Dennis Erb Jr. to Chase Second World of Outlaws Title in 2025 | World of Outlaws

By Spence Smithback

Dennis Erb Jr. has found a home on the World of Outlaws Late Models trail over the past six seasons, and the Carpentersville, IL driver will be back for year seven in 2025. 

“It’s just a Series that fits me well,” Erb said. “We’ve been running the Outlaws for a long time. It’s a good group of people to race with, always enjoy coming out and running with them.” 

The 2022 World of Outlaws champion will be on the hunt for his second national title and to rebound in 2025 after a disappointing 2024 season that saw him collect two top-five finishes, 17 top 10s and a ninth-place finish in the final standings. 

With a large portion of the 2025 schedule taking place on the Midwest bullrings that Erb has had success on, Erb said returning to the World of Outlaws tour not only makes sense logistically but also gives him the best chance to rediscover his speed from prior seasons. 

“The racetracks and the areas that we go to usually fit into my schedule,” Erb said. “It gives me the opportunity to go off and do some other races like Summer Nationals. We’ve been with this group for a long time and had a lot of success with it and I enjoy racing with it, so that’s why we’ll be back next year.” 

Erb’s career blossomed racing locally around his northern Illinois home, with a pair of track championships at LaSalle Speedway and Kankakee County Speedway in 1994 highlighting his early years. From there, Erb earned a reputation as one of the toughest competitors in the Midwest with a resume that included a Prairie Dirt Classic win in 2004 and three-straight DIRTcar Summer Nationals championships from 2007-2009. 

His maiden World of Outlaws victory came at Beaver Dam Raceway in 2007, his first of four wins as a part-timer with the Series. But in the leadup to the 2019 season, Erb took the plunge and signed on as a full-time Outlaw for the first time. He was unable to find Victory Lane in his rookie campaign, although he got close several times with eight top fives on the year. 

The 2020 season saw Erb score his first win as a full-time Outlaw at Eriez Speedway in August. He carried that momentum into 2021, winning three more times at Circle City Raceway, Jackson Motorplex and River Cities Speedway. 

After more than a quarter-century of dirt Late Model competition, Erb finally became a World of Outlaws champion in 2022 to the tune of four wins and 22 top fives. 

He was unable to retain the crown for another season in 2023, winning only once at 81 Speedway. 

The past champion will be poised to change that stat as he and crew chief Heather Lyne prepare for another year on the road with the World of Outlaws – their home. 

Erb begins his 2025 World of Outlaws Late Model season at Volusia Speedway Park during DIRTcar Sunshine Nationals, Jan. 22-25. For tickets to the event, CLICK HERE. 

If you can’t make it to the track, every lap of the 2025 season will be live on DIRTVision.