OSBORN, Mo. — Race fans attending this weekend’s World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series events in Missouri will get double the sprint car racing action.
The Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series will join the outlaws for events Friday at U.S. 36 Raceway and Saturday at Lake Ozark Speedway.
No need for the age-old debate of winged vs. non-wing because race fans get both this weekend, with perennial WoO title contenders such as Brad Sweet, Carson Macedo, David Gravel, Sheldon Haudenschild and Donny Schatz leading the winged field, while gassers the likes of C.J. Leary, Robert Ballou, Brady Bacon and Mario Clouser will join the non-winged field.
Bacon, the four-time USAC sprint car champion, plans to guide the Hoffman Auto Racing N. 69 in both events this weekend.
• For only the ninth time in series history, the World of Outlaws has produced eight winners through the opening 12 races of the season.
It’s the fifth time such an occurrence has happened in the last decade, an overwhelming shift compared to only four times through the first 35 seasons.
Entering this weekend, Macedo, Gravel, Haudenschild and Giovanni Scelzi have all won two races, while Brad Sweet, Donny Schatz, Kyle Larson and Brent Marks have won single features.
• Saturday’s fourth annual Jason Johnson Classic at Lake Ozark Speedway gives drivers, teams and fans the chance to reminisce and remember The Ragin’ Cajun, a dearly missed racer, father and friend.
A little extra money ($15,000-to-win) is on the line, but more than anything, Johnson’s fellow competitors just want to enjoy victory lane with his family and take home the trophy with his name on it.
Through the first three years, three different drivers have topped the Jason Johnson Classic. The inaugural event in 2019 was extra emotional with David Gravel driving the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 to victory lane. Since then, Kasey Kahne Racing has ruled the last two races with James McFadden and Brad Sweet claiming victories.
Johnson was killed in a sprint car crash at Beaver Dam Raceway in 2018.
• Last year, Brad Sweet was already a five-time winner by the 12th race of the season. This year, it took until the 11th race for the three-time defending series champion to reach the win column. However, the statistical categories he does lead is proof that “The Big Cat” is laying the foundation to chase his fourth consecutive World of Outlaws championship this season.
The victory lane trips have been less frequent, but the Kasey Kahne Racing, NAPA Auto Parts No. 49 leads the league in podium finishes (6), top fives (9), top 10s (11) and average finish (4.83).
A return to the Show-Me State is a welcomed one for Sweet, who has claimed eight of his 75 career victories in Missouri.
• After winning $20,000 in Saturday’s DuraMAX/Drydene Texas Outlaw Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, Brent Marks will stay on the road for the next two weeks with four more April shows planned with the World of Outlaws.
The Myerstown, Pa., native continues to shine aboard the Murray-Marks Motorsports No. 19, winning twice in six series events since the team was formed late last year.
Dating back to the beginning of last season, Marks has the second-most victories of any non-full-time driver with his four wins only trailing Kyle Larson’s five.
• After suffering through some rough patches in California, 10-time series champion Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing are beginning returning to form with back-to-back podium finishes.
The Ford Performance No. 15 was third at Vado Speedway Park and second at Devil’s Bowl.
Keyword: WoO Notes: Double The Racing In Missouri