By Susan Arnold
ELKO, Minn. (May 5, 2013) – When the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car teams unload their powerful winged vehicles at Elko Speedway Friday May 10, they will be scored evenly at this high-banked 3/8 mile oval: no wins, no losses.
It will be the first time the Outlaws will have competed at this facility. In other forms of racing, the track is known for two and three-wide racing.
“It’s always exciting to race at a new venue and we look forward to putting on a good show for some fans who don’t often have an opportunity to see us race,” said Joey Saldana, driver of the Motter Equipment Fatheadz Eyewear 71M sprint car. “We also consider this a sort of home track for Dan Motter who owns this team. It is an opportunity for him to bring some of his friends, family and business associates.”
Motter, who owns Motter Equipment, a global supplier of mining and construction equipment and component part for surface mining and construction industries, has corporate offices in Pengilly, Minn.
This season marks Motter’s return to the sport after a 15-year hiatus. After fielding a team for some of sprint car racing’s best drivers in the 1990s, he retired from ownership in 1997, returning this year with a seasoned crew, first-rate equipment and a driver he feels can win the coveted championship.
“Dan has the passion for this sport and he jumped in head first to start the team up again this season,” continued Saldana. “We are trying to get him the results he deserves.”
When the race at Elko Speedway wraps Friday night, the tour will pack up and head to Knoxville, Iowa for the Mediacom Shootout Saturday.
“The Knoxville race in August is our Indy 500,” said Saldana. “So it’s important to get as many laps as you can on this track prior to the big event to build your notebook and data base to give you tune-up and set-up information for reference.
“My dad won the Knoxville Nationals in 1970 and I’d love to put my name in the history books as well. We have finished second at this event three times but haven’t won it yet.
“It’s definitely on my ‘to do’ list.”
The second generation driver won on the black Iowa soil in June of 2006 and definitely knows his way around the half-mile Knoxville Raceway oval.
“Winning the trophy Saturday in Knoxville would be a great tune-up for the Nationals in August.”