CONCORD, N.C. – Iowa’s legendary Boone Speedway is known for huge events, but the inaugural Hawkeye 100 on May 1-2 featuring the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series will be the richest in track history.
The new two-day event includes preliminary features on Friday with a 100-lap, $30,000-to-win, $1,000-to-start main event on Saturday. The overall purse makes the Hawkeye 100 one of the most lucrative races on the 2020 tour, which includes 51 points races over 56 dates in 16 states.
“There’s so much history and tradition at Boone, it’s one of those tracks everybody immediately knows,” World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series Director Casey Shuman said. “We’re looking forward to adding a new chapter to Boone’s history by creating this unique event. We’ve found Friday qualifying events lead to exciting racing for the fans, and set the stage for Saturday night thrillers.”
The Battle at the Border, Jan. 2-5 at New Mexico’s Vado Speedway Park, launches the campaign. Vado and Boone are just two of eight tracks never before seen by the Outlaws, joining five additional tracks that will be returning to the schedule after at least a one-year absence.
“It’s always a challenge trying to build a fun and exciting schedule for the fans while trying to keep the logistics feasible for our teams,” Shuman said. “We were able to work with some great promoters in 2019, and I think we have added to that in 2020 with some exciting new venues and events. I look forward to getting the season started in January.”
After the 49th annual DIRTcar Nationals presented by Bozard Ford on Feb. 12-15 at Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park, the Outlaws will continue their first Southeastern swing of the season with a return to Tennessee’s Duck River Raceway Park on Friday, March 6 and then the Tennessee Tipoff on Saturday, March 7, at Smoky Mountain Speedway. The month wraps up on Friday, March 27, at Volunteer Speedway in Bulls Gap, Tenn. — hosting its first World of Outlaws race since 2018 — and Saturday, March 28, at Cherokee Speedway in Gaffney, S.C.
The historic Illini 100 at Farmer City Raceway in Illinois kicks off springtime racing on April 3-4, followed by a visit to a brand-new track to the Series – Kentucky’s Richmond Raceway on April 24. This will mark the first Outlaws race in the Bluegrass State since May 2015, when 2011 series champion Rick Eckert went to victory lane at Ponderosa Speedway. The next night, April 25, Brushcreek Motorsports Complex in Peebles, Ohio, makes a return to the Series for the first time since 2006.
May begins with Boone Speedway’s new $30,000-to-win Hawkeye 100 May 1-2 before a Georgia swing at Lavonia Speedway and Cochran Motor Speedway May 8-9. Ohio takes center stage next as Moler Raceway Park in Williamsburg, Ohio, returns May 15 to the World of Outlaws schedule for the first time in just under four years, and then it’s back to Wayne County Speedway in Orrville, Ohio, on May 16. The Series then heads to the Midwest for a back-to-back showdown at two of the most popular dirt tracks in the region – Jacksonville (Ill.) Speedway on May 29, Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., on May 30.
Genesee Speedway’s date on June 19 is the fifth brand-new track to the Outlaws on the weekend before 14th annual Firecracker 100 June 25-27 at Lernerville Speedway.
A new Upper Midwest tour leadoff hitter has risen to the occasion in 2020 as the tour heads to Seymour, Wis, for a first-time visit to Outagamie Speedway on July 10. The Outlaws will then make their third consecutive visit to Plymouth Dirt Track the next night for the second of six races in the Badger State.
The Rumble in the Pines at Grand Rapids Speedway on July 16 marks the first stop of the year in Minnesota and the seventh brand-new track to the Series. The 31st annual Prairie Dirt Classic presented by Bank of Pontiac at Fairbury Speedway will cap off the month of July with the newly announced $50,000 winner’s share in the 100-lap finale on Saturday, Aug. 1.
For the first time since 2009, Beaver Dam Raceway in Wisconsin is back on the Outlaws tour with a midweek date set for Tuesday, Aug. 4, preceding the 32nd annual $50,000-to-win USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway on Aug. 6-8.
Now under new management, Fayetteville Motor Speedway will be back with a fall date set for Sept. 4 before the return of another fast Southeastern half-mile, Lancaster Motor Speedway the next night. Pennsylvania’s Thunder Mountain Speedway on Sept. 26 will conclude the month’s action as the eighth and final new track to the tour.
Cherokee Speedway’s second annual Mike Duvall Memorial and another visit to Tennessee’s 411 Motor Speedway will round out October’s action before a champion is crowned at the Can-Am World Finals in November.
Click below to see the full World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series schedule.