Give Joey Saldana this: The Mopar-powered World of Outlaws Sprint Series driver sure knows how to put on a show! Saldana, of Brownsburg, Ind., steered Kasey Kahne Racing’s No. 9 Open Joist-sponsored car to victory in Friday night’s WoO Sprint Car feature, and did so in grand style, taking a late lead after stalking leader Jac Haudenschild for the first two-thirds of the event. Earlier in the evening, Saldana also triumphed in his qualifying heat. It was the opening program of a two-night stand at the Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare, Calif.
This was Saldana’s first WoO feature win of 2007-padding his career total with the premier Sprint Car series to 23-but it was not his first score of the season. In February, Joey gunned his Mopar to victory in an All Star Circuit of Champions event at Florida’s Volusia Raceway Park.
Saldana was fast again on Saturday night at the Thunderbowl, setting the second quickest qualifying time and notching another heat race victory. In the feature, he seemed a lock for a top-five finish, before late contact with another competitor damaged the KKR No. 9 and relegated him to 17th.
