World of Outlaws Cancels California Openers
11 February 1998
By Richard DayWith rain delaying the beginning of its 20th anniversary season, the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' first two events - at Manzanita Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway - will feature live national television coverage.
The opening-night programs of the A.J. Foyt Cavalcade of Sprints at Manzanita and the Silver State Shootout in Las Vegas will be televised live on TNN: The Nashville Network February 20th and February 27th on its Motor Madness program.
The Swindell brothers - Sammy and Jeff - would like to continue their respective winning streaks in Phoenix and Las Vegas, respectively. Sammy, the defending Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series champion, won both Foyt features when the series opened last season at Manzanita. Jeff swept the main events the World of Outlaws ran in Las Vegas last year.
Both Swindells are making changes they hope will make them even faster this season. Sammy, whose #1 Channellock sprinter was a Gambler last season, is switching to Stealth chassis this year. Gold Eagle's new subsidiary, 104+ Octane Boost, sponsoring Two Winners Racing is only one of the changes the team is making in 1998. Two Winners has also taken on a new engine builder, a new crew chief and a whole new look to go along with its new sponsor. The Ford engines powering the J&J will be built by Jack Cornett and maintained by former New York racer Rob Hart. It will still have the familiar flame look, but will be red.
Sixteen other teams planning to run the entire 1998 schedule will be waiting for the Swindell brothers in Phoenix and Las Vegas. Many of them also made off-season adjustments.
With Dave Blaney leaving to pursue a NASCAR stock car racing career, Greg Hodnett has inherited the Vivarin sponsorship. Hodnett received MBNA's "Most Improved Driver" Award at the World of Outlaws' 20th Annual Awards Banquet in November.
Although STP has dropped from a major to an associate sponsor on his #2 J&J, Andy Hillenburg is confident he will be a strong contender when he returns to the black paint scheme he used when he started his World of Outlaws career. John Christner Trucking and Klein Engines will also sponsor the 1988 Rookie of the Year.
After shopping his Mopar team around throughout the off- season, Gary Stanton has become reunited with three-time Australian sprint car champion Garry Brazier.
Scott Benic, crew chief for the Mopar team during the second half of last season, has been hired to maintain the #15 Blue Beacon Gambler driver by 1997 Rookie of the Year Donny Schatz.
Joe Gaerte, whose #3G Maxim Benic maintained the first half of last season, has joined car owner Henry Holbrook, Jr.
Holbrook and Gaerte hired Brian Sperry to maintain the #8H car, which will be yellow with red trim.
With hopes of pushing Lance Blevins to the front with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series, Up Front Phone Cards, a division of Capital Telecommunications, Inc., recently announced their sponsorship.
Sam's Town, which has casinos near Las Vegas and Memphis, TN, will sponsor Dion Hindi's team this season.
Hindi, who received the Vivarin Perseverance Award last year, will also have a different number and color scheme for his sprint car when he starts his second season with the World of Outlaws. The #18 will be emblazoned on his white J&J sprinter.
With Jim Wahlie retiring, Craig Dollansky started his own #1x team with Mike Botzek, a former sprint car owner in the Midwest. Their red and yellow Gambler cars will be powered by Kriner Engines and sponsored by Polydome, a worldwide distributor of calf huts.
Seven-time Knoxville Raceway champion Danny Lasoski will drive the California-based #83 Beef Packers sprinter this year.
The change crew chief Guy Forbrook didn't make should keep Jack Elden's Pennzoil team among the World of Outlaws' elite in 1998. Forbrook was pursued by several teams before deciding to remain with driver Jac Haudenschild for a second season.
While defending Western World champion Mark Kinser and his father, Karl, flirted with the idea of racing for Mopar this season, they will be back with their familiar white and orange Wirtgen-sponsored machine.
Other front-running drivers not making any changes are 14- time series champion Steve Kinser and former Rookies of the Year Stevie Smith and Johnny Herrera. Smith, who won four main events during his first year as a driver/owner, signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with Ingersoll-Rand last October. Gil Sonner's Casey's General Stores team hopes it has solved the engine problems it was plagued with during the 1997 season.
Dave Blaney's brother, Dale, is one of three prime candidates for 1998 Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series Rookie of the Year honors. Kenny Woodruff, owner of the car Jimmy Boyd drove to victory in the World of Outlaws' inaugural race at Devil's Bowl Speedway on March 18, 1978, will be the crew chief on the #93 Amoco J&J Dale will drive. Young Californian Tyler Walker, Dollansky and Brazier are also expected to battle for the $10,000 prize.
The World of Outlaws' 20th Anniversary season features 72 events over 102 race dates at 47 facilities in 25 states and more than $10 million in purses, contingencies and point fund awards.