The World of Outlaws Late Model Series announced their 2023 schedule, complete with $3 million in purse money, nearly a dozen new tracks and six events paying more than $200,000 in total prize money. A three-day show at Mississippi Thunder Speedway in Fountain City, Wis. and the Prairie Dirt Classic at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway in late July will top the quarter million mark.
Dennis Erb Jr. begins his title defense January 19-21 with the three-day Sunshine Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., paying a total of $160,000. He hopes to have the points wrapped up ahead of the World of Outlaws World Finals at the Charlotte Dirt Track November 1-4 for the second consecutive season.
The 2022 Rookie of the Year and runner-up in points, Tanner English will attempt to win his third straight Feature in the Quad Cities 150, a three-day show at Davenport (Iowa) Speedway in late August.
The big 2023 payouts come on the heels of 2022 paying record purses.
The 2023 schedule is comprised of 53 races at 30 tracks, including 11 that have been added or reintroduced to the tour.
“We’ve taken the schedule and built it in a way that benefits our drivers and fans,” said World of Outlaws Late Model Series Director Steve Francis in a press release. “Along with adding several new venues, we increased the purses at several events, creating a platform for great racing all season.”
The Talladega Short Track is one notable new date after being added to the schedule on the same weekend as the spring NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway. They will host a two-day show in late April before the series heads to Wisconsin.
I-75 Raceway in Niota, Tenn. also debuts with the series in 2023.
Races at 411 Speedway in Seymour, Tenn., Stateline Speedway in Busti, N.Y., Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway, Mason City (Iowa) Motor Speedway, Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo, N.D. and Ponderosa Speedway in Junction City, Ky. also return after short hiatus. Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway returns to the schedule after a sixteen-year break and 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa return after much longer breaks.
2023 Schedule
January 19-21: Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. ($160k total purse)
February 16-18: Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, Fla. ($187k)
March 3-4: Smoky Mountain Speedway / Maryville, Tenn. ($115k)
March 17-18: Boyd’s Speedway / Ringgold, Ga. ($135k)
March 31-April 1: Farmer City (Ill.) Raceway ($136k)
April 20: 411 Speedway, Seymour, Tenn. ($50k)
April 21-22: Talladega Short Track / Eastaboga, Ala. ($205k)
May 4-6: Mississippi Thunder Speedway / Fountain City, Wis. ($264k)
May 19: Marion Center (Pa.) Raceway ($50k)
May 20: Port Royal (Pa,) Speedway ($65k)
May 23: Stateline Speedway / Busti, NY ($50k)
May 25-27: Sharon Speedway / Hartford, Ohio ($156k)
June 2: Tri-City Speedway / Granite City, Ill ($57k)
June 3: Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway ($65k)
June 23-24: 81 Speedway, Wichita, Kan. ($152k)
June 25: Off Road Speedway / Norfolk, Neb ($50k)
June 27: Mason City (Iowa) Motor Speedway ($50k)
June 28: Red River Valley Speedway / West Fargo, N.D. ($50k)
June 30: River Cities Speedway / Grand Forks, N.D. ($57k)
July 1: I-94 Sure Step Speedway / Fergus Falls, Minn. N ($65k)
July 14: Ponderosa Speedway / Junction City, KY ($65k)
July 15: Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway ($65k)
July 28-29 Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway ($290k with lap money included)
Aug. 1: Boone (Iowa) Speedway (65k)
Aug. 3-5: / Cedar Lake Speedway / New Richmond, Wis. ($200k)
Aug. 24 – 26 Davenport (Iowa) Speedway ($214k)
Sept. 29 – 30 Atomic Speedway / Chillicothe, Ohio ($115k)
Oct. 6: 34 Raceway / West Burlington, Iowa ($50k0
Oct. 7: Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway / Fairbury ($65k)
Oct. 13: I-75 Raceway / Niota, Tenn. ($50k)
Oct. 14: Senoia (Ga.) Raceway ($65k
Nov. 1-4 The Dirt Track at Charlotte / Concord, N.C, ($206k)
