By Tony Veneziano
Syracuse, NY-October 7, 2010- It’s been 15 years since a World of Outlaws Sprint Car last took to the mile at the famed New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. The roar of 850-plus horsepower, fire breathing winged sprint cars will once again grace the historic track this week as five drivers will take part in the King of the Mile exhibition on Friday, October 8 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Jason Sides, Lucas Wolfe, Chad Kemenah, Kerry Madsen and Keith Dempster will take to the Moody Mile as part of Super DIRT Week XXXIX.
Sides is having another career year with the World of Outlaws in 2010 and is currently fifth in the series standings, on the strength of four A-Feature wins, having racked up 49 Top-10 finishes with 25 Top-Five performances. The native of Bartlett, Tennessee has led over 100 laps of feature racing competition this season, in addition to setting fast time on five occasions and also winning the dash six times to earn pole positions. The King of the Mile will be his first time ever on a mile track.
Wolfe, whose father Randy competed 11 times with the World of Outlaws at the New York State Fairgrounds over the years picking up three Top-10 finishes, will also be turning his first ever laps on a mile. The 2008 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year is currently eighth in points on the strength of 27 Top-10 finishes with 14 of those being Top-Fives.
Chad Kemenah, the 2006 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, will also take to the New York State Fairgrounds as well for The King of the Mile. The four-time All Star Circuit of Champions title winner has 12 Top-10 finishes this season with a couple of Top-Fives. Kemenah’s father-in-law, Hall of Famer Bob Hampshire, fielded cars in four consecutive World of Outlaws events at Syracuse between 1981 and 1984. Kemenah has won three times in his career with the World of Outlaws.
Kerry Madsen, who hails from St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia and was the World of Outlaws top rookie in 2007, will also test his mettle at the New York State Fairgrounds. Madsen, who cut his teeth racing on tight, tacky bullrings in his native Australia, has a couple of career World of Outlaws wins. This season he had racked up 19 Top-10 finishes with four Top-Fives.
Dempster adds even more international flair to the King of the Mile, hailing from Alton, Ontario, Canada. The veteran finished second in the Southern Ontario Sprints point standings this past season and competed with the World of Outlaws at Ohsweken Speedway back in July.
Work’N Woody, the Official Push Truck & Safety Vehicle of the World of Outlaws, who has pushed countless cars at Syracuse over the years, will return to the Moody Mile as well and help push off the drivers for the King of the Mile, with second generation pusher Eric Malies at the helm of the iconic machine.
The King of the Mile will take the green flag at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday, October 8 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse as part of Super DIRT Week XXXIX.