From Tony Veneziano
Concord, NC — One more win for the road: Before heading back home from Australia, Donny Schatz picked up a $20,000 victory with the World Series Sprintcars at Brisbane International Speedway on Saturday. The four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion started on the pole after earning the most points in the preliminary program on Friday night. He would go on to pace all 50 laps of the contest to pick up the win over Brooke Tatnell and Garry Brazier. It was the third straight year that Schatz won the two-day World Series event at Brisbane. For Schatz it was his 11th career win with the World Series. Jason Sides also competed in the event, coming home 13th.
U.S.A. vs. Tasmania Sprintcar Challenge: Craig Dollansky and Lucas Wolfe, along with veteran Paul McMahan took part in the U.S.A. vs. Tasmania Sprintcar Challenge at Mountain Dew Ice Raceway in Hobart, Tasmania, on Saturday, which pit the American drivers against the Tasmanian drivers in sets of heat races prior to a 30-lap main event. A unique format was utilized, with each heat race consisting of three American drivers and three Tasmanian drivers. After a heat was run, the drivers would go to the infield to make adjustments on their machines and then the next heat would be run with the finish of the previous heat inverted. Points were earned by each driver in their respective heat races.
In the first heat race, McMahan finished second with Dollansky third and Wolfe fourth. In the second heat race, it was Dollansky picking up the win with Wolfe fourth and McMahan fifth.
Wolfe was victorious in the next heat race, with McMahan second and Dollansky third. Wolfe won the fifth heat race with Dollansky third and McMahan fourth. The final heat went to McMahan, with Dollansky finishing fifth while Wolfe was not able to take the green flag.
In the main event, the American drivers started at the back of the grid. Dollansky started 14th and wound up fifth, while Wolfe started 12th and finished sixth. The pair will compete again this coming weekend in another round of the U.S.A. vs. Tasmania Sprintcar Challenge at Bendigo Bank Arena in Latrobe.
A strong run Down Under: Jason Sides finished sixth with the World Series Sprintcars on Sunday at Charlton Raceway in Toowoomba. The native of Bartlett, Tennessee, who finished fifth in the World of Outlaws championship standings in 2009, was second quick of the 30 cars that took to the clock in time trials.
Fan of February: Less than one week remains in the Fan of February Contest. Every fan that purchases a ticket for the 2010 season opening 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park before January 15 will be entered in the Fan of February Contest Presented by Hoseheads.com. The winner will be announced on January 16 and will receive two tickets to the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series portion of the DIRTcar Nationals, February 5-7, as well as a free hotel stay during that time. Winners will also be selected for the World of Outlaws Late Models Series potion of the event, as well as the Super DIRTcar Series and UMP DIRTcar Modifieds portions. For more information visit: www.fanoffebruary.com.
All America Team Honors: Donny Schatz and Joey Saldana will be honored on Saturday, January 16 for their spots on the 2009 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association All-America Auto Racing Team, at the annual All-America Team Banquet, which will be held at John Force Racing in Brownsburg, Indiana. Schatz, who was named to the First Team for the fourth consecutive year, will be on hand to receive his award, while Saldana who made the Second Team for the second time in his career, will be unable to attend, as he will be competing in the Chili Bowl. Schatz is in the running for the 2009 Jerry Titus Memorial Award, which will go to the driver on the First Team that received the most overall votes, regardless of category. The winner of the Titus Award will be announced during the All-America Team Banquet.
Up close and personal: A FREE Fan Pit Pass is available to every ticket buyer who comes through the main gates every night during the 39th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH at Volusia Speedway Park beginning on February 2. All fans have to do once they arrive at the track is take their grandstand ticket and head toward the pits, where a table will be set up to sign-in for an up-close look at the cars and stars who will be racing that night. To purchase tickets call Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402 and for more information visit www.DIRTcarNationals.com.
Keep up with all the action: The number of “Followers” keeping up with the World of Outlaws via Twitter online and through text messages on cell phones continues to grow and recently surpassed the 2,200 “Follower” mark. Updates are provided throughout race nights beginning with hot laps and continuing all the way through the final checkered flag of the night. To sign-up visit: http://twitter.com/worldofoutlaws and receive live race updates, anywhere, anytime. Off-season news and notes are also provided.
Annual Auction: The National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum will hold their annual Chili Bowl Auction on Thursday, January 14 at the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Racing diecasts, artwork, photos and much more will be on available, with many of the items on the block autographed by some of the biggest names in racing, past and present. The auction begins promptly at Noon Central and benefits the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, in addition to the Parent Child Center of Tulsa.