[b World of Outlaws Preview: Skagit Speedway]
[i Alger, WA—September 2, 2009]
The Gold Rush Tour rolls into Skagit Speedway in Washington on Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5 for the World of Outlaws with two full nights of racing on tap with $20,000 awaiting the winner of the finale.
The World of Outlaws made their debut at Skagit Speedway in 1978 as part of the annual Dirt Cup, with Hall of Famer Doug Wolfgang winning both nights of that event. Eight drivers have picked up A-Feature wins with the series at the track over the last 30 years. After racing at Skagit Speedway in each of the first two years of the series existence, there was a 15-year hiatus until the World of Outlaws returned in 1994.
Since 2006 the series has competed at Skagit Speedway each and every year. Last season Jason Solwold won the opener of the event at his home track, with Joey Saldana taking home the big check in the finale.
Craig Dollansky won the finale at Skagit in 2007 to score his first win at the high-banked bullring. He will enter this weekend’s pair of events at the track driving for Washington native and former Skagit Speedway track record holder Kasey Kahne as a teammate to Joey Saldana.
The event at Skagit Speedway continues a stretch of 17 consecutive events on short tracks, those smaller than a half-mile in length, as the World of Outlaws continue the stretch run of the 2009 campaign.
Slidejobs- Skagit Speedway:
A home race for the team: Skagit Speedway is one of the home tracks of Kasey Kahne, who owns Joey Saldana’s car. Saldana was victorious for the second time in his career at the track last season taking home the $25,000 top prize. The native of Brownsburg, Indiana has finished seventh or better in six of his seven career starts at the track. Saldana leads the World of Outlaws with 15 A-Feature wins this season as he chases his first series title, including winning both nights of the Oil City Cup at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton last weekend. The native of Brownsburg, Indiana is currently third in points on the strength of 36 Top-10 finishes and is just 26 points out of the second position.
There for the first one: Steve Kinser competed in the inaugural World of Outlaws event at Skagit Speedway in 1978, finishing fifth in the opener of that two-day event. He won for the first time at high-banked bullring in 1995 in a preliminary feature. In his career, the 20-time series champion has 10 Top-10 finishes in 13 starts at the track. He led early in the finale at the track last season before coming home third. He has won a couple of times on high-banked bullrings this season and is currently third is fourth in points on the strength of 40 Top-10 finishes.
Always consistent: Donny Schatz has made seven starts in his career at Skagit Speedway and has finished in the Top-10 in each and every one of them. He won a preliminary feature at the track in 2006 and finished third or better in each of his first three starts at the high-banked bullring dating back to 2002. The North Dakota native picked up fourth and ninth-place finishes last season at Skagit. He has won 12 times this season and recently picked up the 100th A-feature win of his World of Outlaws career as he chases his fourth consecutive title.
West Coast invasion in the Pacific Northwest: Jason Meyers competed a number of times at Skagit Speedway early in his career. The native of Clovis, California has eight Top-Five finishes at the track including a runner-up performance last year as he looks for his first win at the always racy track. He took the lead on the sixth lap in the finale last season from 20-time series champion Steve Kinser and would pass the field for the next 26 laps until Joey Saldana slipped around him. Meyers has won five times this year and is currently second in points. He is tied with Donny Schatz for the series lead with 42 Top-10 finishes including 24 in the last 26 races.
Just a few starts: Jason Sides has made just four starts in his career at Skagit Speedway, with the first of those coming in 2007 when he finished ninth and 10th. The 2003 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year won his first race of the season back on July 29 at Ohsweken Speedway in Canada. It was his second career win at the track and his third with the World of Outlaws. He is currently fifth in points and has racked up 37 Top-10 finishes. He has 11 career Top-10 finishes in Washington as he looks for his first career win in the state.
Back in the Northwest: Danny Lasoski will make his first trip to the Pacific Northwest with the World of Outlaws since 2007 this weekend. He finished second at Skagit Speedway in his debut at the track in 1995. The 2001 series champion has made just five career starts at the track. He has won five times in 2009 and is battling Jason Sides for the fifth spot in the standings and is just 13 markers behind him. He has three career wins in the state of Washington
Hitting his stride: Craig Dollansky continues his strong second half of the World of Outlaws season heading to Skagit Speedway, where he won in 2007. He has six Top-10 finishes in seven starts at the track with four of those being Top-Fives. Since winning his first race as a member of Kasey Kahne Racing on July 26 at Lebanon Valley Speedway in New York, the native of Elk River, Minnesota in the Top-10 in eight of the last 10 World of Outlaws races. He also picked up a win at I-55 Raceway in Missouri during the Ironman 55 weekend. He is currently seventh in points, just 63 points out of the sixth spot.
Second time around: Kraig Kinser will visit Skagit Speedway for the second time in his career this weekend. He finished 10th in his debut at the track last season in the opener of the two-day event. In his second season driving for Tony Stewart Racing as a teammate to Donny Schatz, the third generation driver has had a very consistent second half of the season and recently moved into the eighth spot in the series standings. He has racked up 26 Top-10 finishes with nine of those being Top-Fives as he closes in on his first win of the year.
Always wide open: Jac Haudenschild has seven career Top-10 finishes at Skagit Speedway as he looks for his first win at the high-banked bullring. In his second season behind the wheel for the Carnahan Motorsports team the 2009 inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame has 25 Top-10 finishes and is ninth in points as he closes in on his first win of the 2009 campaign.
More and more laps: Lucas Wolfe will compete at Skagit Speedway for the second time in his career this weekend as he continues his sophomore season with the World of Outlaws. The native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania is currently 10th in the series standings on the strength of 13 Top-10 finishes, including two last weekend during the Oil City Cup at Castrol Raceway in Canada as he chases his first career win.
Another new track: Brian Ellenberger, who is the leading contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season will make his first trip to the state of Washington this weekend. The native of Butler, Pennsylvania has competed at numerous tracks for the first time this year as he continues his first full season on the road with the World of Outlaws. He recently picked up his fourth Top-10 finish of the season in the opener of the Oil City Cup at Castrol Raceway last weekend.
By the Numbers: Skagit Speedway
0.3-Miles around Skagit Speedway
2- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws that have won A-Feature events with the series at Skagit Speedway; Events on three-tenths-mile tracks this season for the World of Outlaws through August 29
3- Races in the state of Washington this season for the World of Outlaws
4- Drivers that led laps in feature racing competition at Skagit Speedway last season
7- Track records that have been established in time trials at World of Outlaws events this season
8- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the World of Outlaws at Skagit Speedway dating back to 1978
9- Laps led by Joey Saldana en route to winning the finale at the track last season; Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws this season that raced at Skagit Speedway with the series last season
10.920- Track record at Skagit Speedway set by Jayme Barnes on August 15, 2009
11- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws
13- A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws at Skagit Speedway dating back to 1978
14- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the World of Outlaws this season
15- Wins for Joey Saldana through August 29 to lead the series
17- Drivers that have been fastest in time trials with the World of Outlaws this season
19- Drivers that have won the Crane Cams Dash this season to earn a pole position in an A-Feature event
30- Laps led by Jason Solwold to win the opener at the Skagit Speedway last season; Laps of racing set for Friday, September 4
34- Top-Five finishes for Donny Schatz through August 29 to lead the series
40-Laps of racing feature racing set for Saturday, September 5
42- Drivers that competed at Skagit Speedway last season; Top-10 finishes for Donny Schatz & Jason Meyers through August 29 to lead the series
52- A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws through August 29
86- Points that separate Donny Schatz and Joey Saldana in the World of Outlaws championship standings
376- Laps led by Joey Saldana this season to lead the series
718- Miles from Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where the World of Outlaws race on August 28-29 to Skagit Speedway in Alger, Washington
1978- Year the World of Outlaws first competed at Skagit Speedway
8,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Friday, September 4
20,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Saturday, September 5
97,050- Dollars in the total purse on Friday, September 4 & Saturday, September 5
270,100- Dollars earned by Donny Schatz through August 29 to lead the series
Tickets: On Friday, September 4 at Skagit Speedway, tickets for adults will be $35, with tickets for Juniors (Ages 7-17), Seniors (Ages 65-over) and Military $25, with tickets for kids 6-under $10. For more information on tickets call the track at: (360) 724-356 Office (360) 724-356 or visit http://www.skagitspeedway.com.
On Saturday, September 5 at Skagit Speedway, tickets for adults will be $35, with tickets for Juniors (Ages 7-17), Seniors (Ages 65-over) and Military $25, with tickets for kids 6-under $10. For more information on tickets call the track at: (360) 724-356 Office (360) 724-356 or visit http://www.skagitspeedway.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 SpeedwayEngines; and Chassis Builder’s Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.
- Tony Veneziano on Sep 02, 2009
- Article Date: 9/2/2009