2008 Sprint Car News Headlines, HammerDown!

2008

Call Schatz a Knoxville master! Third straight Nationals win to North Dakota ace - By Bobby Gerould - August 9, 2008 - Donny Schatz joined Steve Kinser Saturday night as the only driver in the history of the Knoxville Nationals to win three straight championship races. The Fargo, North Dakota driver took the lead from Jason Meyers at the close of lap 25 of the 30-lap A-Main on the half-mile clay oval. Meyers finished a Nationals career best second followed by Craig Dollansky, Danny Lasoski, and Steve Kinser. Schatz earned $150,000 for his win while Meyers cashed in for $75,000. The top 15 finishers earned double points in the Racer's Racer's Series. ...Doug Esh was named Nationals Rookie of the Year. (More)

Jesse Hockett at the 2008 Gold Cup in the McMillen 2

Shepard injured at Thursday Nationals prelim. Saldana wins - By Bobby Gerould - August 7, 2008. ...Jeff Shepard was injured Thursday night during the start of the B-Main at Knoxville Raceway. The Upperco, MD. pilot known as "The Jet" was involved in a seven car crash in turn one. Shepard was reported to have been unconscious for a matter of minutes before becoming alert as he was cut out of the mangled Zemco #1z. Shepard was taken by ambulance to a local Knoxville hospital and then airlifted to a larger hospital in Des Moines. ...Joey Saldana was the winner of the 20-lap preliminary A-main. Jason Meyers finished second followed by Gary Wright, Billy Alley and Craig Dollansky.
Dale Blaney wins third All-Star championship and Hoosier Fall Classic - HD Staff - Lawrenceburg, IN. - September 13, 2008 - Tim Shaffer put a slide job on Brock Mayes on a lap 23 restart to take the lead and looked like a sure winner Saturday night in the Hoosier Fall Classic. However, coming to the checkered flag, Blake Feese made a desperation attempt to pass Shaffer that came up short knocking both from contention. That gave the lead to Dale Blaney who said afterward, "that's about as lucky as you can get." ...Blaney won the season long All-Star Circuit of Champions title for the third time in his career. The Ohio driver edged out Lance Dewease for the $50,000 season championship. ...Randy Hannagan finished second in the 35 lap feature. Byron Reed was third.
Haudenschild wins Gold Cup for third time - By Bobby Gerould - September 6, 2008 - Chico, CA. ...Jason Meyers' horrible luck was a blessing for Jac Haudenschild Saturday night at Silver Dollar Speedway in the 55th running of the Gold Cup Race of Champions. Meyers was leading in traffic when he was suddenly taken out after trying unsuccessfully to avoid the spinning car of Jesse Hockett. That gave the lead to Haudenschild in the Carnahan Motorsports R19. The "Wild Child" held back Craig Dollansky to win the 40-lap feature and take home the $50,000 top prize. Next at the checkered flag on the high-banked quarter-mile clay oval was third place finisher Jon Allard followed by Brent Kaeding, and Sammy Swindell. Paul McMahan was sixth with Steve Kinser seventh after starting 19th. Jayme Barnes walked away from a nasty flip on lap two after being fed a wheel.
Throttle Cottle wins Little 500, corner worker killed - May 24, 2008 - HD Staff - Anderson, IN. ...Kokomo Indiana's Shane Cottle won the 60th running of the Little 500 Saturday at Anderson Speedway. Driving the Contos #4, Cottle took the lead for good on lap 378 on the high-banked, quarter-mile, paved oval. Tony Elliott finished second followed by Elk Grove, CA racer Johnny Rodriguez in the Ken Pierson #14. The prestigious race counted as a points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series. ...Tragedy struck on lap 99 when track worker Roy Hiatt - with his back turned to oncoming traffic - was accidentally struck and killed by the car driven by Tyler Underwood. The caution flag had just appeared when Hiatt stepped on to the track to help clean up. Hiatt was dusting the track with oil-dry powder. (Read more)
Pittman wins wild Kings Royal - Rossburg, OH— July 13, 2008 - By Tony Veneziano - Daryn Pittman has been searching for a spark all season long, as he has been close a number of times to breaking through for his first win of the campaign. He has had a number of strong runs cut short by bad luck, but that all changed on Sunday night as a fast race car and a little good fortune found him, as he was victorious in the 25th Annual Kings Royal at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio, with the cameras from SPEED capturing all of the action. Pittman inherited the lead on the 28th lap after Joey Saldana who was leading came to a stop after making contact with the back straightaway wall due to a flat right rear tire. Pittman would lead on the restart and held off Jason Meyers on the last lap in traffic to pick up his first World of Outlaws win of the season. It was his third career win at Eldora Speedway, and he became the 14th winner of the famed Kings Royal and the fifth different winner in the last five years, as he donned the traditional purple robe, received the crown and held the sceptre as he sat atop the throne with the Kings Court. The $50,000 triumph was his 26th career World of Outlaws win, which moved him into 15th on the all-time list. (Read more)
Cajun Jason Johnson earns 50 grand in Ollie's 360 final at the Grove - HD Staff - August 19, 2008. Mechanicsburg, PA. ...Jason Johnson won $56,000 Tuesday night after he won his second feature race of the three-race Ollie's 360 Challenge. At inception of the series - any driver that could win two of the three features was promised a $50,000 bonus. Each individual feature in the series paid $6,000 to win. Only Johnson and Donny Schatz were eligible for the bonus going into the race but Schatz had a conflict and was forced to miss the Grove race. Schatz won the first race at Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, and Jason Johnson won the second race at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio. Johnson was followed to the Grove checkered flag by Fred Rahmer, Stevie Smith, Aaron Ott, and Tony Stewart. ... The Williams Grove race benefited the Kasey Kahne Foundation.
Steve Kinser wins Silver Cup 40 grand - HD Staff - July 15, 2008. Sarver, PA. ...The second BIG race in the Month of Money fell to Steve Kinser Tuesday night at Lernerville Speedway. The 20-time World of Outlaws champion led all 40 laps of the Don Martin Memorial Silver Cup contested on the fast dirt of the 3/8's mile oval located near Pittsburgh. Donny Schatz finished second with Jason Meyers, Joey Saldana, and Kerry Madsen next in line. Kraig Kinser was the 'hard charger' of the night - coming from 22nd starting position to finish ninth. The race was a points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series. (Read more)
2008 Hall of Fame class inducted - HD Staff - May 31, 2008 - Knoxville, IA. ...Saturday was the big day for the Class of 2008 of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame. Inductees this year included Kramer Williamson, Brent Kaeding, Doug Howells, Glenn Fitzcharles, Dick Jordan, Louis "Rusty" Espinoza, Earl Wagner, Bob Hampshire, Johnnie Parsons, Tony Bettenhausen, Gordon Schroeder and John Padjen ...Randy Smith, a six-time Knoxville Raceway track champion won the Friday night Master's Classic.
Barnes owns Dirt Cup - HD Staff - Alger, WA. June 21, 2008. ...Jaime Barnes of Everett, WA. took home top honors at the 2008 Jim Raper Memorial Super Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway Saturday night. The win, worth $25,000, came over Roger Crockett, Tim Kaeding, Travis Rutz, and Brock Lemley. ...Barnes also won the opening night preliminary feature while Jon Allard won Friday's prelim. (Read the Skagit Speedway story)
Sweet! Trophy Cup for the ages to "The Yam" - By Bobby Gerould - October 25, 2008 - After three nights of exciting, HammerDown! racing, Brad Sweet emerged as the high-point man and winner of the 2008 Trophy Cup (A Tribute to Howard Kaeding) at Thunderbowl Raceway Saturday night. Sweet used a late rush in the 50-lap A-Main to gain enough points to narrowly defeat Sammy Swindell for the title. Randy Hannagan won the A-Main that saw five drivers with a shot at the win in the hectic closing laps. In deep traffic, Hannagan took over the race lead from first-time Trophy Cup entrant Mark Dobmeier of Grand Forks, ND. ...Tyler Walker won both the Thursday and Friday night preliminary feature events. ...Walker, Tim Kaeding, and Brent Kaeding all suffered flips in separate incidents on Saturday night. ...The top 15 in the final Trophy Cup points earned points in the Racer's Racing Series. (Read Ron Rodda's account here)
From deep - Perris Oval Nationals to Hockett - HD Staff -November 1, 2008, Perris, CA. - Warsaw Missouri's Jesse Hockett stole the show at Perris Auto Speedway Saturday night in the Oval Nationals. The biggest event of the year at the Southern California half-mile dirt oval came down to the wire with Hockett grabbing the lead from Jerry Coons Jr. on lap 38 of 40. Hockett started 19th on the grid in the McMillen Motorsports #2. Coons wound up second followed by Kevin Swindell, Brad Sweet, and Darren Hagen. Bud Kaeding finished sixth with Chad Boat, Thomas Meseraull, Dave Darland and Mike Spencer rounding out the top-ten.
Short Track Nationals to the "Gangsta from Liberal" - HD Staff - Little Rock, AR. October 25, 2008 - Tony Bruce Jr. of Liberal, KS. took home the top prize at the Short Track Nationals Saturday night at I-30 Speedway. The Racer's Racing Series points earning win paid $15,000 to the 24 year-old. ...Tim Crawley won the Friday night preliminary while Gary Wright won the Thursday show.
Sweet wins Belleville Midget Nationals - By Bobby Gerould - August 2, 2008, Belleville, KS. - Brad Sweet scored his biggest career victory Saturday night at the Belleville High Banks in the Belleville Midget Nationals. Rim riding in Kasey Kahne's #49 MOPAR midget - Sweet ran away with the 40 lap event. "I just wanted it so bad", said Sweet in the winner's circle. The Cool, CA. driver was followed across the line by Bobby East, Brady Bacon, Cole Whitt, and Tracy Hines. (More) ...Wayne Johnson wins Knoxville 360 Nationals - HD Staff - Knoxville, Iowa. ...Mustang Oklahoma's Wayne Johnson won the Knoxville 360 Nationals Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway. Brian Brown finihsed second followed by Billy Alley, Brooke Tatnell and Tyler Walker. (More)
Saldana sweeps Eldora, Dollansky injured. - HD Staff - September 19, 2008. Rossburg, OH. ...Joey Saldana pulled off the first clean sweep of the 2008 World of Outlaws racing season with a spectacular effort at Eldora Speedway Friday night. Driving the Kasey Kahne Racing JEI #9, Saldana set quick-time, won his heat race, won the dash, and the 30-lap feature event. ...The feature included a grinding crash involving Craig Dollansky, Jason Meyers, and Tim Shaffer. Meyers was racing on the low groove when he made contact with Jac Haudenschild causing Meyers' #14 to turn left into the turn one wall. Meyers hit head-on and then flipped back down across the track. Dollansky had nowhere to go and hit Meyers while he was flipping. That contact sent Dollansky flipping. Shaffer also flipped as he tried to avoid the accident. Dollansky was taken to a local hospital with a fracture in his upper right arm. ...Steve Kinser finished second followed by Chad Kemenah, Donny Schatz, and Kraig Kinser. (Read more)
Turkey Night to Santos - HD Staff - November 28, 2008. ...Irwindale, CA. ...Bobby Santos III passed Indy 500 veteran Davey Hamilton on lap 90 of 98 to win the 68th Turkey Night Grand Prix for midgets at Irwindale Speedway Thursday night. Driving the Western Speed #45, Santos led the final eight laps and beat Hamilton, Darren Hagen, Ryan Kaplan, and Jason Leffler to the checkered flag. ...Cole Whitt finished eleventh and wrestled the USAC National Midget points championship from Tracy Hines by one point! ...59 midgets attempted to qualify. ...Hines won the sprint car feature event Thursday night.
Knoxville Nationals Wednesday prelim to Wayne Johnson- By Bobby Gerould - August 6, 2008. ...Wayne Johnson scored a huge $12,000 victory in the opening night of the Knoxville Nationals. Johnson benefitted from several teams not transferring through their heat race - which put Johnson - the 22nd fastest in time-trials - on the pole for the quick 20 lap preliminary feature. He was challenged on lap 12 by eventual runner-up Danny Lasoski but then Johnson pulled away for the win. Steve Kinser finished third followed by Jac Haudenschild, and Daryn Pittman. Sixth through tenth were Justin Henderson, Shane Stewart, Donny Schatz (transfer from the B-Main), Paul McMahan, and Jason Solwold.
Cameron Dodson critically injured in auto accident - HD Staff - November 23, 2008 - Last Tuesday, 20 year-old Cameron Dodson was critically injured in a single car crash on a highway in Indiana. According to his web-site, CameronDodson.com, he is "showing signs of progress." ... The young charger from Greenfield, IN. was a winner this season at Iowa Speedway in the 100 mile USAC Silver Crown event. Last November - he won in the same division at Phoenix International Raceway. ... For more on Dodson please read this well written piece by Casey Temple.
Springfield to Tyler. Shuman Classic is Ballou's - HD Staff - August 17, 2008 - The two Racer's Racing Series points earning events this weekend were taken by Brian Tyler and Robert Ballou respectively. Tyler won the Tony Bettenhausen 100 at the Springfield Mile in Illinois Saturday while Ballou notched the $10,000 top prize in the Ron Shuman Classic at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, KS.
Brady Short wins Haubstadt ten grand - HD Staff - Haubstadt, IN. ...Brady Short won the MSCS sanctioned $10,000 to-win Hooiser Sprint nationals at Tri-State Speedway Saturday night. Kyle Cummins was second with Robert Ballou third.
Fire forces temporary closure of John Padjen Motorsports business office - By Bill Sullivan - Roseville, CA. February 17, 2008 - An early morning structure fire destroyed the offices of John Padjen Motorsports and the home of John Padjen Motorsports Saturday. Nobody was injured in the fire, however, the majority of the contents of both the home and the office were destroyed. Due to the circumstances, the office will remain closed until late Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week when the business will reopen at a nearby commercial location and all communications including internet, email, phone and fax lines are restored at that time. In the wake of this situation, John and Robbie Padjen want to let everyone know they are ok. They sincerely appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers coming from their friends, vendors and members of the auto racing community. If you have any inquiries or business matters regarding the upcoming racing season they ask to please be patient for the next two days until they are back in business and the office phone number of (916) 969-7484 is restored.
Schatz snares Grove Summer Nats 25 grand - HD Staff - July 19, 2008. ...Donny Schatz won the $25,000 top prize Saturday night at in the Williams Grove Summer Nationals sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. The race was a points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series. Craig Dollansky finished second to Schatz. Third through fifth went to Jason Meyers, Fred Rahmer, and Joey Saldana.
Vegas USAC CRA mains to Blake Miller and Levi Jones - HD Staff - Las Vegas, NV. - February 29, 2008. ...The non-wing sprint cars of the USAC-CRA series raced two nights at Las vegas Motor Speedway Thursday and Friday with Blake Miller and Levi Jones winning the respective night's main events. The half-mile dirt oval welcomed 23 sprint cars Friday night with Jones being followed at the checkered flag by Jesse Hockett, Cory Kruseman, Danny Sheridan, and Miller. (Friday summary)
Weekend winners share spotlight - HD Staff - March 24, 2008 - ...Louisiana's Jason Johnson, and California's Mike Henry were among the biggest winners this past weekend. Johnson won the ASCS National Tour event headliner in Oklahoma City, OK Saturday night while Henry scored a victory in the Golden State Challenge at Placerville Speedway Saturday night. (P-Ville summary is here) ...Sean Becker was the Saturday night 360 Silver Cup feature winner in Chico, following Shane Stewart's Friday night triumph. ...Danny Lasoski won the Friday ASCS show. ...Craig Dollansky invaded Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA Friday night; winning the main event with Joey Saldana running second. (Read Jerry Reigle's Grove story here) ...In USAC Western Midget action at Bakersfield Speedway Saturday night, Brad Kuhn was the winner followed by Garrett Hansen, and Jason Meyers.
16 year old Shane Golobic wins Golden State run at Watsonville - By Gary Thomas, Watsonville, CA – April 12, 2008. …16 year-old Shane Golobic put together an impressive night Saturday at the Ocean Speedway and capped it all off with a dominating drive to lead all 30 laps and pick up his first career Golden State Challenge Series main event win. The youngster nearly recorded a clean sweep aboard the Brian Sperry wrenched, Joe Von Schriltz owned No. 121. Golobic was the class of the field all night long as he set fast time, won the dash and proceeded to easily win the 30 lap A-main event. “This is just awesome and it really hasn’t sunk in yet,” the 16 year-old said in the pits following the races. Golobic credited crew chief Sperry for giving him a great car all night long as well as former GSC champ Tim Green for coaching him during the night. Golobic became the third first time winner during the first seven races of the '08 season. Allard held onto the second position the whole way to score his best finish of the early GSC season aboard the Williams Motorsports No. 0 and defending GSC champ Brent Kaeding of Campbell finished third to score his third straight podium. Scotts Valley’s Evan Suggs brought home a fourth place finish for the second straight week in a row in the GLR Investments No. 33e with Campbell’s Bud Kaeding rounding out the top five aboard the Alviso Rock No. 29. (Summary)
Catching up with Karl Kinser - Concord, NC— April 15, 2008--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director. ...As part of the 30th Anniversary of the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series celebration, a number of different individual involved in the inaugural season of 1978 will be highlighted over the course of the 2008 campaign in a series entitled “Catching up with.” Drivers, car owners, promoters and crew members who were instrumental in helping the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series become what it is today will also stop by a number of races and tracks throughout the season, to visit with fans and share their memories of the 1978 season, as they traveled from coast-to-coast with the newly formed series. This week, Hall of Fame car owner and crew chief Karl Kinser will be featured. The native of Oolitic, Indiana won the first Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship in 1978, with Steve Kinser behind the wheel. The pair would go on to win a total of 14 series championships, along with hundreds of races. Karl Kinser also picked up two more titles with his son Mark Kinser behind the wheel in 1996 and 1999. During his career, Karl Kinser was victorious as a car owner/crew chief in the Knoxville Nationals, a record 12 times. He also was victorious as a car owner/chief chief in the Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway, the Gold Cup Race of Champions in California, the Williams Grove National Open and even the Little 500 at Anderson Speedway in Indiana among others. He was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville, Iowa in 1994. To view the entire “Catching up with Karl Kinser” feature which contains an interview, as well as a number of photos from his career, visit: http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint/history.aspx and click on the picture of Kinser.
Hines and Shepard are weekend's big winners - By Bobby Gerould - Rocklin, CA. May 12, 2008. ...Tracy Hines and Jeff Shepard scored the biggest wins in weekend sprint car racing. Hines won the Don Branson-Jud Larson Classic at Eldora Speedway run under the USAC sanction. The Saturday night non-wing show on the high banked half-mile included a top-five of Hines, 18 year-old Brady Bacon, Shane Cottle, Brady Short, and Jesse Hockett. ...Jeff Shepard won the Bob Weikert Memorial race sanctioned by the All-Stars at Port Royal, PA. Shepard headed a top-five of Lance Dewease, Greg Hodnett, Todd Shaffer, and Keith Kauffman.
Tanner Swanson wins USAC National Sprint Car event at Anderson - HD Staff - Anderson, IN. May 21, 2008. ...Kingsburg, CA driver Tanner Swanson upset the USAC National Sprint Car drivers with a win in the 100-lap Glen Niebel Classic Wednesday night at Anderson Speedway. The 17 year-old gained the lead on lap 52 and never looked back. Brad Sweet of Cool, CA finished second followed by Bobby Santos III, Cole Whitt (Alpine, CA.), and Chris Windom.
Esh opens PA. Speedweek with Gobrecht Memorial win - 18TH ANNUAL CINDY ROWE AUTO GLASS 410 SPRINT PENNSYLVANIA SPEEDWEEK OPENER. 9TH ANNUAL KEVIN GOBRECHT MEMORIAL. Lincoln Speedway. 06/28/08 ...Feature (30 Laps) - 1. 30-Doug Esh ($7,000); 2. 21-Brian Montieth; 3. 51-Fred Rahmer; 4. 25-Chad Layton; 5. 22-Greg Hodnett; 6. 1-Jeff Shepard; 7. 10N-Niki Young; 8. 89-Cody Darrah; 9. 28-Brian Paulus; 10. 71-Brian Leppo; 11. 17E-Cris Eash; 12. 6W-Josh Wells; 13. 59-Jim Siegel; 14. 11C-Cory Haas; 15. 7-Keith Kauffman; 16. 7M-Mark Smith; 17. 38N-Nick Schlauch Jr.; 18. 12-Mike Bittinger; 19. 22Z-Michael Carber; 20. 47J-Jeff Busby; 21. 19-Stevie Smith (DNF); 22. 87-Alan Krimes [alternate] (DNF); 23. 25-Aaron Ott; 24. 4-John Rudisill. DNS-Shawn Weaver. No time. ...Lap Leaders - Doug Esh (1-30).
Schatz has bad luck, Johnson wins Ollie's at Eldora - By Bobby Gerould - July 8, 2008 ...Donny Schatz was chasing a $50,000 bonus Tuesday night at Eldora Speedway. The Ollie's 360 Challenge offers $50,000 to any driver that can win two of the three special races this summer. Schatz won the opening round of the Challenge at Sharon Speedway on June 17th setting up the shot at $50,000. He drew last for his heat race Tuesday night but was leading the heat after just two laps! He started from the pole for the 30 lap feature and was on his way to victory when a mechanical failure forced him to the pits. Jason Johnson inherited the lead and went on to win the $6,000 top prize. (Results)
Coons Jr., and Darrah score big - HD Staff - October 11, 2008 - Jerry Coons Jr. led all 50 laps of the Gold Grown Midget Nationals Saturday night at Tri-City Speedway in Pontoon Beach, IL. The win paid $15,000 to Coons. ...Meanwhile, Cody Darrah won the 2008 Williams Grove National Open that was reduced to a local show that paid $12,000 to-win after being originally scheduled as a $50,000 to-win World of Outlaws show. Rain forced the change.
Weekend winners led by Dale Blaney. Elma to Shane Stewart. Darland, Sweet and Yeley USAC Four Crown stars - HD Staff - September 21, 2008 - The biggest prize of the weekend was snatched by Dale Blaney. $20,000 was the winner's share at Fremont Speedway's Jim Ford Classic Saturday night. Blaney - driving for car-owner George Fisher said, "I'm so happy for George Fisher ....everything this car earns he puts right back into it. That's the only way we can race ...there's not one dog-gone sponsor on this thing. George builds the engines and sets the car up and pays the bills." Stevie Smith ran second to Blaney. The top-five was filled out by Greg Wilson, Tim Shaffer, and Brock Mayes. ...Shane Stewart won the Fred Brownfield Memorial, ASCS Northwest Region, winged sprint car race at Grays Harbor Raceway Park Saturday night. Aboard the Doyle's Harley Davidson #1HD, Stewart won $10.092. Roger Crockett finished second followed by Wayne Johnson, Jason Solwold, and Travis Rutz. ...Finally, at Eldora Speedway - the annual Four-Crown Nationals winners were: Dave Darland (Silver Crown), Brad Sweet (Sprint Cars), and J.J. Yeley (Midgets).
USAC National Midgets at P.I.R. to East - HD Staff - Avondale, AZ. November 6, 2008 ...Bobby East won the midget portion of the Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway Thursday night. 45 cars were on hand to tackle the ultra fast one-mile paved oval. East was followed to the checkered flag by Brad Kuhn, Cole Carter, Kasey Kahne, and Jason Leffler. Chuck Gurney Jr was sixth with Darren Hagen, Cole Whitt, Billy Wease, and Shane Hmiel next in line.
Western World to Kevin Swindell - HD Staff - November 8, 2008 - Phoenix, AZ. - Kevin Swindell drove the Tom Rolfe #10 to victory in the Western World Championships Saturday night at Manzanita Speedway. Kevin's father Sammy won the 1980 Western World title at the famous half-mile. Jerry Coons Jr. finished second and wrapped up the 2008 USAC National Sprint Car championship. Levi Jones was third with Dave Darland, and Jeremy Sherman next in line.
National Open rained out but re-scheduled as a local event - HD Staff - Mechanicsburg, PA. - September 30, 2008. - Persistent rain left officials no choice but to call off the Morgan Hughes National Open at Williams Grove Speedway over the weekend. The race has been re-scheduled for October 11, 2008 as a local event that will pay $12,000 rather than $50,000. The race will not be sanctioned by the World of Outlaws. "Once again we felt the tradition of the race had to continue," said Williams Grove Speedway, General Manager - Justin Loh. "And this event will also provide a nice payoff for our weekly racers and anyone else who may come to challenge them." ...The event will be a points earning race in the Racer's Racing Series.
Advance Auto Parts Budget Reduction Affects World of Outlaws - CONCORD, N.C. — Nov. 7, 2008 — World Racing Group officials announced today that Advance Auto Parts will not return as title sponsor of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series for the 2009 season. Advance has reduced advertising and marketing budgets for 2009 and realigned its business priorities. Advance Auto Parts exercised an opt-out provision in the three-year agreement. “It is an unfortunate decision for the Series, our Promoters, Competitors and all of the Team Members at Advance who worked so hard to make the partnership the success that it was. The budget cuts came as a surprise to us and are impacting other sports properties as well, but we remain confident in the value of our Series and the sponsorship experience that we delivered,” said World Racing Group CMO Ben Geisler. “I would also like to thank our fiercely loyal fans who so warmly welcomed Advance to our sport by visiting their stores, participating in promotions and sending them messages of support.”The marketing team at World Racing Group is in conversations with several companies about replacing Advance as Title Sponsor of the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series and hope to make an announcement before the end of the year. World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter commented, “Advance was an important partner, but just one of our partners. The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series will continue to be ‘The Greatest Show On Dirt’ and this announcement will not affect our 2009 plans with respect to the series.” The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series season will kick off the 2009 season at Volusia Speedway Park as the headliner for the first week of the Alltel DIRTcar Nationals by UNOH with single-day shows on February 6th, 7th and 8th. Visit www.volusiaspeedwaypark.com for ticket information.
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