By Alex Nieten
JOLIET, IL (Sept. 18, 2024) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series’ 2024 journey brings the best Sprint Car drivers in the world back to Dirt Oval 66 for the first time since 2017.
About an hour south from Chicago, the 3/8-mile dirt track will host The Greatest Show on Dirt for a doubleheader weekend, Friday-Saturday, Oct. 18-19, with a $12,000 payday on the line both nights of the Federated Auto Parts Route 66 Showdown.
The last time the Series visited the track, Donny Schatz scored his second straight victory at Dirt Oval 66. Although, those two wins were 12 years apart. The Series’ return to the track in 2017 was its first time there since 2005.
With that, Schatz, the 10-time World of Outlaws champion, is currently the only full-time driver on the tour with a Series win at the track. However, Rookie of the Year contender Bill Balog has also won at the track, picking up an IRA win there in 2017.
In addition to his win, Balog has a top-five finish there with the All Star Circuit of Champions in 2019 – the last premier Sprint Car series to race at the track. Brock Zearfoss finished one spot behind him in sixth in that race too.
The event will be the second to last race weekend before the championship finale at the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte (Nov. 6-9). David Gravel, looking for his first title, is the current points leader, but Carson Macedo, also looking for his first title, has been gaining steam and cutting into Gravel’s lead.
EVENT INFO
Date – Friday-Saturday, Oct. 18-19
Location – Joliet, IL
Track Website – DirtOval66.com
Times (CT) –
Pit Gate Opens: 2 p.m.
Grandstands Open: 4 p.m.
Hot Laps & Qualifying: 6:30 p.m.
Opening Ceremonies: 7:30 p.m.
-Racing to follow
Tickets – Available HERE.
How to Watch – Can’t make it? Watch every lap live on DIRTVision.
Last Race Video Recap (June 27, 2017) –
Previous World of Outlaws winners at Dirt Oval 66 –
2017 – Donny Schatz on June 27
2005 – Donny Schatz on July 8
2002 – Joey Saldana on July 12
2001 – Mark Kinser on July 13; Jeff Sheppard on July 12
2000 – Steve Kinser on June 29
1999 – Stevie Smith on Oct. 10; Steve Kinser on May 9
1998 – Stevie Smith on July 26
ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/1-month-alert-world-of-outlaws-ride-into-dirt-oval-66-for-federated-auto-parts-route-66-showdown-in-october/
FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.com/
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: NOS Energy Drink (Official Energy Product), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), Milton Hershey School (Official Education Partner), Racing Electronics (Official Radio Supplier), Simpson Performance Products (Preferred Safety Gear Partner), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider), Toyota (Official Vehicle), and VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); Contingency sponsors include: ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Evolve Transporters, Federated Auto Parts, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), Lifeline USA, Micro-Lite LLC, MSD, Quartz Hill Records, Stone Country Records, Smith Titanium Brake Systems, and WELD Racing. Manufacturer sponsors include, FIREBULL, and Intercomp, and Sea Foam.
Founded in 1978, the World of Outlaws®, based in Concord, NC, is the premier national touring series for dirt track racing in North America, featuring the most powerful cars on dirt, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Late Model Series. Annually, the two series race nearly 140 times at tracks across the United States and Canada. CBS Sports Network is the official broadcast partner of the World of Outlaws. DIRTVision® also broadcasts all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.