World of Outlaws | Karnac Racing News

Schatz Survives Opening Night at Gold Cup Race of Champions

Dollansky and Swindell Endure Issues to Slow World of Outlaws Championship Hopes

CHICO, Calif. – Sept. 6, 2012 – Well, that just shook up the points.

A pair of drivers in contention for the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship took a major hit on Thursday while a four-time champion survived a treacherous track on the opening night of the 59^th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway.

Donny Schatz slid by polesitter Kyle Larson exiting turn two on lap 20 en route to his eighth World of Outlaws victory of the season. The win, combined with some misfortune to a couple of fellow championship contenders, moved Schatz into the points lead for the first time in the last 21 races.

“It was fun,” he said. “(Larson) was really good on the top and we had a decent car on the bottom. It just was really tricky to run. It took me five or six laps to figure out how to drive it. It was a fun race and I’m glad to come out on the good side of it.”

Two drivers in search of that same title found bitter results. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-07T19:32:12-04:00September 7th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Sprint Cars|Comments Off

Shirley Hopes To Continue Memorable Season With A $45,000 World 100 Victory This Weekend At Eldora Speedway

Illinois Star Bidding For Unprecedented Single-Season Sweep Of DIRTcar UMP’s Biggest Race & Points Titles

ROSSBURG, OH – Sept. 6, 2012 – Brian Shirley is hoping to go where no man has gone before this weekend (Sept. 7-8) at Eldora Speedway.

If Shirley can find a way to capture the 42^nd annual World 100 on Saturday night, he would be in position to pull off an unprecedented DIRTcar UMP hat trick – winning the circuit’s biggest race, most high-profile touring series (DIRTcar Summer Nationals) and most important points title (national championship) in a single season.

Shirley, 31, of Chatham, Ill., already has this year’s DIRTcar Summer Nationals ‘Hell Tour’ crown in his back pocket and he holds a solid lead in the organization’s national points standings with five weeks of points competition remaining. So it’s the World 100 – the $45,000-to-win Grand Daddy of Dirt Late Model racing – that stands as the primary hurdle between him and dirt-track immortality. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-06T19:36:40-04:00September 6th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Upcoming Events, World of Outlaws|Comments Off

All Five DIRTcar Northeast Series Running this Weekend

Modifieds and Pro Stocks at Granby, Sportsmans at Ransomville, Merrittville, and Port Colborne; 358-Modifieds on Asphalt at Airborne

WEEDSPORT, N. Y. – September 5, 2012 – The DIRTcar Northeast Series heat up this coming weekend with races throughout the region for all five series.

The Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series,DIRTcar 358-Modified Series, and DIRTcar Pro Stock Series head to Autodrome Granby in Granby, Quebec. The 358-Modified Series runs Friday, Sept. 7, and the Super DIRTcar Series and Pro Stock Series run Saturday, Sept. 8.

Big-Block Modified driver Matt Sheppard is still running off momentum from Sunday’s Super DIRTcar Series win at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park September 2, and the two-time series titlist is looking to make it two in a row at the 11^th feature event in the Super DIRTcar Series, the “Dominique Carriers, Group Maska, Performance NC Gros Block ‘100.’” (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-06T03:40:30-04:00September 6th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Super DirtCar Series|Comments Off

Big-Block Modifieds Shake up Downtown Syracuse Sept. 10

Sheppard, Britten, Dunn among Drivers to Appear

WEEDSPORT, N. Y. – September 4, 2012 – They may be at home on the track, but on Monday, Sept. 10, the Big-Block Modifieds of the Super DIRTcar Series take to the streets – the streets of downtown Syracuse. Starting 11:30 a.m. at the new Destiny USA, formerly Carousel Center, a parade of 800-plus horsepower Big-Block machines will rumble through the streets of downtown Syracuse.

This unique sight of Big-Block Modifieds maneuvering the city square debuts the vehicles in the Salt City before their return to the city for the 41 ^st annual NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week, Wednesday, Oct. 3, through Sunday, Oct. 7.

The thundering procession, which will include the Number One Speed Equipment, Finger Lakes Auto Machine powered and Bicknell chassis 49 of Billy Dunn, the JB Motorsports 9s FX Caprara Car Co./Xtreme Lubricants/Bicknell car of two-time defending Super DIRTcar Series champion Matt Sheppard, the 21a JBR Motorsports/Troyer of three-time Australian V8 Dirt Modified Series champion Pete Britten, and the Official Pace Car for NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLI, continue on Solar, Clinton and West Jefferson Streets, past the Museum of Science and Technology. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-06T02:52:11-04:00September 6th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Super DirtCar Series|Comments Off

Payoff Grows For World of Outlaws Late Model Series Doubleheader At Belle-Clair Speedway & Federated Auto Parts Raceway At I-55

‘Photobilly 50’ On Sept. 14 At Belle-Clair Now $12,000 To Win/$1,000 To Start, Pepsi Nationals On Sept. 15 At Federated Up To $1,000 To Start

CONCORD, NC – Sept. 5, 2012 – One of the most anticipated weekends on the 2012 World of Outlaws Late Model Series schedule has grown even bigger.

The national tour’s upcoming doubleheader at two challenging, action-packed St. Louis-area bullrings – Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., on Sept. 14 and Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 in Pevely, Mo., on Sept. 15 – will offer increased purses, track and series officials announced on Wednesday.

Thanks to additional sponsorship support, the ‘Photobilly 50’ at Belle-Clair now boasts a $12,000 top prize and $1,000 last-place payoff and the Pepsi Nationals at Federated Auto Parts Raceway will have its A-Main start money boosted to $1,000. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-06T02:47:26-04:00September 6th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Late Models|Comments Off

World of Outlaws Will Attempt Eagle Raceway Again on Sept. 19

The NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown was postponed by rain in April

EAGLE, Neb. – Sept. 5, 2012 – Eagle Raceway has been a mainstay on the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series schedule for more than 30 years.

After missing the last couple of years and being rained out in April, the high-banked track will host ‘The Greatest Show on Dirt’ on Wednesday, Sept. 19, for the NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown.

“It’s neat to go back there and it’s also the track where my father grew up racing, so I’ve got a lot of family there that can come out and see me race that normally doesn’t get to see me race,” said Joey Saldana, who is currently fourth in the World of Outlaws championship standings.

Steve Kinser, who is currently fifth in the points standings, has been dominant at the third-mile oval, winning 15 Outlaws features. He swept a pair of races in 2005 and 1995.

However, the other drivers among the top five have also been successful at Eagle Raceway. Sammy Swindell owns the track record, which he set the last time the World of Outlaws hit the track in 2009, and he won features in 1992 and 1981. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-06T02:34:32-04:00September 6th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Sprint Cars|Comments Off

New Mexico Drivers Battling For Inaugural DIRTcar Late Model Tri-Track Challenge Points Crown

CONCORD, NC – Sept. 5, 2012 – A pair of New Mexico drivers are locked in a battle for the championship of the inaugural DIRTcar Late Model Tri-Track Challenge.

A new points series designed to provide more opportunities and recognition for DIRTcar Late Model competitors in the New Mexico/West Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming areas, the Tri-Track Challenge is boiling down to a neighborly struggle between Garrett Alberson and Jimmy Ray, both of Las Cruces, N.M.

Alberson, 23, has the upper hand following the Labor Day weekend racing activities, leading the standings by 197 points (1,221-1,024) over the 62-year-old Ray. One month of action remains in the Challenge, which is focused on weekly DIRTcar-sanctioned racing at Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces, Gillette (Wyo.) Thunder Speedway and I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., and also includes local events run at El Paso (Texas) Speedway Park, Aztec (N.M.) Speedway, Philips County Speedway in Holyoke, Colo., and Casper (Wyo.) Speedway. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-05T22:58:16-04:00September 5th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Super DirtCar Series|Comments Off

Saldana, Outlaws Return to Deer Creek on Saturday, Sept. 15

The FVP Outlaw Showdown is final World of Outlaws race of the season in Minnesota

SPRING VALLEY, Minn. – Sept. 5, 2012 – Joey Saldana is a big fan of Deer Creek Speedway.

Saldana is 2-for-2 at the high-banked, 3/8-mile oval, which hosts the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series on Saturday, Sept. 15, in the FVP Outlaw Showdown. He claimed the inaugural event in 2009 and Saldana followed up in 2010 before missing last season’s event because of an injury.

“Luckily the two races we’ve been there we’ve won them both, so it’s been a great place for me,” Saldana said. “I enjoy racing there. The fans support it and it’s a cool area to go to.

“It’s a fast, little race track. You get running up on the wall, so it makes it pretty exciting. You definitely have to watch where you’re at on the race track and the groove and where you need to be. It puts on a good show.”

Steve Kinser led all 35 laps to claim last season’s event at Deer Creek, where Donny Schatz finished second and Kerry Madsen rounded out the podium. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-05T22:54:21-04:00September 5th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Sprint Cars|Comments Off

Brett Hearn Taking Aim at a Record Sixth Super DIRT Week Crown in 2012

Veteran racer on top of his game heading into 41st Annual NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week

WEEDSPORT, N.Y. – Sept. 4, 2012 – Brett Hearn, five-time winner of the VP Small Engine Fuels 200 and seven-time Super DIRTcar Series titlist, is looking ahead to Oct. 3-7 for the biggest annual DIRTcar race of the season, the 41^st NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week at the New York State Fairgrounds.

“Syracuse is a much different race and is a much different animal than anything we ever run,” said Hearn on Tuesday afternoon as the first guest on weekly Super DIRT Week calls with media members. “You don’t go there to watch a 30-lap sprint, you go there to watch a long race. Now you’ve got pit strategy and crew members playing into it.”

(Click this link to hear Brett Hearn’s entire media conference)

Given the nature of the race, Hearn struggles deciding whether to build a car special for the VP Small Engine Fuels 200, a 200-mile Big-Block Modified race Sunday, Oct. 7, or use a car he has been familiar and successful with during the season. Last year, Hearn decided to build a new car and plans to use that car again this year. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-05T13:24:01-04:00September 5th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Super DirtCar Series|Comments Off

World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series at a Glance

Silver Dollar Speedway, Calistoga Speedway, Antioch Speedway

CHICO, Calif. – Sept. 4, 2012 – With the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series season winding down, championship points leader Craig Dollansky leads the Outlaws into the Golden State for a unique California Outlaw Speedweek this weekend.

The Outlaws will compete in five races in as many days, beginning with the 59^th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway Thursday through Saturday. The first two nights will be complete shows that will set up Saturday’s $20,000-to-win feature.

On Sunday, the World of Outlaws return to Calistoga Speedway in Calistoga for a race that was postponed in March because of inclement weather. Four out of the top five drivers in the championship standings have claimed at least one victory at the half-mile track.

The Speedweek wraps up on Monday at Antioch Speedway in Antioch, where Steve Kinser claimed the inaugural World of Outlaws event last season. (more…)

By Scott|2012-09-05T02:27:03-04:00September 5th, 2012|Featured, Front Page News, Sprint Cars|Comments Off