Victory is third consecutive win for Kasey Kahne Racing

HANFORD, Calif. – April 11, 2014 – Cody Darrah drove Kasey Kahne Racing to its third consecutive World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series victory on Friday night at Kings Speedway.

Darrah slid in front of Joey Saldana coming out of turn two on lap 16, then held him off to the checkered flag to earn his first victory of the season. Darrah and his Ollie’s Bargain Outlets car becomes the third different KKR driver to win in the past three races, joining last weekend’s Calistoga feature winners Brad Sweet and Daryn Pittman.

Saldana led the field to the green and maintained the lead over the first 15 laps after collecting his sixth World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series quick-time award. Saldana held onto second for his fifth consecutive top-five finish with Paul McMahan in third, Tim Kaeding charging from 13th to fourth and Donny Schatz earning the KSE Hard Charger Award by finishing fifth after starting 18th.

Saldana took the early lead in the Motter Equipment/HE&M Saw #71M. California’s Kyle Hirst picked up two positions in the first two laps going from fourth to second. Caution flew on lap 8 for Kraig Kinser spinning in turn one, but Saldana again returned the lead on the restart. (more…)

Grass Valley, Calif., Native Takes the Checkered in Front of Family and Friends on Night one of Calistoga Double-Header

CALISTOGA, Calif. – April 5, 2014 – It was friends and family night for California native Brad Sweet on Saturday at Calistoga Speedway after he held off Brian Brown in a thriller for his third World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series victory of the season.

Sweet and Brown flipped the lead several times in traffic before Sweet, of Grass Valley, Calif., pulled ahead for the victory in the waning laps, kicking off a victory celebration that included several of his friends and family members from his native Golden State.

Brown, who lost the lead while working through lapped traffic, held on for the runner-up finish. Joey Saldana started and finished in third while Donny Schatz was fourth and another hometown hero, Rico Abreu, rounded out the top-five on the first of two nights of World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series action at Calistoga.

Brown jumped out to a quick lead over pole-sitter Schatz. Brown continued to lead on lap six when the caution flew for David Gravel, winner of the previous event at Merced Speedway last Friday night. On the restart, a red flag would fly for contact with Bud Kaeding and Austin Wheatley. The ensuing restart was single-file as Brown continued to lead. On lap 11 the leaders hit lapped traffic at the half-mile oval. A bobble in traffic on lap 12 cost Brown the lead as Sweet, behind the wheel of the Kasey Kahne Racing SurePointMedical.com #49 drove by him in turn four. (more…)

Californian cruised into victory lane at Thunderbowl Raceway

TULARE, Calif. – March 15, 2014 – Rico Abreu earned the biggest victory of his career on Saturdaynight when he powered to the checkered flag at Thunderbowl Raceway for his first World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series victory.

Abreu took the lead from Terry McCarl on lap eight, and then had to hold off veterans McCarl and Joey Saldana to earn the victory.

Rookie Logan Schuchart followed up a strong run on Friday night by eventually finishing second after making a daring late pass to the outside of McCarl on the banked one-third mile dirt oval. McCarl, who set quick time and then became the first driver to benefit from the “0” being pulled in the dash draw, settled for third after coming back from a near wreck on a restart. Sammy Swindell finished a season-best fourth while two-time event winner in 2014, Brad Sweet, was fifth.

Abreu made the pass on McCarl for the lead on lap 8 in turn one in his Abreu Vineyards #24. Abreu then had to defend the position on a restart for the first time on lap 11 after Cody Darrah brought out a red with a wreck in turn one. (more…)

Tony Stewart Racing star earns his eighth World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series feature victory at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

LAS VEGAS – March 6, 2014 – Donny Schatz became the first repeat winner in the 2014 World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series season when he bested 20-time champion and his Tony Stewart Racing teammate, Steve Kinser, to win the FVP Outlaw Showdown on Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The win means Schatz is four victories from tying Mark Kinser for third all-time.

It was an all TSR front row as Kinser started on the pole of the 30-lap feature with Schatz to his outside. Kinser took the early lead with Schatz close in tow. Kinser was able to gain some distance over the next few laps as Jason Sides would enter the battle on lap 3, passing Schatz for second place.

Sides caught Kinser on lap five and in turn three, he shot to the bottom. Kinser powered off of four to hold the lead and moved to the bottom the next lap to defend the position. (more…)

Takes lead on lap 19 of FVP Outlaw Showdown, holds off Kinser in the final laps for first win of 2014

LAS VEGAS – March 5, 2014 – Paul McMahan charged to victory on Wednesday’s opening night of the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series FVP Outlaw Showdown at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

McMahan surged to the lead past Kerry Madsen in traffic on lap 18, then held off Steve Kinser on a green-white-checkered finish to become the fourth different winner this season in four events.

Kinser gave it everything he had but was unable to drive past McMahan, settling for a runner-up finish as Brad Sweet blew through the field and finished third after starting 16th. Joey Saldana was fourth after spending much of the night battling for a podium position and Donny Schatz rounded out the top five.

Madsen jumped to a strong lead, but a spin caused a caution and a complete restart. On the second start McMahan was ready and able to keep pace with Madsen before a caution on the next lap. (more…)