World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Preview: Orange County Fair Speedway
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Sep 23, 2008
Long before auto racing was around, Orange County Fair Speedway was around and hosting horse racing. The storied track has been in existence since 1857, with 1919 marking the first season the facility hosted an auto race. Stock racing began at the track in 1948. Fast forward nearly 45 years and the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series made their first visit to the track in 1983.
There have been 10 different drivers to pick up wins in the 20 A-Feature events that the series has sanctioned at the sprawling 5/8-mile over the last 25 years. Four series champions have been victorious with the series at the track during that stretch. The World of Outlaws will make their annual visit to Orange County Fair Speedway in Middletown, New York on Wednesday, September 24 for an event which was postponed by rain earlier this season.
Prior to the 2008 racing season, new clay added to the track, which has softened the surface and has produced two and three-wide racing in their weekly racing program. The track record of 16.836 seconds established by Kerry Madsen last season in the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series events is expected to be challenge on Wednesday night. It will be the final of three races this season in the state of New York for the World of Outlaws.
Steve Kinser, the 20-time World of Outlaws champion won the first race at the track for the series back in 1983 and is the winningest driver with the series at Orange County Fair Speedway with five A-Feature triumphs. He was victorious earlier this season at Rolling Wheels Raceway Park in Elbridge. New York the other 5/8-mile track on the series schedule to claim his 36th career win in the Empire State. The native of Bloomington, Indiana currently has 549 career A-Feature wins with the World of Outlaws.
Daryn Pittman added his name to the list of drivers that have won at the track last season, leading all 25-lap of the event. He has three consecutive Top-Five finishes at the track. The native of Owasso, Oklahoma who has won four times this season with the World of Outlaws has two career wins in the state of New York.
Donny Schatz, the two-time defending series champion has four consecutive Top-Five finishes at Orange County Fair Speedway, including two straight runner-up performances. He has five wins in his career in the state of New York and eight consecutive Top-10 finishes in the state. The North Dakota native leads the World of Outlaws championship standings on the strength of 14 A-Feature wins and 51 Top-10 finishes.
Jason Meyers, who is currently second in points has two career starts at the sprawling 5/8-mile. He finished fifth last season and was sixth in his debut in 2004. In his career, he has 11 Top-10 finishes in New York, including a win last season at Lebanon Valley Speedway. The native of Clovis, California has nine overall wins this season along with a series-best 42 Top-Five finishes as he chases his first series title.
Joey Saldana enters the event on Wednesday, September 24 at Orange County Fair Speedway tied for the third spot in the series standings, on the strength of five A-Feature wins, including last Friday night at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio. He has 18 Top-10 finishes in his career in New York, including a win at Lebanon Valley. He has a couple of Top-10 finishes at Orange County in his career.
Jac Haudenschild has 14 career Top-10 finishes at Orange County, with six Top-Five finishes. He won his second career race in the state of New York on Sunday night at Lebanon Valley Speedway, to earn his fourth win of the 2008 campaign. He has over 50 Top-10 finishes in his career in New York. He is solidly in the sixth spot in points as he continues his first season behind the wheel for the Carnahan Motorsports team.
