Column: World Of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Vs. PA Posse Battle Set For Historic Spring Start

Story By: CRISTINA CORDOVA / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – PORT ROYAL, PA – For the first time in the history of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, instead of heading west in March, it’ll head north for a four-race swing against the PA Posse.

The Series will make its first Pennsylvania stop at Port Royal Speedway for a doubleheader weekend, March 10-11, before venturing to Williams Grove Speedway on March 17 and Lincoln Speedway on March 18.

Those events also make up four of the six races in the Low-E Insulation FL to PA Spring Showdown six-race points battle – starting at Volusia Speedway Park, March 5-6 – paying out a $20,000 purse to the top three points earners at the end of the chase. After the Feature at Lincoln, the driver with the most points accumulated in those six races will receive $10,000, second gets $6,000 and third gets $4,000.

PORT ROYAL SPEEDWAY – March 10th-11th

The last time the World of Outlaws made a spring visit to Port Royal Speedway was May 27, 1987 – won by Doug Wolfgang. Thirty-six years later, they’ll bring the The Greatest Show on Dirt to the famed half-mile for a doubleheader weekend.

In the Series’ last visit to the track, Anthony Macri swept the weekend to pick up his first two World of Outlaws victories. While that may give the Posse momentum heading into the 2023 edition of their battle, several World of Outlaws stars will be poised to conquer the PA track again.

Ten-time Series champion Donny Schatz has four wins with the World of Outlaws at Port Royal – the most of any driver – while four-time Series champion Brad Sweet, Spencer Bayston – who drives for Pennsylvania-based team CJB Motorsports – and Pennsylvania’s Logan Schuchart each have one win. Current Series points leader David Gravel has yet to score a win at the track but finished in the top-five in both October races.

WILLIAMS GROVE SPEEDWAY – March 17th

For the first time since 2017, the World of Outlaws will make seven stops at Williams Grove Speedway this year. And for the first time ever will compete at the half-mile track in March.

Lance Dewease proved to be the king of the half-mile paperclip again last year, picking up three wins with the World of Outlaws, including the prestigious National Open – extending his win count at the track to 111. Making sure the World of Outlaws weren’t shut out at Williams Grove last year, Sweet broke through for his first win at Williams Grove, where he’s historically struggled before.

And although Schatz hasn’t won at Williams Grove since 2020, his record can’t be ignored. The Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing driver has 21 victories at the track.

Gravel, a nine-time World of Outlaws winner at the track, could be another prime contender, having finished fifth in the last two Williams Grove events.

LINCOLN SPEEDWAY – March 18th

Like Port Royal Speedway and Williams Grove Speedway, this year will mark the earliest the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars have visited Lincoln Speedway. The previous earliest arrival was last year, May 11, when Jacob Allen, of Hanover, PA – 15 minutes from the speedway – brought fans to their feet with his hometown win.

World of Outlaws drivers have won the last three events at Lincoln, including Allen, Brad Sweet in 2021 and Sheldon Haudenschild in 2020.

In addition to seeing who will take home the $10,000 payday for winning the Feature, the event will also host the finale of the Low-E Insulation FL to PA Spring Showdown championship battle, adding another layer to the World of Outlaws versus PA Posse rivalry.