CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Every race fan, dirt or otherwise, should attend the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte at least once.
It’s a unique event and the only time you can see the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series and Super DIRTcar Series big-block modifieds race at the same track on the same day.
The four-wide salute that takes place prior to Friday night’s features includes all three divisions and is an amazing spectacle worthy of an event such as the World Finals. Fan access during the World Finals is second to none.
The World Finals has gotten so big that track and World Racing Group officials are adding an extra day to the event next season.
However, there is one glaring problem with the event — the purse.
Here’s an example. Brent Marks won the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series finale during the World Finals. His take for that victory? A whopping $12,000. That’s the same amount Jonathan Davenport earned for winning the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series feature that closed the program.
A standard World of Outlaws sprint car or late model purse pays $10,000 to win.
The winner’s payoff for the Super DIRTcar Series portion of the Saturday program, which was won by the legendary Brett Hearn, was even lower. Hearn took home $10,000 for the 920th victory of his incredible career in front of a sellout crowd.
For an event that is marketed as one of the biggest of the year, it could easily be perceived that the purses are lower than what they should be for an event of this stature.
One late model driver was overheard in the pits saying he pulled his car in during Friday’s feature because it wasn’t worth risking it for the amount of money he was racing for back in the pack.
That said, the World Finals is different from other events in that there are three divisions of racing. The total purse paid for the three divisions during the World Finals was $329,605. That does not include tow money or contingency awards.
According to WRG officials, the World Finals purse is approximately $5,000 per division more per night than a standard purse, which fluctuates depending on car count.
In addition, full-time competitors in the sprint car and late model divisions, received point fund money during banquets the day after the World Finals. Sprint car champion Brad Sweet received $150,000, while Brandon Sheppard took home a check for $100,000 as the late model champion.
Hopefully, with the event expanding to four days next year, the purses for all three classes will get a bump that matches the grandeur of the event.
– There were two very impressive performances during the World Finals and they came from a pair of rising young stars.
The first was turned in by 17-year-old Alex Yankowski, who set fast time, won his heat and claimed the Super DIRTcar Series feature on Friday night. The victory came mere hours after the passing of his grandfather, which led to an emotional scene in victory lane.
Then on Saturday night, 18-year-old Garrett Smith went to war with dirt late model stars Davenport and Sheppard.
Smith, won his heat, started second in the feature, drove by Sheppard for the race lead during the main event, lost the lead to Davenport and got the lead back in traffic before finally losing it again shortly after a restart. He eventually settled for second, an impressive result against some of the best racers in the country.
Yankowski and Smith may very well be the future of their respective divisions. Only time will tell.
– The legendary career of sprint car racer Jac Haudenschild ended with a thud during the final night of the World Finals. He was involved in a crash early in the feature that also involved his son, Sheldon Haudenschild. The incident saw the elder Haudenschild flip his race car, which ironically was owned by Sheldon Haudenschild.
The elder Haudenschild, known throughout his career as “The Wild Child,” left the track without commenting on his final weekend in the driver’s seat.
– Perhaps the most unexpected thing to happen during the World Finals was dirt late model star Brandon Overton’s sprint car debut in a second entry fielded by Jason Sides.
Overton told SPEED SPORT writer Kyle McFadden that the opportunity to drive a sprint car came about during a night of drinking with Sides. Overton said to Sides, “What if I drove your sprint car?”
Sides quickly agreed and much to Overton’s surprise, there was a sprint car waiting for him in the pits when he arrived Friday night after Thursday’s qualifying program was rained out. Not surprisingly, he didn’t do well, finishing last in his heat and in the C main.
That said, it was still amazing to see Overton, one of the top dirt late model racers in the country, try something different. The courage it took to do that is immeasurable.