Saldana Flexes Muscle During FVP Missouri High-Banked Nationals Victory

 

Inside Line Promotions – OSBORN, Mo. (Sept. 17, 2016) – Joey Saldana fit the definition of an elbows-up racer on Saturday at U.S. 36 Raceway, where he hustled around the fast track to capture the FVP Missouri High-Banked Nationals.

The win was Saldana’s first career with the National Sprint League and it marked his fifth triumph of the season with the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series.

“This is unbelievable,” he said during an interview in the Winner’s Circle. “I’ve been struggling of late. Actually I’ve been struggling all year. We’ve had some good cars. This is what I wanted. At least tonight we did a good job and finished the whole night off.”

Saldana took the lead from polesitter Danny Lasoski, who paced the field for the first four laps, on a restart on Lap 5. While Saldana led the final 31 laps of the main event he wasn’t without numerous challenges.

Lasoski gave chase for the two thirds of the feature. He pulled even with Saldana on Lap 25, but was unable to take the lead. That opened the door for Jason Johnson to make a bid for the top spot.

Johnson passed Lasoski and was all over Saldana during the final 10 laps of the race. He took several shots at a pass, but Saldana was able to fend off every challenge on the hooked-up, high-banked track.

“I’m pretty sure Jason Johnson has been working out this year,” Saldana said. “I’ve always worked out quite a bit since I got hurt. It definitely pays off in situations like this. When I got to the lapped cars at the end I knew if I tried too hard or did something stupid I’d lose the race.”

Saldana’s win gives him two straight at the track as he won the most recent World of Outlaws race at the oval in 2009.

Johnson’s runner-up result was his second podium finish in the last three races and his fourth since winning the 5-Hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals last month.

“That was a lot of fun,” he said. “Look at Joey. He’s as fit as can be. He’s tough. I stuffed it in there a couple of times. I gave it my best effort. It seems like we’ve come into form the last month.”

David Gravel advanced to third place on Lap 28 and held on for the podium result.

“It was real physical,” he said. “Typically I don’t get tired with my hands. I was gripping so hard just to not let go. We’re happy to finish on the podium. The left rear came off the ground the first lap so I was like, ‘Man, I’ve just got to finish.’ You just had to man up there. It was one of those things where you man up and just drive the car.”

Shane Stewart garnered the fourth-place result with Brad Sweet passing Lasoski for fifth place coming to the white flag.

Lasoski, who finished sixth for the second straight night, increased his lead in the National Sprint League championship standings to 459 points. That gives him more than one full race lead over Craig Dollansky, who ended 13^th, with two points-paying races remaining this season.

Johnson opened the night by setting quick time before he, Sweet and Saldana each won a heat race. Lasoski captured the dash win with Brooke Tatnell claiming the B Main triumph.

The next event on the National Sprint League schedule is next Saturday at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., for the Dirt Classic. It’s a non-points race.

NATIONAL SPRINT LEAGUE NOTES : Jason Johnson earned a $200 bonus from Deberg Concrete and a $50 certificate from Slade Shock Technology for setting quick time during time trials. … Johnson garnered a $100 certificate from Walker Performance Filtration for winning a heat race. … Brad Sweet scored a $100 certificate from Kaeding Performance for winning a heat race. … Joey Saldana captured a certificate from Keizer Aluminum Wheels for winning a heat race. … … Kerry Madsen was the So Close Award winner and received a certificate from Rod End Supply for being the highest starting NSL driver who missed the feature redraw. … Brooke Tatnell powered to the Locked in Award to garner a $100 certificate from Hooker Harness for winning the B Main. … Jason Sides picked up a $50 certificate from KSE Racing Products for being the Hard Charger in the A Main.

National Sprint League Race Report: U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Mo., on Sept. 17, 2016 –

Deberg Concrete/Slade Shock Technology Time Trials: 1. 41-Jason Johnson 10.636; 2. 11K-Kraig Kinser 10.646; 3. 83-Joey Saldana 10.649; 4. 5-David Gravel 10.651; 5. 49-Brad Sweet 10.659; 6. 2L-Danny Lasoski 10.712; 7. 17W-Kerry Madsen 10.730; 8. 2-Shane Stewart 10.740; 9. 1S-Logan Schuchart 10.762; 10. 21-Brian Brown 10.788; 11. 2KS-Craig Dollansky 10.800; 12. 1A-Jacob Allen 10.815; 13. 18-Ian Madsen 10.817; 14. 17-Josh Baughman 10.834; 15. 9-Daryn Pittman 10.834; 16. 15-Donny Schatz 10.871; 17. W20-Greg Wilson 10.910; 18. 87-Aaron Reutzel 10.958; 19. 7-Terry McCarl 10.962; 20. 2C-Wayne Johnson 10.985; 21. 55-Brooke Tatnell 11.013; 22. 7W-Tasker Phillips 11.022; 23. 10-Dakota Hendrickson 11.131; 24. 20N-Hunter Schuerenberg 11.142; 25. 13-Clyde Knipp 11.223; 26. 71A-R.J. Johnson 11.251; 27. 19-Bob Weuve 11.421; 28. 75-Glen Saville 11.563; 29. 7S-Jason Sides No Time.

Walker Performance Filtration Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 41-Jason Johnson (1); 2. 5-David Gravel (2); 3. 17W-Kerry Madsen (3); 4. 15-Donny Schatz (6); 5. 21-Brian Brown (4); 6. 18-Ian Madsen (5); 7. 7-Terry McCarl (7); 8. 7W-Tasker Phillips (8); 9. 13-Clyde Knipp (9); 10. 75-Glen Saville (10).

Kaeding Performance Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 49-Brad Sweet (2); 2. 11K-Kraig Kinser (1); 3. 2-Shane Stewart (3); 4. 2KS-Craig Dollansky (4); 5. 17-Josh Baughman (5); 6. W20-Greg Wilson (6); 7. 2C-Wayne Johnson (7); 8. 71A-R.J. Johnson (9); 9. 10-Dakota Hendrickson (8); 10. 7S-Jason Sides (DNS).

Keizer Aluminum Wheels Heat 3 (10 Laps): 1. 83-Joey Saldana (1); 2. 2L-Danny Lasoski (2); 3. 1S-Logan Schuchart (3); 4. 87-Aaron Reutzel (6); 5. 1A-Jacob Allen (4); 6. 9-Daryn Pittman (5); 7. 55-Brooke Tatnell (7); 8. 20N-Hunter Schuerenberg (8); 9. 19-Bob Weuve (9).

Dash (8 Laps): 1. 1. 2L-Danny Lasoski (1); 2. 83-Joey Saldana (4); 3. 5-David Gravel (3); 4. 41-Jason Johnson (6); 5. 49-Brad Sweet (5); 6. 11K-Kraig Kinser (2).

B Feature (12 Laps/Top 6 Transfer): 1. 55-Brooke Tatnell (3); 2. 2C-Wayne Johnson (2); 3. 20N-Hunter Schuerenberg (6); 4. 7W-Tasker Phillips (4); 5. 75-Glen Saville (10); 6. 7S-Jason Sides (11); 7. 71A-R.J. Johnson (8); 8. 19-Bob Weuve (9); 9. 13-Clyde Knipp (7); 10. 7-Terry McCarl (1); 11. 10-Dakota Hendrickson (5).

A Feature (35 Laps): 1. 83-Joey Saldana (2); 2. 41-Jason Johnson (4); 3. 5-David Gravel (3); 4. 2-Shane Stewart (8); 5. 49-Brad Sweet (5); 6. 2L-Danny Lasoski (1); 7. 15-Donny Schatz (10); 8. 11K-Kraig Kinser (6); 9. 9-Daryn Pittman (18); 10. 17W-Kerry Madsen (7); 11. 18-Ian Madsen (16); 12. 21-Brian Brown (13); 13. 2KS-Craig Dollansky (11); 14. 7S-Jason Sides (24); 15. 55-Brooke Tatnell (19); 16. 1S-Logan Schuchart (9); 17. W20-Greg Wilson (17); 18. 17-Josh Baughman (14); 19. 87-Aaron Reutzel (12); 20. 75-Glen Saville (23); 21. 1A-Jacob Allen (15); 22. 20N-Hunter Schuerenberg (21); 23. 7W-Tasker Phillips (22); 24. 2C-Wayne Johnson (20). Laps Led: Danny Lasoski 1-4; Joey Saldana 5-35.

UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL SPRINT LEAGUE TOP 10 IN POINTS AFTER ROUND 23 –

.1. 2-Danny Lasoski 7830; 2. 2ks-Craig Dollansky 7371; 3. 21-Brian Brown 7310; 4. 18-Ian Madsen 7039; 5. 55-Brooke Tatnell 5814; 6. 17w-Kerry Madsen 5727; 7. 1s-Sammy Swindell 5355; 8. 7w-Tasker Phillips 4976; 9. 56n-Davey Heskin 4490; 10. 10-Dakota Hendrickson 4146.

2016 FEATURE WINNERS –

Kerry Madsen – 4 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on May 28 and June 18 and Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on July 29 and Sept. 4);Brian Brown – 3 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on June 4 and July 23 and Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on Sept. 3); Craig Dollansky – 3 (Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on May 20 and June 22 and Iowa State Fair Speedway in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 29); Danny Lasoski – 3 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on May 21 and Aug. 27 and Mason City Motor Speedway in Mason City, Iowa, on June 19); Terry McCarl – 2 (I-80 Speedway in Greenwood, Neb., on May 6 and Hancock County Speedway in Britt, Iowa, on July 31);Daryn Pittman – 2 (Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, Minn., on June 24 and Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Aug. 8); Sammy Swindell – 2 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on June 25 and July 1); Ian Madsen – 1 (Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa, on July 30); Joey Saldana – 1 (U.S. 36 Raceway in Osborn, Mo., on Sept. 17); Donny Schatz – 1 (Clay County Fair Speedway in Spencer, Iowa, on Sept. 16); and Logan Schuchart – 1 (Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis., on July 8).

UP NEXT –

Saturday at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pa., for the Dirt Classic (non-points race)

Category: Missouri