BARBERVILLE, Fla. — The wait is over. The 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season is ready to fire off.
Since 1978, the World of Outlaws has showcased the top sprint car talent on tracks across the country. Ted Johnson cultivated an idea into a legacy that carries on nearly five decades later.
All eyes are on Volusia Speedway Park where the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals is set to ignite the campaign.
The Greatest Show on Dirt will be on display over four consecutive nights (Feb. 4-7) at the Florida half-mile, culminating in a $20,000-to-win/$1,500-to-start finale.
It’s not only the nightly purse money up for grabs. Points will be tallied throughout the week to distribute a fund to the top three and crown a Big Gator champion.
Gravel Eyes Three-Peat
Only three men – Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, and Brad Sweet – have ever been able to claim three consecutive World of Outlaws Sprint Car titles. The opportunity to make it four drivers stands ahead of David Gravel.
He and Big Game Motorsports are the two-time and defending champions. The Tod Quiring-owned team has brought the entire core of crew members back in Cody Jacobs (crew chief) Pete Stephens (car chief), and Zach Patterson (tire specialists), along with adding a fourth set of hands on the road, former Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing car chief Luke Vaughn. All the pieces are in place to chase a third straight crown.
Volusia has historically been good to Gravel. The Watertown, Conn., native owns seven World of Outlaws checkered flags there, including adding a pair last year. He’s tied with Daryn Pittman for the most DIRTcar Nationals Big Gators with three and has a shot at a record-breaking fourth this week.
Gator Grabbers
Gravel is far from the only 2026 World of Outlaws competitor with a gator or two in their collection.
A section of Donny Schatz’s trophy room might be mistaken for a swamp courtesy of his Volusia history. He’s topped a whopping 24 main events at the track, including 15 in World of Outlaws competition. The 10-time series champion opens a new chapter this week as he’s teamed with CJB Motorsports and has Barry Jackson on the wrenches.
Volusia’s victory lane has welcomed Carson Macedo on five occasions, most recently last year’s season opener. He’s still in search of a Big Gator title and will be gunning for one as his sixth consecutive year with Jason Johnson Racing begins.
Logan Schuchart caught little gators with wins in 2020 and 2021 (twice) and hauled in a pair of Big Gator Championships (2021 and 2023) to go along with that trio. The Hanover, Pa., native is set to start his 13th season on tour aboard the Shark Racing No. 1s.
The first World of Outlaws victory of Sheldon Haudenschild’s career came at Volusia in 2018, and he’s since added two more at the Florida oval (2022 and 2024). He’ll be debuting in his new ride – the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink No. 18 – this week.
Starting Strong
There are several capable competitors among this year’s World of Outlaws roster that will be in search of their first Volusia victory to kick the season off on the right foot.
Michael “Buddy” Kofoid has asserted himself as potentially Gravel’s biggest threat for the championship, but the Penngrove, Calif., native is yet to top a Volusia visit. The Roth Motorsports pilot was twice a runner-up at the 2023 DIRTcar Nationals.
Spencer Bayston is teamed with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing for 2026 and would love nothing more than to check the Volusia win box to start the year. He’s still in search of his first sprint car triumph since August of 2023.
Bill Balog exceeded expectations a year ago by tallying a trio of checkered flags in his second season. A Volusia victory has eluded him to this point in his career, with a sixth-place result in 2025 standing as his best.
Four sophomores – Garet Williamson, Cole Macedo, Chris Windom and Conner Morrell – are all eying a speedy start to their second campaigns by scoring not only their first Volusia win, but their first World of Outlaws checkered flag.
Rookie Battle
After 2025 delivered one of the most compelling rookie-of-the-year contests in series history, 2026 is sure to serve up another with four drivers currently committed to compete.
Ashton Torgerson was the first to toss his name into the hat, announcing his 2026 plans during World Finals last year. Torgerson’s move brings the famed Shark Racing No. 1a back on tour. The 19-year-old impressed last year as he and the Shark crew ran a pick and choose schedule from April onward, leading Torgerson to many new tracks. The pairing picked up a local win at BAPS Motor Speedway among many stout finishes.
Scotty Thiel hooked up with Greg Wheeler Motorsports for his maiden voyage with The Greatest Show on Dirt. The Sheboygan, Wis., native is an Interstate Racing Association champion (2024) and spent some time touring with ASCoC in 2023. Thiel has 38 career 410 sprint car wins to his credit.
Scott Bogucki teamed with Three Stooges Racing last August, and they put the pieces in place for a full World of Outlaws campaign in 2026. The Australian has a pair of American Sprint Car Series seasons under his belt.
Kasey Jedrzejek is climbing aboard the Bill Rose Racing No. 6 for his rookie season. The LaGrange, Ohio, native sat on the pole of last year’s Kings Royal and picked up a World of Outlaws top five at Millstream Speedway.
Filling Florida
Expect a packed pit area this week in Florida as plenty of talent plans on battling the full-time World of Outlaws contingent. The DIRTcar Nationals continues to grow with last year’s running attracting more than 50 entrants.
Ryan Timms and the Liebig Motorsports team plan to escape the cold and make the long haul from their shop in Rapid City, S.D. to Florida. The pairing topped 18 races a year ago, highlighted by the Knoxville Nationals and Tuscarora 50. The Oklahoman is a two-time United Sprint Car Series winner at Volusia.
The Pennsylvania Posse plan to send plenty of representation off the porch. Anthony Macri, Danny Dietrich, Brock Zearfoss, Chase Dietz (and T.J. Stutts have Volusia on their schedules. All five have World of Outlaws wins on their résumés.
Tyler Courtney and Brian Brown are both set to continue their comebacks from injuries sustained in 2025. The duo competed last week with ASCS at the Florida oval with Courtney winning both Thursday and Friday – putting him in contention for his first Big Gator title Monday night.
“Sunshine” also owns a World of Outlaws win at Volusia from 2024.
The new pairings of Daison Pursley with Kasey Kahne Racing and Tanner Holmes with Buch Motorsports will be on display. Both debuted at World of Outlaws World Finals last November. Pursley is a former USAC Sprint Car winner at Volusia while this week marks Holmes’ “World’s Fastest Half Mile” debut.
Additional competitors expected at Volusia include Austin McCarl, Sam Hafertepe Jr., Justin Peck, Parker Price-Miller Hank Davis and more.
