Joey Saldana

Dixie a Delight to Saldana: Earns Third Consecutive Victory - Woodstock, GA—March 31, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director. ... Joey Saldana roared to his third consecutive World of Outlaws victory on Saturday night at Dixie Speedway, before a capacity crowd. In the six events contested during March, Saldana won three, and finished in the top-four in the other three, including two runner-up performances. He has eight Top-Five finishes in the first 11 events of the season, driving for NASCAR star Kasey Kahne.Saldana lined up in the fourth spot for the 30-lap A-Feature on Saturday night aboard the Open Joist Mopar-powered JEI, and was up to third on the opening circuit. He then worked his way around Tim Shaffer on the eighth lap, and set his sights on leader Craig Dollansky. Dollansky started on the outside of the front row and quickly took the lead from Shaffer as the pair exited the fourth turn on the opening lap. He began to encounter lapped traffic on the eighth lap and this allowed Saldana to close in. After shadowing Dollansky for six laps, Saldana used the high side of the track to his advantage, as he made a strong move coming off the fourth turn to take the lead and ultimately the win. “The car was definitely a pleasure to drive tonight,” said Saldana, who has a total of four A-Feature wins on the season. “(Crew Chief) Ricky Warner has brought so much to this team. Tonight was a night where it showed how much Ricky does on a race car. We just weren’t real good when we got here, and we just kept working on the car and got better and better. In the feature, that thing was unbelievable. I could go to the top, or to the middle with those guys, or even to the bottom. When it got time to go racing, this thing just rolled around them. I’m real proud of my team.” (Read it all)

Saldana Wins Thriller at Volunteer. Bulls Gap, TN—March 24, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director - The fans at Volunteer Speedway had been waiting a long time for a World of Outlaws event. They received one on Saturday night, and it was one of the best races in the history of the track, as Joey Saldana picked up his second straight win and third of the season, in a thrilling battle with Tim Shaffer and Donny Schatz. Saldana, inched out Tim Shaffer at the finish line, as the pair exchanged slide jobs over the last several circuits of the 35-lap A-Feature. With the pair battling back and forth, the capacity crowd was on their feet as the veteran drivers each sought the top spot, with Schatz just inches behind.Saldana took the white flag in the lead with Shaffer closely shadowing him. Saldana was committed to the top side of the track, while Shaffer made up plenty of ground on the bottom. Coming off the third and fourth turns, Shaffer inched ahead of Saldana, but with the momentum he had coming off the 32 degree banking in turn four, Saldana was able to win by 0.199 seconds and take home the $10,000 payday. (Read it all )

Saldana gets a Pike County 'chicken dinner' - HD Staff - March 17, 2007 - Magnolia, MS. - Joey Saldana captured $10,000 with a 35-lap feature win Saturday night at Pike County Speedway. The World of Outlaws sanctioned victory was the second of the young 2007 season for Saldana in Kasey Kahne's Open Joist #9. Saldana also set quick time and won the dash. Donny Schatz finished second followed by Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, and Jason Meyers.

Saldana wins Kings Royal $50,000 for second time - takes RRS points lead - WoO press - Rossburg, OH. July 15, 2006 ...Joey Saldana was in a class all by himself on Saturday night, a royal class, as he picked up his second Kings Royal by Crown Royal title at Eldora Speedway. Saldana driving the Mopar-powered Dodge/Curb Records JEI slid around Danny Lasoski in the Roth Motorsports Eagle on the 20th lap, and withstood a couple of late cautions to pick up his sixth WoO win of the year. Saldana started the feature in the third spot and worked his way into the runner-up on the eighth lap. He then set his sights on the leader and used traffic to his advantage to close the gap. Donny Schatz used a late pass of Lasoski to come home second in the ParkerStore J&J, with Lasoski just behind him. Kevin Swindell in the York Excavating Eagle, started 23rd and charged all the way to fourth at the end of 40 laps, with Chad Kemenah in the RacinSoles.com/Underground Utilities Inc. Eagle rounding out the top-five. Craig Dollansky who won the Knight Before the Kings Royal on Friday night was sixth in the Karavan Trailers Maxim. Terry McCarl was seventh in the Big Game Treestands Eagle. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Premier Pallet J&J worked his way from the 20th starting spot to finish in eighth. Stevie Smith was ninth in the Race Against the Abuse of Children Everywhere J&J. Paul McMahan in the Bass Pro Shops Eagle rounded out the top ten.

Saldana Slides to Win at Dodge City in Boot Hill Showdown - Dodge City, KS—July 1, 2006-by: Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director ...Just as many of the Outlaws use to roll into Dodge City with a score to settle, so did Joey Saldana on Saturday night in the Boot Hill Showdown at Dodge City Raceway Park. After a spirited charge from the back of the field to finish seventh on Friday night, after some early trouble, Saldana knew he would be fast as the series moseyed into the Old West for their final race of the season in the state of Kansas. Saldana lined up fourth in the 30-lap A-Feature and gained two spots quickly before setting his sights on leader Brooke Tatnell. Saldana chose his line well and patiently followed Tatnell measuring his every move. After encountering lapped traffic just before the halfway point of the race, Saldana was able to close the gap on the Aussie. Saldana driving the Dodge/Mopar-powered/Curb Records JEI owned by NASCAR superstar Kasey Kahne, made the pass for the win on the high side of the track on the 12th lap. At the beginning of the lap, Saldana was about eight car lengths behind Tatnell, but once in traffic, he closed that gap in an instant and used a couple of lapped cars to his full advantage. The Brownsburg, Ind. native now has racked up four wins on the year, and has 19 in his World of Outlaws career. “We needed it after last night,” Saldana said. “We had a very disappointing race at Wichita. We had a really good car and we ended up seventh. We got caught up there at the start and went off the track. I could not keep my car going. We definitely rebounded with a good run. My guys worked real hard. We put the car where it should be and hopefully we can keep this up.” (Read it all)

Saldana wins Knoxville WoO - Knoxville, IA—June 23, 2006-by: Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director ...Joey Saldana nearly won a preliminary feature last week at Red River Valley Speedway, and that race was still fresh in his mind on Friday night. The Brownsburg, Ind native, was determined to show that he was the man to beat on the opening night of The Mediacom World of Outlaws Shoot-Out Presented by Sonic, America’s Drive-In, at Knoxville Raceway. . Saldana powered around early race leader Billy Alley on the tenth lap on Friday night and held off a charging Donny Schatz to pick up his first preliminary feature win of the season. (Read it all)

Joey Saldana Takes World of Outlaws Thriller at Volusia Speedway Park - Barberville, FL — Feb. 10, 2006 — By Chris Dolack, VP Public Relations ...Joey Saldana charged off of Turn 4 on the final lap to catch leader Jac Haudenschild and win a drag race to the checkered flag by 0.10 seconds Friday night during the 35th Annual Winternationals in front of packed grandstands at Volusia Speedway Park. Haudenschild, Saldana and Fred Rahmer waged a race-long three-car battle before Saldana, the World of Outlaws top rookie in 1996, powered past Rahmer in traffic and began to close on Haudenschild. Haudenschild and Saldana ran through the low groove before Saldana shifted up the half-mile oval in his Dodge/Curb Records JEI and caught Haudenschild’s Wright One Construction Maxim in the final corner. Rahmer held on to finish third in the Miller Bros. Chevrolet J&J followed by Daryn Pittman in the Titan Garages & Carports Maxim and Terry McCarl in the Big Game Treestands Eagle, who raced into the top five after starting in the middle of the field. (Read it all)

Joey Saldana injury update - June 20, 2005 - 10:40 AM - Pacific - By Bobby Gerould - World of Outlaws driver Joey Saldana of Pittsboro, IN is resting at home after a heat race crash Friday night at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, NE. According to Joey's wife, Shannon, the tire of another car somehow got into the cockpit of Joey's Volcano Joe's Coffee #2 winged sprint car. The contact cracked Joey's helmet and left him with a concussion and badly bruised right side; from his ear, to cheek, to neck, shoulder, and right arm. A CT-Scan at the hospital following the race Friday revealed no broken bones. He is scheduled to see a specialist doctor on Wednesday, and as of today he is not planning on racing at State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, MO. Wednesday night. The Knoxville Raceway track record holder, and 2002 winner of the Kings Royal is still battling the nausea and dizziness that accompany a serious concussion. Shannon Saldana said, "We would like to thank everyone for their concern, and prayers and we are sorry we haven't been able to reach everyone who called to check on Joey. Right now we are trying to get Joey healthy. He is really swollen and cannot even put his helmet on. His inner ear is black and blue, and his equilibrium is off but he seemed more like himself yesterday. Hopefully, time will heal his injuries." ...We will have a further update Wednesday evening after Joey's doctor appointment.

Injury update - June 20, 2005 - By Bobby Gerould - My wife Kim spoke with Jan McMahan, a close friend of Joey. Jan said Joey rode home with his race team after suffering a concussion, and badly bruised face in a Friday night crash at Eagle Raceway in Nebraska. Saldana did not race Saturday night, and it is not yet known whether he run run Wednesday when the World of Outlaws return to the racetrack.

Joey Saldana Announces Western Plans - Brownsburg, IN. 02/16/04 …Joey Saldana is focused on competing at the highest level of sprint car racing in his 17th season behind the wheel of an 800 horsepower machine. Despite the temporary hiatus of his own racing team to, "gauge the climate in major sprint car racing once the 2004 season gets rolling", Saldana has held his foot to the throttle in Red Stauffer's #2s. Dirt track open-wheel action in Florida is a February tradition, and Saldana made the most of his Southern stay winning five of the eleven features he strapped-in for during 'Speedweeks'. Prior to that, the Brownsburg, Indiana professional racer spent December and January 'down-under' in Australia, keeping his driving skills precise. Aided by the off-season that wasn't an off-season, Saldana has come 'out of the box' hot in the States in Stauffer's "local" Florida sprinter. (more)

...It will be announced soon that Joey Saldana will drive for Brian Sperry, and Rick Fowzer at the World of Outlaws West Coast races. A #17 Maxim/Stanton MOPAR is being quickly assembled by Sperry to enable one of the USA's hottest drivers a chance to stay sharp by racing with the best at Manzanita, Las Vagas, Hanford, and Perris. Chuck Gurney Jr. will crew on the car, trying to pick up tips from Saldana, the 2002 Kings Royal winner who finished third in the WoO points last year. The junior Gurney will drive for Sperry & Fowzer during the bulk of the racing season.

Red Hot Joey Saldana Wins 410 Winter Nationals Opener at East Bay - HD Staff - Tampa, FL. - Since returning from Australia, Joey Saldana has tallied five wins in nine races, after claiming night number one of the 28th Annual East Bay Winter Nationals at East Bay Raceway Park Wednesday night. Driving the Red Stauffer #2s, Saldana took the lead from Greg Wilson on lap 12 en route to the win. Jim Nier was runner-up, with Terry McCarl, Wilson, and Danny Smith next to the checkered. The top ten was completed by Lance Dewease, Fred Rahmer, Shane Stewart, Sammy Swindell, and Jeff Shepard. 35 cars timed in.

Saldana Open Volusia USCS Thaw - Tony Stewart Competes - Barberville, FL. 02/03/04 - Joey Saldana won Tuesday night's 20 lap United Sprint Car Series (www.uscsracing.com) season opener on night one of the two night USCS "Thunder Thaw" 2004 at Dick Murphy's Volusia Speedway Park. Saldana from Brownsburg, Indiana, who races regularly with the World of Outlaws used a determined driving style to race from his sixth starting position into the lead on lap 8 past early race leader, Greg Wilson from Benton Ridge, Ohio who started outside the front row. (more)

Saldana Opens King of 360's with Win - By Jean Lynch - Tampa, FL. 1/28/04…..”Thanks to Gary Wright, I had a good start…. and track position was everything tonight,” Joey Saldana told on-track announcer Roby Helm after leading all 25 laps worth $1,500 in the 6th Annual King of 360’s preliminary opener Wednesday night at a chilly East Bay Raceway Park. (read it all)

...Joey Saldana won the Thursday night prelim, his first victory at Chico. Joey said it was just a matter of starting on the pole and not screwing up but the truth is, he drove smartly in the dash, and then showed his experience and poise in withstanding seven restarts to win the 30-lapper. ...You have any idea how many races Joey would have won if he wasn't racing against Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski every night? I'd be nervous if I were an All-Star driver. Now that Joey and Shannon have young Reece in their life, it wouldn't surprise us if Joe raced closer to home next season. Unless he gets sponsor money to continue on the mentally grueling World of Outlaws tour, Saldana might go back to racing All-Star events. The 31 year-old from Brownsburg, IN. has 61 career All-Star checkered flags to his credit. That ranks him #2 behind only Kenny Jacobs (96). Saldana, the 2002 Kings Royal winner, is third in the World of Outlaws driver standings as the tour closes the season with a wild stretch that will see them go from West to South to East to South. The deal includes a New Jersey to Texas trip so that they boys can race on IRL weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. It's hard to argue with that kind of exposure. The IRL events at TMS are always great, and they are gaining steam in terms of race fan volume. Keeping sprint cars in the spotlight comes with sacrifice. What doesn't in life?

Joey Saldana Opens 50th Gold Cup with First Chico Win - By Bobby Gerould - 09/04/03 - Chico, CA. ...Brownsburg Indiana's Joey Saldana led all 30 laps of Thursday night's O'Reilly World of Outlaws preliminary feature that started the three-day, 50th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions. After a convincing win in the first dash, polesitter Saldana outgunned Tim Shaffer into turn one at the green flag, and then fought off a late charge by Shaffer to gain the win. Saldana's first career win at Silver Dollar Speedway came in his own #17 Maxim/Kistler wrenched by Davey Woodworth, and Jaime Coates. (More)

Joey Saldana Dominates Lebanon Valley Feature By Richard Day WEST LEBANON, NY (May 27) – Joey Saldana lost his track record, but won the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series "A" Feature Tuesday at Lebanon Valley Speedway. Points leader Danny Lasoski opened the series’ 24th event of the year by slicing .167 seconds off the single-lap record Saldana set at the high-banked, ½-mile oval two years ago with a 109.870-M.P.H. lap. Saldana won the Second Dash Race and led all 25 laps to claim his second main event victory of the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series 25th Anniversary Season, however. "At Charlotte (The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway) last weekend, we had the same situation happen," Saldana explained. "We timed sixth and the inversion put us up front for the dash, but we couldn’t win it. Tonight, I knew if I could win the dash and win the drag race out of turn four at the start, I’d have a pretty good chance. "I didn’t like seeing those yellows, especially at the end. Sprint cars like a track with a little bit of moisture in it, and with all the rain you’ve had up here I’m surprised we were able to race at all. We’ll take the win here and head to Rolling Wheels to try to do it again tomorrow." (read the whole deal)

Saldana Ends Frustration at Powercom Park By Richard Day BEAVER DAM, WI (April 22) – Until Tuesday at The Raceway at Powercom Park, Joey Saldana was frustrated with the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series’ 25th Anniversary Season. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year followed the advice of Lee Osborne, who won four "A" Features between 1980 and 1982, and drove the #17 Eagle Raceway MCI into victory lane for the first time this season. "This feels awesome!" Saldana yelled to the capacity crowd. "I thought we had a race won in Magnolia (MS, Pike County Speedway), but the engine broke under caution. This year has been nothing but frustration so far. Maybe this is a sign that we’ve finally figured something out with this weight deal. We’ve seemed to struggle trying to get the car right. I called Lee Osborne this week, and he helped us out a lot with the car. I have to thank Lee and (crew chief) Davey Whitworth for listening to Lee. Eagle Raceway, HemSaw and Joe Saldana – that’s Saldana Motorsports, and that’s what keeps us out here." (read it all)

Best of 2002: Joey Saldana's rim riding Kings Royal win. - Regardless of how your car is working, it takes 'sack' to run the fence at Eldora. Joey sacked up to win the $50,000 from Earl Baltes with a drive around the top of the track that no doubt allowed him to win the race.

Saldana Claims his 61st All-Star Win - Volusia Speedway Park - Thu. 2/6/03 By Scott Hall BARBERVILLE, FL - Starting from the front row, it was all Joey Saldana Thursday night at Volusia Speedway Park in the Haulmark All Star sprint car 20 lap season opening feature. Fresh off several feature wins in Australia over the winter, the Brownsburg, Indiana driver continued his hot streak stateside aboard Red Stauffer's Shaw Chassis utilizing a Don Ott Engine. The win for Saldana, second on the All Star all time feature win list, was number 61 of his career. (read it all)

Skagit to Saldana - HD Staff - Alger, WA. 08/23/02 - Joey Saldana told the Skagit fans, “I’m a very fortunate man tonight. Jason (Meyers) had a great car, Haud had a great car, and Daryn (Pitman) had a great car, but he had to pass me. I’ve never been here before, and I was just hoping for a good run, maybe a top ten, and get down the road to Yakima. I don’t know what it is about Washington—maybe the fans he but we’ve run pretty good here the last couple of years. I did some things that maybe I shouldn’t have, but you’re racing re,for a World of Outlaws win, and if the tables were turned, I’m sure Daryn would have done the same thing and tried to make his car as wide as possible.” Saldana held off Pittman in a thriller that saw early leader Jason Meyers and mid-race leader, Jac Haudenschild encounter problems. On lap 16, Meyers got into the wall entering turn 1, flattening the right front tire. Meyers’s limped around to the frontstretch, where he stopped, bringing out the caution flag with 16 laps complete. That gave Jac Haudenschild the lead. But on lap 23 P.J. Chesson spun in turn four, collecting Danny Lasoski. Haudenschild hit the turn 4 wall and flipped while trying to avoid the spinning Chesson and Lasoski, bringing out the red flag. Joey Saldana inherited the lead for the restart. (summary)

Saldana is Red Hot, Wins All-Stars at Eldora - 8/1/02 By Scott Hall ROSSBURG, OH - After winning the King's Royal a couple of weeks ago, Joey Saldana returned to Eldora Speedway's victory lane Thursday night in the All Star sprint 30-lap feature. Saldana's ride for the win, his first All Star victory of the season, was a Maxim Chassis with a Charlie Fisher powerplant which is owned by Fisher. The $5,000 to win event kicked off Eldora's Historical Big One weekend and came over Paul McMahan and Kenny Jacobs. Young Blake Feese, winner of the All Star opener here in April, actually passed Saldana's No. 48 for the lead on lap 18, but spun his car a lap later to hand the lead back to Saldana. (more)

Saldana Dominates Sharon Speedway Event - By Richard Day HARTFORD, OH (July 31) – Joey Saldana collided with Danny Wood at the beginning of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series’ inaugural main event at Sharon Speedway two months ago and eventually finished behind Wood and winner Danny Lasoski. (read the whole deal)

Good Times for King Joey - By Richard Day ROSSBURG, OH (July 20) – Joey Saldana drove the race of his life Saturday at Eldora Speedway to win the event he dreamed of winning for six years. “This is really unbelievable,” Saldana said after claiming the $50,000 first prize at the 19th Annual Kings Royal. “I was running the Mopar car here the year my friend, Johnny Herrera, won this race, and I thought, ‘man, it would really be something if I could get one of those some day.’ Tonight, we were able to get it done.” (read the whole deal)

Saldana Wins Duel with Dollansky By Richard Day JOLIET, IL (July 12) - With two victories in the last four Preliminary Features, Joey Saldana has been one of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' hottest drivers. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year won Friday's readyhosting.com event before a standing-room-only crowd at Route 66 Raceway, exchanging the lead with Craig Dollansky three times in the first 20 laps and holding off series points leader Steve Kinser. The $10,000 victory was Saldana's second in an "A" Feature this season. (read the whole thang)

Saldana Dominates NAPA Classic Preliminary By Richard Day KNOXVILLE, IA (June 28) - Joey Saldana hasn't won many Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series races, but he has always been one of its fastest drivers. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year won every race he entered when the series opened the NAPA Classic at Knoxville Raceway Friday, however, finishing first in the First Heat Race, the First O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash and the 25-lap Preliminary Feature. "We've been really fast lately, but I've just been screwing up and making mistakes," Saldana said. "Toward the end there, I was behind Dennis Moore, Jr., and I moved down the race track and found a little bit of rubber there so I figured I'd be OK if I just stayed there. I'm just glad we won tonight. I'm not even thinking about tomorrow right now. "These guys are the best in the business. Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Stevie Smith - all of them - are just so good night-in and night-out. Steve's won about 300 (actually 457) more races than I have, so we're just trying to stay out here racing and trying to get some experience." (read the whole deal)

Devils Bowl Final is Saldana's - HD Staff - Mesquite, TX. 03/16/02 ...Joey Saldana was the bread winner at Devils Bowl Speedway Saturday Night. The Brownsburg Indiana hotshoe drove his own #17 to victory on the final night of World of Outlaws competition in the 2002 Spring Nationals. The top five included Craig Dollansky, Mark Kinser, Danny Lasoski, and Johnny Herrera. (summary)

SALDANA BUILDS FAMILY TEAM TO SUCCEED WITH OUTLAWS - It seems to be the wave of the future for the successful teams in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws. The idea is that the driver has something to do with the ownership of the team. Current WoO stars Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Stevie Smith, and Andy Hillenburg all own their race teams while Mark Kinser and Dale Blaney drive for family members. A few years ago Joey Saldana decided the World of Outlaws was a goal of his and this year, he has team up with his father to chase the WoO tour with a family team. "You look at Stevie Smith and Craig Dollansky," said Saldana, the 1996 WoO Rookie-of-the-Year. "They went out and started their own teams and it helped both of them land sponsorships. We're just trying to do the same thing. Right now, the World of Outlaws offers drivers a chance to make a pretty good living and hopefully, we can stick around here for a while."

Saldana grew up in the racing community while his father, Joe, raced sprint cars through the Midwest before a career in Indy cars. Joey wasn't influenced by the early days of dirt racing but it was the afternoons on pavement that inspired the Brownsburg, IN native to jump in the driver's seat. "When I was old to enough to know what was going on, my father was racing Indy cars and that's really what I wanted to do," explained Saldana. "I had raced a sprint car on dirt for a little while, and in 1993, I competed in five races on pavement just trying to get my foot in the door, but with the cost involved we couldn't justify going that direction. As a family we didn't have the finances to follow a similar pattern that Jeff Gordon did, so I stuck with winged sprint cars and the next year I got my first full-time ride." Saldana began his career racing the bull-rings of Indiana like Bloomington Speedway.

The family owned #88 team would often venture to Ohio and Illinois so that Joey could learn the tricks of the trade on bigger tracks. In 1994, Saldana was offered a full-time ride with Tim Hughes to drive his #94 on the All-Star tour. He spent most of the season in the #94, but finished that season with Warren Johnson's U2. The first season on the road taught Saldana a lot, and in 1995, he joined Art Wendt's team and took the #77 to 18 All-Star wins. He also beat the World of Outlaws at I-96 Speedway for his first career WoO victory, and let everyone know that he was for real. "1995 was special season for me," said Saldana. "We proved to a lot of people that we were a legitimate threat. That season gave me the confidence to go on the road with Outlaws in 1996." In 1996, Joey Saldana complete an entire season with the Outlaws beginning the season with Dennis Roth's #83 Beefpackers Team and finishing the season in Gary Stanton's #75 Mopar. Saldana defeated Lance Blevins in the WoO Rookie-of-the-Year chase and a runner-up finish to Mark Kinser in the Historical Big One highlighted the season. The 1997 season got off to a terrible start as Saldana destroyed two cars in two nights in Phoenix and left Stanton's team and the Outlaws.

He drove for Steve Mox for the rest of 1997 season and for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Saldana won a number of All-Star races during the last three years and also won a WoO preliminary feature at Eldora. His goal was to get back with the Outlaws and following the 1999 season his father helped make that possible. "This has been something we've been talking about for a while," said Saldana, on forming Saldana Motorsports. " My dad has always tried to back my racing career, but he seemed to be a little harder on me when I was driving for other people. I think he felt like I was putting in the effort so we decided to build a team. This is such a demanding sport. Usually you have to start with an existing team with existing knowledge, but so far we've just put are heads together worked through the bumps." The Saldana #17 Team ranks eighth overall in the WoO Standings with six Top-five finishes and 11 Top-Tens.

Saldana came close to winning his first race of the season at I-80 in May, but a tire A lot of teams would feel good about the start that the HE&M Saw sponsored team has had, but not Saldana. "I don't think we've had a great season," claimed Saldana. "Success is winning and we've been consistently up front. To be successful you have to run up front every night and with the Outlaws that's almost 100 nights. These guys are the best in the business and to come out here with a new team and new sponsors is a tall task. If we can stay around where we are in the points right now and maybe win a race or two, then I think we'll consider this season a successful one." The team has continued to show improvement and with the season's biggest races just ahead Saldana knows they are on the right track. In the back of his mind, he'd also like to show his appreciation to his father by winning a big race.

His father Joe, claimed sprint car racing's crown jewel in 1970, the Amoco Knoxville Nationals, and Joey would like nothing more than to be the first father/son duo to win the Nationals at Knoxville. "It would be a great honor to follow in my father's footsteps and win the Amoco Knoxville Nationals," said Saldana. "I don't think it's ever happened before and it'll probably be a while before Kraig Kinser (son of 11-time Champion Steve Kinser) is ready to do it. I think we've got a shot at it, but I think our team would be thrilled with a Top-Five finish. That's the biggest race of the season and to finish that well would really give us confidence in what we're doing."