World of Outlaws Night Before The Ironman 55

A frantic final few laps sees Windom hold off Kofoid and Watt for first career Series victory

The tears nearly came pouring out for Chris Windom.

The 35-year-old has accomplished plenty in his racing career, but Friday night at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park was different. He’s one of only eight men that can call themselves a USAC Triple Crown champion. But since switching his focus to wings, a victory with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series had eluded him.

Until Friday’s Night Before the Ironman.

“Big Daddy” dominated the 40-lapper in the Sides Motorsports/NOS Energy Drink No. 7S. He sliced his way through heavy traffic on a tricky surface and held off a late charge from both Michael “Buddy” Kofoid and Kelby Watt. Finally, in his 114th career Feature start, Windom became a winner with The Greatest Show on Dirt.

“I don’t even know how to put it into words,” Windom said. “It’s almost getting me emotional. I’ve put so much time into trying to get successful at this and been working at it with Ian (Lyon) and J (Jason Sides) and obviously NOS Energy Drink with Lauren Albano sticking behind me. It’s been a work in progress. I know tonight was kind of perfect circumstances with how wet the track was, but you still had to get through lapped traffic. It was really tough. Everything we did all night helped the car and made it perfect there.”

Windom is the 158th different driver to win a World of Outlaws race in Series history and the 18th different competitor to visit Victory Lane this year. Of the eight USAC Triple Crown winners, Windom is only the second to have their name on the World of Outlaws win list alongside Tony Stewart. It gave Jason Sides his first score as an owner since he wheeled his No. 7S to victory at I-30 Speedway in April of 2016.

Buddy Kofoid threw a last lap slide job on Kelby Watt to secure the second spot and his 21st podium of the year in the Roth Motorsports No. 83.

Kelby Watt’s third place effort gave him his best career World of Outlaws result and first podium with the Series.

David Gravel and Sheldon Haudenschild completed the top five.

NIGHTLY NOTES

David Gravel earned his 16th Race//Ready Hottest Lap of the Night in 2026.

Bill Balog picked up his third Simpson Quick Time of the season in Honest Abe Roofing Qualifying.

Heat Races belonged to Bill Balog (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), David Gravel (Knoxville Bound Heat Two), Emerson Axsom (WIX Filters Heat Three), and Sheldon Haudenschild (Golf Cart Services Heat Four).

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Chris Windom.

Windom also topped the Toyota Dash.

Danny Dietrich won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

Logan Schuchart wheeled from 13th to seventh to earn the KSE Racing Hard Charger.

That also made Schuchart the Tub O’ Towels Seventh Place Finisher.

Emerson Axsom was the Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race.

Logan Schuchart clocked the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Bill Balog.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars take on the grueling Ironman 55 finale for $25,000-to-win at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park on Saturday, Aug. 8. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Then it’s off to Iowa for the 65th running of the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s on Aug. 12-15. For tickets, CLICK HERE.

Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (40 Laps): 1. 7S-Chris Windom[1]; 2. 83-Michael Kofoid[4]; 3. 1K-Kelby Watt[2]; 4. 2-David Gravel[3]; 5. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[5]; 6. 41-Carson Macedo[6]; 7. 1S-Logan Schuchart[13]; 8. 45X-Rees Moran[12]; 9. 17-Spencer Bayston[15]; 10. 16C-Skylar Gee[11]; 11. 6DC-Will Armitage[9]; 12. 27-Emerson Axsom[8]; 13. 17B-Bill Balog[7]; 14. 2C-Cole Macedo[17]; 15. 45-Cory Eliason[16]; 16. 37-Bryce Norris[20]; 17. 23-Garet Williamson[10]; 18. 6-Kasey Jedrzejek[14]; 19. 15-Donny Schatz[19]; 20. 51-Steven Snyder Jr[18]; 21. 65-Jordan Goldesberry[22]; 22. (DNF) 8N-Dylan Bloomfield[23]; 23. (DNS) 48-Danny Dietrich; 24. (DNS) W20-Greg Wilson

For complete results, CLICK HERE.