DODGE CITY, Kan. — The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is ready to start heading west.
After spending Labor Day weekend in South Dakota, the series invades Kansas for a night before heading back to Colorado for the first time in a decade.
The journey opens with a trip to Dodge City Raceway Park on Saturday, Sept. 12. It’s where Wyatt Earp locked up outlaws decades ago, but the World of Outlaws will run rampant in the Old West town. Dodge City is the most-visited Kansas track in series history with 27 previous stops, and Saturday will mark the first since 2020.
Sunday is a travel day as the tour travels to the “Rocky Mountain State” for the Monday, Sept. 14 invasion of Calhan, Colorado’s El Paso County Raceway. It’ll be The Greatest Show on Dirt’s first race in Colorado in exactly 10 years to the day.
El Paso County was also the destination for that most recent visit on Sept. 14, 2016.
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
The last couple weeks in the Dakotas shook up a couple spots in the points as the tour stares down the final quarter of the season.
Garet Williamson’s summer surge finally lifted him to the sixth position. As recently as mid-June, the Columbia, Mo., native was more than 200 markers behind the spot.
A remarkable run of consistency with 22 top 10s in the last 29 races allowed the Fischer Motorsports No. 23 to make the steep climb. Cracking the top five could be tough for Williamson, but holding on for sixth would undoubtedly be a stellar sophomore season for him.
The other change is Spencer Bayston surpassing fellow NOS Energy Drink driver Chris Windom for ninth. Bayston and the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing team have been on a roll as of late with four consecutive top 10s highlighted by a pair of top fives.
Six points separate him and Windom.
GET TO DODGE
Dodge City may be known for a phrase that suggests leaving town, but the stats say a trio of current World of Outlaws competitors are looking forward to the return.
The first is Fargo, ND’s Donny Schatz. The 10-time champion boasts a stout résumé at the “Sunflower State” track. He’s bagged five wins, 11 podiums, and 22 top 10s in 27 tries. He’s one of only two drivers alongside Daryn Pittman to have topped three in a row at Dodge City.
Schatz is tied with Joey Saldana for the most victories at the oval, a record he could take sole possession of with a trip to victory lane Saturday. A revitalizing visit to Dodge City may be just what Schatz and CJB Motorsports need to shake off a recent slump with one top 10 in the last six races.
Next up is Sheldon Haudenschild. The reason? He’ll head to Dodge City as the most recent series winner after claiming the 2020 finale. The Wooster, Ohio, native also hasn’t finished worse than sixth in his last four tries. Haudenschild enters the weekend in search of his 10th triumph of 2026, which would set a new personal best mark for him.
The third is series sophomore Chris Windom. It’s not the obvious reasoning of him being a former Dodge City winner like the previous two. The Canton, Ill., driver does have Dodge City laps under his belt in a non-winged car and Midget with USAC to the tune of four top 10s in four tries.
He’ll take that experience and the notebook of his car owner and crew chief Jason Sides with him into Saturday. “Double Down” owns a pair of Dodge City scores.
DEFENDING COLORADO
The one and only previous World of Outlaws stop at El Paso County Raceway a decade ago belonged to Jason Johnson. Fast forward to the present, and his team aims to defend that victory.
Carson Macedo and JJR have cemented themselves as one of the sport’s top combinations as they carry on the legacy of the “Ragin’ Cajun.” Macedo has tallied 57 of his 63 career wins with the Missouri-based organization now led by Johnson’s cousin Philip Dietz. The Lemoore, Calif., native has a shot to keep the team undefeated at El Paso County in World of Outlaws competition Monday.
Macedo and the Albaugh No. 41 crew have been building momentum lately. They’ve put together seven top 10s in the last eight races, including four podiums. Monday will mark Macedo’s El Paso County debut.
ANOTHER ONE
The list of 2026 World of Outlaws winners grew again over the weekend.
Emerson Axsom bagged his first series victory, fending off a trio of the best drivers the sport has to offer to bank $25,000 at Huset’s. The Franklin, Ind., native is the fifth new winner this year and 21st overall. That means we’re now only four away from equaling the record of 25 different victors set in 2004.
The schedule shows 19 race nights remain to reach the record. Considering the events ahead and some names that are yet to win this season, it’s definitely not out of reach. World of Outlaws campaigners Bill Balog and Cole Macedo have both been on the podium but not in victory lane in 2026.
Five races in California are on this month’s agenda, serving up opportunities for talented West Coasters like Tim Kaeding, Justin Sanders, and Shane Golobic to snag a checkered flag.
The first weekend of October showcases Williams Grove Speedway’s J&S Classics National Open, where drivers such as Lance Dewease, Danny Dietrich, or Daryn Pittman could be next on the 2026 list.
ONE LAST RUN?
With only the home stretch of the season left, the time is now if Michael “Buddy” Kofoid hopes to make one last run at David Gravel for the World of Outlaws championship.
Hope still exists for Kofoid and his Roth Motorsports crew. First, he was 194 markers behind Gravel a month ago and has trimmed the margin down to 152 since then. Secondly, Dodge City and El Paso County may be new to him, but he’ll face a very familiar stretch following this weekend.
The Penngrove, Calif., native will get five races on home turf as the World of Outlaws head to the left coast for the California swing, and he’s proven to shine when the schedule shifts to the “Golden State.”
Since jumping on tour full-time with Dennis and Teresa Roth’s team, Kofoid has won four of the nine races in his home state.
It’s been an excellent third full season for Kofoid as he’s already matched last year’s win total with a series-leading dozen trips to victory lane. He’d love nothing more than to cap it with his first World of Outlaw title. It’ll be tough but not impossible for the 24-year-old.
