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Yankowski Holds Off Williamson In Charlotte Thriller To Clinch Super DIRTcar Title As Youngest Champion

Published

1 hour ago

November 8, 2026

Alex Yankowski celebrates the Super DIRTcar Series championship on the podium at Charlotte

Alex Yankowski, right, lifts his Super DIRTcar Series championship trophy at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. Photo via the Super DIRTcar Series.

Alex Yankowski made his plan pay off Friday night at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, beating Mat Williamson by just 0.036 seconds to win at the World Finals and mathematically lock up the 2026 Super DIRTcar Series championship, setting him up to be crowned the youngest champion in Series history on Saturday night.

Alex Yankowski had a plan in 2026. Just win races and the Super DIRTcar Series points would take care of themselves.

That’s exactly what the Covington Township, PA driver did Friday night, narrowly holding off Mat Williamson at The Dirt Track at Charlotte for his second Dave Smith Motors World Finals victory and fifth Series triumph of the season.

With the win, “Kid Rocket” has mathematically secured the 2026 championship and will officially be crowned the youngest champion in Series history on Saturday night.

“What a sigh of relief,” Yankowski said. “To get this championship is just an unbelievable feat. It’s always been the Northern guys beating up on us. I know Doug Hoffman got one. There’s a lot of people that aren’t with us that I wish were today.

“I’m really proud of this whole group. We’re going to keep plugging. To win it and to clinch it is something special.”

Felix Roy, the SRI Performance and Stock Car Steel Pole Award winner, led the field to the green in the 30-lap Feature, beating Jack Lehner into Turns 1 and 2. But behind the Napierville, QC driver, it didn’t take long for Yankowski to start moving forward.

Yankowski had the runner-up spot by Turn 2, while Williamson followed to take over third by the time they completed Lap 1. Williamson lurked behind the top two, but in the first half of the race, Roy and Yankowski battled for the top spot.

Roy played defense through the race’s first half, holding off challenges from the No. 84Y, whether it was Yankowski trying to power around the outside, or diamonding the corner and trying to pass Roy low. While Roy held off every attempt, things changed for the 2023 Series Rookie of the Year when a caution came out on Lap 15 for Paul Mancini.

When the race resumed, Roy fired on the outside lane, but Yankowski started better and he pulled even with the No. 91 as they entered Turn 1. Roy held off Yankowski again as they exited Turn 2, but Yankowski found his opportunity as they raced down the backstretch.

Roy slid in front of Yankowski in Turn 4, trying to take his momentum away. But once Yankowski saw Roy slide up, he crossed over to the bottom and stormed to the lead as they completed Lap 16.

Yankowski raced to a full straightaway advantage through the next 10 laps, but when he caught lap traffic, it allowed Roy and Williamson to close in. And for the second straight night, Williamson made a late charge for the win.

The three-time Series champion found momentum on the inside lane while battling Roy in traffic, diving underneath Roy as they exited Turn 2 to take over second on Lap 29. Then, Williamson set his sights on Yankowski, who was struggling to get by Francois Bellemare, a lap car.

On the race’s final lap, Williamson continued that momentum in Turns 1 and 2, pulling up to the middle of Yankowski’s car. But it wasn’t enough to take the lead. However, Williamson had one more shot as they entered Turns 3 and 4.

Yankowski chose the bottom as they went into the corner, and Williamson followed at first. But midway through Turns 3 and 4, Williamson switched to the outside, trying to power around Yankowski as they exited the corner. Williamson got one last burst of speed off Turn 4, but it wasn’t enough as Yankowski held on to win the $10,000 prize by 0.036 seconds.

“I didn’t know where to be (in traffic),” Yankowski said. “[Bellemare] was sliding himself the whole time so I couldn’t slide him. I couldn’t get under him. And Williamson did a great job trying to take advantage of that.

“I beat myself up all winter long about things I felt I could’ve been better about, and this race team has been unbelievable.”

Williamson settled for second, narrowly missing a win for the second straight night. It’s his fourth-straight top-two Series finish.

Mike Maresca earned his first Series podium of the season, crossing the line third after starting 12th.

Felix Roy finished fourth after leading the first 15 laps, and Ryan Godown rounded out the top five.

UP NEXT: The Super DIRTcar Series returns to The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 7, for the 2026 season finale at the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals. Drivers will compete in a 40-lap Feature, paying $15,000-to-win.

RACE NOTES:
JAM Performance Fastest Hot Lap Award: Jimmy Phelps
Billy Whittaker Cars and Trux Quick Time Award: Mat Williamson
Bicknell Racing Products Heat Race 1 Winner: Mat Williamson
DIG Race Products Heat Race 2 Winner: Tyler Dippel
Wix Filters Heat Race 3 Winner: Alex Yankowski
The Greatest Store on Dirt Heat Race 4 Winner: Felix Roy
SRI Performance/Stock Car Steel Pole Award Winner: Felix Roy
Behrent’s Performance Warehouse One Lap to Go: Alex Yankowski

Super DIRTcar Series Feature (30 Laps): 1. 84Y-Alex Yankowski[4]; 2. 88-Mat Williamson[3]; 3. 7MM-Michael Maresca[12]; 4. 91-Felix Roy[1]; 5. 26-Ryan Godown[5]; 6. 70A-Alex Payne[14]; 7. 1-Tyler Dippel[6]; 8. 98H-Jimmy Phelps[10]; 9. 2-Jack Lehner[2]; 10. 3-Justin Haers[13]; 11. 12-Darren Smith[8]; 12. 35-Mike Mahaney[7]; 13. 33-Eddie Strada[11]; 14. 21A-Peter Britten[15]; 15. 28-Michael Trautschold[22]; 16. 4M-Logan Watt[21]; 17. 99L-Larry Wight[23]; 18. 6-Matt Stangle[9]; 19. 29-Ryan Krachun[30]; 20. 165-Rex King Jr[17]; 21. 7M-Paul Mancini[18]; 22. 9S-Matt Sheppard[27]; 23. 15X-Justin Stone[29]; 24. 11-Matt Caprara[25]; 25. 21M-Bob Mcgannon[26]; 26. 35B-Francois Bellemare[24]; 27. 25-Erick Rudolph[28]; 28. (DNF) 16-Louden Reimert[19]; 29. (DNF) 9-Tim McCreadie[16]; 30. (DNF) 0-Glenn Styres[20]

Scelzi Goes Wire To Wire At World Finals As Spire Motorsports Breaks Through In World Of Outlaws

Published

1 hour ago

November 8, 2026

We Speak Media

Giovanni Scelzi celebrates with the checkered flag at The Dirt Track at Charlotte

Giovanni Scelzi celebrates his World Finals win at Charlotte. Photo via the World of Outlaws.

Giovanni Scelzi kept his late season surge rolling Friday at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, leading every lap of the World Finals Friday feature to put Spire Motorsports in World of Outlaws Victory Lane for the first time and score his 11th career series win.

“Hot Sauce” is back in World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Victory Lane.

Giovanni Scelzi opened a brand new chapter in 2026. He teamed with Spire Motorsports as the NASCAR operation opted to add Sprint Cars to their stable. That paired him with one of the best crew chiefs in the business, Eric Prutzman.

The combination got hot with three straight wins last month, one at Lakeside Speedway and two at Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track. They had no intentions of slowing down on Spire’s home turf with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Scelzi started the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals with a top 10 on Thursday, and he upped his game to another level on Friday. The Californian lined up on the front row and ripped by polesitter Sheldon Haudenschild on the opening circuit and set sail. Tanner Holmes charged into the runner-up spot late and closed in on the No. 77’s tail tank but ran out of time as Scelzi took the checkered flag.

“The cushion got lipped up there pretty quick after they tilled it,” Scelzi said. “Man, I know we were all angry at first, but kudos to the track crew. Thank you to the fans for staying here. We’ve been here for nearly 12 hours. To get a win in Spire’s home state is awesome with the Chili’s 77 car. It’s very, very cool to win here. It’s been seven years since I won here last.”

Scelzi becomes the 24th different winner with The Greatest Show on Dirt in 2026, meaning the record for the most in one season could be tied on the final night of the campaign. The 24-year-old is now at 11 career World of Outlaws triumphs, equaling him with Fred Rahmer for 48th most. Spire Motorsports etched their name in the history books by becoming a World of Outlaws winning organization.

Tanner Holmes recorded his best career World of Outlaws finish with a runner-up in the Buch Motorsports No. 13.

Sheldon Haudenschild and the KCP Racing/NOS Energy Drink No. 18 crew rounded out the podium.

Cameron Smith and Buddy Schweibinz completed the top five.

NIGHTLY NOTES

Heat Races belonged to Bill Balog (NOS Energy Drink Heat One), Buddy Schweibinz (TheGreatestStoreonDirt.com Heat Two), Sheldon Haudenschild (WIX Filters Heat Three), and Cameron Smith (Golf Cart Services Heat Four).

The SPA Technique #1 Redraw went to Giovanni Scelzi.

Sheldon Haudenschild topped the Toyota Dash.

Steven Snyder Jr. won the Micro-Lite Last Chance Showdown.

Donny Schatz drove from 25th to 17th to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger.

Emerson Axsom finished 12th to pick up Five Star Bodies Rookie of the Race honors.

Giovanni Scelzi clocked the ACME Trading Company Fast Lap.

The Smith Titanium Brake Systems Break of the Race went to Bill Balog.

UP NEXT: The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series conclude the 2026 season with the $25,000-to-win finale of the Dave Smith Motors World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 7.

FEATURE RESULTS:

NOS Energy Drink Feature (25 Laps): 1. 77-Giovanni Scelzi[2]; 2. 13-Tanner Holmes[3]; 3. 18-Sheldon Haudenschild[1]; 4. 1A-Cameron Smith[4]; 5. 69K-Buddy Schweibinz[7]; 6. 41-Carson Macedo[10]; 7. 83-Michael Kofoid[13]; 8. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[9]; 9. 2-David Gravel[11]; 10. 71-Parker Price Miller[6]; 11. 14-Rico Abreu[17]; 12. 27-Emerson Axsom[12]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss[15]; 14. 23-Garet Williamson[19]; 15. 39M-Anthony Macri[14]; 16. 51-Steven Snyder Jr[21]; 17. 15-Donny Schatz[25]; 18. 1S-Logan Schuchart[24]; 19. 19-Brent Marks[20]; 20. 7S-Chris Windom[18]; 21. 17B-Bill Balog[5]; 22. 17-Spencer Bayston[22]; 23. 24D-Danny Sams III[16]; 24. 7NY-Matt Farnham[8]; 25. 71R-Logan Rumsey[23]; 26. 2C-Cole Macedo[26]; 27. 28M-Conner Morrell[28]; 28. 16C-Skylar Gee[27]