CHICO, Calif. (March 25, 2015) – This weekend World of Outlaws competition remains in California with a Saturday, March 28, stop at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico and a Sunday, March 29, event at Antioch Speedway.
Joey Saldana, driver of the Motter Equipment HE&M Saw Beltline Body Shop sprint car, is a four-time winner at Silver Dollar . His most recent victory at this quarter-mile high- banked oval was in September of 2013 in the Motter 71M. Normally the Outlaws visit Chico on the Spring Swing and again during the fall, but last year the spring event was rained out.
The small bullring tracks are treacherous because the leaders are running in lapped traffic very early and for the majority of the event. It is rather like the military context of Whack-a-mole where the opposition keeps re-appearing. It is sensory overload for each driver who is trying to move forward, avoid other moving objects, keep the tires inflated and protect the race car and its parts and pieces.
At the end of a hard night of racing, it’s a date with the car wash and then a three-hour drive to Antioch Speedway, a 3/8-mile banked clay oval. The Outlaws began competing at this facility in 2011 and Saldana has yet to score a victory here.
“There’s no time like the present,” said Saldana. “It would be nice to add a trophy from Antioch to our collection.
“We have been fortunate to have won the Gold Cup twice at Silver Dollar Speedway (2007 and 2009) and we have two additional wins there, plus three World of Outlaws preliminary races. The victories give you some comfort that you’re up for the challenge.
“But at both of these tracks it is a delicate balance between running full throttle and avoiding contact with another car. We’re getting the throttle foot tuned up for a good weekend of racing.
“I just wanted to acknowledge that the racing world lost Earl Baltes on Monday, the gentleman who built Eldora Speedway and made it one of the most prestigious dirt tracks in the country. Though I didn’t know Earl personally, I salute him for his vision and for building the best track ever. Eldora has always been my favorite track.”
“Our 71M has won a lot of races on that storied half mile,” said team owner Dan Motter. “In 2004 with Kenny Jacobs driving, we won five events in that year alone: two All Star races, two World of Outlaws events and the historical Big One II, which paid a sweet $100,000 to win. We are certainly a big fan of Eldora Speedway that Earl Baltes built.”
# # #
