One more weekend of California Dreamin’ awaits the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars in 2023.
The Greatest Show on Dirt will carry a hotly contested points battle into a pair of “Golden State” facilities to wrap up this year’s west coast swing. First up is a Friday, Sept. 15 stop at Hanford, CA’s Kings Speedway for the Tom Tarlton Classic. As a nod to the longtime California car owner, the race will again award $21,00 to the winner.
The next night takes the tour north where Placerville Speedway is waiting and ready to host the World of Outlaws for the first time in four years at the Federated Auto Parts 49er Gold Rush Classic.
Online General Admission pit passes continue to be available for this Saturday in Placerville at https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=WRG_SNG_MPV&orgid=52711&eventId=58810#/event/E58810
RETURN TO P-VILLE: Circumstances outside of Series and track control caused the cancelation of the Placerville Speedway date over the last three years, but the World of Outlaws are set to return to the bullring on Saturday for the first time since 2019.
The night will mark the World of Outlaws’ 10th visit to the El Dorado County quarter mile since the first trip back in 1985. Through nine Placerville races to date, seven different drivers have gone to Victory Lane. The most recent five have yielded no repeat winners.
Four years ago, when the World of Outlaws last rolled into Placerville, it was a California local claiming the checkered flag in the form of Shane Golobic. The Rocklin, CA driver is fresh off a sixth place showing at Gold Cup and will finally get the chance to defend his win this weekend.
THE BIG CAT’S BACK: One driver especially looking forward to the return to Placerville is Brad Sweet. The four-time Series champion is originally from Grass Valley, CA and now calls the Placerville area home. Sweet has a hand in helping promote this Saturday’s race.
Sweet has been stout recently at his home state bullring. In his last four Series starts at Placerville, he’s finished no worse than sixth and picked up a 2018 victory.
“The Big Cat” rolls into the weekend with the points lead and looks to add more cushion to the 82-marker margin that separates him and David Gravel.
OUTLAWS VS. CALI CLIQUE: The Cali Clique was clicking this past weekend in Chico, and the World of Outlaws hope to regain the upper hand on the rivalry with the “Golden State” gassers this weekend.
Over at Placerville, Donny Schatz (2015), David Gravel (2017), and Brad Sweet (2018) have won as World of Outlaws competitors and will be looking to do so again this Saturday.
Corey Day leads the California locals fresh off topping Gold Cup for his first career World of Outlaws win. Now he heads to Kings, where he’s already won four times with NARC in his young career. The Clovis, CA native has bested NARC at Placerville as well.
As previously stated, Shane Golobic is the most recent Series winner at Placerville. Since that 2019 triumph, the pilot of the NOS Energy Drink #17W has collected six Placerville wins in 360 Sprint Car competition.
After bagging a pair of runner-ups at Gold Cup, Justin Sanders is hungrier than ever for that first World of Outlaws win. The Aromas, CA native owns a stout résumé at Placerville with 10 Sprint Car triumphs at the quarter mile since the beginning of 2021.
Story by Alex Nieten. Images courtesy of Devin M Photography and Tim Holland
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