TOP 10 FINISH FOR SALDANA IN EL PASO

Joey Saldana. - T.J. Buffenbarger Photo

 

By Susan Arnold

Joey Saldana. - T.J. Buffenbarger Photo
Joey Saldana. – T.J. Buffenbarger Photo

El Paso, Texas (April 15, 2014) – A capacity crowd squeezed into the grandstands at El Paso Speedway Park to watch the second ever appearance of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car drivers and the greatest show on dirt.

 

In qualifying, Joey Saldana drove the Motter Equipment HE&M Saw Beltline Body Shop 71M to the fifth quickest lap around the semi-banked 3/8-mile oval, clocking 13.467 seconds.

 

The Brownsburg Bullet lined up third for the start of the second heat race. Outlaws officials called back the first start and on the restart, Saldana was fourth when the green flew. The Saldana-Pittman on-track battle from the feature in Perris continued in the El Paso heat race as the two drivers went wheel to wheel, side by side, trying slide jobs and every tactic in the sprint car playbook to one up the other. It was arguably one of the best dogfights of the night.  At the checkered flag, it was Steve Kinser with the heat win, Saldana fourth and Pittman fifth.  The top six finishers in the heat solidified starting positions in the A-Main.

 

Saldana was scheduled to line up eighth for the start of the A-Main. When Logan Schuchart took his car to the pits during preliminary laps, Saldana moved to the sixth position on the grid. At the green, Kerry Madsen took the lead with Jason Sides second and Saldana seventh. The Bullet was having a tough time guarding his position.

 

The first yellow came out on lap 13 when Jason Sides looped the car in turn one.  On the restart, Saldana was seventh in the line-up but McMahan, next to him on the outside of the row, got by to gain a position. There was one more yellow and at the end of the night, Saldana rolled across the finish line ninth.

 

Kerry Madsen celebrated the win on his wedding anniversary, Steve Kinser was second and Daryn Pittman was third.

 

“Every team has an off night,” said team owner Dan Motter.  “If our off night is still a top 10, we can live with this. We will regroup and get ready for The Devils Bowl this weekend.”