By Susan Arnold
MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. (May 18, 2014) – After three days of action-packed racing against the Pennsylvania Posse, the World of Outlaws traveled to Orange County Fair Speedway, the oldest continuously operated dirt track in the United States.
A big crowd was on hand to witness the hard-charging drivers battle for tonight’s trophy.
Joey Saldana drove the Motter Equipment HE&M Saw Beltline Body Shop 71M to the No. 2 qualifying position with a 17.201-second lap around the 5/8-mile hard clay oval. The track record set in 2008 by Saldana of 16.083-seconds remained intact through tonight’s event.
Based on qualifying, Saldana was assigned the fourth starting position in the second heat. The first attempt at a green flag start was called back when polesitter Steve Buckwalter got on the throttle too quickly. Buckwalter was moved back one row and Steve Kinser was moved into the pole position. On the restart, Kinser assumed the lead followed by Cody Darrah and Saldana. Buckwalter, in fourth, made a run at Saldana trying to pass him for position but was unsuccessful. Darrah, however, was able to pass Kinser and gain the lead. At the checkered flag it was Darrah, Kinser and Saldana. The Brownsburg Bullet solidified a spot in the dash.
The zero inversion draw favored the top qualifiers and placed Saldana on the outside of the front row for the start of the dash. Polesitter Pittman assumed the lead when the track went green, with Saldana following in second. The running order for the two drivers didn’t change and they crossed the finish line the way they started.
Pittman and Saldana lined up next to each other on the front row for the 25-lap A-Main.
When the green flag flew, the running order was Pittman, Saldana, Schatz and Steve Kinser. Those positions did not change throughout the event. The track began taking rubber early in the feature and began to get faster. Through stops and starts of cautions and the ebb and flow of racing through traffic the top four protected their positions. The biggest worry of the event was tire wear. The first casualty in that department was Kerry Madsen who brought out the yellow with one lap remaining when he slowed with a flat right rear tire. The finish technically went 26 laps because the Outlaws provide for a green-white-checker to end an event. Saldana took the checkered flag and only made it to turn 2 before his right rear tire went flat.
“The tire started shaking pretty bad with about five laps to go,” said Saldana. “I am actually shocked we made it to the checkered. We thank God for that. We made it, that’s all that matters and we’ll go on to New Egypt.”
The second place finish tonight is Saldana’s career best at Orange County Fair Speedway and his seventh second-place finish this season.
Racing will resume Tuesday, May 20 at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey.