PEAK Motor Oil World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts

CONCORD, N.C. – Oct. 29, 2012 – Donny Schatz is set to wrap up his fifth World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship as the season concludes this weekend at the Sixth annual PEAK Motor Oil World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts at The Dirt Track at Charlotte.

Schatz – a four-time champion from 2006-09 – has a 176-point lead over Craig Dollansky, who holds a 39-point advantage on Sammy Swindell for the runner-up position as the event kicks off Thursday with qualifying for the Friday and Saturday races.

Joey Saldana, who is only 36 points behind Swindell, claimed the only other event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte this season.

A variety of exciting things will take place around the facility all weekend as SPEED will also broadcast Saturday’s race beginning at 8 p.m. (Eastern).

WHEN

Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 1-3, at The Dirt Track at Charlotte in Concord, N.C. for the Sixth annual PEAK Motor Oil World Finals Presented by NAPA Auto Parts. The front gate is scheduled to open at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 5 p.m. on Thursday. The front gate will open at 3 p.m. and hot laps will start around 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

WHERE

The Dirt Track at Charlotte is located at 5555 Concord Pkwy. South in Concord, N.C. Click on the link for a map ( http://g.co/maps/vqu5p). (more…)

Dollansky repeats as Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55 champion in afternoon event

PEVELY, Mo. – Oct. 13, 2012 – Jason Sides crawled from his sprint car with an exhausted – and thrilled – look on his face.

Reeling from the passing of a close friend earlier this week, Sides carried a heavy heart into Saturday’s World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series doubleheader at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 – the culmination of a pair of rainouts earlier this season.

And after a total 95 green-flag feature laps on the high-banked track on a humid and windy Midwest day, Sides captured the Spring Classic after recording a third-place finish in the Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55 presented by Summit Distributing/Coors Light in the afternoon.

“I had Mark Hardee riding with me,” Sides said. “It wasn’t his time to go, but the cancer got him and we hate that. He’ll be with us a lot in our hearts and everything, so hopefully we’ll get us a couple more wins with him riding with us.” (more…)

‘The King’ has won 12 of 35 World of Outlaws races at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park

ELBRIDGE, N.Y. – Oct. 6, 2012 – On a frigid Saturday night, Steve Kinser found a familiar, yet distant, place.

Mired in a slump since late July, Kinser braved the chilly and windy weather at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park, where he capitalized in traffic to pass polesitter Chad Kemenah and pull away to his fourth World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win of the season at the NAPA Auto Parts Super DIRT Week XLI event.

It was Kinser’s 12^th victory in 35 World of Outlaws events at the fast 5/8-mile and it snapped a 40-race winless streak in points events.

“We’ve been struggling up a storm,” Kinser said. “It just felt good to get out and win a race. We’ve been having some trouble. It’ll make it a lot better ride home, I can tell you that.” (more…)

Dollansky crashes while leading with 16 laps remaining in the $50,000-to-win event 

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Sept. 29, 2012 – As he rolled down the frontstretch toward Victory Lane, his cockpit opening facing the packed grandstands, Donny Schatz issued a slight grin as a chorus of boos echoed around Williams Grove Speedway.

The smile widened on a chilly Saturday as he was showered in confetti for claiming his record fifth National Open in the 50^th edition of the famed World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event, which paid $50,000 to win.

“This is huge,” he said. “Pretty awesome to be the only one with five National Open wins. It’s fun to be able to get to Victory Lane at this place.”

It was Schatz’s first World of Outlaws win at Williams Grove Speedway since 2008 and his 12^th career Outlaws victory at the half-mile track. It also marked his second win this season in one of the three “big money” races.

While the victories and money are significant, Schatz now holds a 158-point advantage in the World of Outlaws championship race with only five features remaining this season.

“It says a lot about the team,” said Schatz, who also won his sixth $150,000-to-win Goodyear Knoxville Nationals in August. “Earlier in the summer we couldn’t see rock bottom from where we were. We picked ourselves up. We’ve done everything we’ve needed to do. We’ve won the races. We’ve finished second or third when we can’t win the races, and that’s what you’ve got to do to put yourself in a championship position and we’re in a good position right now.” (more…)

Hodnett second for his fourth podium in as many Outlaws races at Williams Grove

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Sept. 28, 2012 – Paul McMahan is not an Outlaw, nor is he Posse.

“I’m just a kid from California making a living,” he said.

McMahan did just that on a cool Friday night at Williams Grove Speedway, where he claimed the opening night of the 50^th annual National Open. The victory was his second World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win of the season and sends him into Saturday’s $50,000-to-win event as a favorite.

“It’s just a phenomenal night for me,” he said. “To win at Williams Grove is the coolest thing ever.”

While McMahan was strong from the first lap, polesitter Kerry Madsen was the driver to beat. Madsen powered to the lead with McMahan working from fourth to second before the backstretch on lap two.

Stevie Smith passed McMahan for the runner-up position in turn four on lap seven before they entered traffic on lap 11. One lap later, McMahan returned the pass with a slide job for second place in turn four. Greg Hodnett maneuvered past Smith for third place on the ensuing lap. (more…)

Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55 and Spring Classic doubleheader held on Oct. 13

PEVELY, Mo. – Sept. 26, 2012 – Fingers are crossed that the third time is the charm.

Weather has claimed each of the previous two attempts at a World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event at Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 this season, which has postponed both races to a unique doubleheader on Saturday, Oct. 13.

The Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55 presented by Summit Distributing/Coors Light, which only has the 55-lap feature remaining in its program, will take place at approximately 3 p.m. with the front gate opening at 1 p.m.  The stands will be cleared following that event and reopened for the Spring Classic event in the evening.

“It’s going to be really different because I-55 can be pretty demanding as it is,” Chad Kemenah said. “You’ll probably want to be pretty good and rested come that weekend.”

On Aug. 3, Kerry Madsen won the dash to earn the pole for the Federated Auto Parts Ironman 55. However, as the cars were staged on the track for the feature, a severe storm struck the facility. The spectators and teams were urged to seek shelter as the main event was postponed. (more…)

50th annual Morgan Hughes National Open at Williams Grove Speedway

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – Sept. 24, 2012 – Donny Schatz continues to step closer to his fifth World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship as the tour wraps up its season against the Pennsylvania Posse this weekend.

Schatz holds a 114-point advantage as the Outlaws venture to Williams Grove Speedway on Friday and Saturday for the 50th annual Morgan Hughes National Open – a $50,000-to-win event.

The World of Outlaws hold the edge on the Posse this season with Cody Darrah winning the Summer Nationals in July after Outlaws great Steve Kinser and Posse veteran Fred Rahmer split the opening weekend in May. Kinser also claimed the prestigious Morgan Cup for the Outlaws.

A variety of charity events will also take place at the track throughout the weekend, including the Williams Grove National Open Kick-It Tournament on Friday at 12:30 p.m. at Fisher Field and the National Open Benefit for Injured Drivers presented by O’Neill Race Gear on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the commercial tent next to the pit gate. (more…)

Schatz garners runner-up honors to extend Outlaws championship lead to 114 points

SARVER, Pa. – Sept. 22, 2012 – Patience was key on a late, chilly and wet Saturday night at Lernerville Speedway.

Following a lengthy delay to the Commonwealth Clash, in which the program had to restart after weather postponed the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event during qualifying, a patient Dale Blaney was credited with his first Outlaws victory of the season as attrition took its toll on the frontrunners.

“I knew it was going to be tough for them to get it in,” he said. “We just put ourselves in good position and were fortunate enough to win one.”

Blaney inherited the lead with three laps remaining when polesitter Craig Dollansky, who led the first 32 laps, slowed dramatically down the frontstretch as his engine began to expire. Dollansky then putted around the 4/10-mile track to finish 11^th.

He wasn’t the only driver to sustain a problem down the stretch. Fast qualifier Paul McMahan exited the track with five laps remaining with apparent engines woes while he was only a couple of car lengths behind Dollansky for the race lead.

Those two issues moved Blaney from third place to the lead to earn his second career World of Outlaws victory at Lernerville Speedway and the seventh of his career. (more…)

Schatz continues World of Outlaws championship lead with 10th straight top five

EAGLE, Neb. – Sept. 19, 2012 – Sammy Swindell leads the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in feature victories. He leads in heat race wins and in bonus points via qualifying.

Unfortunately for the three-time champion, he has faced a myriad of issues throughout the season and has come up against a hot streak by Donny Schatz as the campaign winds down.

On Wednesday, Swindell did everything he could to cut into the championship points deficit by earning qualifying points, winning his heat and leading all 40 laps to claim the NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown in the Outlaws first event at Eagle Raceway since 2009.

“After Knoxville we just kinda put an effort into just going for it and that’s what we were doing,” he said. “We’ve had a few problems that we’ve had to work around with some stuff, some pieces. We’re back on track here now. Hopefully we can get through the rest of the year clean and we’ll just see where the points lay.” (more…)