As the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to a traditional, season-long points format in 2026, the FloSports-owned tour will debut a lucrative late-season incentive dubbed the Big River Steel Bonus Program presented by ARP that's centered around the top-five drivers over the closing stretch of the season.

In addition to the tour's $1.265 million point fund, which again cashes out $250,000 to the tour's overall champion, an extra $275,000 will be awarded across the final five Saturday events of the season: Sept. 19 at Knoxville (Iowa) Raceway, Sept. 26 at Brownstown (Ind.) Speedway, Oct. 3 at Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Motor Speedway, Oct. 10 at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, and Oct. 17 at the Dirt Track World Championship at West Virginia Motor Speedway in Mineral Wells, W.Va.

The top five drivers in the standings following Aug. 29 at Port Royal (Pa.) Speedway will qualify for a miniseries-style points battle across those five events, with the top points earner receiving an additional $100,000. Second through fifth will earn $40,000, $30,000, $20,000 and $10,000 in bonus money, respectively.

While the overall championship standings no longer resets under the playoff-style format used the past three seasons, points will reset for the top five drivers competing in the Big River Steel Bonus Program presented by ARP, creating a separate late-season showdown within the return to traditional season-long points.

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“Over the past three years, we’ve elevated our program to be the most lucrative in Dirt Late Model racing,” series director Rick Schwallie said. “FloSports remains dedicated to upholding the stature of our series and continues to grow with the support of our valued marketing partners. We are excited to revert to a traditional points structure, which will be complemented by the late-season bonus program to sustain the end of the year excitement.”

A separate miniseries-style bonus program will also be contested among drivers sixth through 15th in the standings, with $25,000 awarded to the top point earner outside the top-five, $15,000 to second and $10,000 to third over the same five-event stretch.

Additionally, each of the final five Saturday events will feature a $5,000 bonus awarded to the highest-finishing driver among the top 15 in points following Aug. 29 at Port Royal. Those bonus rounds are sponsored by Big River Steel (Knoxville), UNOH (Brownstown), Sunoco Race Fuels (PPMS), ARP (Eldora), and Summit Racing Equipment (WVMS), combining for a $25,000 bonus pool.