Joey Saldana All-HammerDown! Team: (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
Saldana's last lap pass wins Gold Cup - By Bobby Gerould - September 12, 2009 - Chico, CA. ...Jason Sides was a half lap from winning the $50,000 top prize at the Gold Cup Race of Champions Saturday night at Silver Dollar Speedway. However, in traffic on the back straightaway of the final lap - Sides became momentarily trapped behind, the about to be lapped, Kyle Hirst. In one quick and decisive maneuver - Joey Saldana darted to the outside and passed Sides entering turn three. It was Saldana's sixth career victory at the high-banked quarter-mile oval and the win could not have come in more dramatic fashion. Sides sat on the pole and led the until the very late going when Saldana stuck his nose in front in turn one. But Sides rallied with an unbelievable move that saw him nearly drift over the edge of the back-chute - only to find the perfect arch into turn three. In one swoop - he regained the lead from Saldana - and led the lap - putting three cars between himself and the Kasey Kahne owned #9 driven by Saldana. But as traffic became more dense on the final lap - Saldana drove his car deep into turn one on the high side - gaining ground on Sides. As Sides exited turn two - he was trapped behind Hirst - and Saldana continued with his momentum - racing past Sides to steal the victory. ...Jason Meyers finished third followed by Jon Allard, and Craig Dollansky. ...Flip victims on the night included Steve Kinser, Jason York, Bobby McMahan, and Paul McMahan.
Saldana scores on night two of Gold Cup - HD Staff - Chico, CA. September 11, 2009 - Joey Saldana chased down and passed Jason Sides on lap 27 of the 30-lap preliminary feature of the Gold Cup race of Champions Friday night. The pass secured a fifth career win at Silver Dollar Speedway for the World of Outlaws star from Brownsburg, IN. “My car was really loose,” explained the winner. “We kept freeing it up and actually in the feature, I wish I could have stopped and tightened my car up and then I think we would have been really good. Then I could have run the top and it wouldn't have been an issue. Tomorrow I guarantee we'll tighten it up a lot more for 40 laps. It's $50,000 to win, not 5 so we'll definitely have a better car tomorrow.” ...Sides finished second and Brent Kaeding was third. ...“It was a really good run,” Kaeding said. “We had one motor that had 14 nights on it and now has 15. We weren't even going to come up here. My boys just pushing me really hard to come up here since we ran good here last year. It's fun to be here and fun to run well. It's good to do well here at a hometown track. We're looking forward to tomorrow night, though it's already been a success for us and all of the guys that work so hard to make this happen.” Lucas Wolfe finished fourth and Brad Furr was fifth.
An Even Dozen: Saldana Wins at 34 Raceway to Earn 12th Victory of 2009 - West Burlington, IA— July 8, 2009 - By Tony Veneziano. ... Joey Saldana set a career high in 2007 with the World of Outlaws winning 12 A-Feature events over the course of that nearly 80-race season. The second generation driver matched that mark on Wednesday night at 34 Raceway in Iowa, winning for the 12th time in 2009 in just the 34th race of the season as he looks to eclipse his career high for victories with the series this season. Saldana started on the pole and led the first 11 laps before Donny Schatz got around him on the 12th lap and would pace the next 20 circuits. After a thrilling battle in traffic that saw Saldana continually use the high side of the track before ducking under Schatz to take the lead on the 32nd lap. A late caution set up a green-white-checker finish that saw the race extended an extra go-around to 36 laps. The win for Saldana aboard the Budweiser Maxim was the 51st of his World of Outlaws career, which moved him into a tie for ninth on the All-time list with recent Hall of Fame inductee Jac Haudenschild. ...Schatz was second, followed by Terry McCarl, Danny Lasoski, and Jason Sides.
Saldana sweeps Dodge City weekend - HD Staff - Dodge City, KS. June 13, 2009 - ...Joey Saldana won his series best tenth feature event Saturday night in World of Outlaws action at Dodge City Raceway Park. The teams endured a three hour rain delay before Saldana was able to lead every lap of the feature. Donny Schatz finished second with Sam Hafertepe Jr. third.
Saldana stars in Charlotte - By Bobby Gerould - Concord, NC. May 22, 2009 - Joey Saldana stole the lead from Donny Schatz, in traffic on lap 20 of 30, Friday night at the Dirt Track at Lowe's Motor Speedway, to win an exciting World of Outlaws feature event. The race was televised on Speed TV. Jason Sides also passed Schatz to earn a runner-up finish. Schatz came home third with daryn Pittman, and Steve Kinser completing the top-five. The race was a points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series.
Saldana sweeps Texas weekend - HD Staff - April 11, 2009. ...Joey Saldana won both World of Outlaws feature events this weekend at Lone Star Speedway and Houston Raceway Park. That makes it five feature wins already this season for the Kasey Kahne Racing #9. Saldana now has 44 career World of Outlaws A-Feature wins and is just two shy of Bobby Davis Jr., who is 10th on the all-time win list. Saturday's top-five finishers were: Saldana, Donny Schatz (from 14th), Craig Dollansky, Danny Lasoski, and Steve Kinser. ...Friday night at Lone Star Speedway, Saldana beat Schatz, Kinser, Jason Meyers, and Lasoski.
Saldana, Hannagan top Tulare - By Bobby Gerould - Tulare, CA. March 21, 2009 - ...Joey Saldana and Randy Hannagan headlined the World of Outlaws action at Thunderbowl Raceway this weekend. Hannagan won the Friday A-Main while Saldana won a non-stop 35 lapper Saturday to earn the $10,000 winner's share of the purse. ...Friday's race was entertaining as Hannagan moved to the front of the pack and then withheld challenges from Sammy Swindell to secure the popular victory. Saturday's feature was contested on a slippery Thunderbowl track surface that saw slower lap times but an up tick in slide jobs. Saldana won the points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series over Terry McCarl, and Swindell. ...McCarl established a new single lap track record for the high-banked 1/3-mile clay oval with a 12.713 clocking Friday night.
Saldana: track record and feature win in night one of Mini - By Bobby Gerould - Chico, CA. March 13, 2009. ...Friday the 13th was not a problem for Joey Saldana. The Indiana driver owned the opening night of action in Mini Gold Cup at Silver Dollar Speedway. Saldana, driving the Kasey Kahne Racing #9 Maxim, made the feature winning pass by using a "screen" by a lapped car to pass Kahne stablemate Craig Dollansky in traffic. Saldana then ran away to win comfortably over Jason Meyers, and Terry McCarl. B-Main winner Danny Lasoski finished fourth. ...Saldana opened the night with an ultra-fast 10.918 second clocking on the quarter-mile. The single lap was the first ever in the ten second bracket at the track. ...Steve Kinser's #11 suffered a broken frame rail on the left rear, in the dash, after he got into the concrete wall outside turn four. Kinser brought out a spare car and then raced from 24th starting, in the feature field, to a fifth place finish. ...Sixth through tenth in the 40 lapper were Chad Kemenah, Sammy Swindell, Randy Hannagan, Kerry Madsen, and Donny Schatz. Schatz rallied from an early mechanical problem that sent him to the rear of the pack. ...Drivers that endured flips on the night included Kraig Kinser, Chad Groves, and Brad Furr. ...54 cars were in the pits.
Saldana nips Sides for WoO night two win at Volusia - By Tony Veneziano. February 7, 2009. Barberville, FL. ...Joey Saldana did not lead the most laps on Saturday night during at Volusia Speedway Park, but he led the last few hundred feet of the most important one, the last one to edge Jason Sides by just 0.138 seconds to earn his 40th career World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature win. Saldana led four times for seven laps in a race that saw him, Sides and Cody Darrah trade the top spot on six occasions. The win for the second generation driver was worth $10,000 and was his second with the World of Outlaws at Volusia Speedway Park. “It feels great to win this early in the season,” said Saldana. “We put ourselves in position to win. That is what you have to do with these guys to win races. Tonight we did it. We could have given up after a 24th place qualifying effort, but we stuck with it and got the win.” For Sides, it was his second consecutive runner-up finish at Volusia Speedway Park and in three races this week at the half-mile he has finished on the podium in each and every one of them aboard the Wetherington Tractor Service Maxim. He has finished sixth or better in all six of his starts this season in North America. “To start eighth and get to second and finish second would be great, but when you get to the lead and lead that many laps and have the caution come out and for him to drive back by on the last lap hurts,” Sides said. “Maybe we can keep this momentum going and have another good run tomorrow night and hopefully keep that going all year.” Jac Haudenschild picked up a third-place finish in the Owens-Corning Fiberglass Maxim after winning the third heat race. For the native of Wooster, Ohio, it was his third consecutive Top-10 finish this week. Greg Hodnett was fourth in the Macri Concrete JEI, with Stevie Smith in the Zemco Speed Equipment Maxim rounding out the Top-Five. Steve Kinser was sixth in the Quaker State Maxim, followed by Daryn Pittman in the Pete’s Bridge Street Motors Maxim, Donny Schatz in the Armor All J&J, Sammy Swindell in the Tom Rolfe Trucking Maxim and Jason Meyers in the GLR Investments KPC.
Saldana sweeps Eldora, Dollansky injured. - HD Staff - September 19, 2008. Rossburg, OH. ...Joey Saldana pulled off the first clean sweep of the 2008 World of Outlaws racing season with a spectacular effort at Eldora Speedway Friday night. Driving the Kasey Kahne Racing JEI #9, Saldana set quick-time, won his heat race, won the dash, and the 30-lap feature event. ...The feature included a grinding crash involving Craig Dollansky, Jason Meyers, and Tim Shaffer. Meyers was racing on the low groove when he made contact with Jac Haudenschild causing Meyers' #14 to turn left into the turn one wall. Meyers hit head-on and then flipped back down across the track. Dollansky had nowhere to go and hit Meyers while he was flipping. That contact sent Dollansky flipping. Shaffer also flipped as he tried to avoid the accident. Dollansky was taken to a local hospital with a fracture in his upper right arm. ...Steve Kinser finished second followed by Chad Kemenah, Donny Schatz, and Kraig Kinser. (Read more)
Saldana snares Skagit. T. Kaeding, K. Swindell rule Calistoga - By Bobby Gerould - September 1, 2008 - Joey Saldana was the biggest winner this weekend, taking home $25,000 for winning the World of Outlaws rain delayed event at Skagit Speedway Sunday night. Jason Meyers was next at the finish line followed by Steve Kinser, Donny Schatz, and Craig Dollansky. ...Meanwhile, at Calistoga Speedway - Tim Kaeding and Kevin Swindell were feature event winners. Kaeding won an epic battle with Jesse Hockett to open the Louie Vermeil Classic Saturday night. Sunday was dominated by Swindell who ran away in a non-stop 30-lapper. Johnny Rodriguez won both midget main events. ...Track records were broken in both the sprint car and midget divisions. Hockett drove the McMillen Motorsports #2 Maxim to a wicked fast 19.530 second lap on the half-mile, while Nic Faas destroyed Tony Stewart's prior midget standard with a 20.723 clocking.
More rain sends teams scrambling. Saldana wins Eldora All-Star, TK at Tulare - By Bobby Gerould - April 27, 2008 - ...Rain and snow forced postponement of the World of Outlaws date Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway. The race was to be a points earning event in the Racer's Racing Series. It has been re-scheduled for this coming Saturday, May 3, 2008. ...With enough lead time - several teams headed for Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, OH.) for the Saturday night All-Star sanctioned race. Joey Saldana won the 30-lap feature with Daryn Pittman, Donny Schatz, Steve Kinser, and Paul McMahan completing the top-five. Kasey Kahne made a rare sprint car start and finished eleventh in the feature. ...Tim Kaeding returned to California and promptly won his 35th career Golden State Challenge feature at Thunderbowl Raceway in Tulare Saturday. "T.K." also won the Friday night points show at Silver Dollar Speedway (Chico).
Saldana golden in wild Chico - By Bobby Gerould - Chico, CA. 09/08/07 - Joey Saldana's success reached a new plateau Saturday night at Silver Dollar Speedway when he drove Kasey Kahne's #9 winged sprint car to victory in the World of Outlaws sanctioned Gold Cup Race of Champions. Coming one night after a brilliant 12th to first run in his preliminary feature - Saldana's weekend of work was worth $55,000! Jon Allard challenged Saldana and passed the race long leader on lap 21 of 40. However, a red flag flew before Allard and Saldana reached the start finish line to complete the lap. That meant Saldana was back in front for the restart. The finish of the race saw Jac Haudenschild try to drive around Saldana on the 'rubbered-up' quarter-mile clay oval. Saldana never faltered and won the race by a car length. Allard had the right rear tire pop on his Morrie Williams #0 just after accepting the white flag. He limped his car home to a tenth place finish. Brad Sweet scored his career best Gold Cup finish with a third place effort for Gary Perkins in his #6P. ...Tim Kaeding earned the final berth into the feature with an amazing run the B-Main after winning the C-Main. (Read Tony V's WoO report)
Saldana tightens WoO points race with Cottage Grove win - HD Staff - Cottage, Grove, OR. - August 29, 2007 - Joey Saldana reduced Donny Schatz' World of Outlaws points lead to 32 markers with a feature event win at Cottage Grove Speedway Wednesday night. Saldana also broke the track record - turning the first nine second lap in the history of the track. Saldana whipped the Kasey Kahne Racing #9 around the bullring dirt track in 9.991 seconds. Schatz was the feature event runner-up with Tim Shaffer completing the podium. (Read Tony V's WoO report)
Saldana wins Eagle Nationals - HD Staff - June 9, 2007 - Eagle, NE. ...Joey Saldana won the Eagle Nationals sanctioned by the World of Outlaws Saturday night at Eagle Raceway. Saldana earned maximum points in the Racer's Racer's Series for the feature win. The Kasey Kahne Racing driver is now tied with Donny Schatz for most feature wins in the World of Outlaws with seven. Jac Haudenschild, Brooke Tanell, Danny Lasoski, and Jason Meyers completed the top-five. Kerry Madsen raced from 23rd on the starting grid to seventh at the checkered flag. (Read the WoO report)
Saldana Conquers Kokomo to Win Hoosier Sprint Nationals - Kokomo, IN—June 5, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director ...Joey Saldana began his sprint car racing career on the short tracks of Indiana, and Kokomo Speedway was one of his frequent stops, since he lived only an hour from the ¼-mile. He first visited the track on a number of occasions as a spectator and then as a competitor. He won at the track in the past, but always wanted to be victorious in a World of Outlaws event at the bullring in his home state. On Tuesday night he visited Victory Lane for the first time with the World of Outlaws at the track in the Hoosier Sprint Nationals holding off Donny Schatz and Jason Meyers. (Read it all)
Dixie a Delight to Saldana: Earns Third Consecutive Victory - Woodstock, GA—March 31, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director. ... Joey Saldana roared to his third consecutive World of Outlaws victory on Saturday night at Dixie Speedway, before a capacity crowd. In the six events contested during March, Saldana won three, and finished in the top-four in the other three, including two runner-up performances. He has eight Top-Five finishes in the first 11 events of the season, driving for NASCAR star Kasey Kahne.Saldana lined up in the fourth spot for the 30-lap A-Feature on Saturday night aboard the Open Joist Mopar-powered JEI, and was up to third on the opening circuit. He then worked his way around Tim Shaffer on the eighth lap, and set his sights on leader Craig Dollansky. Dollansky started on the outside of the front row and quickly took the lead from Shaffer as the pair exited the fourth turn on the opening lap. He began to encounter lapped traffic on the eighth lap and this allowed Saldana to close in. After shadowing Dollansky for six laps, Saldana used the high side of the track to his advantage, as he made a strong move coming off the fourth turn to take the lead and ultimately the win. “The car was definitely a pleasure to drive tonight,” said Saldana, who has a total of four A-Feature wins on the season. “(Crew Chief) Ricky Warner has brought so much to this team. Tonight was a night where it showed how much Ricky does on a race car. We just weren’t real good when we got here, and we just kept working on the car and got better and better. In the feature, that thing was unbelievable. I could go to the top, or to the middle with those guys, or even to the bottom. When it got time to go racing, this thing just rolled around them. I’m real proud of my team.” (Read it all)
Saldana Wins Thriller at Volunteer. Bulls Gap, TN—March 24, 2007--By: Tony Veneziano, World of Outlaws PR Director - The fans at Volunteer Speedway had been waiting a long time for a World of Outlaws event. They received one on Saturday night, and it was one of the best races in the history of the track, as Joey Saldana picked up his second straight win and third of the season, in a thrilling battle with Tim Shaffer and Donny Schatz. Saldana, inched out Tim Shaffer at the finish line, as the pair exchanged slide jobs over the last several circuits of the 35-lap A-Feature. With the pair battling back and forth, the capacity crowd was on their feet as the veteran drivers each sought the top spot, with Schatz just inches behind.Saldana took the white flag in the lead with Shaffer closely shadowing him. Saldana was committed to the top side of the track, while Shaffer made up plenty of ground on the bottom. Coming off the third and fourth turns, Shaffer inched ahead of Saldana, but with the momentum he had coming off the 32 degree banking in turn four, Saldana was able to win by 0.199 seconds and take home the $10,000 payday. (Read it all )
Saldana gets a Pike County 'chicken dinner' - HD Staff - March 17, 2007 - Magnolia, MS. - Joey Saldana captured $10,000 with a 35-lap feature win Saturday night at Pike County Speedway. The World of Outlaws sanctioned victory was the second of the young 2007 season for Saldana in Kasey Kahne's Open Joist #9. Saldana also set quick time and won the dash. Donny Schatz finished second followed by Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, and Jason Meyers.
Saldana wins Kings Royal $50,000 for second time - takes RRS points lead - WoO press - Rossburg, OH. July 15, 2006 ...Joey Saldana was in a class all by himself on Saturday night, a royal class, as he picked up his second Kings Royal by Crown Royal title at Eldora Speedway. Saldana driving the Mopar-powered Dodge/Curb Records JEI slid around Danny Lasoski in the Roth Motorsports Eagle on the 20th lap, and withstood a couple of late cautions to pick up his sixth WoO win of the year. Saldana started the feature in the third spot and worked his way into the runner-up on the eighth lap. He then set his sights on the leader and used traffic to his advantage to close the gap. Donny Schatz used a late pass of Lasoski to come home second in the ParkerStore J&J, with Lasoski just behind him. Kevin Swindell in the York Excavating Eagle, started 23rd and charged all the way to fourth at the end of 40 laps, with Chad Kemenah in the RacinSoles.com/Underground Utilities Inc. Eagle rounding out the top-five. Craig Dollansky who won the Knight Before the Kings Royal on Friday night was sixth in the Karavan Trailers Maxim. Terry McCarl was seventh in the Big Game Treestands Eagle. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the Premier Pallet J&J worked his way from the 20th starting spot to finish in eighth. Stevie Smith was ninth in the Race Against the Abuse of Children Everywhere J&J. Paul McMahan in the Bass Pro Shops Eagle rounded out the top ten.
Saldana Slides to Win at Dodge City in Boot Hill Showdown - Dodge City, KS—July 1, 2006-by: Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director ...Just as many of the Outlaws use to roll into Dodge City with a score to settle, so did Joey Saldana on Saturday night in the Boot Hill Showdown at Dodge City Raceway Park. After a spirited charge from the back of the field to finish seventh on Friday night, after some early trouble, Saldana knew he would be fast as the series moseyed into the Old West for their final race of the season in the state of Kansas. Saldana lined up fourth in the 30-lap A-Feature and gained two spots quickly before setting his sights on leader Brooke Tatnell. Saldana chose his line well and patiently followed Tatnell measuring his every move. After encountering lapped traffic just before the halfway point of the race, Saldana was able to close the gap on the Aussie. Saldana driving the Dodge/Mopar-powered/Curb Records JEI owned by NASCAR superstar Kasey Kahne, made the pass for the win on the high side of the track on the 12th lap. At the beginning of the lap, Saldana was about eight car lengths behind Tatnell, but once in traffic, he closed that gap in an instant and used a couple of lapped cars to his full advantage. The Brownsburg, Ind. native now has racked up four wins on the year, and has 19 in his World of Outlaws career. “We needed it after last night,” Saldana said. “We had a very disappointing race at Wichita. We had a really good car and we ended up seventh. We got caught up there at the start and went off the track. I could not keep my car going. We definitely rebounded with a good run. My guys worked real hard. We put the car where it should be and hopefully we can keep this up.” (Read it all)
Saldana wins Knoxville WoO - Knoxville, IA—June 23, 2006-by: Tony Veneziano, WoO Sprint Series PR Director ...Joey Saldana nearly won a preliminary feature last week at Red River Valley Speedway, and that race was still fresh in his mind on Friday night. The Brownsburg, Ind native, was determined to show that he was the man to beat on the opening night of The Mediacom World of Outlaws Shoot-Out Presented by Sonic, America’s Drive-In, at Knoxville Raceway. . Saldana powered around early race leader Billy Alley on the tenth lap on Friday night and held off a charging Donny Schatz to pick up his first preliminary feature win of the season. (Read it all)
Joey Saldana Takes World of Outlaws Thriller at Volusia Speedway Park - Barberville, FL — Feb. 10, 2006 — By Chris Dolack, VP Public Relations ...Joey Saldana charged off of Turn 4 on the final lap to catch leader Jac Haudenschild and win a drag race to the checkered flag by 0.10 seconds Friday night during the 35th Annual Winternationals in front of packed grandstands at Volusia Speedway Park. Haudenschild, Saldana and Fred Rahmer waged a race-long three-car battle before Saldana, the World of Outlaws top rookie in 1996, powered past Rahmer in traffic and began to close on Haudenschild. Haudenschild and Saldana ran through the low groove before Saldana shifted up the half-mile oval in his Dodge/Curb Records JEI and caught Haudenschild’s Wright One Construction Maxim in the final corner. Rahmer held on to finish third in the Miller Bros. Chevrolet J&J followed by Daryn Pittman in the Titan Garages & Carports Maxim and Terry McCarl in the Big Game Treestands Eagle, who raced into the top five after starting in the middle of the field. (Read it all)
Saldana sees specialist. Time and rest prescribed - By Bobby Gerould - June 22, 2005 …Joey Saldana, who suffered a concussion and bruises in a sprint car crash Friday night at Eagle Raceway (NE), saw a specialist Tuesday in Indianapolis. Dr Feuer, a neurosurgeon that works with race drivers from the Indy Racing League as well as members of the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise, told Saldana that time and rest will be the best medicine. Dr. Feuer confirmed that Saldana suffered a concussion in the helmet cracking accident. Joey's wife Shannon said Wednesday morning, "Joey told me there was no way he could race today because of the dizziness. It doesn't look good for this weekend at Knoxville either." There is no plan for a fill-in driver. Saldana's Volcano Joe's Coffee #2 winged sprint car will not compete tonight at State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, MO. "The Woodward's (team owners) have been very supportive", said Shannon Saldana. "They called last night, and again this morning to check on Joey. They have assured us that the car will be ready for Joey whenever he is ready to return."
Joey Saldana injury update - June 20, 2005 - 10:40 AM - Pacific - By Bobby Gerould - World of Outlaws driver Joey Saldana of Pittsboro, IN is resting at home after a heat race crash Friday night at Eagle Raceway in Eagle, NE. According to Joey's wife, Shannon, the tire of another car somehow got into the cockpit of Joey's Volcano Joe's Coffee #2 winged sprint car. The contact cracked Joey's helmet and left him with a concussion and badly bruised right side; from his ear, to cheek, to neck, shoulder, and right arm. A CT-Scan at the hospital following the race Friday revealed no broken bones. He is scheduled to see a specialist doctor on Wednesday, and as of today he is not planning on racing at State Fair Speedway in Sedalia, MO. Wednesday night. The Knoxville Raceway track record holder, and 2002 winner of the Kings Royal is still battling the nausea and dizziness that accompany a serious concussion. Shannon Saldana said, "We would like to thank everyone for their concern, and prayers and we are sorry we haven't been able to reach everyone who called to check on Joey. Right now we are trying to get Joey healthy. He is really swollen and cannot even put his helmet on. His inner ear is black and blue, and his equilibrium is off but he seemed more like himself yesterday. Hopefully, time will heal his injuries." ...We will have a further update Wednesday evening after Joey's doctor appointment.
Injury update - June 20, 2005 - By Bobby Gerould - My wife Kim spoke with Jan McMahan, a close friend of Joey. Jan said Joey rode home with his race team after suffering a concussion, and badly bruised face in a Friday night crash at Eagle Raceway in Nebraska. Saldana did not race Saturday night, and it is not yet known whether he run run Wednesday when the World of Outlaws return to the racetrack.
Saldana opens Lernerville WoO with win - HD Staff - Sarver, PA. 05/20/05 - ...Joey Saldana, who now lives in Pittsboro, IN., won the 25-lap World of Outlaws preliminary feature event Friday night at Lernerville Speedway. Coming off a new track record at Knoxville Raceway, Saldana is hitting his best stride of 2005. Steve Kinser finished second, followed by Brooke Tatnell, Daryn Pittman, and Sammy Swindell. Jason Meyers had quick-time. (Summary)
Saldana Wins as Outlaws Debut at Sheboygan County - By Outlaw Sprint PR - Plymouth, WI (July 31) Sheboygan County Fair Speedway Only a second place finish in his heat race kept Joey Saldana from sweeping the World of Outlaws debut at Sheboygan County Fair Speedway Saturday night. Saldana set a new track record in qualifying, won the first Dash, and led all forty laps in the A-feature, holding off eighteen time series champion Steve Kinser in a thrilling duel. The victory was Saldana's third of the 2004 season. (More)
Saldana wins as rain shortens Duel in the Dakotas - HD Staff - Fargo, ND. 07/10/04 ...Joey Saldana put himself in a position to capitalize on a rare rain-shortened World of Outlaws sprint series A-Main Saturday night at Red River Valley Speedway. After 11 completed laps, a powerful thunderstorm hit the track and officials declared the race complete. Saldana earned the most points in the two preliminary events leading up to Saturday's finale. He drove the Volcano Joe's Coffee, Maxim/Fisher #2 around Steve Kinser in the opening laps and was leading when the rains hit. (More in Johnny Gibson's race report)
Saldana beats rain and Loren Langerud - HD Staff - 07/08/04 - Fargo, ND ...Joey Saldana caught Red River Valley 360-sprint points leader Loren Langerud on lap 24 of 25 to win the opening night of the World of Outlaws Sprint Series Duel in the Dakotas. The night included a rain-delay at the heavy and fast high-banked half-mile. Saldana told HammerDown, "Loren Langerud did a good job. He made me work for it. I passed Tatnell for second place by moving up a groove. I knew I could run the top and when he (Langerud) got to traffic he stayed on the bottom. I pulled even with him and then beat him down into three." (More)
Joey Saldana Announces Western Plans - Brownsburg, IN. 02/16/04 …Joey Saldana is focused on competing at the highest level of sprint car racing in his 17th season behind the wheel of an 800 horsepower machine. Despite the temporary hiatus of his own racing team to, "gauge the climate in major sprint car racing once the 2004 season gets rolling", Saldana has held his foot to the throttle in Red Stauffer's #2s. Dirt track open-wheel action in Florida is a February tradition, and Saldana made the most of his Southern stay winning five of the eleven features he strapped-in for during 'Speedweeks'. Prior to that, the Brownsburg, Indiana professional racer spent December and January 'down-under' in Australia, keeping his driving skills precise. Aided by the off-season that wasn't an off-season, Saldana has come 'out of the box' hot in the States in Stauffer's "local" Florida sprinter. (more)
...It will be announced soon that Joey Saldana will drive for Brian Sperry, and Rick Fowzer at the World of Outlaws West Coast races. A #17 Maxim/Stanton MOPAR is being quickly assembled by Sperry to enable one of the USA's hottest drivers a chance to stay sharp by racing with the best at Manzanita, Las Vagas, Hanford, and Perris. Chuck Gurney Jr. will crew on the car, trying to pick up tips from Saldana, the 2002 Kings Royal winner who finished third in the WoO points last year. The junior Gurney will drive for Sperry & Fowzer during the bulk of the racing season.
Red Hot Joey Saldana Wins 410 Winter Nationals Opener at East Bay - HD Staff - Tampa, FL. - Since returning from Australia, Joey Saldana has tallied five wins in nine races, after claiming night number one of the 28th Annual East Bay Winter Nationals at East Bay Raceway Park Wednesday night. Driving the Red Stauffer #2s, Saldana took the lead from Greg Wilson on lap 12 en route to the win. Jim Nier was runner-up, with Terry McCarl, Wilson, and Danny Smith next to the checkered. The top ten was completed by Lance Dewease, Fred Rahmer, Shane Stewart, Sammy Swindell, and Jeff Shepard. 35 cars timed in.
Saldana Open Volusia USCS Thaw - Tony Stewart Competes - Barberville, FL. 02/03/04 - Joey Saldana won Tuesday night's 20 lap United Sprint Car Series (www.uscsracing.com) season opener on night one of the two night USCS "Thunder Thaw" 2004 at Dick Murphy's Volusia Speedway Park. Saldana from Brownsburg, Indiana, who races regularly with the World of Outlaws used a determined driving style to race from his sixth starting position into the lead on lap 8 past early race leader, Greg Wilson from Benton Ridge, Ohio who started outside the front row. (more)
Saldana Opens King of 360's with Win - By Jean Lynch - Tampa, FL. 1/28/04…..”Thanks to Gary Wright, I had a good start…. and track position was everything tonight,” Joey Saldana told on-track announcer Roby Helm after leading all 25 laps worth $1,500 in the 6th Annual King of 360’s preliminary opener Wednesday night at a chilly East Bay Raceway Park. (read it all)
...Joey Saldana won the Thursday night prelim, his first victory at Chico. Joey said it was just a matter of starting on the pole and not screwing up but the truth is, he drove smartly in the dash, and then showed his experience and poise in withstanding seven restarts to win the 30-lapper. ...You have any idea how many races Joey would have won if he wasn't racing against Steve Kinser and Danny Lasoski every night? I'd be nervous if I were an All-Star driver. Now that Joey and Shannon have young Reece in their life, it wouldn't surprise us if Joe raced closer to home next season. Unless he gets sponsor money to continue on the mentally grueling World of Outlaws tour, Saldana might go back to racing All-Star events. The 31 year-old from Brownsburg, IN. has 61 career All-Star checkered flags to his credit. That ranks him #2 behind only Kenny Jacobs (96). Saldana, the 2002 Kings Royal winner, is third in the World of Outlaws driver standings as the tour closes the season with a wild stretch that will see them go from West to South to East to South. The deal includes a New Jersey to Texas trip so that they boys can race on IRL weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. It's hard to argue with that kind of exposure. The IRL events at TMS are always great, and they are gaining steam in terms of race fan volume. Keeping sprint cars in the spotlight comes with sacrifice. What doesn't in life?
Joey Saldana Opens 50th Gold Cup with First Chico Win - By Bobby Gerould - 09/04/03 - Chico, CA. ...Brownsburg Indiana's Joey Saldana led all 30 laps of Thursday night's O'Reilly World of Outlaws preliminary feature that started the three-day, 50th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions. After a convincing win in the first dash, polesitter Saldana outgunned Tim Shaffer into turn one at the green flag, and then fought off a late charge by Shaffer to gain the win. Saldana's first career win at Silver Dollar Speedway came in his own #17 Maxim/Kistler wrenched by Davey Woodworth, and Jaime Coates. (More)
Joey Saldana Dominates Lebanon Valley Feature By Richard Day WEST LEBANON, NY (May 27) – Joey Saldana lost his track record, but won the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series "A" Feature Tuesday at Lebanon Valley Speedway. Points leader Danny Lasoski opened the series’ 24th event of the year by slicing .167 seconds off the single-lap record Saldana set at the high-banked, ½-mile oval two years ago with a 109.870-M.P.H. lap. Saldana won the Second Dash Race and led all 25 laps to claim his second main event victory of the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series 25th Anniversary Season, however. "At Charlotte (The Dirt Track @ Lowe’s Motor Speedway) last weekend, we had the same situation happen," Saldana explained. "We timed sixth and the inversion put us up front for the dash, but we couldn’t win it. Tonight, I knew if I could win the dash and win the drag race out of turn four at the start, I’d have a pretty good chance. "I didn’t like seeing those yellows, especially at the end. Sprint cars like a track with a little bit of moisture in it, and with all the rain you’ve had up here I’m surprised we were able to race at all. We’ll take the win here and head to Rolling Wheels to try to do it again tomorrow." (read the whole deal)
Saldana Ends Frustration at Powercom Park By Richard Day BEAVER DAM, WI (April 22) – Until Tuesday at The Raceway at Powercom Park, Joey Saldana was frustrated with the O’Reilly World of Outlaws Series’ 25th Anniversary Season. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year followed the advice of Lee Osborne, who won four "A" Features between 1980 and 1982, and drove the #17 Eagle Raceway MCI into victory lane for the first time this season. "This feels awesome!" Saldana yelled to the capacity crowd. "I thought we had a race won in Magnolia (MS, Pike County Speedway), but the engine broke under caution. This year has been nothing but frustration so far. Maybe this is a sign that we’ve finally figured something out with this weight deal. We’ve seemed to struggle trying to get the car right. I called Lee Osborne this week, and he helped us out a lot with the car. I have to thank Lee and (crew chief) Davey Whitworth for listening to Lee. Eagle Raceway, HemSaw and Joe Saldana – that’s Saldana Motorsports, and that’s what keeps us out here." (read it all)
Best of 2002: Joey Saldana's rim riding Kings Royal win. - Regardless of how your car is working, it takes 'sack' to run the fence at Eldora. Joey sacked up to win the $50,000 from Earl Baltes with a drive around the top of the track that no doubt allowed him to win the race.
Saldana Claims his 61st All-Star Win - Volusia Speedway Park - Thu. 2/6/03 By Scott Hall BARBERVILLE, FL - Starting from the front row, it was all Joey Saldana Thursday night at Volusia Speedway Park in the Haulmark All Star sprint car 20 lap season opening feature. Fresh off several feature wins in Australia over the winter, the Brownsburg, Indiana driver continued his hot streak stateside aboard Red Stauffer's Shaw Chassis utilizing a Don Ott Engine. The win for Saldana, second on the All Star all time feature win list, was number 61 of his career. (read it all)
Skagit to Saldana - HD Staff - Alger, WA. 08/23/02 - Joey Saldana told the Skagit fans, “I’m a very fortunate man tonight. Jason (Meyers) had a great car, Haud had a great car, and Daryn (Pitman) had a great car, but he had to pass me. I’ve never been here before, and I was just hoping for a good run, maybe a top ten, and get down the road to Yakima. I don’t know what it is about Washington—maybe the fans he but we’ve run pretty good here the last couple of years. I did some things that maybe I shouldn’t have, but you’re racing re,for a World of Outlaws win, and if the tables were turned, I’m sure Daryn would have done the same thing and tried to make his car as wide as possible.” Saldana held off Pittman in a thriller that saw early leader Jason Meyers and mid-race leader, Jac Haudenschild encounter problems. On lap 16, Meyers got into the wall entering turn 1, flattening the right front tire. Meyers’s limped around to the frontstretch, where he stopped, bringing out the caution flag with 16 laps complete. That gave Jac Haudenschild the lead. But on lap 23 P.J. Chesson spun in turn four, collecting Danny Lasoski. Haudenschild hit the turn 4 wall and flipped while trying to avoid the spinning Chesson and Lasoski, bringing out the red flag. Joey Saldana inherited the lead for the restart. (summary)
Saldana is Red Hot, Wins All-Stars at Eldora - 8/1/02 By Scott Hall ROSSBURG, OH - After winning the King's Royal a couple of weeks ago, Joey Saldana returned to Eldora Speedway's victory lane Thursday night in the All Star sprint 30-lap feature. Saldana's ride for the win, his first All Star victory of the season, was a Maxim Chassis with a Charlie Fisher powerplant which is owned by Fisher. The $5,000 to win event kicked off Eldora's Historical Big One weekend and came over Paul McMahan and Kenny Jacobs. Young Blake Feese, winner of the All Star opener here in April, actually passed Saldana's No. 48 for the lead on lap 18, but spun his car a lap later to hand the lead back to Saldana. (more)
Saldana Dominates Sharon Speedway Event - By Richard Day HARTFORD, OH (July 31) – Joey Saldana collided with Danny Wood at the beginning of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series’ inaugural main event at Sharon Speedway two months ago and eventually finished behind Wood and winner Danny Lasoski. (read the whole deal)
Good Times for King Joey - By Richard Day ROSSBURG, OH (July 20) – Joey Saldana drove the race of his life Saturday at Eldora Speedway to win the event he dreamed of winning for six years. “This is really unbelievable,” Saldana said after claiming the $50,000 first prize at the 19th Annual Kings Royal. “I was running the Mopar car here the year my friend, Johnny Herrera, won this race, and I thought, ‘man, it would really be something if I could get one of those some day.’ Tonight, we were able to get it done.” (read the whole deal)
Saldana Wins Duel with Dollansky By Richard Day JOLIET, IL (July 12) - With two victories in the last four Preliminary Features, Joey Saldana has been one of the Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series' hottest drivers. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year won Friday's readyhosting.com event before a standing-room-only crowd at Route 66 Raceway, exchanging the lead with Craig Dollansky three times in the first 20 laps and holding off series points leader Steve Kinser. The $10,000 victory was Saldana's second in an "A" Feature this season. (read the whole thang)
Saldana Dominates NAPA Classic Preliminary By Richard Day KNOXVILLE, IA (June 28) - Joey Saldana hasn't won many Pennzoil World of Outlaws Series races, but he has always been one of its fastest drivers. The 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year won every race he entered when the series opened the NAPA Classic at Knoxville Raceway Friday, however, finishing first in the First Heat Race, the First O'Reilly Auto Parts Dash and the 25-lap Preliminary Feature. "We've been really fast lately, but I've just been screwing up and making mistakes," Saldana said. "Toward the end there, I was behind Dennis Moore, Jr., and I moved down the race track and found a little bit of rubber there so I figured I'd be OK if I just stayed there. I'm just glad we won tonight. I'm not even thinking about tomorrow right now. "These guys are the best in the business. Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski, Stevie Smith - all of them - are just so good night-in and night-out. Steve's won about 300 (actually 457) more races than I have, so we're just trying to stay out here racing and trying to get some experience." (read the whole deal)
Devils Bowl Final is Saldana's - HD Staff - Mesquite, TX. 03/16/02 ...Joey Saldana was the bread winner at Devils Bowl Speedway Saturday Night. The Brownsburg Indiana hotshoe drove his own #17 to victory on the final night of World of Outlaws competition in the 2002 Spring Nationals. The top five included Craig Dollansky, Mark Kinser, Danny Lasoski, and Johnny Herrera. (summary)
SALDANA BUILDS FAMILY TEAM TO SUCCEED WITH OUTLAWS - It seems to be the wave of the future for the successful teams in the Pennzoil World of Outlaws. The idea is that the driver has something to do with the ownership of the team. Current WoO stars Steve Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Stevie Smith, and Andy Hillenburg all own their race teams while Mark Kinser and Dale Blaney drive for family members. A few years ago Joey Saldana decided the World of Outlaws was a goal of his and this year, he has team up with his father to chase the WoO tour with a family team. "You look at Stevie Smith and Craig Dollansky," said Saldana, the 1996 WoO Rookie-of-the-Year. "They went out and started their own teams and it helped both of them land sponsorships. We're just trying to do the same thing. Right now, the World of Outlaws offers drivers a chance to make a pretty good living and hopefully, we can stick around here for a while."
Saldana grew up in the racing community while his father, Joe, raced sprint cars through the Midwest before a career in Indy cars. Joey wasn't influenced by the early days of dirt racing but it was the afternoons on pavement that inspired the Brownsburg, IN native to jump in the driver's seat. "When I was old to enough to know what was going on, my father was racing Indy cars and that's really what I wanted to do," explained Saldana. "I had raced a sprint car on dirt for a little while, and in 1993, I competed in five races on pavement just trying to get my foot in the door, but with the cost involved we couldn't justify going that direction. As a family we didn't have the finances to follow a similar pattern that Jeff Gordon did, so I stuck with winged sprint cars and the next year I got my first full-time ride." Saldana began his career racing the bull-rings of Indiana like Bloomington Speedway.
The family owned #88 team would often venture to Ohio and Illinois so that Joey could learn the tricks of the trade on bigger tracks. In 1994, Saldana was offered a full-time ride with Tim Hughes to drive his #94 on the All-Star tour. He spent most of the season in the #94, but finished that season with Warren Johnson's U2. The first season on the road taught Saldana a lot, and in 1995, he joined Art Wendt's team and took the #77 to 18 All-Star wins. He also beat the World of Outlaws at I-96 Speedway for his first career WoO victory, and let everyone know that he was for real. "1995 was special season for me," said Saldana. "We proved to a lot of people that we were a legitimate threat. That season gave me the confidence to go on the road with Outlaws in 1996." In 1996, Joey Saldana complete an entire season with the Outlaws beginning the season with Dennis Roth's #83 Beefpackers Team and finishing the season in Gary Stanton's #75 Mopar. Saldana defeated Lance Blevins in the WoO Rookie-of-the-Year chase and a runner-up finish to Mark Kinser in the Historical Big One highlighted the season. The 1997 season got off to a terrible start as Saldana destroyed two cars in two nights in Phoenix and left Stanton's team and the Outlaws.
He drove for Steve Mox for the rest of 1997 season and for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. Saldana won a number of All-Star races during the last three years and also won a WoO preliminary feature at Eldora. His goal was to get back with the Outlaws and following the 1999 season his father helped make that possible. "This has been something we've been talking about for a while," said Saldana, on forming Saldana Motorsports. " My dad has always tried to back my racing career, but he seemed to be a little harder on me when I was driving for other people. I think he felt like I was putting in the effort so we decided to build a team. This is such a demanding sport. Usually you have to start with an existing team with existing knowledge, but so far we've just put are heads together worked through the bumps." The Saldana #17 Team ranks eighth overall in the WoO Standings with six Top-five finishes and 11 Top-Tens.
Saldana came close to winning his first race of the season at I-80 in May, but a tire A lot of teams would feel good about the start that the HE&M Saw sponsored team has had, but not Saldana. "I don't think we've had a great season," claimed Saldana. "Success is winning and we've been consistently up front. To be successful you have to run up front every night and with the Outlaws that's almost 100 nights. These guys are the best in the business and to come out here with a new team and new sponsors is a tall task. If we can stay around where we are in the points right now and maybe win a race or two, then I think we'll consider this season a successful one." The team has continued to show improvement and with the season's biggest races just ahead Saldana knows they are on the right track. In the back of his mind, he'd also like to show his appreciation to his father by winning a big race.
His father Joe, claimed sprint car racing's crown jewel in 1970, the Amoco Knoxville Nationals, and Joey would like nothing more than to be the first father/son duo to win the Nationals at Knoxville. "It would be a great honor to follow in my father's footsteps and win the Amoco Knoxville Nationals," said Saldana. "I don't think it's ever happened before and it'll probably be a while before Kraig Kinser (son of 11-time Champion Steve Kinser) is ready to do it. I think we've got a shot at it, but I think our team would be thrilled with a Top-Five finish. That's the biggest race of the season and to finish that well would really give us confidence in what we're doing."