1/17/2026
Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series
Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series Announces 2026 Season Schedule
Graniteville, S.C. (1/17/25) — Following a successful inaugural season, the Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series (STSDS) will enter its sophomore season of competition in 2026 with a refreshed look for the upcoming year. The tour’s short and sweet schedule will feature a 15-race slate that opens at Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway in April and culminates with a championship weekend at Southern Raceway (Milton, Fla.) in November. In its second season, the Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series remains committed to providing events for regional racers, with responsible scheduling and sensible travel in mind.
“2025 was definitely a learning year,” said Southern Thunder owner Travis Scott. “We tried some things that worked really well and others that didn’t, and I learned a lot along the way.”
In 2026, the Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series will feature an expanded championship purse, highlighted by a $3,000 increase in the champion’s payout. Dalton Cook earned $12,000 for this year’s championship, while the 2026 champion will take home $15,000. The series will also launch a driver loyalty program, with additional details to be announced later.
Scott continued, “I’ve always tried to look at scheduling from a driver’s perspective, and I hope we accomplished that with a quality-over-quantity schedule in 2026. At the end of the day, we want to provide affordability for racetracks while still offering good payouts for drivers.”
2026 Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series Schedule Overview:
The Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series will open its 2026 points season at Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway on Saturday, April 18, with $10,000 on the line in the season opener. The event will mark the series’ first visit to the facility and the first Super Late Model event at the track since June 2024.
A trio of Peach State tracks highlight the tour in May. The Peach Blossom will take place Saturday, May 9, at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway, with a $10,000 purse. The tour then heads deeper into Georgia for a doubleheader weekend at Waycross (Ga.) Motor Speedway on Friday, May 15, for the $5,000 Showdown at the Swamp followed by a $7,500-to-win event at Needmore Speedway (Norman Park, Ga.) on Saturday, May 16.
Moving into the summer months, the STSDS will see a familiar Alabama doubleheader weekend return to the schedule with a $5,000-to-win event at Penton (Ala.) Raceway on Friday, June 19, followed up by the $7,500-to-win BJ Parker Memorial at Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.) on Saturday, June 20.
Big South Fork Raceway will make its debut on the series schedule with a $10,000-to-win event during the Fourth of July weekend on Friday, July 3. An early August doubleheader weekend is planned, with the tracks to be announced at a later date.
The series returns to Georgia in September, with Winder (Ga.) Barrow Speedway hosting the Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series on Saturday, September 5. The tour will then make its only stop in South Carolina for the Jack Starrette Memorial at Modoc (S.C.) Raceway on Saturday, September 19.
North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.) and Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.) will make up an October 9–10 doubleheader weekend, before wrapping up the season with a trip to the Sunshine State. Southern Raceway (Milton, Fla.) will host the STSDS on November 20–21 and will feature a $5,000/$10,000 championship weekend.
2026 Southern Thunder Super Dirt Series Official Schedule
Date — Track — Purse:
- April 18 - Cochran (Ga.) Motor Speedway - $10,000
- May 9 - Senoia (Ga.) Raceway - $10,000
- May 15 - Waycross (Ga.) Motor Speedway - $5,000
- May 16 - Needmore Speedway (Norman Park, Ga.) - $7,500
- June 19 - Penton (Ala.) Raceway - $5,000
- June 20 - Talladega Short Track (Eastaboga, Ala.) - $7,500
- July 3 - Big South Fork Raceway (Huntsville, Tenn.) - $10,000
- Aug 7 - TBD
- Aug 8 - TBD
- September 5 - Winder (Ga.) Barrow Speedway - $5,000
- September 19 - Modoc (S.C.) Raceway - $7,522
- October 9 - North Alabama Speedway (Tuscumbia, Ala.) - $5,000
- October 10 - Thunderhill Raceway Park (Summertown, Tenn.) - $10,000
- November 20 - Southern Raceway (Milton, Fla.) - $5,000
- November 21 - Southern Raceway (Milton, Fla.) - $10,000
The Southern Thunder™ Super Dirt Series is brought to you through the support of our valued partners, including... American Racer Tires, Arizona Sport Shirts, Big A's Custom Graphics, BKP Art, Cruise With the Champions, DirtOnDirt, Equiplinc Auction Sales, Five Star Bodies, FK Rod Ends, Hoosier Racing Tire, Hunt the Front TV, Knowles Race Parts, MatMan Designs, Minon Construction, MyRacePass, PPM Racing Products, SUBLMTD, Velocita USA, Merry’s Home Furnishings, VP Racing Fuels, Willy's Carburetor & 71 Trophy Club.
For more information about the Southern Thunder™ Super Dirt Series, please visit our official website at www.southernthunderseries.com or connect with us on our social media platforms, including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram.
Article Credit: Jack Cofer