A look at 10 driver favorites (listed alphabetically) heading for the Wild West Shootout, the Jan. 10-18 miniseries at Central Arizona Speedway in Casa Grande, Ariz., with four $10,000-to-win events bookended by $25,000-to-win features (Fast Facts):

Garrett Alberson, Las Cruces, N.M.

Best career miniseries finish: First (once in both 2025 and ’22 at Vado Speedway Park).

Last season at WWS: Second in miniseries points with third round Friday victory, three podiums and no finishes worse than seventh.

Comment: Though the miniseries moves away from his home state, the Wild West Shootout always puts the New Mexico native in the right frame of mind. The fifth-year touring driver enters the event with six podium finishes in his last 11 miniseries starts and posted a 3.8 average finish across five features last year.

Jonathan Davenport, Blairsville, Ga.

Best career miniseries finish: First (nine times; three victories apiece in 2023, ’21 and ’16).

Last season at WWS: Didn’t compete.

Comment: The 42-year-old has won the miniseries title in all three of his Wild West Shootout appearances, and in that short span his nine event victories ranks fourth all-time. He’s finished outside the top five just once in 18 career miniseries features, with no result worse than sixth.

Tyler Erb, New Waverly, Texas

Best career miniseries finish: First (twice in ’21 at Arizona Speedway and once in '22 at Vado Speedway Park).

Last season at WWS: Third in miniseries points with two podiums and no finishes worse than fifth.

Comment: The three-time Wild West Shootout winner hasn’t visited victory lane since 2022, but he’s remained among the most consistent performers over the last two editions, recording a 5.3 average finish without a single result outside the top 10.

Ryan Gustin, Marshalltown, Iowa

Best career miniseries finish: Third (2018 at Arizona Speedway and ’16 at USA Raceway).

Last season at WWS: Didn’t compete.

Comment: After a five-year absence, the 35-year-old returns to the Wild West Shootout for the first time since joining the World of Outlaws in 2021 to open his third season with Cooney Motorsports. His most recent appearance at the Southwestern event in 2020 resulted in a best finish of 10th across six starts at Arizona Raceway.

Mike Marlar, Winfield, Tenn.

Best career miniseries finish: First (four times; once at Arizona Speedway in 2018 and three at Vado Speedway Park in 2022-23).

Last season at WWS: 11th in the miniseries standings with two top-10 finishes in five features.

Comment: The 47-year-old hopes a renewed partnership with car owner Ronnie Delk delivers better results at the Wild West Shootout. Misfortune limited him to two top-10 finishes in five features last year, highlighted by a slowdown out of third in the Jan. 4 opener, a 14th-place finish from the pole on Jan. 5 and a wreck while battling for 10th on Jan. 10.

Hudson O’Neal, Martinsville, Ind.

Best career miniseries finish: Third (twice in 2019 at Arizona Speedway).

Last season at WWS: Didn’t compete.

Comment: If the 25-year-old’s miniseries is anything like the success of his 2025 partnership with team owner Kevin Rumley, a lucrative week could be in store. Entering his first Wild West Shootout since 2019, O’Neal returns in Rumley’s No. 6 after the duo combined for three victories and six podium finishes in 12 events last season.

Brandon Overton, Evans, Ga.

Best career miniseries finish: Second (three times; twice in 2019 and once in ’17 at Arizona Speedway).

Last season at WWS: Didn’t compete.

Comment: The 34-year-old enters 2026 embracing a fresh start as first season apart from the Longhorn Factory Team begins. In nine career Wild West Shootout starts, all at Arizona Raceway in 2017 and ’19, he owns a 5.6 average finish with three runner-up results. Another strong showing could provide the early season momentum he’s seeking.

Bobby Pierce, Oakwood, Ill.

Best career miniseries finish: First (16 times, including four times each in 2025 and ’24 at Vado Speedway Park).

Last season at WWS: Dominant miniseries title winning four of five events, with an additional runner-up finish.

Comment: The 29-year-old has owned the Wild West Shootout of late, notching 10 wins and 12 top-two finishes in the last 14 features since the fourth round of the 2023 miniseries. He’s earned nearly $200,000 at the Southwest event alone since then, and his 16 career victories eclipse Billy Moyer’s all-time mark of 14.

Brandon Sheppard, New Berlin, Ill.

Best career miniseries finish: First (six times, including three in 2020 at Arizona Speedway).

Last season at WWS: Fourth in miniseries points with three podiums in five races.

Comment: The last time the 32-year-old competed at the Wild West Shootout in Arizona, he captured a pair of miniseries titles and won three of six features at the 2020 event at Arizona Speedway. Returning aboard his family-owned No. B5 this year, he’ll look to improve his qualifying after advancing a combined 30 positions across five races in 2025.

Drake Troutman, Hyndman, Pa.

Best career miniseries finish: Fifth (last year’s fourth-round at Vado Speedway Park)

Last season at WWS: Fifth in miniseries points with one top-five and five top-10 finishes in as many races.

Comment: One of four drivers to finish top-10 in all five features of last year’s Wild West Shootout, the 21-year-old has shown noticeable improvement since his 11th-place finish in the 2024 miniseries standings. Now armed with a full season of experience with G.R. Smith’s Team 22 Inc. and confidence from three podium finishes at November’s World Finals, Troutman could be on the cusp of his first career miniseries victory.