Column: WoO Late Model’s June Slate Includes Seven-Race, 10-Day Swing Through The Heartland

Column By: SPENCE SMITHBACK / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CONCORD, NC – Pack your bags, because the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision is about to head out on a summer road trip.

After a break in the schedule allowing teams to partake in the Dirt Late Model Dream and the opening weeks of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, the season gets rolling again with the busiest stretch of racing of the year.

The Series will log more than 1,200 miles across four states between June 20-29, with seven nights of racing on the itinerary at six different tracks.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead:

I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park | St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff (June 20-21): One of the most universally loved tracks in dirt racing is back on the calendar in 2025.

For the first time in three years, the World of Outlaws will go head-to-head with the stars of the Hell Tour for a pair of races on the 1/4-mile. They’ll be joined by the Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota and the DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals to round out the tripleheader.

Dennis Erb Jr.’s three victories make him the only current Outlaw who has found Victory Lane with the Series at Pevely before, as he won for the first time in 2012 and then swept the weekend in 2022. Other past winners in the 11 World of Outlaws races held at the track since 2005 include Billy Moyer (’05), Clint Smith (’07), Shane Clanton (’08), Shannon Babb (’10), Josh Richards (’11, ’13) and Brandon Sheppard (’17, ’18).

Independence Motor Speedway | Monday Madness (June 23): The first of two Monday night events on the schedule is coming up this month with the seventh World of Outlaws stop at Iowa’s Independence Motor Speedway.

Bobby Pierce won the return trip to the 3/8-mile after a five-year hiatus last season, and he’s looking to go back-to-back this year. If someone else can get the job done, they’ll become the fifth World of Outlaws winner at Independence alongside Pierce, Richards (’11), Darrell Lanigan (’12, ’13, ’14) and Sheppard (’19).

I-94 EMR Speedway | Fergus Falls Showdown (June 26): The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet will make their first stop of the year in the “Gopher State” when they bring the Thursday night thunder to I-94 EMR Speedway.

The 2025 running of the Fergus Falls Showdown will be the race’s third edition – Frank Heckenast Jr. won the first World of Outlaws race at the track in 2021 before Pierce followed him up two years later in 2023.

River Cities Speedway | Grand Forks Showdown (June 27): River Cities Speedway may be widely known as an annual highlight of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car schedule, but the North Dakota bullring has become a summertime staple for the Late Models as well.

The Series has been traveling to Grand Forks each year since the third season of the revitalized tour in 2006 when Lanigan took the inaugural victory. River Cities has been producing unforgettable racing ever since, and the list of winners is a who’s who of World of Outlaws history. In addition to Lanigan, past champions Richards (’09), Tim McCreadie (’11, ‘15), Clanton (’17, ‘22), Mike Marlar (’18), Sheppard (’19, ’20) and Erb (’21) have all graced Victory Lane, as have current Outlaws Ryan Gustin (’23) and Brian Shirley (’24).

Norman County Raceway | Norman County Showdown (June 28): The World of Outlaws made their long-awaited debut at Norman County Raceway in 2024, and they’re back for more one year later.

Last summer featured a race of attrition, with Kyle Bronson, Pierce and Gustin all experiencing trouble while leading. That opened the door for Nick Hoffman, who got by Devin Moran with eight laps to go for his fifth win of the year.

Nodak Speedway | Minot Mayhem (June 29): The busiest week of the season comes to an end with a four-hour westward tow to Minot, ND for the first World of Outlaws race at Nodak Speedway since 1989.

The 3/8-mile hosted a two-night show as part of the second season of the Series, with Moyer and Mitch Johnson splitting the wins. While Nodak has not hosted national-level Late Model racing since then, the Northern Late Model Racing Association has made plenty of appearances at the track over the past three decades – two of them being won by Donny Schatz (’18, ’19).