[b World of Outlaws Fast Talkers: National Open at Williams Grove Speedway]
[i Mechanicsburg, PA—September 29, 2009]
The World of Outlaws return to the famed Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania this weekend for the National Open, which will see the winner of the 40-lap contest on Saturday, October 3 take home $50,000 with the event being broadcast live on SPEED. Also, the finale of the Summer Nationals which was postponed by rain in July will be completed on Friday, October 2 with $20,000 awaiting the winner, along with the originally scheduled opener of the National Open. Prior to heading to Central Pennsylvania for the event, World of Outlaws drivers shared their thoughts on the National Open and racing at the storied half-mile against the always tough Pennsylvania Posse.
Brian Ellenberger, Driver of the No. 22 Ti-22 Performance J&J:
“It’s one of those big events that kind of begins to wind the season down. It would be nice to go out there and have a good run for the Ti-22 Performance crew. Those are two shows that you always like to see your car in for sure. That’s one of those tracks that is a special with the shape and the more laps that you can get there over the course of a year the better. The better prepared you then are to go back and tackle some of those great local cars that run out there on a weekly basis. It definitely is a disadvantage to lose races to rain there with how tough the competition is and how important laps are. Hopefully we’ll have good weather this weekend.”
Jac Haudenschild, Driver of the No. R19 Owens-Corning Fiberglass Maxim:
“It’s always nice to go to Pennsylvania and race. We are really looking forward to it. We like running the Grove and have been running a little better there the last few times we have been there. Hopefully we can get the (No.) R19 up front. We don’t get to race there that much, just a couple of times a year, so we are definitely looking forward to getting back over there and giving it a shot. The local drivers there are tough for sure. You have your California guys and your Pennsylvania guys and they have the most local cars when you go to their tracks and they are the tough guys. You have to have your motors running good and be driving good and have a little bit of everything over there to run up front.”
Kraig Kinser, Driver of the No. 20 Bass Pro Shops Maxim:
“It’s a great event and I really love all of those events that have a lot of history. These are the races that were big races when I was growing up and everyone geared up for them really good. It’s one of those races that you always hope you’ll win. It’s a great track and a great race with the best competition. You are challenged every time you hit the track and hope that you have everything right so you can have some success. You just have to buckle down and have your mind focused every time you hit the track. You just have to be ready to go, because if you aren’t the guy behind you probably will be and the guys ahead of you will be for sure. You just always have to be ready over there.”
Steve Kinser, Driver of the No. 11 Quaker State Maxim:
“It’s always a great race to run and one of the bigger races of the year left besides the World Finals. The biggest thing is to get some good weather when we go in there. Anymore, it seems like when we go into Lernerville and Williams Grove that it rains, so maybe they’ll call for it and we’ll have a clear day this time. There is always a lot of good equipment there with the local guys and it’s a fun race to race in. It’s definitely one of the toughest places we go and the local field is always strong. The track is quite a bit different than any other track we race on. If you get there and it’s pretty heavy, you have to have everything together. The local cars usually seem to qualifying good and this year we all qualified bad and sort of got thumped on a little bit. We’ll see what happens when we come back.”
Danny Lasoski, Driver of the No. 6 Casey’s General Store JEI:
“It’s the biggest event in Pennsylvania and we have been close a couple of times over there. Having Barry Jackson (Crew Chief and Pennsylvania native) in our corner, I feel like we have an added bonus, a little edge. He knows that race track better than anybody. Hopefully the weather is good and we have a nice wide race track and put on a good show for all of the fans. It has been tough with the two rainouts, but it’s the same for everyone. Hopefully Mother Nature will look out for us and we’ll have a good track where a guy can come from 10th win. Going to Central Pennsylvania is one of the toughest local fields you run against. When you go there, there is always drama and a lot of guys have to take provisionals. You definitely have to be on your game.”
Jason Meyers, Driver of the No. 14 GLR Investments KPC:
“Usually for the National Open, you are focused on the money going in there, but this year with the point race we have going on that will certainly be on everyone’s mind, especially having the make-up feature already locked in. There will be a lot of racing and it should be a very exciting weekend for the fans and everybody. Hopefully it will be a good weekend for Elite Racing. It’s Williams Grove and when you go in there you are always at a little disadvantage because you are racing the local cars which are so good there. It should be interesting in not having as many laps there as normal, but the laps we have had there this year we have been really good. We are really looking forward to getting out there. It’s the home for our engine builder Charlie Garrett and we are looking forward to spending some time with him and Jim Nace another good friend, who has helped us with our race cars. We are looking forward to getting out there and spending time with them and hopefully running well.”
Joey Saldana, Driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Maxim:
“I’m really looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to doing something right there for a change. We’ve definitely made a lot of improvements with our race car and have been really good. We have to go into the Grove and be as good as we have been everywhere else. We need to go in there and do something. We need to go in there and run with him (Donny Schatz) and put a show on and show everybody that we are capable of running with him for a point’s championship. Hopefully we can do that and the Grove will probably be the biggest test. You have to go in there with a good mindset that you are going to do well. These cars as so mental that you have to go there with a positive attitude and I am looking forward to it.”
Donny Schatz, Driver of the No. 15 Armor All J&J:
“It’s great to be going back there. Last year we missed out on it and Mother Nature won that. We’re just glad to get back there. Hopefully Mother Nature will be a fan this weekend. She has disrupted every race we have had there this year. Sooner or later, the weather will have to turn around at that event. It’s a fun place to race and the race track gets pretty nice and that makes it fun for us. Hopefully the race track gets wide enough that we have a couple of grooves and be able to move around and be able to race. We’ll just have to wait and see. There are good local cars there. Everywhere you go nowadays there is good local competition, but they have more than anywhere in the country. They have guys that have the ability to run great cars every week and there are many of them. They have a good gig going on out there.”
Jason Sides, Driver of the No. 7S Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim:
“It’s always been a very prestigious event. We have a make-up race the night before so that will be good to get a few extra laps and seat time to see how that’s going to be. We haven’t really gotten a whole lot of races in there this year with the rainouts and all. We’ll just see how the draw goes and that usually starts the night. Those guys and some of the guys in California that run those bullrings as well are tough. The guys up in Pennsylvania are so used to how they run their race tracks that it makes it tough for us. You have to have a lot of luck up there. Everything takes luck. You have to have luck to be good and you have to have luck to finish the races. You have to have luck for everything. You have to be good and lucky all at the same time.”
Brad Sweet, Driver of the No. 19 DirecTV Maxim:
“I’m excited to go there. The track has a lot of history and that’s one of the biggest races of the year. I’m glad to be a part of it. I don’t know what to really expect, since I have never been there before. We’ll just go there and give the best we’ve got and hopefully we can make the show both nights and get rolling up there and run in the Top-10 and see what we have. Joey (Saldana) always helps out a lot and the whole (No.) 9 team has been so good this year so that will help us. It’s just about getting laps right now. We’re just trying to get everything ready for next year and I’m just doing my part here filling in for the situation. We’ll bounce as many ideas off of Joey as we can and Willie (Kahne) and Bonsai (Bruns) and do our best.”
Lucas Wolfe, Driver of the No. 5W Allebach Racing Maxim:
“It’s definitely one of the biggest races on the East Coast and it’s winding down our year. It’s the last big money race of the year and we always look forward to that. Hopefully we’ll be able to get it in this year. Last year not getting it in was a big disappointment and it’s one of those things where you don’t realize how big of an event it is until you lose it one year. Hopefully that’s something that won’t repeat this year. It has shown this year that the local guys there have been up to speed a little faster, especially in time trials. It has taken some of the Outlaws guys a little longer to get going, but I think everyone is pretty well warmed up by now. Having three races that weekend everybody should be pretty good. I’m just looking forward to getting to run a full weekend there and hopefully it’s a good one.”
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 Sep 30, 2009
- Article Date: 9/30/2009