The focus of the late model world will be on Vado, New Mexico this week as the stars invade Vado Speedway Park for the 2023 Wild West Shootout. 

If you're looking for information about the event, you've come to the right place. You can find everything you need to know, including expected entries, daily schedules, ticket information and more below. 

Dates

$10,000-to-win features Jan. 7-8, 11, 13-14 and $25,000-to-win finale Jan. 15

Track

FK Rod Ends Vado Speedway Park, Vado, N.M. (3/8-mile, semi-banked clay oval)

Tickets / Pit Passes

Single-day general admission $25 (children 6-12, $10; children 5-and-under, free). Six-day adult reserved are $155 and include a free one-day pit pass upgrade voucher. Advanced tickets available at wildwestshootout.net/buy-tickets/.

Pit passes: $45 daily.

How To Watch

FloRacing.com’s live coverage includes every lap of Super Late Model and modified action, complete with on-screen race lineups and a live timing and scoring feed. The complete miniseries package is available to DirtonDirt.com and FloRacing.com subscribers. The Michael Reiners-produced broadcast will feature Ben Shelton on play-by-play and Dustin Jarrett reporting from the infield and pits. Follow this link for complete subscription information.

Expected Entries

Notes

• The Wild West Shootout returns to FK Rod Ends Vado (N.M.) Speedway Park in 2023, where the state-of-the-art facility is located just off of I-10 between Las Cruces, N.M., and El Paso, Texas.
• The Penske Racing Shocks Paydirt Jackpot returns to offer a $300,000 bonus to any driver sweeping all six Super Late Model features. The bonus program also includes a $100,000 incentive for five wins and a $25,000 bonus for four miniseries victories.
• Coming off a historic season where he collected over $2 million in race winnings, Jonathan Davenport of Blairsville, Ga., returns to compete in the Wild West Shootout and will be seeking his third career miniseries championship.
• 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson is set for his Vado Speedway Park debut aboard the Kevin Rumley prepared No. 6 late model. 
• Brandon Sheppard of New Berlin, Ill., is another two-time miniseries champion who will be seeking additional success at Vado where the newly-formed Sheppard Riggs Racing team will be debuting Longhorn Chassis.
• Bobby Pierce of Oakwood, Ill., joins Davenport and Sheppard as a six-time Wild West Shootout feature winner as he will be seeking his second career miniseries championship.
• For the fourth year the headline Super Late Model division will boast title sponsorship from Dirt Track Bank.
• Black Diamond Chassis continues its support with the Louisiana-based chassis builder the presenting sponsor of the Dirt Track Bank Super Late Model division.
• There will again be three Pro Power Dashes, giving the first 10 Super Late Model drivers who fail to qualify for the night’s finale a shot at some extra cash. The 10-lap Pro Power Dashes will be contested on Jan. 7, 8 and 14. Each dash posts a $2,000 purse with the winner receiving $1,000 or the option to forfeit the winner’s purse and start at the tail of the night’s feature.
• Rio Grande Waste Services backs a $500 nightly bonus to the driver who passes the most cars in each of the six feature events. The driver with the overall Super Late Model fast time in qualifying for the six-race miniseries will receive an added $1,000 from the Larry Henk-owned company as well.
• Gorsuch Performance Solutions offers $100 each night to the feature polesitter.
• Minnesota-based Shaw Trucking is the presenting sponsor of the $25,000-to-win finale on Jan. 15.
• The fast qualifier each night will earn a commemorative check, a mini aluminum Late Model door panel and $100 courtesy of SportTruck RV and Screven Motor Speedway.
• Race formats include time trials, heat races, consolations and 30-lap features. The $25,000-to-win finale is scheduled for 50 laps.
• This year’s Late Model tire rule: Hoosier NLMT 2, NLMT 3, LM20 or LM30 (W30) across the front and on the left rear and Hoosier NLMT 3, NLMT 4, LM30 (W30) or LM40 on the right rear. Competitors are required to use the same four tires in qualifying and heat races. After prelims, teams are allowed to change any two tires that they choose without penalty.
• Modifieds will race for $1,000-to-win Jan. 11 and 13 and $2,000-to-win Jan. 7, 8, 14 and 15.
• X-mods will be in action on Jan 7, 8, 14 and 15 for $1,000-to-win each night and $500-to-win on Jan. 11 and 13.
• There will be scheduled practice session on Friday, Jan. 6 and Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 6-9 p.m. The cost is $200 per car (no pit passes required).
• The $155 six-day general admission combo ticket includes a pit-pass upgrade for one night (chosen by the purchaser) as well as a free Wild West Shootout seat cushion.

VIDEO: NASCAR star Kyle Larson discusses his upcoming debut at Vado Speedway Park.

Former Wild West Shootout Champions

2015 - Rodney Sanders

2016 - Jonathan Davenport 

2017 - Bobby Pierce

2018 - Mike Marlar

2019 - Brandon Sheppard

2020 - Brandon Sheppard

2021 - Jonathan Davenport

2022 - Mike Marlar

Winningest Wild West Shootout Drivers

Billy Moyer, Batesville, Ark. (13)

Terry Phillips, Springfield, Mo. (10)

Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga. (6)

Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill. (6)

Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill. (6).

Purse 

Total Late Model purse of more than $250,000

Jan. 7-8, 11, 13-14

1. $10,000

2. $5,000

3. $2,500

4. $1,750

5. $1,500

6. $1,250

7. $1,000

8. $900

9. $850

10. $800

11. $750

12. $725

13. $700

14. $650

15-24. $600

($100 for non-qualifiers)

Sunday, Jan. 15

1. $25,000

2. $10,000

3. $5,000

4. $3,000

5. $2,500

6. $2,000

7. $1,750

8. $1,600

9. $1,500

10. $1,400

11. $1,300

12. $1,200

13. $1,100

14. $1,050

15-24. $1,000

($100 for non-qualifiers)

Daily Schedules

Friday, Jan. 6

3 p.m.: Pit gate opens

6-9 p.m.: Practice

Saturday, Jan. 7

Noon: Pit gates open

2 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting

3 p.m.: Grandstand gates open

3 p.m.: Hot laps

4:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

5 p.m.: Competition begins

Sunday, Jan. 8

1 p.m.: Pit gate opens

2:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting

3 p.m.: Grandstand gates open

3:30 p.m.: Hot laps

4:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

5 p.m.: Competition begins

Tuesday, Jan. 10

3 p.m.: Pit gate opens

5-9 p.m.: Practice

Wednesday, Jan. 11

2 p.m.: Pit gate opens

3:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting

4 p.m.: Grandstand gates open

4:30 p.m.: Hot laps

5:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

6 p.m.: Competition begins

Friday, Jan. 13

2 p.m.: Pit gate opens

3:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting

4 p.m.: Grandstand gates open

4:30 p.m.: Hot laps

5:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

6 p.m.: Competition begins

Saturday, Jan. 14

1 p.m.: Pit gate opens

2:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting

3 p.m.: Grandstand gates open

3:30 p.m.: Hot laps

4:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

5 p.m.: Competition begins

Sunday, Jan. 15

1 p.m.: Pit gate opens

2:30 p.m.: Drivers’ meeting

3 p.m.: Grandstand gates open

3:30 p.m.: Hot laps

4:55 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

5 p.m.: Competition begins