Performance Racing Industry Trade Show
Sponsor-searching WoO touts schedule, purses
By Kyle McFadden
DirtonDirt staff reporter
The series is seeking a new title sponsor. (WoO)
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Dec. 12) — When social media users noticed Thursday that the World of Outlaws Late Model Series had changed its profile photos across its website, Facebook and X platforms, speculation followed regarding Real American Beer’s status as title sponsor.
World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter confirmed to DirtonDirt that the series is searching for its third title sponsor in as many years ahead of the 2026 season, which opens Jan. 22–24 with the Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla. Even so, Carter expects the World of Outlaws Late Model Series to secure a new title partner, potentially before the end of the calendar year.
“We have a lot of things in the works. We have several people we’re talking to, a couple with very serious proposals, and some of them are in negotiations. I’m excited about that,” Carter said Friday at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show. “We were excited about Real American Beer, but it just didn’t work out. We’re looking forward to what we have coming. We’ve run the series with sponsors and without sponsors. Of course, I’d much rather have a partner that’s helping us promote the sport. We’re going to have a partner in 2026, I just don’t know exactly who it will be. I’d like to have that announced before the end of the year, but it could slip into January. Either way, it’s going to be exciting prospects.”
Even as the title sponsorship situation unfolds, the WoO tour is shaping up for its most lucrative season yet, fueled by one of the most diverse schedules in series history. The 61-race 2026 campaign, an increase from the 58 events in ’25, spans 37 tracks across 19 states. The schedule includes eight first-time series stops as well as eight tracks returning from hiatus.
Among the most-discussed additions is Feb. 20-21’s debut at Hendry County Motorsports Park in Clewiston, Fla. Not only is that a new location for the tour, but the event overlaps with Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series opening weekend at All-Tech Raceway less than five hours north in Ellisville, Fla. It’s the first time the national touring schedules have conflicted in February since 2019.
Series director Steve Francis has cultivated Hendry County’s appearance since he took over the tour in 2023.
“The Hendry County event, we’ve been working on that for probably about two to three years,” Francis said Thursday at PRI. “I’ve been down there the last two years to check out the racetrack and assess what needed to be done. We’ve steadily made improvements and finally got all the pieces in place, including support from the county and the town. Everything came together at the right time.”
Regarding the overlap with the Lucas Oil tour’s opening weekend, Francis simply wanted to fill more gaps on the series schedule.
“They’re doing their thing and we’re doing our thing, and we hope it’s what’s best for the sport all the way around,” Francis said of the Lucas Oil tour and WoO tour finding Speedweeks dates. “Either way, it’s definitely going to be a different look for a lot of race teams. We did have that 75-80 days off between the World Finals to Sunshine Nationals. Then you race that three or four weeks there, or five weeks, whatever it was in a row (under the traditional Speedweeks schedule), and you had four more weeks off before the (rest of the) season started.
“Well, what we’ve truly done is, yes, that gap for us is two weeks shorter than it could be, but that four weeks we had at the end of February and very first few weeks of March is gone now, too. Basically, once you start racing now, there’s no break. And it doesn’t matter which series you’re on, really there’s not much of a break. We have a two-week break after Hendry County” until the tour resumes March 13 at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn.
The 2026 slate includes an anticipated return to Mansfield (Ohio) Speedway, which will host the 57 Special May 29-30. The track being reopened by former NASCAR driver Matt Tifft offers $57,000-to-win and $5,700-to-start one week ahead of Eldora Speedway’s $100,000-to-win Dream in Rossburg, Ohio.
“That race is what every racer always asks about, and it’s what they all talk about,” Francis said. “I believe this weekend at Mansfield is going to be big for everyone involved.”
Before Mansfield, WoO has a Thursday event at Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio, part of the growing trend of weeknight series events. A dozen events in 2026 fall between Monday and Thursday, compared with nine in 2025. Other 2026 midweek stops include Georgetown (Del.) Speedway on May 13; Selinsgrove (Pa.) Speedway on May 14; Ogilvie (Minn.) Raceway on June 22; I-94 EMR Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minn., on June 24; Norman County Raceway in Ada, Minn., on June 30; Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., on July 8; and Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Aug. 26.
Carter emphasized that the expanded schedule is designed to meet the needs of teams and fans alike.
“Our teams want us to race more, and we’re going to continue to meet those needs while filling grandstands across as many states as possible,” he said. “Steve does a great job; he has a better understanding of the Late Model world than we’ve ever had. Hitting some new locations while keeping our marquee events strong. Our geography is diverse, and I’m very proud of that.”
Incorporating new or returning tracks is intentional, Francis said.
“There are a tremendous number of great racetracks that deserve events. I’ll always try to include eight to 10 new tracks each year, whether they rotate every other year or depending on what works for the racetracks,” he said.
The 2026 schedule maintains its traditional focus on the Midwest (33 races) and Southeast (23 races), while the Northeast — including Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania — hosts eight races while Ohio and West Virginia combine for seven. Francis expressed a desire to expand further in the Northeast and Ohio Valley but acknowledged the limitations of the schedule.
“We didn’t have places to put all of our events in there. There are many great racetracks we couldn’t reach this year,” he said.
The series also added more than $800,000 to purse payouts for 2026.
“That’s probably the single thing we’re most proud about,” Francis said. “It’s a big boost for one season, and that’s just for the A-main, not including contingencies, winner’s circles, or point funds.”
Overall, the tour will distribute $4.9 million in feature purses, plus a $1.1 million point fund paying $225,000 to the champion. Each Saturday night event will award at least $20,000-to-win with an A-main purse exceeding $81,000.
Teams will see familiar faces on WoO’s staff, including technical director Melvin Welch, and see the continued season-long points format, which Carter considers “fundamental to maintaining the series history.”
On Friday night, Lucas Oil Series director Rick Schwallie announced that the tour newly-owned by FloSports is moving away from the playoff format used since 2023 and reverting to the tour’s “traditional” points format in ’26.
“I want the the guys to go racing for wins, but as a fan, I think it’s important to understand how they’re racing,” Carter said, commenting prior to Lucas Oil’s reversal. “There’s no gimmicks or versions of that. I want the guys racing for points. … We’re going to be points racing, traditional racing. I want to make it where the top guys are running for wins and they also get rewarded with a championship.”
WoO’s top three drivers are expected to return with DirtonDirt Driver of the Year Bobby Pierce, Nick Hoffman, and Ryan Gustin, among others. Up-and-comer Trey Mills, 17, headlines the 2026 rookie class, with more first-year touring drivers expected to join before Volusia’s Jan. 22 opener.
“I’m very happy with where we are and the things we have going on,” Francis said. “I’m a guy who’s never satisfied; you always want to be better and do things differently. You think you’ve got it perfect, and then you realize there are ways to improve. Brian Carter and this team allow me to make those changes, and that’s what makes the future exciting for this series.”
