COLUMBUS, Miss. — The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series brings high-octane dirt-track racing to Magnolia Motor Speedway on Saturday, March 7, 2026, for the Black Ice Brawl, one of the early headline events of the Outlaws’ southern swing. The 3/8-mile clay oval just south of Columbus will once again host “The Greatest Show on Dirt,” and if recent history is any indication, the racing surface will be slick, fast and unforgiving by the time the 35-lap Feature rolls around.
Saturday’s program pays $12,000 to win and features the standard Outlaws format: qualifying, heat races, a dash, and last-chance qualifiers setting the stage for the Feature. Pit gates open at 2 p.m. Central, grandstands at 5 p.m., and hot laps begin at 6:30 p.m. The Black Ice Brawl closes out a two-night Deep South swing that started at Talladega Short Track and now shifts west into Mississippi clay country.
A strong 31-car field is entered for Magnolia, headlined by several of the sport’s biggest names and championship contenders.
Among those entered:
- Donny Schatz (#15) – the 10-time World of Outlaws champion whose résumé includes more than 300 career series victories. Schatz’s ability to manage tire wear on slick tracks makes him a perennial threat on tight bullrings like Magnolia.
- David Gravel (#2) – the reigning series powerhouse who has stacked wins over the past two seasons and remains one of the most efficient qualifiers on tour.
- Sheldon Haudenschild (#18) – known for his aggressive outside-line moves and high-commitment corner entries.
- Logan Schuchart (#1S) – a consistent podium finisher capable of capitalizing if track position falls his way.
- Michael Kofoid (#83) – one of the rising stars in sprint car racing, with multiple Outlaws Feature wins already on his résumé.
Also entered are Scotty Thiel (#16C), Spencer Bayston (#17), Bill Balog (#17B), Ashton Torgerson (#1A), Garet Williamson (#23), Emerson Axsom (#27), Conner Morrell (#28M), Cole Macedo (#2C), Brock Zearfoss (#3Z), Carson Macedo (#41), Scott Bogucki (#51), Kasey Jedrzejek (#6) and Chris Windom (#7S) — forming a balanced lineup of veterans and young challengers eager to make noise early in the 2026 campaign.
Magnolia Motor Speedway’s layout demands patience and precision. The track typically transitions from tacky to slick within the first half of the program, forcing teams to adapt quickly on stagger, tire pressure and wing angle. Passing can be dramatic when the top side comes in, but drivers who overstep the cushion often pay for it with lost positions — or worse. That dynamic creates a premium on qualifying speed, as clean air in the heats often translates into strong starting spots for the Feature.
The early portion of the 2026 schedule carries weight in the championship picture. With the season stretching across dozens of nights nationwide, consistent top-five finishes in March can quietly build a points cushion. Gravel and Schatz have built championship seasons on that formula before — stack podiums, avoid DNFs, and strike when opportunity presents itself.
Saturday night at the Mag won’t offer superspeedway speeds, but it will deliver something just as compelling: 900-horsepower sprint cars sliding inches apart on Mississippi clay, drivers wrestling the wheel while chasing grip that disappears lap by lap. It’s raw, technical and relentless — exactly what the World of Outlaws brand promises.
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