July 30, 2025 | By Spence Smithback, World of Outlaws Late Model Series PR

$100,000 to win USA Nationals at Cedar Lake this weekend

CONCORD, N.C.—It’s been a busy summer for the World of Outlaws Real American Beer Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision, and the grind won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

The August itinerary will take teams from northern Wisconsin down to Oklahoma, with eight nights of racing at five tracks in four states along the way.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead:

Cedar Lake Speedway | USA Nationals (July 31-Aug. 2): This year, the oldest event on the World of Outlaws schedule earns the distinction of being the highest-paying stop on tour as well.

The USA Nationals has been an annual tradition ever since Billy Moyer won the inaugural running in 1988 on his way to becoming the first fendered World of Outlaws champion. The event reaches new levels of prestige in 2025 with a record $100,000 going to the winner on Saturday night.

Bobby Pierce heads to Cedar Lake Speedway as the two-time and defending USA Nationals champion, and another triumph this weekend would make him the first driver to win three in a row since Moyer in 1988, 1989 and 1990. In addition to Pierce and Moyer, five other former USA Nationals champions – Tim McCreadie (2013), Jonathan Davenport (2015, 2021, 2022), Brandon Sheppard (2018), Chris Madden (2019) and Brandon Overton (2020) – will highlight a star-studded field chasing the first six-figure paycheck in Cedar Lake history.

For tickets and other event information, click here.


Highland Speedway | Beat the Heat 40 (Aug. 13): Any visit by The Most Powerful Late Models on the Planet to an Illinois bullring is expected to produce a can’t-miss thriller, and Highland Speedway is no different.

Last year’s Series debut saw Brian Shirley take the checkers 70 miles south of his Chatham, IL home. Not only will “Squirrel” enter this year’s Beat the Heat 40 as the reigning winner, it will also be his first race in front of his home fans since his long-awaited first Prairie Dirt Classic victory.

While the World of Outlaws is still new to Highland, the track has been a mainstay on the DIRTcar Summer Nationals schedule for more than 30 years, with Pierce, Dennis Erb Jr. and Tanner English each having a Highland Hell Tour win under their belt.

For tickets and other event information, click here.


Spoon River Speedway | Spoon River Showdown (Aug. 14): The second of back-to-back nights in the “Land of Lincoln” takes the Series north to Lewistown, IL for the first time ever.

Spoon River is known as one of the largest, fastest, and highest-banked tracks in the state, which should lead to plenty of multi-groove racing when the World of Outlaws come to town. Erb proved that earlier this year in MARS Late Model Championship competition, making a rare appearance on the cushion to hold off Shannon Babb and win his lone Feature so far this year.

Other Outlaws with past Spoon River wins include Summer Nationals victors Pierce, Shirley and English; plus Nick Hoffman, who has won four DIRTcar Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals races there and is also a two-time winner of the Plowboy Nationals, the track’s Labor Day weekend tradition.

For tickets and other event information, click here.


Maquoketa Speedway | Hawkeye 100 (Aug. 15-16): For the second year in a row, the late-summer swing through the Midwest will wrap up with two nights at Maquoketa Speedway.

The eastern Iowa fans get to see IMCA Late Models every Saturday night, but the open-motor cars have been a rare sight at Maquoketa over the years. Last year’s Hawkeye 100 marked the first national Late Model race in track history, with Shirley laying down the weekend sweep.

Earlier this year, Pierce made two trips to Maquoketa Victory Lane with a double-up of his own in the MARS season-opening weekend.

For tickets and other event information, click here.


Arrowhead Speedway | Sooner State Showdown (Aug. 22-23): The Series rounds out the month with its debut at one of the most pristine facilities in the sport.

The former West Siloam Springs Speedway reopened in 2023 following a major renovation and has been no stranger to major events since then. The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, American Sprint Car Series, Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series presented by Toyota and the United States Modified Touring Series have all made stops at Arrowhead in the past two years, and the track will add a national Late Model race to its portfolio next month.

The Sooner State Showdown will be a co-sanction with the COMP Cams Super Dirt Series, which has raced at Arrowhead four times previously. Ethan Dotson won the tour’s debut at Arrowhead in 2023, making him the only Outlaw with a win on the current version of the track. However, Ryan Gustin found success in Colcord pre-renovations, winning a MARS race in 2013.

For tickets and other event information, click here.

If you can’t make it to the track, stream every lap in August and all season long live on DIRTVision.