By Alex Nieten
GRAND FORKS, ND (May 27, 2026) – North Dakota is ready to welcome The Greatest Show on Dirt for the first time in 2026 this weekend.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will first visit Grand Forks’ River Cities Speedway on Friday, May 29, and then make its grand return to Minot’s Nodak Speedway.
River Cities has become a staple of the schedule since first appearing in 2007. The 1st Leg of the Northern Tour Don Mack Classic will be the tour’s 36th appearance. Longtime Series announcer Johnny Gibson calls River Cities his favorite track of the more than 400 he’s visited, thanks to the countless thrillers it’s served up over the years.
The teams will then take a day off before returning to action at Nodak for the Gerdau Metals Recycling Magic City Showdown. It’ll mark a popular return to the 3/8-mile dirt track after eight years away. Nodak has hosted the World of Outlaws 13 times in the past.
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Let’s look at the top stories to watch in North Dakota:
10-TIME’S TURF
The journey to cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever wheel a Sprint Car began in North Dakota for Donny Schatz. Going to the races with his family as a kid lit a fiery passion that powered him to 10 World of Outlaws championships and countless more accolades. Any trip home to race is special for the Fargo, ND driver, and he’s always seemed to find a little extra speed for his local fanbase.
The numbers for Schatz at River Cities look like he’s playing a video game set to easy mode. He’s competed in all 35 Series races, bagged a dozen victories, placed on the podium 24 times, tallied 31 top fives, and never finished worse than eighth. His average finish over that stretch is an astonishing 2.94.
It’s a similar story over at Nodak for Schatz. It took the 48-year-old seven tries to best the World of Outlaws at the track in the town where he was born, but once he did, he couldn’t be stopped. His 2012 victory was the first of five consecutive wins at Nodak. He was also on the podium in the two most recent visits of 2017 and 2018.
Schatz heads home with the momentum of five consecutive top 10s in the CJB Motorsports No. 15, including top fives in the last two races. He’s tied with Sheldon Haudenschild for fourth in points during his 30th season.
BUDDY’S BROOM
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid broke out the broom last year at River Cities.
The Penngrove, CA native got it done from the front row in the spring, outdueling David Gravel to make his first visit to Victory Lane in Grand Forks, ND. Fast forward to August, and Kofoid put on a spectacular show with a drive from ninth to victory in the Roth Motorsports No. 83. He joined Donny Schatz and Craig Dollansky as the third competitor to top two in a row at the bullring.
Friday presents the chance to put his name next to only Schatz, who is the lone driver to win three straight at River Cities. The 24-year-old is fresh off banking $20,000 by charging from seventh to the front on Monday at Huset’s Speedway for his Series-leading sixth score of the season. That equaled him with Carson Macedo for second in the standings, but he’s still got some work to do to chase down David Gravel (+118 points) for the championship lead.
HAUD’S HUNT
If there was ever a track that owed a driver a win, it may be River Cities Speedway to Sheldon Haudenschild.
The Wooster, OH native has had one taken from him in just about every conceivable fashion. Crashes, late passes, and more have prevented Haudenschild from parking in Victory Lane at the 1/4 mile. He’s led laps in seven different Features and finished on the podium four times, including a trio of runner-ups.
Haudenschild will see if a new team can turn his fortune around on Friday. The 32-year-old is having an impressive first season with KCP Racing so far. They’ve collected a win, 11 top fives, and 16 top 10s through 24 races this year.
DAKOTA DOUBLE
Aside from Schatz, the only other full-time World of Outlaws driver to double up with wins at both River Cities and Nodak is two-time and defending Series champion, David Gravel. Former Series regulars Craig Dollanksy, Joey Saldana, and Daryn Pittman also pulled it off during their time on tour.
Gravel first conquered River Cities in 2017 with CJB Motorsports and did so again six years later with Big Game Motorsports. Gravel’s Nodak victory came during the same season he got his first at River Cities. The Watertown, CT native is amid another excellent campaign with a 4.96 average finish so far in 2026 as he chases a third straight title.
Three drivers – Logan Schuchart, Carson Macedo, and Buddy Kofoid – will have the opportunity to add their name to the list of those with victories at both facilities on the agenda. Schuchart snagged a pair of River Cities scores (2019 and 2023) in the Shark Racing No. 1S. He’s tried five times at Nodak with a best of fourth in 2016. Macedo and Kofoid also have two River Cities trophies, but they’ll both be making their Nodak debuts.
NOSA NAMES
With North Dakota being a mainstay of the World of Outlaws tour, many locals look forward to the opportunity to battle the best on a big stage. Expect this weekend to be no different.
Donny Schatz’s nieces, Amelia and Laela Eisenschenk, made their World of Outlaws debuts last year and will be back for more this weekend aboard their uncle’s cars. Both have accumulated plenty of laps at River Cities over the last couple of years with several top 10s to show for it. They each raced at Nodak earlier this month with NOSA. Amelia finished fifth with Laela close behind in seventh.
Grand Forks, ND’s own Mark Dobmeier has been winning at River Cities since the turn of the century to the tune of more than 150 victories at his home track. A piece lacking from that résumé is one with the World of Outlaws, but he’s been close with six top fives, including a pair of podiums. Over at Nodak, he’s won five times with NOSA and was a World of Outlaws top-five finisher in 2010.
Fellow Grand Forks resident, Jade Hastings, has asserted himself as one of the best currently at River Cities. He claimed half of the track’s 12 NOSA events in 2025 and already won there again this year last week.
Fans can anticipate additional regulars from the region, including Jack Croaker (East Grand Forks, MN), Weston Olson (Warren, MN), Blake Egeland (Climax, MN), Nick and Zach Omdahl (East Grand Forks, MN), and more.
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Friday, May 29 at River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, ND
Sunday May 31 at Nodak Speedway in Minot, ND
AROUND THE TURN
Friday, June 5 at Hartford Speedway in Hartford, MI (TICKETS)
Saturday, June 6 at Plymouth Dirt Track in Plymouth, WI (TICKETS)
Sunday, June 7 at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, WI (TICKETS)
CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (24/84 Races):
1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports No. 2 (3364 PTS)
2. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports No. 83 (-118 PTS)
3. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 (-118 PTS)
4. Sheldon Haudenschild – KCP Racing No. 18 (-188 PTS)
5. Donny Schatz – CJB Motorsports No. 15 (-188 PTS)
6. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing No. 1S (-252 PTS)
7. Garet Williamson – Fischer Motorsports No. 23 (-420 PTS)
8. Cole Macedo – TwoC Racing No. 2C (-450 PTS)
9. Spencer Bayston – Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 (-498 PTS)
10. Chris Windom – Sides Motorsports No. 7S (-516 PTS)