By Tony Veneziano
Spring Valley, MN-September 16, 2010 -One of the closest finishes of the 2009 World of Outlaws season came during in the series inaugural visit to Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota last year, with Joey Saldana taking the top spot from Donny Schatz with just two laps remaining to win by a mere 0.273 second after battling tooth and nail down the stretch for the win. The best sprint car drivers in the world look to provide more thrills as they return to the pristine and very racy high-banked 3/8-mile on Saturday, September 18 for the Clash at the Creek Presented by Sprint for a Cure in the midst of the closest four-way title fight in series history.
Saldana leads the series into Deer Creek Speedway by a mere two points on the strength of 12 A-Feature wins along with a series leading 35 Top-Five finishes. Jason Meyers, who is second in points finished third at Deer Creek last season, while Steve Kinser, who is third in the standings finished fifth. The 20-time series champion is 55 markers out of the lead, while Schatz who finished second at the track last season is fourth in the standings, 119 markers back.
Last year Deer Creek Speedway became the sixth track in the state of Minnesota that the World of Outlaws competed at dating back to 1979. Steve Kinser, who is the winningest driver in the state with the series, was victorious earlier this year at Jackson Speedway while Jason Meyers won at North Central Speedway in Brainerd.
The Clash at the Creek Presented by Sprint for a Cure will be the World of Outlaws final stop of the season in the Upper Midwest as the stretch run of the 2010 campaign continues, with just 10 races remaining on the season. It will also be the final race of the season a 3/8-mile-track following Friday night’s race at Clay County Fair Speedway in Iowa on the same sized surface.
In addition to the racing action on Saturday, September 18, a silent auction will take place underneath the grandstand at Deer Creek Speedway to benefit the Bob Buckmeier Foundation with a number of items from World of Outlaws drivers and teams being auctioned off to help raise funds for the Foundation which is dedicated to helping individuals and families that are undergoing cancer treatments.
The Buzz:
· Joey Saldana looks to stayed unbeaten at Deer Creek Speedway after snatching the win from Donny Schatz last season and winning one of the closest races all season, taking the lead with two laps to go and holding off a charge by Schatz on the final circuit.
· Donny Schatz led 28 laps at Deer Creek Speedway last season, the most of any driver, and wound up second after Joey Saldana’s late race pass.
· Steve Kinser, who finished fifth at Deer Creek last season, won earlier this season in the state of Minnesota at Jackson Speedway.
· Craig Dollansky, who hails from the state of Minnesota, finished ninth last season at Deer Creek Speedway and looks for his first win at the track.
· Jason Meyers finished third last season at Deer Creek Speedway and looks to continue a strong stretch run that sees him second in points, just two markers out of the lead. He won earlier this season in Minnesota at North Central Speedway.
· Kraig Kinser started second and led the first five laps last season at Deer Creek Speedway before a flat tire sent him to the work area. He would work his way back through the field to finish 14th in his debut at the track.
· Danny Lasoski finished fourth last season in his first trip to Deer Creek Speedway and looks to improve upon that finish as he chases his second win of the 2010 campaign.
· Jac Haudenschild earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award last season at Deer Creek Speedway coming all the way from the 19 th starting spot to finish seventh.
· Jason Sides, who has won four times this season and is currently fifth in points, ran eighth last season at Deer Creek Speedway.
· Chad Kemenah finished a very solid sixth last season in his debut at Deer Creek Speedway.
· Sam Hafertepe Jr. set a new track record in qualifying at Deer Creek Speedway last season before having some bad luck in the main event.
· Paul McMahan, Ben Gregg and Toni Lutar will all be making their first starts at Deer Creek Speedway this coming weekend.
One year ago: Joey Saldana was victorious in the World of Outlaws debut Deer Creek Speedway in a thriller over Donny Schatz. Saldana used a slide job in turn four on the 33rd lap to take the lead, though he drifted high exiting that turn with Schatz charging down the front straightaway to officially keep the top spot at the line. On the next lap, Saldana inched by Schatz again coming off turn four to take the point and officially be scored the leader at the line, with Schatz battling back and regaining the lead as the pair headed into turn one. Saldana ran the extreme high side of the track in turn two on the last lap and was able to charge around Schatz exiting that corner to take the lead and wound up winning by just a mere 0.273 seconds. Jason Meyers was third, with Danny Lasoski fourth and Steve Kinser fifth.
By the Numbers: Clash at the Creek at Deer Creek Speedway
0.273- Margin of victory for Joey Saldana over Donny Schatz at Deer Creek Speedway last season
0.375- Miles around Deer Creek Speedway
1- Driver from the state of Minnesota competing full-time with the World of Outlaws this season- Craig Dollansky
2- Laps led by Joey Saldana last season en route to winning at Deer Creek Speedway
3- Drivers that led laps in the main event at Deer Creek Speedway last season; Races in the state of Minnesota for the World of Outlaws in 2010
5- Laps led by Kraig Kinser at Deer Creek Speedway last season
9- Track records that have been established in time trials this season
10- Fast time honors in qualifying this season for Jason Meyers to lead the series
11.583- Track record set by Sam Hafertepe Jr. in time trials at the track last season
12- Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws this season that raced at Deer Creek Speedway last year; A-Feature wins for Joey Saldana this season to lead the series
15- Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2010
17- Drivers that have been quickest in time trials this season
18- Drivers that have won the dash this season to earn a pole position in a main event
28- Laps led by Donny Schatz at Deer Creek Speedway last season the most of any drive on his way to a runner-up finish; Drivers that competed with the World of Outlaws at Deer Creek Speedway in 2009
35- Top-five finishes for Joey Saldana and Steve Kinser through September 11 to lead the series
51- Top-10 finishes for Steve Kinser through September 11 to lead the series
55- Points that separate the Top-Three in the World of Outlaws standings entering this weekend
59- A-Feature events that have been contested through September 11
116.550- Track record in miles per hour set in 2009 by Sam Hafertepe Jr. in time trials
175- Miles from Clay County Fair Speedway in Iowa where the World of Outlaws compete on
September 17 to Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota
333- Laps led by Joey Saldana in feature events this season to lead the series
10,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Saturday, September 18
51,690- Dollars in the total purse on Saturday, September 18
Tickets: On Saturday, September 18, adult general admission tickets will be $35 with general admission tickets for kids 12-under $15. Adult reserved tickets will be $35 with reserved tickets for children ages 12-under $15. Pit combos will also be available for $40 which include a pit pass and a reserved ticket. For tickets call Deer Creek Speedway at 507-754-6107 or visit www.deercreekspeedway.com.
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.