Concord, NC--June 28, 2009—
Honoring the champ: Donny Schatz was honored during a special ceremony Saturday afternoon outside of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa for his third consecutive victory in the Knoxville Nationals last season. Bob Baker, the Executive Director of the Nationals Sprint Car Hall of Fame helped unveil the plaque and brick that adorn the Knoxville Nationals the Wall of Champions. Schatz’s parents Danny and Diane also took part in the ceremony as well as Eddie Leavitt Jr., whose father Eddie Leavitt Sr. the Wall of Champions is named after. For Schatz it is the third brick in as many years that bears his name for winning sprint car racing’s biggest event.
“To have your name on this wall once is a huge accomplishment, to have it three times in a row is amazing,” said Schatz. “Hopefully we can be up here again next year, but there are a lot of guys that will do their best so that doesn’t happen. It’s definitely a great honor.”
Nothing but respect: After battling Johnny Herrera for most of the 40-lap race on Friday night at U.S. 36 Raceway, Joey Saldana offered high regards for his long-time friend. The pair officially traded the lead five times, but unofficially they swapped it more than a dozen times as the weaved their way through lapped traffic on the high-banked bullring, with Saldana taking the lead on the final lap to pick up his 11th win of the season.
“It’s great to see Johnny (Herrera) back out here running with the Outlaws,” said Saldana. “He’s been winning 30 or 40 races a year back in Albuquerque and wherever, so he deserves to be back out here.”
A trophy to remember: Anytime Terry McCarl is involved in helping promoting a race, the trophy that the winner receives is guaranteed to be one of a kind and one that stands out and usually above all others. The nearly five foot tall trophy he had made for the winner of the Missouri High-Banked Nationals was created and built by hand by longtime sprint car supporter Duane Davis of Iowa, who passed away last month. McCarl dubbed the handmade trophy “Big Bertha.” Davis served on the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Board of Directors and was a Hall of Fame member as well.
“This is a beautiful trophy that our good friend Duane (Davis) made for us before he passed away,” said McCarl on Friday night. “He meant a lot to sprint car racing and truly loved the sport. He’ll be greatly missed”
Ready to rock and roll: With the World of Outlaws schedule picking up as the weather heats up, three-time and defending series champion and current series point leader Donny Schatz is looking forward to racing three and four times a week as he chases his fourth consecutive title. He finished second and fourth this past weekend to extend his lead in the championship standings to 76 markers over Joey Saldana.
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going,” said Schatz. “The harder you make it on us the better we like when it comes to the racing. This is what these teams thrives off of. Everyone is out here away from their families and give that up to be a part of the sport they love, and they love to go-go-go and we are coming up to that time.”
Still learning after all these years: Terry McCarl has been racing for over 25 years and still is a student of the sport. After several near misses with the World of Outlaws this season, he picked up his first win of the season on Saturday night with the series, as he gears up for some of the higher paying and prestigious events that dot the calendar in the next month and a half.
“You learn something every night you race period,” shared McCarl. “You think you know something and like last night you make a big mistake. Everywhere we have been this year, we have been fast. You miss the boat once in a while and you learn something every night. We are looking forward to the Nationals and the Kings Royal and big races like that and hopefully can pick up a big win this year.”
Australian invasion: Garry Brazier made his first start with the World of Outlaws since 1999 on Friday at U.S. 36 Raceway in Missouri. The multi-time Australian champion raced his way through the B-Main into the main event. He also competed at Knoxville on Saturday night, with his night ending in the B-Main. He plans to compete in a number of World of Outlaws events over the next few months.
On board for the weekend: Work ‘N Woody, the Official Pace Truck & Safety Vehicle of the World of Outlaws sported a new sponsor this past weekend for the events at U.S. 36 Raceway and Knoxville Raceway,, as Bosma Poultry Inc. adorned the left side board of the top wing on the iconic machine, with Eric Malies at the helm, having taken over from his parents Art & Carol who retired after last season..
Photo Gallery: The Media Gallery section of www.WorldofOutlaws.com continues to be updated after each event. Visit http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint/MediaGallery.aspx to see Photo Galleries from 2009 World of Outlaws events. Photo Galleries from U.S. 36 Raceway and Knoxville Raceway will be posted shortly.
Keep up with all the action: The number of “Followers” keeping up with the World of Outlaws via Twitter online and through text messages on cell phones continues to grow. Updates are provided throughout race nights beginning with hot laps and continuing all the way through the final checkered flag of the night. To sign-up visit: http://twitter.com/worldofoutlaws and receive live race updates, anywhere, anytime.
Up next: The World of Outlaws head north for a stop at Huset’s Speedway in South Dakota on Friday, July 3, followed by a stop at Eagle Raceway in Nebraska on the 4th of July.
2009 STAT ATTACK
There have been 32 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature events in 2009.
A-Feature winners (11 Different Drivers) Driver, Hometown – Wins
1- Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 11
2- Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 8
3- Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 4
4- Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 2
5- Dale Blaney, Hartford, Ohio- 1
Randy Hannagan, San Jose, California- 1
Greg Hodnett, Thomasville, Pennsylvania- 1
Tim Kaeding, San Jose, California- 1
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 1
Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 1
Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 1
Lap leaders, including A-features and preliminary features Car, driver, hometown - Total laps led (21 Different Drivers)
1- Joey Saldana- Brownsburg, Indiana- 248 laps
2- Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 186 laps
3- Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 153 laps
4- Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 63 laps
5- Randy Hannagan, San Jose, California- 49 laps
6- Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 43 laps
7- Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 42 laps
8- Johnny Herrera, Albuquerque, New Mexico- 39 laps
9- Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 37 laps
10- Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 30 laps
11- Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal, Kansas- 22 laps
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 22 laps
12- Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma- 21 laps
13- Tim Kaeding, San Jose, California- 18 laps
14- Cody Darrah, Red Lion, Pennsylvania- 15 laps
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 15 laps
15- Brian Brown, Grain Valley, Missouri- 14 laps
16- Dale Blaney, Hartford, Ohio- 10 laps
Greg Hodnett, Thomasville, Pennsylvania- 10 laps
Peter Murphy, Clovis, California- 10 laps
17- Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 5 laps
Time trial leaders (14 Different Drivers) Rank - Driver, Hometown - Quick times
1- Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 8
2- Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 4
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 4
3- Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 3
4- Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 2
Daryn Pittman, Owasso, Oklahoma- 2
Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 2
5- Ryan Bohlke, Fredon, New Jersey- 1
Tony Bruce Jr., Liberal, Kansas- 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas- 1
Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio- 1
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 1
Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 1
Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania- 1
Track records established during 2009 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series events (3)
Joey Saldana, March 13, Silver Dollar Speedway (1/4-mile), Chico, California, 10.918 seconds at 82.433 mph
Terry McCarl, March 20, Thunderbowl Raceway (1/3-mile), Tulare, California, 12.713 seconds at 94.297 mph
Joey Saldana, April 17, Paducah International Raceway (3/8-mile), Paducah, Kentucky, 12.825 seconds at 105.263 mph
Crane Cams Dash Winners (16 Different Winners) Rank - Driver, Hometown - Dash Wins
1- Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 5
2- Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 4
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 4
3- Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio- 3
Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 3
Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 3
4- Brian Brown, Grain Valley, Missouri- 1
Cale Conley, Vienna, West Virginia- 1
Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 1
Randy Hannagan, San Jose, California- 1
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio-1
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 1
Peter Murphy, Clovis, California- 1
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 1
Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma- 1
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 1
Pole Positions (16 Different Drivers) Rank - Driver, Hometown – Poles
1- Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 5
2- Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 4
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 4
3- Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio- 3
Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 3
Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 3
Brian Brown, Grain Valley, Missouri- 1
Cale Conley, Vienna, West Virginia- 1
Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 1
Randy Hannagan, San Jose, California- 1
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 1
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 1
Peter Murphy, Clovis, California- 1
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 1
Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma- 1
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 1
B-main Winners (21 Different Winners) Rank - Driver, Hometown - B-Main Wins
1- Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 3
Tommy Worley, Farmington, Missouri- 3
2- Randy Hannagan, San Jose, California- 2
3- Garry Brazier, Sydney, NSW, Australia- 1
Cale Conley, Vienna, West Virginia- 1
Roger Crockett, Medford, Oregon- 1
Cody Darrah, Red Lion, Pennsylvania- 1
Cole Duncan, Lockborne, Ohio- 1
Brian Ellenberger, Butler, Pennsylvania- 1
Mike Erdley, Elizabethville, Pennsylvania- 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas- 1
Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio- 1
Jesse Hockett, Warsaw, Missouri- 1
Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma- 1
Thomas Kennedy, Winnipeg, Manitoba- 1
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 1
Toni Lutar, White Rock, British Columbia- 1
Bob Martin, East Grand Forks, Minnesota- 1
Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 1
Greg Nikitenko, Minot, North Dakota- 1
Daryn Pittman, Owasso. Oklahoma- 1
Sean Robinson, Bronson, Michigan- 1
Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 1
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award
1- Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 4
Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW- 4
2- Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio- 2
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 2
Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 2
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 2
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 2
Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Australia- 2
3- Daron Clayton, Sikeston, Missouri- 1
Dustin Daggett, Portland, Michigan- 1
Mark Dobmeier, Grand Forks, North Dakota- 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas- 1
Johnny Herrera, Albuquerque, New Mexico- 1
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 1
Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 1
Fred Rahmer, Salfordville, Pennsylvania- 1
Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 1
Chris Shirek, Thompson, North Dakota- 1
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Olive Branch, Mississippi- 1
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 1
Penske Power Position
1- Kraig Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 4
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 4
2- Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 3
3- Jac Haudenschild, Wooster, Ohio-3
Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 3
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 2
4- Brian Ellenberger, Butler, Pennsylvania- 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas- 1
Randy Hannagan, San Jose, California- 1
Greg Hodnett, Memphis, Tennessee- 1
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 1
Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 1
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 1
Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 1
Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania- 1
Stevie Smith, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma- 1
Jason Solwold, Mt. Vernon, Washington- 1
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 1
Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Australia- 1
SuperClean Start Award
1- Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 4
Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 4
2- Craig Dollansky, Elk River, Minnesota- 2
Chad Kemenah, Findlay, Ohio- 2
Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 2
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 2
Sammy Swindell, Germantown, Tennessee- 2
3- Jonanthan Allard, Chico, California- 1
Dale Blaney, Hartford, Ohio- 1
Sam Hafertepe Jr., Sunnyvale, Texas- 1
Jason Johnson, Eunice, Louisiana- 1
Tim Kaeding, San Jose. California- 1
Kerry Madsen, St. Mary’s, NSW- 1
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 1
Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 1
Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana- 1
Chris Shirek, Thompsontown, North Dakota- 1
Brooke Tatnell, San Souci, NSW, Australia- 1
Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania- 1
Jessica, Zemken, Sprakers, New York- 1
Crane Cams Engine Builder Challenge
Speedway Engines 120
Shaver Specialties 112 -8
Don Ott 108 -12
Kistler 104 -16
Chassis Builder Challenge
Maxim 148
J&J 140 -8
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Crane Cams (Official Valvetrain), Hoosier Racing Tires (Official Racing Tires), Fusion Energy Boost (Official Energy Boost), Quaker State (Official Motor Oil), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, Jake’s Custom Golf Carts, KSE Race Products, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo; Engine Builder's Challenge participants Don Ott Racing Engines, Kistler Engines, Shaver Specialties and Speedway Engines; and Chassis Builder’s Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.
- Tony Veneziano on Jun 29, 2009
- Article Date: 6/29/2009