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Edition

Australia
Race report

Saldana snags sprint car win at Charlotte

Kept Donny Schatz at bay for all 30 laps

Joey Saldana

Joey Saldana

Covy Moore

All eyes shifted from Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday night to The Dirt Track at Charlotte as Joey Saldana (in photo) claimed his third win of the season and fourth victory at the lightning-fast, four tenths-mile clay oval in an exciting battle at the Circle K NOS Energy Outlaw Showdown.

Saldana started on the pole and led the entire 30-lap World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series A-Main, but not without an intense duel with Tony Stewart Racing’s Donny Schatz, the all-time event winner at Charlotte.

Saldana, Schatz and Logan Schuchart fought for the lead at the start and Schatz was actually able to pass Saldana in turn two on lap eight, but a spin-out by Kory Crabtree, resulting in a caution directly after, gave Saldana a lucky break, placing him back in the lead. On the single-file restart, a wreck caused Larson Marks Racing driver Shane Stewart to catch some major air and also affected Brad Sweet, who eventually made his way back to 11th.

Although Schatz came dangerously close to passing Saldana in the remaining laps, he came up short as Saldana pulled through with the victory. Schuchart finished third, followed by defending event winner Paul McMahan and Cody Darrah.

"To race Donny Schatz on a slick track, I think the only thing that saved me was Turns 1 and 2. That cushion was what saved me. He’s definitely everyone’s benchmark when it gets slick, so my hat’s off to that team,” said Saldana. “I think it’s just instinct, you can’t learn it, you just have to experience it and some guys are just really gifted, and some aren’t so you just have to work hard at it. Luckily I have a great team behind me that’s letting me work hard at it and try and win some races.”

Schatz, McMahan and Saldana won the three eight-lap sprint car heat races. Saldana also won the six-lap sprint car dash.

In the FASTRAK Late Model Racing Series 25-lap A-Main, Jonathan Davenport in the No. 49 car, dominated the night, leading 21 laps and taking the checkered flag. Although Davenport started off in the pole position, it was Matt Long who would take off strong, quickly pulling out in front to lead the first four laps, before Davenport came up behind to battle for the top spot. Davenport cleared the No. 25 of Long on lap 4 and pulled away from the field to lead the remainder of the race.

The No. 87 of Walker Arthur worked his way up throughout the ranks starting from the middle of the pack to finish second. Ryan Atkins, Long and Brian Connors finished in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Dale Timms and Corey Gordon were victorious in the two eight-lap heat races.

Tickets for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway can be purchased online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling the speedway ticket office at 1-800-455-FANS (3267).

Connect with The Dirt Track at Charlotte and stay up to speed on all the action at the clay oval on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/TheDirtTrackatCharlotte and by following on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thedirttrack.

World of Outlaws Sprint Cars:

Qualifying: 1. Donny Schatz (14.878); 2. Brad Sweet (14.915); 3. Logan Schuchart (15.012); 4. Dave Blaney (15.068); 5. Paul McMahan (15.182); 6. Joey Saldana (15.219); 7. Kraig Kinser (15.278); 8. David Gravel (15.328); 9. Cody Darrah (15.343); 10. Steve Kinser (15.390); 11. Kerry Madsen (15.448); 12. Greg Wilson (15.527); 13. Shane Stewart (15.551); 14. Kory Crabtree (15.677); 15. Daryn Pittman (15.708); 16. Chad Kemenah (15.724); 17. Sammy Swindell (15.864); 18. Brent Marks (15.891); 19. Jacob Allen (15.891); 20. Jason Sides (16.136); 21. Rick Fraley (16.384); 22. Lance Moss (16.478).

First Heat (8 laps): 1. Donny Schatz; 2. Chad Kemenah; 3. Shane Stewart; 4. Kraig Kinser; 5. Jacob Allen; 6. Steve Kinser; 7. Lance Moss; 8. Dave Blaney.

Second Heat (8 laps): 1. Paul McMahan; 2. Brad Sweet; 3. David Gravel; 4. Jason Sides; 5. Kerry Madsen; 6. Sammy Swindell; 7. Kory Crabtree.

Third Heat (8 laps): 1. Joey Saldana; 2. Cody Darrah; 3. Greg Wilson; 4. Daryn Pittman; 5. Logan Schuchart; 6. Brent Marks; 7. Rick Fraley.

Dash (6 laps): 1. Joey Saldana; 2. Donny Schatz; 3. Logan Schuchart; 4. Kraig Kinser; 5. Paul McMahan; 6. David Gravel; 7. Brad Sweet; 8. Cody Darrah.

A-Main (30 laps): 1. Joey Saldana; 2. Donny Schatz; 3. Logan Schuchart; 4. Paul McMahan; 5. Cody Darrah; 6. David Gravel; 7. Steve Kinser; 8. Daryn Pittman; 9. Kerry Madsen; 10. Kraig Kinser; 11. Brad Sweet; 12. Brent Marks; 13. Greg Wilson; 14. Sammy Swindell; 15. Chad Kemenah; 16. Jacob Allen; 17. Kory Crabtree; 18. Rick Fraley; 19. Jason Sides; 20. Lance Moss; 21. Shane Stewart; 22. Dave Blaney.

FASTRAK Late Model Racing Series:

Qualifying: 1. Jonathan Davenport (17.375); 2. Rambo Franklin (17.672); 3. Matt Long (17.717); 4. Brian Connors (17.797); 5. Ryan Atkins (17.811); 6. Walker Arthur (17.849); 7. Lee Cooper (17.906); 8. Kennie Compton (17.928); 9. GR Smith (18.033); 10. Jimmy Schiltz (18.076); 11. Dale Timms (18.093); 12. Corey Gordon (18.143); 13. Trent Ivey (18.185); 14. Andrew Wylie (18.189); 15. Dillon Brown (18.213); 16. Chris Cantrell (18.235); 17. Dan Brewer (18.236); 18. Cameron Norris (18.247); 19. Taylor Hicks (18.272); 20. Andrew Satterlee (18.296); 21. Greg Clark (18.318); 22. Larry Timms (18.396); 23. Adam Yarbrough (18.381); 24. Teddy Musgrave Jr. (18.400); 25. Steve Cooke (18.420); 26. Timmie Harrelson (18.434); 27. John Over (18.444); 28. Mark Barks (18.462); 29. Aaron Barley (18.505); 30. David Smith (18.523); 31. Teddy Tate (18.626); 32. Chris Hargett (18.640); 33. Justin Hudspeth (18.663); 34. Dan Yarbrough (18.674); 35. Lauren Longbrake (18.705); 36. Matt Lawson (18.794); 37. Mark Sant (18.846); 38. Davis Lipscombe (18.904); 39. Nick Deitz (18.905); 40. TJ Salango (18.908); 41. Parker Herring (19.021); 42. Tommy Taylor (19.079); 43. Jordan Dill (19.179); 44. Kevin Wilson (19.219); 45. David Collins Jr. (19.234); 46. Colby Cannon (19.238); 47.Joe Ender (19.302); 48. Dale Moore (19.999). Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Dale Timms; 2. Trent Ivey; 3. John Over; 4. Dillon Brown; 5. Lauren Longbrake; 6. Adam Yarbrough; 7. Taylor Hicks; 8. Steve Cooke; 9. Dan Brewer; 10. Nick Deitz; 11. Justin Hudspeth; 12. Aaron Barley; 13. Greg Clark; 14. Jordan Dill; 15. Parker Herring; 16. David Collins Jr.; 17. Mark Sant; 18. Joe Ender; 19. Teddy Tate.

Heat 1 (8 laps): 1. Dale Timms; 2. Trent Ivey; 3. John Over; 4. Dillon Brown; 5. Lauren Longbrake; 6. Adam Yarbrough; 7. Taylor Hicks; 8. Steve Cooke; 9. Dan Brewer; 10. Nick Deitz; 11. Justin Hudspeth; 12. Aaron Barley; 13. Greg Clark; 14. Jordan Dill; 15. Parker Herring; 16. David Collins Jr.; 17. Mark Sant; 18. Joe Ender; 19. Teddy Tate.

Heat 2 (8 laps): 1. Corey Gordon; 2. Chris Cantrell; 3. Andrew Wylie; 4. Teddy Musgrave Jr.; 5. Andrew Satterlee; 6. Larry Timms; 7. Mark Barks; 8. Dan Yarbrough; 9. Tommy Taylor; 10. Davis Limpscombe; 11. David Smith; 12. Colby Cannon; 13. Cameron Norris; 14. Timmie Harrelson; 15. Dale Moore; 16. TJ Salango; 17. Kevin Wilson; 18. Matt Lawson.

A-Main (25 laps): 1. Jonathan Davenport; 2. Walker Arthur; 3. Ryan Atkins; 4. Matt Long; 5. Brian Connors; 6. Lee Cooper; 7. GR Smith; 8. Andrew Satterlee; 9. John Over; 10. Corey Gordon; 11. Jimmy Schiltz; 12. Rambo Franklin; 13. Lauren Longbrake; 14. Kennie Compton; 15. Trent Ivey; 16. Dale Timms; 17. Andrew Wylie; 18. Larry Timms; 19. Teddy Musgrave Jr.; 20. Adam Yarbrough; 21. Chris Cantrell; 22. Dillon Brown; 23. David Smith; 24. Parker Herring.

Charlotte Motor Speedway

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