Edmonton, AB—August 15, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director
After a successful return to Canada for the first time in over 25 years on July 25 at Ohsweken Speedway, the World of Outlaws will head west to Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta for the Oil City Cup on Friday, August 17 and Saturday, August 18.
Castrol Raceway is a state-of-the-art facility that not only houses the semi-banked 3/8-mile oval that the World of Outlaws will compete on, but also a ¼-mile drag strip and a motocross track.
Donny Schatz will lead the way to Castrol Raceway in search of his second straight World of Outlaws title, fresh off his second straight consecutive victory in the Knoxville Nationals. Twenty of the best sprint car drivers in the world will challenge Schatz, including 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser, as well as Joey Saldana, who drivers for Kasey Kahne and 2001 World of Outlaws champion Danny Lasoski.
Jason Sides put his name in the history books last month, as he won at Ohsweken in his second-ever start north of the border on July 25. He ran an event at Winnipeg Speedway in the late 1990's. Before a record crowd of over 9,000 spectators at Ohsweken, the 2003 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year held off a furious and spirited charge from Jac Haudenschild and Donny Schatz, to earn his second career World of Outlaws victory.
Schatz, has 13 A-Feature wins this season and leads the series in most statistical categories as the series invades Castrol Raceway, including money earned, laps led, Top-10 finishes, Top-Five finishes, Crane Cam Dash wins and pole positions. The native of Fargo, North Dakota has won twice this season on 3/8-mile tracks.
Steve Kinser has competed in all five of the previous World of Outlaws events in Canada, dating back to 1979 at Winnipeg Speedway. He will seek his first win north of the border and is the only World of Outlaws driver that has won a race in Mexico, when the series competed at Autopista Juarez in 1992. He has eight A-Feature wins heading into action at Castrol Raceway.
Joey Saldana will look for his first win in Canada, as he continues his second season driving for NASCAR Star Kasey Kahne. Saldana is second in championship points and second in wins with nine on the season. He is the only driver other than Schatz who has earned over $200,000. He recently finished second in the Knoxville Nationals for the second straight season and is just 64 markers out of the lead as he chases his first series title.
Danny Lasoski has three wins on the season as he is solidly in the third spot in championship points as he heads north for the Oil City Cup. The four-time Knoxville National winner has 38 Top-10 finishes on the season, to go along with three A-Feature wins in World of Outlaws competition.
Daryn Pittman looks to continue his strong season at Castrol Raceway. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma has earned 36 Top-10 finishes on the season. He has four A-Feature wins, including most recently on Tuesday night at Nodak Speedway in North Dakota and is just one of seven drivers that has led over 100 laps on the season in A-Feature competition.
Jason Meyers heads to Castrol Raceway for the second and third events in Canada this season for the series, just outside the Top-Five in points. He earned his fourth A-Feature win of the season on July 22 at Lebanon Valley Speedway in New York.
Craig Dollansky picked up his second win of the season on July 28 at I-96 Speedway in Michigan before a capacity crowd. The native of Elk River, Minnesota has 32 Top-10 finishes on the season and also has won five the Crane Cams Dash five times that have earned him the same number of pole positions. He recently finished fourth in the Knoxville Nationals.
Paul McMahan continues his second season driving for two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart. McMahan has won twice this season, including at his car owner's track, Eldora Speedway in Ohio, as well as at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin, which is a 3/8-mile track. He finished fifth in the Knoxville Nationals last Saturday night.
Jason Solwold has competed at Castrol Raceway in the past in a 360-sprint car and won the prestigious Gold Cup, one of the biggest events in Canadian sprint car racing. The native of Mt. Vernon, Washington is solidly in the Top-10 in points, as he gears up to head north of the border. He has 28 Top-10 finishes on the season and earned his first career World of Outlaws A-Feature win on August 3 at Charter Raceway Park in Wisconsin.
Jac Haudenschild has won twice this season in World of Outlaws competition, including at Red River Valley Speedway in North Dakota and at Limaland Motorsports Park in Ohio. The veteran from Wooster, Ohio has 24 Top-10 finishes on the season and is solidly in the Top-10 in championship points.
Also in action in the Oil City Cup will be the 1999 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, Tim Shaffer of Pennsylvania, as well as Terry McCarl, the six-time Knoxville Raceway champion, who has two A-Feature wins on the season.
Kerry Madsen, a native of St. Mary's, NSW, Australia, the current leader in the battle of for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award will also compete at Castrol Raceway for the first time in his career.
Other drivers that will be making their first trip to Castrol Raceway include: Randy Hannagan, the 1995 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, as well second-year driver Justin Henderson of South Dakota, reigning rookie of the year Chad Kemenah and second-year driver Jeremy Campbell of Michigan.
Three others drivers battling for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award will be in action, including Tony Bruce Jr. of Kansas, Sam Hafertepe Jr. of Texas and Chad Hillier of Washington, who has competed at Castrol Raceway in the past in a 360-sprint car.
Fellow rookie Zach Chappell will miss the event as he continues to recover from recent knee surgery.
On Friday, August 17 at Castrol Raecway general admission tickets will be $35 or a two-day general admission ticket can be purchased for $60. On Friday, August 17 reserved tickets will be $45 or a two-day ticket can be purchased for $80.
On Saturday, August 18 at Castrol Raceway general admission tickets will be $35 and reserved tickets will be $45. For ticket information call SLS Promotions at 815-344-2023 or visit http://www.slspromotions.com.
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