WHAT TO WATCH FOR: 48th World of Outlaws Season Begins with Volusia’s DIRTcar Nationals
Four consecutive nights of racing will bring the 2025 campaign to life for The Greatest Show on Dirt
BARBERVILLE, FL (February 3, 2025) – The wait is over. The 2025 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Sprint Car season is ready to fire off at Volusia Speedway Park.
The best Sprint Car drivers in the world have made their way to Barberville, FL to take their turn at the 54th Annual Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.
Four consecutive nights of racing at the “Sunshine State” half mile will unleash the 48th year of action for the World of Outlaws as the tour is set for a 90-night, coast-to-coast journey. A $12,000-to-win, show-up points program on Wednesday, Feb. 5, serves as the season opener before the week wraps up with a $20,000-to-win finale on Saturday, Feb. 8.
Drivers and teams will be competing for more than just the nightly winnings up for grabs. They’ll also be vying for the coveted Big Gator trophy and the point fund that comes along with it. Points will be accumulated throughout the week, and the top three when the final checkered flag flies will pocket some extra cash.
A new season is upon us. A clean slate. Fresh hope and goals. Races to be won. A championship to be claimed. History to be written.
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Let’s look at the top storylines to watch in Florida:
TITLE DEFENSE: The beginning of the 2025 season signals the start of David Gravel’s title defense. Last year, he and Big Game Motorsports engineered an unforgettable campaign on the way to the first championship for both driver and team. Gravel looks to become only the sixth competitor ever to earn back-to-back World of Outlaws titles.
It starts at a track that’s been plenty kind to Gravel in recent years. All five of his Volusia victories in World of Outlaws competition have come aboard Tod Quiring’s No. 2. In his last 30 starts at the Florida oval, Gravel owns 20 top fives and has only missed the top 10 once.
The Watertown, CT native will be defending more than one title this week. Finishes of third, first, fifth, and sixth led Gravel to the 2024 Big Gator, marking the third time he’s taken home the reptilian trophy and equaling Daryn Pittman for the most. A fourth Big Gator this week would make him both the first to four and the first to win it in back-to-back fashion.
KING OF THE SWAMP: Donny Schatz’s trophy room might be populated with more gators than the Everglades.
The 10-time Series champion has conquered Volusia on 24 occasions with 15 coming in World of Outlaws competition and the other nine with the All Star Circuit of Champions (ASCoC). The most recent of those checkered flags came during last year’s Bike Week Jamboree and gave him 500 career Sprint Car victories.
Despite his many trips to Volusia Victory Lane, Schatz’s success has produced one Big Gator title in 2018 with Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing. He’ll be looking to join Daryn Pittman, David Gravel, Brad Sweet, and Logan Schuchart as the fifth multi-time Big Gator champ.
GRABBIN’ GATORS: Gravel and Schatz aren’t the only current full-time World of Outlaws competitors that know their way around Volusia.
Carson Macedo has topped four Volusia Features since joining forces with Jason Johnson Racing. All Star victories in 2021 and 2023 added a pair of gators to Macedo’s trophy room, and he’s won with the World of Outlaws at the half mile twice in the month of March.
Sheldon Haudenschild owns a trio of gators. The Wooster, OH driver scored the first Series win of his career at Volusia back in 2018, and he’s since added triumphs in 2022 and in 2024, the latter worth $20,000. Haudenschild begins his ninth World of Outlaws campaign this week and his eighth with Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing.
Logan Schuchart is also the owner of three Volusia checkered flags. His first came in 2020, and then the following season he beat both the All Stars and the World of Outlaws in Florida during February. The Shark Racing pilot goes for a record-tying third Big Gator title this week.
SOPHOMORE SURGE: Many eyes will be fixed on Michael “Buddy” Kofoid and the Roth Motorsports team as 2025 gets underway.
Kofoid put together perhaps the best rookie season in Series history last year in Dennis and Teresa Roth’s iconic No. 83 thanks in large part to an unforgettable final stretch of the tour. Over the last 20 races, the Penngrove, CA native bagged six wins and 15 podiums. That run put them in championship conversations for Kofoid’s sophomore season.
The 23-year-old will see if momentum carries into the start of 2025 at Volusia, where Kofoid is a two-time runner-up in World of Outlaws Feature action. During his last visit to the Florida facility, Kofoid looked destined for victory until a cut tire ended his hopes after leading the first 13 circuits.
ROOKIE BATTLE BEGINS: The start of the 2025 campaign will unleash one of the most anticipated Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year battles in World of Outlaws history. Six hungry competitors are ready to slug it out for top rookie honors.
Cole Macedo followed the footsteps of older brother Carson to The Greatest Show on Dirt as he’s set for his debut campaign. The 24-year-old is aboard the TwoC Racing ride, the same car Wayne Johnson – now crew chief of the No. 2C – drove to Rookie of the Year in 2020. Macedo debuted at Volusia with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) National Tour last week and recorded finishes of seventh, second and fourth.
Fellow 24-year-old Garet Williamson is geared for the same battle. The Columbia, MO native ran a pick and choose schedule last year with Fischer Motorsports, and now the pairing is set for a full-time World of Outlaws run. Williamson gets his first look at Volusia during DIRTcar Nationals.
Chris Windom is set for his debut World of Outlaws season, wheeling the Sides Motorsports No. 7S. The USAC Triple Crown champ has shifted his focus to Winged Sprint Cars in recent years and makes the jump to the sport’s highest level in 2025. Windom has made one Volusia appearance, finishing 16th with the World of Outlaws last year.
Skylar Gee is teamed up with the Ohio-based Logan Fenton Racing for his first season of World of Outlaws action. The former ASCS and ASCoC full-timer is ready to take on the sport’s most demanding schedule and go for Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.
Bill Rose tabbed Zach Hampton as the pilot of the No. 6 for Hampton’s debut campaign. The Mooresville, IN native has made four previous Volusia appearances, all during the 2021 DIRTcar Nationals.
The most recent rookie to join is Sikeston, MO’s Hunter Schuerenberg. He reunited with Vermeer Motorsports, the team he topped six ASCoC races with.
C-BELL’S BACK: Much to the delight of dirt fans, Joe Gibbs loosened the reins on Christopher Bell over the off season allowing him to reunite with dirt. The reunion will lead to his first Sprint Car laps since 2022 this week after getting reacquainted with Midgets and Micros over the winter months.
Bell has partnered with Don Kreitz Jr. to wheel the iconic Kreitz Racing No. 69K in the “Sunshine State” this week, marking the first time the powder blue Sprint Car has made its way to Volusia since 1988. But even with the long absence, it’ll be no surprise if this potent pairing find speed right away.
The current NASCAR Cup star has proven to be fast in multiple machines at the Florida half mile over the years. He took the Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing No. 14 to a Volusia podium back in 2017. When he last visited the track in 2019, Bell drove the Swindell SpeedLab No. 39 to three consecutive top fives including a World of Outlaws runner-up on a night he led 26 laps.
NAMES KEEP COMING: In addition to the full-time stars of the World of Outlaws tour, fans can expect a healthy roster complete with Sprint Car talent from across the country at Volusia this week.
The Pennsylvania Posse will send Anthony Macri and Danny Dietrich off the porch and south to Florida. Macri has not only been one of the Posse’s best over the last few years, but also one of the nation’s top drivers with 46 Feature victories since the start of 2022, including a handful outside the confines of the “Keystone State.” The Dillsburg, PA native nearly grabbed a Volusia win last February, leading 13 laps before finishing second. Dietrich owns 33 checkered flags in the last three years. He’s also a former Volusia runner-up, taking the Gary Kauffman No. 48 to a second-place finish with the World of Outlaws in 2021.
The new pairing of Justin Peck and Rudeen Racing will see what they can do on week two of DIRTcar Nationals after a dominant start with ASCS. The Monrovia, IN native swept all three nights of 360 Sprint Car action last week on his way to a Big Gator title.
After 11 years of touring the country racing Sprint Cars, Jacob Allen is shifting to a pick and choose schedule in 2025, and his calendar includes DIRTcar Nationals. The fan favorite, and son of Bobby Allen, is a two-time top five finisher at Volusia, peaking with a third in 2023 during Bike Week.
Knoxville Raceway regulars Brian Brown and Austin McCarl made the trip to the “Sunshine State.” The two have combined to win six of the last seven 410 track titles at “The Sprint Car Capital of the World.” McCarl is a former Volusia winner, beating the United Sprint Car Series in 2024, and Brown owns eight World of Outlaws top fives at the track.
These gassers will be joined by several standouts, including Emerson Axsom (Franklin, IN), Brady Bacon (Broken Arrow, OK), Brock Zearfoss (Jonestown, PA) and Ryan Timms (Oklahoma City, OK).
THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE
WHEN AND WHERE
Wednesday-Saturday, February 5-8 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, FL
ON THE INTERNET
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2025 WORLD OF OUTLAWS SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE
Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 5-8 – Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL)
Sunday-Monday, March 2-3 – Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL)
Friday, March 7 – Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, AL)
Saturday, March 8 – Magnolia Motor Speedway (Columbus, MS)
Friday-Saturday, March 14-15 – Kennedale Speedway Park (Kennedale, TX)
Friday-Saturday, March 21-22 – Cotton Bowl Speedway (Paige, TX)
Friday, March 28 – Lawton Speedway (Lawton, OK)
Saturday, March 29 – 81 Speedway (Park City, KS)
Friday-Saturday, April 4-5 – Arrowhead Speedway (Colcord, OK)
Friday-Saturday, April 11-12 – Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 (Pevely, MO)
Friday-Saturday, April 18-19 – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA)
Friday, April 25 – Jacksonville Speedway (Jacksonville, IL)
Saturday, April 26 – Tri-State Speedway (Haubstadt, IN)
Friday-Saturday, May 2-3 – Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, OH)
Wednesday, May 7 – Lincoln Speedway (Abbottstown, PA)
Friday-Saturday, May 9-10 – Williams Grove Speedway (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Wednesday-Thursday, May 14-15 – Ohsweken Speedway (Ohsweken, ON, Canada)
Sunday, May 18 – Cornwall Motor Speedway (Long Sault, ON, Canada)
Friday, May 23 – Attica Raceway Park (Attica, OH)
Saturday, May 24 – Sharon Speedway (Hartford, OH)
Monday, May 26 – Atomic Speedway (Chillicothe, OH)
Friday, May 30 – River Cities Speedway (Grand Forks, ND)
Saturday, May 31 – Red River Valley Speedway (West Fargo, ND)
Wednesday, June 4 – Jackson Motorplex (Jackson, MN)
Friday, June 6 – Plymouth Dirt Track (Plymouth, WI)
Saturday, June 7 – Beaver Dam Raceway (Beaver Dam, WI)
Sunday, June 8 – Angell Park Speedway (Sun Prairie, WI)
Friday-Saturday, June 13-14 – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA)
Wednesday-Saturday, June 18-21 – Huset’s Speedway (Brandon, SD)
Friday-Saturday, June 27-28 – Cedar Lake Speedway (New Richmond, WI)
Thursday, July 10 – Deer Creek Speedway (Spring Valley, MN)
Friday-Saturday, July 11-12 – Wilmot Raceway (Wilmot, WI)
Tuesday, July 15 – Attica Raceway Park (Attica, OH)
Friday-Saturday, July 18-19 – Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, OH)
Wednesday, July 23 – BAPS Motor Speedway (York Haven, PA)
Friday-Saturday, July 25-26 – Williams Grove Speedway (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Sunday, July 27 – Weedsport Speedway (Weedsport, NY)
Friday-Saturday, August 1-2 – Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 (Pevely, PA)
Wednesday-Saturday, August 6-9 – Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA)
Friday, August 15 – Ogilvie Raceway (Ogilvie, MN)
Saturday, August 16 – Jackson Motorplex (Jackson, MN)
Tuesday, August 19 – Mississippi Thunder Speedway (Fountain City, WI)
Friday, August 22 – River Cities Speedway (Grand Forks, ND)
Saturday, August 23 – Red River Valley Speedway (West Fargo, ND)
Saturday-Sunday, August 30-31 – Huset’s Speedway (Brandon, SD)
Friday-Saturday, September 5-6 – Vado Speedway Park (Vado, NM)
Friday, September 12 – Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway (Bakersfield, CA)
Saturday, September 13 – Perris Auto Speedway (Perris, CA)
Friday-Saturday, September 19-20 – Thunderbowl Raceway (Tulare, CA)
Friday, September 26 – TBD
Saturday, September 27 – Sharon Speedway (Hartford, OH)
Friday-Saturday, October 3-4 – Williams Grove Speedway (Mechanicsburg, PA)
Friday, October 10 – New Egypt Speedway (New Egypt, NJ)
Saturday, October 11 – Lincoln Speedway (Abbottstown, PA)
Friday, October 17 – TBD
Saturday, October 18 – LaSalle Speedway (La Salle, IL)
Friday-Saturday, October 24-25 – TBD
Wednesday-Saturday, November 5-8 – The Dirt Track at Charlotte (Concord, NC)
EVENT INFO: https://dirtcarnationals.com/
TRACK INFO: https://volusiaspeedwaypark.
FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.
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 : AMKUS, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), CASM Safety Products, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Evolve Transporters, FIREBULL, Intercomp, J&J Auto Racing, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), Lifeline USA, Micro-Lite LLC, MSD, Smith Titanium Brake Systems, SPA Technique, 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.
Sources: Alex Nieten, World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series PR