STOCKTON, Calif. — Stockton Dirt Track sent a shockwave through California’s Central Valley Saturday night.
Aromas’ own Justin Sanders caused the grandstands to absolutely erupt. He’d been trying to beat the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series on his home turf for more than a decade. Time and time again he’d come close when the tour rolled through the “Golden State” but come up short.
Not on Saturday.
The 34-year-old finally checked a win with The Greatest Show on Dirt off the bucket list in perhaps the most spectacular fashion possible.
The Dennis Roth Classic finale put a huge $83,000 payday up for grabs at Stockton, and Sanders finally broke through in the Mittry Motorsports No. 2X. He got the lead at the start of the 40-lapper before relinquishing it to Emerson Axsom later. That looked as if it may send Axsom to victory as he pulled away, but traffic brought Sanders back into the picture in the closing circuits.
Axsom left the door open in the final set of corners, and Sanders barged through with a slide job to steal the checkered flag and massive check.
“I thought it was over,” Sanders admitted. “You don’t ever give up until the last lap. I stuck it in there and thought we were clear. I thought I saw the white then I thought I was the double checkered… This is awesome. You never know if you’re going to be able to get that Outlaw win. You don’t know how you’re going to feel. I don’t know how I feel right now. A lot of late nights in the shop, a lot of stuff in the small garage. This is awesome. I don’t know what to say.”
Sanders is the 161st different winner in World of Outlaws history and sixth different first-timer in 2026, joining Kasey Kahne, Bryce Lucius, Chris Windom, Garet Williamson and Emerson Axsom. He’s the 23rd different winner this season, just two away from equaling the record of 25 set in 2004. It’s the first World of Outlaws triumph for Demo Mittry’s team, Mittry Racing.
Emerson Axsom settled for a heartbreaking runner-up in the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports No. 27 after letting the lead slip away with the finish line in sight.
James McFadden brought the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 home third, falling only two spots shy of sweeping the Dennis Roth Classic after Friday’s victory.
David Gravel and Buddy Kofoid completed the top five.
The finish:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 2X-Justin Sanders[2]; 2. 27-Emerson Axsom[1]; 3. 21-James McFadden[3]; 4. 2-David Gravel[7]; 5. 83-Michael Kofoid[4]; 6. 17-Spencer Bayston[9]; 7. 41-Carson Macedo[11]; 8. 2XM-Max Mittry[5]; 9. 23-Garet Williamson[14]; 10. 17W-Shane Golobic[24]; 11. 2C-Cole Macedo[17]; 12. 0-Tim Kaeding[21]; 13. 16C-Skylar Gee[12]; 14. 2A-Austin Wood[23]; 15. 1S-Logan Schuchart[22]; 16. 21L-Landon Brooks[10]; 17. 2K-Jake Andreotti[15]; 18. 17B-Bill Balog[19]; 19. 7C-Dylan Bloomfield[18]; 20. 83T-Tanner Carrick[20]; 21. (DNF) 10-Dominic Gorden[8]; 22. (DNF) 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[6]; 23. (DNF) 3-Kaleb Montgomery[13]; 24. (DNF) 28M-Conner Morrell[16]
