By Alex Nieten
PEVELY, MO (April 8, 2025) – It’s one of the country’s baddest bullrings. It’s high banks and high speeds. It’s tight confines. It’s endless action. It’s I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park, and it’s next for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
The track name is slightly tweaked after a new ownership group took the reins ahead of 2025, but the racing promises to be as intense as ever at the Pevely, MO oval. A full I-55 weekend (April 11-12) is on the agenda as The Greatest Show on Dirt invades for the Federated Auto Parts Spring Classic.
With 75 previous races at I-55, the track is the seventh most visited in Series history. The 1/3 mile has thrilled fans since it first welcomed the World of Outlaws in 1987.
The weekend ahead also serves as a preview to one of the schedule’s premier events. The tour returns on Aug. 1-2 for the grueling Ironman 55 when teams will chase $25,000 and the iconic dumbbell trophy.
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MACEDO’S MOMENT: A trip to I-55 serves up a prime opportunity for Carson Macedo to add another tally to the win column.
The Lemoore, CA native struggled in his early visits to the Missouri track, missing the top 10 in his first four attempts. But since then, he’s been as consistent as they come. Macedo’s 17 starts after those four have seen him miss the top 10 only once by one spot, an 11th in 2023. Over that stretch he’s won twice, been on the podium seven times and owns an average finish of fifth.
Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing crew head to I-55 with some momentum courtesy of six top fives in the last eight races, including four podiums. The No. 41 team sits second in points, 78 markers behind defending champion David Gravel.
A CHAMPION’S CONSISTENCY: Simply put, Donny Schatz’s consistency at I-55 is off the charts.
The last 48 races at the 1/3 mile have led to 45 top 10 finishes for the 10-time World of Outlaws champion, and 18 of those outings resulted in podiums. Oddly enough, winning has been the only challenge at I-55 for the Series’ third winningest driver ever. He’s won just three times in 63 tries, but one did come last spring.
The Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 is the focus of many eyes in the Sprint Car world as the team continues to get reacquainted with Chevy power after recently making the switch from the FPS410 engine. Schatz sits sixth in points with eight top 10 finishes through 13 races in 2025.
HAUD’S HOUSE: There was a time when it felt like a foregone conclusion that Sheldon Haudenschild would find a way to win at I-55, a status he’ll look to regain this weekend.
It was clear from a podium in his 2017 debut at the track that I-55 suited Haudenschild’s style. He followed that up the next season with another third place run on a night he led 23 laps. He got his first win on his sixth try by delivering one of the most dominant drives the Series has seen with a margin of victory north of 10 seconds. That was the beginning of four victories in a nine-race stretch, and he missed the top five only twice during the run.
The team NOS Energy Drink driver hasn’t won in Pevely since then, but he came close last August, starting on the pole before a third-place result. Haudenschild has put together a solid stretch recently in the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17, posting finishes of sixth or better in the last six races.
SHARK STRIKE?: Logan Schuchart is still in search of his first victory of 2025, and the stats say he’ll be in the running for one this weekend.
The Hanover, PA native has just one I-55 checkered flag – the 2018 Ironman 55 – but he’s consistently toward the front of the field. Schuchart has put the Shark Racing No. 1S in the top five in 15 of his last 22 races at the “Show-Me State” facility.
Despite a zero in the 2025 win column, it’s still been a great start to the year for Schuchart after bringing Kyle Pruitt aboard to turn the wrenches. He’s third in points with a 5.46 average finish and would likely be in the runner-up spot if it wasn’t for an empty fuel cell at Volusia in February.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME: The World of Outlaws tour is a daunting task for any rookie, so a trip home can be a refuge from the coast-to-coast grind. That’s exactly what’s in line for a pair of drivers competing for the 2025 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.
Garet Williamson calls Columbia, MO home, which is roughly two hours from I-55. The 24-year-old is currently tied with Chris Windom atop the rookie standings. Williamson has been consistent as of late with nine consecutive top 15 finishes aboard the Fischer Motorsports No. 23. He has only four previous appearances at I-55 but did make a Toyota Dash in 2023.
A little less than a two-hour drive south on Interstate 55, the thruway that the track sits besides, takes you to the hometown of Hunter Schuerenberg, Sikeston, MO. He and the Vermeer Motorsports team have collected four top 10s this year and are third in rookie points behind Windom and Williamson. “Hunter Percent” has plenty of I-55 laps on his résumé. He started on the pole of the Ironman 55 opener in 2019 before earning a top 10 the following night.
MAKE ROOM, MISSOURI: While it might not reach the whopping total of 61 cars that filled the I-55 pit area in 2020, a large field of invaders is expected to square off with the country’s best Sprint Car drivers this weekend.
The legendary Sammy Swindell plans to make his first World of Outlaws appearance of the season. I-55 is home to “Slammin’ Sammy’s” second most recent Series win. Swindell drove the Big Game Motorsports No. 1 to Victory Lane in Pevely during the 2014 season. That’s one of six World of Outlaws wins at I-55 for the Germantown, TN native, good enough to be tied for the most there. He’s also topped a pair of All Star Circuit of Champions main events.
Another driver expected to make his 2025 season debut with the Series is St. Helena, CA’s Rico Abreu. He’s won twice with The Greatest Show on Dirt at I-55, taking the 2016 and 2017 editions of the Ironman 55. Abreu also owns a pair of Midget wins at the Missouri track.
Missouri’s own Brian Brown will be in attendance this weekend. The five-time Knoxville Raceway track champion is a former I-55 podium finisher. “Blackjack” came home third in the 2012 Ironman opener.
Other competitors with I-55 on their calendars include Parker Price-Miller (Kokomo, IN), Ryan Timms (Oklahoma City, OK), Spencer Bayston (Lebanon, IN), Jace Park (Overland Park, KS) and many more.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday-Saturday, April 11-12 at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, MO
ON THE INTERNET
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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (13/86 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (1844 PTS)
2. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-78 PTS)
2. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-88 PTS)
4. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-106 PTS)
5. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing No. 17 (-166 PTS)
6. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 15 (-212 PTS)
7. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing No. 18 (-216 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B2 Motorsports No. 17B (-242 PTS)
9. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-296 PTS)
10. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-296 PTS)