By Tony Veneziano
Edmonton, AB-August 25, 2010- A little history will be made this weekend at Castrol Raceway as the World of Outlaws visit the track located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, marking the third different track north of the border that the series has competed at in 2010. For each of the last three years, the series has visited two track in Canada a year. The Fourth Annual Oil City Cup on Friday, August 27 and Saturday, August 28 will be the series only visit to the Western part of Canada and the series final appearance in the country this season.
Two full nights of racing are in store, with $10,000 awaiting the winner of each 35-lap A-Feature event. The Oil City Cup was first held in 2007, with 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser winning the inaugural race at the track, while Donny Schatz was victorious in the finale that season. In 2008, Hall of Famer Jac Haudenschild won the opener, with Jason Meyers taking the finale.
Joey Saldana, the current series point leader, won both ends of the Oil City Cup last season, leading all 70 laps of feature racing competition to score his first career wins in Canada to go along victories in Australian and New Zealand. The second generation driver leads the World of Outlaws with 11 wins this season. He has finished in the Top-Five in five of his six career starts at Castrol Raceway.
Steve Kinser, who is just 25 points behind Saldana, has finished fourth or better in all six of his career starts at Castrol Raceway and has an average finish of 2.7 at the track to lead all drivers. He finished second in the opener last season and was third in the finale. The living legend leads the World of Outlaws in Top-Five and Top-10 finishes this season as he chases his record 21st title.
Jason Meyers, who is currently third in points, 71 markers out of the lead, won at Castrol Raceway in 2008. He has finished sixth or better in all six of his career starts at the 3/8-mile, with five of those being Top-Five performances. The California native has won eight times this year as he chases his first title.
Donny Schatz, the four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion, who is currently fourth in points, won in Edmonton in 2007 during the inaugural Oil City Cup weekend. The North Dakota native has finished ninth or better in all six of his career starts at the track, with five of those being Top-Five performances. He is the current track record holder, a mark he established in time trials in 2007.
Jac Haudenschild, who recently returned to action after suffering a broken hand last month, won at Castrol Raceway in 2008. The veteran has three Top-10 finishes at the track in four starts. He has won twice this season.
In six A-Feature events for the World of Outlaws at Castrol Raceway, five different drivers have picked up wins, with Joey Saldana being the only driver that has won more than once.
The Buzz:
* Joey Saldana looks to make it three in a row at Castrol Raceway after winning both ends of the Oil City Cup in 2009. He recently won his 70 th career World of Outlaws A-Feature event.
* Steve Kinser has an average finish of 2.7 at Castrol Raceway to lead all drivers and has finished in the Top-Five in all six of his starts at the track.
* Jason Meyers has finished sixth or better in all six of his starts at Castrol Raceway and used a very strong Gold Rush Tour last season to gain significant ground in the series standings.
* Donny Schatz has finished ninth or better in all six of his starts at Castrol Raceway, winning once.
* Jason Sides finished fourth and eighth at Castrol Raceway last season and has three career Top-10 finishes at the track. He won earlier this season in Canada at Ohsweken Speedway and has three career wins north of the border.
* Danny Lasoski finished fifth and sixth last season at Castrol Raceway and has three Top-10 finishes in four career starts at the track.
* Craig Dollansky has finished seventh or better in five of his six starts at the track with three of those being Top-Five finishes. He heads to Edmonton as the most recent winner with the World of Outlaws.
* Jac Haudenschild will make his first appearance at Castrol Raceway since 2008 this coming weekend. He won at the track in 2008 and three Top-10 finishes in four starts. He recently returned after missing some time with a broken hand.
* Lucas Wolfe picked up his best-career Castrol Raceway finish last season coming home seventh. He has finished second, three times this season as he chases his first World of Outlaws win.
* Sam Hafertepe Jr. makes his first start at Castrol Raceway since 2008 this coming weekend. The native of Sunnyvale, Texas has a couple of Top-10 finishes at the track.
* Chad Kemenah returns to Castrol Raceway for the first time in a couple of years this weekend. He finished second and ninth in his last two starts at the track in 2008 and carries momentum from fifth and sixth-place finishes last weekend.
* Ben Gregg, one of the contenders for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season, will make his first two starts at Castrol Raceway this weekend.
* Toni Lutar, who hails from White Rock, British Columbia, Canada, competed in both nights of the Oil City Cup last season.
One year ago: Joey Saldana dominated the Oil City Cup, picking up the win on both nights, leading all 70 laps of feature racing competition. In the opener he bested Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, Craig Dollansky and Danny Lasoski, while in the finale he finished ahead of Jason Meyers, Kinser, Jason Sides and Schatz. Sides opened the weekend by setting fast time, with heat races going to Paul McMahan, Donny Schatz and Danny Lasoski on night one, with Danny Lasoski winning the dash. In the feature event, Saldana beat Lasoski into turn one and would lead the remainder of the 35-lap contest. The finale saw Meyers set fast time, with heat races going to Travis Rutz, Jeff Hodgson and Craig Dollansky, with Meyers taking the dash. In the feature, Saldana again got the jump going into turn one from the outside of the front row and never looked back.
By the Numbers: Fourth Annual Oil City Cup
0.375- Miles around Castrol Raceway
1- Driver hailing from Canada competing full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2010- Toni Lutar
2.7- Average finish for Steve Kinser in six starts at Castrol Raceway to lead all drivers
3- Drivers that finished in the Top-Five both nights at the track last season- Joey Saldana, Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz
5- Total races for the World of Outlaws in Canada this season; Drivers that have won at Castrol Raceway with the World of Outlaws
6- A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws at Castrol Raceway dating back to 2007
9- Fast time honors for Paul McMahan to lead all drivers; Track records that have been established in qualifying at World of Outlaws events in 2010
11- Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws this season that raced at Castrol Raceway in 2009; Wins for Joey Saldana this season to lead all drivers
12.693 – Track record established by Donny Schatz in time trials in 2007
15- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws
17- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the World of Outlaws in 2010; Drivers that have been quickest in time trials in 2010
18- Drivers that have won a Dash this season to earn a pole position
25- Points that separate leader Joey Saldana and Steve Kinser in points; Drivers that have led laps in feature events this season
31- Top-Five finishes for Steve Kinser this season to lead all drivers
46- Top-10 finishes for Steve Kinser this season to lead the series
51- A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws through August 21
70- Laps led by Joey Saldana en route to winning both events at Castrol Raceway last season
106.358 – Track record in miles per hour set by Donny Schatz in 2007
304- Laps led by Joey Saldana in feature events this season to lead all drivers
732- Miles from Nodak Speedway in North Dakota where the World of Outlaws race on August 20-21 to Castrol Raceway in Edmonton
2007- Year the World of Outlaws first competed at Castrol Raceway
10,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Friday, August 27; Dollars the winner will receive on Saturday, August 28
229,900- Dollars earned by Steve Kinser this season to lead the series
Tickets: On Friday, August 27 at Castrol Raceway, adult general admission will be $40, with general admission tickets for youth (ages 6-12) $15, with kids 5-under admitted free of charge in the general admission section. Adult reserved tickets will be $50, with reserved ticket for youth (ages 6-12) $25. Two-day tickets are also available. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.CastrolRaceway.com or by calling 780-468-3278.
On Saturday, August 28 at Castrol Raceway, adult general admission will be $40, with general admission tickets for youth (ages 6-12) $15, with kids 5-under admitted free of charge in the general admission section. Adult reserved tickets will be $50, with reserved ticket for youth (ages 6-12) $25. Two-day tickets are also available. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.CastrolRaceway.com or by calling 780-468-3278.
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 , R2C Performance, 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.