The World of Outlaws Late Models tour is already here. Nearly a month before the series and others will take to the track at Volusia Speedway Park to open the year at the DIRTCar Nationals, the popular late model series will once again open things up early.
The tour will open season on Thursday as part of a 3-night event at Volusia dubbed the Sunshine Nationals.
The 2020 series champion in Brandon Sheppard has hopes of repeating after bringing Rocket1 Chassis its seventh series championship in a dominant year.
He accumulated 14 wins, 31 top 5’s, and 36 top 10’s last season and remains the favorite going into the new year.
As is the case with anyone as dominant as Sheppard was a season ago, it’s him versus the field.
His best competition could come from Ricky Weiss – who improved from a 3rd-place finish in the standings in his rookie year to the runner-up spot last season.
Weiss is distancing himself from Scott Bloomquist chassis in order to pursue making his chassis’ on his own in 2021. If he keeps improving, it should be a great title race.
There’s no word, right now, on if Scoot Bloomquist Racing will return to the tour in 2021.
Cade Dillard will be returning for another full season with the Outlaws, one year after capturing his first crown jewel win. He was second in earnings in 2020.
Ashton Winger will come into the swing of things once again following his rookie of the year campaign in 2020 that saw a few impressive finishes as well as a heated exchange with World of Outlaws officials.
Winger has the passion to grow into the sport, and showed his prowess a season ago.
Of course, most of the heavy hitters on the tour are coming back, but they’ll be joined by a stout group of four rookies in 2021.
Most notably will be Ryan Gustin out of Marshalltown, Iowa joining the tour for a full time slate this season.
The series kicks things off tonight on DirtVision at 4:30 p.m. CT.
Unofficial Full-Time World of Outlaws LM Drivers
2021 Racing Season
Brandon Sheppard
Ricky Weiss
Cade Dillard
Chase Junghans
Darrell Lanigan
Dennis Erb Jr.
Ashton Winger
Brent Larson
Boom Briggs
Scott Bloomquist (?)
Ross Bailes (R)
Tony Jackson Jr. (R)
Ryan Gustin (R)
Ryan Scott (R)
