Rossburg, OH—July 11, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director
Tradition and history are two of the biggest components of the Kings Royal at the storied Eldora Speedway, not to mention the $50,000 paycheck that awaits the winner of the famed event. In the 23 year history of the Kings Royal, just 12 drivers have worn the crown and held the scepter at the end of the night in Victory Lane.
Adding even more luster to the event this season is the fact that it is the fifth event of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on ESPN2 for the World of Outlaws. The event will air on Sunday, July 15 at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central on ESPN2.
Leading this list is 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser, who has won the event six times, including the inaugural edition of the prestigious race in 1984. Kinser’s last win in the event came in 2005. Also, he is the only driver in the history of the event to make the A-Feature in all 23 editions of the race. The native of Bloomington, Indiana has 16 Top-three finishes in the Kings Royal.
Joey Saldana earned his second career Kings Royal victory lane season, with his car owner Kasey Kahne in attendance. After winning the event in 2002, Saldana finished second in 2005, and bettered that last season. The 1996 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finished sixth earlier this season at Eldora, and is tied for the series lead with nine A-Feature wins.
Donny Schatz, the reigning World of Outlaws champion is searching for his first win in the Kings Royal. He finished second in the event last season and is a former winner of the $100,000 Historical Big One at Eldora. In two starts at the blazing fast half-mile this season, the native of Fargo, North Dakota has finished second and sixth. He began the week with nine A-Feature wins on the season as he continues to lead the championship standings.
Danny Lasoski has finished third in the Kings Royal for the last two years. The 2001 World of Outlaws champion led a number of laps last season in the early stages of the race. In his career in the Kings Royal, the native of Dover, Missouri has seven Top-10 finishes. He has a Top-10 finish earlier this season at Eldora.
Daryn Pittman has three Top-10 finishes in his career in the Kings Royal, including a career-best sixth-place finish in 2002. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma won the final edition of the Historical Big One at the track in 2003. He has finished in the Top-Five in both World of Outlaws events at Eldora this season.
Jason Meyers has competed in the Kings Royal four times in his career, with a best finish of ninth in 2001. He won earlier this season at Eldora in the World of Outlaws first visit of the season to the half-mile in April. He also finished fifth in June with the series at the track. The native of Clovis, California has three A-Feature wins on the season.
Craig Dollansky finished sixth last season in the Kings Royal and has five straight Top-10 finishes in the event. He also won the Knight Before the Kings Royal last season, one of two wins for him at the famed track in 2006.
Paul McMahan finished 10th last season in the Kings Royal, driving for Tony Stewart, who also owns Eldora Speedway. In his career, McMahan has three Top-10 finishes in the event, including a pair of seventh-place finishes. He won in the World of Outlaws last visit to Eldora on June 2 and also finished in the Top-10 in April at the track.
Jason Solwold finished 10th in 2005 in the Kings Royals. He was the runner-up last month when the World of Outlaws visited the storied half-mile and led a number of laps. In the series first trip of the season to the track in April, he was ninth.
Jac Haudenschild has competed in the Kings Royal 17 times in his career and has won it three times. The native of Wooster, Ohio has seven finishes of fourth or better in the race. He led a number of laps in April at the track and finished fourth.
Tim Shaffer has four straight Top-10 finishes in the Kings Royal. He missed the event due to injury last season, but was fifth in it in 2005. The 1999 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finished ninth in the series last trip to Eldora last month.
Terry McCarl has three Top-10 finishes in the Kings Royal in his career, including a seventh last season. McCarl won his first race of the season with the World of Outlaws at Knoxville Raceway last month, where he is a six-time track champion.
Jason Sides won the Kings Royal in 2004, a year after he claimed the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award with the World of Outlaws. The native of Bartlett, Tennessee finished third in the series first visit of the season to Eldora in April.
Kerry Madsen qualified for the Kings Royal for the first time in his career last season. The native of St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia is the current leader in the battle for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award.
Randy Hannagan has competed in the main event of the Kings Royal five times during his career, and has finished in the Top-15 each time. He finished seventh last month in the series second event of the season at the half-mile.
Justin Henderson competed in the Kings Royal for the first time in his career last season, earning a starting spot in the A-Feature of the Knight Before the Kings Royal. The native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota earned a career-best third-place finish at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin on July 1.
Chad Kemenah finished fifth last season in the Kings Royal. He has four career Top-10 finishes in the event, including a career-best third in 2004. He will be behind the wheel of the Hard 8 Racing No. 8K for the event, after joining the team last week.
Chad Hillier will make his first trip to the Kings Royal as a driver this week. He took part in the event in 2005 as a crew member for the Selma Shell team. He raced his way into his first A-Feature at the storied track last month.
Jeremy Campbell finished a very solid 13th last season in the Kings Royal in his rookie season with the World of Outlaws. It was his first start in the A-Feature of the event.
Tony Bruce Jr. another of the contenders for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award will take part in his first Kings Royal. He is fresh off a fourth-place finish at I-55 Raceway in Missouri last weekend.
Brooke Tatnell, a native of San Souci, NSW, Australia, has three Kings Royal starts to his credit and finished 12th last season, after setting fast time and finishing 10th in the Knight Before the Kings Royal.
Dion Hindi raced his way into the A-Feature during the Knight Before the Kings Royal last season. He earned a spot in the A-Feature in the series first visit of the season to Eldora in April.
Jason Martin also raced his way into the A-Feature in the Knight Before the Kings Royal last season. He earned a spot in the A-Feature last month when the series visited Eldora.
Brian Carlson of Indiana has one start in the A-Feature of the Kings Royal to his credit, which came in 2001. He missed the series last visit to the track in June, as he was recovering from a leg injury.
Sam Hafertepe Jr., another of the contenders for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year will take part in the Kings Royal for the first time in his career this weekend. He has started both A-Features for the series at the track this season, and recently welcomed three-time World of Outlaws champion and two-time Kings Royal winner Sammy Swindell to his team to help turn the wrenches.
Fellow rookie contender Zach Chappell of Oklahoma will miss the event as he continues to recover from a knee injury suffered in a pit accident on July 1.
The Kings Royal is the fifth event of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on ESPN2 for the World of Outlaws and will be broadcast on Sunday, July 15 at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central.
On Friday, July 13 at Eldora Speedway for the Knight Before the Kings Royal tickets for those ages 16-up will be $25, while tickets for those ages 12-15 will be $15, and tickets for kids ages 11-under will be $6
On Saturday, July 14 at Eldora Speedway for the Kings Royal tickets for those ages 16 –up will be $30, while tickets for those ages 12-15 will be $20 and kids 11-under will be $10.
Tradition and history are two of the biggest components of the Kings Royal at the storied Eldora Speedway, not to mention the $50,000 paycheck that awaits the winner of the famed event. In the 23 year history of the Kings Royal, just 12 drivers have worn the crown and held the scepter at the end of the night in Victory Lane.
Adding even more luster to the event this season is the fact that it is the fifth event of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on ESPN2 for the World of Outlaws. The event will air on Sunday, July 15 at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central on ESPN2.
Leading this list is 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser, who has won the event six times, including the inaugural edition of the prestigious race in 1984. Kinser’s last win in the event came in 2005. Also, he is the only driver in the history of the event to make the A-Feature in all 23 editions of the race. The native of Bloomington, Indiana has 16 Top-three finishes in the Kings Royal.
Joey Saldana earned his second career Kings Royal victory lane season, with his car owner Kasey Kahne in attendance. After winning the event in 2002, Saldana finished second in 2005, and bettered that last season. The 1996 World of Outlaws Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finished sixth earlier this season at Eldora, and is tied for the series lead with nine A-Feature wins.
Donny Schatz, the reigning World of Outlaws champion is searching for his first win in the Kings Royal. He finished second in the event last season and is a former winner of the $100,000 Historical Big One at Eldora. In two starts at the blazing fast half-mile this season, the native of Fargo, North Dakota has finished second and sixth. He began the week with nine A-Feature wins on the season as he continues to lead the championship standings.
Danny Lasoski has finished third in the Kings Royal for the last two years. The 2001 World of Outlaws champion led a number of laps last season in the early stages of the race. In his career in the Kings Royal, the native of Dover, Missouri has seven Top-10 finishes. He has a Top-10 finish earlier this season at Eldora.
Daryn Pittman has three Top-10 finishes in his career in the Kings Royal, including a career-best sixth-place finish in 2002. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma won the final edition of the Historical Big One at the track in 2003. He has finished in the Top-Five in both World of Outlaws events at Eldora this season.
Jason Meyers has competed in the Kings Royal four times in his career, with a best finish of ninth in 2001. He won earlier this season at Eldora in the World of Outlaws first visit of the season to the half-mile in April. He also finished fifth in June with the series at the track. The native of Clovis, California has three A-Feature wins on the season.
Craig Dollansky finished sixth last season in the Kings Royal and has five straight Top-10 finishes in the event. He also won the Knight Before the Kings Royal last season, one of two wins for him at the famed track in 2006.
Paul McMahan finished 10th last season in the Kings Royal, driving for Tony Stewart, who also owns Eldora Speedway. In his career, McMahan has three Top-10 finishes in the event, including a pair of seventh-place finishes. He won in the World of Outlaws last visit to Eldora on June 2 and also finished in the Top-10 in April at the track.
Jason Solwold finished 10th in 2005 in the Kings Royals. He was the runner-up last month when the World of Outlaws visited the storied half-mile and led a number of laps. In the series first trip of the season to the track in April, he was ninth.
Jac Haudenschild has competed in the Kings Royal 17 times in his career and has won it three times. The native of Wooster, Ohio has seven finishes of fourth or better in the race. He led a number of laps in April at the track and finished fourth.
Tim Shaffer has four straight Top-10 finishes in the Kings Royal. He missed the event due to injury last season, but was fifth in it in 2005. The 1999 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year finished ninth in the series last trip to Eldora last month.
Terry McCarl has three Top-10 finishes in the Kings Royal in his career, including a seventh last season. McCarl won his first race of the season with the World of Outlaws at Knoxville Raceway last month, where he is a six-time track champion.
Jason Sides won the Kings Royal in 2004, a year after he claimed the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award with the World of Outlaws. The native of Bartlett, Tennessee finished third in the series first visit of the season to Eldora in April.
Kerry Madsen qualified for the Kings Royal for the first time in his career last season. The native of St. Mary’s, NSW, Australia is the current leader in the battle for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award.
Randy Hannagan has competed in the main event of the Kings Royal five times during his career, and has finished in the Top-15 each time. He finished seventh last month in the series second event of the season at the half-mile.
Justin Henderson competed in the Kings Royal for the first time in his career last season, earning a starting spot in the A-Feature of the Knight Before the Kings Royal. The native of Sioux Falls, South Dakota earned a career-best third-place finish at Cedar Lake Speedway in Wisconsin on July 1.
Chad Kemenah finished fifth last season in the Kings Royal. He has four career Top-10 finishes in the event, including a career-best third in 2004. He will be behind the wheel of the Hard 8 Racing No. 8K for the event, after joining the team last week.
Chad Hillier will make his first trip to the Kings Royal as a driver this week. He took part in the event in 2005 as a crew member for the Selma Shell team. He raced his way into his first A-Feature at the storied track last month.
Jeremy Campbell finished a very solid 13th last season in the Kings Royal in his rookie season with the World of Outlaws. It was his first start in the A-Feature of the event.
Tony Bruce Jr. another of the contenders for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award will take part in his first Kings Royal. He is fresh off a fourth-place finish at I-55 Raceway in Missouri last weekend.
Brooke Tatnell, a native of San Souci, NSW, Australia, has three Kings Royal starts to his credit and finished 12th last season, after setting fast time and finishing 10th in the Knight Before the Kings Royal.
Dion Hindi raced his way into the A-Feature during the Knight Before the Kings Royal last season. He earned a spot in the A-Feature in the series first visit of the season to Eldora in April.
Jason Martin also raced his way into the A-Feature in the Knight Before the Kings Royal last season. He earned a spot in the A-Feature last month when the series visited Eldora.
Brian Carlson of Indiana has one start in the A-Feature of the Kings Royal to his credit, which came in 2001. He missed the series last visit to the track in June, as he was recovering from a leg injury.
Sam Hafertepe Jr., another of the contenders for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year will take part in the Kings Royal for the first time in his career this weekend. He has started both A-Features for the series at the track this season, and recently welcomed three-time World of Outlaws champion and two-time Kings Royal winner Sammy Swindell to his team to help turn the wrenches.
Fellow rookie contender Zach Chappell of Oklahoma will miss the event as he continues to recover from a knee injury suffered in a pit accident on July 1.
The Kings Royal is the fifth event of the “SuperClean Summer of Money” on ESPN2 for the World of Outlaws and will be broadcast on Sunday, July 15 at Noon Eastern, 11 a.m. Central.
On Friday, July 13 at Eldora Speedway for the Knight Before the Kings Royal tickets for those ages 16-up will be $25, while tickets for those ages 12-15 will be $15, and tickets for kids ages 11-under will be $6
On Saturday, July 14 at Eldora Speedway for the Kings Royal tickets for those ages 16 –up will be $30, while tickets for those ages 12-15 will be $20 and kids 11-under will be $10.
