From Alex Nieten
VADO, NM (September 3, 2025) — Mountains, deserts, and dirt tracks await as the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series begins a three-week stay in the half of the country where outlaws belong.
First up is this weekend’s return to New Mexico as a pair of nights at Vado Speedway Park (Sept. 5-6) brings the tour back to the “Land of Enchantment” for the first time since 2022. Royal Jones has sculpted the 3/8 mile into a diamond in the desert, and the track will host a two-night World of Outlaws show for the first time. The visit three years ago was a single-night, midweek trip.
It’s hard to believe, but only 20 races remain in 2025 for the World of Outlaws stars. The final quarter of the campaign is here, and if you want to close out the season strong, the time is now.
BUY TWO-DAY VADO TICKET PACKAGE HERE
BUY FRIDAY VADO TICKETS HERE
BUY SATURDAY VADO TICKETS HERE
WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision
Let’s take a look at the weekend’s top storylines:
DUELING IN THE DESERT: The World of Outlaws don’t have a thorough history in the “Land of Enchantment,” but this weekend will add another chapter.
The tour first invaded the southwestern state in 1987 at Albuquerque’s Duke City Raceway when Steve Kinser won. “The King’s” victory started a trend as he was a dominant force through the Series’ New Mexico history thus far. Kinser has claimed 10 of the 16 races the state has hosted, including a run of eight in a row.
This week, Vado will become the fourth track in the state to host the World of Outlaws on multiple occasions, joining Duke City Raceway (Albuquerque, NM), Southern New Mexico Speedway (Las Cruces, NM), and Hollywood Hills Speedway (San Felipe Pueblo, NM).
TRIO OF TITANS: Over the last several weeks, David Gravel, Michael “Buddy” Kofoid, and Carson Macedo have separated themselves from the rest of the pack.
The trio is currently running one-two-three in the points and with good reason. After Kofoid’s win at Huset’s this past Sunday, each of them now owns double-digit victories. The next highest tally among full-time Series competitors is two, shared by three drivers. They’ve combined to win nine of the last 10 races and claimed 20 of the 30 available podium positions over that stretch.
Gravel stands atop the group with a 168-point advantage as he nears a second straight championship. The consistency of the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 has been off the charts as they haven’t finished worse than sixth since a DNF at Plymouth Dirt Track on June 6. They’ve been in the top five in 22 of the 24 races since the mechanical problem at Plymouth.
There’s been no sophomore slump for Kofoid and the Roth Motorsports team as they sit second in the standings. They’ve also been models of consistency with 16 podiums in the last 22 races, including half a dozen victories.
Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing crew have been marching right along with the other two as of late. The Lemoore, CA driver has topped six of the most recent 16 Features, and he’s been within the top three during 11 of them.
Of the three, Gravel and Macedo have previous Vado experience as they both competed in the 2022 visit. Gravel came home fifth while Macedo finished seventh.
SCHATZ X SILVA: Plenty of eyes will be on Donny Schatz this weekend as he begins a six-race stretch in Kevin Kozlowski’s Works Limited Sprint Car wrenched by Paul Silva.
The 10-time World of Outlaws champion and Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing parted ways after the Knoxville Nationals. Schatz first jumped in a second Big Game Motorsports entry at Ogilvie Raceway, but after a crash at the Minnesota track, he’s been aboard Dave Lunstra’s ride since.
Spencer Bayston is the latest to wheel the Works Limited car to some strong outings on the west coast. In recent years, more drivers such as Buddy Kofoid, Tyler Courtney, Justin Sanders, and, of course, Kyle Larson have had success in the Silva-prepared ride out west.
In addition to Vado, Schatz’s stint in the car will also take him to a trio of California tracks at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway (Sept. 12), Perris Auto Speedway (Sept. 13), and Thunderbowl Raceway (Sept. 19-20). Schatz rounded out the podium in his only Sprint Car visit to Vado in 2022, but he also got some Late Model laps there that same year at the Wild West Shootout. The Fargo, ND driver is the only current full-time World of Outlaws driver with a Series victory in New Mexico, claiming a 2008 trip to Hollywood Hills Speedway.
ONE SPOT SHY: Donny Schatz took the final podium position when the World of Outlaws debuted at Vado in 2022, and the driver one step above him was Sheldon Haudenschild.
The Wooster, OH native returns looking to be one spot better in 2025 with the Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing/NOS Energy Drink crew. He became the seventh different competitor to top a Series race in New Mexico and the second from the state of Ohio, the first being Hartford’s Dave Blaney, if he can pull it off.
Haudenschild heads to New Mexico on the hunt for his first win since the final day of May. He was in the top five on four occasions in August, including a pair of podiums.
HEATING UP: The southwest is known for one of the hottest climates in the country, but the temperatures aren’t the only thing heating up as the World of Outlaws invade.
The Rookie of the Year chase appears as if it’s going to come down to Garet Williamson with Fischer Motorsports and Chris Windom of Sides Motorsports. The two came together on track at Huset’s on Sunday in the latest moment of what’s shaping up to be a battle all the way to World Finals.
Windom had led a majority of the season, but a recent surge from Williamson has pushed him to the top. The Columbia, MO native has been in the top 10 in six of the last eight races, including a top five at Mississippi Thunder Speedway.
It’s been a slight stumble for Windom in recent weeks, with just a pair of top 10s over that same time frame. He’ll look to find his form from earlier in the season that led him to stretches like eight results within the top 10 in a row from mid-May through early June.
Williamson currently leads Windom by 36 markers with 20 races to go.