From Tony Veneziano
Rossburg, OH—July 14, 2010— Prior to heading to the famed legendary Eldora Speedway in Ohio to take part in the Kings Royal, each of the 16 drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws, shared their thoughts on the famed event. The weekend will begin on Friday, July 16 with the Knight Before the Kings Royal, followed on Saturday by the $50,000 to-win Kings Royal. A total of nine former Kings Royal winners will be taking part in the event, including five who are competing full-time with the Word of Outlaws this season. Steve Kinser, the 20-time World of Outlaws champion, leads all drivers with six wins in the Kings Royal, while Jac Haudenschild has won the event on three occasions, with Donny Schatz and Joey Saldana scoring two wins apiece, while Jason Sides won the event in 2004.
Craig Dollansky, Driver of the No. 7 Big Game Treestands Maxim:
“You always look forward to races like the Kings Royal. We were strong last time we were there and lost a tire toward the end of the race. I was pretty happy with our race car there and we were second quick, so we’ll go in there with a good race car and try to get ourselves in the hunt to win the Kings Royal. There is a lot of history at Eldora and the Kings Royal is one of the crown jewels of the sport. It’s one that has eluded me in my career and we’ll go in there with everything we have and see if we can get a win there with the Big Game Treestands car.”
Brian Ellenberger, Driver of the No. 22 Ti-22 Performance JEI:
“That’s a great race with a lot of history there. It’s certainly one of the biggest races of the year and we are looking forward to it. We’re looking forward to getting back to Eldora and running that race. You can tell by the size of the crowd what an important race it is. That’s one of the races that brings in a lot of people and everything that surrounds it is great. It’s a neat event all the way around and we’re glad to be able to take part in it.”
Ben Gregg, Driver of the No. 2B Kronik Energy Maxim:
“I’ve been going to that event since it started. I was at the first one and have been back there for a lot since. It’s always nice to go there and it’s great to get to run there in that event. We always have a good time going back to Eldora. We haven’t been very good there and we’re hoping to change that this time around. We’ll have a new motor that we’ll probably roll out there for that event and hopefully that will change things.”
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Driver of the No. 15H G.H. Plumbing Maxim:
“We always look forward to the Kings Royal and going to Eldora. It’s a big fast place and we do well at big fast places. We’re definitely looking forward to getting back there and hopefully finishing a couple spots better than last year. It would be a huge accomplishment for our team to win it. We haven’t won a World of Outlaws race yet and have come close several times. To win an event that prestigious would be great. I don’t even know if words could describe the feeling of what it would mean to win the Kings Royal.”
Jac Haudenschild, Driver of the No. R19 Owens-Corning Fiberglass XXX:
“We like going to Eldora. It’s always a fast track and always good racing. If you get the car going good there it’s a fun place to race at. The money is the best part, but it’s a big race and a hard race to win. We’re looking forward to hopefully getting the (No.) R19 up front. It’s always special to win a big race like that. It means a lot to the car owner and the crew and everybody.”
Chad Kemenah: Driver of the No. 63 Golden Flavor Sesame Sticks Maxim:
“Anytime we can go to Eldora is a good thing. First because it’s close to home and second because we like the place. The Kings Royal just puts a lot more emphasis on everything. The history of event is pretty neat and that brings more fans to it. It’s a really neat weekend and when the Kings Royal gets here, you know you are in the “Month of Money.” Eldora kicks all of that off and you want to always do good over there.”
Kraig Kinser, Driver of the No. 11K Quaker State Maxim:
“The Kings Royal is one of the biggest races we run and everyone wants to run up front in it. Everyone wants to wear that crown at the end of the night. I’ve had some good runs there and some bad runs at Eldora, so hopefully we have some good momentum going there hopefully we have a chance of winning the race when the feature comes around. Just getting any win at Eldora is big for me. I’ve gotten to go over and see a lot of great races there. They used to run The Historical Big One and obviously the Kings Royal and just a lot of big races just in our sprint cars. Talking about dirt racing, there has been so many great races there in so many different types of race cars that run on dirt. Putting your name on a win list at a track like that is something very, very special.”
Steve Kinser, Driver of the No. 11 Bass Pro Shops Maxim:
“We always look forward to the Kings Royal. We have run it for a number of years and it’s always a special race. It’s one of the biggest races of the year and I always enjoy racing at Eldora anyway. I’m looking forward to it. Most of us race drivers would race for nothing to win the Kings Royal, but the money is good for sure and you need that to keep going up and down the road. It definitely is a race you want to try to win.”
Danny Lasoski, Driver of the No. 6 Casey’s General Store JEI:
“We always look forward to the big races. You know how our luck is at Eldora. We either do really good or really bad. Last time we were there, we finished second, so we are pumped up and looking forward to going there and see if we can win the Kings Royal. It would mean everything to win that. We’ve been fortunate to win the Knoxville Nationals and the Kings Royal is one of those races that has eluded us. We’ve run second before and that’s one we’d really like to add to our resume.”
Toni Lutar, Driver of the No. 4X Northwest Used Auto Parts KPC:
“That’s one of the big ones and a good race to get to. We came pretty close to making the main event last year, so hopefully we can make it this year. The race goes back a long way and there is so much history at the track itself that all of that certainly add to the prestige and aura of the race. It’s definitely one everyone looks forward to and they have some great fans out there.”
Paul McMahan, Driver of the No. 91 Great Clips Maxim:
“You always look to the events like that that pay a lot of money. We have a lot of big races coming up in July and August and the Kings Royal starts that off. That is a very prestigious race and everyone wants to win it. There have only been about eight or 10 guys that have won the Kings Royal, so to put your name on that list would be a feature in your cap. Anytime you can go back somewhere with a win in the same season helps. The race track will be a lot different. It’s a lot hotter out now and the track will be a lot slicker. It all depends on that qualifying time that you put down on your first lap of the night. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
Jason Meyers, Driver of the No. 14 GLR Investments KPC
“Obviously it’s a big paying race, so it’s a race that is important to all of us. Eldora is a great facility and we always look forward to going over there. We’ve come close to winning that a couple of times, but it seems to be one that keeps eluding us. We’re looking forward to going back and trying to get it this year. It’s one of those races that you want to put your name on at some point. It’s very important to us and something we want to get done and hopefully this is the year. Wearing the crown is the most important part. The money is here today and gone tomorrow. To wear that crowd and get your name on that winners list is the most important and something that can never be taken away.”
Joey Saldana, Driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Maxim:
“There’s a pretty small group of guys that have won it and it’s a pretty elite group. For myself, when I got it, I started to realize that this was a place that I belong and I can race with guys like Steve Kinser and Jac Haudenschild and Dave Blaney. It’s a career changing race to win, that’s for sure. It’s something you shoot for and it’s something people don’t forget about if you do win it. As a sprint car driver it’s one of the biggest races you can win and one of the biggest of the year. I always look forward to it and it’s a show that you can focus on going out and winning because it’s just “Show-up point” so you don’t have to worry about points. You can go all out trying to win the race and it’s great that they let us do that.”
Donny Schatz, Driver of the No. 15 Armor All/STP J&J:
“Eldora is one of our favorite places to go and we look forward to getting there. It starts the “Month of Money,” so there are a lot of big races that follow it. We’ll try to get the big check and the big trophy. It’s probably had more prestige because of the guys that have won it. Steve (Kinser) has won it so many times, along with (Doug) Wolfgang and Sammy (Swindell). There has been a lot of great guys that have won the race. It’s the only one you get a crown and a robe for, so that’s pretty neat. It does pay pretty well also, so you take all of that into consideration and just enjoy it. If you don’t win it, it definitely makes for a long rest of the season and we don’t want to be in that position. We want to be up there fighting for it and hopefully get that crown and purple robe.”
Jason Sides, Driver of the No. 7S Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim:
“That was my first World of Outlaws win and to win the Kings Royal was pretty big for us. It was on my mom’s birthday as well which made it special. Her birthday is coming around again this year and we’ll see if we can win it again for her. It’s prestigious for sure and to me, it’s kind of like winning five races at once. It’s a big payday and helps our small team. We have the crown at home, along with the trophy and the big check hanging on the wall. It’s something we look at from time to time and think, ‘We did win that.’ It was a big win for us.”
Lucas Wolfe, Driver of the No. 5W Allebach Racing Maxim:
“It’s always one of the biggest races of the year and a great weekend. Hopefully we’ll be able to have a good run. We had a second-place run there earlier this season so hopefully we’ll be able to go back and repeat some of that success and hopefully improve one spot. You look at the list of names that has won the Kings Royal and it’s basically a “Who’s Who” of all of sprint car racing pretty much since it’s started. It’s one of those events you look forward to all year and it has quite a bit of history to it as well.”