NEW DECADE OF RACING: World of Outlaws Sprint Cars set to start 2020 season in Florida
Returning stars, new entries and new facilities on tap for the 2020 World of Outlaws season

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 24, 2019 – A new decade of World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series racing begins Feb. 7-9 during the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park.

After an epic conclusion to the 2019 season, which saw Brad Sweet edge 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz by four points for the title, The Greatest Show on Dirt is gearing up to start the 2020 season with the same level of excitement.

The three-day season opener at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL will set the stage for the rest of the year with several teams looking to build upon their 2019 season, others looking to improve it and a couple of new teams looking to make their mark in the Series.

Here is what to expect at the DIRTcar Nationals and beyond for the 2020 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

Several full-time World of Outlaws teams retain their same crew from the 2019 season into this year, allowing them to further build upon the momentum created last season.

After Brad Sweet and Kasey Kahne Racing started their 2019 championship run with two top-five finishes at the DIRTcar Nationals, the pair will target another strong start in their quest for back-to-back championships.

Schatz also placed in the top-five for both races at the DIRTcar Nationals last year but had the task of working with a new crew chief and crew members. Now, with a full year together under their belt, the Fargo, ND driver and his Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing team will be able to hit the ground running in 2020 as he searches for his 11th World of Outlaws title and 300th career World of Outlaws win.

Jason Johnson Racing will see the biggest change among full-time teams this year. David Gravel returns for his second year with the team but will miss a handful of races as he’ll also be running six NASCAR Truck Series races this year. The team plans to run for the owner’s championship with another driver – still to be announced – filling in for Gravel when he’s not racing.

Daryn Pittman and Carson Macedo are also returning to their respective teams for a second year this season. Pittman, of Owasso, OK, began his tenure with Roth Motorsports last year by winning the DIRTcar Nationals Big Gator and will be going for his fourth Gator in eight years this year. Macedo, of Lemoore, CA, earned the 2019 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year title with Kyle Larson Racing and will be poised to continue his development as a top Series driver.

Pennsylvania-based team Shark Racing will be on the hunt to continue the head of steam it built in 2019 with Logan Schuchart winning eight races – doubling his career win total – and Jacob Allen, again, closing in on his first Series win.

Sheldon Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH, and Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing return for their third year together with NOS Energy Drink as their primary sponsor. After impressive performances last season, such as dominating the Ironman 55, the team will be one to watch this year. Haudenschild will also be working with Kyle Ripper as his new crew chief. Ripper served as Ian Madsen’s crew chief last year.

Veterans Kraig Kinser, of Bloomington, IN, and Jason Sides, of Bartlett, TN, will continue to field their own teams in 2020 as they look to put their name on the winner’s list – which saw 19 different winners last year – in 2020.

NEW TEAMS

When cars roll on track for the first time at Volusia Speedway Park, there will be two new full-time World of Outlaws drivers – rookie contenders Mason Daniel and Wayne Johnson.

Daniel, of Springville, CA, will field his own team with 122-time World of Outlaws winner Danny Lasoski by his side as his mentor and crew chief. The 19-year-old driver has been racing Sprint Cars full-time for two years, earning two wins in a 360-c.i. Sprint Car. He made nine starts with the Series in 2019, earning his best finish of 15th at Dodge City Raceway Park.

Johnson, of Oklahoma City, OK, has been competing mainly with the American Sprint Car Series in a 360-c.i. Sprint Car and running a handful of 410-c.i. Sprint Car races for the last 10 years. He’s made more than 150 starts with the World of Outlaws throughout his career but has never ran more than 21 races in a season. He’ll be teamed with TwoC Racing for the full season.

NEW EVENTS

After the DIRTcar Nationals, the World of Outlaws will make its trek to Texas in mid-March, for the Friday, March 13 Cotton Bowl Speedway event and Saturday, March 14 LoneStar Speedway event, to continue the 2020 season. Then as the season progresses, the Series will visit 12 new tracks to the 2020 schedule.

They include:
-Sunday, March 29 - Santa Maria Raceway
-Friday, April 10 - Merced Speedway
-Fri.-Sat., April 24-25 - Vado Speedway Park
-Friday, May 1 - Lawton Speedway
-Saturday, May 30 - I-70 Speedway
-Wednesday, June 3 - I-80 Speedway
-Wednesday, June 17 - The Dirt Oval at Route 66
-Friday, July 10 - 34 Raceway
-Friday, July 31 - Ransomville Speedway
-Sunday, Aug. 2 - Orange County Fair Speedway
-Saturday, Aug. 22 - Dakota State Fair Speedway
-Saturday, Oct. 24 - Kokomo Speedway

Tickets for the events can be purchased at WorldofOutlaws.com/tix.

If you can’t make it to the race, you can watch every event LIVE on DIRTVision.com.


Series Champions Highlight DIRTcar Nationals Field at Volusia
As many as eight former champs expected to race at World’s Fastest Half-Mile

BARBERVILLE, FL – Jan. 24, 2020 – The 49th annual DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park is just over a week away, affording the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series superstars a chance to make final preparations before the Series races four nights during the two-week event at The World’s Fastest Half Mile.

The event itself runs Feb. 4-15 and includes World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars (Feb. 7-9), All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars (Feb. 5-6), the Super DIRTcar Series (Feb. 11-15), DIRTcar UMP Modifieds (Feb. 4-10) and DIRTcar Late Models (Feb. 10-11), with the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models competing Feb. 12-15.

Of the 42 completed World of Outlaws Late Model Series races at Volusia, 2004 Series champion Scott Bloomquist leads all drivers in wins with six, his first coming in 2004. 2015 Series champion Shane Clanton is tied with two-time and defending Series champion Brandon Sheppard for second-most with five; 2005 champion Billy Moyer and four-time Series champion Josh Richards follow with four and 2007 champion Steve Francis has three.

Every driver coming into the venue knows the score. Sheppard currently holds a slim point lead after the first three races at Vado Speedway Park, riding on three-straight runner-up finishes. The Rocket-Shepp has not won a World of Outlaws race since his trip to Victory Lane at Sharon Speedway last August, where he completed an exciting pass for the lead on Ricky Weiss coming to the white flag to win the 25-lap preliminary Feature.

But Volusia has been Rocket1 Racing’s playground in recent visits. Sheppard has won the last five World of Outlaws Features held at the half-mile, going back to the final race of the 2018 DIRTcar Nationals. Last year, he swept the competition of 50+ entrants to win all four Morton Buildings Features and win his first Big Gator trophy as the only Late Model driver in event history to win four consecutive Features.

This year, Sheppard already has drivers knocking on his door for company, both atop the points standings and in Victory Lane. Weiss, Chris Madden and Cade Dillard have already won races in Vado and surround Sheppard in points, occupying spots two, three and four. Dillard, in fourth place, sits only 16 points back of Sheppard.

Additionally, several other contenders are expected to make an appearance at Volusia to spoil the Outlaws’ party. Headlining will be the most recent Late Model winner at the facility, Kyle Bronson. Killer swept the DIRTcar Pro Late Model competition of 40+ entrants, winning all three races in the division to become the inaugural DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals championship.

Other big non-Outlaw names expected to be in attendance include (but are not limited to) Josh Richards, Jonathan Davenport, Tyler Erb, Tim McCreadie, Earl Pearson Jr., Mike Marlar, Dale McDowell, Brian Shirley, Kent Robinson, Brandon Overton and Jimmy Owens.

Joining the Outlaws on the racing card for all four nights will be the Big Block Modifieds from the Super DIRTcar Series. Hot Laps are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on all four nights.

Tickets to the 49th annual DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park are on sale now, including camping, packages and pit passes.

If you can’t make the trip south to see the racing spectacle in person, catch all 12 nights of action from Volusia Speedway Park live from the comfort of your home with a Fast Pass Subscription to DIRTVision