Friday night delivered another slate of edge-of-your-seat racing at The Dirt Track at Charlotte as the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals featured a historic, championship-clinching victory in the SuperDIRT Car Series and pivotal battles across all three premier dirt racing series.
AT A GLANCE:
- Alex Yankowski claimed a historic victory in the SuperDIRT Car Series, becoming the youngest SuperDIRT Car Series champion in history with a thrilling 0.036-second win over Mat Williamson.
- Giovanni Scelzi captured Friday night's World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series feature, marking his first feature victory of the season.
- Nick Hoffman raced to victory in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series feature.
A DEEPER DIVE:
SuperDIRT Car Series
Starting fourth, Yankowski made short work of the frontrunners, moving from his fourth-place starting spot to second position in the opening laps. Following the Pennsylvania native to the front was championship contender Mat Williamson, who needed a win – and Yankowski to finish outside of the Top 10 – to keep his championship hopes alive.
But it wasn’t meant to be for Williamson. After three cautions slowed the field early, Yankowski took the lead from polesitter Felix Roy on Lap 16, holding off a hard-charging Williamson for a 0.036-second photo finish at the stripe. The win marked Yankowski’s fifth of the season, his second at The Dirt Track at Charlotte – where he earned the first series win of his career in 2021 – and locked him in as the youngest SuperDIRT Car Series champion ever at just 22 years old.
“What a sigh of relief,” Yankowski said of winning the title. “I think this championship is just an unbelievable feat… I'm really proud of this whole group. To win it and to clench is something special. Those final few laps got hairy. I just kind of didn't know where to be. Williamson did a really good job trying to take advantage of that.”
Michael Maresca, Roy and Ryan Godown rounded out the Top 5.
NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series
California native Giovanni Scelzi raced to his first World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series victory of the season Friday night, leading nearly every lap of the feature after charging from the outside of the front row to the lead on the opening circuit. The Chili's-backed driver wasted little time building a one-second advantage before slicing through lapped traffic by Lap 6. Carson Macedo and Bill Balog battled behind him before a caution on Lap 10 reset the field.
Scelzi pulled away on the restart, once again navigating lapped traffic as Sheldon Haudenschild and Tyler Holmes gave chase. Holmes worked his way to second in the closing laps, but Scelzi held strong to secure the victory by just 0.384 seconds. The win marked Scelzi's first of the season and his first triumph at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in seven years, a victory he said was especially meaningful in his Spire Motorsports team's backyard.
Haudenschild held on for third, with Cameron Smith finishing fourth and Buddy Schweibinz finishing fifth.
World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTvision
Engines roared to life for Friday night’s World of Outlaws Late Model feature, with Mooresville native Nick Hoffman leading the field to the checkered flag in a commanding performance. Hoffman earned his 20th victory of the season, starting from the pole alongside heat race winner Trey Mills. Hoffman quickly established himself out front, pulling away from the field as Ryan Gustin worked his way into second. The two drivers separated themselves, with Hoffman building a lead of more than one second while navigating lapped traffic.
Gustin continued to pressure Hoffman, searching for an opportunity on the low side, but Hoffman maintained control through multiple restarts. A late caution with four laps remaining brought the field back together, setting up a final sprint to the finish. Behind the leader, Jonathan Davenport surged to second, while Ricky Thornton Jr. charged from 18th to finish fourth. Chris Madden rounded out the top five after a late-race shuffle.
Hoffman’s victory marked his 20th of the season and his 42nd top-five finish, setting a new single-season record for the most top-five finishes in series history. Meanwhile, the consistent Bobby Pierce, who needed to finish 14th place or higher to secure the title, finished 10th, to go back-to-back-to-back for his third consecutive World of Outlaws Late Models championship, capping a remarkable 20‑win season.
- 12 p.m.: Souvenir and Display Areas Open
- 2:30 p.m.: Race Day Live (DIRTvision Stage)
- 3 p.m.: Gates Open
- 4 p.m.: Opening Ceremonies
- 4:10 p.m.: Heat Racing Begins
- Post-Race: Championship Celebration
Championship Saturday marks the final day of World Finals as all three premier series battle for one last feature victory of the season. Before the night's feature races, fans will be treated to the fan-favorite 4x3 Parade, the only time all-season Sprint Cars, Late Models and Big Block Modifieds share the track together. Following the final checkered flag, champions will be crowned to close out the 2026 season.
TICKETS:
Championship Saturday concludes the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals with one final night of action before champions are crowned across all three national touring series. Tickets are available online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com/tickets or can be purchased at the gate.
KEEP TRACK:
Follow all the World of Outlaws Final action through the hashtag #WorldFinals. Connect with The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on X, Facebook and Instagram.
