By Alex Nieten
BARBERVILLE, FL (March 1, 2024) – Three weeks off was plenty. The Greatest Show on Dirt is ready to get 2024 rolling again.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars invade Barberville, FL’s Volusia Speedway Park next week for a Sunday-Monday (March 3-4) showdown. It’s a collision of the four-wheel and two-wheel worlds with Florida’s famed Bike Week taking place at nearby Daytona Beach while the four-wheeled 410 Sprint Cars rip around Volusia.
The two nights will mark visits 61 and 62 to “The World’s Fastest Half Mile” for The Greatest Show on Dirt. Volusia kicked off the 2024 World of Outlaws season with the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals two weeks ago, and those four nights of racing helped set the stage for the coming action.
The Bike Week Jamboree will ignite a stretch of 18 consecutive weekends of World of Outlaws racing with many weekday races scattered through the calendar during the stretch.
BUY TWO-DAY VOLUSIA TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY SUNDAY VOLUSIA TICKETS HERE
BUY MONDAY VOLUSIA TICKETS HERE
WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision
Let’s look at the top stories to watch:
OPENING STATEMENT: Plenty of eyes were on David Gravel to see how he’d begin the 2024 season with many looking at him as the championship favorite. And Gravel delivered.
The Watertown, CT driver didn’t finish worse than sixth in the opening four races at Volusia. On the second night of DIRTcar Nationals he escorted the Big Game Motorsports #2 to Victory Lane. Gravel’s efforts earned him a third Big Gator championship and the Series points lead.
Numbers say Gravel should continue his early season roll as the Series returns to the Barberville, FL oval. In his last 20 Volusia Sprint Car starts, Gravel owns five wins, nine podiums, 16 top fives, and a 3.95 average finish.
He’s currently tied with Daryn Pittman and Steve Kinser for the third most World of Outlaws victories at the facility, and one more would give him sole possession of that spot. A two-night sweep could equal him with Brad Sweet for the second most.
SOPHOMORE SURGE: A year ago, Volusia left Giovanni Scelzi and KCP Racing scratching their heads. Fast forward 12 months, and the orange #18 kicked off 2024 by being one of the fastest cars circling “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.”
Scelzi’s first four races of 2023 consisted of a best result of 11th with a 17.25 average finish. The start of 2024 told an entirely different story with a trio of fourth-place runs and an average finish of 4.75 through four Features. He also made the Toyota Racing Dash every night.
The success slotted Scelzi second in points heading back to Volusia. The Fresno, CA native has never led the World of Outlaws standings in his career, but two more effective outings on the coming Florida trip could elevate him to the top. He’s currently 10 markers behind Gravel.
COMING IN HOT: Heading into the Bike Week Jamboree Sheldon Haudenschild owns the title of most recent World of Outlaws winner. The 30-year-old wheeled the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 to a thrilling $20,000 triumph to conclude DIRTcar Nationals.
Haudenschild’s victory came on the heels of three nights of struggles to start his eighth season on tour. With those woes behind them, Haudenschild looks to build even more momentum as he returns to what’s been one of his best tracks.
Volusia is now home to three of Haudenschild’s 35 career checkered flags including his first back in 2018. A win on Sunday would make him the sixth driver to top back-to-back Volusia World of Outlaws races and own at least four Series wins there.
ON THE MOVE: Two members of the World of Outlaws roster put on a show nearly every night when Feature time arrived at Volusia during DIRTcar Nationals.
Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart each passed a combined 29 cars across the four main events. Their nightly charges were both highlighted by a plus-12 effort. Schuchart climbed from 18th to sixth on night two. Schatz did the same the following evening. Each of those outings earned them a KSE Hard Charger Award.
The duo will no doubt be looking to start closer to the front during the coming Volusia visit and add to their résumés at the facility. Schatz owns a whopping total of 23 Volusia Sprint Car victories while Schuchart boasts a trio.
BOUNCING BACK: There’s no denying the DIRTcar Nationals didn’t yield the results Carson Macedo and Jason Johnson Racing hoped for. Over the four nights Macedo averaged a 14th place result with a best run of 12th.
But there’s reason for optimism in the JJR camp. First, Macedo proved the #41 has the speed to move forward despite their issues. The Lemoore, CA native collected a pair of Hard Chargers by driving from 25th to 14th the first night and 23rd to 14th the final night. Second, Macedo’s career is full of Volusia success, suggesting he’s bound to escape the slump. Prior to DIRTcar Nationals, he recorded nine consecutive top 10 finishes at the half mile, including a win during Bike Week last year.
The troubles in February dug Macedo an early hole, but every World of Outlaws campaign is long and full of ups and downs. There’s no doubt that this championship caliber crew can turn things around in a big way at Volusia.
TURNING HEADS: Landon Crawley wasted no time making his presence felt at Volusia during DIRTcar Nationals. The 16-year-old made his Series debut with a bang by setting Simpson Quick Time before locking into the Toyota Racing Dash. The Benton, AR native wasn’t done yet as he secured the pole of the Feature two nights later by topping the Dash.
A bit of inexperience hindered him in the main event each night as he slid down the running order, but the talented teenager proved he belongs on the World of Outlaws tour. He’ll return to Volusia aboard the Sides Motorsports #7S looking to make even more noise during Bike Week.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Sunday-Monday, March 3-4 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL
ON THE INTERNET
World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
X – @WorldofOutlaws
Instagram – @WoOSprint
Facebook – Facebook.com/WorldofOutlawsSprintCarSeries
YouTube – Youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws
DIRTVision – DIRTVision.com – Platinum annual FAST PASS for $299 or monthly FAST PASS for $39/month
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (4/86 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports #2 (572 PTS)
2. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing #18 (-10 PTS)
3. Brad Sweet – Kasey Kahne Racing #49 (-10 PTS)
4. Tyler Courtney – Clauson Marshall Racing #7BC (-14 PTS)
5. Rico Abreu – Rico Abreu Racing #24 (-20 PTS)
6. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 (-20 PTS)
7. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S (-32 PTS)
8. Anthony Macri – Macri Motorsports #39M (-42 PTS)
9. Brent Marks – Murray-Marks Motorsports #19 (-48 PTS)
10. Brian Brown – Brian Brown Racing #21 (-58 PTS)