Bill Balog, 46, of Hartland, Wisconsin, known as the “North Pole Nightmare,” will return for a third consecutive World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series campaign. After a winless 2024, Balog rebounded in 2025 with three feature victories: the season’s seventh race at Talladega Short Track, a high‑profile win at Huset’s Speedway during a nearly $100,000 week in June, and a flag‑to‑flag triumph at Perris Auto Speedway. Those results helped him climb to seventh in the final standings, one position better than his rookie year.

Balog said he feels better prepared and used the offseason to shore up crew depth, adding Dennis Gregg to work alongside Kevin Ingle. The team’s primary focus is eliminating the bad finishes that cost them points and addressing issues early so they can be more consistent over a full World of Outlaws tour.

Balog described last year’s campaign as “definitely better than I thought” and expects the additional crew support to let the team “hammer away” at problems during the opening events.

The season opens at the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park, scheduled Feb. 4–7 in Barberville, Florida, where the team aims to “leave Volusia clean.” Coverage frames Balog as a returning contender building on momentum rather than a preseason favorite; the personnel changes and preparation are intended to translate 2025 wins into steadier results.

Sources