Outlaws Set For Lone Appearance In Oregon At Willamette
Story By: ANTHONY CORINI / WORLD OF OUTLAWS – CONCORD, NC – The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series will make their only stop in the Beaver State on Wednesday, Sept. 6 at the Willamette Speedway in Lebanon, OR. The mid-week show will mark the fifth time “The Greatest Show on Dirt” will race at the 3/10-mile high-banked oval.
Last year, eight-time and defending World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Champion Donny Schatz took the trip down Victory Lane.
Coming off his tenth 5-Hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals victory, Schatz is on a familiar tear, having racked up 17 victories, putting the Tony Stewart Racing No. 15 Arctic Cat car in prime position to grab a ninth championship. Schatz currently sits 94 points ahead of second-place Brad Sweet and 174 points ahead of third-place David Gravel.
Schatz isn’t the only driver having a stellar season, however. Watertown, Connecticut’s David Gravel has raised the bar on his personal record for most wins in a season from nine to 13 and counting.
Kasey Kahne Racing’s Justin Adams recently joined the No. 9 Great Clips team on the road is now calling the shots for Outlaw Daryn Pittman. The Owasso, OK native seems to have found his groove as of late. Pittman picked up his second victory of the season last weekend at BMP Speedway, along with four top-five finishes over the course of the last five races, moving him into fourth place in the championship point standings.
When the 16 full-time World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car drivers Outlaws roll into town, they will be joined by 2016 Grand Annual Sprint Car Classic Champion Australian Jamie Veal, as well as 2017 5-Hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals Rookie of the Year Dominic Scelzi. Additionally, a handful of regional teams are expected to compete with the best in the business as well.
Willamette serves as the mid-point of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Fall West Coast Swing, with the Series heading South to compete in the Golden State for a pair of weekends at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA on Sept. 8 and 9 and the following weekend at Calistoga Speedway on Sept. 15 and 16
World of Outlaws Return to Calistoga Speedway for Wine Country Outlaw Showdown
The World of Outlaws Craftsman® Sprint Car Series will wrap up its Fall West Coast swing at one of the most iconic race tracks in the country, the gorgeous Calistoga Speedway, during the two-day Wine Country Outlaw Showdown on Friday and Saturday, September 15 and 16.
The Series returns to wine country in September this year, after Mother Nature’s unpredictability forced two April events to be cancelled last year.
“Moving the race date back to September allows for more predictable weather patterns and returns a little bit of history to the track and the tour,” said Chris Morgan, event promoter. “With the date change we are planning many new exciting fan attractions surrounding this event. The Outlaws put on The Greatest Show on Dirt, and our hope is to be a great stop for the tour as they close out their western swing for the season.”
Having undergone recent renovations, Calistoga Speedway has expanded its campground, creating a perfect opportunity for fans to camp out and spend the entire weekend in beautiful Napa Valley with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series. Calistoga now offers both dry (no water/electric) and partial (water/electric) camping services. To make your camping reservations, call 707-942-5221.
The Series has a long history at the famous half-mile dirt oval, dating back to 1978 when Rick Ferkel won the inaugural visit to the Speedway. The Outlaws visited Calistoga twice in both 2014 and 2015, with California-native Brad Sweet and teammate Daryn Pittman picking up victories in 2014. Sweet returned to Victory Lane along with eight-time and defending World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Champion Donny Schatz in 2015.
The trip to Calistoga, like many this year, will be the first visit for World of Outlaws rookies Brent Marks and Sheldon Haudenschild.
Marks, a native of Pennsylvania, knows the difficulties of running out West. “The competition and track surfaces make it challenging. The West Coast is certainly its own animal, just like the East Coast is. The adjustment is difficult and will take some time. But as long as we learn and continue to grow each time we visit, it will get easier and easier,” the driver of the BAPS, M&M Painting and Construction No. 19 said.
Marks currently sits twelfth in the driver championship point standings as he tries to win the 2017 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year title.
Tickets for the Wine Country Outlaw Showdown are still available for purchase online or by calling 844-DIRT-TIX.
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