Brandon Overton has put together his most dominant stretch of Late Model dirt racing in the early 2026 season, sweeping high-profile events across multiple tours. He swept Winter Freeze XVI at Screven Motor Speedway and followed that with a win in the opening DIRTcar Nationals Late Model feature at Volusia Speedway Park.

The Volusia victory was his fourth straight Late Model win of the early 2026 season, matching his entire 2025 win total and marking his first national-level triumph in more than nine months.

It was also his fifth DIRTcar Nationals victory in the past six years, underscoring his strong early-season form across multiple Late Model tours.

Tim McCreadie captured his 40th career World of Outlaws Late Model Series victory and his first of the season by winning the 50-lap feature to close out the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals. Starting 10th, he methodically worked through the field and reeled in early leader Ryan Gustin by around the 20-lap mark. After a Lap 34 restart, the pair raced door-to-door until McCreadie used a slider with 14 laps remaining to take the lead and never look back. The win marked his third World of Outlaws triumph at Volusia and capped three nights of competition for “T-Mac.” That late-race pass and strategic move underlined both his racecraft and the car’s turnaround on the famed “World’s Fastest Half Mile.”

Brandon Sheppard advanced to second, late in the feature, and, with that finish, clinched the Sunshine Nationals championship. Dennis Erb Jr., Ryan Gustin, and Drake Troutman completed the top five. The result positions McCreadie as an early contender in the World of Outlaws title chase while resolving the Sunshine Nationals championship battle in Sheppard’s favor. Gustin’s strong early run and Troutman’s top-five effort nevertheless highlighted the depth of competition over the weekend.

The victory came within the World of Outlaws Late Model Series program that will return to Volusia Speedway Park to conclude the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals on February 12–14. McCreadie said he “loves winning at Volusia” and credited setup adjustments for improved balance and bottom grip after struggling the previous night. With the Sunshine Nationals wrapped up, Volusia’s role as a pivotal early-season venue is clear, offering both a marquee victory for McCreadie and momentum for teams as the series continues.

Chris Madden opened the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park with a weekend-long display of speed in Wells Motorsports’ No. 44 Infinity. He posted the fastest lap in Wednesday practice, quicker than the official track record, then topped qualifying and won his heat, making the Wells–Infinity debut competitive from the start. In the 35-lap feature, Madden led every lap.

He survived a scare on lap 12 when Tristan Chamberlain slowed with a broken oil pump belt that briefly threatened the field. Late in the race, Nick Hoffman slipped by through Turns 1–2 with four laps remaining, but Madden executed a crossover move to retake the lead, open a gap, and hold off challengers, including withstanding a green-white-checkered restart after Jake Timm spun off Turn 4.

The victory marked Madden’s 40th World of Outlaws Late Models win at Volusia, the same track where he earned his first two series victories about two decades earlier. It’s his first WoO Late Models triumph since July 2025. The result provided a strong launch for the Wells–Infinity partnership and came against a competitive field that included Brandon Sheppard, Dennis Erb Jr., and Ricky Thornton Jr., who finished among the top five.

The World of Outlaws Late Model Series will open its 2026 season at Volusia Speedway Park as part of the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, continuing the series’ tradition of kicking off the year at Volusia since 2021. A practice night is scheduled for Jan. 21, followed by two 35-lap features on Jan. 22–23 that each pay $12,000 to the winner and a 50-lap, $20,000-to-win finale on Jan. 24. The card is presented under a combined “Late Model Palooza” banner that also includes Crate Racin’ USA DIRTcar Pro (604) Late Models and 602 Late Models, creating a multi-night program aimed at drawing a deep field and fans for high-stakes opening events.

Bobby Pierce arrives 11 weeks after clinching his second World of Outlaws championship and coming off a recent Wild West Shootout victory, beginning a run at a third series title and his first Sunshine Nationals straw hat; he is widely regarded as the man to beat. Top challengers entered include Nick Hoffman, who finished 56 points behind Pierce in 2025, Tim McCreadie returning full-time with Briggs Transport in the same package he used to close 2025, and Ryan Gustin, the defending Sunshine Nationals winner who posted five WoO wins in 2025. The entry list also highlights notable returns and rookie storylines: Tyler Erb is back full-time for the first time since 2018, MD3 Rookie of the Year candidates Trey Mills, Eli Johnson, and Logan Zarin are expected to run, and rookie Daulton Wilson will compete with Big Frog/Viper Motorsports.

Offseason personnel moves reshaped several teams heading into Volusia, including Ricky Thornton Jr. pairing with crew chief Anthony Burroughs at Koehler, Chris Madden joining Wells Motorsports, and Cory Hedgecock signing on with Billy Hicks Racing. Track changes are another variable: Volusia has been resurfaced with new gumbo clay and was evaluated in recent test sessions, a technical shift that could influence tire choices and car setups across the weekend. Taken together, the schedule, purses, revamped surface, and concentrated lineup of returnees and newcomers establish the DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals as a high-stakes, multi-night season opener for the 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series.