WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Two Nights of I-55 Action on Tap for World of Outlaws

One of the country’s most exciting racetracks is ready to welcome the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.

Pevely, MO’s Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 is The Greatest Show on Dirt’s destination this weekend. The “Show-Me State” bullring will host the nation’s best Sprint Car drivers for two nights (April 12-13) of action.

The track is full of Sprint Car history. The World of Outlaws first visited I-55 in 1987 and have made at least one stop at the 1/3-mile every year since 1996. The track is the seventh most visited in Series history, and Friday and Saturday will mark trips 72 and 73.

I-55 always delivers some of the most exciting action of the season and expect no different this weekend. The track just south of St. Louis offers up high banks, high speeds, and hold your breath sliders.

The two nights of racing ahead not only present the chance to conquer the historic oval, but it also serves as a preview for August’s Ironman 55.

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Let’s look at the weekend’s top storylines:

BIG GAME HUNTING: There’s been no slowing David Gravel and the Big Game Motorsports crew in recent weeks as they chase their first World of Outlaws championship.

After a slight stumble three weeks ago that saw Gravel collected in a Cotton Bowl crash and finish 12th, there have been no hiccups from the Huset’s Speedway #2. Gravel hasn’t missed the top five since that night and is currently on a roll of four consecutive top two finishes. The hot streak has extended his advantage atop the standings to 40 points.

Gravel has displayed consistency throughout the years at I-55. The Watertown, CT native owns 21 top 10s in 29 Feature starts at the 1/3-mile including a trio last year. Back in August of 2016 he picked up his one I-55 victory.

MASTER IN MISSOURI: It’s tough to find a racetrack that suits a driver better than how I-55 suits Sheldon Haudenschild. His famed driving style works well on the intense bullring.

The Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing driver has visited I-55 Victory Lane on four occasions. Back in 2019 he delivered an unforgettable drive when he won the Ironman 55 by more than a 10-second advantage. The four wins are tied for the most Haudenschild has collected at one track with Beaver Dam Raceway being the other. Only the duos of Sammy Swindell and Brad Sweet (six wins) and Craig Dollansky and Steve Kinser (five wins) own more Pevely victories than Haudenschild. Overall, Haudenschild has six wins in the state of Missouri to his credit, the most he’s chalked up in any state.

The early season speed out of the NOS Energy Drink #17 suggests Haudenschild will be in the running for wins number five and six in Pevely this weekend. He’s the most recent Series winner having topped the Jason Johnson Classic at Arrowhead Speedway for a $20,000 payday. He’s also the only driver to have led laps in four different Features through 11 races.

PEVELY PRO: Another driver who has taken a liking to I-55 is Lemoore, CA’s Carson Macedo.

The 27-year-old made a pair of trips to Victory Lane at Pevely in 2022, including a wild last lap, last corner, pass for the win at the Ironman 55 opener. Those victories are part of a pattern of running up front for Macedo. In his last 13 Pevely starts, he’s only missed the top 10 once and boasts a 5.62 average result.

Macedo carries the momentum of seven straight finishes of ninth or better into the weekend. He and Jason Johnson Racing continue to dig out of a hole dug at DIRTcar Nationals and currently reside fifth in points – 98 markers behind Gravel.

SHARK STRENGTH: Federated Auto Parts driver Logan Schuchart always brings out his A-game when the tour rolls into Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55.

The Hanover, PA native struggled a bit early in his career at Pevely, but he’s since turned things around to be one of the track’s strongest competitors. Schuchart’s first 10 I-55 Feature starts resulted in two top 10 finishes. He’s since taken 18 more green flags and picked up a 2018 win, logged 14 top fives, and posted a 5.83 average finish.

It’s been a consistent start to 2024 for Schuchart. He’s taken the Shark Racing #1S to nine top 10s through 11 races, highlighted by four top fives. His I-55 résumé says the consistent start should continue and potentially put him in contention for his first victory of the season.

ROOKIE RHYTHM: The 2024 campaign didn’t get off to the start Michael “Buddy” Kofoid had hoped for with Roth Motorsports, but they’ve found a recent rhythm.

An up and down start saw Kofoid post finishes of 24th, ninth, 17th, fifth, and 16th in the season’s opening five races. It’s been stable consistency ever since with six consecutive top 10s and an average finish of seventh in the last six races. A third place run at US 36 this past weekend gave him his best finish of the year so far. Kofoid’s eight top 10s in 2024 are the fifth most.

The Series rookie looks to keep rolling at I-55 where he’s been solid with limited laps. Kofoid debuted at the Missouri facility last April with a 15th to sixth drive. He returned for the Ironman 55 and came home 10th and eighth.

THIS WEEKEND AT A GLANCE

WHEN AND WHERE 

Friday-Saturday, April 12-13 at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, MO

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CURRENT CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (11/82 Races):

1. David Gravel – Big Game Motorsports #2 (1562 PTS)
2. Donny Schatz – Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing #15 (-40 PTS)
3. Giovanni Scelzi – KCP Racing #18 (-58 PTS)
4. Logan Schuchart – Shark Racing #1S (-68 PTS)
5. Carson Macedo – Jason Johnson Racing #41 (-98 PTS)
6. Sheldon Haudenschild – Stenhouse Jr.-Marshall Racing #17 (-136 PTS)
7. Michael Kofoid – Roth Motorsports #83 (-144 PTS)
8. Bill Balog – B Squared Motorsports #17B (-234 PTS)
9. Brock Zearfoss – Brock Zearfoss Racing #3Z (-242 PTS)
10. Landon Crawley – Sides Motorsports #7S (-322 PTS)