By Tony Veneziano
Concord, NC-September 20, 2010-
Every point matters: With the closest title fight in World of Outlaws history getting even tighter, every point matters, as just three markers currently separate leader Jason Meyers and Joey Saldana, with Steve Kinser third only 48 markers back and Donny Schatz fourth, 115 out, with just eight races left on the year. Meyers leads the series with 99 points earned in time trials this season, while Saldana has earned 76, Kinser has scored 38 and Schatz has picked up 73 extra points. Bonus points are awarded each night in time trials to the Top-Five drivers, with the quick timer earning five bonus points, second fastest-four points, third fastest-three points, fourth fastest-two points and fifth-fastest one point.
What a charge: Lucas Wolfe came all the way from the 24th starting spot to finish sixth at Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota last Saturday night to earn the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award. Following a strong start and some attrition in front of him, Wolfe was all the way up to fifth by just the sixth lap of the 35-lapper. After having engine trouble in hot laps that forced him and his team to swap engines, the native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, missed time trials, thus relegating him to the back of every event he raced in. He came up just one spot short of racing his way into the main event in the second heat, thus putting him in The Last Chance Showdown. He charged from the 11th starting spot to snag the final transfer spot in that race, which put him into the main event, where he started shotgun on the field. Wolfe has earned the KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award six times this season which is second only to Joey Saldana.
Another new track record: Earlier in the day on Saturday at Deer Creek Speedway, Sam Hafertepe Jr. predicted that a new track record would be set for the second consecutive year at the pristine high-banked 3/8-mile. The 24-year old was true to his word and ended up being the first one who broke the one year old mark that he set in the World of Outlaws debut at Deer Creek. The native of Sunnyvale, Texas circled the track in 11.474 seconds at 117.657 miles per hour to shatter his old record by more than a tenth-of-a-second. Each of the drivers that were among the Top-Five in time trials at Deer Creek broke the track record. For Hafertepe, it was his sixth fast-time honor of the season, which is second only to Jason Meyers and Paul McMahan, who are tied for the series lead in that department.
“I don’t what it is that makes us so fast here,” said Hafertepe on Saturday night. “We actually have some different things in the car this time. I guess this place fits my driving style, I don’t know the rhyme or reason why. We’re sitting on top and that’s all that matters.”
Using their experience: Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Jac Haudenschild, who were the senior-most drivers in the field at Deer Creek Speedway last Saturday night all started outside the Top-10 and all worked their way to the front. Kinser led the way coming from 14th to finish third, while Swindell lined up 13 th and came home fifth, with Haudenschild coming from 17th to eighth. The trio of Hall of Famers has all finished on the podium on the same night twice this season and nearly accomplished that feat for a third time on Friday night, with Donny Schatz just inching out Swindell for third at the line, while Haudenschild and Kinser finished first and second.
Always up front at Clay County: Donny Schatz finished third last Friday night at Clay County Fair Speedway in Iowa to continue his strong track record at the historic 3/8-mile. The four-time and defending series champion was victorious in the World of Outlaws debut at the track in 2007 and followed that up with another win in 2008. He finished sixth last season and was back on the podium this year, after winning a drag race down the front straightaway on the final lap to inch out Sammy Swindell for third. Prior to the World of Outlaws visiting the reconfigured Clay County Fair Speedway in 2007, Schatz had competed at the former half-mile back when he was just cutting his teeth in a sprint car.
“It’s a fun place to race and I remember racing here when it was the big track and coming to the Fair here,” said Schatz. “I just always enjoy coming here and look forward to coming back next year.”
Another fast time: Paul McMahan set fast time at Clay County Fair Speedway last Friday night in his first start at the track since 2008. He is now tied with Jason Meyers for the series lead with 10 fast time honors on the season. McMahan has earned the second most qualifying bonus points this season in time trials (94) of any driver on the circuit, with the Top-Five in time trials receiving points each night.
In the dash in his debut at Clay County: Toni Lutar, one of the contenders for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season, finished second in the second heat race in his first-ever visit to Clay County Fair Speedway last Friday to race his way into the dash. He lined up eighth in the dash and finished sixth, which earned him his best ever start in a World of Outlaws event lining up in the third row. The native of White Rock, British Columbia, Canada has raced his way into the dash three times this season.
Some familiar names: Fans at Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa are very familiar with the names McCarl and Wolfgang, as Terry McCarl hails from the Hawkeye state and racing at the track each of the last three years, while Hall of Famer Doug Wolfgang also raced at Clay County and won there in the late 1970’s. Last Friday night at Clay County, it was teenagers Robby Wolfgang and Austin McCarl carrying on the family tradition racing at the sprawling 3/8-mile. They battled in the second heat race for the final transfer position, coming up just one and two spot short respectively. The pair competed in The Last Chance Showdown with Wolfgang finishing third to earn a spot in the main event, while McCarl came up one spot short.
On the tube: Jason Meyers, the current World of Outlaws point leader, will join host Dave Despain on Wind Tunnel on SPEED on Sunday, September 26. Wind Tunnel airs between 9-10 p.m. Eastern each Sunday night on SPEED. Meyers will talk about his season-to-date and his bid to become the first-ever driver from the state of California to claim a World of Outlaws title.
On the dial: Joey Saldana will join host Brian Liskai on The Last Lap Radio FASTcast radio show on DIRTVision.com on Wednesday, September 22 between 6-7 p.m. Eastern. Saldana will help preview the upcoming race at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio this weekend, where he has won twice already this season. To hear The Last Lap FASTcast show live each Wednesday tune it online at www.DIRTVision.com.
Up next: A stop at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio on Friday, September 24 as part of the 4-Crown Nationals Weekend, followed by the Commonwealth Clash at the historic Lernerville Speedway in Pennsylvania on Saturday, September 25.
Photo galleries: The Media Gallery section of www.worldofOutlaws.com continues to be updated after each event. Visit http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint/MediaGallery.aspx to see Photo Galleries from all 2010 World of Outlaws events. Photo Galleries from the events at Clay County Fair Speedway and Deer Creek Speedway will be posted soon.
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 5,100 “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.
On sale now: Tickets for a number of premier World of Outlaws events are currently on-sale, including the event at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in New York on October 9 and the World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte, November 4-6. For tickets visit www.WorldofOutlaws.com/tickets. Three-day tickets for the World Finals are available for just $69 through September 30 and include a FREE fan pit pass. Call 1-800-455-3267 for tickets.
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.