By Tony Veneziano
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — May 29, 2019 — The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will make their first of two trips to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks on Friday, June 7. The 1st Leg of the Gerdau Northern Tour will mark the 13th consecutive year the series has raced at the high-banked bullring. Joining the Outlaws will be the NLRA Late Model Series for a full race program.
Donny Schatz has been the dominant driver at River Cities Speedway over the years, racking up 11 wins in 23 races. The 10-time and defending series champion swept both races at the track last year and has visited victory lane in seven of the last eight Outlaws races at the venue. Schatz has finished in the top-10 in all 23 of the previous main events contested by the series at the track in his home state, with 21 of those being top-five performances. He also doubled up last August, winning the companion NLRA feature event.
A total of nine drivers have won with the World of Outlaws NOS Sprint Car Series at River Cities Speedway, dating back to 2007. Daryn Pittman, the 2013 series champion, along with David Gravel and Kraig Kinser are all past winners at the track. Each of those three will be in action on June 7.
In the first 21 races this season for the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series, 13 drivers have been victorious. Of those, six have visited the winner’s circle more than once.
Schatz is the current series point leader, with the margin 48 markers back to Brad Sweet. Each has won twice this season as has Pitman, who sits third in the current standings. Gravel is fourth in points and has visited victory lane on three occasions in 2019, which has him tied with Logan Schuchart, who is fifth in points, atop the series win list.
Shane Stewart is sixth in the currently standings as he continues his first season driving the No. 5 for the CJB Motorsports team. Carson Macedo, the leading contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award is seventh in points. The Californian will be making his River Cities Speedway debut. Ian Madsen is eighth in the current standings, with Kraig Kinser in ninth and Sheldon Haudenschild in 10th. Just outside of the top-10 are Brent Marks, Jason Sides and Jacob Allen.
Leading the local contingent in Grand Forks is multi-time River Cities Speedway track champion Mark Dobmeier, who came from 17th to second last August, as he looks for an elusive win against the Outlaws at his home track.
Tickets for the 1st Leg of the Gerdau Recycling Northern Tour at River Cities Speedway on Friday, June 7, featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and NLRA Late Model Series, can be purchased in advance online at slspromotions.ticketforce.com or by calling 815-344-2023, as well at ticket outlets in the Grand Forks area and at the track on race day.
Save $5 General Admission tickets at participating O’Reilly Auto Part Stores. Fans will exchange their O’Reilly receipt for a ticket at the Main Grandstand ticket booth on race day.
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