by BJ Cavin

With the Second Annual Ocala Speedway Winternationals a mere twenty days away, word from the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions is that a spectacular field of the top 410 sprint car racers in America is poised to kick off the 2010 racing season.  The races at Ocala Speedway will be the first opportunity for the teams to experience real race conditions, thus making the Ocala Speedway events very attractive to the top teams, and as was the case last season at Ocala, The O’Reilly All Stars have opened the door to allow teams from the World of Outlaws to join then for some early season head to head competition.

So who might show up at Ocala Speedway at the end of January?  While no “official” word as to exactly who will be there to race, word has “unofficially” leaked out as to the intentions of some heavy hitters.  Danny “The Dude” Lasoski was in attendance last season and is likely to be back this time around. After all, Lasoski now lives in the area when he is not racing, so why not enjoy racing and be able to go home afterward and sleep in his own bed for a change?

According to the “Official TSR Fan Page” (Tony Stewart Racing) on Facebook, Donny Shatz and Steve Kinser will be at Ocala Speedway this time around.  The page lists the Ocala Speedway Winternationals as their first domestic scheduled event in 2010 (Shatz is currently touring and racing in Australia) and invites Tony Stewart Racing fans to come to Ocala.  This will be Steve Kinser’s first year with Tony Stewart Racing and a great chance for fans to see this much talked about union between Stewart and one of the most successful racers on the circuit.

In addition to the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions and the other 410 sprint car teams that will join them for the event, Ocala Speedway is proud to announce that the Florida Mini Sprint Association has chosen the Ocala Winternationals as the time and place for their Winter Shootout.  The Florida Mini Sprints are quite familiar to the loyal fans at Ocala Speedway, and will bring their best to compete opposite of the best of the big boys.

The Ocala Speedway Winternationals will be held on Friday and Saturday, January 29th and 30th.  A more complete schedule of events, plus ticket prices and other info, will be posted at www.OcalaSpeedway.com within the next week or so.  The Winternationals will also feature open practice sessions that will be open to the public.  Times, dates, and admission costs for practice will be announced soon.  Media requests should be faxed to Ocala Speedway at 352-622-3126.  Media credentials will be granted at the discretion of the speedway owners.  To contact Ocala Speedway directly for information, call 352-622-9400.