By 1812Blockhouse
Mansfield Speedway is preparing for one of the biggest racing weekends in its history as the World of Outlaws Late Models come to town for the 57 Special, a two-night dirt racing event set for Friday, May 29 and Saturday, May 30.
The weekend opens Friday night at the historic oval on Crall Road, where national-level late model teams and drivers will compete in the first night of the 57 Special. Mansfield Speedway lists Friday’s opener as a $12,000-to-win event, with Saturday’s finale carrying a $57,000-to-win prize. Together, the two nights represent more than $293,000 in total purse money, making the event a major stop on the 2026 dirt late model calendar.
For local race fans, Friday night will bring the kind of atmosphere Mansfield Speedway was built to host: powerful cars under the lights, aggressive side-by-side racing, and a field stacked with some of the best late model talent in the country. The event marks Night 1 of a weekend designed to put Mansfield back in the national dirt racing conversation.
The 57 Special also carries added significance because of the speedway’s ongoing revival under owner Matt Tifft, a former NASCAR Cup Series driver. Series officials have described the Mansfield event as part of the track’s comeback season, with the 57 Special positioned as one of the marquee events on the schedule. Performance Racing Industry reported that Mansfield Speedway’s revitalization project was expected to be completed in early 2026, setting the stage for a season with more than 100 event days.
Friday’s schedule includes gates opening at 5:00 PM, with showtime set for 7:00 PM. All tickets are general admission, and Mansfield Speedway notes that seating is first come, first served. Kids 10 and under are admitted free, according to the speedway’s event page.
The weekend then builds toward Saturday’s $57,000-to-win finale, billed as the biggest late model purse Mansfield has ever seen. The speedway’s event page lists a 24-car field and a $5,700 guaranteed starting payout for the finale, underscoring the scale of the competition expected to arrive in Richland County.
Mansfield Speedway is located at 400 Crall Road East. Tickets for Friday’s World of Outlaws kickoff night are available through Tixr, with the Saturday finale sold separately.
