WoO Notes: forty ninth Season Begins At Volusia

BARBERVILLE, Fla. — The wait is over. The 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Power Drink Dash Automotive Sequence season is able to fireplace off.

Since 1978, the World of Outlaws has showcased the highest dash automotive expertise on tracks throughout the nation. Ted Johnson cultivated an thought right into a legacy that carries on practically 5 a long time later.

All eyes are on Volusia Speedway Park the place the Federated Auto Components DIRTcar Nationals is about to ignite the marketing campaign.

The Biggest Present on Filth can be on show over 4 consecutive nights (Feb. 4-7) on the Florida half-mile, culminating in a $20,000-to-win/$1,500-to-start finale.

It’s not solely the nightly purse cash up for grabs. Factors can be tallied all through the week to distribute a fund to the highest three and crown a Huge Gator champion.

Gravel Eyes Three-Peat

Solely three males – Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, and Brad Candy – have ever been capable of declare three consecutive World of Outlaws Dash Automotive titles. The chance to make it 4 drivers stands forward of David Gravel.

He and Huge Sport Motorsports are the two-time and defending champions. The Tod Quiring-owned crew has introduced all the core of crew members again in Cody Jacobs (crew chief) Pete Stephens (automotive chief), and Zach Patterson (tire specialists), together with including a fourth set of palms on the highway, former Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing automotive chief Luke Vaughn. All of the items are in place to chase a 3rd straight crown.

Volusia has traditionally been good to Gravel. The Watertown, Conn., native owns seven World of Outlaws checkered flags there, together with including a pair final yr. He’s tied with Daryn Pittman for essentially the most DIRTcar Nationals Huge Gators with three and has a shot at a record-breaking fourth this week.

Gator Grabbers

Gravel is way from the one 2026 World of Outlaws competitor with a gator or two of their assortment.

A piece of Donny Schatz’s trophy room is perhaps mistaken for a swamp courtesy of his Volusia historical past. He’s topped a whopping 24 important occasions on the monitor, together with 15 in World of Outlaws competitors. The ten-time sequence champion opens a brand new chapter this week as he’s teamed with CJB Motorsports and has Barry Jackson on the wrenches.

Volusia’s victory lane has welcomed Carson Macedo on 5 events, most not too long ago final yr’s season opener. He’s nonetheless seeking a Huge Gator title and can be gunning for one as his sixth consecutive yr with Jason Johnson Racing begins.

Logan Schuchart caught little gators with wins in 2020 and 2021 (twice) and hauled in a pair of Huge Gator Championships (2021 and 2023) to go together with that trio. The Hanover, Pa., native is about to begin his thirteenth season on tour aboard the Shark Racing No. 1s.

The primary World of Outlaws victory of Sheldon Haudenschild’s profession got here at Volusia in 2018, and he’s since added two extra on the Florida oval (2022 and 2024). He’ll be debuting in his new trip – the KCP Racing/NOS Power Drink No. 18 – this week.

Beginning Sturdy

There are a number of succesful rivals amongst this yr’s World of Outlaws roster that can be seeking their first Volusia victory to kick the season off on the appropriate foot.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid has asserted himself as doubtlessly Gravel’s greatest risk for the championship, however the Penngrove, Calif., native is but to prime a Volusia go to. The Roth Motorsports pilot was twice a runner-up on the 2023 DIRTcar Nationals.

Spencer Bayston is teamed with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing for 2026 and would love nothing greater than to verify the Volusia win field to begin the yr. He’s nonetheless seeking his first dash automotive triumph since August of 2023.

Invoice Balog exceeded expectations a yr in the past by tallying a trio of checkered flags in his second season. A Volusia victory has eluded him up to now in his profession, with a sixth-place lead to 2025 standing as his greatest.

4 sophomores – Garet Williamson, Cole Macedo, Chris Windom and Conner Morrell – are all eying a speedy begin to their second campaigns by scoring not solely their first Volusia win, however their first World of Outlaws checkered flag.

Rookie Battle

After 2025 delivered one of the vital compelling rookie-of-the-year contests in sequence historical past, 2026 is bound to serve up one other with 4 drivers presently dedicated to compete.

Ashton Torgerson was the primary to toss his identify into the hat, saying his 2026 plans throughout World Finals final yr. Torgerson’s transfer brings the famed Shark Racing No. 1a again on tour. The 19-year-old impressed final yr as he and the Shark crew ran a choose and select schedule from April onward, main Torgerson to many new tracks. The pairing picked up an area win at BAPS Motor Speedway amongst many stout finishes.

Scotty Thiel connected with Greg Wheeler Motorsports for his maiden voyage with The Biggest Present on Filth. The Sheboygan, Wis., native is an Interstate Racing Affiliation champion (2024) and spent a while touring with ASCoC in 2023. Thiel has 38 profession 410 dash automotive wins to his credit score.

Scott Bogucki teamed with Three Stooges Racing final August, and so they put the items in place for a full World of Outlaws marketing campaign in 2026. The Australian has a pair of American Dash Automotive Sequence seasons below his belt.

Kasey Jedrzejek is climbing aboard the Invoice Rose Racing No. 6 for his rookie season. The LaGrange, Ohio, native sat on the pole of final yr’s Kings Royal and picked up a World of Outlaws prime 5 at Millstream Speedway.

Filling Florida

Count on a packed pit space this week in Florida as loads of expertise plans on battling the full-time World of Outlaws contingent. The DIRTcar Nationals continues to develop with final yr’s working attracting greater than 50 entrants.

Ryan Timms and the Liebig Motorsports crew plan to flee the chilly and make the lengthy haul from their store in Speedy Metropolis, S.D. to Florida. The pairing topped 18 races a yr in the past, highlighted by the Knoxville Nationals and Tuscarora 50. The Oklahoman is a two-time United Dash Automotive Sequence winner at Volusia.

The Pennsylvania Posse plan to ship loads of illustration off the porch. Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, Brock Zearfoss, Chase Dietz (and T.J. Stutts have Volusia on their schedules. All 5 have World of Outlaws wins on their résumés.

Tyler Courtney and Brian Brown are each set to proceed their comebacks from accidents sustained in 2025. The duo competed final week with ASCS on the Florida oval with Courtney profitable each Thursday and Friday – placing him in competition for his first Huge Gator title Monday evening.

“Sunshine” additionally owns a World of Outlaws win at Volusia from 2024.

The brand new pairings of Daison Pursley with Kasey Kahne Racing and Tanner Holmes with Buch Motorsports can be on show. Each debuted at World of Outlaws World Finals final November. Pursley is a former USAC Dash Automotive winner at Volusia whereas this week marks Holmes’ “World’s Quickest Half Mile” debut.

Further rivals anticipated at Volusia embody Austin McCarl, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Justin Peck, Parker Value-Miller Hank Davis and extra.