CONCORD, N.C. — From February in Florida to North Carolina in November, all dirt roads have led to this week’s championship-crowning moment at World Finals.
After 71 events, the difference from Brad Sweet’s Kasey Kahne Racing No. 49 to David Gravel’s Big Game Motorsports No. 2 is a mere 16 points with a $200,000-to-win World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series championship on the line.
With an expanded event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, the title fight now comes down to three features with $15,000-to-win shows on Wednesday and Friday, followed by a $25,000-to-win season finale on Saturday night. Scheduled to have the day off on Thursday, the superstars of The Greatest Show on Dirt will partake in fan fest from 2 to 4 p.m. along the front stretch access road.
As usual, the 900-plus horsepower beasts will be joined by the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model Series and Super DIRTcar Series Big Block Modifieds in this weeklong extravaganza.
THIS IS IT
It all comes down to this for Brad Sweet and David Gravel, who are separated by 16 points with three races remaining this week.
Sweet has taken a strong command of the championship since March 26 when the series left the West Coast. He held his largest lead of the season (96-points) on September 24 after his fifth win, but Gravel has consistently beaten him for six-straight shows to chop a whopping 80-points out of the lead.
For Sweet, the Grass Valley, Calif., native is chasing his fourth consecutive World of Outlaws championship in the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts No. 49. Another title would move him past Sammy Swindell for third on the all-time list, trailing only Steve Kinser (20) and Donny Schatz (10).
For Gravel, the Watertown, Conn., native is attempting to become the 11th driver to win a World of Outlaws championship through 45 seasons. He finished third in the title chase for four consecutive seasons (2016-19) and then a career-best runner-up (-80 points) last year, and now Gravel is attempting to deliver a title to car owner Tod Quiring.
TALE OF THE TAPE
When it comes to The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Sweet and Gravel have obtained two contrasting resumes at the Concord, N.C., four-tenths-mile and it could be the deciding factor in this championship chase. They each enter with six consecutive top-10s at the track, however, Gravel’s average finish over that span is 1.8 while Sweet’s average is at 5.0.
Gravel is a five-time Charlotte victor, which ranks second behind Donny Schatz (12) through 58 World of Outlaws events. He’s already won at the track with crew chief Cody Jacobs, taking the Big Game Motorsports No. 2 to victory lane during the World Finals opener last year.
Sweet, however, has yet to triumph through 32 attempts at Charlotte, making it his most-visited track without a win. That’s not to say he’s underperformed though, as “The Big Cat” owns five podium finishes and 11 top-five results at KKR’s home venue. He also has the experience advantage of topping the closest championship battle (+4 points over Schatz in 2019) in series history at Charlotte.
KING OF QUEEN CITY
Donny Schatz is the only driver to contest all 58 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series events at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, and as you’d expect, he’s statistically the best.
The Fargo, N.D., native averages a 5.4 finish including 12 wins, another eight runner-up finishes, a staggering total of 31 podium appearances, 39 top-fives, 49 top-10s and only nine finishes outside the top-10 with five of those being a DNF.
Another triumph this week for the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing No. 15 would give Schatz the 306th victory of his career and his fourth of the season.
GOING OUT ON TOP
Outside of the championship battle, several full-time World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series stars will look to close out their 2022 season with one more high note — especially with higher purses including $15,000-to-win prelims and a $25,000-to-win finale this week.
Carson Macedo has wrapped up another championship podium and still has three more chances to make 2022 the winningest season of his career with a 12th victory. The Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 pilot established his Charlotte-best of fourth last year.
Sheldon Haudenschild is 24-points behind Schatz in the battle for fourth in the championship, which would be a new career-best for the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing, NOS Energy Drink No. 17. He’s one win away from reaching 10 for the first time in his career, and it would be his first at Charlotte.
Both Shark Racing stars — Logan Schuchart and Jacob Allen — could add their fifth World of Outlaws win of the year this weekend. Schuchart is a three-time Charlotte winner (2017, 2019, 2020) and Allen has spent time leading laps at the track and owns a career-best of sixth.
END OF THE LINE
The grind finally ends for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year contenders this week as Spencer Bayston and Noah Gass close the curtains on their first season with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series.
Bayston, 24, enjoyed a successful freshman campaign with CJB Motorsports, racking up two wins, 16 top fives, 37 top 10s and an eighth-place points finish. He’ll look for a strong finale at Charlotte, where he’s started on the pole and finished fourth before.
Gass, 19, made strides all season long as he encountered 30-plus new-to-him tracks. He was a two-time top-10 finisher and recorded several KSE Hard Charger Awards prior to Charlotte, where he makes his debut this week.
ADJUSTED FORMAT
Going away from the traditional World Finals schedule, this year’s event adds a whole extra day with more racing and activities for the fans. The NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars will run complete standard shows (qualifying, heats, C-main, dash, LCS, feature) on Wednesday — with late models — and again on Friday — with big block modifieds.
On Saturday, all three divisions will come together for the season finale.
There will be no qualifying sessions with all heat races being lined up by preliminary points, which will utilize the championship format.