Following opener in Florida, ‘Greatest Show on Dirt’ springs cross-country for big month

CONCORD, N.C. – Feb. 2, 2012 – While most of the off-season attention is focused on the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series season-opening event in Florida, a month-long trip to the West Coast awaits the teams.

Following the 41^st annual UNOH DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Fla., Feb. 17-18-19, the teams head to the opposite coast for the month of March in the West.

“Going out there is great,” four-time champion Donny Schatz said. “They’ve got great facilities. The settings are absolutely unbelievable. It’s great to see the following that they have.”

It begins on Saturday, March 3, in Tucson, Ariz., with the Wildcat Shootout at USA Raceway – a high-banked, 3/8-mile oval that hasn’t hosted a World of Outlaws race since 2007.

The Outlaws then head up to Las Vegas for a Thursday race – March 8 – at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas. Schatz has won a series-best six of the 26 World of Outlaws’ events at the semi-banked, half-mile.

The series wraps up that weekend on Saturday, March 10, at Perris Auto Speedway in Perris, Calif. – the first of seven races in California during a 22-day span. Mark Kinser won the first five races at the semi-banked, half-mile track, which has featured six different winners in the last seven events.

Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., then hosts a doubleheader on March 16-17. The high-banked, 1/3-miler has seen Joey Saldana stand in Victory Lane at four of the last seven races, including last season’s lone event.

The Mini Gold Cup will be hosted on March 23-24 at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, Calif., where at least one World of Outlaws race has been held annually since 1979. Steve Kinser owns a series-high 13 victories at the high-banked, quarter-mile oval.

“Especially being in Indiana all winter, you always enjoy catching the good weather,” Kinser said. “It’s always a fun time at the beginning of the year.”

The West Coast swing concludes the following weekend at Merced Speedway in Merced, Calif., on March 30 and at Calistoga Speedway in Calistoga, Calif., on March 31. Last year was the first Outlaws event at the semi-banked, quarter-mile Merced, which was won by Sammy Swindell. Kinser and Danny Lasoski each have five victories at the semi-banked, half-mile Calistoga.

Tickets for most of the events can be ordered online by clicking WorldofOutlaws.com/tickets or by calling 877-395-8606. For tickets to Las Vegas, click LVMS.com and for tickets to Thunderbowl Raceway, click ThunderbowlRaceway.com.

The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Armor All (Official Car Care Products), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), Chizmark & Larson Insurance , VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel), Vicci (Official Apparel) in addition to contingency sponsors Comp Cams, JE Pistons, Superflow, Wix Filters, Penske Shocks, Intercomp, MSD Ignition, Jake’s Custom Golf Carts, RacingJunk.com, KSE Race Products, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo and R2C Performance. Engine Builders Challenge participants include Kistler Engines, Shaver Specialties and Speedway Engines. Chassis Builders Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.