By Tony Veneziano
GRAND FORKS, N.D. — May 31, 2022 — The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series will make their first of two visits to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, N.D., on Friday, June 3 for the 1st Leg of the Gerdau Northern Tour. This season will mark the 16th 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 12 drivers have won with the World of Outlaws NOS Sprint Car Series at River Cities Speedway, dating back to 2007. Last year, three-time and defending series champion, Brad Sweet, picked up his first win at the track. Donny Schatz, David Gravel, Logan Schuchart and Kraig Kinser are all past winners at the track, who will be in attendance on June 3.
Schatz has been the driver to beat at River Cities Speedway over the years, racking up 12 wins in 27 races. The 10-time series champion most recently won at the track in his home state in August of 2019. He has finished in the top-10 in each and every one of the 27 World of Outlaws races contested at the track, with 25 of those being top-five performances, including a fourth-place showing last year.
Sweet is the current World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series point leader on the strength of 20 top-10 finishes in the first 23 races of the season. The California native has 12 top-10 finishes in 16 career starts at River Cities Speedway, with 10 of those being top-five showings, including his victory last season.
Sheldon Haudenschild, who is currently second in points has five top-10 finishes in eight career starts at River Cities Speedway. The Ohio native finished a career-best second at the track last year. Haudenschild leads the Outlaws with five victories this season, including in the most recent event on Monday evening at Lawrenceburg Speedway in Indiana.
Gravel, who is currently third in points, won at River Cities Speedway in 2017. The Connecticut native has 13 top-10 finishes in 15 starts at the track. Gravel ran sixth at Grand Forks last year. The veteran driver has a pair of wins thus far in 2022.
Carson Macedo, who is in his second season driving for Jason Johnson Racing, has made four starts at River Cities Speedway in his young career. The Californian finished a career-best third at the track last year as he chases his first Grand Forks win. Macedo has won four times thus far in 2022 and is fourth in points.
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 seven top-10 finishes in Grand Forks, six 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 just outside of the top-10 in the series point standings.
Jacob Allen, the grandson of Hall of Famer Bobby Allen, led laps at River Cities Speedway in 2017. The young driver has two victories this season and is ninth in points.
James McFadden and Brock Zearfoss are both back for their sophomore seasons on the World of Outlaws circuit. McFadden is currently eighth in points and Zearfoss is 10th.
Spencer Bayston, Noah Gass and Kasey Kahne are all contending for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season. Bayston is currently seventh in points with one win. Kahne made his debut at River Cities Speedway last year, when he was driving for the Roth Motorsports team, finishing 11th.
Robbie Price, from Canada, recently climbed aboard the familiar No. 7 for Sides Motorsports, with Jason Sides turning the wrenches. Veteran driver Bill Rose has also returned to the Outlaws tour in 2022.
Tickets for the 1st 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, June 3, can be purchased in advance online at www.SLSPromotions.com or by calling 815-344-2023 and at the track on race day.
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