LAWTON, Okla. — The rich tradition of sprint car racing in Oklahoma will continue to grow this week.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is aimed at the Sooner State for a full weekend of action.
First up, the tour makes a trip to Lawton Speedway on Friday, March 20. The southern Oklahoma oval was the 19th track to host The Greatest Show on Dirt during its inaugural season in 1978. Since then, the series has made 10 more Lawton stops. Friday will make it a dozen.
After Lawton, it’s Tulsa time – sort of. Just to the southwest of the city that’s home to the Chili Bowl Nationals is Sapulpa’s Creek County Speedway. The World of Outlaws has never visited “Creekadega,” but that’s set to change on Saturday, March 21, when Creek County becomes the ninth Oklahoma track to host the country’s best sprint car drivers.
BACK ON TOP
It didn’t take long for David Gravel to regain control of the top spot in the standings.
After Carson Macedo and the Jason Johnson Racing crew equaled Gravel heading into Kennedale, the Big Game Motorsports team promptly responded by winning their first race of the year.
That pushed them six points clear at the top as they chase a third consecutive championship. Gravel has finished on the podium in five of the last six races this year.
The Watertown, Conn., native’s experience at the Oklahoma tracks ahead is limited. He’s been to Lawton on three occasions and come home in the top five each time, peaking at third in 2020 during his Jason Johnson Racing days. Like several of the current full-time drivers, Gravel will make his Creek County debut on Saturday.
LOVING LAWTON
A couple of the current competitors on the World of Outlaws tour have found their way to victory lane at Lawton and will aim for a return trip on Friday.
Carson Macedo topped the 2021 trip to Lawton aboard the JJR No. 41. The Lemoore, CA native followed that with a runner-up a year ago. He’s off to a stout start in 2026 with a 3.57 average finish through seven races and trails Gravel by just six markers in the early title chase.
Last year’s visit belonged to Michael “Buddy” Kofoid as he got his first look at Lawton. That gave Roth Motorsports wins in two of the last three Lawton races as Daryn Pittman took the No. 83 to victory lane at his home state track in 2020. Kofoid is in major need of a rebound this weekend after a crash while leading Kennedale on Friday dropped the championship contender to sixth in points.
CREEKADEGA
Saturday might be the World of Outlaws debut at Creek County, but a handful of the current band of travelers had their paths lead them to “Creekadega” in the past.
Scott Bogucki’s days of touring with the ASCS National Tour brought him to Creek County on four occasions. The highlight of those was a fourth-place effort in 2018. The Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies contender will return for the first time in seven years.
Garet Williamson’s experience is similar with ASCS bringing him to Creek County multiple times. He raced there once apiece in 2019, 2020, and 2021 and will head back aboard the Fischer Motorsports No. 23.
Ashton Torgerson’s time in Micro Sprints allowed him to rack up Creek County laps. The Glendale, Ariz., native was a 2022 runner-up there in Winged A-class. He also drove a Keith Kunz Motorsports midget at the quarter-mile two years ago, finishing fourth. Torgerson currently leads the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year presented by Five Star Bodies chase.
Emerson Axsom made a pair of POWRi Midget appearances in 2020. The result was two top 10s highlighted by a fifth. Axsom is fresh off his best finish of the season in the Klaasmeyer/Petry Motorsports No. 27, eighth at Kennedale.
You’ve got to go back a bit, but Chris Windom circled Creek County a couple times. The Sides Motorsports pilot raced a non-winged sprint car there in 2007 and 2008. His top effort was fifth in his debut.
RIGHTING THE SHIP
Hopes were high for Bill Balog entering his third season with The Greatest Show on Dirt, but it didn’t quite start the way he would’ve liked.
The “North Pole Nightmare” struggled through the opening five nights at Volusia, only managing a best finish of 12th. But since the schedule shifted to some short tracks, Balog is starting to resemble what we saw last year. The No. 17B made the Toyota Dash and came home sixth at Talladega.
Balog backed that up by nearly winning at Kennedale, coming up just a corner short as David Gravel forced him to settle for second. On the bright side, it marked his first podium of 2026.
Balog will carry the momentum into Oklahoma this weekend. His Lawton debut a year ago led to a front row starting spot and seventh-place result. He’ll make his first laps at Creek County on Saturday.
ASCS INVASION
Oklahoma is the heart of ASCS country, so many of the nation’s top 360 drivers are planning to add 50 cubic inches between the frame rails and battle the best of the best in familiar territory.
Six-time and defending ASCS champion leads the charge. The Sunnyvale, Texas, native owns four Lawton checkered flags. His win tally at Creek County reaches double digits as he’s won there with ASCS both nationally and regionally and even picked up a 410 score with POWRi.
Oklahoma’s Matt Covington will proudly represent both ASCS and the home state. He’s got plenty of experience at both tracks, including a pair of Lawton victories and one at Creek County to go along with 10 more podiums.
Seth Bergman is originally from the state of Washington, but he’s a “Sooner” these days. The 2024 ASCS titlist has been close to victory at Lawton, including a 2012 runner-up. He’s bagged a dozen ASCS Sooner Region trophies at Creek County.
Blake Hahn may not be currently on tour with ASCS, but he’s a two-time champion and 25-time feature winner of the series.
Saturday’s race is especially meaningful to Hahn as Creek County is the Sapulpa native’s home track. His résumé shows countless laps at the bullring and victories in winged sprint cars, Non-winged sprint cars and midgets.
Both tracks are expected to attract nearly 40 entrants with plenty more Midwestern talent with ASCS ties planning to compete, including the likes of Brady Bacon, Ryder Laplante, Austyn Gossel, Landon Crawley and more.