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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Keeping Pace

World of Outlaws Preview: Huset’s Speedway

Craig Dollansky won both of the World of Outlaws races at Huset’s Speedway last season. In the last eight races at the track, there have been seven different winners, with Dollansky the only repeat victor in that span.

Courtesy: World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Media Relations

Brandon, SD—After Mother Nature was victorious in the World of Outlaws first scheduled event of the season at Huset’s Speedway in South Dakota back in early May, the series returns to the high-banked bullring on Friday, July 3 to kick off the Holiday weekend with a full night of racing. The event will be the first of six consecutive races on tracks 3/8-mile or smaller as the schedule really picks up in the next week and a half.

Craig Dollansky won both of the World of Outlaws races at Huset’s Speedway last season. In the last eight races at the track, there have been seven different winners, with Dollansky the only repeat victor in that span. Dating back to the World of Outlaws debut at the track in 1983, 11 different drives have picked up wins with the series.

Steve Kinser, the 20-time series champion has won six times with the series at the track to lead all current active drivers. His most recent victory at Huset’s came in 2003.

Danny Lasoski, the 2001 World of Outlaws champion, has three career Huset’s Speedway track titles to his credit, along with 40 wins at the bullring, though he is still chasing his first World of Outlaws win at the track.

Donny Schatz, the three-time and defending series champion has two World of Outlaws wins at the track, with those coming in 2001 and 2007.


Slidejobs- Huset’s Speedway:

Always a threat: Danny Lasoski, the three-time Huset’s Speedway track champion, has 40 career wins at the high-banked track located just outside of Sioux Falls. He was victorious twice in 2008 at Huset’s. The 2001 World of Outlaws champion has won twice this season, including most recently at Nodak Speedway in North Dakota. The native of Dover, Missouri is up to sixth in the series standings and is less than 30 points out of fifth.


Two for two:
Craig Dollansky won both World of Outlaws events at Huset’s Speedway last season. He led flag to flag all 35 laps in the event there last July. He has six career wins at the bullring. Entering this weekend’s events, Dollansky has 22 Top-10 finishes on the season as he chases his first win since joining Kasey Kahne Racing. He is just six markers out of the sixth spot currently in the standings.


Fair share of win at Huset’s:
Steve Kinser, the 20-time World of Outlaws champion, has won six times at Huset’s Speedway with the series over the years and finished third in his most recent start at the track last season. He leads the World of Outlaws with 27 Top-10 finishes this season and is currently fourth in points just eight markers out of the third spot.


Close to home:
Donny Schatz raced a number of times early in his career at Huset’s Speedway in weekly competition, making the trip south from North Dakota. He has four career wins at Huset’s, including two with the World of Outlaws with the most recent coming in 2007. The three-time and defending series champion has won eight times this season and currently has a 76-point lead in the championship standings.


Looking to add one to the list:
Joey Saldana, who leads the World of Outlaws with 11 A-Feature wins this season has yet to win at Huset’s Speedway in his career. He has nine career Top-10 finishes at Huset’s Speedway as he looks for his first win at the high-banked track. The Indiana native is currently second in points as he chases his first career World of Outlaws title.


Running up front:
Jason Meyers finished third and fourth in two starts at Huset’s Speedway last season. The native of Clovis, California has one career win at the track, with that coming in 2001. He has finished in the Top-10 in each of his last seven starts at the track. The California native has won four times this season and is currently third in points as he chases his first career title.


Fast every week:
Jason Sides picked up two more Top-10 finishes last weekend including coming from 12th to fifth at Knoxville Raceway and moved back into the fifth position in the standings. He has nine career Top-10 finishes at Huset’s Speedway and was second in his debut at the track in 2001.


Knocking on the door:
Jac Haudenschild has won seven times in his career at Huset’s Speedway, though he is still chasing his first win at the track with the World of Outlaws. He has five consecutive Top-Five finishes with the series at the high-banked track. The recent inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame has 14 Top-10 finishes this season with six of those being Top-Fives as he chases his first win of the season.


Still Learning the track:
Kraig Kinser has made just a handful of starts at Huset’s Speedway in his career. He finished second at the track in 2005 and earned a Top-10 in his debut at the high-banked 3/8-mile in 2000. The third generation driver finished third at Knoxville last Saturday night and has finished fourth or better in each of his last three starts and recently moved up to eighth in the series standings.


Strong runs:
Sam Hafertepe Jr. finished sixth last season at Huset’s Speedway in just his third start at the track, while Lucas Wolfe made his debut in a weekly show there last season and finished a very solid third. He missed both of the World of Outlaws events at the track in 2008, while sidelined with a back injury. The pair has combined for 10 Top-10 finishes and six Top-Fives this season, split evenly between them.


Another new track:
Brian Ellenberger, who is contending for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season, will make his first start at Huset’s Speedway this weekend. He raced for the first time in his career in North Dakota a couple of weeks ago and now will turn his first laps in South Dakota. He has a couple of Top-10 finishes this season, including a career-best third-place run at Dodge City Raceway Park earlier this month.

By the Numbers: Huset’s Speedway
0.375- Miles around Huset’s Speedway
1- Event for the World of Outlaws at Huset’s Speedway this season
3- Track championships for Danny Lasoski at Huset’s Speedway
6- Wins for Steve Kinser with the World of Outlaws at Huset’s Speedway in his career
9- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws that raced at Huset’s Speedway last season with the series
10.317- Track record established by Terry McCarl on May 10, 2009
11- Drivers that have won A-Feature events with the series this season
12- Drivers currently competing full-time with the World of Outlaws
21-Consecutive years that the World of Outlaws have competed at Huset’s Speedway including this season
27- Top-10 finishes for Steve Kinser through June 27 to lead the series
32- A-Feature events the World of Outlaws have contested this season through June 27
33- A-Feature events contested by the World of Outlaws at the track dating back to 1983
35- Laps led by Craig Dollansky in the World of Outlaws most recent event at Huset’s Speedway
40- Career wins for Danny Lasoski at Huset’s Speedway
79- Points that separate Donny Schatz and Joey Saldana atop the championship standings
248- Laps led by Joey Saldana through June 27 to lead the series
333- Miles from Knoxville Raceway in Iowa where the World of Outlaws competed on June 27 to Huset’s Speedway in Brandon, South Dakota
1983- Year the World of Outlaws first competed at Huset’s Speedway
10,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Friday, July 3
51,690- Dollars in the total purse on Friday, July 3
155,625- Dollars earned by Joey Saldana through June 27 to lead the series



Keeping Pace

Motorsports correspondent Doug Pace keeps up with motorsports news and notes from around the region.