Texas Stop Tuesday for Saldana and 71M Team



EL PASO, Texas –After a six-week swing out West, the Outlaws make a run for the border in what is, in Texas jargon, fixin’ ta be a sure-fire shootout among the best STP Sprint Car Series drivers in the nation. The World of Outlaws will make its only Texas stop Tuesday, April 16 for its first-ever race near the Rio Grande at El Paso Speedway Park..

If racing in a new venue isn’t challenging enough, this track ramps up the level of difficulty because it’s a 0.375-mile D-shaped oval that has an elevated backstretch: spectacular for fans, but a configuration that is likely to test the skill of the crew chiefs and drivers.

Track owners believe the World of Outlaws competition will be quite lively.

Joey Saldana, driver of the Motter Equipment Fatheadz Eyewear 71M Sprint Car, just hopes to come off the trailer fast in qualifying to set the team up in good position to do well in the heats, make the dash, and start up front in the A-Main.

“It’s pretty much the same plan we always have,” said Saldana. “But if there’s a bobble of any sort – either driving or mechanical—and you qualify at the back of the field, then you have to be able to make up some ground which is a hard thing to do with the extremely tough competition out there. This track sounds like it has the potential for some passing and that always makes for a good show.”

In Texas slang, fans will get to see some aggressive hard driving and some ‘catty whompus’ maneuvers through the corners, a crowd-pleasing signature move by the dirt track drivers.

The Motter Motorsports 71M Team has been in the top five in World of Outlaws point standings for the past eight races, with a dozen events in the history books.

“It’s a long season with more than 90 races,” confided Saldana. “We’ve got a long way to go, but if we can continue our strong performances and keep riding in the top five, then we should have a good shot at the championship as the season winds down.”

Texas Stop Tuesday for Saldana and 71M Team Texas Stop Tuesday for Saldana and 71M Team Reviewed by Dirt Racing News on Friday, April 12, 2013 Rating: 5