Engine woes halt Overton's WoO plans
ELLISVILLE, Fla. — Without a motor for his self-owned team, Cody Overton of Thomson, Ga., today said he's apparently abandoned his bid for a third consecutive full-time season on the World of Outlaws Late Model Series.
The 28-year-old Overton, who ran the previous two WoO seasons with Dave Steine Racing, is operating a self-owned team in 2026 that’s been plagued by early season engine problems, including when he broke his No. 97’s only available powerplant in Thursday’s practice at Hendry County Motorsports Park in Clewiston, Fla., ahead of WoO's weekend doubleheader.
Overton departed Hendry County and is entered to compete in Friday’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series competition in the Bruce Kane Racing No. 15k, a car he was slated to drive next week at Ocala (Fla.) Speedway. Kane, one of Overton’s primary supporters along with Allen Murray, decided to unload and compete at All-Tech when Overton unexpectedly arrived with plans to assist his older brother, Lucas Oil regular Brandon Overton.
“I've just got to reset,” Overton said in a Friday afternoon interview at All-Tech. “We got too much (equipment) broke and just kind of start over and get everything back going.”
Saying he was “burnt out, spent out,” Overton said he plans to rejoin the World of Outlaws for March 13-14 events at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn., and Smoky Mountain Speedway in Maryville, Tenn., and run most of the tour’s races.
"I'm going to just forget this weekend even happened,” Overton said, “and then just start back over when we go to Smoky and just kind of see how things go on, and if it works it works. If not, so be it.”
Entering the weekend, Overton was 11th in WoO points with a single top-10 finish, a seventh-place run Feb. 13 at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla.
