1/18/2010
Sprint Source
Texas Two-Step Weekend Returns for the WoO in 2010
Concord, NC — January 18, 2010 — Everything is bigger in Texas, especially when the World of Outlaws come to town. For the second consecutive year, the Texas Two-Step Weekend will bring the best sprint car drivers in the world to the Lone Star State for two full nights of racing on March 12-13.
Joey Saldana, who led the World of Outlaws with 20 main event wins in 2009 in his Kasey Kahne Racing car, swept all three of the World of Outlaws events in Texas last season. He looks to extend his win streak on Friday, March 12, at Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore and on Saturday, March 13, at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown. Saldana’s ’09 wins at Houston Raceway Park and Lone Star Speedway were the first of his career at those tracks.
The events at Lone Star — originally scheduled for May 1 — and Houston replace the previously scheduled Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway. The World of Outlaws will return to Silver Dollar Speedway for the 57th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions on Sept. 9-11, with $50,000 awaiting the winner of the crown jewel event.
The World of Outlaws were the inspiration behind Houston Raceway Park being built in 2000. What better way for the blazing fast ¼-mile to usher in its second decade of existence than to have the World of Outlaws take to the track?
The World of Outlaws made their debut at Houston Raceway Park in 2000, with 20-time series champion Steve Kinser winning both of the events that season. Kinser is the winningest driver with the World of Outlaws at the ¼-mile with four A-Feature triumphs and six overall victories, including his historic 500th A-Feature win with the series on March 27, 2004. In 14 career starts at the track, the native of Bloomington, Ind., has finished in the Top-10 in each and every one of them.
Donny Schatz, the four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion, has won twice at Houston Raceway Park, with those victories coming in 2005 and 2007.
One of the premier dirt tracks in the country, Houston Raceway Park has a full paved pit area, providing the teams with a perfectly level surface to work on, which is one of just a handful of facilities on the tour that provides that luxury. The main grandstand has a seating capacity of 7,500, including 14 VIP Luxury Suites and the blazing fast ¼-mile is illuminated with a state of-the-art Musco Lighting system
The World of Outlaws returned last year to Lone Star Speedway in Kilgore for the first time since 2004, with Saldana adding his name to the record books as just the third driver to win at Texas’s fastest half-mile.
Lone Star Speedway is owned and operated by Sam and Lisa Hafertepe, the parents of World of Outlaws driver Sam Hafertepe Jr. The family has put in countless hours refurbishing the track after it sat dormant for more than four years. They have made the track into one of the nicest in the country. New clay greeted the competitors last fall during the inaugural WoO Fest, which saw the younger Hafertepe battle Saldana for the win.
The World of Outlaws raced for the first time at Lone Star Speedway in 1984, with three-time series champion Sammy Swindell taking the win in all three of those events. He remained undefeated at Lone Star Speedway with the World of Outlaws taking home two more wins in 1986. Following a 17 year hiatus, the series returned to the track in 2003, with 20-time series champion Steve Kinser picking up the win. He would follow that up with another victory in 2004.
With one of the strongest fields ever assembled in the 30-plus year history of the World of Outlaws, 25 of the 31 series titles will be accounted for by drivers taking part in the Texas Two-Step Weekend, as well as over 900 career A-Feature wins with the series.
For ticket information for the opener of the Texas Two-Step Weekend at Lone Star Speedway visit http://www.lonestarspeedway.com or call the track at (903)-986-9731.
For ticket information for the finale of the Texas Two-Step Weekend at Houston Raceway Park visit: http://www.houstonraceway.com or call the track at 281-383-RACE (7223).
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), Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, Jake’s Custom Golf Carts, KSE Race Products, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo; Engine Builder's Challenge participants Don Ott Racing Engines, Kistler Engines, Shaver Specialties and Speedway Engines; and Chassis Builder’s Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.
Submitted By: Tony Veneziano