By Tony Veneziano
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — August 17, 2021 — The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will make their final visit of the season to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on Friday, August 20 for the 2nd Leg of the Gerdau Recycling Northern Tour. This season marks the 15th consecutive year the series has raced at the high-banked bullring. Joining the World of Outlaws will be the NLRA Late Model Series for a full race program.
A total of 11 drivers have won with the World of Outlaws NOS Sprint Car Series at River Cities Speedway, dating back to 2007. Last year, Kyle Larson won in a thriller in his debut at the high-banked bullring. Donny Schatz, David Gravel, Logan Schuchart and Kraig Kinser are all past winners at the track, who will be in attendance on August 20.
Schatz has been the driver to beat at River Cities Speedway over the years, racking up 12 wins in 26 races. The 10-time series champion most recently won at the track in his home state in August of 2019. Schatz has been victorious in seven of the last eight years in Outlaws competition at River Cities Speedway. He has finished in the top-10 in each and every one of the 26 World of Outlaws races contested at the track, with 24 of those being top-five performances.
Brad Sweet, the two-time and defending series champion, is the current World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series point leader on the strength of 14 wins. Sweet is chasing his first win at River Cities Speedway. The California native has 11 top-10 finishes in 15 career starts at River Cities Speedway, with nine of those being top-five showings, including a pair of runner-up finishes.
Gravel, who is currently third in points, won at River Cities Speedway in 2017. The Connecticut native has 12 top-10 finishes in 14 starts at the track. Gravel ran second at Grand Forks last year.
Carson Macedo, who is in the midst of his first season driving for Jason Johnson Racing, has made three starts at River Cities Speedway in his young career. The Californian finished a career-best fifth in August of 2019 and garnered a top-10 finish last year. Macedo has won seven times on the Outlaws tour thus far in 2021 and is second in points.
Sheldon Haudenschild, who is currently fifth in points, has four top-10 finishes in seven career starts at River Cities Speedway. A pair of sixth-place finishes at his best to date at the track as he chases his first win in Grand Forks.
Schuchart picked up his first River Cities win in June of 2019 and has finished on the podium in three straight races at the track. In his career, the Pennsylvanian has sixth top-10 finishes in Grand Forks, with five of those being top-five performances.
Kinser was victorious at River Cities Speedway in 2012. The veteran driver has nine career top-10 finishes at the track. Kinser is currently eighth in the series point standings.
Jason Sides has raced in nearly every World of Outlaws race at River Cities Speedway, starting 24 of the 26 previous events. The veteran driver has nine top-10 finishes, including a runner-up performance in 2011.
Jacob Allen and Wayne Johnson are back on the Outlaws tour in 2021. Allen, the grandson of Hall of Famer Bobby Allen, led laps at River Cities Speedway in 2017. Johnson is in the midst of his sophomore seasons with the Outlaws.
James McFadden and Brock Zearfoss are battling for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this year. McFadden has one victory thus far in 2021, aboard the No. 9 for Kasey Kahne Racing. The Australian finished sixth last August at River Cities Speedway, while Zearfoss will be making his debut at the high-banked bullring.
Tickets for the 2nd Leg of the Gerdau Northern Tour, featuring the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and NLRA Late Model Series at River Cities Speedway on Friday, August 20, can be purchased in advance online at www.SLSPromotions.com or by calling 815-344-2023 and at the track on race day. Those who attended the rained out World of Outlaws event at River Cities on June 4, should bring their tickets and/or pit pass armbands from that race as those will serve as their tickets on August 20.
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