Ted Johnson launched the World of Outlaws Late Model Series in 1988 with the ambition of replicating the formula that had made his sprint car series a success. He signed 12 elite drivers to a 21-race schedule spanning 17 venues from Pennsylvania to Oklahoma, bringing the top-shelf touring series concept to the dirt late model discipline. Despite the strong initial concept and driver lineup, the series went dormant after just two seasons, unable to sustain operations through its formative years.
The series was revived by the World Racing Group in 2004, two decades after its original suspension. Under World Racing Group ownership, the championship grew into a national touring property that visits dirt ovals across the eastern United States and into the Midwest, with Canada also hosting events in earlier years of the revived era. The series operates on a demanding schedule that tests both driver and team across a wide variety of track surfaces and configurations.
The cars competing in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series are purpose-built machines designed specifically for dirt late model racing. The field features chassis from multiple builders, with teams and manufacturers continuously pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology in pursuit of performance. Power comes from aluminum-head V8 engines typically displacing between 400 and 430 cubic inches, producing over 800 horsepower. The combination of high-powered engines and purpose-built chassis makes these machines among the most specialized and technically advanced competitors in all of dirt oval racing.
The series travels to dirt ovals primarily concentrated in the eastern half of North America. The East Coast and Midwest form the backbone of the tour's geography, with venues ranging from small regional bullrings to larger, well-established dirt facilities. The touring nature of the series means competitors must adapt to varying track conditions, widths, and banking angles throughout a season, rewarding versatility and racecraft alongside raw speed.
As a property of the World Racing Group, the World of Outlaws Late Model Series shares organizational infrastructure with the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, the premier winged sprint car tour in North America. The Late Model Series benefits from this established promotional and organizational framework, giving it the marketing reach and scheduling coordination associated with one of American short-track racing's most recognized brands. Together the two World of Outlaws divisions represent a significant portion of major-league dirt oval racing in the United States.