MONROE, La. — For the first time since 2007, the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models will make its return to Louisiana for a trip to The Rev.
The two-night spectacular kicks off March 11 with a 40-lap battle, paying $10,000-to-win. Then March 12, the Series returns for an epic $20,000-to-win, 60-lap finale.
One driver could end their trip to the bayou in style with a $30,000 payday if they sweep the weekend – and be the final driver in history to win a dirt race at the track as it will return to its original asphalt form after the weekend.
Several local divisions will join the World of Outlaws Late Models throughout the weekend. On Friday the CRUSA Late Models and the USRA Limited Modifieds join the event while Saturday the 604 Crate Late Models and USRA Factory Stocks are on hand.
Through the first six races, Chris Madden and Dennis Erb Jr. have emerged as early contenders for the championship. Each has a series victory at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park, and Madden leads the standings entering this weekend—38 points ahead of Erb.
Both drivers are also rolling into Louisiana with momentum. Madden found victory lane at his home track Cherokee Speedway last weekend while Erb won the preliminary feature at Clarksville (Tenn.) Speedway’s Toilet Bowl Classic.
Madden has also found success on three-eighths mile tracks in the past, winning at Mississippi Thunder Speedway last May.
For the second straight season, four-time and defending series champion Brandon Sheppard failed to find victory lane at Volusia Speedway Park. Despite his drought during the Florida Speedweek, he enters the weekend with more wins than any other driver in 2022.
Sheppard has six victories this season so far including two at Vado (N.M.) Speedway—a similar track to The Rev. In 2021, four of the Sheppard’s eight wins came on same size tracks — adding 12 top-fives and 14 top-10s. If Sheppard grabs a victory at The Rev, he’ll make history tying Josh Richards for most World of Outlaws wins all-time at 78.
Cade Dillard finally gets his chance to run a national touring series event in front of his home state fans. The Robeline, La. driver, has already tasted victory lane at The Rev, winning two Mississippi State Championship Series events in 2020. “The Thriller” is a multi-time World of Outlaws feature winner including two wins last season at Wisconsin’s Outagamie Speedway and Boone (Iowa) Speedway.
The chase for Rookie of the Year has two contenders fighting tooth and nail after leaving the Sunshine State.
Both Max Blair and Tanner English have traded the top spot in the first six races. Blair holds the lead entering the Pelican State—10 points ahead of English and 86 points ahead of Gordy Gundaker.
Despite Blair and English getting the early jump, Kyle Hammer also turned heads at Volusia Speedway Park.
Hammer scored one top-five finish on the final night of DIRTcar Nationals and led 17 laps in a feature earlier in the week before running into bad luck.