A total of 75 sprint cars are pre-entered for the 59th annual running of the Western World Championships at Central Arizona in Casa Grande on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, October 22-23-24, 2026.
Thirty-nine (39) USAC AMSOIL National and Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA 410 c.i. Sprint Cars are expected to compete in the three-night event on 3/8-mile dirt oval. The 410s will be competing for $7,500-to-win on both Thursday and Friday night.
Saturday’s grand finale will pay $35,000-to-win and a minimum of $1,000-to-start, plus another $20,000 in total lap leader money for the top three in the running order on each lap: 1. $250, 2. $150, 3. $100. That means the winner could walk away with a grand total of #43,750 by night’s end with lap money factored in.
Furthermore, thirty-six (36) USAC Avanti Windows Southwest 360 c.i. Sprint Cars are signed in for Western World. A $3,000 winner’s share is up for grabs on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s weekend capper pays $5,000-to-win and a minimum of $1,000-to-start.
Both divisions will be competing on all three nights with a complete program for both divisions on each of the three evenings.
Here’s a look as some of the top storylines heading into one of the most prestigious and history-rich sprint car races on the planet!
SEAVEY UP FOR A REPEAT
Logan Seavey and Abacus Racing enter the event as the defending Western World champions after winning both nights of the event one year ago at Central Arizona Raceway.
Seavey is the lone two-time winner of the event in this week’s field after also capturing victory in the 2021 race.
The three-time 2026 USAC National Sprint Car winner started the year on a high note in Florida and aims to finish up the year on a similarly high note in Arizona.
CUMMINS CLINCHING
Kyle Cummins holds a commanding 199-point lead over Justin Grant with just three events remaining in the race for his second consecutive USAC National Sprint Car driving title, all this week at Central Arizona Raceway.
Cummins could clinch the championship as early as Thursday if his lead is at least 154 points by evening’s end. A maximum total of 238 points are available throughout the final three nights (84 on Thursday, 84 on Friday, and 70 on Saturday).
The Princeton, Indiana native won the Western World Championships finale in 2024.
4 PAST WINNERS OF THE WORLD
Four past Western World Championships champions are slated to compete in this year’s edition of the event.
Logan Seavey is a two-time WW winner, scoring in 2021 at Arizona Speedway and in 2025 at Central Arizona Raceway. Chase Stockon reached Western World glory in 2017 at Arizona Speedway.
Jake Swanson earned a complete sweep of the Western World finale in 2022 at Cocopah Speedway after picking up fast qualifying honors, winning his heat race, then capturing the feature. Kyle Cummins was the dominant figure at the 2024 Western World.
TWO CROWNS FOR R.J. JOHNSON
Not only is the USAC National Sprint Car championship up for the taking this weekend, but so are both the USAC CRA 410 and USAC Southwest 360 Sprint Car crowns as well.
R.J. Johnson leads both standings by commanding margins with a 287-point USAC CRA lead and a 134-point advantage in the Southwest series.
For Johnson, it would be his third consecutive USAC CRA championship and his sixth overall USAC Southwest title, and he could become the first driver ever to win both crowns in the same season. The Arizona native is also among those eying his first Western World Championship.
LATE MODEL ACE BACK FOR MORE
Late model star Ricky Thornton Jr. was spectacular in his USAC National Sprint Car debut one year ago at Western World aboard a Petty Performance Racing machine.
He finished 4th in his prelim night feature, then capped off the finale with a 5th place result to earn Western World Rookie of the Year honors.
This weekend, he’ll be pulling double duty in both a PPR 410 and 360 sprint car.
DOUBLE-DUTY IN 410s & 360s
A total of 14 drivers will be in double-duty mode by competing in both the 410 and 360 sprint car portions of the event at Western World.
The list of 14 includes Ryan Bernal, Briggs Danner, Charles Davis Jr., Jacob Denney, David Gasper, Elijah Gile, R.J. Johnson, Ricky Lewis, Gavin Miller, Daylin Perreira, Dayton Shelton, Ricky Thornton Jr., J.J. Yeley, and Kevin Thomas Jr., a 360 Western World prelim feature winner in 2025.
Interesting, the list includes three Rookies (Denney, Gile & Miller). Furthermore, all 14 are trying to become a first-time Western World Championships titlist.
WHIZ KIDS & WESTERN WORLD ROOKIES
The Western World field also includes a myriad of event Rookies attempting to chase after the Whiz Kid Award, named in honor of Eric Wilkins and posted up by Team AZ Racing.
The prize consists of a $1,000 bonus for the top Rookie in the 410 Sprint Car portion and another $1,000 bonus to the top Rookie in the 360 Sprint Car portion.
The 410 Rookie class includes Elijah Gile, Gavin Miller, Tyler Cato, Cale Coons, Alex Peck, and Jacob Denney.
The 360 Rookie class includes Elijah Gile, Gavin Miller, Mick Gile Jr., Austin Cato, Elijah Loper, Koen Crawford, Preston Norbury, Jacob Denney, Grant Schaadt, and Andrew Sweeney.
NEW SCENERY
Western World also features a bit of ride shuffling as a handful of top USAC performers have stepped into new rides for the week.
The band is back together as C.J. Leary returns to the Michael Motorsports No. 77m for the first time in four years. This combo won eight USAC National Sprint Car feature events between 2021-2022.
Robert Ballou will take the wheel of the Rex Calderwood Racing No. 6, which had been driven earlier this year by Logan Calderwood.
Jadon Rogers will pilot the Baldwin-Fox Racing No. 5, a ride which won Western World
in 2016 and 2017 with Chris Windom and again in 2021 with Logan Seavey.
UNDERWOOD DASH
Arizona based Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports will once again post $5,000-to-win for the Underwood Dash presented by AME Electrical to be held during Saturday’s Western World program.
The Underwood Dash is a pursuit style event that will feature 10 cars competing for 12 laps in a winner-take-all special. The dash will take place in four 3-lap segments. After each segment, the last two cars running will be eliminated. Furthermore, if a car stops on the course for any reason, that car is also eliminated. Double file restarts will be utilized for each segment.
Saturday’s four qualifying race winners will start at the tail of the Underwood Dash. The top 6 in points after Friday’s program will be locked into the dash.
Kyle Cummins was the winner of the inaugural Underwood Dash in 2025.
Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports will be fielding two entries throughout Western World for full-time USAC National Sprint Car drivers Mitchel Moles and Hayden Reinbold.
RACE DETAILS
The 59th Annual Avanti Windows & Doors Western World Championships will take place at Central Arizona Raceway in Casa Grande on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, October 22-23-24, 2026.
The event will feature the 410 sprint cars of the USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship and Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA divisions. Plus, the USAC Avanti Windows & Doors Southwest 360 Sprint Cars.
Practice night kicks off the week for all Western World competitors on Wednesday, October 21, from 6-9pm Mountain Standard Time. The drivers meeting will take place at 5:15pm.
For all three nights of racing on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, the pits open at 2pm with the front gates opening at 3pm, the drivers meeting at 4pm, and cars on track at 5pm, followed by qualifying and racing.
Tickets will be sold at the gate on race day and are also on sale in advance at https://www.centralazraceway.
All three nights of racing will be shown live on https://flosports.link/
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USAC AMSOIL NATIONAL & AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA 410 SPRINT CAR ENTRY LIST: (39)
CAR # / DRIVER / HOMETOWN / CAR OWNER
007 WAYNE SIDDLE/Tucson, AZ (Wayne Siddle)
1p R.J. JOHNSON/Laveen, AZ (Petty Performance Racing)
3m MARTY HAWKINS/Santa Rosa, CA (Hawkins Motorsports)
3p KYLE CUMMINS/Princeton, IN (Petty Performance Racing)
3R STEVIE SUSSEX/Tempe, AZ (Rock Steady Racing)
4 JUSTIN GRANT/Ione, CA (TOPP Motorsports)
4D DAYTON SHELTON/Prescott, AZ (Johnny Shelton Jr.)
5 JADON ROGERS/Worthington, IN (Baldwin-Fox Racing)
5T JAKE SWANSON/Anaheim, CA (Daming Swanson Motorsports)
6 ROBERT BALLOU/Rocklin, CA (Rex Calderwood Racing)
6T TREY OSBORNE/Columbus, OH (Trey Osborne Racing)
15 KEVIN THOMAS JR./Cullman, AL (BBI Motorsports)
17 RYAN BERNAL/Hollister, CA (Tom Dunkel Racing)
17GP (R) ELIJAH GILE/Phoenix, AZ (Michael Dutcher Motorsports)
17w AUSTIN WILLIAMS/Yorba Linda, CA (Tom Dunkel Racing)
17x COLE WAKIM/Simi Valley, CA (Tom Dunkel Racing)
18 DAVID GASPER/Goleta, CA (Gasper Racing-Kittle Motorsports)
19 HAYDEN REINBOLD/Gilbert, AZ (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
19AZ MITCHEL MOLES/Raisin City, CA (Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports)
20RT RICKY THORNTON JR./Chandler, AZ (Petty Performance Racing)
21AZ (R) GAVIN MILLER/Allentown, PA (Team AZ-Curb-Agajanian Racing)
21K KOBE SIMPSON/Bonham, TX (Kevin Simpson)
21p DAYLIN PERREIRA/Hilo, HI (Daylin Perreira)
33p J.J. YELEY/Phoenix, AZ (Petty Performance Racing)
38 CHET WILLIAMS/Newburgh, IN (Chet Williams)
38x (R) TYLER CATO/Santa Rosa, CA (Greg Cato)
39 BRIGGS DANNER/Allentown, PA (Hogue Racing Enterprises)
41 RICKY LEWIS/Oxnard, CA (Ricky Lewis)
47 CHARLES DAVIS JR./Buckeye, AZ (Charles Davis Jr.)
51T EDDIE TAFOYA JR./Chino Hills, CA (Eddie Tafoya)
57 LOGAN SEAVEY/Sutter, CA (Abacus Racing)
63 (R) CALE COONS/Greencastle, IN (Dooling Autosports-Curb-Agajanian)
67x (R) ALEX PECK/Federal Way, WA (Axel Walker)
77m C.J. LEARY/Greenfield, IN (Michael Motorsports)
87 (R) JACOB DENNEY/Galloway, OH (CB Industries-Spire Motorsports)
92 CHASE STOCKON/Fort Branch, IN (Tom & Laurie Sertich)
97 CONNOR LUNDY/Peoria, AZ (Matt Lundy)
98 VERNE SWEENEY/Lomita, CA (Rachel Guerrero)
98B BRECKEN GUERRERO/Westminster, CA (Rachel Guerrero)
(R) represents a Western World Rookie
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USAC AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS SOUTHWEST 360 SPRINT CAR ENTRY LIST: (36)
CAR # / DRIVER / HOMETOWN / CAR OWNER
007 RICKY LEWIS/Oxnard, CA (Wayne Siddle)
1AZ BRUCE ST. JAMES/Phoenix, AZ (Bruce St. James)
2 J.J. YELEY/Phoenix, AZ (Jack Yeley)
2x JOSHUA SHIPLEY/Surprise, AZ (Joshua Shipley)
4D DAYTON SHELTON/Prescott, AZ (Johnny Shelton Jr.)
5AZ JAMES WEBSTER/Coolidge, AZ (James Webster)
5s RACIN SILVA/Henderson, NV (Clint Silva)
6 BRIGGS DANNER/Allentown, PA (Rex Calderwood)
6c RYAN BERNAL/Hollister, CA (Rex Calderwood)
7OH BRYAN LEDBETTER JR./Safford, AZ (Bryan & Sharon Ledbetter)
8AZ JORDAN STETSON/Tucson, AZ (Jeff Stetson)
11 LONNIE OLIVER/Anthem, AZ (Lonnie Oliver)
11c CHARLES DAVIS JR./Buckeye, AZ (DAR Motorsports)
17GP (R) ELIJAH GILE/Phoenix, AZ (Michael Dutcher)
20 DAVID GASPER/Goleta, CA (Shon Deskins Racing)
20RT RICKY THORNTON JR./Chandler, AZ (Petty Performance Racing)
21 AUSTIN ERVINE/Henderson, NV (Austin Ervine)
21AZ (R) GAVIN MILLER/Allentown, PA (Team AZ/Curb-Agajanian Racing)
21p DAYLIN PERREIRA/Hilo, Hawaii (Daylin Perreira)
23AZ (R) MICK GILE JR./Mesa, AZ (Steve Sussex)
25w MICHAEL WADDLE/Surprise, AZ (Michael Waddle)
29 BRENT YARNAL/Phoenix, AZ (Brent Yarnal)
33p R.J. JOHNSON/Laveen, AZ (Petty Performance Racing)
38 (R) AUSTIN CATO/Santa Rosa, CA (Greg Cato)
43x (R) ELIJAH LOPER/Phoenix, AZ (Dennis Loper)
44 JAKE HELSEL/Monroe, WA (Bryan & Sharon Ledbetter)
48 (R) KOEN CRAWFORD/Gilbert, AZ (Shon Crawford)
51 KEVIN THOMAS JR./Cullman, AL (Michele & Ricky Johnson)
57 CHAZ BACA/Jewell, Iowa (Steven Stonecipher)
72 A.J. HERNANDEZ/Phoenix, AZ (Aaron Hernandez)
77m (R) PRESTON NORBURY/Chino Valley, AZ (Michael Motorsports)
78 BRODY WAKE/Lake Havasu City, Arizona (Ryan Wake)
81K RICKEY KINNEY JR./Buckeye, AZ (Rickey Kinney)
87 (R) JACOB DENNEY/Galloway, OH (CB Industries-Spire Motorsports)
88G (R) GRANT SCHAADT/San Tan Valley, AZ (Alan Schaadt)
98 (R) ANDREW SWEENEY/Tracy, CA (Andrew Sweeney)
(R) represents a Western World Rookie
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USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TRACK RECORDS AT CENTRAL ARIZONA RACEWAY:
1 Lap – 10/24/2025 – Mitchel Moles – 15.024
8 Laps – 10/25/2025 – Brady Bacon – 2:06.39
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USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Kyle Cummins-3181, 2-Justin Grant-2982, 3-Mitchel Moles-2915, 4-Jake Swanson-2661, 5-Briggs Danner-2557, 6-Kevin Thomas Jr.-2477, 7-C.J. Leary-2374, 8-Chase Stockon-2368, 9-Logan Seavey-2311, 10-Robert Ballou-2291.
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AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS USAC CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-R.J. Johnson-1421, 2-Austin Williams-1134, 3-Connor Lundy-965, 4-Verne Sweeney-881, 5-Brecken Guerrero-865, 6-Ricky Lewis-708, 7-Dayton Shelton-645, 8-Eddie Tafoya Jr.-593, 9-Charles Davis Jr.-573, 10-Daylin Perreira-561.
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USAC AVANTI WINDOWS & DOORS SOUTHWEST SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-R.J. Johnson-810, 2-Stevie Sussex-676, 3-Koen Crawford-664, 4-Daylin Perreira-648, 5-Dayton Shelton-641, 6-Bruce St. James-613, 7-A.J. Hernandez-583, 8-Jordan Stetson-493, 9-Connor Lundy-491, 10-Charles Davis Jr.-430.
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USAC PARALLAX GROUP NATIONAL PASSING MASTER POINTS: 1-Justin Grant-147, 2-Kevin Thomas Jr.-142, 3-Hayden Reinbold-142, 4-Robert Ballou-133, 5-Briggs Danner-113, 6-Chase Stockon-112, 7-Cale Coons-109, 8-Jacob Denney-102, 9-Jake Swanson-102, 10-Mitchel Moles-93.
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PAST WESTERN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WINNERS: (1968-2025)
MANZANITA SPEEDWAY – PHOENIX, ARIZONA
1968: Bob Cleberg (Non-Winged Sprint)
1969: Bob Huebner (Non-Winged Sprint)
1970: Jerry McClung (Non-Winged Sprint)
1971: Jan Opperman (Non-Winged Sprint)
1972: Jan Opperman (Non-Winged Sprint)
1973: Earl Wagner (Non-Winged Sprint)
1974: Rick Ferkel (Non-Winged Sprint)
1975: Ron Shuman (Non-Winged Sprint)
1976: Bubby Jones (Non-Winged Sprint)
1977: Ron Shuman (Non-Winged Sprint)
1978: Lealand McSpadden (World of Outlaws/CRA Non-Winged Sprint)
1979: Tim Green (World of Outlaws/CRA Non-Winged Sprint)
1980: Jeff Swindell (Non-Winged Sprint)
1981: Ron Shuman (Non-Winged Sprint)
1982: Steve Kinser (Non-Winged Sprint)
1983: Steve Kinser (Non-Winged Sprint)
1984: Ron Shuman (Non-Winged Sprint)
1985: Steve Kinser (Non-Winged Sprint) & Lealand McSpadden (Mighty Midgets of Arizona)
1986: Bobby Davis Jr. (Winged Sprint) & Ron Shuman (Mighty Midgets of Arizona)
1987: Steve Kinser (Winged Sprint) & Lealand McSpadden (Mighty Midgets of Arizona)
1988: Mark Kinser (USA Winged Sprint) & Jack Yeley (Mighty Midgets of Arizona)
1989: Sammy Swindell (USA Winged Sprint) & Gary Faucett (Arizona Midget Racing Association)
1990: Steve Kinser (Winged Sprint) & Rip Williams (CRA Sprint)
1991: Danny Lasoski (Winged Sprint), Wayne Bennett (360 Non-Winged Sprint) & Ron Shuman (Arizona Midget Racing Association)
1992: Steve Kinser (Winged Sprint) & Bob Ream Jr. (360 Non-Winged Sprint) & Bob Brosemann (Arizona Midget Racing Association)
1993: Lealand McSpadden (CRA Sprint)
1994: Ron Shuman (SCRA Sprint)
1995: Lealand McSpadden (SCRA Sprint), Ricky Johnson (Arizona Non-Winged 360 Sprint) & Josh Pelkey (Midget)
1996: Steve Kinser (World of Outlaws Sprint)
1997: Mark Kinser (World of Outlaws Sprint)
1998: Tyler Walker (World of Outlaws Sprint)
1999: Donny Schatz (World of Outlaws Sprint)
2000: Jay Drake (SCRA Sprint)
2001: Jeremy Sherman (SCRA Sprint)
2002: Bud Kaeding (SCRA Sprint) & Jeremy Sherman (360 Non-Winged Sprint)
2003: Tony Elliott (SCRA Sprint) & Jeremy Sherman (360 Non-Winged Sprint)
2004: Bud Kaeding (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Josh Ford (360 Non-Winged Sprint)
2005: Dave Darland (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Cory Kruseman (360 Non-Winged Sprint)
2006: Josh Wise (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Cory Kruseman (360 Non-Winged Sprint)
2007: Jerry Coons Jr. (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Cory Kruseman (ASCS Non-Wing Canyon 360 Sprint)
2008: Kevin Swindell (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Jesse Hockett (ASCS Non-Wing Canyon 360 Sprint)
USA RACEWAY – TUCSON, ARIZONA
2009: Brady Bacon (ASCS Non-Wing Canyon 360 Sprint) & Sammy Swindell (ASCS Winged 360 Sprint)
2010: Brady Bacon (ASCS Non-Wing Canyon 360 Sprint) & Donny Schatz (ASCS Winged 360 Sprint)
2011: Tracy Hines (ASCS Non-Wing Canyon 360 Sprint) & Donny Schatz (ASCS Winged 360 Sprint)
CANYON SPEEDWAY PARK – PEORIA, ARIZONA
2012: Bryan Clauson (ASCS Non-Wing Canyon 360 Sprint) & Wayne Johnson (ASCS Winged 360 Sprint)
2013: Bryan Clauson (USAC Southwest/West Coast Sprint) & Bryan Clauson (USAC National/Western States Midget)
2014: Matt Rossi (USAC Southwest/West Coast Sprint) & Darren Hagen (USAC National/Western States Midget)
USA RACEWAY – TUCSON, ARIZONA
2015: Bryan Clauson (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Brody Roa (USAC Southwest/West Coast 360 Sprint)
ARIZONA SPEEDWAY – SAN TAN VALLEY, ARIZONA
2016: Chris Windom (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Brady Bacon (USAC Southwest/West Coast Sprint)
2017: Chase Stockon (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Chris Windom (USAC Southwest/West Coast Sprint)
2018: Tyler Courtney (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Brady Bacon (USAC Southwest/West Coast Sprint)
2019: Tyler Courtney (USAC National/CRA/Southwest Sprint) & Brady Bacon (USAC National Midget/Western States)
2020: Buddy Kofoid (USAC National Midget) & Tyler Courtney (USAC CRA/Southwest Sprint)
2021: Logan Seavey (USAC National/CRA Sprint) & Chris Windom (USAC National Midget)
COCOPAH SPEEDWAY – SOMERTON, ARIZONA
2022: Jake Swanson (USAC National Sprint)
2023: Daison Pursley (USAC CRA Sprint)
MOHAVE VALLEY RACEWAY – MOHAVE VALLEY, ARIZONA
2024: Kyle Cummins (USAC CRA Sprint)
CENTRAL ARIZONA RACEWAY – CASA GRANDE, ARIZONA
2025: Logan Seavey (USAC National/CRA 410 Sprint) & Brady Bacon (360 Non-Wing Sprint)
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