Saldana Can Drive I-55
IRONMAN LIVES AGAIN: Joey Saldana (9) goes to the high side of Kasey Kahne Racin
PEVELY, Mo. — Joey Saldana made history in a couple of ways, winning the inaugural Ironman 55 Saturday night at I-55 Raceway.
In addition to putting his name in the record books as the first victor in the Ironman 55 and its $20,000 top prize, he also scored his 13th triumph of the season, which set a new career high for him with the World of Outlaws. Saldana’s 52nd-career WoO triumph moved him into ninth on the all time list.
It was his first victory since July 8.
“This is a very important race,” said Saldana. “It’s the first one and nobody ever forgets who won the first one. Thanks to everyone for going through all of the hard work to make this event, and the track preparation, that’s what made it a great race tonight. Thanks to the fans that stuck with us and made it happen.”
Saldana started fourth in the Budweiser Maxim and moved into second on the opening lap and quickly began to chase his teammate Craig Dollansky for the lead. Dollansky entered traffic for the first time on the sixth lap and Saldana kept pace with him as they weaved their way through slower machines. Dollansky was held up on the 18th lap, allowing Saldana to close right in on him.
On the next lap, Saldana used a textbook slide job coming off turn four to take the top spot. He led the remaining 37 circuits of the third-mile oval.
“It was a good run for us,” shared the winner. “We got a flat tire there and luckily we held on. We lost a race and a whole race car at Paducah (Int’l Raceway in Kentucky) earlier this season because we blew a tire in the same situation. I’m glad it held air here tonight.”
Saldana had to nurse his car late in the going as his right-rear tire had a hole in it and was going down. For the majority of the race, the second-generation driver used the high side of the track, just inches off the wall.
“I felt good on the bottom when I got Craig there in lapped traffic,” noted the winner. “With a flat tire, anything could happen. I just wanted to keep it spinning and keep it going. At the end getting into (turn) one I was getting real tight and almost threw it away there a couple of times.”
After winning the opener of the Ironman 55 weekend Friday night, Dollansky led the first 18 laps and finished second.
“It was a great run for Kasey Kahne Racing to have both cars one and two in a big race, it’s pretty neat,” Dollansky said. “It was a good effort by both race teams. Joey and I were nose to tail there all the way through the race. He got me there on the bottom in (turns) three and four and it looked like the bottom was good at that point of the race. I just was on top running up there and he just snuck by us.”
Danny Lasoski started 16th and finished third.
“We really had a fast car,” said Lasoski. “We knew that both of the Kasey Kahne cars would be up on the fence and we locked our car for the bottom. Thanks to Ray (Marler) and his crew for working this track and making it like it was. Kenny Schrader is a racer and Ray Marler is a racer. I used to work for him before I started racing. To have this race here at what is the best track in Missouri is a pleasure, especially being from Missouri.”
Point-leader Donny Schatz and Jason Sides rounded out the top five.
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Posted by NSSN Staff
on Aug 12 2009 Filed under World of Outlaws Sprint Cars.
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