By Alex Nieten
PEVELY, MO (July 31, 2024) – Much of the world’s focus is on Paris as France currently hosts the Olympics, but the small town of Pevely, MO is set to offer the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars an Olympic challenge this weekend.
It’s grueling. It’s demanding. It’s a test of endurance. It’s the Ironman 55, and it’s next for the country’s greatest Sprint Car drivers.
Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 welcomes The Greatest Show on Dirt this weekend for two nights (August 2-3), culminating in Saturday’s 55-lap finale. This year the 16th running of the event elevates even more, offering a $25,000 payday to the Ironman.
The World of Outlaws will be joined by their open-wheel companions – the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota – for both nights.
I-55 always serves up some of the most intense racing with its high banks and tight confines. The intensity level rises with the high stakes of Ironman weekend and expect this year’s running to be no different.
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Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:
GRAVEL’S GREATNESS: The 2024 dream season for David Gravel has reached new heights in the last two weeks.
First it was a nearly $300,000 week at Eldora Speedway that included claiming his first Kings Royal crown. King David XLI joined Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Donny Schatz, Mark Kinser, and Doug Wolfgang as the sixth driver to win the Knoxville Nationals, Kings Royal, and National Open. Pretty good company to say the least.
Then seven days later Gravel earned his 100th career World of Outlaws win by topping Williams Grove’s C&D Rigging Summer Nationals finale, making him the eighth competitor to join the triple-digit club.
Gravel and the Big Game Motorsports crew roll into Ironman weekend with the momentum of seven consecutive top two finishes. The Watertown, CT native is yet to add his name to the list of Ironman 55 champions, but he’s topped a pair of I-55 Features including one back in April. His best finish in the 55-lapper is a runner-up in 2018.
IRONMEN: Through 16 runnings of the event there are two current competitors with The Greatest Show on Dirt that have earned the right to be called Ironman.
Sheldon Haudenschild has as pair of Ironman 55 dumbbells in his trophy room. The first came in 2019 when the NOS Energy Drink gasser flexed his muscle with one of the most dominant drives the sport has seen. Haudenschild won by more than 10 seconds and lapped through the sixth place finisher. Then the next came in 2021 when he swept the Ironman weekend. A third title on Saturday would equal the driver of the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17 with Craig Dollansky for the most all-time.
Logan Schuchart is a one-time Ironman winner, besting the 2018 edition. That night marked his only I-55 victory to date, but he’s been close to another with five more podiums including a trio of runner-ups. One of those second place finishes was in last year’s Ironman when a last lap pass cost him a trip to Victory Lane.
Other active drivers that aren’t current full-time competitors with the World of Outlaws are Kerry Madsen (2014), Rico Abreu (2016 & 2017), and Kyle Larson (2020 & 2023).
HITTING THE GYM: There are a handful of 2024 World of Outlaws full-timers that have been stout at I-55 but haven’t quite been able to hoist the Ironman 55 dumbbell trophy.
Donny Schatz has won nearly every major Sprint Car race in his illustrious career, but the Ironman has eluded him to this point. The Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing driver has been remarkably close with four runner-ups (2012, 2013, 2014, 2019). Despite no Ironman on his résumé, Schatz has topped a trio of races in Pevely, MO including one back in April.
Carson Macedo has proven to be one of the most consistent competitors at I-55 and is still in search of an Ironman. He’s missed the top 10 only once in his last 15 tries at the bullring. That stretch includes a pair of victories, both in 2022 with Jason Johnson Racing, and six podiums in the last eight visits.
I-55 has always been one of Kraig Kinser’s strongest tracks. The Bloomington, IN native claimed a 2005 World of Outlaws race at the Missouri oval. He also owns a pair of Ironman 55 top five finishes with a best of fourth in 2010.
PEVELY POTENTIAL: Two more competitors with The Greatest Show on Dirt are yet to experience victory at I-55 in limited experience but have shown potential whenever they make laps at the quarter mile.
Giovanni Scelzi owns eight I-55 starts, all with his current KCP Racing team. Half of those appearances have led to top five efforts including a personal best second in last year’s Ironman opener.
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid debuted at I-55 last season and has shown speed from the get-go. The Penngrove, CA native’s first I-55 appearance led to a 15th to sixth drive. And then earlier this year the Roth Motorsports driver bagged a pair of Pevely podiums.
BALOG BOUNCE BACK: The last couple weeks haven’t gone according to plan for Bill Balog, but I-55 offers a good opportunity for “The North Pole Nightmare” to bounce back.
After three top 10s in four races in his home state of Wisconsin, the busy stretch through Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Weedsport threw Balog some woes. The Series rookie missed a few of the Feature events and earned a best finish of 12th at Weedsport.
Earlier this year the spring visit to I-55 saw Balog piece together perhaps his most productive weekend of the year so far. He came home fourth on the first night. And then the following evening the Hartland, WI driver led the opening 10 laps before bringing home another top five result.
KNOXVILLE AWAITS: Ironman also serves as the final World of Outlaws warm-up for next week’s NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store.
It’s one last opportunity to build some momentum heading to “The Sprint Car Capital of the World.” I-55 and Knoxville may be vastly different ovals, but a little confidence boost entering the sport’s most prestigious crown jewel never hurts.
Last year Kyle Larson became the first Ironman champion to follow it up with a victory in “The Granddaddy of ‘Em All” a week later.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday-Saturday, August 2-3 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, MO
ON THE INTERNET
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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (41/73 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (5712 PTS)
2. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 (-110 PTS)
3. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-142 PTS)
4. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing No. 18 (-204 PTS)
5. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-248 PTS)
6. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-330 PTS)
7. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17 (-356 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports No. 17B (-772 PTS)
9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing No. 3Z (-962 PTS)
10. Kraig Kinser – Premier Motorsports No. 70 (-1198 PTS)