Cody Overton Geared Up to Battle Outlaws on Home Turf at Swainsboro
SWAINSBORO, GA (March 19, 2025) – For the first time in his World of Outlaws Late Models career, Cody Overton is set to be the hometown hero.
This weekend’s Battle at the Crossroads will mark the first World of Outlaws event at Swainsboro Raceway since 2012, several years before Overton ever climbed behind the wheel of a dirt Late Model.
“Lil’ Sexy” grew up an hour north of Swainsboro in Thomson, GA, and has more laps around the track than any other in the country. The fans who fill the stands every night have watched Overton become one of the top young stars of Late Model racing, and this weekend they’ll get to see him go to battle on the national stage.
“That town is just so little, they’re all there,” Overton said. “That’s what’s cool about it. It kind of reminds me of Fairbury. You know the same people are going to be there, the whole town is there. I think it’ll be cool they get to see all this.”
After years of watching his brother Brandon rip around the track, Cody thought to himself at the start of the 2018 season, “I think I could do that.” So, he loaded up a Crate Late Model and made the trip south to Swainsboro to get his feet wet.
How did that first night go?
“It wasn’t very good,” Overton said with a laugh.
The rocky start to his driving career didn’t deter him though, as Overton quickly proved he had the talent to win on any given night. By the end of his first season, Overton had racked up trophies from Swainsboro, Senoia Raceway, Needmore Speedway, Laurens County Speedway and Rome Speedway.
While Overton has done plenty of traveling since the start of his career, Swainsboro has always been home. And for the Swainsboro locals, there’s no bigger race than the season-ending Turkey 100. It’s been a family tradition for as long as Overton can remember, and winning it ranks as one of his top accomplishments behind the wheel of a race car.
“Thanksgiving, that’s a big deal for our family,” Overton said. “We’ve been going since I was a baby, Brandon’s been going since he was 13, so that’s just a big deal for our family. He’s won it now and I’ve won it a couple times, so it makes it pretty cool.”
With a sizeable portion of the World of Outlaws field having little or no Swainsboro experience, several teams came out to the track’s Spring Nationals Series event on Feb. 28 to turn some laps, and Overton’s Dave Steine Motorsports team was one of them.
What started as a promising night went sideways when the right-rear tire broke off in Qualifying. Overton made his way from the back of a Last Chance Showdown to take the final transfer spot but was unable to advance higher than 18th in the Feature.
As long as the lug nuts are tight this time around, Overton is confident in his chances to put his years of Swainsboro knowledge to good use and contend for his first win with The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.
“It’s its own little animal, flat in a circle,” Overton said of the uniqueness of the 3/8-mile facility. “I think we’ll be a lot better. We got ourselves buried, but we know what we did wrong.”
Overton and the rest of the World of Outlaws Late Models will head to Swainsboro Raceway for the Battle at the Crossroads on Friday and Saturday, March 21-22.
If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap live on DIRTVision.
EVENT INFO: https://worldofoutlaws.com/
TRACK INFO: https://www.swainsbororaceway.
FAN 101: https://about.worldofoutlaws.
The World of Outlaws Late Model Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners. Official partners include, DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), 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, Arizona Sport Shirts/Gotta Race, ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Behrent’s Performance Warehouse, Bilstein, Capital Race Cars, Coltman Farms, Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, Dave Warren Powersports, Dirt King Simulators, Evolve Transporters, FAST 1 Speed Shop, FIREBULL, Fox Factory (Hard Charger Award), Gorsuch Performance, Infinity Chassis, Integra Racing Shocks, Intercomp, Jarrett Rifles, Keyser Manufacturing, Landa Pressure Washers, Lifeline USA, Longhorn Chassis, MD3, MSD, Penske Racing Shocks, Quarter Master, Reliable Painting, Rocket Chassis, STAKT Products, Swift Springs, WELD Racing, and Wieland (Exclusive Racing Aluminum).
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 World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.
Sources: Spence Smithback, World of Outlaws Late Model Series PR