Column: Dodge City Raceway To Host Key World Of Outlaws Sprint Car Showdown

Column By: NICK GRAZIANO / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – DODGE CITY, KS – Dodge City in Kansas has hosted some of the biggest outlaws in history, such as Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Clay Allison. This weekend, the latest generation of outlaws return to the historic city with their 900hp chariots.

Names like Brad Sweet, Donny Schatz and Logan Schuchart return with the rest of the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series for the Boot Hill Showdown at Dodge City Raceway Park Sept. 11-12.

Last year’s doubleheader at the 3/8-mile track played a key role in the championship battle with title contenders Schatz and Sweet swapping wins the two nights. The event will once again be an important weekend for the title chase with five drivers still in contention for it this year.

If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch all of the action live on DIRTVision.

Here are the top storylines to follow this weekend:

SWEET PULLS AHEAD: Reigning champion Brad Sweet, of Grass Valley, CA, is back on track with his championship hunt. After a month of bad luck, he’s turned that around with a recent win at I-80 Speedway and two top-five finishes at Huset’s Speedway to give him a 14-point lead heading into Dodge City Raceway Park.

Sweet is the most recent winner at Dodge City, claiming his first win at the 3/8-mile track last year. He kept himself in the championship hunt last year with that win and will be poised to do the same again this year with his Kasey Kahne Racing team.

HAUDENSCHILD RISING: Sheldon Haudenschild, of Wooster, OH, and his Stenhouse Jr.-Marhsall Racing team continue to elevate themselves as one of the top teams in the Series. He won a wild one at Huset’s a week after winning at U.S. 36 Raceway.

They’ll be a favorite to win again this weekend. Haudenschild finished sixth and fifth, respectively, at Dodge City last year and already has a win on a 3/8-mile track this year. A wreck during the last race at Huset’s hurt his championship chances, but he’s still in contention – currently 110 points back from the lead.

SCHATZ EYES WEST WIN: Ten-time Series champion Donny Schatz, of Fargo, ND, is always a top threat to win at Dodge City Raceway Park with five wins at the track. He’s earned one win there for the past three years.

A win this year would go a long way for he and his Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Racing team who have three wins, so far, in 2020 and have not won since the beginning of July at Lernerville Speedway. They’ve consistently been in the top-10 and top-five for the past few races but are aiming to get back in the winner’s circle weekly. Schatz is also currently third in points – 80 points back from the lead.

SHARKS ON THE HUNT: Logan Schuchart, of Hanover, PA, hasn’t finished outside the top-10 in 19 races. However, even with that string, he gave up points to Brad Sweet the last few races and lost the points lead. He’s currently second, 14 points behind Sweet. He’ll be going for his first win at Dodge City this weekend. Last year he finished third and sixth there.

His Shark Racing teammate Jacob Allen, also of Hanover, PA, continues to show improvement each race as he hunts for his first career win. Allen gave Kyle Larson a run for his money while battling for the win during the first night at Huset’s last weekend before blowing a tire. He’s been fast on 3/8-mile tracks this year, as well, nearly winning at the 3/8-mile Lincoln Speedway.

GRAVEL ON A ROLE: David Gravel, of Watertown, CT, continues to ride the best streak in the Series with 22 top-10 finishes in a row – 15 of them top-five finishes and three of them wins. He’ll likely keep it going this weekend at Dodge City, too, having finished third and fourth there last year. A win a Dodge City this year would be his first at the track.

Despite missing two races, he is sixth in the driver championship standings, but well out of contention to go after the championship. However, his team, Jason Johnson Racing, is in the thick of the battle of the team championship. His consistency has placed the team 14 points back from the lead – tied with Shark Racing for second.

PITTMAN KEEPS FIGHTING: Daryn Pittman, of Owasso, OK, returns to one of his best tracks on the tour this weekend. He has four wins at Dodge City – including his sweep of the doubleheader weekend there in 2014. However, he finished seventh and 10th there last year.

He and his Roth Motorsports team are still searching for their first win of 2020. A win this weekend would help provide a confidence booster for the team and give them momentum heading into Lawton Speedway – a home state race for Pittman.

SIDES AIMS FOR STRONG WEEKEND: Dodge City Raceway Park has been one of Jason Sides’ best tracks, collecting two wins there – most recently in 2015.

Aside from the last race at Huset’s, where Sides got collected in an accident, he had been on a consistent run of top-15 finishes. This weekend could help the Bartlett, TN driver and his Sides Motorsports team get back on their consistent run and grow.