BRANDON, S.D. — The world’s best sprint car drivers are heading to Huset’s Speedway for a huge tripleheader this Labor Day weekend.
The L.G. Everist Huset’s Shootout brings the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series back to Huset’s Speedway for three big nights, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 4-6.
A pair of $15,000-to-win prelims will set the stage for a $25,000-to-win Sunday showdown at the third-mile.
Fans can expect an interesting format for the tripleheader. The two prelims will utilize the standard World of Outlaws format, but they’ll set the stage for a unique finale with inverted heat races and passing points helping line up the feature.
MONEYMEN
A pair of drivers have made some hefty deposits to their bank accounts over the last few years thanks to Huset’s Speedway.
The first is Michael “Buddy” Kofoid. A devastating mechanical issue while leading the 2023 Huset’s High Bank Nationals lit a fire under him and Roth Motorsports that keeps on burning. Since then, Huset’s has hosted five races offering a six-figure winner’s check, and Kofoid has claimed four of them. The big paydays are only a piece of the Penngrove, CA native’s overall success in Brandon, S.D.
Overall, he’s won seven of the last 11 World of Outlaws features at Huset’s. The first of his career also came there in 2022.
The second is two-time and defending series champion David Gravel. He and Big Game Motorsports kept Tod Quiring’s money in house when they cashed in for $250,000 at the 2023 High Bank Nationals. Then, they did it again when the winner’s share climbed to a record $300,000. Overall, Gravel boasts five Huset’s victories in the Big Game No. 2.
GUNS BLAZIN’
Kofoid and Gravel are far from the only World of Outlaws drivers capable of cleaning up at the Huset’s Shootout.
Donny Schatz has found success at nearly every track he’s ever visited, and Huset’s is no exception. The third-mile is responsible for four of his 317 career wins. The CJB Motorsports No. 15 finished on the podium during the final two nights of this year’s High Bank Nationals.
Sheldon Haudenschild is a fellow four-time Huset’s victor. His first three came with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing before adding one with KCP Racing in June. Haudenschild heads to Huset’s third in the standings, trailing Kofoid by 40 markers.
He’s never won a World of Outlaws event there, but Garet Williamson topped a trio of local Huset’s races before joining The Greatest Show on Dirt. The Fischer Motorsports pilot is fresh off securing his first series checkered flag at River Cities Speedway.
Carson Macedo’s résumé lists two Huset’s triumphs since joining forces with Jason Johnson Racing (2022 and 2024). They’ll roll into South Dakota with the momentum of four podiums in the last five races.
Logan Schuchart and the Shark Racing No. 1s team snagged a High Bank Nationals prelim in 2023. They stumbled a bit over the weekend in North Dakota, but they’ve still been one of the hottest teams all summer with 14 top fives in the last 20 races.
Spencer Bayston took the CJB Motorsports No. 5 to Huset’s victory lane in 2022. The Lebanon, Ind., native wheeled the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing No. 17 to a pair of top fives over the weekend in North Dakota.
It wasn’t in a sprint car, but Chris Windom grabbed a pair of Huset’s trophies in 2021 with the USAC National Midgets. He’ll chase another this weekend in the Sides Motorsports No. 7s.
TWENTY
A milestone of parity was hit over the weekend in North Dakota as 2026 continues to inch toward a record.
Garet Williamson’s popular first series win made him the 20th different driver to visit victory lane this year with the World of Outlaws. That means 2026 is only the 10th time in 49 seasons of history that at least 20 competitors have topped a race. The record of 25 set in 2004 isn’t out of reach with more than 20 races left on the calendar.
Looking ahead to this weekend at Huset’s and who could be No. 21, Bill Balog immediately stands out. Last year the “North Pole Nightmare” topped a High Bank Nationals prelim and followed it up with a runner-up in the finale.
Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies leader Emerson Axsom could also add his name. He led laps and finished third at Huset’s in 2024. Cole Macedo is still hunting his first series victory. His best Huset’s effort is fifth in June this year.
ROOKIE ON A ROLL
Every rookie World of Outlaws campaign is bound to bring some bumps along the way, but Emerson Axsom and Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports are starting to piece together a solid run.
Axsom’s current top-10 streak of five straight is by far his most consistent stretch of the season. The No. 27 has reeled off finishes of 10th at Ogilvie Raceway, fifth at Jackson Motorplex, sixth at River Cites Speedway, sixth at Fix It Forward Speedway, and eighth at Nodak Speedway. That’s an average result of seventh on the dot.
Axsom sits 12th in points as he cruises toward becoming the next Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies. Looking at the standings, Axsom climbing a few spots before the year is over isn’t unrealistic. Bill Balog is 11th and only 22 points in front, and then it’s Spencer Bayston in 10th (48 points ahead), Chris Windom in ninth (74 points ahead), and Cole Macedo in eighth (118 points ahead).
TIMMS’ TURF
There’s another driver with a strong chance to add his name to the list of 2026 winners this weekend, and his name is Ryan Timms.
The 20-year-old may be from Oklahoma City, Okla., but Huset’s has become de facto home turf for him over the last couple of years. Timms linked with Liebig Motorsports, a team based in Rapid City, S.D., and the pairing has become one of the country’s top combinations among those that follow a pick-and-choose schedule.
This year Timms has taken the No. 10 to 15 total victories, including a dozen in 410 competition. Timms’ 12 trails only Chase Dietz (18) and Aaron Reutzel (14). He’s fresh off locking up track championships at both Huset’s Speedway and Knoxville Raceway. It marked his second year in a row taking the Huset’s title.
Now, Timms and Shane Liebig’s crew aim to protect home turf with the best of the best coming to town. Timms is yet to top the World of Outlaws at Huset’s, but he’s come close with a pair of podiums, including a 2024 runner-up.
Timms will lead the charge of many Huset’s regulars in search of success on the big stage.
