Paul McMahan: “We’ll be able to put Bass Pro Shops and Chevrolet back into victory lane”
Oct 09, 2007
Paul McMahanRacing
With little rest and many miles of cross-country travel ahead of them, the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series is ready for it’s final west coast trip of the 2007 racing season. Tony Stewart Racing’s (TSR) Paul McMahan is no different as he’s looking forward to a night of racing in his home state of California. Making the journey from the upper Midwest, the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team will head to Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 13, for only the second time this season.
Entering this weekend’s competition, the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team is ranked eighth in the WoO Sprint Series Championship standings with 8,937 points. The team has earned two victories, seven quick time awards, 14 top-five finishes and 37 top-10 finish in 68 starts this season.
The single-day World of Outlaws Sprint Series event at the Thunderbowl Raceway will pay tribute to Dave Helm, a former car owner and longtime friend of McMahan. The Dave Helm Memorial is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 13 with pit gates opening at 3 p. m. PST and grandstands opening to the public at 5 p. m. Hot laps are scheduled to begin at 6 p. m. Thunderbowl Raceway is a 1/3-mile high-banked dirt oval located at the Tulare Fairgrounds.
The WoO Sprint Series also returned to television this year, with the series’ next broadcast scheduled for Oct. 14 on SPEED. Action from the Sept. 29 finale of the 45th National Open event at Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, Pa. will be aired at 4 p. m. EDT. A total of 20 races will be televised either on SPEED or ESPN2 this year, including the Race to the Championships on SPEED.
Quotes from Paul McMahan, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle:
This weekend’s race at the Thunderbowl Raceway honors the late Dave Helm. Are you looking forward to heading back to California to race in honor of your friend and one-time car owner?
“It’s always great to head back to California with the World of Outlaws Series but this Saturday’s race in Tulare will be very special. Dave was a great friend to my family, as well to many others involved in the sprint car racing world. I enjoyed racing for him and the Selma Shell team and I think it’s a great tribute to name this weekend’s race in his honor. ”
On the perks of racing at the Thunderbowl Raceway:
“Having grown up racing in California, I really enjoy going back there to race. We have a lot of friends that live in the Hanford, Calif., area and a lot of my family live in the Sacramento area. I also really enjoy the Thunderbowl. One of my favorite parts of the track is the tri-tip sandwiches they serve there. We only get a few chances a year to visit this part of the country and anytime we do it really brings back memories. Hopefully, we’ll have some luck fall our way on Saturday and we’ll be able to put Bass Pro Shops and Chevrolet back into victory lane. ”
