By Tony Veneziano
Las Vegas, NV-February 23, 2010-With most of the country still buried in snow, a number of drivers will head west this week to compete in the Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the World of Outlaws on Friday, February 26.
Headlining the invaders that will be battling the World of Outlaws regulars for the $10,000 top prize, will be Fred Rahmer, the eight-time Williams Grove Speedway track champion, who also has 10 titles at Lincoln Speedway, as well championships at Selinsgrove Speedway and Susquehanna Speedway. The Hall of Famer will make the long tow west from Central Pennsylvania to The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to turn the first laps of his career at the immaculate half-mile. Rahmer has five career World of Outlaws A-Feature wins over the years.
“The snow definitely played a big part in our decision,” shared Rahmer. “With the change in tires as well, we thought it would be a good time to go and learn a few things at some different tracks.”
Rahmer visited a couple of tracks for the first time last year with the World of Outlaws, as he took part in the inaugural Ironman 55 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri and also made the trek south to Lone Star Speedway last October for the first-ever WoO Fest at the half-mile in Kilgore, Texas. The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will mark the furthest west that he has ever competed.
“It’s neat to be doing something different and I can’t wait to see the track out there,” he stated. “I’m looking forward to it for sure. With the way things were in the past, I never really had the opportunity to go to different places and now we have that chance, so that s what we are doing.”
Daryn Pittman, who has 29 career World of Outlaws A-Feature victories, will also head to Las Vegas with his Central Pennsylvania based Keen Motorsports team. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma has nearly 20 career Top-10 finishes at the track with seven of those being Top-Fives. He finished in the Top-10 last season in the inaugural Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic.
Terry McCarl, the six-time Knoxville Raceway and Huset’s Speedway track champion, will head to Las Vegas, as he looks to challenge for his first win at the half-mile. McCarl, who is a nine-time winner with the World of Outlaws in his career, finished seventh at Las Vegas last season and has eight career Top-10 finishes at the track with three of those being Top-Five performances.
Johnny Herrera, who is the reigning Knoxville Raceway track champion, will also be in action at the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic. The 1986 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award winner was victorious in a preliminary feature with the World of Outlaws at Las Vegas in 2002 and has nearly 20 career Top-10 finishes at the track, with 10 of those being Top-Five performances. Herrera has 10 career World of Outlaws A-Feature triumphs entering the 2010 season.
The World of Outlaws head to “Sin City” with 17 full-time drivers led by four-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz, along with his teammate at Tony Stewart Racing, 20-time champion Steve Kinser. Each has won six times in their careers at the half-mile. Danny Lasoski, the 2001 series titlist, also has six victories at Las Vegas in his career.
Jac Haudenschild and Kraig Kinser have also won at the track with the World of Outlaws, bringing the number of former winners at the track that will be in action this week to five.
Kasey Kahne Racing will campaign three cars in the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic, with Joey Saldana, who led the World of Outlaws with 20 A-Feature wins last year looking for his first triumph of 2010, along with Paul McMahan, who will be filling in for the injured Cody Darrah and Brad Sweet aboard the No. 49 machine.
Jason Meyers and Craig Dollansky will be chasing their first wins at the half-mile in the desert, as will Jason Sides, Lucas Wolfe, Chad Kemenah, Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Brian Ellenberger. Drivers contending for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award in 2010 that will be in action include: Ben Gregg, Tim Kaeding and Toni Lutar.
On Friday, February 26 at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, hot laps are set for 6:30 p.m. Pacific, with time trials at 7 p.m. Pacific and heat races at 8 p.m. Pacific.
Adult tickets for the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic will be $35 with tickets for children (ages 6-12) $8. A special two-night ticket is available for $49 for adults and $12 for children (ages 6-12), which includes admission to the World of Outlaws event, as well as the opener of the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic which features the USAC Sprint Cars and Midgets. For tickets visit http://www.lvms.com or call the track at 1-800-644-4444.
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, Jake s Custom Golf Carts, KSE Race Products, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo; Engine Builder’s Challenge participants Don Ott Racing Engines, Kistler Engines, Shaver Specialties and Speedway Engines; and Chassis Builder s Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.