Sunday night was a time for celebration of the 25th season of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision.
Drivers, crew members, Series staff, sponsors and families joined forces with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at The Revelry North End in Charlotte for the 2026 World of Outlaws Awards Banquet. More than $1.1 million in points fund checks were presented along with several special awards recognizing the achievements of those who made the 2026 season one for the record books.
CHAMPION: For the third time in four years, Bobby Pierce is the king of The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet.
The Oakwood, IL native’s third title came at the end of his best season yet, and one of the best seasons in the history of the Series. Pierce broke the single-season win record with 20 victories – including a record-tying six in a row in June – and his 3.90 average finish was the best of his career.
“We set out this season, this was probably our primary goal,” Pierce said. “If I had to pick one goal for the year, it’s to win an Outlaw championship. Back when we started this deal in 2023, it was the first year we got our Longhorn cars. We knew it was going to be a tough year going to all these new racetracks with a new car. I just wanted a top five, and low and behold, we took the points lead that summer. Right then, you turn into like a shark; you get that blood in the water and you just want more, it becomes a drug. You just want to keep winning these championships.”
In addition to the championship trophy and the $225,000 top prize, Pierce also took home the FOX Factory Hard Charger Award for passing a Series-leading 275 cars in Features in 2026, a new pit bike from Dave Warren Powersports for his championship, and a Jarrett Rifle for winning the most Features.
MD3 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Daulton Wilson was the top World of Outlaws newcomer in 2026, clinching the MD3 Rookie of the Year Award over Trey Mills, Logan Zarin and Eli Johnson.
Driving the Big Frog/Viper Motorsports No. 58V in the team’s first year contesting a full national tour schedule, Wilson racked up 10 top fives and 22 top 10s to finish seventh in the overall World of Outlaws standings. His signature achievement came in July at Stateline Speedway, where Wilson led every lap on the way to his first World of Outlaws win, becoming the lone rookie to find Victory Lane this season.
“This time last year, we weren’t even a race team or even thinking about a national deal,” Wilson said. “We spent Florida trying to get our feet under us. We progressed, we had some highs and some lows. I can’t thank Augie [Burttram] and Shawn [Martin] enough, all of our great sponsors for getting this deal together on quick notice. We had a great year.”
Wilson pocketed $10,000 from MD3 for his efforts, while Mills took home $3,000 and Zarin collected $2,000 for finishing second and third, respectively. Wilson was also presented with a Dave Warren Powersports pit bike and a pair of custom ear molds from Racing Electronics.
COLTMAN FARMS RACING CUP: The Coltman Farms Racing Cup returned for its second season in 2026 to recognize the top drivers at seven of the season’s biggest events. After coming up short to Nick Hoffman in his bid for the inaugural Cup in 2025, Pierce used a pair of podium finishes at The Dirt Track at Charlotte to collect the safe and a $7,500 cash prize.
“That’s a really cool deal,” Pierce said. “Last year, Nick winning that, I was a little jealous. I was like, ‘Man, I really want that safe, that’s pretty neat.’ Luckily, we had a good Charlotte and we got that job done.”
Hoffman received $2,500 for finishing second in the Cup standings.
MOST POPULAR DRIVER: Tyler Erb was already a fan favorite prior to making his return to full-time World of Outlaws racing in 2026, and the legion of “Terbo” fans only continued to grow with their driver in the national spotlight on a nightly basis.
Erb was voted this season’s Most Popular Driver by World of Outlaws fans across the country, an honor he took great pride in.
“I’ve always told people my fans are a cult-like following,” Erb said. “They’re not the typical people of the world, I would say. They just fall somewhere in between one end and the other. Special thanks to everybody watching at home, everybody that supports me, our team and what we do. I’d like to think that they like me for some particular reason, and I couldn’t put a finger on it.”
CREW CHIEF OF THE YEAR: Bob Pierce’s toughest fight in 2026 had nothing to do with his son’s race car.
On July 15, the 74-year-old Late Model legend suffered a stroke in his motorhome at Adams County Speedway. Pierce was rushed to a hospital in Omaha, NE for emergency surgery, which sent Pierce on his road to recovery. Nine days later, Pierce was back to work at Fairbury Speedway for the Prairie Dirt Classic chasing trophies like he always has.
In recognition of Pierce’s determination at and away from the track, he was chosen by his peers in the pit area as the 2026 Crew Chief of the Year.
“I was going to bounce back as fast as I could,” Pierce said. “I told that doc over there, they wanted to put the stint in me, and I said, ‘Put the stint in so I can get out tomorrow, otherwise I don’t want to do it.’ He says, ‘Well, if it goes right, you can do it.’ I said, ‘I’ve got to be at Fairbury,’ and he did it, we went and there we were.”
Pierce was gifted a new jack from Pit Boss Jacks as part of the award.
RACING WITH JESUS SPORTSMAN AWARD: The 2026 season was a massive undertaking for Eli Johnson, who went on the road with the World of Outlaws in only his second season as a Super Late Model driver.
In the face of plenty of challenges and learning experiences, Johnson maintained a reputation as one of the most positive, caring individuals in the pits, and was awarded $500 as this year’s Racing with Jesus Sportsman Award winner.
ENGINE BUILDER OF THE YEAR: The World of Outlaws wouldn’t be The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet without the engine builders producing the horsepower under the hood. Vic Hill Race Engines was given the Engine Builder of the Year Award for supplying the power for Pierce’s championship-winning season.
CHASSIS BUILDER OF THE YEAR: Longhorn Chassis has become Late Model racing’s brand to beat in recent years, and 2026 was no different. Eleven of the 14 full-time Outlaws fielded Longhorns every night this season – including the No. 32 team – earning Longhorn the 2026 Chassis Builder of the Year Award.
BEHRENT’S ONE-TO-GO CHAMPIONSHIP: New in 2026, the Behrent’s One-to-Go Championship paid points to the leader on the white-flag lap of every Heat Race, Last Chance Showdown and Feature. Pierce collected a $1,000 Behrent’s gift card for winning the One-to-Go Championship, while Hoffman got $500 and Tyler Erb got $250 for second and third, respectively.
STAKT PRODUCTS MOST HEAT RACE WINS: Hoffman led the Series in Heat Race wins this season with 28, earning him $2,000 from STAKT Products.
DIRT KING SIMULATORS HOT LAP AWARD: Tyler Erb earned $500 from Dirt King Simulators for setting the fastest lap in Hot Laps eight times this year.
RAYE VEST PILL DRAW AWARDS: Wilson and Pierce each received $500 for having the lowest and highest pill draw averages, respectively.
Each of the 14 drivers who completed the full 2026 World of Outlaws tour were presented with their points fund check at the Awards Banquet:
- Bobby Pierce ($225,000)
- Nick Hoffman ($175,000)
- Tyler Erb ($125,000)
- Tim McCreadie ($110,000)
- Ryan Gustin ($100,000)
- Ethan Dotson ($80,000)
- Daulton Wilson ($60,000)
- Trey Mills ($50,000)
- Dennis Erb Jr. ($45,000)
- Dustin Sorensen ($42,000)
- Tristan Chamberlain ($40,000)
- Brent Larson ($35,000)
- Logan Zarin ($30,000)
- Eli Johnson ($20,000)
The 2027 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season begins at Volusia Speedway Park during World of Outlaws Sunshine Nationals, Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 28-30. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.
Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.