CONCORD, N.C. – The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series has announced a $1 million overall points fund in addition to several new venues for the schedule next season.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will contest more than 80 events from February to November across 22 states, contending for a $200,000 championship – a $50,000 increase from 2021. Overall, the 2022 points fund will see a $350,000 increase, with every position seeing at least a 33% increase. Second will now pay $100,000 (+$25,000) and third will pay $75,000 (+$20,000). The substantial increases are even apparent down the rankings with 10th getting $50,000 (+$20,000).
“The strength of World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and our devotion to the Series was showcased in 2020 by overcoming the pandemic. Then, we took off running in 2021 with the return of big events and the increase in purses throughout the year. Now, in 2022, we’re eager to build off that momentum and continue to show why the World of Outlaws is The Greatest Show on Dirt,” said World of Outlaws CEO Brian Carter. “There are a lot of new and exciting things in store for drivers and fans alike in 2022 that we’ve been looking forward to for a while.”
The season will again kick off in the sunshine state with three days at Volusia Speedway Park for the DIRTcar Nationals (Feb. 10-12). A couple of weeks later it will stay south, making its trek to California for the return of the Spring West Coast Swing and continue its year-long journey across the United States before landing in North Carolina for the championship-crowning NGK NTK World Finals at the Dirt Track at Charlotte.
Along the way, there will be the return to tracks of the past, the return to familiar favorites and the debut of new marquee events.
When the World of Outlaws makes its Spring return to California, the third-mile Bakersfield (Calif.) Speedway – two hours north of Los Angeles – will grace the schedule for the first time since 2018. Ten events have previously been held at the track. Sheldon Haudenschild won the last race and Bobby Davis Jr. won the first in 1989.
After the pandemic postponed the World of Outlaws Sprint Car’s debut at Vado Speedway Park in 2020, the series will finally get to take its turn around the three-eighths-mile track in Vado, N.M. Located off Interstate 10 between Las Cruces, N.M., and El Paso, Texas, the facility features paved fan parking, a concrete midway, concrete pit pads and stadium-quality suites. It’ll also be the Series’ first appearance in New Mexico since 2008.
The World of Outlaws Sprint Cars have contested Tri-City Speedway, in Pontoon Beach, Ill. – across the Mississippi River from St. Louis – 56 times in its history. However, its last appearance at the three-eighths-mile track was in 2008; won by 10-time series champion Donny Schatz – currently the only active series regular with a win at the track. Steve Kinser won the first series race at Tri-City in 1979.
For the first time since 2014, the World of Outlaws Sprint Car schedule will feature four Ohio tracks with the addition of Ohio’s Atomic Speedway. Even more significant, 2022 will be the first time since 2009 that the series has visited the three-eighths-mile track. The World of Outlaws Gumout Series was the first to visit the track in 2001 before the premier series made its trip to Atomic in 2003. Seven events in total were run from 2003 to 2009 with Donny Schatz winning four of them.
With the evolution of building a state-of-the-art facility and producing exceptional racing for each event, a long-awaited extra date for Port Royal Speedway has been added to the schedule. Pennsylvania fans will get the treat of seeing the World of Outlaws at the half-mile track on July 20 before returning for the Nittany Showdown doubleheader in October.
One of the fastest-growing marquee events on the schedule has found a new time slot for 2022. The AGCO Jackson Nationals at Jackson Motorplex will move from June to August, taking place the week after the Knoxville Nationals on Aug. 18-20. This year, Logan Schuchart won his second consecutive Jackson Nationals title and took home the $50,000 prize.
Since being acquired by Tod Quiring in 2020, Huset’s Speedway was catapulted back into the racing scene as a marquee destination and, again, became a must-see event on the World of Outlaws schedule. In 2022, the Brandon, S.D., track will take a step toward being another crown jewel race with the new three-day Huset’s High Bank Nationals that will pay $100,000 to the winner on Saturday. The series will first visit Huset’s on Sunday, June 5, with a fan appreciation party and concert the night prior. Then, the new three-day event will be on Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25. Thursday’s race will pay $15,000-to-win and Friday’s race will pay $20,000-to-win.
For the second time in the 21-year history of the World of Outlaws racing at Beaver Dam (Wis.) Raceway the third-mile track will host a doubleheader weekend on June 17-18. Sheldon Haudenschild claimed the victory at the Wisconsin track this year while defending Series champion Brad Sweet swept the track’s last doubleheader in 2020.
After making an unforgettable return to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car schedule for the first time since 2007 this year, Sharon Speedway will get a second date in 2022. Fans will get to enjoy the Hartford, Ohio, track on May 21 and Sept. 24, extending the 2022 schedule to having 12 events at Ohio tracks.
In addition to the new and surprise addition, many traditional favorites return to the schedule. The California Swing will visit five tracks in March, the Bristol Bash is slated for April 28-30 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the 39th Kings Royal takes place July 13-16 at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway, the 61st Knoxville Nationals is scheduled for Aug. 10-13, the Skagit Nationals at Washington’s Skagit Speedway returns on Sept. 1-3 and the popular National Open at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa., takes place Sept. 30-Oct. 1.
2022 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series Schedule
Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 10-12 – Volusia Speedway Park
Friday, Feb. 25 – Magnolia Motor Speedway
Saturday, Feb. 26 – The Rev
Friday-Saturday, March 4-5 – Cotton Bowl Speedway
Friday-Saturday, March 11-12 – Thunderbowl Raceway
Friday, March 18 – Merced Speedway
Saturday, March 19 – Ocean Speedway
Friday, March 25 – Bakersfield Speedway
Saturday, March 26 – Perris Auto Speedway
Tuesday, March 29 – Vado Speedway Park
Friday, April 1 – Lawton Speedway
Saturday, April 2 – Devil’s Bowl Speedway
Friday, April 8 – US 36 Raceway
Saturday, April 9 – Lake Ozark Speedway (Jason Johnson Classic)
Friday-Saturday, April 15-16 – Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55
Friday, April 22 – Tri-City Speedway (IL)
Saturday, April 23 – Tri-State Speedway (IN)
Thursday-Saturday, April 28-30 – Bristol Motor Speedway
Friday-Saturday, May 6-7 – Eldora Speedway
Tuesday, May 10 – Lincoln Speedway
Friday-Saturday, May 13-14 – Williams Grove Speedway
Tuesday, May 17 – Bridgeport Speedway
Friday, May 20 – Attica Raceway Park
Saturday, May 21 – Sharon Speedway
Saturday, May 28 – Atomic Speedway
Monday, May 30 – Lawrenceburg Speedway
Friday, June 3 – River Cities Speedway
Sunday, June 5 – Huset’s Speedway
Friday-Saturday, June 10-11 – Knoxville Raceway
Friday-Saturday, June 17-18 – Beaver Dam Raceway
Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25 – Huset’s Speedway
Friday-Saturday, July 1-2 – Cedar Lake Speedway
Friday, July 8 – 34 Raceway
Saturday, July 9 – Wilmot Raceway
Tuesday, July 12 – Attica Raceway Park (Brad Doty Classic)
Wednesday-Saturday, July 13-16 – Eldora Speedway
Wednesday, July 20 – Port Royal Speedway
Friday-Saturday, July 22-23 – Williams Grove Speedway
Friday, July 29 – TBA
Saturday, July 30 – Weedsport Speedway
Friday-Saturday, Aug. 5-6 – Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55
Wednesday-Saturday, Aug. 10-13 – Knoxville Raceway
Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 18-20 – Jackson Motorplex
Friday, Aug. 26 – River Cities Speedway
Saturday, Aug. 27 – Red River Valley Speedway
Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 1-3 – Skagit Speedway
Monday, Sept. 5 – Grays Harbor Raceway
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 9-10 – Silver Dollar Speedway
Friday, Sept. 16 – Keller Auto Speedway
Saturday, Sept. 17 – Placerville Speedway
Friday, Sept. 23 – Eldora Speedway
Saturday, Sept. 24 – Sharon Speedway
Friday, Sept. 30-Saturday, Oct. 1 – Williams Grove Speedway
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 7-8 – Port Royal Speedway
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 14-15 – TBA
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 21-22 – TBA
Friday-Saturday, Oct. 28-29 – TBA
Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 3-5 – The Dirt Track at Charlotte