Joey Saldana takes quick time and sets new track record, as Outlaws utilize new two-flight qualifying format for the first time ever
DENISON, Iowa - June 12, 2015 - Kerry Madsen was the car to beat throughout Friday night's World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series feature at Crawford County Speedway but it was Shane Stewart who battled past the leader with two laps to go and claimed the inaugural Outlaws win at the track.
Stewart started the night in fourth and battled third place running Joey Saldana much of the night. Disaster almost struck on the first lap as the two made contact going into turn three, but Stewart recovered. Stewart tried to get around 'The Brownsburg Bullet' on lap 10, drag racing the No. 71M car down the front stretch, but Saldana held him off. A short time later, Stewart took advantage of lapped traffic and got around Saldana for third.
As the leader, Madsen, battled through traffic, three-time series champion Sammy Swindell, who was running second, tried to run him down. The battled stayed close until lap 21 when Swindell fell off. First Stewart got around him and then Saldana. Eventually a hard charging Donny Schatz worked his way around to take over fourth.
As the field came around to complete lap 28, Stewart slid Madsen with his Larson Marks Racing No. 2 as the two drivers dove into turn three and took over the lead. Stewart, who sits second in the championship standings, cruised to his fourth series win of the season.
"I knew I had to be a little bit patient. Coming off of turn four my car was really, really good. I just had to be patient and not hit those tires (at the bottom of the track)," Stewart said. "I felt like my whole key was getting off the exit of four. I knew Kerry was kind of getting held up by lapped traffic. When the track is this fast the lapped cars are as fast as we are. Everything just worked out for us."
Madsen, who sits third in the points standings and is the only driver in the top seven in points without a win, said it wasn't the finish his No. 29 American Racing Custom Wheels team wanted but it was still a good run.
"Look, I always knew it was going to come down to traffic, and with where I was, I felt like I was doing a good job with it," Madsen said. "I was getting by and then I bogged down two or three times with the same car and lost my momentum. I maybe should have gotten up and just ripped it and I would have been fine."
The closing laps for Saldana featured one of the tightest battles of the night. After getting around Swindell to retake third place on lap 22, Saldana had a new challenge to face - reigning series champion Schatz. Schatz started in 10th and steadily worked his way forward as the night went. When he and Saldana took the white flag, Schatz tried to make his move for third.
As the two drivers entered turn three, with a lap car on the high side, Saldana dove low as Schatz tried to use the outside lane. The lapped car killed Schatz's momentum and he ended up making contact on the front stretch short of the checkered flag.
"I wasn't going to go to the top down there - I knew a lapped car was there so I checked up. The lapped cars were pushing up off the corners, I figured (someone was going to run into him) but I thought it would have been me," Saldana said. "I did what Schatz did earlier in the race and Shane got a run on me, so don't mess up again. I didn't do it and then Schatz ran into the back of the lapped car. Obviously, I did one thing right tonight."
Earlier in the night Saldana took home the quick time with his No. 71M Motter Equipment car and set a new track record with a fast qualifying lap of 12.838. Saldana's quick time, his fifth of the season, came on the first use of the Outlaws new two-flight qualifying format. He is now the leading qualifier on the season.
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series returns to action tomorrow night at the historic Knoxville Raceway for the Mediacom Shootout. For more information on the event and to learn how to purchase tickets, visit http://woosprint.com/mediacom-shootout.
Follow the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws, like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws, or check out the latest videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws.
Crawford County Speedway Notebook
RACE NOTES: Shane Stewart scored his fourth win of the season on Friday night… Shane Stewart is now second to Donny Schatz in most wins on the season… Donny Schatz was the KSE Racing Hard Charger of the night, advancing six positions to finish in fourth. It is his fifth Hard Charger award of the season - the most of any driver, so far… Joey Saldana set quick time and a new track record with a lap of 12.838. Saldana is now the leading qualifier with five quick times this season… The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series debuted its new two-flight qualifying format.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS - MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Terry McCarl; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Penske Shocks ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Mobil 1 ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; Lincoln Welders ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Paul McMahan; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Jason Sides; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Daryn Pittman; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): David Gravel;Super Flow ($50 cash): David Gravel; Sweet Manufacturing ($50 product certificate): Shane Stewart;KSE Racing Products ($100 product certificate): Donny Schatz; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate): Kerry Madsen;Mobil 1 (20% off Mobil1RacingStore.com): Jacob Allen; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Logan Schuchart; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Terry McCarl.
SEASON WINNERS: Donny Schatz - 11 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Stockton Dirt Track on March 21, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 28, Placerville Speedway on April 8, Calistoga Speedway on April 12, Devil's Bowl Speedway on April 26, Eldora Speedway on May 8, Eldora Speedway on May 9, Williams Grove Speedway on May 15, Weedsport Speedway on May 17, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 22); Shane Stewart - 4 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5, Keller Auto Speedway on April 17, Salina Highbanks Speedway on May 1, Crawford County Speedway on June 12); Daryn Pittman - 3 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Antioch Speedway on March 29, New Egypt Speedway on May 19); Rico Abreu - 2 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 14, Stockton Dirt Track on March 22); Paul McMahan - 2 (Perris Auto Speedway on April 18, Tri-State Speedway on May 3); Brad Sweet - 2 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 15, Calistoga Speedway on April 11); Christopher Bell - 1 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on May 2); Dale Blaney - 1 (Attica Raceway Park on May 29); Brian Brown - 1 (USA Raceway on March 7); Greg Hodnett - 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 13); Tim Kaeding - 1 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 13); Danny Lasoski - 1 (I-80 Speedway on June 5); Terry McCarl - 1 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 5); Joey Saldana - 1 (Kokomo Speedway on June 3).
- administrator on Jun 14, 2015
- Article Date: 6/12/2015