[i Concord, NC—February 28, 2010—]
Making some history: The victory for Jason Meyers from the 18th starting spot on Friday night in the Second Annual Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway set a new track record, as it marked the farthest back any winner had started from in a World of Outlaws event at the track. Jeff Swindell had previously held the record, coming from the 17th position on the grid to win at the half-mile in 1997. Meyers was able to use both the top and bottom of the half-mile as he steadily worked his way to the front. The California native was in the Top-10 by just the 11th lap of the 30-lap contest and found his way into the Top-Five just six laps later, and wound up taking the lead with three laps remaining.
“It was a great race track tonight,” said Meyers after his win on Friday night. “It was nice and wide with two lanes. I tell these guys that all the time, that if you build us race tracks like that you’ll see a heck of a race. They did that tonight and it was a great race.”
Another podium finish: Steve Kinser finished on the podium for the third time in the same number of races this season. He is the only driver that has finished third or better in all three events in 2010. He opened the season with a third-place run at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida and followed that up with a win at the half-mile. The 20-time series champion finished second on Friday night after a thrilling last lap battle with Jason Meyers that nearly saw him pick up the win. Coupled with being second fastest in time trials, which earned him four bonus points, Kinser moved into the top spot in the World of Outlaws championship standings by two markers over his Tony Stewart Racing teammate Donny Schatz.
“We’ve been pretty fast,” said Kinser after his runner-up finish on Friday night. “We’ve been in the Top-Three every night, so I can’t complain, but you hate to give a race away.”
Three races, three Top-10’s: Jason Sides continues his strong start to the 2010 season on Friday coming home fourth in the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic. After two Top-10 performances at Volusia, Sides is one of just five drivers that have finished in the Top-10 in each of the three races this season. After opening the season by turning the fastest lap in time trials both nights in Florida, Sides was third fastest at Las Vegas. He is currently fifth in points.
“We were happy to come in here and get a Top-Five,” shared Sides. “We qualified third and wanted to be in the Top-Three. We wanted to win it and you always want to win, but we’ll take it and go from here.”
Carrying momentum to his home state: Tim Kaeding finished fifth on Friday night to score the best finish of his career at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The California native has finished in the Top-Five in two consecutive races and heads back home next weekend a very solid sixth in the World of Outlaws championship standings.
Unbeaten in the heat races: After winning a heat race each of the first two nights of the season in Florida, Sam Hafertepe Jr. made it three-for-three on Friday night as he was victorious in the second heat race to earn a spot in the dash. He wrapped up the night with a very solid eight-place performance to score his best career finish at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Joey Saldana also remained undefeated in heat races in 2010 as he was victorious in the third heat on Friday night. Saldana wound up the night sixth and has finished sixth or better in all three races this season and is currently third in points.
A living legend in attendance: Australian Sprint Car legend Garry Rush was in attendance on Friday night at Las Vegas, as a guest of four-time and defending series champion Donny Schatz, who drives for him during the off-season Down Under. Schatz has won 31 times in Australia driving for Rush since 2004. The North Dakota native has won five of his eight $50,000 Scott Darley Memorial races at Parramatta City Raceway aboard a Rush-owned machine. Rush competed in a couple of World of Outlaws events during the series inaugural 1978 season. He scored a career-best third-place finish with the series in 1979 at the Topeka Fairgrounds in Kansas.
First timer: Austen Wheatley from Washington qualified for his first World of Outlaws A-Feature event of his career on Friday night. The 17-year old made his debut with the World of Outlaws last season at 34 Raceway in Iowa ending his night in the B-Main in that event.
A blast from the past: Sid Blandford, the 1994 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award winner, competed at Las Vegas on Friday night, making his first appearance at the track since 1997. The Colorado native competed with the World of Outlaws last season at Clay County Fair Speedway in Iowa.
Up next: The World of Outlaws head to California for the first of two visits to the Golden State this season with a two night event at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare on Friday, March 5 and Saturday, March 6.
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 and recently surpassed the 2,700 “Follower” mark. 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.
2010 STAT ATTACK
There has been three World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature events this season.
A-Feature winners (3 Different Drivers) Driver, Hometown – Wins
1- Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 1
Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 1
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 1
Lap leaders, Driver, Hometown - Total laps led (6 Different Drivers)
1- Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 46 laps
2- Steve Kinser, Bloomington, Indiana- 17 laps
3- Tim Kaeding, San Jose, California- 13 laps
4- Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania- 10 laps
5- Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 3 laps
6- Joey Saldana, Brownsburg, Indiana – 1 lap
Time trial leaders (2 Drivers) Rank - Driver, Hometown - Quick times
1- Jason Sides, Bartlett, Tennessee- 2
2- Terry McCarl, Altoona, Iowa- 1
Dash Winners (3 Different Winners) Rank - Driver, Hometown - Dash Wins
1- Tim Kaeding, San Jose, California- 1
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 1
Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania- 1
Pole Positions (3 Different Drivers) Rank - Driver, Hometown – Poles
1- Tim Kaeding, San Jose, California- 1
Donny Schatz, Fargo, North Dakota- 1
Tim Shaffer, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania- 1
B-main Winners (3 Winners) Rank - Driver, Hometown - B-Main Wins
1- Dale Blaney, Hartford, Ohio- 1
Cale Conley, Vienna, West Virginia- 1
Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 1
KSE Racing Products Hard Charger Award
1- Danny Lasoski, Dover, Missouri- 1
Jason Meyers, Clovis, California- 1
Lucas Wolfe, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania- 1
Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award Standings
Ben Gregg 262
Toni Lutar 258
Engine Builder Challenge
Shaver Specialties 13
Speedway Engines 11 -2
Kistler 9 -4
Don Ott 9 -4
Chassis Builder Challenge
Maxim 14
J&J 13 -1
XXX 9 -4
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), Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), 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.
- administrator on Mar 01, 2010
- Article Date: 2/28/2010