World of Outlaws Wrap-Up: Las Vegas

World of Outlaws Wrap-Up: Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic

 Concord, NC-February 28, 2010- Making some history: The victory for Jason Meyers from the 18^th starting spot on Friday night in the Second Annual Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway set a new track record, as it marked the farthest back any winner had started from in a World of Outlaws event at the track. Jeff Swindell had previously held the record, coming from the 17^th position on the grid to win at the half-mile in 1997. Meyers was able to use both the top and bottom of the half-mile as he steadily worked his way to the front. The California native was in the Top-10 by just the 11^th lap of the 30-lap contest and found his way into the Top-Five just six laps later, and wound up taking the lead with three laps remaining.

“It was a great race track tonight,”said Meyers after his win on Friday night. “It was nice and wide with two lanes. I tell these guys that all the time, that if you build us race tracks like that you’ll see a heck of a race. They did that tonight and it was a great race.”

 Another podium finish: Steve Kinser finished on the podium for the third time in the same number of races this season. He is the only driver that has finished third or better in all three events in 2010. He opened the season with a third-place run at Volusia Speedway Park in Florida and followed that up with a win at the half-mile. The 20-time series champion finished second on Friday night after a thrilling last lap battle with Jason Meyers that nearly saw him pick up the win. Coupled with being second fastest in time trials, which earned him four bonus points, Kinser moved into the top spot in the World of Outlaws championship standings by two markers over his Tony Stewart Racing teammate Donny Schatz.

 ”We’ve been pretty fast,” said Kinser after his runner-up finish on Friday night. “We’ve been in the Top-Three every night, so I can’t complain, but you hate to give a race away.”

 Three races, three Top-10s:

World of Outlaws Championship Standings

 2010 World of Outlaws Championship Standings through February 26

Position	Driver	Pts.	Diff	Earning	Win	T5 -T10
1.	Steve Kinser	446		$16,700	1	3   -3
2.	Donny Schatz	444	-2	$15,900	1	3   - 3
3.	Joey Saldana	434	-12	$12,300	0	2-3
4.	Jason Meyers	430	-16	$15,000	1	2-3-
5.	Jason Sides	419	-27	$6,650	0	1-3-
6	Tim Kaeding	400	-46	$5,900	0	2-2-
7.	Danny Lasoski	400	-46	$6,200	0	1-1-
8.	Brad Sweet	386	-60	$4,650	0	0-2
9.	Kraig Kinser	383	-63	$4,300	0	0-1-
10.	Lucas Wolfe	380	-66	$4,950	0	0-1-
11.	Jac Haudenschild	376	-70	$3,800	0	0-1-
12.	Craig Dollansky	361	-85	$3,800	0	0-1-
13.	Terry McCarl	347	-99	$3,600	0	0-1
14.	Sam Hafertepe Jr.	346	-100	$3,600	0	0-1-
15.	Brian Ellenberger	330	-116	$2,450	0	0
16.	Paul McMahan	329	-119	$2,850	0	0-1-
17.	Chad Kemenah	299	-147	$1,660	0	0
18.	Daryn Pittman	278	-168	$1,860	0	0
19.	Toni Lutar	262	-184	$1,125	0	0
20.	Tim Shaffer	260	-186	$3,400	0	1-1

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES : NEW CHASSIS

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES ANNOUNCES OBJECTIVES FOR NEW CHASSIS TO DEBUT IN 2012

INDIANAPOLIS, (Feb. 4, 2010) – The Indy Racing League announced today objectives for its next IZOD IndyCar Series chassis, which is scheduled to debut at the start of the 2012 season.

Attributes desired by the Indy Racing League in developing its next iconic chassis look include:

· Safe: The new chassis must adhere to the league’s already high safety standards while exploring new technology to improve safety in all aspects of the car.

· Raceable: The new chassis must continue to produce the exciting racing that has become signature of the IZOD IndyCar Series while not affecting other cars on track (i.e. less sensitive to the turbulence).

· Cost-effective: The league continues to work to reduce the cost of participation for teams in the IZOD IndyCar Series, which remains an important priority in this economic climate. The new chassis must have a price point that adheres to that goal.

· American-made: The new chassis must be built in the U.S., preferably at an Indiana-based facility.

· Less mass/More efficient: A lighter chassis with less mass that produces the same aerodynamic effect in an efficient way.

· Relevant technology: The league would like the new chassis to be relevant to the future of the consumer auto industry; innovative technology that is born on the racetrack and can translate to consumer cars.

· Modern Look: More space for sponsor logos, cars easily identifiable.

· Green: The Indy Racing League prides itself on its role in the greening of racing and wants to maintain its position as a leader in environmentally-friendly initiatives with this chassis.

“Two years ago the league engaged both the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena (Calif.) and College for Creative Studies in Detroit in conceptual exercises about the next generation of car,” said Brian Barnhart, president of competition and racing operations for the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series. “For the last year we have engaged in ongoing conversations with four chassis makers on two different design tracks. Now we are receiving concepts and will make a decision soon.”

The league is in discussions with Dallara, DeltaWing, Lola and Swift about designing, manufacturing and supplying the new chassis, focusing on two parallel paths – one radical and one more evolutionary in design.

“Our chassis is the most complex challenge in world motorsports because of the variety of race courses where we compete,” Barnhart said. ”It must be designed to run at 235 mph at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and protect drivers and spectators in high-speed crashes. It must be able to perform on superspeedways, speedways and short ovals well as natural terrain road courses and temporary circuits.”

Barnhart said the first and foremost requirement for the new chassis is safety, based on three decades of experience with the current chassis.

“Our drivers take the greatest risks in the world of sports driving Indy cars and it is paramount we have the best safety features designed into this next generation of cars,” he said. “It is also important that we continue to develop more relevance between the new generation of IndyCars and the cars that world manufacturers will be producing in the future. Finally, we have stipulated that the new chassis must be made in the United States, preferably Indiana, to take advantage of more competitive pricing and the existing American supplier network for parts and protect our team from issues with currency fluctuations.”The current chassis utilized by teams is produced by Dallara and was last updated in 2003.

Classic Thriller: Jason Meyers Edges Steve Kinser & Donny Schatz at Las Vegas

Classic Thriller: Jason Meyers Edges Steve Kinser & Donny Schatz at Las Vegas

Las Vegas, NV-February 26, 2010-Jason Meyers has been involved in some thrilling races over the years, but probably none quite as exciting as Friday night, when he battled 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser and four-time and defending series titlist Donny Schatz right down to the wire to score a breathtaking win in the Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before a huge crowd. Even more impressive was the fact that Meyers lined up 18^th on the grid for the 30-lap contest and steadily worked his way to the front.Meyers took the lead from Schatz on the 28^th lap on the low side of turns one and two and quickly open a slight gap. Kinser battled Schatz and took the second spot on that same lap and tracked down Meyers on the white flag lap, taking the lead on the low side of turn three, with Meyers battling back off turn four to win a drag race down the front straightway aboard the GLR Investments KPC to score the $10,000 triumph, which was the 36^th A-Feature victory of his World of Outlaws career.

“I don’t think I have ever won a race from that far back and I don’t know when the last time an Outlaws race was won from that far back,” said Meyers. “We went out and were trying to get a Top-Five on a night that had kind of gone backwards on us. The guys gave me one heck of a race car and there was a great track tonight. My hat’s off to my team.” The win was extra special for Meyers, as his team was mourning the loss of his crew chief D.J. Lindsey’s father-in-law Jim Boyd. The Wisconsin native was a fixture at many World of Outlaws events over the years.

“We had a lot going in here tonight with the loss of Jim Boyd, a great friend to the team. We’re going to miss him dearly and this one is for him. We had a lot riding on tonight. D.J.’s wife asked me to go out and win this one tonight and I told her I would do my best. It means a lot and this one is for the entire Boyd family.”

Meyers used a very fast race car and strong double file restarts on Friday night to steadily work his way through the field after starting in the ninth row. He lined up on the outside line a couple of times on restarts and was able to gain positions on the ensuing lap each time.”The car took off really good on restarts,” he noted. “The tires stayed aired up and the car took off and I was able to get quite a few cars there. I don’t know if I was a fan of these double file restarts, but they seem to be working out for me.”The race began with Schatz, who started on the pole jumping out to a quick lead, with Brad Sweet in second. Joey Saldana used a strong start to come from sixth to third in one lap. Schatz found himself in lapped traffic just a few laps into the 30-lapper, which allowed Sweet and Saldana to close in on him. Saldana took the lead on the 11^th lap charging around Schatz on the high side of turn four.The first caution of the night would fly on the following lap, setting up a double file restart. Saldana became the first driver this season to choose the outside lane to restart and Schatz used a run on the bottom to take the lead going into turns one and two. Kinser used a very strong restart to come from sixth to third in one lap.

Dirt Track At Las Vegas Results

Race Results:

Race	Position	Driver Name	Team Name	Points	Earnings
A-Main	1	Jason Meyers	Elite Racing Team	150	10000.00
	2	Steve Kinser	Tony Stewart Racing 11	146	5500.00
	3	Donny Schatz	Tony Stewart Racing 15	144	3200.00
	4	Jason Sides	Sides Motorsports	142	2800.00
	5	Tim Kaeding	Roth Motorsports	140	2500.00
	6	Joey Saldana	Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb 9	138	2300.00
	7	Brad Sweet	Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb 49	136	2200.00
	8	Sam Hafertepe Jr.	Plumbfast Racing 15H	134	2100.00
	9	Lucas Wolfe	Allebach	132	2050.00
	10	Danny Lasoski	Parsons Motorsports	130	2000.00
	11	Daryn Pittman	Keen Racing	128	1500.00
	12	Jac Haudenschild	Carnahan Motorsports	126	1200.00
	13	Johnny Herrera	Woodward Racing 2w	124	1100.00
	14	Paul McMahan	Kasey Kahne Racing with Mike Curb 91	122	1050.00
	15	Kraig Kinser	Steve Kinser Racing #11K	120	1000.00
	16	Fred Rahmer	Miller 51	118	900.00
	17	Chad Kemenah	CK Racing	116	800.00
	18	Brian Ellenberger	Brian Ellenberger Racing Inc.	114	800.00
	19	Toni Lutar	Lutar Motorsports	112	800.00
	20	Zach Zimmerly	Zimmerly Racing 94	110	800.00
	21	Ben Gregg	Ben Gregg Racing	108	800.00
	22	Austen Wheatley	Austen Wheatley Racing 44W	106	800.00
	23	Craig Dollansky	Big Game Motorsports 7	104	800.00
	24	Terry McCarl	Big Game Motorsports	102	800.00
B-Main	7	Jerry Wise Jr	Wise Jr Racing 23	75	200.00
	8	Anthony Simone	Simone Racing 20x	75	180.00
	9	John Gaston	Gaston Racing	75	175.00
	10	Sid Blandford	Blandford Racing 7	75	160.00
Qualifying Points	1	Terry McCarl	Big Game Motorsports	5	0.00
	2	Steve Kinser	Tony Stewart Racing 11	4	0.00
	3	Jason Sides	Sides Motorsports	3	0.00
	4	Fred Rahmer	Miller 51	2	0.00
	5	Donny Schatz	Tony Stewart Racing 15	1	0.00

JEGS 50 YEARS JEG WINS NHRA’S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS

JEG WINS NHRA’S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS
www.jegs50years.com

 

Since the NHRA has honored the top first-year professional with its prestigious Auto Club Rookie of the Year award, only five drivers from the Pro Stock class have done enough to earn the title. It’s quite an accomplishment as candidates can be drawn from all four professional categories, and of course it’s an award a racer only has one shot at winning.

After earning the 1992 Super Gas world title and becoming the first (and to date, only) driver to win a national event in four different categories in 1997, Coughlin began his rookie Pro Stock season in 1998 with high expectations, both of himself and from his peers. But past accomplishments mean little in drag racing and the youngest of the four Coughlin racing brothers that run JEGS Automotive Inc. had to go out and prove himself just like everyone else.

As he has from the start of his career, Coughlin delivered, winning four national events in eight final rounds and putting together and impressive 42-16 race day record. His work during the season nearly had him surpassing his original goal of being Rookie of the Year as he finished second overall in the Winston Championship Points.

A star was born, and the ’98 Rookie of the Year award became a precursor to Coughlin’s unprecedented success ever since.

WORLD OF OUTLAWS LAS VEGAS PREVIEW

Previewing the Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic

 Las Vegas, NV-February 24, 2010-The 2010 season begins to shift into high gear for the World of Outlaws beginning this week as the series heads west for the Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, February 26.

 Donny Schatz, the four-time and defending series champion, was victorious in the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic last season and has won two in a row at the track to bring his career win tally at the half-mile to six. Schatz won the World of Outlaws season opener on February 6 and finished fourth the following night and heads to Las Vegas as the series point leader.

Steve Kinser, the 20-time World of Outlaws champion, also won during the World of Outlaws season opening weekend in Florida and is just three markers behind Schatz in the standings, as the pair continues their first season as teammates at Tony Stewart Racing. Kinser also has won six times in his career at Las Vegas.

Danny Lasoski, who claimed the 2001 World of Outlaws title, is also perched atop the win list at Las Vegas with Kinser and Schatz, having six triumphs in his career at the half-mile.

Jac Haudenschild and Kraig Kinser have also visited Victory Lane in “Sin City” with the series.

 The World of Outlaws made their debut at the state-of-the-art half-mile in the desert in 1996 and have competed a total of 45 times over the years at the facility, with Donny Schatz being the only driver that has raced in each and every event for the series at the track.

 The Buzz-

 The Tony Stewart Racing duo of Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz looks to stay unbeaten after winning the opening two nights of the season in Florida

Schatz and Kinser each have six career wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the former having won two in a row and three of his last five starts at the track

Joey Saldana is chasing his first win of the season after two runner-up finishes and is also chasing his first checkered flag at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Paul McMahan will be filling in for the injured Cody Darrah in the No 91 machine for Kasey Kahne Racing as a teammate to Saldana

Jason Meyers will be chasing his first career win at Las Vegas this week, after a solid start to the season in Florida

Danny Lasoski, who has six career wins at Las Vegas, heads west with the momentum of a podium finish to end the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia after lining up 14^th on the grid

Fred Rahmer and Daryn Pittman will make the long tow from Central Pennsylvania to compete in the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic

Terry McCarl will also head west for the second consecutive year to take part in the event

ARIZONA NATIONALS PRO STOCK RESULTS

Pos St # Driver Sponsor Car Pts     5 7 50 Jeg Coughlin Jegs.com Chevy Cobalt 33     5 12 8 Kurt Johnson Mark Christopher Auto Ctr. Chevy Cobalt 32     5 13 357 Larry Morgan Lucas Oil Ford 31     5 11 10 Richard Jones Quarter-Max Pontiac GXP 32     5 8 2062 Ronnie Humphrey Pro Stock Grills Pontiac GXP 33     5 15 730 Shane Gray Gray Motorsports Pontiac GXP 31     5 14 7406 Vinnie Deceglie MTN View Tire Dodge Avenger 31     5 16 208 Warren Johnson K&N Filters Pontiac GXP 31

ARIZONA NATIONALS TOP FUEL RESULTS

Pos	St	#	Driver	Sponsor	Car	Pts
1	5	4	Cory McClenathan	Fram	DSR	115
2	2	8	Doug Kalitta	Kalitta Motorsports	Attac	100
3	11	34	Morgan Lucas	GEICO Powersports	Hadman	72
3	8	475	Steve Torrence	Tuttle Motorsports	Hadman	73
4	10	44	David Grubnic	KALITTA	Attac	52
4	14	700	Steven Chrisman	Chrisman Driveline	McKinney	51
4	1	1	Tony Schumacher	Army	Hadman	63
4	13	497	Troy Buff	Bill Miller Racing	Don Long	51
5	16	261	Andy Carter	Garlits	Baumgarter	31
5	4	3	Antron Brown	Matco Tools	Hadman	38
5	7	5	Brandon Bernstein	Copart	Hadman	33
5	15	323	Chris Karamesines	Strange Eng/Impact	McKinney	31
5	3	2	Larry Dixon	Al-Anabi Racing	Hadman	39
5	12	72	Mike Strasburg	B&J Racing	Hadman	32
5	6	9	Shawn Langdon	Lucas Oil	Hadman	37
5	9	3516	Terry McMillen	Torco Racing Fuel

ARIZONA NATIONALS FUNNYCAR RESULTS

Pos St # Driver Sponsor Car Pts     1 7 5 Jack Beckman Valvoline Dodge Charger 113     2 1 9 John Force Castrol GTX Ford Mustang 103     3 4 1 Robert Hight Auto Club of S. Calif. Ford Mustang 78     3 14 6 Tony Pedregon QS Chevy Monte Carlo 71     4 5 2 Ashley Force Hood Castrol GTX Ford Mustang 55     4 8 388 Jim Head Head Racing Toyota Solara 53     4 2 2814 Matt Hagan Shelormotormile.com Dodge Charger 63     4 6 3 Ron Capps NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger 54     5 10 8 Bob Tasca III Motorcraft Ford Mustang 33     5 16 71 Cruz Pedregon Snap-On Toyota Solara 31     5 3 7 Del Worsham Al-Anabi Racing Toyota Solara 38     5 11 782 Gary Densham Densham Motorsports Chevy Impala 32     5 9 170 Jeff Arend DHL Toyota Solara 32     5 12 507 Melanie Troxel In-N-Out Burger Dodge RT 32     5 15 116 Paul Lee Canidae Chevy Impala 31     5 13 4 Tim Wilkerson Levi, Ray & Shoup, Inc. Ford Mustang 31