by Bert Lehman
Shawano Speedway will be hosting a World of Outlaws Late Model Series event on Wednesday, Aug. 4. It will be the first time since 2003 that a national touring late model series will appear at the Speedway.

In what could arguably be one of the biggest races in the history of Shawano Speedway, the 50 lap late model feature will pay $10,000 to the winner. The local IMCA Modified drivers will also be part of the show, with the winner of the 20 lap feature receiving $2,000.

“I think fans can expect to see arguably the most talented field of dirt Late Model racers in the history of Shawano Speedway,” said Kevin Kovac, World of Outlaws Late Model Series public relations director. “Some of the country’s most talented drivers are World of Outlaws Late Model Series regulars, and with this race leading into the USA Nationals at Cedar Lake Speedway there’s no telling who else will come up to Wisconsin early and join the action. This event is setting up as one of the toughest World of Outlaws fields fans will see compete anywhere in the country this year.”

The Series has around 12 drivers who follow the entire tour including: Josh Richards (Shinnston, W. Va.), Tim McCreadie (Watertown, N.Y.), Darrell Lanigan (Union, Ky.), Steve Francis (Ashland, Ky.), Austin Hubbard (Seaford, Del.), Shane Clanton (Locust, Ga.), Rick Eckert (York, Pa.), Tim Fuller (Watertown, N.Y.), Chub Frank (Bear Lake, Pa.), Clint Smith (Senoia, Ga.), Russell King (Bristolville, Ore.) and Brent Robinson (Smithfield, Va.).

Joey Saldana and son, Reece pose in victory lane after Saldana led from wire to wire to win the World of Outlaws feature. (Bob Cruse Photo)by WoO Media PR
Joey Saldana has said a number of times this season that you need a little luck on your side when racing with the World of Outlaws, and he has had a couple of potential wins slip through his fingers by circumstances out of his control and by having some bad luck. He certainly had good luck on his side on Saturday night as he was victorious at Beaver Dam Raceway in Wisconsin in the Jim Boyd “JB” Memorial, despite having a rapidly deflating right rear tire during the waning laps at the high-banked 1/3-mile bullring.

Saldana had his Kasey Kahne Racing teammate Paul McMahan battle with him down the stretch, including on a couple of double file restarts. He held off McMahan to earn his series leading eighth A-Feature win of the season. The $10,000 victory for the second generation driver was the 67th of his World of Outlaws career which ties him with Stevie Smith for eighth on the all-time win list.

“We’ve given a few races away this year and in a situation like that, it’s out of your control and I thought we were going to give another one away tonight,” said Saldana in Victory Lane, when asked about his right rear tire. “We were able to hang in there and win the race. The crew definitely deserves to win with how hard they work day in and day out.”

Saldana was out front on six double file restarting, choosing the low line twice and the high line four times, including on the final double file restart with three laps to go. Following that restart, the red flag waved for a three-car incident involving Jason Meyers, Jac Haudenschild and Tim Kaeding before a lap had been completed, leading to a single file restart by way of rules.

Steve Kinser (World of Outlaws Photo)By WoO Sprint Series PR
Though it had been nearly five years since Steve Kinser raced at Jackson Speedway, the 20-time World of Outlaws champion certainly didn't forget the fast way around the historic half-mile on Saturday night, as the series made their return to the Minnesota track. Kinser extended his string of Top-Five finishes with the World of Outlaws at Jackson Speedway to seven, in impressive fashion, finding his way to Victory Lane for the third time at historic fairgrounds facility before a huge crowd.

Kinser used a strong restart on the 18th lap to get under Joey Saldana in turns one and two and won a drag race down the back straightaway aboard the Bass Pro Shops Maxim, taking the lead as the pair hit turn three. For the 20-time series champion it was his second win of the season to bring his amazing career total to 554 A-Feature triumphs. He also moved into second in the series standings as he chases his record 21st title.

"It was good," said Kinser of his win. "We had a good race car all night. We didn't get the start we wanted early, but we had a strong restart and got to the bottom and ran the bottom really good. I just had a good car all night really."

A couple of cautions on the white flag lap led to consecutive green-white-checker finishes. By way of World of Outlaws rules, a race must end with two consecutive green flag laps. Officially the race wound up being 26 laps once the final checkers flew, with Kinser leading the final nine circuits.

"I thought I was all right, we just didn't know how much fuel we were using," he explained when asked about the pair of green-white-checker finishes. "Everyone had been using about a gallon a lap, so that last time I wasn't sure where we were at on fuel. Nobody ran out so I guess we were ok. We got the win, so you can't complain about that."

For many drivers, picking up the first win of a new season is one of the toughest feats to accomplish in racing. After being victorious 21 times overall last season with the World of Outlaws, Joey Saldana certainly knew the way to the winners circle heading into 2010. He came close to winning each of the first four races this season, finishing in the runner-up spot in three of those.

Saldana broke though in a big way on Saturday night at Groppetti Automotive Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, California before a huge crowd to score his first A-Feature win of the season to earn $10,000 in the 35-lap contest aboard the Budweiser Maxim. It was the 60th A-Feature triumph of his career with the World of Outlaws.

"It was a great effort by my team," said Saldana. "We blew up in the dash and they worked hard to get the motor changed, so we really didn't get to work on our car too much. My car was pretty good for 35 laps and the motor held in there. It was a total team effort by everyone involved."

For Saldana, the win was his third at Thunderbowl Raceway with the World of Outlaws, which is the most of any driver dating back to the series debut at the track in 2003. The second generation driver scored his first victory at the track in 2007 and followed that up with a triumph last season at the high-banked 1/3-mile. He used a couple of strong starts to jump to the lead over pole sitter Tim Kaeding.

"It's very hard to win out here," shared Saldana. "Last year we won the second race of the season and it just rolled. Once you win one, it seems like it comes easier and easier. It seems like you are not thinking about winning as much and worrying about racing. Now, we can focus on racing and hopefully win some more."

Jason Meyers has been involved in some thrilling races over the years, but probably none quite as exciting as Friday night, when he battled 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser and four-time and defending series titlist Donny Schatz right down to the wire to score a breathtaking win in the Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before a huge crowd. Even more impressive was the fact that Meyers lined up 18th on the grid for the 30-lap contest and steadily worked his way to the front.

Meyers took the lead from Schatz on the 28th lap on the low side of turns one and two and quickly open a slight gap. Kinser battled Schatz and took the second spot on that same lap and tracked down Meyers on the white flag lap, taking the lead on the low side of turn three, with Meyers battling back off turn four to win a drag race down the front straightway aboard the GLR Investments KPC to score the $10,000 triumph, which was the 36th A-Feature victory of his World of Outlaws career.

"I don't think I have ever won a race from that far back and I don't know when the last time an Outlaws race was won from that far back," said Meyers. "We went out and were trying to get a Top-Five on a night that had kind of gone backwards on us. The guys gave me one heck of a race car and there was a great track tonight. My hat's off to my team."

The win was extra special for Meyers, as his team was mourning the loss of his crew chief D.J. Lindsey's father-in-law Jim Boyd. The Wisconsin native was a fixture at many World of Outlaws events over the years.