mason Canter[27]; 16. 4M-Tim Monroe[17]; 17. 5-Jonathan Taylor[3]; 18. 7T-Evan Taylor[22]; 19. 93-Ken Martin[21]; 20. F5-Richard Clew[20]; 21. 7-Coleton Longwell[6]; 22. 59-Grayson Wells[11]; 23. 114-Jordan Koehler[23]; 24. 22-Russell Erwin[24]; 25. 05-Shannon Slaughter[18]; 26. 45-Cambridge Gann[13]; 27. 05A-Adam Favors[16]

CRATE MODIFIEDS: Ty Norder Declared Crate Modified World Short Track Champion After Top-3 Disqualified
By Jordan DeLucia

After reaching Victory Lane for the first time with the Hoosier Racing Tire Mid-East Crate Modifieds in 2022, Ty Norder has added another World Short Track Championship trophy to his collection.

The 22-year-old from Mooresville, NC, crossed the finish line fourth in Saturday’s Crate Modified main event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. However, after race winner Biscuit Williams, runner-up Daulton Wilson, and third-place Austin Holcombe were all disqualified during post-race engine inspection, Norder was declared the winner. His No. 2T Modified passed inspection, and he was awarded his second World Short Track Championship victory, along with the $2,000 grand prize.

“Man, if you’re right, you’re right, and if you’re wrong, you’re wrong,” Norder said following his inspection by Mid-East Racing officials. “We only had a fourth-place car tonight, which I don’t think with what’s going on here had anything to do with on the racetrack.”

Williams took the lead from the pole at the drop of the green flag and dominated the race, leading all 15 laps unchallenged to cross the finish line first with outside polesitter Wilson and fifth-starting Holcombe in third. Norder had worked his way up to fourth from the eighth starting spot by the checkered flag.

“We’ve had a pretty good year; this is my 12th win,” Norder said. “I’ve worked really hard, won 11 races before entering this weekend, and I really wanted to win Charlotte because of all my sponsors. Everybody’s hanging out and you can go see your friends, go talk to all your competitors, meet new people and build relationships with people.

“This is just unbelievable.”

RESULTS: Feature (15 Laps): 1. 2T-Ty Norder[8]; 2. 32-Garrett Killman[11]; 3. 04-Cole Wagoner[4]; 4. 5-Ethan Wilson[9]; 5. 59-Grayson Wells[10]; 6. 45-Cambridge Gann[22]; 7. 33-Cameron Martin[14]; 8. 83-Travis Caviness[19]; 9. 16-Daniel Allen[23]; 10. 50J-Joey Johnson[26]; 11. 25-Robert Poole[16]; 12. 72-Patrick Field[12]; 13. 23-Corey Gordon[7]; 14. 00B-Preston Blalock[27]; 15. 22P-Randy Pfaff[28]; 16. 117-Clay Shumake[20]; 17. 71K-Dennis Kirk[25]; 18. 93-Kenny Martin[18]; 19. (DNF) 31G-Stephen Pedulla[3]; 20. (DNF) 6-Ryan Ayers[24]; 21. (DNF) 2K-Taylor Kuehl[6]; 22. (DNF) 14-Jared Fryar[13]; 23. (DNF) 15-Ashton Johnson[15]; 24. (DNF) 05-Travis Covey[17]; 25. (DNF) 61-Cody DeMarmels[21] DQ. 121E-Biscuit Williams[1]; DQ. 2-Daulton Wilson[2]; DQ. 8A-Austin Holcombe[5]

EVENT INFO: https://www.worldshorttrackchampionship.com

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John Force Racing–Las Vegas–Saturday

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

PEAK SQUAD EARNS THIRD STRAIGHT NO. 1 QUALIFIERVandergriff and Hart qualify third, DeJoria fourth for Sunday’s eliminations

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 31, 2026) – Jack Beckman and the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car team earned the No. 1 qualifying spot for the third consecutive event and fifth time this season at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals while their John Force Racing teammates all qualified in the top four for Sunday’s first round of eliminations at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The PEAK SQUAD’S Q2 run Friday night of 3.836 seconds at 335.32 mph set low elapsed time in qualifying to earn Beckman his 38^th career No. 1 Qualifier award. They earned the top spot earlier this season at Chicago and Maryland and then the previous two races at St. Louis and Dallas. Beckman, who won his first NHRA Funny Car event at Las Vegas in 2006, will face No. 16 qualifier Jeff Diehl (3.968 seconds at 317.94 mph) in Round 1 of the first all 3-second Funny Car field in NHRA history. Jordan Vandergriff and the Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car team qualified third with their Q3 run Saturday of 3.868 seconds at 327.74 mph. They will face No. 14 qualifier Julie Nataas (3.938 seconds at 322.50 mph) in Round 1. Josh Hart and the Speedmaster Top Fuel team qualified third with their Q2 run Friday night of 3.688 seconds at 325.61 mph. They’ll face No 14 qualifier Shawn Reed (3.777 seconds at 328.94 mph) in Round 1. Alexis DeJoria and the Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car team qualified fourth with their Q1 run Friday of 3.874 seconds at 333.33 mph, which earned her low E.T. of the session. The two-time Las Vegas Funny Car winner (Spring 2014, Spring 2016) will face No. 13 qualifier Hunter Green (3.921 seconds at 324.75 mph) in Round 1. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 1. Quote from Jack Beckman, PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car: “First all-three-second field, Jack Beckman to Jeff Diehl. It’s neat to be a footnote to history. I geek out on that stuff. Running the table in qualifying is 20 points. We got 19, and we missed that extra point by a thousandth of a second on Q1. Our PEAK Chevy’s just been amazing; this is three in a row that we’ve been No. 1. It’s just an absolute pleasure to drive this car, and it almost spoils you. “You always have to be on your toes and say, ‘It’s still a nitro Funny Car.’ You’ve got to be ready to catch it if something goes wrong, but when our car is running the way it’s been running lately, and it did this last year for a period of time, our tune-up window is so big that even if we miss it, we still haul butt.” Quote from Jordan Vandergriff, Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car: “It was a strong Saturday for this Cornwell Quality Tools team. We went all the way up to No. 2 behind our teammate (Beckman) with a 3.868-second run in Q3. I was like, ‘okay, we’ve got a race car this weekend.’ We tested some things in Q4 and went 3.90 so we’re really pleased with what things looks like for Sunday. We were trying to work some bugs out with that run and to run 3.90 showed that we did. We get to go tomorrow from the number 3 spot and hope to be No. 1 at the end of the day tomorrow.” Quote from Josh Hart, Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster: “The Speedmaster dragster pushed harder than ever today but we didn’t get the results that we were after. We put up some strong numbers Friday so we know we will be ready tomorrow to go rounds.” Quote from Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car: “We made some great runs in qualifying today and yesterday so the Bandero team is ready for the weekend. We earned three bonus points Friday and today we ran another really good number with that 3.88 in Q3. Tomorrow’s weather conditions should be cool for the first round so we’re just going to keep going fast and hopefully turn on those win lights.”

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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Martinsville–Kyle Larson

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway Team Chevy Driver Quotes October 31, 2026

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice qualifying session at Martinsville Speedway. The defending champion enters the penultimate race of The Chase with a 73-point lead.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Media Availability Quotes:

Coming into this weekend, what is your mindset, where are your emotions at, understanding how close you are to possibly pulling off a championship-clinching performance?“Just continuing to do what we have been doing here throughout The Chase. We are executing at a really good level and having a solid day from start to finish. That is the hope. You never know how it is going to go. Obviously, there are some really good drivers here, so I don’t anticipate clinching anything. I just want to have a good day and not give up too much before next week.” I think it is hard to ignore the fact of where your potency is at. How do you reconcile that, and what do you think about that when you hear that you have a 73-point lead with two races to go?“It is tough not to look at that and see what could be done this weekend, but I think what our team does really well is staying focused on what you have to do to prepare a good racecar, have good pit practice, and for myself, studying and being ready for the race. So, not being too relaxed, but also trying not to put too much pressure on yourself either. I really think that is what has pushed us through The Chase, through the season, and other seasons in the past. Just try to stay true to who we are and go have a good day like we have been having.” What are your thoughts on racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway?“I love Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is a great venue, a great track, a great area, and to have championship weekend back there is really exciting. Really, as long as I remember watching NASCAR, it has always been at Homestead, so glad to be back there. But then, also, just enjoy a fun racetrack, one where you can kind of run all over the racetrack, and for me, get to run against the wall and all that. So, yeah, I’m excited to get down there and excited to celebrate the season.” A lot of the time during the stage breaks, Cliff (Daniels, crew chief) would detail kind of where your competition is compared to you guys. How much info do you want to know tomorrow?“I don’t know. I mean, I think it just kind of naturally happens. Obviously, I sort of know the situation that I am in and all that. So, yeah, I can kind of run some numbers in my own head, maybe not to the accuracy that he’ll have on the screen. If things were tighter, I think that’s when it really becomes crucial to know. It’s still going to be crucial, I think, knowing what’s at stake and all that. But I think maybe it will be a little bit simpler than it has been in previous playoff formats when you’re coming down to points and trying to advance.” I don’t even know if you allow yourself to think like this, but if you won back-to-back championships, you’d be the first person since Jimmie Johnson to do that. It’s just so incredibly difficult to do that. With the format changing, this would really be quite a big accomplishment for you. Do you have any thoughts on that?“Yeah, I think it would definitely be an amazing accomplishment, for sure. I think with repeat champions, it was obviously really tough with the previous format, so I think you’ll see more of it now as we get back to The Chase. It’s just easier to put together 10 good races than one. But I think if we happen to go back-to-back with it being two different formats, I think that also just shows the resilience of this team. So, yeah, we’ll see. I just want to go race and try and do a good job.” Last year when you won, it was almost like, I’m not saying you felt apologetic for the way you won, but you had to explain yourself a lot, defend the format, or be part of that conversation. Now, you come back and you have a chance to have one of the most emphatic statements that we’ve seen of this generation. Does that mean anything to you, the way that you could potentially win this?“Well, yeah, I think it would be much simpler. I remember going to New York for post-championship stuff last year, and with every news outlet, you had to explain how I’m the champion when Denny Hamlin looked like the champion. So, yeah, this year, if we happen to win, it feels much better and just easier to explain. I think we’ll be remembered for good reasons rather than last year, I feel like everybody will remember it, but not for the right reasons because in a lot of people’s eyes, it looked like we got lucky. With this Chase, there hasn’t really been much luck. I mean, sure, Talladega could be viewed as luck, but so could win superspeedway win. So, yeah, I mean, you think back to a lot of Jimmie Johnson’s good runs, Tony Stewart’s run; those were remembered for the right reasons. I hope that, if we happen to win, this would be in that same sort of category.” What do you have to be better at this weekend than you were here in the spring?“Yeah, I don’t completely remember the spring. I don’t remember qualifying as well as we typically do here, so we were kind of just mired back in that position for most of the race. Looking at notes, my balance was pretty loose-in, and then it was hard to manage rear grip off. Those are probably two areas that we’ve tried to attack to be better when we come back. I think just listening to Cliff (Daniels, crew chief) talk, I think we’ve gotten our short track package just better throughout the year, so hopefully that translates to the racetrack here being a different track than those other short tracks. We’ll see. We have two sets of tires. I think having a longer practice session, it’ll benefit everybody, but hopefully benefit me for being a guy who needs laps to get in the rhythm here. So, yeah, we’ll see, but I don’t know. I expect your normal guys to be really good. The Penske guys will be fast. Denny (Hamlin) will be really fast. William (Byron) and Chase (Elliott) are always really good here. I feel like Bubba (Wallace), as well, is good. I kind of hover around behind that, so yeah, just trying to be a little bit better.” When Cliff was in here a little bit ago, he was talking about your preparation and dedication this year, specifically, stood out to him. In your eyes, have you done anything different, as far as your routine, your regimen, that maybe has really shown off this year? “Yeah, I mean, not that I purposely didn’t dedicate time to the Cup Series in the past, but this year, I’ve tried to buy in a lot more to the sim. I’ve done that once a week for a while now. We have a new fitness facility at Hendrick Motorsports, so I’m there three or four times a week. And then, because of that, you’re in the shop more, so you get to be around the guys more. I’ve raced less dirt races this year, so I’m just in town more and naturally just able to spend more time around the NASCAR stuff. I don’t know if it’s benefited or not, but I don’t think it’s hurt by any means. I’ve just enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed having more time. I think cutting a lot of the dirt stuff out has just given me more time to be around my family. Just kind of shifting priorities; being around my family and being around the NASCAR stuff a bit more. I’ve enjoyed it, too.” If you look at the 51-race drought you had, all of a sudden, it was just like something switched. It was like a light bulb came on. Is there anything you can point to directly that said, hey, that was the past and this particular thing happened and look at me now?“Well, I mean, I don’t think it’s just one thing. I think there’s a number of things that stack to be ready for that point. I’ve said all along, even during the winless drought that we were on, I was like, our team is there. Our team is really, really good, and when things come together, we’re going to be ready, and I think we’ve proven that. We didn’t know exactly when that time was going to be, but we were going to be ready whenever it came. Thankfully, it came when The Chase started. So, I think just the process of building, and then also, our racecars got a little bit better. I did say kind of all along, as well, that I didn’t feel like we’re that far off on a lot of areas. And again, when it comes together, it’s going to be great and we’re going to be ready. And yeah, that’s just kind of how it’s been. I think it starts with Cliff (Daniels), for sure. He’s the guy that leads us all down the path.” Looking from afar, Cliff (Daniels) seems like he’s the serious, head down person. And knowing you, you’re a little lighter. How does that relationship kind of vibe so that you have been as successful as you’ve been?“Yeah, I think we complement each other well. I think Cliff (Daniels) has really progressed throughout his years as a crew chief, even probably before me, where he’s always kind of developing his style of leadership, especially. And then yeah, like I said, us balancing each other. I am a little bit lighter, and I think it allows him to be a little lighter. But then, he also like makes me be a little bit more serious, as well. You need good chemistry and we have that, as well as everybody on our race team. I feel like we just all vibe really well. I think when we made the pit crew swap last year, it brought a whole new level of energy to the whole group. We’ve had a lot of new mechanics and new engineers throughout the last couple years, as well. We’ve all just meshed well. But again, it starts with Cliff and how he leads everybody. He could have neutered the pit crew, neutered everybody, to be serious and all this. But I think he’s developed and learned to understand that people need to be themselves, and it’s just brought a really good energy and vibe to the No. 5 team.”

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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Martinsville–Cliff Daniels

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

NASCAR Cup Series Martinsville Speedway Team Chevy Crew Chief Quotes October 31, 2026

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team, met with the media in a panel with fellow Chase-contending crew chiefs – Adam Stevens, James Small and Chris Gayle – in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice qualifying session at Martinsville Speedway.

MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race Advances Chevrolet Newsroom

Cliff Daniels Media Availability Quotes:

As the team leading entering this weekend, this stretch, what is the number one objective for you guys? Is there any plan to go on defensive or is it all out to maximize?“Yeah, I mean, really, our game plan hasn’t changed a lot the last handful of weeks, even with the ups and downs, and I think that that’s probably true for all of us sitting here. We’ve all seen and we’re all very aware of how quickly the points can swing, so every week you’ve just got to be focused on maximizing your day and whatever that’s going to take. This is certainly a race where the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) could go lead all 500 laps and we’ve still got to have a strong day, so our game plan really hasn’t changed much.” Going into this Chase, there was kind of some preconceived notions of how we thought this was going to go, what we thought was going to be important, that kind of thing. As we now are in race nine, what have you guys learned about this format that maybe you didn’t think about going into this?“I think it’s been a bit eye-opening to see the swing of the points, when earlier in the season, you had the No. 45 (Tyler Reddick) hot, and then consistently hot to start, and then the same thing with the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) through the summer. I don’t know that we all quite had the picture or the window into what that could look like. And then, when everybody shows up and brings their best in The Chase and then you have some tumultuous weeks where unexpected things happen, it certainly shows that the points can be very dynamic and very unpredictable every week. So, from our perspective, it’s been exciting and it’s been fun to see that, just not knowing every week what can happen and what can unfold with how the points outlook moves along each week.” With Richmond, New Hampshire, the last couple of races with this tire; do you feel like maybe it helps you guys be better this weekend than you were in the spring? “Yeah, they’ve been solid steps for us at both of those tracks on this tire. Phoenix was such a bad miss for us that you still always have that asterisk of the short track package on this tire. We’ve certainly had a decent notebook here at Martinsville for a while. Our teammates have been strong. The No. 9 (Chase Elliott) and the No. 24 (William Byron) have been really strong here, historically and consistently, and we’ve also consistently been a top-10 car, so we’re not straying too far from home. We still have to evolve as the sport does, as the field does, of things that you learn and apply. So, yeah, we’ll see, but certainly trying to put it all together this weekend.” One of the big talking points in the regular season, obviously, was the seeding and everybody was thinking that a top-six seed was going to be the way to go. Given the volatility that we’ve all seen with how quickly you can gain or lose points, does the gap between seeds need to be adjusted at all? “Yeah, I don’t have a great answer. Tell us what the format is, and you’ve got to play to it. There’s always going to be unknowns. You know, from what Chris (Gayle) had alluded to earlier, you used to think of how you would strategize your final 10 races, but it was three races at a time. So, even when you look at history and how people play through those races, those decisions are predicated on the points format and what you had to do to advance. Even how we call a race now is a little bit new, just with the territory of having 10 races over a stretch. I don’t know how you need to have it seeded. Whatever it is, we’re going to make our pit strategy, we’re going to make our pit calls, we’re going to make our play calls based on whatever that is.” This isn’t easy, so don’t take that the wrong way, but is it almost easier to have all the resources of Hendrick Motorsports behind one driver as opposed to these three guys splitting everything on their level with each of their teams? “My answer to that comes back at Charlotte when we had the unfortunate crash with the No. 24 (William Byron) and the No. 48 (Alex Bowman). We lined up on one of those restarts with three Toyota’s ahead of us, three Toyota’s behind us, the No. 12 (Ryan Blaney) was in the mix, and there were no friendlies that were going to help us out. I think it would be a little short-sighted for us to just completely turn the tables lopsided to the No. 5 team and where all of our resources go. At the end of the day, for Hendrick Motorsports, we’re still focused on preparing four fast racecars and try to keep them up front because the more that we have ourselves up there, theoretically, the more points we can take from these guys and keep ourselves in a good spot. So, no, all of the focus of Hendrick Motorsports is not solely on the No. 5 team. Of course, we’ve put the proper amount that needs to be there, but we still have three teams that have a responsibility to their sponsors, their teams, their seasons for what they need to accomplish, and we need to have all four Hendrick cars up front.” Tyler Monn (spotter) said he’s seen Kyle rededicate himself this year, just pour his full focus into NASCAR as opposed to the sprint car racing, and Kyle addressed that himself. How have you seen Kyle just go completely invested in what needs to be done?“Yeah, he’s done a great job, and that’s across many fronts; from his workout regimen to how he meets with the team, the time and effort that he’s put into the sim. And, oh, by the way, he still had a really good sprint car season, too, so he was able to do a lot of great things. The way he’s applying himself, of course, professionally to his craft, but he’s also spent a lot of time with his kids. You know, he’s been at Millbridge when they’ve been racing, been very supportive of them. I’m super proud of the growth that he’s shown in all of those areas, and I think it’s just part of the journey of him pushing himself to be better and to continue to hone his skills. When you see a guy like Denny (Hamlin), who’s above the age of 40 and still be operating at such a high physical and mental racer IQ level, that’s a really good benchmark to look at. I think Kyle wants to hold himself to a really high standard in that regard, and hopefully, we continue it not only for the next two races, but I think he’s going to for quite some time.” The 51-race drought that Kyle had, it’s just almost like a switch got flipped. I know you talked about Kyle’s dedication back to racing and focus, but what about the technology in the car and some of the things that you’ve done? What has your input been, as far as turning this whole thing around almost like on a dime?“Yeah, I mean, just in general, we certainly got off to a slow start at Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet, at large, just trying to get our arms around the new body and the balance difference of that. But I would also argue, during the month of May and I think early June, we had a lot of top-fives in a row. The Toyota’s were still ahead of us, but we were kind of the best of the rest. And even in the summer, when you look at our finishes that weren’t great, we were probably going to have a really good day in Indy. We had a few other races that we were up front, or at least in the mix, that got away from us. So, from our lens, I don’t think it looks quite so digital, you know, because of the change of the course of our season. As you go through the year and you learn little things to balance out your car, find a little speed, tune your setups and just get into the rhythm that we started to find; that’s what anyone hopes for down the stretch of a Cup season. We’ve certainly been able to dig into that a bit just with our prep and how it’s all coming together. It’s been not one big thing, but a lot of little things over time. I’m proud of our team for the effort to get us here. Like I said, now we’ve got two more that we’ve got to stay strong.” What does it take in this day, in this format, in general, to win the championship, to earn it?“I don’t think any of us have done it yet in this format, so I look forward to answering your question, hopefully, in a couple weeks. I mean, just in general, everyone knows we have a long season; 36 competitive events with a lot of great teams, and certainly, the four teams at this table. But there’s more out there that we’ve been competing against every week. It’s a grind. It’s a physical and mental challenge on your team and on the people that support you back at home at the shop. It takes a lot of great people to be dedicated to a car or to an organization to see it through for how long our season is. That’s probably a common answer that they would all give. We still don’t know yet what it looks like to win in this format, none of us do, so we’ll find out.” This marks 10 years since Jimmie Johnson won his seventh championship. You were their lead race engineer on that team. Are there things that you remember from that run that you still apply in your position now? I believe Jimmie won at Martinsville that year, and then went on to win his seventh championship. Are there things that you still use today in your role now as the crew chief?“Yeah, certainly. Any chance you have an opportunity to work with or be around Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, Rick Hendrick; those guys know how to operate at such a high level. To see it and experience it in person, just their dedication to the details week in and week out. Kind of like Adam (Stevens) was just alluding to, you have to elevate your game so much during this 10-week stretch. It’s not just this great burst of energy and preparation that you can take for a week or two. You have to sustain it across 10 weeks. You know, back then, it was still the round-style playoffs, but getting to see the way that they were so focused and so intense on their preparation every week was a really cool experience for me. I certainly learned a lot working with somebody like Chad. You learn how much all the little details of the team – the team culture, chemistry and preparation – matter more than just building the racecar. It’s pit stops, behind-the-wall pit support, so many different aspects that you have to have buttoned up. Even working with other guys in our company like Alan Gustafson, who’s been around for a long time. Alan is great with perspective in these types of situations. And also, Jeff Andrews and Jeff Gordon that have done it and lived it. Yes, it was super special, of course, to work with Chad and Jimmie during that year, but we’re surrounded by a lot of good people that set a very high bar for what it takes to be prepared and compete at a high level.”

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John Force Racing–Friday Las Vegas

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

Photography: John Force Racing / Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

PEAK SQUAD TAKES DAY 1 TOP SPOT AT THE STRIPDeJoria second, Hart third, and Vandergriff fifth after Day 1 in the desert

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 30, 2026) – Jack Beckman and the PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car team streaked to the No. 1 spot and the rest of John Force Racing’s teams qualified in the Top 5 after the first day of qualifying for the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. After a one hour rain delay before Friday’s first qualifying session, the PEAK SQUAD Chevy ran 3.836 seconds at 335.32 mph in Q2 to earn the $3,500 Trick or Traction Award for low elapsed time of the round. The elapsed time was the second quickest of the season, just shy of Beckman’s 3.832-second run in September at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Mich. The PEAK Chevy ran a strong 3.875 seconds at 333.00 mph in Q1. After the Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car unveiled a black and silver paint scheme at the water box ahead of their Q1 run, Alexis DeJoria put down a lap of 3.874 seconds at 333.33 mph. The run was second only to Beckman’s Q1 run and maintained the No. 2 spot after Q2. The Bandero Chevy lost traction just before half track in the second session. Josh Hart and the Speedmaster Top Fuel team posted the eighth quickest run in the first session with a time of 3.735 seconds at 334.40 mph. In Q2, they improved by five positions, to third, with a run of 3.688 seconds at 325.61 mph. The Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car was 14^th after the day’s first qualifying session. Business picked up in Q2, however, as Jordan Vandergriff drove his way to the No. 5 position with a run of 3.909 seconds at 332.02 mph. NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 31, will feature two rounds, rescheduled for 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. PT. Final eliminations are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 1. Quote from Jack Beckman, PEAK Chevrolet SS Funny Car: “When you get conditions like this, it’s always an educated guess on what you think you can get away with,” Beckman said. “We were still in the window here, but we had a couple of delays. You don’t want this to go too long and the track to get out of that area. Clearly, we had some pretty good data for that. When these things are on a run like that, it’s hard to put words to how cool nitro Funny Car is, and the fact that I had my hands full, it stayed stuck and it put up that number, fantastic and good for our team. “Barring a miracle, we’re not going to catch [points leader Matt] Hagan. Our goal is to win two races, and if that means we finish second, that’s good. Whoever wins this year clearly is going to earn it. Nobody backed into getting into the Countdown and everybody in the top six are killer cars right now.”
Quote from Alexis DeJoria, Bandero Premium Tequila Chevrolet SS Funny Car: “We debuted our new Bandero silver and black livery right before Q1 and then set low ET of the session with a strong 3.87-second run. Man, what a great start! Low ET of the session got us three bonus points and kept us in the No. 2 spot at the end of the day. I’m really excited about this race. I’ve won here twice in the spring (2014, 2016) but to get an NHRA 75^th anniversary diamond Wally this weekend would be absolutely incredible. I’m proud of this team. We’ve learned a lot this year and running well today sets us up for success the rest of the weekend.” Quote from Josh Hart, Speedmaster Top Fuel Dragster: “That’s the David Grubnic we all expect. He called his shot. He said he was going to do this in Q1 and this in Q2 and he just did it. We’re gelling together in our first year together as a team. It’s all coming together and Speedmaster has been very supportive. Thank God for all the people that I’ve got here at Burnyzz Speed Shop. Next week will be our first appearance at SEMA which is just awesome. Awesome fans. Awesome crew. That’s what we needed.” Quote from Jordan Vandergriff, Cornwell Tools Chevrolet SS Funny Car: “That was a great clean for this Cornwell Quality Tools team. I was halfway down track and thought, ‘man, this thing’s going.’ I had to shave it a little bit to the right but a really clean run other than that. We earned one bonus point for our efforts which puts us one point closer in the championship run. Every point counts so we’ll take it.” TV Schedule
Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 1, followed by eliminations at 5 p.m. ET.

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FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Hornet Feature Winners Crowned, Transfers Set During Day 2 of 11th World Short Track

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CONCORD, NC (Oct. 30, 2026) – A busy slate of racing was unleashed Friday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte’s 11th World Short Track Championship.

Heat Races for nine divisions, along with Features for the DIRTVision Hornets, sent nearly 500 race cars on the 4/10 mile. Drivers battled it out for transfer spots straight into Saturday evening’s Features while the rest face a longer day starting with Last Chance Showdowns in the afternoon that give competitors one final shot to make the main events.

DIRTVision Hornet Feature #1

Eighty-three DIRTVision Hornets were divided into four 15-lap Showdown Features, with the top-five from each transferring to Saturday’s main event. The first Showdown Feature produced a finish with a surprise winner – and not the one that took the checkered flag.

Scootdog Wilson was the star of the show, leading the way for the first 15 laps until his pace slowed, bringing the field to his rear bumper with five laps to go.

Six-time World Short Track winner Newman Presnell was the first to catch him. Timing his move, Presnell turned underneath Wilson through Turn 2 and then powered ahead of him off the corner. Wilson fought back, though, diving into Turn 1 to pull even with Presnell again.

They ran side by side for the final two laps, allowing three-time World Short Track winner Jonathan Sarratt to close and shock.

Entering Turn 1 for the final time, Wilson entered low, Presnell in the middle, and Sarratt drove around the outside of them both. He pulled away and was the first to see the checkered flag.

However, after post-race inspection, Sarratt was found to have an illegal camshaft, giving the win to Presnell. All other drivers moved up a spot.

RESULTS (Top 5 Transfer): Showdown Feature 1 (15 Laps): 1. M34-Newman Presnell[3]; 2. 11C-Casey Towell[8]; 3. 33W-Scootdog Wilson[1]; 4. 48-Kayden Presnell[6]; 5. 58-Kason Bright[21]; 6. 13-Trent Blackwell[10]; 7. 4-Daniel Wright[13]; 8. 29-Darrell Moffatt[9]; 9. NC3-Nelson Cunningham[16]; 10. 11T-Tucker Quinn[17]; 11. 359-Michael Lambert[18]; 12. 11-Blake Pringle[4]; 13. 1W-Corey Harper[20]; 14. 417X-Shannon Barnhill[2]; 15. 34W-Justin Watts[11]; 16. 2-Kris Bobo[7]; 17. 313-Rick Dunmire[12]; 18. 89-Travis Boyea[15]; 19. 191G-Mike Slone[19]; 20. 2C-Tyler Capps[14]; 21. (DNS) 19-Willie Fowler; 22. (DQ) 311-Jonathan Sarratt[5]

DIRTVision Hornet Feature #2

“Hold on, I’m going to win this thing from fifth.”

That’s what Jamie Massey told himself on a restart with three laps to go and the leaders ahead of him.

Massey started fifth in the 15-lap Feature and patiently worked his way forward.

Justin Harris was the class of the field for two-thirds of the race. He grabbed the lead on the first lap from his outside pole starting position and refused to let it go. Avery White kept pressure on him in the first five laps, including a slide job attempt in Turns 3 and 4, but Harris had the better run off the corner.

White faded after a restart on Lap 6, losing second to Massey and third to Joey King. He eventually retired from the Feature during a caution on Lap 12 after making contact with Bentley Caudie.

When the race resumed, Massey talked himself up to “hold on,” throwing his No. N2 car to the top lane and drove around Harris to take the lead.

From there, he drove away while a four-wide battle to secure a top-five transfer spot raged on behind him.

“I told them, I told everybody down there (in the lower pit area), I was going to win this thing for Kenny Harris,” Massey said. “There was nobody going to beat me on that last restart. I had Kenny riding with me. Kenny is my step-father-in-law; he means the world to me. This win is for him.”

RESULTS (Top 5 Transfer): Showdown Feature 2 (15 Laps): 1. N2-Jamie Massey[5]; 2. 1-Justin Harris[2]; 3. 88-Joey Kelly[7]; 4. 44-Jordan Webb[10]; 5. 8-Gavin Bright[6]; 6. 511-Bentley Caudle[3]; 7. 513-Greyson Coley[21]; 8. B6-Wayne Taylor[14]; 9. 21-Brandon Greene[15]; 10. 87X-Josh Cody[12]; 11. 41-Gage McFadden[4]; 12. 01-TJ Hill[16]; 13. 2W-Bradley Williams[8]; 14. 122-Ashley Parker[17]; 15. 18-Phillip Taylor[11]; 16. 27M-Keitha Martin[19]; 17. 78-Ethan Fowler[9]; 18. 327-Warren Hill[18]; 19. 18M-Joshua McKinney[13]; 20. (DNS) 211-Drew Banks; 21. (DQ) 81-Avery White[1]

DIRTVision Hornet Feature #3

Since joining the DIRTVision Hornet division last year, Coby Lambert has yet to see what finishing a race outside of Victory Lane looks like.

The Gaffney, SC driver picked up where he left off, taking the lead on the first lap and holding it to the end. He won by nearly three seconds to pick up his third straight World Short Track Championship victory.

“We’ve been working on this thing the last two weeks trying to find problems; we found a bunch,” Lambert said after winning the Feature. “Still lacking on the motor side, but I think we’ll be alright this weekend. Hopefully we can capitalize tomorrow and run away with it.”

RESULTS (Top 5 Transfer): Showdown Feature 3 (15 Laps): 1. 33-Coby Lambert[1]; 2. 23-Lane Crow[2]; 3. 777-Jeffrey Erb[3]; 4. 3C-Scott Cloninger[9]; 5. 41H-Bryson Harper[4]; 6. 95-Jacob Bright[6]; 7. 22-Phillip Gee II[12]; 8. 145-Braydon Lancaster[5]; 9. 21A-Adam Asbill[11]; 10. 28-Tyler Langley[13]; 11. 135-Carson Taylor[15]; 12. C2-Caden Massey[10]; 13. 31M-Danielle Myers[8]; 14. 96-Kevin Brazell[16]; 15. 4T-Tyler Smith[17]; 16. 20-Daniel Reynolds[7]; 17. 4Z-Isaiah McClure[14]; 18. 328-Chris Gardner[18]; 19. 1C-Brad Cox[20]; 20. A53-Austin Haskin[19]

DIRTVision Hornet Feature #4

Marc White is a World Short Track Championship veteran, having participated in the event for seven years, including the first edition in 2016. In that time frame, he’s finished second twice, but never visited Victory Lane.

That changed Friday night.

Travis Lankford led most of the Feature with White consistently on his tail. He turned that consistency into a shot at glory by the halfway point of the Feature. Building a run lap after lap, White used a run off Turn 2 to propel him ahead of Lankford going into Turn 3.

Lankford tried to fight back on a late restart, but White kept his foot to the floor and drove his No. 81M Hornet to Victory Lane for the first time.

“I’ve been racing over here since the first one of these; I’ve finished third, second, fifth; I’ve never won one,” White said after picking up his first World Short Track Championship win. “I said when I went out there, we had a good car, I knew the car was good, I knew the high side was going to work for us, and that’s where I usually run here. That’s where I put it, and it stuck. It’s awesome.”

RESULTS (Top 5 Transfer): Showdown Feature 4 (15 Laps): 1. 81M-Marc White[2]; 2. F1-Travis Lankford[1]; 3. 39-Brian Barfield[5]; 4. 2L-Kylee Laws[7]; 5. 212-Mitchell Coggins[8]; 6. 91Z-Zack Slone[11]; 7. 44S-Randy Shaw[19]; 8. 5T-Reggie Twing[12]; 9. 2B-Addison Bragg[15]; 10. 1B-Brandyn Warren[13]; 11. 151-DJ Moffatt[16]; 12. 121-Kayden Murray[10]; 13. 22G-Michael Grogan[6]; 14. 84-Michael Lawson[9]; 15. 214-Eric McGahee[3]; 16. 3W-Tristen Woody[4]; 17. 1T-Dale Bennett[20]; 18. 15-Kenneth Colf[14]; 19. 4H-Austin Hatton[17]; 20. 48L-Carson Laws[18]

COMPLETE HEAT RACE RESULTS

Fox Factory Crate Racin’ USA 604 Late Models (Top 3 Transfer):

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 44-John Ruggiero Jr[1]; 2. 6-Chase Blackwell[3]; 3. 09-Ross Bailes[2]; 4. 7A-Corey Almond[6]; 5. 52-Chris Stowe[5]; 6. 2-Mitchell Childress[4]; 7. 10-Dylan Davis[7]; 8. (DNS) 01-Logan Hendrick

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 1-Jeremy Steele[1]; 2. 66D-Preston Dimsdale[2]; 3. 2C-Wyatt Coffey[3]; 4. 62-Jason Alexander[5]; 5. 34B-Caiden Black[6]; 6. 96-Lucas Adams[7]; 7. 2M-Shawn Martin[4]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 8-Jensen Ford[1]; 2. 67-Austin Yarbrough[3]; 3. 2S-Layton Sullivan[2]; 4. 22-Nathan Walker[4]; 5. 12-Randy Pinnix[7]; 6. 82-Gary Dillon[6]; 7. 22L-Chance Lay[5]

Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 4-Kale Green[1]; 2. G4-Trent Ivey[2]; 3. 8L-Joe Leavell[3]; 4. 4C-Ace Claborn[6]; 5. 11-Joey Warren[5]; 6. 24T-Jody Wilson[4]; 7. 17SD-Stanton Davis[7]; 8. 618-Kevin Wilson[8]

Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 611-Koulten Herbert[2]; 2. 2A-Jason Altiers[4]; 3. 75-Joey Whitaker[3]; 4. 116-Randy Weaver[5]; 5. 34-Brian Nethers[7]; 6. D5-Isaac Rountree[6]; 7. K7-Keaton Smith[1]

Heat 6 (8 Laps): 1. 6B-Dillon Brown[1]; 2. 35-Dillon Daves[4]; 3. 5Q-Colby Quick[2]; 4. J1-Jake Jackson[3]; 5. 66-Jody Knowles[7]; 6. 89-Timmie Harrelson[5]; 7. 4Z-Zack Loe[6]

VP Racing DIRTcar 358 Modifieds (All Transfer):

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 92-Andrew Buff[1]; 2. 35-Chris Curtis[2]; 3. 44-Johnathon Ferguson[5]; 4. 711X-Connor Crane[3]; 5. 47-Kreg Crooker[4]; 6. 58-Jessica Power[6]; 7. 92S-Dexter Stacey[7]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 49-Billy Dunn[1]; 2. 21R-RJ Tresidder[3]; 3. 31-Lance Willix[6]; 4. 18-Kalen Draper[2]; 5. 151KB-Brian McDonald[5]; 6. 66W-Wallace Stacey[7]; 7. (DNS) 31CJ-CJ Castelletti

MSD Mid-East 602 Late Models (Top 3 Transfer):

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 22T-Steven Thompkins[2]; 2. 44-John Ruggiero Jr[1]; 3. 7J-Dalton Jacobs[3]; 4. 1J-Morghan Johnson[5]; 5. 14L-Blake Lyons[6]; 6. 6-Clay Blackwell[4]; 7. 46-Zack Clark[7]; 8. 12S-Ethan Simpson[8]; 9. (DNS) 20S-Trey Stamper

Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 22-Nathan Walker[3]; 2. 25T-Dylan Thompson[2]; 3. J12-Jason Dickerson[4]; 4. 28B-Jeff Queen[9]; 5. 25A-Jaedyn Altiers[5]; 6. 55-Giovanni Baker[8]; 7. 5-Robbie Gibson[1]; 8. 75-Joey Whitaker[7]; 9. 87-Gary Bumgarner[6]

Heat 3 (6 Laps): 1. 51-Luke Clements[1]; 2. 00T-Kendal Tucker[2]; 3. 82-Canaan Clobes[4]; 4. 5W-Jody Wilson[3]; 5. 20-Isaiah Parker[5]; 6. 300-Bill Tesh[6]; 7. 1-Brady Cornett[7]; 8. 11-Gabe Miles[8]; 9. (DNS) 73-Taylor Lufkin

Heat 4 (6 Laps): 1. 2C-Wyatt Coffey[3]; 2. 45J-Joey Baughman[4]; 3. 14-Jeff Robinson[1]; 4. 02-Danny Hurley[2]; 5. 611-Koulten Herbert[9]; 6. 12-Randy Pinnix[6]; 7. 01JT-Johnny Stovall[8]; 8. 7G-Harvey Gregory[7]; 9. 37C-Colby Curtis[5]

Heat 5 (6 Laps): 1. 03-Olivia Gentry Williams[1]; 2. 00-Preston Blalock[2]; 3. 27-Mike Davidson[4]; 4. 99-Dale Durham[6]; 5. 94-Brayden Chavous[9]; 6. 1P-Christian Pitts[5]; 7. 10-Evan Garvy[7]; 8. 14M-Baron McDowell[3]; 9. (DQ) 28-Matthew Nance[8]

Heat 6 (6 Laps): 1. 17B-Biscuit Williams[1]; 2. 99T-Shun Oreo Thomas[4]; 3. 2-Dylan Warden[2]; 4. 9-John Marshall Pursley[8]; 5. 17-Case Daniels[5]; 6. 29-Dale Moore[3]; 7. 777-Zack Staley[6]; 8. 37-Tommy Eastridge[7]

Summit Racing Equipment DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (All Transfer):

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 5R-Logan Roberson[1]; 2. 99W-Chris Arnold[6]; 3. 21-Taylor Cook[3]; 4. 84-Ryan Toole[7]; 5. 45-Cambridge Gann[8]; 6. 05A-Adam Favors[9]; 7. 99-Cole Hilton[4]; 8. 7T-Evan Taylor[2]; 9. Z77-Austin Self[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 8-Kyle Strickler[5]; 2. 00-Blake Tasker[1]; 3. 6-Ryan Ayers[6]; 4. 59-Grayson Wells[7]; 5. 2A-Matt Altiers[2]; 6. 4M-Tim Monroe[8]; 7. F5-Richard Clew[9]; 8. 114-Jordan Koehler[3]; 9. 46-Matt Crafton[4]

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 5-Jonathan Taylor[1]; 2. 7-Coleton Longwell[3]; 3. 8A-Austin Holcombe[2]; 4. 11-Troy Loomis[7]; 5. 28-Owen Lacey[4]; 6. 05-Shannon Slaughter[8]; 7. 93-Ken Martin[9]; 8. 22-Russell Erwin[5]; 9. 9T-Mason Canter[6]

Race City Performance 525 Late Models (Top 3 Transfer):

Heat 1 (8 Laps): 1. 05-Tyler Leach[2]; 2. 28M-Justin Mintz[1]; 3. 09-Michael Leach[3]; 4. 18-Austin Mintz[6]; 5. 23-Michael Rouse[4]; 6. 2W-Justin Williams[7]; 7. 66-Jody Knowles[9]; 8. B18-Aaron Weed[8]; 9. 42S-Anthony Sanders[5]

Heat 2 (8 Laps): 1. 55-Matt Long[2]; 2. 121-Blake Craft[4]; 3. 30-Tyler Bare[7]; 4. 7-Daniel Breuer[6]; 5. 26-Dalton Hodge[5]; 6. 00-Brandon Dockery[1]; 7. 22T-Terry Caples Jr[3]; 8. (DNS) 371-Drew Benfield; 9. (DNS) 444-Teddy Musgrave

Heat 3 (8 Laps): 1. 2-Layton Sullivan[1]; 2. 57-Adam Yarbrough[2]; 3. 537-Jesse Rockett[3]; 4. 4-Kale Green[6]; 5. 15-Matthew Duggins[4]; 6. 187-David McCoy[5]; 7. 32-Larry Blankenship[7]; 8. (DNS) 4P-Preston Dimsdale

Heat 4 (8 Laps): 1. 6-Dillon Brown[2]; 2. 114-Jordan Koehler[1]; 3. 22-Russell Erwin[3]; 4. 03-Oliver Gentry[4]; 5. 5J-Braden Jones[5]; 6. 29-Brett Grube[8]; 7. 28S-Scott Shirey[6]; 8. 228-William Russell III[7]; 9. (DNS) D8-Dustin Mitchell

Heat 5 (8 Laps): 1. 28-Trent Ivey[2]; 2. 67-Bryan Mullis[4]; 3. 71-Billy Thompson[1]; 4. 10-Daniel Parker[5]; 5. J12-Jason Dickerson[3]; 6. 14-Baron McDowell[6]; 7. 95-Connor Morgan[8]; 8. (DNS) 84-Steve Banal

Heat 6 (8 Laps): 1. 21B-Jamison McBride[2]; 2. 8-Joe Leavell[3]; 3. D5-Justin Hobgood[5]; 4. 52-Timmy Mills[6]; 5. 07T-Larry Timms[4]; 6. 45-Nathan Dallas[7]; 7. 07-Samuel Brian Ledbetter[8]; 8. P4-John Price[1]

RaceQuip Mid-East Street Stocks (Top 3 Transfer):

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 83-Calob McLaughlin[1]; 2. 36-Jeff Parsons[2]; 3. 17-Jake Jackson[4]; 4. 21-Robert Poole[5]; 5. 13-Brian Carswell[3]; 6. 17T-Landon Totherow[6]; 7. 38D-Jeff Davis[7]; 8. 0-Jesse Troutman[8]; 9. 29-Cain Cunningham[9]

Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 5-Earl Petty[6]; 2. 18-Dalton Peavy[1]; 3. 55-Mike Manes[4]; 4. 23-Ronald Rhodes[2]; 5. 34-Cameron Young[3]; 6. 32-Brandon Greene[7]; 7. 28Z-Zach Griggs[8]; 8. 5L-Matthew Linker[5]; 9. 78D-Joey Dillard[9]

Heat 3 (6 Laps): 1. 0W-Johnny Westmoreland[1]; 2. 47-Mattison Hoots[5]; 3. 00-Cody Ussery[4]; 4. 7K-Brandon Kinard[6]; 5. 3-Tyler Meadows[2]; 6. B4-Brandon Satterfield[3]; 7. 20G-Chub Gunter[8]; 8. 41X-Kerry Foster[7]

Heat 4 (6 Laps): 1. 9-Ronnie Mosley[1]; 2. M1-Dylan Lacey[3]; 3. 01L-Patrick Lyon[4]; 4. 92-Tanner Fortune[2]; 5. 11L-Kade Langley[6]; 6. 2-Bradley Weaver[5]; 7. 6-Randy Benfield[7]; 8. B51-Bryant Rayfield[9]; 9. 7-Alan Benfield[8]

Heat 5 (6 Laps): 1. 4-Jonathan Hinson[1]; 2. 06-Andrew Durham[2]; 3. 9S-Jessie Spradley[3]; 4. 52-Christian Patterson[5]; 5. 77H-Brent Hodges[4]; 6. 76-Carson Floyd[9]; 7. 51-David Stone[8]; 8. 26-Brian Squires[6]; 9. 6W-Mark Wilbanks[7]

Heat 6 (6 Laps): 1. 12T-Rod Tucker[1]; 2. 78-Blake Pryor[4]; 3. 04-Austin Brown[3]; 4. 17H-Camden Harp[6]; 5. 03-Matt Whitener[5]; 6. 50-Everette Dunlap[9]; 7. 1B-Brandon Blair[7]; 8. 12F-Jason Floyd[8]; 9. 1-Damion Patton[2]

Hoosier Racing Tire Mid-East Crate Modifieds (Top 3 Transfer):

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 2-Mack Coxe[6]; 2. 23-Corey Gordon[1]; 3. 14-Jared Fryar[4]; 4. 1G-Grayson Keaton[3]; 5. 00B-Preston Blalock[7]; 6. 45-Cambridge Gann[2]; 7. 42-Joseph Galloway[8]; 8. 42X-Michael Selig[9]; 9. 3J-Jaycob Johnson[5]

Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 04-Cole Wagoner[2]; 2. 5-Ethan Wilson[3]; 3. 15-Ashton Johnson[5]; 4. 83-Travis Caviness[7]; 5. 22-Tommy Gregor[6]; 6. 50J-Joey Johnson[4]; 7. 42D-Cole Duncan[8]; 8. 71K-Dennis Kirk[1]

Heat 3 (6 Laps): 1. 2K-Taylor Kuehl[2]; 2. 32-Garrett Killman[1]; 3. 05-Travis Covey[4]; 4. 16-Daniel Allen[5]; 5. 3-Blake Hedrick[3]; 6. B7-Drew Benfield[6]; 7. 22P-Randy Pfaff[7]; 8. 29-Tristin Adams[8]

Heat 4 (6 Laps): 1. 31G-Stephen Pedulla[1]; 2. 2T-Ty Norder[2]; 3. 33-Cameron Martin[5]; 4. 117-Clay Shumake[4]; 5. 99-Greg Dellinger[3]; 6. 1V-Cody Verbos[6]; 7. 16X-Frank Bowyer[7]; 8. 52-George Proctor[8]

Heat 5 (6 Laps): 1. 8A-Austin Holcombe[2]; 2. 59-Grayson Wells[3]; 3. 25-Robert Poole[1]; 4. 61-Cody DeMarmels[4]; 5. 04T-Kaleb Toole[8]; 6. 50D-Everette Dunlap[5]; 7. 54-Keith Hart[6]; 8. 41-Mike Lemley[7]

Heat 6 (6 Laps): 1. 121E-Biscuit Williams[1]; 2. 72-Patrick Field[5]; 3. 93-Kenny Martin[4]; 4. 7-Gary Jarrett[6]; 5. 95-Brandon Woodcock[3]; 6. 50-Ronnie Covey[7]; 7. 6-Ryan Ayers[2]; 8. (DNS) 15W-Morgan Widener

SRI Performance Monster Thunder Bombers (Top 3 Transfer):

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 88-Luke Doggett[1]; 2. 05-Cruz Mattison[2]; 3. 21-Nate Jackson[3]; 4. 44-Hunter Aiken[4]; 5. 135-Travis Jamieson[5]; 6. 71R-Eddie Ray[10]; 7. 115-Jason Edmonds[6]; 8. 7X-Jessie Richardson Jr[9]; 9. 82B-James Baker[7]; 10. (DNS) 6-Ryan Howard

Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 19-Stetsen Todd[2]; 2. 28-Bryson Guice[5]; 3. 135J-Trenten Jamieson[7]; 4. 78-Hunter Funderburke[1]; 5. BB2-Jesse Wall[6]; 6. 45-Jamie Decker[8]; 7. 61-Eric Hill[10]; 8. 14W-Russell Williford[4]; 9. G41-Grant Burton[3]; 10. 483-Hannah Wall[9]

Heat 3 (6 Laps): 1. 04-Austin Brown[1]; 2. 71-Donny Atkins[2]; 3. 119-Justin Barber[5]; 4. 47-Parker Guice[3]; 5. 9M-Will Markham Jr[6]; 6. M1-Tim Moretz[8]; 7. 16-Benny Peeler[7]; 8. 8-Shane Gosnell[9]; 9. P8-Christopher Patterson[4]

Heat 4 (6 Laps): 1. S1-Bryson Sweatt[2]; 2. 4S-Cory Skipper[3]; 3. 9R-Ray Cagle Jr[1]; 4. S4-Tyler Smith[4]; 5. 83-Ricky Bogan[6]; 6. 08-Phillip Wilson[5]; 7. 6M-Dylan Montgomery[9]; 8. 14-Jason Ledford[7]; 9. 27-Ronald Pope[8]; 10. (DNS) 17S-Stephen Newsome

Heat 5 (6 Laps): 1. 46-Bailey Hipp[1]; 2. S2-Garrett Sweatt[4]; 3. 43F-Jacob Funderburke[3]; 4. 01-Cole Dockery[2]; 5. 37M-Randy Cantrell[6]; 6. 60-Phillip Benfield[9]; 7. 175-Josh McAbee[7]; 8. 33M-Bubba Kolb[5]; 9. 75-Jackson Thomasson[10]; 10. 8W-Chris Williams[8]

Heat 6 (6 Laps): 1. 8A-Austin Holcombe[1]; 2. 13-Bundy Stowe[2]; 3. 13P-Blake Pryor[3]; 4. 17-Drake Baldwin[7]; 5. 18D-Riley Dunford[5]; 6. 114-Jonathon Holcombe[8]; 7. 4-Doug Penny[4]; 8. 0-Jerry Mckeel Jr[6]; 9. (DNS) 3-Luke Clements

COMP Cams Monster Mini Stocks (Top 5 Transfer):

Heat 1 (6 Laps): 1. 10-Logan Richey[1]; 2. 4-Tack Brown[4]; 3. A47-Austin Bottoms[5]; 4. 15-Zach Lankford[7]; 5. 56A-Ken Appleton[11]; 6. 16-Robert Arch[3]; 7. 23-Danny Henning[8]; 8. 933-Michael Hill[9]; 9. 01-Jason Jennings[6]; 10. 38-Vince Sanford[12]; 11. 50B-Van Bryant[10]; 12. 12-Matt Gerrin[2]

Heat 2 (6 Laps): 1. 51-Cody Keith[1]; 2. 96X-Tyler Riddle[2]; 3. 3-Barrett Bishop[3]; 4. X-Kevin Cooper[4]; 5. 115-Jason Horne[11]; 6. 8J-Tyler Johnson[5]; 7. 77-Dillon Smith[7]; 8. 11-James Harrelson[9]; 9. 5H-Bryan Harrelson[8]; 10. 26-Johnny Raines[6]; 11. 12M-Kenneth Melton[10]; 12. (DNS) 86-Lynn Guest

Heat 3 (6 Laps): 1. 19-Travis Mosley[1]; 2. 8-Dustin Bolin[3]; 3. 121W-JR Warren[2]; 4. 27-Adam Piercy[11]; 5. 84-Kyle Cooper[7]; 6. H3-Harley Holden[5]; 7. 121-Jacob Kinder[10]; 8. 67-Jackie Holden[6]; 9. 14-Stacy Brock[9]; 10. 9R-William Roebuck[4]; 11. (DNS) 9-Roscoe Corder

Heat 4 (6 Laps): 1. 117-Matt Gilbert[1]; 2. E82-Enzo Dillon[2]; 3. B3-Damien Bryant[3]; 4. J2-Justin Timmons[5]; 5. 56-Nick Fulcher[7]; 6. 3C-Allen Cantrell[6]; 7. 95-Kevin Atwell[4]; 8. 21-Jarrett Warren[8]; 9. 123-Connor Keaton[10]; 10. 5-Jack Jordan[9]; 11. (DNS) 115C-Kevin Jefferys

UP NEXT: The 11th World Short Track Championship concludes with Feature action for all 10 divisions on Saturday, Oct. 31. How can you get tickets? By clicking here or at the front gate.

If you can’t make it to The Dirt Track at Charlotte, how can you watch every lap of the World Short Track Championship finale? Live on DIRTVision.

ARTICLE: https://dirtcar.com/news/friday-night-lights-hornet-feature-winners-crowned-transfers-set-during-day-2-of-11th-world-short-track/

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TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Championship Fight, Big-Name Brawls Conclude 25th World of Outlaws Late Model Season at World Finals

November 4, 2026 ARP Trish Leave a comment

CONCORD, NC (November 2, 2026) – The silver anniversary season is down to its final week.

The stars of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision have contested 49 races and covered thousands of miles from Florida to North Dakota and everywhere in between. Every lap has been in pursuit of a championship, and that goal will become reality for one team this week.

The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will once again wrap up the season at The Dirt Track at Charlotte as part of Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals, joining the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the Super DIRTcar Series in a three-division spectacular.

On-track action begins on Wednesday, with Hot Laps and a pair of Qualifying sessions to set the Heat Race lineups for Thursday and Friday. Each of the first two race nights will conclude with a 35-lap, $15,000-to-win, Feature, leading up to Saturday’s 50-lap, $25,000-to-win, finale and the crowning of the next World of Outlaws champion.

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WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVISION

Here are this week’s top storylines:

ALMOST THERE: Bobby Pierce has one mission in the final week of the season – finish the job.

The “Smooth Operator” is in the driver’s seat to capture his third championship in four years, carrying a 76-point advantage over Nick Hoffman into the last three races. That lead comes as a result of a dominant campaign complete with 20 wins to date and only three finishes outside the top 10. If Pierce can string together three more before season’s end, he’ll be hoisting the trophy on Saturday regardless of Hoffman’s performance.

Even so, Pierce has no interest in clinching the title while riding around mid-pack. This weekend presents three more chances to cash a winner’s check, something he did at Charlotte once before in 2024.

NOT DEAD YET: When Pierce lost power while running second at Modoc Speedway and dropped to 18th in the finishing order, it gave Hoffman a glimmer of hope for his first Series title going into Charlotte.

“The Thrill From Mooresville” has a very narrow path to the championship, but that’s still more than he was expected to have three months ago when Pierce was winning everything in sight. But the No. 32 team has been plagued by a combination of bad luck and lackluster speed in recent weeks, and Hoffman needs the skid to continue if he wants any chance.

He’s also hoping history repeats itself in the Pierce camp. The reigning champion closed out the year with finishes of 12th, 16th, and 23rd at Charlotte one year ago. If Pierce scores another average finish of 17th this week and Hoffman finishes fourth or better every night, the 2026 title goes to Hoffman.

ROOKIE RACE: Much like Pierce, Daulton Wilson also only needs an average weekend to earn a prize of his own.

The Fayetteville, NC native is in position to become the 2026 MD3 Rookie of the Year, leading Trey Mills by 73 markers ahead of World Finals. Wilson has a chance to seal top rookie honors in his home state at the track where he owns a pair of top fives and five top 10s since 2022. He also got some Charlotte track time in last week’s World Short Track Championship, crossing the line fourth in the Crate Modified Feature before being disqualified for a valve spring infraction.

On the flip side, Mills is in “Hail Mary mode” as he chases the Rookie of the Year title. His only competitive Charlotte experience came in a Crate Late Model in 2021, but Mills took part in the Longhorn Chassis test two weeks ago to turn some Super Late Model laps prior to World Finals.

COLTMAN CUP CONCLUDES: Tyler Erb may not have a shot at the championship in his first season back as a full-time Outlaw, but he is still in the running for another season-long prize.

The Coltman Farms Racing Cup – the miniseries designed to celebrate the top performers at the season’s biggest events – concludes this weekend, with Pierce leading Erb by 27 points with one weekend remaining. The winner will receive a $7,500 bonus and a one-of-a-kind trophy, while the runner-up will receive $2,500.

Erb hasn’t been at his best lately in World of Outlaws competition, with his last Series top five coming at Adams County Speedway on Aug. 28. However, he still stands a chance at overtaking Pierce in the Cup standings if he can repeat last year’s Charlotte showing that included a pair of top fives in the Friday and Saturday programs.

ALL-STAR FIELD: World Finals is expected to attract one of the largest and deepest fields of the season yet again, headlined by a battle between an immovable object and an unstoppable force.

Ricky Thornton Jr. has been the hottest Late Model driver in the country over the past month, winning six straight races since Oct. 9 and pocketing $225,000 in winnings over that span. A fifth-place run in the Pittsburgher remains Thornton’s only loss since parting ways with crew chief Anthony Burroughs and naming Justin Tharp his new head wrench on Sept. 29. “RTJ” will try to keep the good times rolling this weekend at a place he’s won at three times before.

One man standing in Thornton’s way will be Jonathan Davenport, who is rolling into Charlotte on a hot streak of his own. “Superman” won the most recent World of Outlaws race at Modoc Speedway two weeks ago before following it up with his second Blue-Gray 100 victory at Cherokee Speedway the next night. Davenport stands alone as the winningest Late Model driver in World Finals history with eight triumphs – two of them coming one year ago.

This weekend’s cast is also expected to include names like Hudson O’Neal, Brandon Sheppard, Dale McDowell, Chris Madden, Jimmy Owens, Devin Moran, Chris Ferguson, Brandon Overton and many more.

WHEN AND WHERE:
Wednesday-Saturday, Nov. 4-7, at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, NC

CURRENT POINT STANDINGS:
1. Bobby Pierce (7035 points)
2. Nick Hoffman (-76)
3. Tyler Erb (-390)
4. Tim McCreadie (-426)
5. Ryan Gustin (-563)
6. Ethan Dotson (-695)
7. Daulton Wilson (-766)
8. Trey Mills (-839)
9. Dennis Erb Jr. (-855)
10. Dustin Sorensen (-986)

FEATURE WINNERS (15):
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
Cody Overton – 1
Jonathan Davenport – 1

FEATURE TOP FIVES (34):
Nick Hoffman – 40
Bobby Pierce – 37
Tyler Erb – 22
Tim McCreadie – 18
Ryan Gustin – 14
Brandon Sheppard – 13
Hudson O’Neal – 13
Ethan Dotson – 11
Drake Troutman – 11
Daulton Wilson – 10
Jonathan Davenport – 8
Chris Madden – 6
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 6
Dennis Erb Jr. – 6
Dustin Sorensen – 4
Trey Mills – 3
Mason Zeigler – 2
Dale McDowell – 2
Brandon Overton – 2
Ashton Winger – 2
Jason Feger – 1
Cody Overton – 1
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 (28):
Bobby Pierce – 630
Nick Hoffman – 383
Tyler Erb – 161
Daulton Wilson – 142
Brandon Sheppard – 118
Drake Troutman – 99
Jonathan Davenport – 97
Hudson O’Neal – 95
Ryan Gustin – 73
Chris Madden – 73
Trey Mills – 63
Tim McCreadie – 59
Garrett Alberson – 46
Cody Overton – 43
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
Dalke McDowell – 4
Jason Feger – 3

BILSTEIN POLE AWARDS (26):
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
Cody Overton – 2
Brandon Sheppard – 1
Ryan Gustin – 1
Jonathan Davenport – 1
Dennis Erb Jr. – 1
Dustin Sorensen – 1
Trey Mills – 1
Brandon Overton – 1
Ashton Winger – 1
Jason Feger – 1
Tristan Chamberlain – 1
Garrett Alberson – 1
Dan Ebert – 1
Sam Seawright – 1
Michael Leach – 1

SIMPSON QUICK TIME AWARDS (21):
Nick Hoffman – 10
Chris Madden – 5
Tyler Erb – 4
Tim McCreadie – 4
Bobby Pierce – 3
Brandon Sheppard – 3
Hudson O’Neal – 3
Michael Leach – 3
Jonathan Davenport – 2
Cody Overton – 2
Ethan Dotson – 1
Daulton Wilson – 1
Drake Troutman – 1
Trey Mills – 1
Brandon Overton – 1
Jason Feger – 1
Brent Larson – 1
Boom Briggs – 1
Ross Robinson – 1
Sam Seawright – 1
Tanner English – 1

HEAT RACE WINS (46):
Nick Hoffman – 27
Bobby Pierce – 21
Tyker Erb – 13
Brandon Sheppard – 11
Hudson O’Neal – 10
Ryan Gustin – 10
Chris Madden – 9
Tim McCreadie – 7
Daulton Wilson – 7
Drake Troutman – 7
Ethan Dotson – 6
Ricky Thornton Jr. – 6
Jonathan Davenport – 5
Dustin Sorensen – 5
Dennis Erb Jr. – 4
Trey Mills – 4
Brandon Overton – 4
Tristan Chamberlain – 4
Dallon Murty – 4
Mason Zeigler – 3
Cody Overton – 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
Austin Smith – 1
Sam Mars – 1
Dylan Thornton – 1
Lane Snook – 1
Tanner English – 1
Jake O’Neil – 1
Garrett Smith – 1

LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (48):
Ethan Dotson – 6
Ryan Gustin – 4
Dennis Erb Jr. – 4
Dallon Murty – 4
Bobby Pierce – 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
Cody Overton – 1
Brandon Overton – 1
Brian Shirley – 1
Clay Stuckey – 1
Cory Hedgecock – 1
Jake Timm – 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
Ross Bailes – 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 / Cody Overton (1)
Saturday, Oct. 24 / Modoc Speedway / Modoc, SC / Jonathan Davenport (1)
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-championship-fight-big-name-brawls-conclude-25th-world-of-outlaws-late-model-season-at-world-finals/

ARP Racing News

Monthly Archives: November 2026

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Homestead Finals Advance

BRABHAM AIMS FOR TRANS AM TITLE IN TEXAS AS CD RACING CHASES 5TH COTA WIN IN SIX YEARS

Knoxville Raceway Extends Partnership with World of Outlaws, DIRTVision

MELANIE JOHNSON SCORES FIRST NHRA NATIONAL EVENT VICTORY IN LAS VEGAS

CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Two Times the Title Fight!

CORVETTE RACING AT MONZA: Two Times the Title Fight!

RESILIENT TERRY HADDOCK OVERCOMES TOUGH LAS VEGAS RACE WEEKEND

Terry Haddock and the Priority Systems Mechanical Services Funny Car will bounce back from tough Las Vegas race weekend, photo credit Werner Communications

John Force Racing–Las Vegas Post Race

Wood Brothers Racing–Martinsville

HYDE MAKES QUARTERFINAL RUN,POSTS SEASON-BEST NUMBERS IN VEGAS

Byron Completes Chevrolet’s Season Sweep at Martinsville Speedway

11th World Short Track Championship Features Thrill in Charlotte

John Force Racing–Las Vegas–Saturday

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Martinsville–Kyle Larson

Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Martinsville–Cliff Daniels

John Force Racing–Friday Las Vegas

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: Hornet Feature Winners Crowned, Transfers Set During Day 2 of 11th World Short Track

TOP FIVE STORYLINES: Championship Fight, Big-Name Brawls Conclude 25th World of Outlaws Late Model Season at World Finals

Racer News and Results