Shane Cockrum and Amati Racing were crowned the inaugural Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series champions
The inaugural season for the Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series presented by Low-E Insulation saw a return to “Outlaw” roots.
Forty-four years after the first World of Outlaws race at Devil’s Bowl Speedway with Non-Wing Sprint Cars, “Outlaw” Non-Wings returned with the new Series at Volusia Speedway Park in February.
Featuring the biggest stars in Non-Wing Sprint Car racing, the season opening event for the Series set up a new avenue for drivers in the division to either add more races to their schedule or follow a manageable schedule with a $20,000 championship prize.
The plethora of talent at each race created a tight points battle throughout the year. At the end, Shane Cockrum and Amati Racing were crowned the inaugural champions. Alex Bright finished second and Jake Swanson rounded out the podium.
Overall, there were five different winners in the eight events ran, each helping to build the historic significance of the season.
Below are the top storylines of the year:
COCKRUM CROWNED: When rumors of the Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series started to echo through the Non-Wing community, Shane Wade – owner of Amati Racing and grandson of one of the original “Outlaws” Chuck Amati – knew he wanted to contend for the title. And knew he wanted Shane Cockrum, of Benton, IL, in the seat of his #66 Sprint Car to do so.
The two had a long history already and had the confidence they would bring home a championship. While Cockrum never found Victory Lane with the Series, his consistency throughout the year – four top fives and seven top 10s in eight races – helped him hold a 26-point lead over Alex Bright at the season’s end.
The title is Cockrum’s first national Sprint Car championship – a new highlight of his career, he said.
“It’s just a huge national Series and to win anything like that puts you on the map in different places,” Cockrum said.
FULL POINTS: CLICK HERE
BIG GATORS: The Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series debuted during DIRTcar Nationals in February, crowning an inaugural winner and inaugural Big Gator champion for the Series.
Thirty-seven cars showed up for the two-day Series’ debut, looking to take home the iconic gator trophies.
CJ Leary won the opening night, writing his name in the history books as the first Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car winner. After starting third, he worked his way forward and cruised to the historic win.
The next night, Thomas Meseraull held off Brady Bacon and Robert Ballou for the $10,000 victory. And with a fourth-place finish, CJ Leary locked up the Big Gator Championship, becoming the first ever Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Big Gator champion.
SWANSON’S SWEEP: Jake Swanson, of Anaheim, CA, ended the season as the Series’ winningest driver and first driver to win three straight races.
He picked up his first Xtreme victory at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 during the St. Louis Firecracker Faceoff and then went on to sweep the Illinois doubleheader weekend in September – including races at Jacksonville Speedway and Spoon River Speedway.
With that performance, it helped propel Swanson to third in points by season’s end.
SEASON’S VARIETY: The Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series visited five different tracks between three states in its first season – Florida’s Volusia Speedway Park, Missouri’s Lake Ozark Speedway and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55, and Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway and Spoon River Speedway.
Of those events there were five different winners – CJ Leary (2), Thomas Meseraull, Brady Bacon, Alex Bright and Jake Swanson (3) – between the 80 drivers that ran with the Series this year.
FULL RECAP/RESULTS: CLICK HERE
2022 XTREME OUTLAW SPRINT CAR SCHEDULE & WINNERS:
No. / Day, Date / Track / Location / Winner (Total Wins)
1. Monday, Feb. 14 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / CJ Leary
2. Tuesday, Feb. 15 / Volusia Speedway Park / Barberville, FL / Thomas Meseraull
3. Saturday, April 9 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / CJ Leary (2)
4. Saturday, June 11 / Lake Ozark Speedway / Eldon, MO / Brady Bacon
5. Friday, June 24 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Alex Bright
6. Saturday, June 25 / Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 / Jake Swanson
7. Friday, Sept. 9 / Jacksonville Speedway / Jake Swanson
8. Saturday, Sept. 10 / Spoon River Speedway / Jake Swanson
If you missed any of the Xtreme Outlaw Sprint Car Series presented by Low-E Insulation races, you can find them all in the DIRTVision Vault to watch.
