By Alex Nieten
OSBORN, MO (March 24, 2026) – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is ready to hit the ground running in America’s Heartland.
An extended stay in the Midwest is ahead for The Greatest Show on Dirt. Stops in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa are all ahead in the next month for the country’s best Sprint Car drivers.
It begins this weekend as Osborn, MO’s US 36 Raceway makes a popular return to the schedule for the KC Classic on Friday, March 27. The “Show-Me State” oval never fails to produce some of the best Sprint Car racing fans can find anywhere.
Then it’s one state west as the spotlight shines on Park City, KS’ 81 Speedway on Saturday, March 28. The Tallgrass Tussle brings the World of Outlaws to the track just north of Wichita for the 16th time in Series history.
BUY US 36 TICKETS HERE
BUY 81 TICKETS HERE
WATCH LIVE ON DIRTVision
Let’s look at the biggest stories to watch this weekend:
DOES THE STREAK STAY ALIVE?
There isn’t a lot David Gravel hasn’t done at this point in his career, but he checked off another box over the Oklahoma weekend.
The two-time and defending champion swept the races at Lawton Speedway and Creek County Speedway. Combine those with his Kennedale Speedway Park score from the prior Friday, and you get the first three-race World of Outlaws win streak of Gravel’s career. It’s also allowed Gravel and Big Game Motorsports to stretch their advantage atop the standings to 58 markers.
Friday presents Gravel the chance to be the first driver to win four in a row since Brad Sweet in early April of 2021. Recent history favors the Watertown, CT native considering he claimed the last US 36 visit in 2024. Should he get the job done in Missouri, he’ll go for the first five-race streak since Donny Schatz pulled it off in March of 2017. He’s yet to win at 81, but he’s been on the podium all three times he’s raced there.
BRAWL FOR SECOND
Gravel might be stretching his legs at the top, but it’s a donnybrook the runner-up spot knowing if Gravel slips at all, they can pounce. Only 38 points separate five drivers.
Carson Macedo currently sits second, but he and Jason Johnson Racing fought some struggles in Oklahoma. A spin at Lawton turned a potential podium into a 16th-place finish. Qualifying and Heat Race problems at Creek County left them playing catch up, and Macedo salvaged a top 10 after starting 22nd. The Lemoore, CA native has been to US 36 on three occasions and never finished worse than seventh. Over at 81, he was runner-up in his 2023 debut before slipping to ninth in 2024.
Six straight finishes of eighth or better have allowed Sheldon Haudenschild and KCP Racing to climb to third. The new combination sits just six markers shy of Macedo for second. Haudenschild won his first two US 36 appearances (2020 and 2023) and was primed to make it three straight in 2024 before an incident in traffic. The Wooster, OH native has improved with each visit to 81 – 12th in 2017, seventh in 2023, and fourth in 2024.
Donny Schatz and CJB Motorsports are beginning to click and sit fourth in points as a result. They’ve pieced together four consecutive top 10s including a pair of podiums. Seven trips to US 36 have yielded five top 10s for Schatz highlighted by a 2024 runner-up. Among the current crop of 17 full-time World of Outlaws drivers, Schatz is the only one with a victory at 81, and he’s topped a pair at the Kansas track.
The fifth spot belongs to Logan Schuchart. The Shark Racing No. 1S has been solid all year with seven top 10s through nine races and nearly picked up a victory at Creek County until slipping to fifth in the final laps. The Pennsylvanian owns a pair of top fives in four US 36 appearances. His best result at 81 in three tries is seventh.
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid sits sixth after some mechanical woes and crashes have hampered the championship contender early in the campaign. He did rebound with a Creek County runner-up on Saturday in the Roth Motorsports No. 83. Kofoid podiumed at the 2024 trip to US 36. He also bagged a top five at 81 the same season.
SHOW-ME STATE SOPHOMORE
Three of the next four races are in the state of Missouri, which means it’s time for some home games for Garet Williamson.
It begins on Friday with US 36, which is only about 150 miles from his hometown of Columbia, MO. The Series sophomore finished second with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) there in 2021. After the Kansas tilt Saturday and Easter weekend off, the tour returns to the “Show-Me State” for a weekend (April 10-11) at Pevely, Mo’s I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park. He’s been in the top 10 in two of his last four races at I-55.
Williamson is off to a solid start in his second season with The Greatest Show on Dirt. He’s got an average finish of 10.89 and holds down the seventh spot in points after nine races.
THE NIGHTMARE IS KNOCKING
The start of Bill Balog’s third World of Outlaws season didn’t go according to plan in Florida, but he’s quickly turned things around and is knocking on the door of Victory Lane.
The turnaround began with a sixth-place run at Talladega. Then “The North Pole Nightmare” led the most laps and nearly won at Kennedale before being passed by David Gravel in the final corner. The latest sign of progress was leading 13 laps and a top 10 finish at Creek County.
Balog gets two more opportunities to score that first victory of the season this weekend. He’s yet to crack the top 10 at either track on the agenda, but recent momentum suggests that could change.
ROOKIE CHECK-IN
The battle for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies is living up to the hype.
Ashton Torgerson pulled ahead early thanks to three top 10s in the first five races including a runner-up at Volusia Speedway Park. But then Emerson Axsom came alive with back-to-back top 10s at Kennedale and Lawton while Torgerson struggled. That gave Axsom the top spot only for Torgerson to reclaim it after a ninth at Creek County. A mere six points now separates the two.
Behind the top two, it’s Kasey Jedrzejek, Scotty Thiel, and Scott Bogucki completing the standings of the 2026 rookie class. Bogucki made a statement over the weekend by driving from ninth to second at Lawton for his first Series podium.
All five rookies are separated by only 72 markers.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, March 27 at US 36 Raceway in Osborn, MO
Saturday, March 28 at 81 Speedway in Park City, KS
AROUND THE TURN
Friday-Saturday, April 10-11 at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, MO (TICKETS)
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (9/85 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (1250 PTS)
2. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-58 PTS)
3. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-64 PTS)
4. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-84 PTS)
5. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-92 PTS)
6. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-96 PTS)
7. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-140 PTS)
8. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-148 PTS)
9. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-156 PTS)
10. Bill Balog – B2 Motorsports (-162 PTS)
NOS ENERGY DRINK FEATURE WINNERS (6 Drivers):
3 Wins – David Gravel
2 Wins – Anthony Macri
1 Win – Spencer Bayston, Michael Kofoid, Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz
FEATURE LAPS LED (13 Drivers):
44 Laps Led – Bill Balog
40 Laps Led – Anthony Macri
35 Laps Led – Donny Schatz
34 Laps Led – Michael Kofoid, David Gravel
25 Laps Led – Sheldon Haudenschild
18 Laps Led – Brady Bacon
12 Laps Led – Carson Macedo
10 Laps Led – Spencer Bayston
6 Laps Led – Brian Brown, Brock Zearfoss
5 Laps Led – Logan Schuchart
1 Lap Led – Christopher Thram
PODIUM FINISHES (11 Drivers):
7 Podiums – David Gravel
5 Podiums – Carson Macedo
3 Podiums – Anthony Macri, Michael Kofoid
2 Podiums – Sheldon Haudenschild, Donny Schatz
1 Podium – Spencer Bayston, Ashton Torgerson, Bill Balog, Scott Bogucki, Brady Bacon
SIMPSON PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS QUICKTIME AWARDS (6 Drivers):
3 Quick Times – David Gravel
2 Quick Times – Sheldon Haudenschild
1 Quick Time – Logan Schuchart, Ashton Torgerson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Brady Bacon
HEAT RACE WINNERS (14 Drivers):
7 Heat Wins – David Gravel
5 Heat Wins – Sheldon Haudenschild
3 Heat Wins – Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, Ashton Torgerson
2 Heat Wins – Anthony Macri, Michael Kofoid, Bill Balog
1 Heat Win – Chase Dietz, Justin Peck, Tanner Holmes, Donny Schatz, Scott Thiel, Emerson Axsom
TOYOTA DASH APPEARANCES (28 Drivers):
8 Dashes – David Gravel
7 Dashes – Sheldon Haudenschild
5 Dashes – Michael Kofoid
4 Dashes – Anthony Macri, Carson Macedo, Logan Schuchart, Ashton Torgerson
3 Dashes – Bill Balog
2 Dashes – Brent Marks, Tanner Holmes, Garet Williamson, Kasey Jedrzejek, Donny Schatz, Emerson Axsom, Scotty Thiel
1 Dash – Brian Brown, Chase Dietz, Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller, Ryan Timms, Brock Zearfoss, Kerry Madsen, Bryce Lucius, Spencer Bayston, Christopher Thram, Brady Bacon, Chris Windom, Sam Hafertepe Jr.
MICRO-LITE LAST CHANCE SHOWDOWN WINS (4 Drivers):
3 LCS Wins – Donny Schatz
2 LCS Wins – Michael Kofoid, Chris Windom
1 LCS Wins – Cameron Martin
KSE HARD CHARGER AWARDS (6 Drivers):
2 Hard Chargers – Garet Williamson, Donny Schatz, Michael Kofoid
1 Hard Charger – Chris Windom, Giovanni Scelzi, Carson Macedo
ACME FASTEST LAP AWARDS (7 Drivers):
2 Fastest Laps – Michael Kofoid, Bill Balog
1 Fastest Lap – Anthony Macri, Brock Zearfoss, Sheldon Haudenschild, Carson Macedo, Brady Bacon
RACE READY CLOTHING HOTTEST LAP OF THE NIGHT AWARDS (7 Drivers):
2 Hottest Laps – Logan Schuchart, David Gravel
1 Hottest Lap – Austin McCarl, Brent Marks, Cole Macedo, Buddy Kofoid, Emerson Axsom
2026 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner
Wed, Feb 4 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Spencer Bayston (1)
Fri, Feb 6 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Michael Kofoid (1)
Sat, Feb 7 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (1)
Sun, March 1 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Sheldon Haudenschild (1)
Mon, March 2 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Anthony Macri (2)
Fri, March 6 / Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, AL / Donny Schatz (1)
Fri, March 13 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX / David Gravel (1)
Sat, March 14 / Kennedale Speedway Park / Kennedale, TX (Postponed)
Fri, March 20 / Lawton Speedway / Lawton, OK / David Gravel (2)
Sat, March 21 / Creek County Speedway / Sapulpa, OK / David Gravel (3)
Fri, March 27 / US 36 Raceway / Osborn, MO
Sat, March 28 / 81 Speedway / Park City, KS
Fri, April 10 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Sat, April 11 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Fri, April 17 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jacksonville, IL
Sat, April 18 / Tri-State Speedway / Haubstadt, IN
Fri, April 24 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sat, April 25 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Fri, May 1 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH
Sat, May 2 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Tues, May 5 / Lincoln Speedway / Abbottstown, PA
Fri, May 8 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, May 9 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Fri, May 15 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, May 16 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, May 23 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sun, May 24 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, May 29 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sun, May 31 / Nodak Speedway / Minot, ND
Fri, June 5 / Hartford Speedway / Hartford, MI
Sat, June 6 / Plymouth Dirt Track / Plymouth, WI
Sun, June 7 / Angell Park Speedway / Sun Prairie, WI
Fri, June 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Sat, June 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Wed, June 17 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Thurs, June 18 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, June 19 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, June 20 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, June 26 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Sat, June 27 / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, WI
Fri, July 10 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Sat, July 11 / Wilmot Raceway / Wilmot, WI
Tues, July 14 / Attica Raceway Park / Attica, OH
Fri, July 17 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Sat, July 18 / Eldora Speedway / Rossburg, OH
Tues, July 21 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada
Wed, July 22 / Ohsweken Speedway / Ohsweken, ON, Canada
Sat, July 25 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY
Sun, July 26 / Weedsport Speedway / Weedsport, NY
Wed, July 29 / BAPS Motor Speedway / York Haven, PA
Fri, July 31 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Aug 1 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Fri, Aug 7 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Sat, Aug 8 / I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park / Pevely, MO
Wed, Aug 12 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Thurs, Aug 13 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Fri, Aug 14 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA*
Sat, Aug 15 / Knoxville Raceway / Knoxville, IA
Fri, Aug 21 / Ogilvie Raceway / Ogilvie, MN
Sat, Aug 22 / Jackson Motorplex / Jackson, MN
Fri, Aug 28 / River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, ND
Sat, Aug 29 / Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, ND
Fri, Sept 4 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sat, Sept 5 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Sun, Sept 6 / Huset’s Speedway / Brandon, SD
Fri, Sept 11 / Belleville High Banks / Belleville, KS
Sat, Sept 12 / Dodge City Raceway Park / Dodge City, KS
Mon, Sept 14 / El Paso County Raceway / Calhan, CO
Fri, Sept 18 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Sat, Sept 19 / Stockton Dirt Track / Stockton, CA
Fri, Sept 25 / Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway / Bakersfield, CA
Sat, Sept 26 / Ventura Raceway / Ventura, CA
Fri, Oct 2 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Sat, Oct 3 / Williams Grove Speedway / Mechanicsburg, PA
Thurs, Oct 8 / Millstream Speedway / Findlay, OH
Fri, Oct 9 / Mansfield Speedway / Mansfield, OH
Sat, Oct 10 / Sharon Speedway / Hartford, OH
Fri, Oct 16 / Lincoln Park Speedway / Putnamville, IN
Sat, Oct 17 / TBA
Fri, Oct 23 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Sat, Oct 24 / Texarkana 67 Speedway / Texarkana, AR
Wed, Nov 4 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Thurs, Nov 5 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Fri, Nov 6 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
Sat, Nov 7 / The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, NC
*denotes unofficial split-field prelim race.
ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/top-five-storylines-major-midwestern-stretch-begins-with-us-36-81-speedway-weekend/
EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/schedule/event-info/?event=4549645, https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/schedule/event-info/?event=4549646
TRACK INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/tracks/?track=US%2B36%2BRaceway, https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/tracks/?track=81%2BSpeedway
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. Official partners include, NOS Energy Drink (Official Energy Product), DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Federated Auto Parts, 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). Also supported by : ACME Trading Company, AMKUS, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Evolve Transporters, FIREBULL, Five Star Bodies, Honest Abe Roofing, Intercomp, J&J Auto Racing, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), Lifeline USA, Micro-Lite LLC, MSD, Race//Ready, Smith Titanium Brake Systems, SPA Technique, Tub O’ Towels, WELD Racing, and WIX Filters.
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.