Column: Louisiana, Texas Showdown Sets Stage For WoO Late Model Road To World Finals
Column By: MATT SKIPPER / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – GREENWOOD, LA – All eyes are on the World of Outlaws CASE Construction Equipment Late Models as the final five races are next until a champion is crowned at World of Outlaws World Finals.
Kicking off a weekend in the South, the Series stops in Louisiana for the first time since 2007 at Boothill Speedway for the $15,000-to-win Bayou Classic on Friday, Sept. 27. Before the racing begins at the 1/3-mile dirt track, there will be a kickoff party from 8-11 p.m. CST, featuring live music from Don Hayes.
Then, it’s a westbound trip to Petty, TX for the Texas Torpedo 50 at Rocket Raceway Park with $15,000 up for grabs and the momentum to end the season on a high note before the finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in November.
Here are the top storylines to look out for:
Three-Way Title Standoff: Current World of Outlaws CASE Late Models points leader Brandon Sheppard holds a 54-point margin over his two championship adversaries in 2024 – Bobby Pierce and Nick Hoffman – with little room for error between the three.
Sheppard’s three wins, 22 top-fives, and Series-leading 30 top-10s have the New Berlin, IL driver in prime position to end the season with the Longhorn Factory Team hoisting his record-breaking fifth Series title.
Pierce has been the top dirt Late Model driver in 2024 with 12 Series wins, crown jewel triumphs in the NAPA Gopher 50, Prairie Dirt Classic, USA Nationals, North-South 100, World 100, and most recently the Late Model Knoxville Nationals on Saturday. However, time is running out on the Oakwood, IL driver’s chances of catching Sheppard for his second consecutive Series title.
Hoffman disregarded any possibility of a sophomore slump in his 2024 season with the Series. The Mooresville, NC pilot’s five Feature wins, 18 top-fives, 26 top-10s, and 258 laps led are the most by a reigning World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year honoree since Watertown, NY’s Tim McCreadie in 2005.
Born on the Bayou: Robeline, LA’s own Cade Dillard enters the weekend with a strong home-field advantage at his native grounds on Friday night at Boothill Speedway.
The Dillard family has long ties to Boothill, dating back to Cade’s father, Greg, racing at the 1/4-mile facility. Dillard and his little brother, Caleb, have both won at Boothill previously.
Bobby Pierce is the only other Outlaw to win at “The Hill”, coming in March at the Ronny Adams Memorial from battling alongside Dillard for the Feature win.
Five More Chances: An incredible 33 races completed in the season lies five more opportunities for competitors to park their car in World of Outlaws Victory Lane before 2024 concludes.
Among the drivers that won in 2023 and have yet to score this season are Kyle Bronson, and 2022 Series champion Dennis Erb Jr. Outlaws looking to snag their first career Series points win include Tyler Bruening, Dustin Sorensen, Max McLaughlin, Brent Larson, Cody Overton, Tristan Chamberlain, and Dustin Walker.
With two new tracks on tap for these competitors in Louisiana and Texas, there is an opportunity for any driver to break through for a Feature win with the Series before it is over.
Don’t Mess With Texas: Returning to the Lone Star State for the first time since 2017, the World of Outlaws CASE Late Models visit Rocket Raceway Park on Saturday night as the final track to debut on the season’s schedule.
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the track’s opening in 2014, the Petty, TX area has seen notable winners, including MD3 Rookie of the Year points leader Dustin Sorensen, Jake Timm, Cade Dillard, and reigning Summer Nationals champion Tyler Erb. Sorensen, Timm, and Dillard took their triumphs aboard a UMP Modified.
Saturday’s Texas Torpedo 50 marks the last race until the four-day season finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte as drivers continue to shuffle positions inside the points standings through the remainder of 2024.
