USA Nationals: Gustin Returns to Defend $100,000 Title
NXTbets Pro | Published On: July 29, 2026
USA Nationals returns
The USA Nationals heads back to Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wisconsin, with a $100,000 winner’s prize and a field built around some of the World of Outlaws Late Model Series’ biggest names. The event gives the series its second crown jewel race in as many weeks, and it does so with the kind of stakes that have quickly made the weekend one of the marquee stops on the schedule. Last year’s race delivered the first $100,000 payday in event history, and that benchmark now sets the tone for another high-pressure run at Cedar Lake. The purse alone changes the way teams approach the weekend. Every lap carries value, and every round of time trials, heats and consolation races can shape who gets a chance to race for the top prize on Saturday night. That is why the USA Nationals draws so much attention. It combines a big-money payoff, a demanding format and a track that asks drivers to be sharp from the start. The race also arrives with a strong mix of proven winners and current form, which gives the event a layered feel before the first green flag even drops. Drivers know the weekend can swing on one clean qualifying effort or one bad run in traffic. The race for the front rows begins before the feature does, and the pressure builds quickly at Cedar Lake.
Ryan Gustin returns
Ryan Gustin returns as the defending USA Nationals champion after winning the event last year, and that puts him back in the center of the conversation as the field takes shape. A repeat would add another major line to his resume and would keep him on top at one of the series’ most valuable events. Bobby Pierce presents the clearest threat to that plan. He is trying to win the USA Nationals for a third straight year, and that chase carries real weight because a third consecutive victory would move him within one win of the World of Outlaws single-season win record of 18. That kind of pursuit changes the mood around the weekend. Every appearance from Pierce will draw extra attention because the path to history runs straight through Cedar Lake. Brandon Sheppard also arrives with momentum after winning his fourth Prairie Dirt Classic last weekend. He already owns a USA Nationals victory from 2018, so he brings both recent form and proven success at this event. Trey Mills adds another interesting angle. He will make his first USA Nationals start after strong runs in the Dream and the Prairie Dirt Classic, and that makes him one of the drivers worth watching as he takes on the event for the first time. Gustin, Pierce, Sheppard and Mills give the weekend a strong blend of established winners, hot hands and a newcomer trying to break through on one of the biggest stages in the series.
Weekend schedule
The format at Cedar Lake gives the weekend a clear rhythm, and every stage matters before the 100-lap feature arrives on Saturday. The action opens Thursday with a $10,000-to-win race, which gives teams an early chance to cash in and set the tone for the rest of the program. Friday then becomes the key setup day, with qualifying and heat races doing most of the work to arrange Saturday’s lineup. That makes Friday one of the most important pieces of the weekend, because a strong run there can save a driver from extra pressure later in the event. Saturday brings the full weight of the USA Nationals, starting with Last Chance races that will fill out the field and give more drivers one final shot to reach the feature. The night ends with the 100-lap main event, which is long enough to reward patience, speed and track position over the full distance. That structure fits a crown jewel race. It demands consistency across multiple days and forces teams to stay sharp from the first session to the last. One mistake can send a contender into the Last Chance races, and one strong qualifying effort can build the foundation for the whole weekend. With the purse at the top of the class and the field already stacked with recent winners, the format only adds to the pressure. The USA Nationals does not hand out its prize easily, and Cedar Lake will decide who earns it through three days of hard racing.
