By Nick Graziano
PLACERVILLE, CA — Feb. 20, 2019 — The World of Outlaws NOS® Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is gearing up to return Saturday, March 23, to Placerville Speedway for the fifth consecutive year of high-speed, winged sprint car action.
California natives Brad Sweet and Rico Abreu, along with 2017 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Sheldon Haudenschild showed fans why the World of Outlaws is The Greatest Show on Dirt during last year’s Placerville race, dueling for the lead throughout the entire 50-lap 49er Gold Rush Classic presented by Riebes NAPA AUTO PARTS. Sweet, last year’s runner-up in Series points, was the victor, claiming his first Outlaw win at the quarter-mile oval.
Joining the event this season will be the Elk Grove Ford Midgets in a $2,000-to-win Feature, giving Golden State sprint car and midget fans twice the reason to check out Placerville.
“Combining the World of Outlaws and Midgets on the same night at Placerville is going to make for an unbelievable show,” said Brad Sweet, a Grass Valley native who drives the #49 NAPA AUTO PARTS Sprint Car for Kasey Kahne Racing. “When we were able to move the race to Saturday night we were afraid we weren’t going to be able to include Midgets as part of the program, but Matt Wood at Elk Grove Ford stepped up to help make it possible. It’s going to be a big night, for sure.”
Sweet himself is coming off two top-five finishes at the season-opening races DIRTcar Nationals in Florida, leaving him tied for third in points with 10-time Series champion Donny Schatz.
Leading everybody is Daryn Pittman, the 2019 DIRTcar Nationals champion who has been hooked up in his new Roth Motorsports ride. Pittman started the year by winning the two season-opening races, but he’s never won an Outlaw race at Placerville and will no doubt be amped up to repeat his early success for California car owners Dennis and Teresa Roth.
Schatz found victory once at Placerville in 2015, taking the lead with just eight laps to go. He is poised to be a threat, yet again, also starting off the season strong with two top-five finishes.
Carson Macedo, a native of Lemoore, Calif., is looking for his first Outlaw victory since winning at Silver Dollar Speedway in 2014. Macedo joins forces with Kyle Larson Racing this season to make a run at the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year title. Macedo has had an impressive start to the season with two top-10 finishes and two Heat wins.
Don’t miss a second of the action at Placerville Speedway, reserve your seats by going to www.WorldofOutlaws.com/tix or call 844-DIRT-TIX.
Previous Feature winners:
2018 – Brad Sweet on Sept. 12
2017 – David Gravel on March 29
2016 – Jason Johnson on March 23
2015 – Donny Schatz on April 8
1992 – Jac Haudenschild on March 11
1987 – Sammy Swindell on Sept. 2
1986 – Sammy Swindell on Sept. 3
1985 – Jac Haudenschild on Sept. 4