BARBERVILLE, Fla. — When the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series returns to Volusia Speedway Park in March for the Low-E Insulation Spring Showdown, fans will see even more action than expected.
The remaining portion of the World of Outlaws DIRTcar Nationals finale — including the Toyota Dash and Big Gator Championship determining feature, which was unable to be run due to rain — will be Sunday, March 5, before the originally scheduled program.
The 30-lap, $16,000-to-win race will conclude the Big Gator Championship points battle and award one driver the coveted Big Gator trophy.
The makeup program will be one of three features at The World’s Fastest Half-Mile during Bike Week and will serve as a prelude for the originally scheduled Low-E Insulation FL to PA Spring Showdown. The mini-series offers a $20,000 points fund to competitors who follow The Greatest Show on Dirt from Volusia (March 5-6) up to Port Royal Speedway (March 10-11), Williams Grove Speedway (March 17) and Lincoln Speedway (March 18).
After winning back-to-back races — within seven hours of each other on Friday — to open this season’s campaign, David Gravel and Big Game Motorsports will return to Volusia atop the points for the World of Outlaws and the DIRTcar Nationals. He currently leads Logan Schuchart by 12 points and Carson Macedo by 18 points in the event standings.
If Gravel can run sixth or better in the DIRTcar Nationals feature, he’ll automatically clinch a third Big Gator Championship. However, he’s slated to start ninth in the 30-lapper whereas Schuchart (P3) and Macedo (P5) will have a chance to race for the pole position in the Toyota Dash.
Volusia Recap
Before the rain came during DIRTcar Nationals on Feb. 11, Macedo became the third different driver of the DIRTcar Nationals weekend to top Low-E Insulation Qualifying, circling Volusia’s half-mile in 13.807 seconds at an average of 110 mph.
His 20th career QuickTime award ranks as the fourth-most — behind Gravel (55), Sweet (32) and Haudenschild (21) — over his five-year tenure as a full-time World of Outlaws driver.
James McFadden won the first CASE No. 1 Engine Oil heat race, while NOS Energy Drink heats two to four went to Brian Brown, Logan Schuchart and Spencer Bayston. Sheldon Haudenschild claimed the MicroLite Last Chance Showdown mere moments before the downpour began, which allowed the feature lineup to be set and to be held in three weeks.
Racing for the pole position of the DIRTcar Nationals finale in the Toyota Dash will be Jacob Allen (P1), McFadden (P2), Schuchart (P3), Bayston (P4), Macedo (P5), Sweet (P6), Brown (P7) and Donny Schatz (P8).
DIRTcar Nationals Points
1. 2-David Gravel (574); 2. 1S-Logan Schuchart (-12); 3. 41-Carson Macedo (-18); 4. 11-Buddy Kofoid (-30); 5. 49-Brad Sweet (-34); 6. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (-48); 7. 19-Brent Marks (-56); 8. 83-James McFadden (-76); 9. 13-Justin Peck (-78); 10. 39M-Anthony Macri (-88).
WoO Series Standings
1. 2-David Gravel (300); 2. 11-Buddy Kofoid (-8); 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart (-16); 4. 17-Sheldon Haudenschild (-26); 5. 41-Carson Macedo (-34); 6. 48-Danny Dietrich (-36); 7. 7S-Robbie Price (-38); 8. 19-Brent Marks (-38); 9. 49-Brad Sweet (-48); 83-James McFadden (-48).