The driver capturing the finale of 2027’s Wild West Shootout could earn as much as $75,000 with the Rio Grande Waste Services-sponsored event boosted to $50,000-to-win and another $25,000 in lap money up for grabs, promoters announced this evening.
The finale, which last season paid $25,000-to-win, marks a race-record winner’s purse for the winter miniseries promoted by Chris Kearns at Central Arizona Raceway in Case Grande, Ariz.
“I told Chris I wanted the purse to be big for next season, and we decided to pay $50,000 on the final night,” said Larry Henk, owner of El Paso, Texas-based Rio Grande Waste Services. “I get great exposure for Rio Grande Waste Services, and I love the Wild West Shootout and Dirt Late Model racing, so I figured, let’s go big!”
Kearns, whose 2027 WWS dates are set for Jan. 9-10, 13, and 15-17, is glad to see the upgrade.
“Larry called me and said he wanted to take the Wild West Shootout to the next level,” Kearns said. “He wanted to continue with the Lap Leader Loot money like we did last year, but also wanted to increase the winner’s purse. He wanted the payout to be up there with other big events.”
The Rio Grande Waste Services-sponsored Lap Leader Loot program pays $500 per led lap in the finale as well as the $25,000-to-win miniseries opener. The finale’s runner-up is also in line for a $25,000 payday.
Counting all the extra cash, a single driver sweeping the miniseries could leave Arizona with $168,000. The total miniseries purse for Late Models, modifieds and X-mods is more than $550,000.
“To be able to race six nights with really good purses and get a lot of laps in without your hauler ever moving is a pretty damn good way for Super Late Model racers to start the season,” Kearns said