Pevely, MO—July 5, 2007–By: Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director
Harrah's Casino presents the World of Outlaws sponsored by the Missouri/Illinois Dodge Dealers and Red Baron Pizza are gearing up for the fourth event of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on Saturday, July 7 at I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri. The track always provides close racing and is a favorite of most every driver in the pit area.
The series has been competing at the track since 1987. In that time, 12 drivers have won at the track, including nine current World of Outlaws competitors.
Last July, when the series visited the high-banked 1/3-mile, Brooke Tantell and Donny Schatz battle for all 40 laps for the win, with Tatnell coming out on top. The native of San Souci, NSW, Australia led the first 19 laps before Schatz slipped by to lead the next three, with Tatnell reclaiming the lead on the 20th lap. Schatz fought back and took the lead yet again on the 29th lap, but Tatnell made the pass for the win on the 32nd circuit, as he pocketed the $10,000 top prize.
Schatz heads to I-55, where he won last April, fresh off his series leading ninth A-Feature wins of the season on Tuesday night at HusetÂ’s Speedway in South Dakota. Schatz currently has an 87-point lead over Joey Saldana in the championship standings, as he chases his second straight title. The native of Fargo, North Dakota has 36 Top-10 finishes in 40 events this season.
Joey Saldana earned two Top-Five finishes at I-55 Raceway last season. He was second in the spring event and sixth in the summer race. He won his eighth A-Feature of the season on June 29 at River Cities Speedway in his first visit to the track. Saldana, the 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year leads the series with seven fast time honors on the season, and also has led the most laps in A-Feature competition. He has 33 Top-10 finishes entering the event on Saturday.
Danny Lasoski won at I-55 Raceway in 2004 with the World of Outlaws. The native of Dover, Missouri is currently third in championship points on the strength of three A-Feature wins along with 29 Top-10 finishes. In his last two visits to the high-banked 1/3-mile in 2005, the former series champion recorded two Top-10 finishes.
Daryn Pittman finished in the Top-Five in both events at I-55 Raceway last season. He was second in the July event and fifth in the April race. He enters the race this week, fourth in points, and has three A-Feature wins on the season. The former World of Outlaws Gumout Series champion has 28 Top-10 finishes on the season.
Jason Meyers earned a Top-10 in 2005, the last time he competed at the high-banked track. The native of Clovis, California is currently fifth in points, with 27 Top-10 finishes and three A-Feature wins. He also has set fast time on four occasions in time trials and has four Crane Came Dash wins that have earned him four pole positions.
Steve Kinser has won four times in his career at I-55 Raceway, with the first being in 1987 and the most recent in 2003. The 20-time World of Outlaws champion has won seven A-Feature events this season and is sixth in points, on the strength of 25 Top-10 finishes.
Craig Dollansky earned two Top-Five finishes at the 1/3-mile last season. He was third in the spring race and fifth in the summer event. The native of Elk River, Minnesota finished second on Tuesday night at HusetÂ’s Speedway to earn his 26th Top-10 finish of the season, and is seventh in points. He won earlier this season in Missouri at Lake Ozark Speedway.
Paul McMahan earned a Top-10 finish in 2005, his last visit to the track, which is located just outside of St. Louis. He earned his second A-Feature win of the season on Sunday, when he took the checkered flag at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin. In his second season driving for two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, he has 19 Top-10 finishes.
Jason Solwold finished seventh last season at I-55 Raceway. The native of Mt. Vernon, Washington, has 23 Top-10 finishes this season, with seven of those being in the Top-Five.
Jac Haudenschild finished fourth last year at the track. He earned his first A-Feature win of the season last Saturday night at Red River Valley Speedway in the third event of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on ESPN2. The native of Wooster, Ohio is 10th in points on the strength of 18 Top-10 finishes.
Tim Shaffer last competed at I-55 Raceway in 2005, when he finished seventh. The native of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania has 17 Top-10 finishes on the season, with 11 of those being in the Top-Five.
Terry McCarl finished seventh at the track last July and in the spring race set fast time with a very solid field of cars in attendance. He finished third on Tuesday night at HusetÂ’s Speedway to earn his 20th Top-10 finish of the season.
Jason Sides last competed at the high-banked 1/3-mile in 2005. He earned his fifth Top-Five finish of the season last Saturday night at Red River Valley Speedway in North Dakota.
Kerry Madsen finished 10th at I-55 Raceway last season. He is the current leader in the battle for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award. The native of St. MaryÂ’s, NSW, Australia earned his fifth Top-Five finish of the on Sunday night at Cedar Lake Speedway.
Randy Hannagan set fast time last season in the World of Outlaws first of two visits to I-55 Raceway. The 1995 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finished fourth last Saturday night at Red River Valley Speedway. He earned his first career World of Outlaws A-Feature win at the track in 2001.
Justin Henderson finished third on Sunday night at Cedar Lake Speedway, after leading a number of laps, to earn his best career World of Outlaws finish. The second-year driver has nine Top-10 finishes on the season.
Chad Kemenah finished eighth last July at I-55 Raceway. He also earned his first career World of Outlaws A-Feature victory at the high-banked 1/3-mile in 2005. The reigning Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year currently has seven Top-10 finishes on the season.
Jeremy Campbell finished 10th last July at the track. The second-year driver has three Top-10 finishes on the season, entering competition on July 7.
Chad Hillier, a contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award will make his first visit to I-55 Raceway on Saturday. The native of Burlington, Washington set fast time earlier this season, as he continues his first full year on the road.
Tony Bruce Jr. has competed at I-55 Raceway in the past. The rookie earned a spot in the Crane Cams Dash on Tuesday night at HusetÂ’s Speedway, where he finished second to earn that same starting spot in the A-Feature.
Also in action on Saturday, July 7 will be veteran Dion Hindi of New Mexico who raced with the series at the track last season, second-year driver Jason Martin of Kansas, who finished just outside the Top-10 last season, veteran Brian Carlson of Indiana, who turned in the fifth fastest lap in time trials last July at I-55 Raceway, and rookie Sam Hafertepe Jr. of Texas.
Rookie Zach Chappell will miss the event after sustaining an injury to his left knee on Sunday at Cedar Lake Speedway.
The event from I-55 Raceway will be the fourth race of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on ESPN2, and will be broadcast on Sunday, July 8 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, 10:30 a.m. Central on ESPN2.
On Saturday, July 7 at I-55 Raceway, reserved seating will be $32, with general admission $30, and kids 12-under will be admitted free of charge in the general admission seats. For ticket information, please contact the track at 636-479-3219 or visit http://www.i55raceway.com.