The Setup
Fourth at the Nationals. Sixteen points back. One race left.
Nick Schneider (No. 26S) dogs championship leader Tanner Berge (No. 23B) through the corners under the lights at the 61st Annual National Short Track Championships at Dells Raceway Park.
Photo: Roy Ophime Photography
The National Short Track Championships don't award participation trophies. Run 35 hard laps against the sharpest 602 Outlaw teams in the Midwest, and if you survive, earn whatever sheet metal and points are left on the table.
Round 61 of Hugh Deery's fall classic brought 15 Late Models to Dells Raceway Park on Championship Saturday. Nick Schneider and the No. 26S crew unloaded 13 points behind Tanner Berge in the NASCAR Regional Lefthander Performance championship standings.
When the dust settled Saturday night, Nick rolled back into the hauler with a P4 feature finish—his best run at Dells since winning on August 8—and a 16-point deficit with one race left to decide the title.
Third Off the Trailer
In qualifying, Nick picked up speed on every revolution of the Dells quarter-mile: 14.340 on lap one, 14.097 on lap two, and a hammer lap of 14.045 seconds on lap three to lock down P3 overall. Tanner Berge paced the session at 13.991, with Brad Warthan timing second at 14.008—just 0.054 seconds behind Nick.
It marked the fourth straight Dells race in which the No. 26S timed in among the top three.
Locking down third put Nick directly into the six-lap Diamond Racing Wheels Dash, bypassing the heat. Starting fourth, Nick went to the low groove on Lap 3 to secure third, clocking a 14.309 and passing Kenny Storkson and Ethan Rose.
Nick Schneider (No. 26S) battles eventual NSTC feature winner Ethan Rose (No. 48R) at Dells Raceway Park.
Photo: Roy Ophime Photography
35 Laps in the Dogfight
Nick lined up seventh on the grid for the Lefthander Performance / Friede & Associates NSTC 35. The entire championship picture started right in his mirror: Rose rolled off sixth, Warthan eighth, and Berge ninth.
Qualifying third came with a compromise. Nick braked hard into Turn 1 during time trials, bottoming the front crossmember against the asphalt. In the opening laps of the feature, the car struggled for turn-in bite and briefly slid Nick back to eighth.
Once the tires came up to temp, he went to work on the bottom.
Nick passed seventh by Lap 8, cracked the top five on Lap 12, and took third place on Lap 14. For the next 18 laps, the No. 26S held the final podium spot, turning its fastest lap of the race—a 14.308—on Lap 26 in clean air.
Berge in the 23 B was right on his bumper. The two points contenders ran nose-to-tail for over 20 laps before Berge found room with three laps remaining on Lap 32. Nick crossed the checkered flag in fourth, just 1.339 seconds behind winner Ethan Rose.
"Mechanically, the car is fine. Mentally still upset 😂" — Nick Schneider
The car came home on an open trailer without bent suspension arms. In a 35-lap fall classic, staying clean and taking points is job one.
Nick Schneider (No. 26S) holds off Tanner Berge (No. 23B) through the center of the turn during their 18-lap duel for track position.
Photo: Roy Ophime Photography
By the Numbers: NSTC 35
Track: Dells Raceway Park (61st National Short Track Championships)
Division: NASCAR Regional Lefthander Performance 602 Outlaw Late Model
Field: 15 cars
Qualifying: P3 (14.045 sec | -0.054 off fast time)
Diamond Racing Wheels Dash: Started P4 | Finished P3
A-Main NSTC 35: Started P7 | Finished P4 (+3 spots)
Best Race Lap: 14.308 seconds (Lap 26)
2026 DRP Feature Record: 10 starts, 1 win, 9 top-5s, 10 top-10s
Points Earned: 102
Championship Chase: 16 Points to Settle It
Nick's 102-point haul raised his 2026 Dells total to 1,023 points.
1. Tanner Berge: 1,039 pts
2. Nick Schneider: 1,023 pts (–16)
3. Brad Warthan: 991 pts (–48)
Berge gained three points on Saturday. With one points event left on the DRP calendar, the championship is a direct showdown between the 23B and the 26S.
Behind the No. 26
Partner Spotlight: Nason's Landscaping
Short-track racing is family business, and the Nason crew knows what it takes to put horsepower on the track. Based in Roscoe, Illinois, Nason's Landscaping has serviced homes and commercial properties across the Stateline since 1995. Founded by Fred Nason and run with Super Late Model driver Austin Nason, the team knows late shop nights and long race weekends firsthand.
Visit nasonslandscaping.com or call (815) 623-1331 for seasonal property maintenance, hardscaping, and turf care.
Our 2026 campaign is kept fast, straight, and race-ready thanks to our partners:
Lynde Brothers Inc. (South Beloit, IL) • Darlene Wagner • Lefthander Performance (Roscoe, IL) • Johnson Racing Shocks (Roscoe, IL) • Nason's Landscaping (Roscoe, IL) • Dicio Transport (Beloit, WI) • C&T Transport (Rockton, IL) • In Motion Automotive (Machesney Park, IL) • Bilderback Auto Parts (Rockford, IL) • Program managed trackside by Legend & Legacy Co.
Next Stop
Jefferson Speedway | 46th Wisconsin State Championships (Round 2) | Oct 2–4
After rain pushed the date back from mid-September, the team heads to "Wisconsin's Action Track" for three 35-lap features.
Dells Raceway Park | Falloween 100 Championship Finale | Saturday, October 24
The title decider. Round 5 of the Alive for 5 Series and the final points event of the 2026 NASCAR 602 Outlaw Late Model season. Qualifying at 12:30 p.m., green flag at 2:00 p.m.
Sixteen points back. 35 laps left. Be there on the fence.
