[i Ohsweken, ON—July 27, 2009]
Following a very successful inaugural event for the World of Outlaws at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, Canada in 2007, which was the series first race north of the border in nearly 25 years, Mother Nature was victorious both nights last season. In one of the most anticipated events of the 2009 campaign, the series returns to the always racy 3/8-mile on Tuesday, July 28 and Wednesday, July 29 for two full nights of racing.
Jason Sides was victorious in the World of Outlaws debut at Ohsweken Speedway, after taking the lead from Sam Hafertepe Jr. on the 14th lap and pacing the field for the remainder of the distance to score his second career World of Outlaws A-Feature win and his first win in Canada.
A total of eight drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws raced at Ohsweken in 2007, while three drivers will be making their debut at the facility.
Entering this week’s pair of events, three-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz has a 51-point lead over Jason Meyers in the championship standings, with Joey Saldana third and Steve Kinser fourth.
The races at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario will be the first of two visits north of the border for the series in 2009, as they head west next month to Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta.
Slide jobs: Ohsweken Speedway:
Looking to stay undefeated: Jason Sides will defend his win at Ohsweken Speedway in 2007 this week as the series returns to the always racy 3/8-mile owned by Glenn Styres. The native of Bartlett, Tennessee led the final 17 laps of that event to score his second career World of Outlaws A-Feature win and first career win in Canada. The 2003 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year is currently sixth in points, just markers out of the fifth spot on the strength of 29 Top-10 finishes with 13 of those being Top-Fives.
Strong up north: Donny Schatz finished second at Ohsweken Speedway in 2007 after winning the Crane Cams Dash to start on the pole in that event. He has finished ninth or better in all five of the World of Outlaws events in Canada that he has competed in over the last three seasons. He won for the first time north of the border in 2007 at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton. He currently leads the series championship standings as he chases his fourth consecutive title. He has won 10 times this year including twice on 3/8-mile tracks.
Looking to rebound: Jason Meyers, who recently moved into the second spot in the World of Outlaws standings had some bad luck at Ohsweken in 2007, getting caught up in an accident on the opening lap, ending his night. The native of Clovis, California has finished in the Top-Five in four consecutive events in Canada. He won four times this and amassed a series-best 34 Top-10 finishes with 16 of those being Top-Fives as he chases his first career title and looks to make history as a driver from the state of California has never won a World of Outlaws title.
A Canadian win: Jac Haudenschild finished third in his debut at Ohsweken in 2007 and picked up the first win of his career on Canadian soil last season at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton. The recent inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame has four Top-10 finishes in the five races held in Canada by the World of Outlaws dating back to 2007. He is currently eighth in the series standings on the strength of 20 Top-10 finishes as he closes in on his first win of the season.
Always up front in Canada: Steve Kinser finished fourth in his first trip to Ohsweken Speedway in 2007 and has finished fourth in better in every race he has ever competed in with the World of Outlaws in Canada. He ran third in both events at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton last season. The 20-time series champion has won twice this season and is currently fourth in the series standing on the strength of 32 Top-10 finishes. He finished second on Sunday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway in New York.
Setting the mark: Danny Lasoski set a new track record in time trials in his debut at Ohsweken Speedway in 2007. The 2001 series champion finished fifth after starting 11th in the main event. He has two Top-10 finishes in three career starts in Canada with the World of Outlaws. The native of Dover, Missouri has won five times this season and has 29 Top-10 finishes as he holds down the fifth spot in the series standings. He finished third on Sunday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway.
Front running in Canada: Joey Saldana finished sixth at Ohsweken Speedway in 2007 and has finished in the Top-Five in three of his last four starts in Canada. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year has won a series-best 12 times this season and is currently third in points on the strength of 28 Top-10 finishes with 22 of those being Top-Five performances for the Kasey Kahne Racing team owned by the NASCAR star.
Closing in: Craig Dollansky finished seventh in his first trip Ohsweken in 2007. The former Gumout Series champion has four consecutive finishes of seventh or better in Canada over the last three seasons. He won his first race of the season on Sunday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway and is currently seventh in points on the strength of 27 Top-10 finishes with 12 of those being Top-Fives.
Making his debut: Kraig Kinser will make his first start at Ohsweken Speedway this week. The third generation driver competed for the first time in Canada last season with the World of Outlaws at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton. He is currently ninth in points and has 20 Top-10 finishes as he looks for his first win of the season.
A new track: Lucas Wolfe, the reigning Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year with the World of Outlaws, will make his debut at Ohsweken Speedway this week. The native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania competed twice last season with the World of Outlaws in Canada at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton. He is solidly in the Top-10 in points and has nine Top-10 finishes with five of those being Top-Fives.
First time north of the border: Brian Ellenberger, who is a contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season, will make his first trip to Canada to race this week. The native of Butler, Pennsylvania picked up the best finish of his career with the World of Outlaws at Dodge City Raceway Park in Kansas last month coming home third.
By the Numbers: Ohsweken Speedway:
0.375- Miles around Ohsweken Speedway
2- Drivers that led laps in the A-Feature event at the track in 2007
3- Drivers that turned sub-13 second laps in time trials at the track in 2007
4-Events in Canada this season for the World of Outlaws
8- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws that raced at Ohsweken Speedway in 2007
11- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws
12.944- Track record established by Danny Lasoski on July 25, 2007
13- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the World of Outlaws this season
17- Laps led by Jason Sides at the track in 2007 en route to the victory; Drivers that have won a Crane Cams Dash this season to earn pole positions in A-Feature events
22- Drivers that have led laps in A-Feature events this season
37- Drivers that competed with the World of Outlaws at Ohsweken Speedway in 2007
43-A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws through July 26
51-Points that separate Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers atop the World of Outlaws championship standings
394- Miles from Lebanon Valley Speedway in West Lebanon, New York where the World of Outlaws compete on July 26 to Ohsweken
104.925-Track record in miles per hour set in 2007
269-Laps led by Joey Saldana this season to lead the series
2007-Year the World of Outlaws first competed at Ohsweken Speedway
10,000- Dollars to win the A-Feature on Tuesday, July 28; Dollars to win the A-Feature on Wednesday, July 29
51,690- Dollars in the total purse on Tuesday, July 28; Dollars in the total purse on Wednesday, July 29
226,050- Dollars won by Donny Schatz this season to lead the series
Tickets: On Tuesday, July 28 at Ohsweken Speedway, adult general admission tickets will be $20 Canadian with general admission tickets for kids 12-under just $15 Canadian. Adult reserved tickets will be $40 Canadian, with reserved tickets for kids 12-under $20 Canadian. For ticket information call the track at 1-888-720-7223 or visit http://www.ohswekenspeedway.com.
On Wednesday, July 25 at Ohsweken Speedway, adult general admission tickets will be $20 Canadian with general admission tickets for kids 12-under just $15 Canadian. Adult reserved tickets will be $40 Canadian, with reserved tickets for kids 12-under $20 Canadian. For ticket information call the track at 1-888-720-7223 or visit http://www.ohswekenspeedway.com.
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 Jul 27, 2009
- Article Date: 7/27/2009