CONCORD, N.C. — After an epic 2022 World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Model season, the series is set for a bigger 2023 with increased purses and several new tracks.
More than $3 million in purse money will be spread through a 53-race schedule at 30 different tracks, including six events with a weekend purse worth more than $200,000 — two boasting more than $250,000.
Entering a new era for the series, 11 new tracks have been added to the tour.
“We’ve taken the schedule and built it in a way that benefits our drivers and fans,” said World of Outlaws CASE Late Model Series Director Steve Francis. “Along with adding several new venues, we increased the purses at several events, creating a platform for great racing all season.”
NEW ADDITIONS
For the first time since 2020, the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will roar into 411 Speedway in April. The series has made three previous appearances at the Seymour, Tenn., oval, with Chris Madden, Brandon Overton, and Cory Hedgecock picking up wins.
When you think Talladega, high-speed, door-to-door action comes to mind. But in 2023, you can also link Talladega with the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models as they debut at the Talladega Short Track. The doubleheader in Eastaboga, Ala., will be on the same weekend as the spring NASCAR event, leading to an epic weekend in “The Heart of Dixie.”
After a year off the schedule, Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., returns for a mid-week event. It’s the only trip the series will make to the Empire State in 2023 and the first since Dave Hess dominated the feature in 2021 for his second World of Outlaws triumph.
The first of two trips to Kentucky are in June as the series visits Paducah International Raceway for the second time.
It will be the first appearance in the Bluegrass State since 2021, when the World of Outlaws visited Richmond Raceway.
A trip to the Cornhusker State is on the horizon in 2023, as the series stops at Off Road Speedway in Norfolk, Neb. It’s the first time the series will visit Nebraska since 2004 when Series Director Steve Francis won at Eagle Raceway.
The World of Outlaws Late Models will also return to Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa, for the first time since 2016. The last time the series appeared at the one-third-mile, the 2015 Series champion Shane Clanton found victory lane, holding off four-time series champion Josh Richards.
The World of Outlaws Late Models will make two stops in North Dakota this season, starting with the return to Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo, N.D. It’s the first visit the series will make at the oval since 2005.
A second Kentucky track will return to the World of Outlaws Late Models schedule with the first appearance at Ponderosa Speedway since 2016. Shane Clanton and Rick Eckert won the other stops at the three-eighths-mile track.
Brownstown Speedway returns to the schedule after a 16-year break. Reigning Series champion Dennis Erb Jr. scored the win in 2007, holding off Earl Pearson Jr. and Don O’Neal for the win.
Another track back on the schedule after a long hiatus is 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa. The last time the series raced at the Hawkeye State oval was in 1989 when Billy Moyer scored the win. It’ll be Iowa’s sixth and final stop for the 2023 season after stops at Mason City, Boone Speedway and Davenport Speedway.
October also marks the final stop of the season in Tennessee, as the series makes its debut at I-75 Raceway. The Niota, Tenn., track is paired up with Georgia’s Senoia Raceway for a fall doubleheader in the Southeast.
NEW SURPRISES
There are two significant regional swings that highlight the middle portion of the 2023 schedule.
The first of those starts in mid-May, when the series runs seven consecutive races through Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio. This includes a $25,000-to-win finale at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio. A seven-race swing through five states is also on tap in June and July, highlighted by a $30,000-to-win race at 81 Speedway in Wichita, Kan.
The Prairie Dirt Classic won’t be the only trip the series makes to Fairbury Speedway in 2023.
The World of Outlaws Late Models will return to the one-fourth-mile bullring on Saturday, Oct. 7, after a trip to 34 Raceway the night before. It’s the first time the series will race in an event at the track outside its traditional July weekend.
HIGH DOLLAR RACES
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will make their annual Spring trip to Illinois for the Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway, Mar. 31 to Apr. 1. An $8,000-to-win feature kicks off the weekend before $25,000 is on the line in the finale on Saturday, April 1.
The Dairyland Showdown at Mississippi Thunder Speedway returns to the schedule for the third consecutive season sporting three nights of action for the second straight year. Drivers will battle to become the big cheese on Saturday, May 6, as $50,000 is up for grabs.
The Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury keeps getting bigger. While the crown jewel is still $50,000-to-win, there’s more money on the line through the field in 2023. That includes the lap money worth $50,000 if one driver can lead every lap of the 100-lap affair.
One week after drivers battle at Fairbury, they’ll return to Wisconsin to battle at Cedar Lake Speedway’s USA Nationals. A $50,000 prize is on the line again at the New Richmond, Wis., oval, as competitors hope to keep Jonathan Davenport out of victory lane for the third straight year.
The World of Outlaws CASE Late Models will end August the same way as the last two seasons with a three-night trip to Davenport Speedway in Davenport, Iowa, for the Quad Cities 150 on Aug. 23 to 25. Tanner English will return to try and win his third straight feature at the event, after scoring his first career win in 2022 on a last-lap pass.
A total of six events this season will have at least $200,000 in total prize money up for grabs throughout the weekend, including the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, Nov. 1 to 4.
2023 World Of Outlaws Late Models Schedule
Thursday, Jan. 19/ Volusia Speedway Park/ Barberville, FL/ $8K to win
Friday, Jan. 20/ Volusia Speedway Park/ Barberville, FL/ $8K to win
Saturday, Jan. 21/ Volusia Speedway Park/ Barberville, FL/ $20K to win
Thursday, Feb. 16/ Volusia Speedway Park/ Barberville, FL/ $10K to win
Friday, Feb. 17/ Volusia Speedway Park/ Barberville, FL/ $12K to win
Saturday, Feb. 18/ Volusia Speedway Park/ Barberville, FL/ $20K to win
Friday, March 3/ Smoky Mountain Speedway/ Maryville, TN/ $10K to win
Saturday, March 4/ Smoky Mountain Speedway/ Maryville, TN/ $15K to win
Friday, March 17/ Boyd’s Speedway/ Ringgold, GA/ $10K to win
Saturday, March 18/ Boyd’s Speedway/ Ringgold, GA/ $20K to win
Friday, March 31/ Farmer City Raceway/ Farmer City, IL/ $8K to win
Saturday, Apr. 1/ Farmer City Raceway/ Farmer City, IL/ $25K to win
Thursday, Apr. 20/ 411 Speedway/ Seymour, TN/ $10K to win
Friday, Apr. 21/ Talladega Short Track/ Eastaboga, AL/ $4K to win (Split Features)
Saturday, Apr. 22/ Talladega Short Track/ Eastaboga, AL/ $50K to win
Thursday, May 4/ Mississippi Thunder Speedway/ Fountain City, WI/$5K to win (Split Features)
Friday, May 5/ Mississippi Thunder Speedway/ Fountain City, WI/ $5K to win (Split Features)
Saturday, May 6/ Mississippi Thunder Speedway/ Fountain City, WI/ $50K to win
Friday, May 19/ Marion Center Raceway/ Marion Center, PA/ $10K to win
Saturday, May 20/ Port Royal Speedway/ Port Royal, PA/ $15K to win
Tuesday, May 23/ Stateline Speedway/ Busti, NY/ $10K to win
Thursday, May 25/ Sharon Speedway/ Hartford, OH/ $6K to win
Friday, May 26/ Sharon Speedway/ Hartford, OH/ $6K to win
Saturday, May 27/ Sharon Speedway/ Hartford, OH/ $25K to win
Friday, June 2, Tri-City Speedway/ Granite City, IL/ $12K to win
Saturday, June 3/ Paducah International Raceway/ Paducah, KY/ $15K to win
Friday, June 23/ 81 Speedway, Wichita, KS/ $4K to win (Split Features)
Saturday, June 24/ 81 Speedway, Wichita, KS/ $30K to win
Sunday, June 25/ Off Road Speedway/ Norfolk, NE/ $10K to win
Tuesday, June 27/ Mason City Motor Speedway/ Mason City, IA/ $10K to win
Wednesday, June 28/ Red River Valley Speedway/ West Fargo, ND/ $10K to win
Friday, June 30/ River Cities Speedway/ Grand Forks, ND/ $12K to win
Saturday, July 1/ I-94 Sure Step Speedway/ Fergus Falls, MN/$15K to win
Friday, July 14/ Ponderosa Speedway/ Junction City, KY/ $15K to win
Saturday, July 15/ Brownstown Speedway/ Brownstown, IN/ $15K to win
Friday, July 28/ Fairbury Speedway/ Fairbury, IL/ $5K to win (Split Features) (Prairie Dirt Classic Night 1)
Saturday, July 29/ Fairbury Speedway/ Fairbury, IL/ $50K to win (Prairie Dirt Classic Night 2)
Tuesday, Aug. 1/ Boone Speedway/ Boone, IA/ $15K to win
Thursday, Aug. 3/ Cedar Lake Speedway New Richmond, WI/ $6K to win
Friday, Aug. 4/ Cedar Lake Speedway/ New Richmond, WI/ TBA
Saturday, Aug. 5/ Cedar Lake Speedway/ New Richmond, WI/ $50K to win
Thursday, Aug. 24/ Davenport Speedway/ Davenport, IA/ $10K to win
Friday, Aug. 25/ Davenport Speedway/ Davenport, IA/ $10K to win
Saturday, Aug. 26/ Davenport Speedway/ Davenport, IA/ $30K to win
Friday, Sept. 29/ Atomic Speedway/ Chillicothe, OH/ $10K to win
Saturday, Sept. 30/ Atomic Speedway/ Chillicothe, OH/ $15K to win
Friday, Oct. 6/ 34 Raceway/ West Burlington, IA/ $10K to win
Saturday, Oct. 7/ Fairbury Speedway/ Fairbury, IL/ $15K to win
Friday, Oct. 13/ I-75 Raceway/ Niota, TN/ $10K to win
Saturday, Oct. 14/ Senoia Raceway/ Senoia, GA/ $15K to win
Wednesday, Nov. 1/ The Dirt Track at Charlotte/ Concord, NC/ $15K to win
Thursday, Nov. 2/ The Dirt Track at Charlotte/ Concord, NC/ $15K to win
Saturday, Nov. 4/ The Dirt Track at Charlotte/ Concord, NC/ $25K to win