TULARE, Calif. (March 10, 2015) – It took the Motter Equipment HE&M Saw Beltline Body shop team only five races to take the World of Outlaws point lead, the earliest in the season they have topped the leaderboard since Dan Motter came back as a team owner in 2013.
As the Outlaws head into a doubleheader at Thunderbowl Raceway, the only thing missing for veteran shoe Joey Saldana is his first victory of the season.
Saldana, with a fierce competitor’s mentality, wouldn’t really be happy unless there was a ‘W’ beside every race on the 90-event Outlaws calendar, but he is very pleased with the team’s early season results.
“It is all good so far this year,” said the Brownsburg Bullet. “We just need to keep improving every night and keep bad nights to a minimum.”
Saldana and his three Pennsylvania-based team members have every reason to be optimistic about their chances at the Tulare Fairgrounds 1/3-mile clay oval. The Bullet has four victories at this track, which is a confidence-builder, coupled with the team’s success so far this season.
“We have been pretty good at reading the track and keeping up with the changes. Randy (Wolfe, crew chief) and I have a good line of communication going. Having been a driver himself, he can relate to what I tell him the car is doing, plus he picks up a lot just watching the car on track.
“Our pits have a very positive vibe and everybody is enjoying being at the races. Every crew member is contributing 110 percent.”
Saldana’s victories at Thunderbowl Raceway came in 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011.
Last year the Motter team qualified No. 1 on Friday and No. 2 on Saturday and scored a top five finish Friday.
At the end of two days of racing, Saldana hopes that at least one night takes him to his favorite destination: victory lane. Two nights would be even better.
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