The DIRTcar UMP Modifieds headline the opening nights at Volusia Speedway Park for the 21st consecutive year as part of the nine-night Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals, running from January 29 – February 7. The first three nights run alongside the American Sprint Car Series and count toward Florida Speedweeks, but not the Big Gator Championship.

The Big Gator Championship begins February 2 with six split 20-lap Features from Monday to Friday that set Friday’s Feature lineups. The top three finishers from each weekday split advance directly to Saturday’s 30-lap, $5,000-to-win Championship final. Last Chance Showdowns fill the remainder of the Saturday field. The Modifieds will be paired with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars from February 4 to 7.

Reigning Big Gator champion Curt Spalding returns to defend his title, while his son Tyler will make his UMP Modified debut. Other named contenders include Jason Garver, Zane Oedewaldt, and veteran Todd Neiheiser. Teams arrive after testing Volusia’s newly reworked gumbo surface at the Emil and Dale Reutimann Memorial (won by Drake Troutman in November 2025), and promoters expect more than 100 Modified entries with a points fund for the top 10. The overall Speedweeks Modified champion collects a $3,000 bonus in addition to the points payout, and early Speedweeks Modified winners include Ray Bollinger and Zeke McKenzie.

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series remains in Florida to open the season, with DIRTcar Late Model shows at Volusia from February 9 to 11. World of Outlaws headlines from February 12 to 14, and a six-night Big Gator chase wraps up the festival. The series then moves to Hendry County Motorsports Park for the Swamp Cabbage 100 on February 20–21, with practice on February 19 and two paying features, $12,000 on February 20 and $20,000 on February 21. In addition to partner events such as a fishing tournament on February 18, the Swamp Cabbage Festival, a downtown parade, and other community tie-ins.

Cole Macedo will return for his second World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season in 2026, rejoining Todd Carlile’s TwoC Racing to drive the No. 2C with Wayne Johnson on the wrenches. The team announced Macedo plans to begin the World of Outlaws (WoO) tour at the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia, February 4–7, as he moves into his sophomore season.

He recorded five top-five finishes and 20 top-10s in his 2025 rookie season, including a standout performance at Eldora Speedway, where he climbed from 12th to third. He led feature laps at Talladega Short Track and Sharon Speedway, converting those runs into season-best finishes of fourth and sixth, respectively.

After the U.S. season, Macedo campaigned in Australia, scoring wins at the Perth Motorplex during USA vs. WA Speedweek and at Premier Speedway in the International Sprintcar Carnival. He ran up front in the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic before a lapped-traffic incident took him out of contention.

To prepare for 2026, TwoC Racing and Macedo will make pre-season laps with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS) at Volusia Speedway Park’s “World’s Fastest Half Mile” from January 29–31. The team called the Volusia program a focused warm-up to build on his rookie WoO momentum and recent international wins as he targets an improved sophomore campaign.

Tyler Erb’s weekend at the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park began with a sudden, race-ending heat crash that destroyed his Best Performance Motorsports No. 1. Running third in the heat after qualifying fourth, his car veered into the inside wall at the exit of Turn 4. Erb said he didn’t know what happened and briefly considered ending his night before his crew and nearby competitors helped get a backup machine ready. Pushed into service, the backup started the main event from a provisional 26th spot, and Erb methodically charged through the field, reaching the top 15 within 12 laps and ultimately salvaging an eighth-place finish. Erb was quick to point out that the finish was evidence that the team had the speed to contend.

The recovery carried into Friday when Erb qualified on the pole for his heat. He proceeded to win that heat wire-to-wire and drew fourth for the feature. Erb rallied from that starting spot to finish a strong runner-up behind Hudson O’Neal, even running side-by-side for the lead on the final lap. That performance underscored the rebound from Thursday’s setback and reinforced Erb’s confidence in the team’s speed during his first full World of Outlaws Late Model season.

Saturday brought another challenge, sending Erb through the Last Chance Showdown and resulting in a 16th-place finish in the main event. Because the series’ winter scoring counts each driver’s five best results of the eight races, the weekend’s poor result should have limited impact on his points standing. With help from crew members and fellow competitors who assisted in readying the backup, Erb left Volusia focused on improving for the upcoming Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals (February 12–14) and the Swamp Cabbage 100 (February 20–21).

Todd Morrow announced that he will run the full 2026 World of Outlaws (WoO) Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision in Britton Motorsports’ No. T1. The 40-year-old from Penton, Alabama, became the fifth series newcomer to enter in 2026 and is eligible for the MD3 Rookie of the Year award alongside Trey Mills, Logan Zarin, Eli Johnson, and Daulton Wilson. The announcement came after the season had already started, underscoring that the full-time roster continued to expand as teams finalized plans.

Morrow returned to competition last year following a roughly eight-year retirement, debuting at the World 100 at Eldora and contesting seven additional Southeastern events. He made his first WoO feature start at Senoia Raceway, recorded a Southern All Stars top-five at Dixie Speedway, and boasts five career Southern All Stars wins regionally. Moving to a full WoO slate with Britton Motorsports represents a clear step up from regional campaigning and completes his transition from part-time comeback entrant to a season-long national effort.

Morrow said his immediate goals are to run every WoO race, get consistently competitive, and build a notebook for future seasons, with a victory viewed as a longer-term objective. His early 2026 schedule includes the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park (February 12–14) and the Swamp Cabbage 100 at Hendry County Motorsports Park (February 20–21). The commitment serves as a personal milestone and adds depth to the championship field.

The World of Outlaws announced its 2026 schedule includes a four-race West Coast Swing in California in September, and the series said tickets for the stretch will go on sale soon. This season gets underway from February 4–7 at Volusia Speedway Park’s Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals.

The West Coast Swing opens with the fifth running of the Dennis Roth Classic, moved to Stockton Dirt Track for September 18–19 as a doubleheader that will pay $83,000 to the winner. David Gravel was the 2025 Roth Classic winner. That Stockton doubleheader follows a Kansas–Colorado weekend that begins September 11 at Belleville High Banks, and continues on September 12 at Dodge City Raceway Park, and includes a Monday stop at El Paso County Raceway on September 14.

After Stockton, the tour visits Bakersfield Speedway (Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway) on September 25, only the second-ever appearance there. Michael “Buddy” Kofoid won the prior World of Outlaws show at Bakersfield. The swing concludes with a debut at Ventura Raceway on September 26, adding a Southern California stop. The series has raced in California since 1978.

Following the California dates, the tour makes the long haul east to Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, for the 64th National Open, a $75,000 event that will pit the World of Outlaws against the Pennsylvania Posse and quickly transitions the tour back to its marquee East Coast events.

Hudson O’Neal scored a wire-to-wire victory on Friday night at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fl, during the second night of the World of Outlaws (WoO) Late Model Series stop at the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals. O’Neal, driving the K&L Rumley Enterprises No. 6, powered around Bilstein Pole Award winner Brandon Overton at the start and led the 35-lap feature from flag to flag.

The race’s rhythm changed when Chris Madden, who had been running second early, slowed and brought out a midrace caution. That restart set up a late duel as Tyler Erb mounted a last-lap low-line charge and closed to within roughly a car length, but O’Neal held the top groove to deny Erb’s dive and secure the victory. Erb finished second, matching his career best at Volusia, while Tim McCreadie, Brandon Sheppard, and Nick Hoffman completed the top five.

The win marked O’Neal’s fourth at Volusia and extended momentum for the K&L Rumley program after his two-win swing at Arizona’s Wild West Shootout earlier this season. Owner Kevin Rumley detoured to Volusia rather than continuing to Arizona, and the decision paid off. The Sunshine Nationals at Volusia are set to conclude the following night with a $20,000-to-win finale.

Carson Macedo has re-signed with Jason Johnson Racing (JJR) to compete in his eighth consecutive World of Outlaws (WoO) season and his sixth with JJR. He will again pilot the No. 41, and the team framed his return as a pursuit of the championship it was built to win.

Since joining JJR, Macedo has compiled 52 WoO series victories, two National Open crowns, the $83,000 Dennis Roth Classic, and four wins at Knoxville Raceway. While driving the No. 41, he has never finished worse than third in season points. After a strong 2025 campaign, including 11 wins, 25 podiums, 35 top-five finishes, and 53 top-10s, he slipped to third in the standings behind Michael Kofoid but recorded his fourth season in five with double-digit victories.

Owner and crew chief Philip Dietz returns to lead the effort, joined again by car chief Robby McQuinn and tire specialist Adam Zimmerman. The trio will enter 2026 together for a third season of continuity. JJR views that continuity, combined with Macedo’s record, as central to mounting a realistic championship bid. The team will begin its title chase at the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fl, February 4–7. The announcement reaffirms Macedo and JJR as front-runners on the World of Outlaws trail.