From Alex Nieten
CONCORD, NC (February 3, 2026) – It’s happening. Emerson Axsom is hitting the road full-time with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
Fresh off the biggest win of his career at the Chili Bowl Nationals, the 21-year-old has finalized plans for a rookie campaign with The Greatest Show on Dirt aboard the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports (KPM) No. 27. The addition of Axsom brings the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year contestants up to five as he joins Ashton Torgerson, Scotty Thiel, Scott Bogucki, and Kasey Jedrzejek.
Axsom is one of the sport’s brightest young talents, and his stock rose rapidly over the last couple years as his focus became Winged Sprint Cars. He got his feet wet with wings in 2023 before completely committing in 2024. He took the KPM machine to victories at Lincoln Park Speedway with the Interstate Racing Association (IRA) and at the famed Knoxville Raceway with both a 410 and 360 under the hood. The Franklin, IN native led laps and podiumed in only his sixth World of Outlaws Feature start at Beaver Dam Raceway and has since landed on the podium three more times. Last year, Axsom notched his first All Star Circuit of Champions checkered flag at Eldora Speedway.
Now, it’s time to take his talents to the highest level the sport has to offer and face the best night in and night out.
“It’s awesome,” Axsom said. “I’m just thankful for the opportunity with Dale Klaasmeyer and Scott Petry. I think, obviously, it’s going to be really tough, but I feel like I’ve done a lot of tough things in my racing career and jumped in with both feet. Obviously, the Outlaws is the highest form of racing, but I feel like we’re up for the challenge and excited for the opportunity.”
The Chili Bowl champion is no stranger to the road. He competed with the USAC National Midgets in 2021 and the USAC National Sprint Cars for two consecutive years (2022-2023). The KPM team attended the first 19 World of Outlaws races in 2025, and when Giovanni Scelzi parted ways with KCP Racing in July, Axsom got the call to fill in for a two-month stretch. The overall résumé for Axsom shows 62 career Feature starts and 24 top 10s with The Greatest Show on Dirt. His best finish is a runner-up at Angell Park Speedway in October.
It’s not only a huge step in Axsom’s career, but also a dream come true for car owners Dale Klaasmeyer and Scott Petry. They’ve been wanting the right opportunity to put a car on the World of Outlaws tour, and Axsom intends to make them proud.
“I’m super thankful to have the right people behind me,” Axsom said. “Like you saw when I jumped in the 18 car (KCP Racing), this car didn’t race a single time. They told me the whole time, ‘If it doesn’t work, then we’re gearing up for 2026.’ Obviously, that opportunity didn’t work out. It was a great opportunity, and I’m thankful for it, but I think everything happens for a reason, right? I’m excited to be in this car and grateful to be in this car.”
Axsom may be a rookie, but this “Hoosier” has high hopes. He’s proven he can contend with the best, and now he’s ready to test himself by slugging it out with them over the nine-month journey that’ll take him coast to coast with more than 20 states on the schedule.
“I don’t really know what to do on expectations or goals,” Axsom admitted. “But I think if we unload every night with the attitude of wanting to win and the goal to win, then I think only good things can happen.”
Axsom and the Klaasmeyer/Petry crew will begin the 2026 campaign this week in Florida at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 4-7).