By Tony Veneziano
Concord, NC- April 19, 2010-
On the mend: Terry McCarl missed both nights of racing last weekend and will be out for an indefinite among of time, after suffering a severe injury to his left arm last week away from the race track. McCarl is scheduled to have surgery on the arm on Tuesday, April 20. Prior to this past weekend, McCarl was just outside of the Top-10 in the World of Outlaws standings.
“I don’t know exactly how long I’ll be out,” shared McCarl on Saturday night at I-55 Raceway. “They are telling me probably at least three months. It’s pretty disappointing. I’ve broken my hand and raced. I’ve broken my leg and raced, but I broke the tendon off my bicep, completely broke it in two. It’s a pretty bad deal. I’ll have the surgery and do the best I can.”
Super sub: Sammy Swindell, the three-time World of Outlaws champion, filled in for McCarl at Paducah International Raceway and I-55 Raceway over the weekend. The native of Germantown, Tennessee finished third last Friday night in his first World of Outlaws start of the season at Paducah. Swindell was second quick in time trials both nights.
“Terry has a good car and a good team and all they have to do is put somebody in here and roll it around,” said Swindell after the race last Friday night at Paducah. “The guys that work on the car do a good job. I’m fortunate to be here and the one they called to drive it. I’m glad to finish third. I wish I would have won, but it’s not bad.”
The streak continues: Jason Meyers, the current leader in the World of Outlaws championship standings, finished fourth and seventh over the weekend to extend his streak of Top-10 finishes to start the season to 12. He is the only driver that has finished in the Top-10 each and every race. The native of Clovis, California currently has a 17-point lead over Joey Saldana in the World of Outlaws championship standings as he chases his first title.
A third generation driver: Joey Saldana was victorious on Saturday night at I-55 Raceway for the third time in 2010 and for the second time this season with his wife Shannon and son Reece in attendance. Joey followed in his father’s (Joe) footstep climbing into a race car and his son Reece is going to make his first laps in a quarter-midget later this week in a practice session and then looks to compete for the first time next Sunday. The youngest Saldana was going to compete yesterday when the family returned from I-55 Raceway, but following Joey’s hard fought win, they decided to stay home and rest, as the elder Saldana continues to recover from a broken left hand.
“It’s always special to win with them here,” said Joey Saldana on Saturday night. “Reece is a great little soccer player. He won his soccer game today (Saturday) and tomorrow (Sunday) we’re going to try racing. It will be his first quarter-midget race. Hopefully he has fun and enjoys racing and realizes it’s a great sport and loves it.”
Giving it all he had: Jason Sides charged all the way from the 15th starting spot to finish third at I-55 Raceway on Saturday night to earn his third consecutive Top-Five finish at the high-banked bullring as he looks for his first victory there. He used some strong double file restarts on the high side of the track to gain a number of spots. He lined up on the low side on the finale restart with four laps remaining. Sides is currently fifth in points on the strength of eight Top-10 finishes.
“I thought I did,” shared Sides when asked if he had anything for the leaders in the late going. “On that last restart I ran down in there in turn three and went a little too hard and too low and caught the inside wall and had a wheelstand. I just had to keep going and got it back on the straightaway and ended up third.”
Fines levied: Craig Dollansky, Sam Hafertepe Jr. and Tim Kaeding were all fined and placed on probation following incidents at Tri-State Speedway in Pocola, Oklahoma on April 10. Dollansky was fined $250 and placed on probation until September 24 for violating Section 11.1B in the World of Outlaws Rulebook regarding “Any member that attempts to and/or does physically abuse any event official.” Hafertepe was also fined $250 and placed on probation until September 24 for violating Section 11.1P in the World of Outlaws Rulebook in regards to “Any member who ignores a flag or official signal,” as well as Section 2.2A in regards to “All Members agreeing to act in a professional manner.” Kaeding was fined $250 and placed on probation until September 24 for violating Section 11.1 P in the World of Outlaws Rulebook in regards to “Any member who ignores a flag or official signal,” as well as Section 2.2A in regards to “All Members agreeing to act in a professional manner.”
Hard Luck Award: Mike Larson from Chizmark & Larson Insurance one of the World of Outlaws newest marketing partners was on-hand at I-55 Raceway on Saturday night and greeted the competitors during the driver’s meeting. Chizmark & Larson presented a special $100 Hard Luck Award at the end of the night, which went to Danny Lasoski, who sustained damage to his race car prior to hot laps, after a push truck ran over him, causing extensive damage to his top wing among other things.
Back in the saddle: Brian Paulus, who has four career World of Outlaws A-Feature wins, made his first two starts of 2010 over the weekend at Paducah and I-55. It was also his first laps in a race car since a very serious arm injury in a go-kart last season. Paulus had one of the most visible cars in the pit area with a very bright wrap featuring his Tear Off Apparel company adorning the top wing and side of his familiar No. 28. The Pennsylvania native plans to compete again this weekend with the World of Outlaws at Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Indiana.
“I think just too much time off,” said Paulus when asked what made him decide to compete at Paducah and Pevely. “A two-day weekend pretty close to him, since I am living in Indianapolis now, it worked out well. It was only five hours or so to each track and it worked out pretty good to get out and get some laps on some tracks I like racing at. It’s a shame we didn’t have a good weekend. If it could have break it did. It was probably just a lack of attention. We’ll hit it harder next week and try to get up front a little better.”
A long tow south: Mark Dobmeier, make the long tow from Grand Forks, North Dakota south to Paducah International Raceway and I-55 Raceway last weekend to compete with the World of Outlaws. It was a 1,050 mile trek to Paducah and then an 889 mile trip back home for the multi-time River Cities Speedway track champion. Dobmeier has one career World of Outlaws A-Feature win, as he was victorious at Wilmot Speedway (now Wilmot Raceway) in 2006 while he was filling in for Brooke Tatnell.
On sale now: Tickets for the third round of the Showdown for the Bud Crown, Kasey’s King of Sedalia Presented By Budweiser at Sedalia’s State Fair Speedway in Missouri on June 16 are on sale now. Kasey Kahne, who is promoting the event along with the World Racing Group, will race at Sedalia. Tickets are also available for the final round of the Showdown for the Bud Crowd, Kasey’s King of LaSalle Presented By Budweiser at LaSalle Speedway in Illinois on July 8. Tickets are also available now for the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup Twin 30’s at Lernerville Speedway on July 20. To purchase tickets for these events visit www.worldofoutlaws.com/tickets.
Up next: The World of Outlaws help open the 2010 season at the venerable Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Indiana on Saturday, April 24.
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 3,400 “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.
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), Chizmark & Larson Insurance, 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.