Final 2009 World of Outlaws Championship Standings

Final 2009 World of Outlaws Championship Standings

Position	Driver	Pts.	Difference	Earnings	Wins	Top-5	Top-10
1.	Donny Schatz	8908		$322,900	12	39	54
2.	Jason Meyers	8889	-19	$255,905	9	34	55
3.	Joey Saldana	8838	-70	$367,535	20	37	48
4.	Steve Kinser	8666	-242	$176,700	2	32	49
5.	Jason Sides	8543	-365	$181,780	2	24	47
6	Danny Lasoski	8431	-477	$197,230	5	24	42
7.	Craig Dollansky	8172	-736	$147,800	3	21	41
8.	Kraig Kinser	8075	-834	$102,075	0	10	30
9.	Jac Haudenschild	7889	-1019	$110,225	0	14	31
10.	Lucas Wolfe	7629	-1279	$80,425	0	5	18
11.	Brian Ellenberger	6699	-2209	$46,990	0	1	4
12.	Sam Hafertepe Jr.	5467	-3441	$65,230	0	6	10
13.	Sammy Swindell	4699	-4209	$72,880	0	7	19
14.	Tim Kaeding	4574	-4334	$70,675	1	5	17
15.	Chad Kemenah	4405	-4503	$54,765	1	3	12
16.	Terry McCarl	4030	-4878	$84,750	2	9	22
17.	Daryn Pittman	2967	-5941	$39,000	0	4	11
18.	Randy Hannagan	2912	-5996	$42,885	1	6	8
19.	Kerry Madsen	2877	-6031	$33,150	0	2	8
20.	Tony Bruce Jr.	2558	-6350	$32,160	0	2	8

WORLD OF OUTLAWS ALL STARS

All-Star Group of Drivers Set to Compete with the World of Outlaws in 2010 Beginning with DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park

Concord, NCJanuary 29, 2010Following one of the most competitive seasons in World of Outlaws history, in which 16 drivers won feature events, with 25 leading laps feature racing competition, and just 19 points separating Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers at the top of the standings, with third-place Joey Saldana only 70 markers behind, another stout field of drivers will take to the road for the nine month, nearly 80-race campaign in 2010 beginning in just one week.

The 2010 season kicks off with the 39^th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals By University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park, February 5-7, with a full night of racing on tap each and every night.

All the drivers that finished among the Top-10 in the series championship standings in 2009 will return, along with the reigning Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year.

Of the 17 drivers that are set to compete full-time in 2010, they account for 25 series championships and well over 900 career World of Outlaws A-Feature wins.

Three drivers will contend for the rookie crown this year, with Cody Darrah, Ben Gregg and Toni Lutar all taking to the road for full-time for the first time in their careers.

2010 World of Outlaws Drivers [more]

JEGS 50TH YEARJeg Coughlin Jr wins US Nationals

Jeg Coughlin Jr wins US Nationals from the bump

www.jegs50years.com

 

Only one driver in the 59-year history of NHRA Championship Drag Racing has won a national event at the professional level from every starting position on the ladder, and that driver is four-time Pro Stock champion Jeg Coughlin Jr.

Of course, to pull off the feat, a driver must have won from the 16th and final qualifying slot, one of the toughest tasks in the sport as it signifies that the other 15 racers all ran quicker elapsed times leading into the elimination rounds.

But in perhaps one of the biggest underdog stories in the lengthy history of the prestigious U.S. Nationals — the sport’s longest-running event — Coughlin managed to rise from the ashes and score arguably the most unlikely victory of his career.

The year was 2000, and Coughlin started race day against red-hot top qualifier Mark Osborne. The two thrilled the crowd with a lengthy staging battle it proved to be a distraction for Osborne and Coughlin was able to gain a .045-second head start and took the win on a holeshot. In Round 2, Coughlin came from behind to beat Allen Johnson by .01 seconds, before taking out Mark Pawak.

In the final, Ron Krisher was in the other lane but Coughlin once again pulled off a stunning starting line advantage of .045 seconds to take the trophy with a 6.968 to Krisher’s quicker but losing 6.927. The final margin of victory was just 14 inches, a perfect finish to a remarkable day.

 

 

WORLD OF OUTLAWS -SIDE BY SIDE RESTARTS PLUS

Double Play: Side-by-side restarts highlight action-packed format for World of Outlaws Sprint Cars

CONCORD, N.C. Jan. 29, 2010 Double-file restarts and a new race format that guarantees youll see your favorite driver in at least one heat and main every night are among the fan-friendly changes World of Outlaws officials will unveil Feb. 5 at the Florida DIRTcar Nationals By University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park.

Following meetings with team owners last November during the World Finals, and comments from fans over the past several years, a new race format and procedures have been adopted to pump even more excitement into The Greatest Show on Dirt. These changes will be under close watch by series officials, who will determine if any adjustments are needed.

The rivalry developing between Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers, the threat that Joey Saldana poses on the heels of his 20-win season and the news that Steve Kinser will be driving for Tony Stewart has anticipation at an all-time high for the 2010 season. And now, the World of Outlaws will become the only major venue in all of open-wheel racing where fans can see double-file restarts from the beginning of the night until the final checkered flag, with the leader being given lane choice. The familiar front-stretch cone will be left in the trailer as the leader will dictate each restart coming out of Turn 4.

In addition to double-file restarts which the series pioneered in the 70s and the elimination of the non-qualifiers race in favor of expanding the number of heat races should the car count dictate, the Dash will also get a facelift. The top two finishers from each heat race, in addition to the two fastest qualifiers who transfer through their heat, will advance to the Dash, which could see as many as 12 starters in a 5-heat format. A qualifying time based inversion of 4, 6 or 8 will determine the Dash lineup, and all drivers in the inversion will be interviewed in front of the crowd. The Dash finish will then set the lineup for the A-main.

Every year we listen to the fans and consider ways to make World of Outlaws events even more exciting, said World Racing Group CEO Brian Carter. Theres nothing more breathtaking than the start of a World of Outlaws race. Now, in adopting double-file restarts, every wave of the green flag throughout every race will be an incredible sight as a full field thunders out of Turn 4 and into the first corners side-by-side. World of Outlaws drivers are some of the most skilled racers in motorsports, and this will no doubt showcase their talent.In an effort to further enhance fans experience, the allotted time in the work area has been reduced to one minute after a damaged car arrives, and under an open red flag only two crew members will be permitted to attend to the car. In time trials, all cars will take two laps no matter how many cars have signed in to race, unless weather is a factor.

One thing that has not changed from the first World of Outlaws race in 1978 is the post-race open pits. Even though at every fan at Volusia can sign in for a complimentary pit pass after purchasing a reserved or general admission ticket, the pits are remain open to everyone at the end of every World of Outlaws race to meet drivers for pictures and autographs. A full week of Sprint Car action at the DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH kicks off on Feb. 2 with a test session, followed by two nights of racing under the All Star Circuit Champions banner (Feb. 3-4) before the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes center stage Friday through Sunday (Feb. 5-7).

Fans can now purchase tickets online by going to http://www.DIRTcarNationals.com, or by calling Volusia Speedway Park at 386-985-4402.

FORCE FOCUSED ON 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP

FORCE FOCUSED ON 2010 CHAMPIONSHIP ADDRESSES ECONOMIC ISSUES
Completes Year-long Consolidation of Racing Operations at Brownsburg Facility 

          YORBA LINDA – Responding to an unpredictable economy drag racing icon John Force on Thursday outlined a plan to insure both the competitive and financial viability of John Force Racing, Inc., for years to come. The plan has been a work in progress for over a year.

          The cornerstones of Force’s initiative are (1) a reduction in the number of cars the team will support next season in its bid for an unprecedented 17^th NHRA Full Throttle Funny Car championship; (2) re-location of all JFR racing resources to the Brownsburg facility; (3) creation of new revenue streams through production of the BOSS 500 engine and the JFR chassis; and (4) personnel consolidation. 

           “In this economy,” Force said, “I’m having to re-evaluate my programs and my people to create a game plan for the future. It’s all about the Next Generation.”

NOTEBOOK 01/27/10

F1

The top ten qualifiers in 2010 will have to start Grands Prix with the same tires used at the end of Q3, according to reports.
Reports, including in Switzerland’s Motorsport Aktuell, the Spanish sports newspaper Marca and Finland’s Turun Sanomat, said the decision was made at a recent meeting of the teams association FOTA

Ferrari announced Wednesday that its 2010 car will be launched at Maranello. The Italian team said earlier this month that the new single seater, codenamed 281, would be launched on January 28 ahead of the initial Valencia group test. Less than 24 hours before the launch, Ferrari announced that it would take place at 10.30am in the factory’s new GT assembly line pavilion. The event will also be broadcast live on the team’s official website

INDYCAR

INDIANAPOLIS — The IndyCar series is giving two tracks and its drivers a big boost this season.Series officials have announced drivers will have nearly twice as much horsepower when pushing the overtake button than they did last season.Teams also will have two opportunities for open tests. A road course test will be held Feb. 24-26 at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala. The open oval test will be May 4 at Kentucky Speedway.Teams are permitted up to six private testing days in addition to the open test dates.Other changes this year included adding a reverse gear to cars competing on road and street courses and the recommendation of using a “floating back” headrest that is designed to give driver’s more protection in crashes.

World Of Outlaws

Kasey Kahne Racing will field a two car team on the World of Outlaws trail again in 2010, pitting veteran Joey Saldana, who led the World of Outlaws with 20 A-Feature wins last year, with rookie Cody Darrah, who scored his first win with the series last fall at his home track of Williams Grove Speedway. The pair will kick off the 2010 campaign February 5-7 with the 39^th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by the University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park, just down the road from Daytona, where their boss will be in action.Saldana, who is returning for his fifth season with the team owned by the NASCAR star, won on the second night of the DIRTcar Nationals last season, edging Jason Sides in a last lap thriller. It was the second time in his career that Saldana has won a last lap battle during the World of Outlaws portion of the DIRTcar Nationals, as he also came out on top in a drag race with Jac Haudenschild down the front straightaway at the half-mile in 2006.

WORLD OF OUTLAWS Donny Schatz & Jason Meyers Begin another Title Chase

Donny Schatz & Jason Meyers Begin another Title Chase at the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park

Barberville, FL—January 26, 2010—Just 19 points, that’s all that separated Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers last season in the closest battle ever for the World of Outlaws title. Over the course of the nearly 70 race season, 19 points was roughly 10 spots on the race track.

The pair has finished one-two in the World of Outlaws championship standings in each of the last two years and will begin another title chase next week during the season opening 39^th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by the University of Northwestern Ohio at Volusia Speedway Park, February 5-7.

Schatz started off last season with a bang during the DIRTcar Nationals, winning the opener and finale of the three-day affair for the World of Outlaws while finishing eighth in the middle race, while Meyers was consistent as well, picking up three Top-10 finishes. Only one other driver besides the pair finished in the Top-10, all three nights of the World of Outlaws portion of the DIRTcar Nationals and that was 20-time series champion Steve Kinser.

Looking at their 2009 seasons on paper, Schatz and Meyers had nearly identical stats. Schatz was victorious 12 times while Meyers picked up a career-best 10 wins. Schatz led the World of Outlaws with 39 Top-Five finishes while Meyers racked up 34. Meyers led the series with 55 Top-10 finishes which was one more than Schatz. On the lap leader board, it Schatz pacing the field for 357 laps of feature competition, while Meyers was out front for 306 circuits. Meyers won the dash a series-best 10 times last year to earn pole positions in feature events, while Schatz picked up eight dash wins.

Schatz was quickest in time trials on 13 occasions, while Meyers stopped the clock first eight times, with qualifying points going to the Top-Five each night in time trials, including five bonus points for setting quick time. While Schatz earned five more quick time honors, it was Meyers who was among the Top-Five in qualifying in 36 events versus Schatz’s 27 events. Overall, Meyers racked up 114 qualifying points, while Schatz picked up 103.

“WHEELS” F1 NOTEBOOK 1/26/10

Jose Maria Lopez of Argentina today was chosen to be one of two drivers for the newly formed American Formula One team, US F1. Lopez, 26, is a former test driver for Renault’s Formula One team who has been a dominant race-car driver in his home country since 2007.

Bahrain’s Grand Prix circuit has been revamped ahead of the opening race of the 2010 Formula 1 season next month.

The track, which stretches into the Sakhir desert, has been lengthened from 5.4 km (3.4 miles) to 6.3 km and features a new loop of corners

More adjustments to the Formula One points system are being worked out ahead of the start of the season.The old points system, which was replaced only a month ago, has been further revised by F1′s sporting working group. The changes aim to increase the points awarded for winning over finishing second. The latest incarnation means a win would be worth 25-points, with a seven-point gap to second place which will be worth 18-points.

John Force Racing

MONDAY’S TRIO OF OHS FOR JFR AT FIREBIRD HAS TEAM GOING IN RIGHT DIRECTION

 PHOENIX (January 25, 2010) — At the end of the day on Monday the trio of John Force Racing Mustangs that ran down Firebird International Raceway all rang up positive numbers. Led by 2009 Funny Car Full Throttle Champion Robert Hight’s 4.05 second run at over 310 mph in the Auto Club 2010 Ford Mustang every JFR Mustang clocked a time quicker than 4.10 seconds. It was the maiden voyage for Hight underneath his new Mustang body and the Full Throttle Funny Car champ was all smiles at the top end after the run.

“This place is very tricky. It was perfect timing for that run because it was the first run with the 2010 Mustang body. I knew it was a good run. It felt good the whole way. It was pretty awesome. It was cool to hear the excitement of the guys on the radio. It has been a while since we have had some excitement over the radio,” said Hight. “(Crew chief) Jimmy (Prock) says if you hit it right could run 4.03 out here. Hitting it right is the trick. This track will produce huge ETs but you have to hit it right. Every little thing counts. After that run the engine ran fine and the clutch came together nice. We have a pretty good baseline going into Pomona.”

Hight’s run came on the heels of John Force’s best run of testing a solid 4.08 second pass in his 25^th anniversary Castrol GTX High Mileage Mustang. Force’s run was spectacular on the race course and at the top end. The 14-time champion drifted to the left and clipped a timing cone that was set up to record 1320 ft. times for the handful of sportsman racers that are also sharing the track.

WORLD OF OUTLAWS CHAMPIONS LOOK AHEAD

Champions Looks Ahead to the Season Opening DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park

Barberville, FL—January 25, 2010—Champions will abound at Volusia Speedway Park when the World of Outlaws open the 2010 season with the 39^th Annual Florida DIRTcar Nationals by the University of Northwestern Ohio, February 5-7. Leading the way will be Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz and Danny Lasoski, who have combined to win each of the last 10 World of Outlaws titles.Kinser first competed in the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia Speedway Park back in 1977 and has always been fast at the half-mile with four career victories. Schatz won twice last year during the event with the World of Outlaws and four overall victories in the DIRTcar Nationals and has eight wins in his career in the event, while Lasoski is the winningest driver in a sprint car during the season opening event with 17 career triumphs.

Schatz, the four-time and defending World of Outlaws champion, opened last season with a win at Volusia, dueling with Jason Sides for the top prize. He also picked up a victory in the finale of the three-day tilt to leave the Sunshine State as the series point leader. The North Dakota native has eight career wins at the half-mile, with the first of those coming in 2006. He scored his first World of Outlaws win in the DIRTcar Nationals the following season. He made his debut at the track back in 1996, picking up a Top-10 in an event under the All Star Circuit of Champions banner.

“Volusia is a very tricky place,” notes Schatz. “It came be 200 miles apart between two different nights and that’s something that wears on you a little bit. It’s a big track and the gap in the racing at the half-miles has gotten so much closer between everybody. You just have to keep doing things that keep you a little bit ahead. My guys have worked hard this winter to make sure that I am going to be in a good situation.”

Steve Kinser, the 20-time series champion, competed at Volusia for the first 33 years ago and has over 30 starts at the half-mile in his legendary career. He won for the first time in the DIRTcar Nationals in 1984. The native of Bloomington, Indiana scored his first World of Outlaws win at the half-mile in 2005. He has four career wins in the DIRTcar Nationals to go along with 20 Top-10 finishes. He is one of just three drivers that finished in the Top-10 in all three World of Outlaws races during the event last year and was among the Top-10 in all six nights of the sprint car portion of the lid lifter in 2009.

“You have to go down there and bring a good piece of equipment and have everything running well,” shared Kinser. “Everyone that is down there will have fresh cars, fresh motors and fresh everything, not that everyone doesn’t have good equipment generally through the whole season now. You’ll see a lot of cars from all over the Unites States there and a good car count. It’s a tough place to go to.”

Danny Lasoski, the 2001 World of Outlaws champion, made his debut at Volusia in 1986 and won for the first time during the DIRTcar Nationals in 1988. He leads all sprint car drivers with 17 career wins during the season opening event at the half-mile. He scored his victory with the World of Outlaws at the track during the 2008 DIRTcar Nationals. In his career at Volusia in February, the native of Dover, Missouri has nearly 50 Top-10 finishes.“You show up at the very first race of the year and you have the best of the best there,” Lasoski said. “Everyone is itching to race and you’ll see how you stack up and if you did your homework over the winter and what kind of team you have.”A full week of Sprint Car racing during the DIRTcar Nationals By UNOH kicks off on Feb. 2 with a test session, followed by two nights under the All Star Circuit Champions banner (Feb. 3-4) before the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series takes center stage Friday through Sunday (Feb. 5-7).

 To purchase tickets online for the DIRTcar Nationals visit: http://www.DIRTcarNationals.com or call 386-985-4402. Each ticket purchased is also a free fan pit pass.