By Alex Nieten
BARBERVILLE, FL (February 26, 2025) – Three weeks off was more than enough. The 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car campaign is ready to fire back off.
Volusia Speedway Park ignited the season with four consecutive nights of Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals action in February. Now, The Greatest Show on Dirt is ready to return to the Barberville, FL oval.
“The World’s Fastest Half Mile” welcomes the country’s best Sprint Car drivers back to town for the Bike Week Jamboree. It marks the third consecutive year that the four-wheel and two-wheel worlds have crossed over during Daytona Beach, FL’s Bike Week. Bikers can ride their Harley along the coastline during the day before heading inland for some Sprint Car racing in the evening.
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 storylines entering Bike Week:
RIGHT WHERE HE LEFT OFF: There were zero signs of a championship hangover for David Gravel and Big Game Motorsports when they began their title defense at the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
The Watertown, CT native wheeled Tod Quiring’s No. 2 to four straight finishes of fourth or better including a trio of podiums. His average finish was third against one of the toughest fields the Series sees all year. Those results have him leading the de facto standings in his pursuit of back-to-back championships.
Going back to Volusia gives no reason to think Gravel and the Cody Jacobs-led crew will slow down. He’s missed the top 10 only once in his last 34 Sprint Car starts at the half mile, and 24 of those finishes have been within the top five.
SWIMMING IN THE SWAMP: There’s no denying 2024 didn’t go the way Logan Schuchart and Shark Racing had hoped. But if their performance a couple weeks ago is any indicator, they’re in for a bounce back season.
Schuchart collected top 10s in all four Features of DIRTcar Nationals. Two of those nights led to podiums, moving him within one of his top three total for the entire 2024 season. His average finish for the week was a stout 4.25. The Hanover, PA native also earned his first Simpson Quick Time since July of 2023 at Eldora Speedway.
The stats say Schuchart and new crew chief Kyle Pruitt will continue to click as they return to Volusia. Schuchart has been in the top 10 in 16 of his last 17 starts at “The World’s Fastest Half Mile.” He owns a trio of Volusia victories, twice with the World of Outlaws (2020 & 2021) and once with the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC) in 2021.
WINNING THROUGH THE PAIN: There was cause for concern when a broken leg in December sidelined Carson Macedo from the Australian racing season. Would he be ready for the World of Outlaws season less than two months after the injury? He left no doubt he was prepared at the DIRTcar Nationals.
The Lemoore, CA native came out and led every lap of the Volusia season opener aboard the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 for his 48th career World of Outlaws triumph. Macedo slipped to 12th on night two but rebounded with and finishes of sixth and fourth to close out the week. Last year struggles at the season-opening event left him buried in points. This year, he’s a manageable 24 markers behind Gravel for the de facto point lead.
Macedo goes back to Florida looking to cut into Gravel’s advantage as well as gain on Schuchart, who sits six markers back of Gravel. It’s early, but every point matters in the season-long battle. Macedo is a five-time Volusia winner with a pair of those checkered flags coming from the month of March.
FLYING THROUGH FLORIDA: Donny Schatz made a habit of driving his Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian No. 15 through the field last year. So much so that his net position change for the year was more than +300. And the trend continued two weeks ago.
The 10-time Series champion passed a total of 32 cars in DIRTcar Nationals Feature action – an average of eight per night. The charges led him to a trio of top 10s.
While his ability to slice through the field is impressive, Schatz will be in search of some better real estate in the Feature lineup this time around. His average starting position so far in 2025 is 17.75. The Fargo, ND native knows races and championships are won by starting near the front.
Fortunately for Schatz, last year’s trip to Bike Week led to Victory Lane as he scored his 500th overall Sprint Car win. It was also his 24th overall checkered flag from Volusia with 15 coming in World of Outlaws competition and the other nine with ASCoC.
NEED A REBOUND: A trio of World of Outlaws stars will be in search of a bounce back trip to Florida.
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid rolled into 2025 with some looking at him as a potential championship contender following an impressive conclusion to his rookie campaign with Roth Motorsports. The pairing reeled off six wins in the final 16 races.
But DIRTcar Nationals didn’t go according to plan. Kofoid was running up front in the season opener before a crash relegated him to 24th. Finishes of 11th and 14th followed before the Penngrove, CA native cracked the top 10 with an eighth on the final night. With a pair of Volusia podiums on his résumé along with a near victory during Bike Week last year, there’s reason for optimism for Kofoid heading back to Florida.
Sheldon Haudenschild also managed just one top 10 with his Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing team – ninth on night three of DIRTcar Nationals. However, the Wooster, OH native is a proven winner at Volusia having topped a trio of Features (2018, 2022, 2024).
Giovanni Scelzi and the KCP Racing crew entered their third year with The Greatest Show on Dirt. Struggles resulted in a best run of 14th through the opening four nights. Like Kofoid and Haudenschild, Scelzi’s past success gives reason to believe a rebound could be in store. “Hot Sauce” was on the Volusia podium in 2021. And last year he had no finish worse than seventh in five tries at the Florida facility.
SUNSHINE STATE BOUND: The Bike Week Jamboree is expected to attract many more competitors outside the full-time World of Outlaws roster.
Pennsylvania with have some representation with a few drivers including Jonestown, PA’s Brock Zearfoss. He owns a pair of Volusia top 10s, peaking at seventh in 2023. Zearfoss will also have his car on display at the DeLand Bike Rally on Saturday, March 1, before racing begins the following day. Zearfoss will be joined at Volusia by fellow Pennsylvanian Anthony Macri, who is a former World of Outlaws runner-up at Volusia (2024).
Three-time and reigning Knoxville Raceway track champion, Austin McCarl, has Bike Week on his calendar. He’s already made seven Volusia appearances this year between ASCS and World of Outlaws competition. Last year the Altoona, IA native topped at United Sprint Car Series (USCS) main event at the Florida oval.
Others planning to race include Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN), Daison Pursley (Locust Grove, OK), Andy Pake (Felton, MN), Jacob Allen (Hanover, PA), Tyler Clem (St. Petersburg, FL), and more.
FLORIDA FUN: It’s not only about the racing with the World of Outlaws trip to Florida as there will be plenty of other fun activities for fans to partake in.
The DeLand Bike Rally takes place in downtown, DeLand on Saturday, March 1. The World of Outlaws Fan Zone tent will be set up right when the rally begins at 9 a.m. Fans who pick up a Motorcycle Kickplate Stand or a Bike Week Koozie from the tent on Saturday can show them at the gates on Sunday or Monday at Volusia for $10 off tickets.
The same day, NOS Energy Drink will be set up from 2-4 p.m. at the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach. Fans can check out a two-seater Sprint Car, have a chance to score free tickets to the races on the weekend, and hang out with Sheldon Haudenschild as the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing superstar will be there for the duration.
Moving into race day, a pair of NHRA Funny Car champions plan to appear at Volusia. Kalitta Motorsports’ J.R. Todd will enjoy some racing on Sunday. Then, on Monday John Force Racing’s Austin Prock will be in attendance. Prock will sign autographs with Giovanni Scelzi from 5-5:30 p.m. at the KCP Racing merch trailer.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Sunday-Monday, March 2-3 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 (4/89 Races):
1. Kyle Larson – Silva Motorsports No. 57 (536 PTS)
2. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (-16 PTS)
3. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-22 PTS)
4. Ryan Timms – Liebig Motorsports No. 10 (-38 PTS)
5. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-40 PTS)
6. Brad Sweet – Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 (-42 PTS)
7. Tyler Courtney – Clauson Marshall Racing No. 7BC (-50 PTS)
8. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 (-58 PTS)
9. Christopher Bell – Kreitz Racing No. 69K (-60 PTS)
10. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-62 PTS)