On January 23, 2026, twenty-one-year-old Kasey Jedrzejek signed to run Bill Rose Racing’s No. 6 as a rookie in the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series. The agreement was finalized after Jedrzejek and team owner Bill Rose met at the Rumble in Fort Wayne in December 2025, and Jedrzejek visited Rose’s shop to complete the deal. Rose, a longtime racer with roughly 50 years of experience, will serve as crew chief for the program. Jedrzejek is a native of LaGrange, Ohio.

Jedrzejek arrives on the national tour after more than two seasons in the Ed Neumeister No. 11N, where he recorded 11 wins. Those results include his first All Star Circuit of Champions victory at Wayne County Speedway and the pole for the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway in July 2025. He also notched his first World of Outlaws top-five at Millstream Speedway, milestones that helped set up his step to the WoO series. The signing makes him the fourth confirmed contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year chase, joining Ashton Torgerson, Scotty Thiel, and Scott Bogucki.

Bill Rose Racing and Jedrzejek will begin the 2026 tour at the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida, Feb. 4–7. The partnership pairs a young driver with a veteran owner and crew chief as Jedrzejek pursues rookie honors.

Bill Balog, 46, of Hartland, Wisconsin, will return for a third consecutive World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series campaign. After a winless 2024, the “North Pole Nightmare” 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 on 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.

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid, 24, has re-signed with Roth Motorsports for his third consecutive World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season, with a firm focus on winning the 2026 series championship. Kofoid, who joined Dennis and Teresa Roth’s operation in mid-2023, said the continuity with the team is a key part of the title push and conveyed confidence that the car and his form are in a great place heading into the year.

Kofoid built momentum with a Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year campaign in 2024 that produced seven wins and a fourth-place points finish. He followed it up with a career-best 2025 season featuring 12 victories, including two six-figure payouts at Huset’s Speedway to finish as the series runner-up. His 12 wins in 2025 raised his World of Outlaws career total to 20, making him Roth Motorsports’ second-winningest driver behind team legend Danny Lasoski, who has 41 victories.

With the reigning champion David Gravel identified as the driver to beat, Kofoid has explicitly set his sights on delivering Roth Motorsports its first series title. The team will open the 2026 campaign Feb. 4–7 at Volusia Speedway Park during the Federated Auto Parts DIRTcar Nationals in Barberville, Florida, beginning the season-long chase that Kofoid and Roth Motorsports hope will culminate in a championship.

Hendry County Tourism Development Council has partnered with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision to add the World of Outlaws Swamp Cabbage 100 to Swamp Cabbage Weekend at Hendry County Motorsports Park in Clewiston, Florida. The series will make its first headlining stop in Hendry County with a two-night event Friday–Saturday, Feb. 20–21; the Friday winner will earn $12,000 and Saturday’s winner $20,000. Hendry County’s long-running Swamp Cabbage Festival will mark its 60th anniversary with programming Saturday–Sunday, Feb. 21–22.

World of Outlaws drivers will appear in the Swamp Cabbage Festival parade in LaBelle at 10 a.m. on Feb. 21; the parade theme is “Denim and Diamonds.” Parade participation gives fans direct access to drivers and teams and brings the racing community into local traditions.

Organizers scheduled the races across two nights to complement — not overlap — the festival’s main days, offering visitors multiple reasons to attend and positioning high-profile dirt racing alongside a longstanding local celebration.

Hendry County commissioner and Tourism Development Council chair Ramon Iglesias said the collaboration is intended to showcase Hendry County “on a national stage.” The Tourism Development Council and race organizers are promoting the combined package of races and festival activities with regional attractions, including Lake Okeechobee boat tours, area parks, and the Clewiston Museum, to encourage longer stays and broaden the event’s appeal.

By aligning a milestone anniversary festival with a nationally recognized racing brand and increasing purse sizes, the partnership aims to draw visitors beyond the immediate racing audience and boost on-site entertainment for residents and visitors.