Curious which drivers you should keep an eye on at each World of Outlaws Late Model Series event? Series Announcer Ruben Mireles will bring you his five drivers to watch each week.
This week: World of Outlaws Needmore Late Model Showdown at Needmore Speedway, Sept. 12
RUBEN’S FIVE:
Bobby Pierce
Why: It’s been a while since we were in action, but let’s not forget Pierce is on a four-win streak with the Series. Wins at Spoon River, Maquoketa, and a pair at Arrowhead make up his four wins in a row. Let’s not begin the “Pierce can’t win in the South” because he proved he can with wins at Smoky Mountain, Swainsboro, and Talladega Short Track in the beginning portion of the year with the series. Pierce is coming off a ninth-place finish at the World 100. Pierce has a 108-point lead with only nine races to go over a red-hot Nick Hoffman, who is coming off a podium at the World 100! A win for Pierce would move him into fifth on the all-time wins list and pass Billy Moyer and win five in-a-row!
Nick Hoffman
Why: How do you not pick Hoffman? Although it’s been since July 4 (12 races) since his last Series win, he’s consistently been in the top five nine of those last 12 races and only twice outside the top 10 in that stretch. Although, Hoffman doesn’t have a true win in the “South” other than Florida at Volusia, Hoffman does have huge momentum after finishing third in the World 100! This team knows the point lead is only mathematically 54 positions within reach as isn’t out quite yet.
Ryan Gustin
Why: It may seem like I’m going right down the line in our point standings, but it’s hard not to after our top three guys have been doing very well! Gustin is coming off an impressive fifth-place in the World 100. Gustin has a pair of Series wins in the “Peach State” at Boyd’s Speedway back in 2022 and recently this year at Swainsboro. It’s been a rough stretch since the big USA Nationals victory, only finishing inside the top 10 once since then. After his World 100 performance I believe they have turned it around and are ready to finish the season off strong!
Cody Overton
Why: Four Series drivers took the weekend off from the World 100 to gear up for the final stretch of the season. This is the Series’ first visit since 2011 and not many current drivers have a notebook on Needmore. A lot of drivers defiantly “Needmore” notes, but not Cody Overton. Cody has multiple victories in different divisions around this track. The Georgia native won the $100,000 Crate Racin’ USA Challenge race back in 2023 beating some stiff competition and finishing eighth in the Hunt the Front race back in January. With the loss of crew chief Donnie Birdwell I can see this team bouncing back in a big way this weekend.
Dennis Erb Jr.
Why: Erb is coming off an 11th-place at the World 100 – and let’s not forget there was 101 Late Models at the World 100. Five of the top 11 finishers were World of Outlaws drivers. Our drivers showed out at Eldora this year. Dennis ran in the top 10 most of the race, and that’s been a constant theme this year. Eighteen top 10s in Outlaws competition this season and many top fives and podiums. Me and Ashton kept talking about Dennis and Tanner English getting that first win of the season with their solid runs. Tanner got it done and I truly do believe before we close the curtain on 2025, we will see Dennis and Heather in Victory Lane with the Series. This team has clearly found something on their Rocket XR2. Since debuting it at Highland they’ve finished in the top 10 each night except once. With a good run at Eldora, momentum is high and we could witness that first series win of 2025!
A little bonus:
Tristan Chamberlain
Why: Can we give a little bit of love to Tristan? Chamberlain is coming off a pair of top 10s! Making it four top 10s this season, but this young man has been chipping away and getting better night in and night out. Not to mention the first night at Arrowhead was a top five and he earned his first career World of Outlaws Heat Race win. This youngster is on the rise and could be a good underdog pick this weekend.
You can follow these drivers and more all weekend by getting your tickets in advance or at the gate.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch every lap live – with Ruben Mireles – on DIRTVision.
UP NEXT: World of Outlaws Billy Clanton Classic at Senoia Raceway on Saturday, Sept. 13