PUEBLO, Colo. – The PBR Camping World Team Series is set to invade Springfield, Missouri, this weekend as the Missouri Thunder host the 5-on-5 tour inside Great Southern Bank Arena.

Which applies a bit of extra pressure to a 6-8 Thunder squad which got off to a slow start.

But if the healthy, momentous version of Head Coach Ross Coleman’s squad shows up, they have every chance of producing a favorable showcase on home dirt.

Even if they're facing two of the league’s fiercest units in the No. 1 Carolina Cowboys and No. 2 Kansas City Outlaws. The No. 8 New York Mavericks aren’t going to roll over, either.

RELATED: What to Watch For: Missouri Thunder open up second-half slate in Springfield

The 12-week regular season offers plenty of opportunities for teams to figure things out. But with the circuit officially crossing into the second half of its 2024 campaign Friday night, teams would be wise to get their ducks in a row sooner than later …

… as the Top-6 ranked squads will find themselves automatically qualified for the 2024 PBR Teams Championship, while the bottom-4 ranked teams in the official league standings come the end of the regular season will find themselves competing inside South Point Casino, Hotel & Spa Oct. 17 during the Ride In Round.

Four teams will enter. Two teams will exit, thus earning their berth to ride inside T-Mobile Arena.

So, if you think it’s been a dramatic first half – The show is just getting started.

But for now, we’re going to soak up the rest of the regular season all we can as teams continue to swap spots on the big board.

RELATED: Who’s in, who’s out at the halfway point of the 2024 PBR Teams season

The idea that anything can still happen is part of the thrill itself.

Especially when you consider the once-immortal Cowboys finally suffered their first loss of the season last weekend. And the two-time regular season Champs in the Austin Gamblers produced an odd 1-2 showing in front of their hometown fans.

After spending most of the first two seasons, and hell, the first few weeks of year three, towards the top of the league standings, the Arizona Ridge Riders are riding a six-game losing streak. A couple states east, the Texas Rattlers are riding like one of the top-tier teams overall right now after racking up six Ls in a row themselves earlier this year.

The Freedom have won two in a row but have seen John Crimber endure a bit of a slump.

Meanwhile guys like Andrew Alvidrez, Paulo Eduardo Rossetto and Brady Fielder are putting themselves in consideration of MVP possibilities, courtesy of their hot streaks lately.

Of course, Cooper Davis and Sage Steele Kimzey aren’t going anywhere. Neither is 2024 World Champion Cassio Dias, who has helped fuel his Kansas City Outlaws to a sincere 9-4 start.

Unfortunately for the falling Oklahoma Wildcatters, the team placed rookie Clay Guiton on Injured Reserve this week. As did the Rattlers with Brady Oleson, who’s hanging em’ up after quite the brutal wreck last week.

So, while we’ll take a stab at what Friday night’s showdowns could look like.

But with the amount of talent (both riders and bulls, alike!) swirling around the PBR Camping World Team Series circuit right now, there’s no telling how this season’s PBR Teams: Thunder Days will play out!

RELATED: Week 7 PBR Camping World Team Series power rankings

2024 PBR Camping World Team Series Standings: 1. Carolina Cowboys (11-1-1) 2. Kansas City Outlaws (9-4) 3. Nashville Stampede (7-7) 4. Austin Gamblers (7-7) 5. Florida Freedom (6-7) 6. Texas Rattlers (6-8) 7. Missouri Thunder (6-8) 8. New York Mavericks (6-8) 9. Oklahoma Wildcatters (5-8-1) 10. Arizona Ridge Riders (4-9) Lineups and draw are in for the seventh of 12 regular season showdowns, so we’re taking a closer look at Friday night’s matchups, rematches and beyond, with some additional game preview insights, latest team transactions and everything you need to know ahead of the weekend’s first slate of games!

With the 5-on-5 circuit invading Springfield, Missouri, we’re breaking down starting lineups for Friday night’s competition inside Great Southern Bank Arena (With coverage set to begin at 8 p.m. CT via Merit Street).

PBR TEAMS: THUNDER DAYS STARTING LINEUPS *Denotes a rematch (5-8-1) Oklahoma Wildcatters vs. (7-7) Nashville Stampede Eduardo Matos vs. Bandito Bug Cody Jesus vs. Wingman Josh Frost vs. Rip Alan de Souza vs. Chain Up Cort McFadden vs. Casper Anderson de Oliveira vs. Arctic Lights Hayden Harris vs. Beef Cake *Kaiden Loud vs. God Bless America Kase Hitt vs. Diabolical *Silvano Alves vs. Phantom REMATCHES Kaiden Loud vs. God Bless America (4.13 seconds in Chicago, Illinois) Silvano Alves vs. Phantom (3.98 seconds in New York, New York) TRANSACTIONS The Nashville Stampede placed Jess Lockwood on the Excused Absence List from the Protected Roster. The Nashville Stampede placed Lucas Costa on the Reserve Roster from the Excused Absence List. The Oklahoma Wildcatters placed Austin Richardson on the Protected Roster from Injured Reserve. The Oklahoma Wildcatters released Tevin Weston from the Reserve Roster. The Oklahoma Wildcatters placed Clay Guiton on Injured Reserve from the Protected Roster. Wildcatters vs. Stampede Game Preview Hot and cold vs. the roller coaster kids. It’s hard to drum up a showdown as dramatic as Friday night’s Show Me State Showdown finale but the league sure managed to feature one hell of a matinee matchup. Featuring the Nashville Stampede, who have produced more no-win and no-loss weekends than any other team on tour, alongside the Oklahoma Wildcatters, who began the campaign as one of the hottest teams around before finding themselves in a 1-6-1 slide, both teams are going to want this one. So fans can expect some dire efforts and big scores.

That’s basically what Oklahoma Head Coach J.B. Mauney is known for, as long as everyone is having a good time. Which the Wildcatters very much were in the first few weeks of the season. But since the team has slowed down as a whole, outside Eduardo Matos, who brings his 8-for-14 record into Thunder Days, they haven’t been in the win column too often lately. Only once since Aug. 2 to be specific, with their victory over the No. 10-ranked Arizona Ridge Riders representing said win. Austin Richardson may need some time to shake off the rust but it was good seeing him back in the chutes. He will help this team out in the long run, just as Josh Frost will, who enjoyed a set of qualified rides last weekend. They’ll need to get at least two conversions to beat Nashville Friday. No. 2 overall selection in the 2024 PBR Teams New Rider Draft Clay Guiton being moved to Injured Reserve doesn’t help things for the Wildcatters, but expect Mauney to have them ready, nonetheless.

The streaky Stampede have been taking their opening night results and sticking with them this season, often going 2-0 or 0-2 at any given event. Unfortunately for Justin McBride and company, last weekend was a down week, as they dropped their pair of contests. Thankfully, they’ve ebbed and flowed quite regularly, now getting ready to embrace their chance to beat up the league’s No. 9-ranked Wildcatters. Silvano Alves (5-for-12), Alan de Souza (6-for-17) and Cody Jesus (2-for-9) contributed to the team’s 3-for-10 slate last weekend and will need to double down in Springfield if they want to compete with the youthful Wildcatters. And with superstar Kaiden Loud back in the lineup, officially 4-for-5 on the season and now set for a rematch dance against God Bless America, they’re getting their most talented rider back for the big game!

(4-9) Arizona Ridge Riders vs. (7-7) Austin Gamblers Bruno Carvalho vs. Buffalo Heifer Dalton Kasel vs. Mojo Bone *Eduardo Aparecido vs. Dark Thoughts *Kaique Pacheco vs. Miller Time *Eli Vastbinder vs. Renegade Ezekiel Mitchell vs. Buck Nasty Luciano De Castro vs. Grindstone Lucas Divino vs. Big Talker *Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Rank Frank Jose Vitor Leme vs. Riser

REMATCHES Eduardo Aparecido vs. Dark Thoughts (4.03 seconds in Fort Worth, Texas) Eli Vastbinder vs. Renegade (3.12 seconds in Tulsa, Oklahoma; 3.42 seconds in Little Rock, Arkansas) Kaique Pacheco vs. Miller Time (4.5 seconds in Albany, New York) Keyshawn Whitehorse vs. Rank Frank (75.25 points in Corpus Christi, Texas) TRANSACTIONS The Arizona Ridge Riders signed Lucas Fideles Souza to the Reserve Roster. Ridge Riders vs. Gamblers Game Preview It’s easy to say every given matchup features two hungry teams at the midway point of the season. But the statement couldn’t be much more true when considering the basement dwelling Arizona Ridge Riders and the up-and-down Austin Gamblers. Potentially the craziest part of this showdown and the teams involved? They were both considered Top 3 teams at the beginning of the season, packed with talent everywhere we looked. However, that’s not quite the case here heading south to Missouri, as the Ridge Riders are 4-9 and sitting at the bottom of the standings, while the Gamblers are barely managing a .500 record, albeit still ranked No. 3 with a 7-7 record. The Ridge Riders have plenty of talent yet remain stranded at the deep end of the league standings. While Austin’s record is a bit more reasonable, the Gamblers just came off their most disappointing homestand in franchise history (5-1 previously, now 6-3 inside Moody Center) while becoming the league’s first team to only win one game at their hometown event this summer.

Changing up the lineup has worked for teams a bit this season, ever-evident as the Texas Rattlers were able to ditch a six-game losing streak after getting veteran Joao Ricardo Vieira into the team’s No. 5 spot. So, that’s exactly what Head Coach Colby Yates is trying here this weekend, with the squad’s typical closer Bruno Carvalho being thrust into the team’s opener role in Week 7. Which, when the team brings its own six-game skid into Springdale, it surely can’t hurt their odds of turning things around, right? Other than riding less bulls than their opponents lately, we don’t have a real explanation as to why the black and white squad hasn’t been too hot lately. Keyshawn Whitehorse (7-for-13) and Eduardo Aparecido (6-for-14) remain ranked in the Top 15 of the PBR Teams MVP race as they have done the heaviest lifting for the Ridge Riders so far. But Yates needs to get more out of the pair of veterans, alongside every other man in that locker room. Both of the mentioned athletes are preparing for rematches on Friday night, so perhaps a little bit of film and historical recall can help them spur some momentum for the league’s current No. 10-ranked unit.

Knowing the Gamblers fell to the New York Mavericks last weekend means they can’t be viewed as overbearing favorites in this one, as the Mavericks are only 1.5 games ahead of the Ridge Riders. So, while they feature their typically top-tiered trio of Jose Vitor Leme, Dalton Kasel and Kaique Pacheco, it’s really only been Leme firing on all cylinders here in 2024.

Leading the PBR Teams MVP race with a stunning 11-for-17 start, the skilled Brazilian has been making it look easy once again as he looks to clinch what would be his third-straight MVP honors. Arizona is going to be ready to ride, likely posting a pair of conversions as they often do. It’ll be up to Leme to seal the deal as the team’s regular closer, matched up against Riser during the final out of the night. Of course, Ezekiel Mitchell and Lucas Divino are more than capable of helping out the squad’s mid-lineup odds of finding some success. That said, the Gamblers know they belong in the postseason, so they’ll need Pacheco and Kasel to turn things around here sooner than later.

(6-8) Texas Rattlers vs. (6-7) Florida Freedom *Brady Fielder vs. Caesar Joao Henrique Lucas vs. Seth Wadley’s No Bull Mason Taylor vs. Punchy Pete Alex Cerqueira vs. Knucklehead Claudio Montanha Jr. vs. Margin of Error Elizmar Jeremias vs. I’ll Make Ya Famous *Qynn Andersen vs. Sometimes I Fly Joao Lucas Campos vs. Lever Action *Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Roc Wit It John Crimber vs. Crazy Times REMATCHES Brady Fielder vs. Caesar (7.82 seconds in Fort Worth, Texas; 87.5 points in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Joao Ricardo Vieira vs. Roc Wit It (2.96 seconds in New York, New York) Qynn Andersen vs. Sometimes I Fly (2.61 seconds in Cheyenne, Wyoming) TRANSACTIONS The Florida Freedom signed Afonso Quintino to the Reserve Roster. The Texas Rattlers placed Brady Oleson on Injured Reserve from the Protected Roster. The Texas Rattlers placed Roscoe Jarboe on the Reserve Roster from Injured Reserve. The Texas Rattlers placed Jesse Petri on the Reserve Roster from the Protected Roster. The Texas Rattlers placed Qynn Andersen on the Protected Roster from the Reserve Roster. The Texas Rattlers placed Claudio Montanha Jr. on the Protected Roster from the Reserve Roster. Rattlers vs. Freedom Game Preview It seems like there are mirrors littered throughout the PBR Camping World Team Series standings right now, as the Florida Freedom and Texas Rattlers bring similar records and momentum into the Week 7 slate. Both of the squads secured a pair of victories last weekend in Austin (with the Rattlers securing a 2-1 result and Freedom staying out of the loss column, officially 2-0 inside Moody Center). Both of the squads have six wins on the season (with Texas sporting a 6-8 record and Florida rocking a 6-7 slate). And, wouldn’t you know it, they’re sitting right next to each other in the league standings, with the Rattlers at the No. 6 spot and Freedom sitting at No. 7. So, we’ll leave the matchup choices to the coaches and see what the riders can drum up!

With the tour’s oldest rider in JRV staying in the closer role for the Rattlers, as the team has enjoyed some success the past few weeks with him riding in the No. 5 spot, they look and feel like a refreshed group. Things weren’t looking or feeling that way a few weeks back, but alas, league parity is alive and well. As are the Rattlers lately, victorious in four of their last five games. Brady Fielder looks to improve to a 2-for-3 slate aboard Caesar Friday night in the team’s lead-off spot, as the Australian bested the bull for 87.5 points during the 2023 season before eventually losing during the duo’s rematch one month later. The tall, lanky cowboy has been showing his bulls off lately, which will only help the Rattlers’ odds here in Game 3. Freshly moved to the team’s Protected Roster after seeing Brady Oleson be forced to hang it up, veteran Claudio Montanha Jr. continues to serve as Texas’ wild card lately. A perfect 2-for-2 in his 2024 debut last weekend in Austin, has Head Coach Cody Lambert found this summer’s next big thing in the 35-year-old?

On the opposite end of the age spectrum, 19-year-old John Crimber looks to chase down PBR Teams MVP frontrunner Jose Vitor Leme once again while hoping to fuel his team to some additional success. While he’s had one hell of a rookie season in general, Crimber has been in a bit of a slump the past few weeks, with a lowly 55-point go (which the team kept, due to the conversion clinching the game win last weekend) aboard Dirty Hairy Deeds last Sunday representing his only qualified ride since Aug. 9 in Brooklyn, New York. Therefore, it’s been the old heads holding down the fort lately, with veterans Alex Cerqueira and Elizmar Jeremias getting the job done for Florida. Joao Lucas Campos got in on the fun last weekend as well and could play a huge role for the Freedom here leading into Las Vegas. Beginning Friday night with his looming showdown against Lever Action.

(9-4) Kansas City Outlaws vs. (6-8) Missouri Thunder Sandro Batista vs. Tootsie Pop *Andrew Alvidrez vs. Brown Bomber Cassio Dias vs. Down Payment Grayson Cole vs. Slingin’ It *Julio Cesar Marques vs. Norse God Felipe Furlan vs. Snake Eyes Heitor Santos Ferreira vs. Hell Right Briggs Madsen vs. Let’s Roll *Koltin Hevalow vs. Wasted Nights Paulo Eduardo Rossetto vs. Baldy REMATCHES Andrew Alvidrez vs. Brown Bomber (1.53 seconds in Arlington, Texas) Julio Cesar Marques vs. Norse God (81.5 points in Arlington, Texas; 88 points in Johnstown, Pennsylvania) Koltin Hevalow vs. Wasted Nights (85.5 points in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) TRANSACTIONS The Kansas City Outlaws placed Heitor Santos Ferreira on the Reserve Roster from the Excused Absence List.

Outlaws vs. Thunder Game Preview The Show Me State Showdown returns to Missouri dirt as the Missouri Thunder host the Kansas City Outlaws inside Great Southern Bank Arena to finish off Friday’s slate. The Outlaws captured a close 260.25-172.5 final during the league’s opening weekend in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but a lot has changed since then. Kansas City brings the league’s longest active winning streak, now up to five, into the dramatic finale while the Thunder have kicked things up a notch the past few weeks in their own right. They don’t have quite the momentum that their in-state rivals bring into this showdown but they do have the support of their hometown fans, which will very much play a factor in Game 4.

Surely there will be some Outlaws supporters in the crowd as well, especially with the tour set to invade Kansas City next weekend as the tour doubles down in Missouri. The Thunder will technically have home dirt advantage, but if Cassio Dias shows up and does Dias things, it’s going to be hard for the Thunder to take down the reigning 2024 PBR World Champion and his unit.

Now 9-for-17 on the season and ranked No. 5 in PBR Teams race despite enduring a rough stretch back in early August, he’s captivating the bull riding industry once again via his elite efforts. At the same time, he’s far from the only threat Missouri has to consider for Friday night’s finale. Fellow Top 12 contenders in Sandro Batista (8-for-14) and Koltin Hevalow (7-for-14) have been helpful lately as well as the Outlaws have ridden their way to the No. 2 spot, now 9-4 on the year. They trail only the Carolina Cowboys in basically every team-based stat imaginable at this point, which means they’re doing their jobs quite efficiently. Yet, it’s Julio Cesar Marques who may be stepping into the brightest lights in Game 4, as he’s primed to challenge Norse God for the third time. Besting the bovine athlete for 81.5 points and 88 points in their first two pairings, this is 100% a matchup to watch, potentially even the game-decider!

That, of course, depends on what the Thunder can bring to the table during their own five attempts. They haven’t blown many teams out of the water in 2024 yet, but they have recorded some high-quality wins over respectable units. That’s all in the past now, as Missouri is in control of its own destiny in the second half of the season. That stretch begins with Andrew Alvidrez’s opportunity to soar aboard Brown Bomber Friday, as the team’s captain isn’t only bringing tons of momentum into the showcase but knows the bull got the best of him inside AT&T Stadium this past spring during the 2024 PBR World Finals: Unleash The Beast – Championship. That’s also in the past, as the Alvidrez we saw in May is not the same man who’s set to show up and show out in front of the team’s hometown crowd. Successful in four of his last five outs, he’s the team’s only shot to open the night, and weekend, in a big way.

Friday Night Bye Games: Carolina Cowboys, New York Mavericks

TRANSACTIONS The New York Mavericks placed Mauricio Moreira on the Protected Roster from the Reserve Roster. FOLLOW ALONG This weekend’s PBR Teams: Thunder Days showcase in Springfield, Missouri, is set to begin Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:45 p.m. CT as the Oklahoma Wildcatters and Nashville Stampede get the three-day showcase started inside Great Southern Bank Arena.

With competition set to continue Saturday, Aug. 31 at 7:45 p.m. CT and conclude Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1:45 p.m. CT, the sixth of ten homestand events will see the world’s best bull riders compete against each other with just seven weeks remaining until the 2024 PBR Teams Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, Oct. 18-20!

RELATED: Where to Watch: Thunder Days

Fans can tune into Merit Street and the Merit+ App on Friday, Aug. 30 beginning at 8 p.m. CT to take in the four opening night games. The first three games of night two’s slate, airing on Saturday, Aug. 31, will also air on Merit Street and the Merit+ App starting at 8 p.m. CT, with PBR Now! pre-game and post-game programming surrounding Friday and Sunday’s coverage.

The Week 7 “Game of the Week,” featuring the New York Mavericks and Missouri Thunder, is set to air on CBS Television Network on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. CT.

Spanish broadcasts of all three days of action will also air on TUDN, with night one’s action airing on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 2 p.m. CT, Saturday’s slate airing on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 2 p.m. CST and Sunday’s showdowns airing on Monday, Sept. 2 at 2 p.m. CT.

Fans can keep an eye on PBR.com and @PBR social media channels for the latest news, scores, wrecks and more! And be sure to download the Merit+ App to watch all of this season’s exclusive action!

Photo courtesy of Andy Watson/Bull Stock Media