Mopar-Powered Driver Joey Saldana Doubles Up at Dodge City
Mother Nature tried her best to slow down Mopar-powered driver Joey Saldana after his win on Friday night, as heavy rain led to a three-hour delay on Saturday night after the first seven laps of the A-Feature were in the books for the World of Outlaws Sprint event at Dodge City Raceway Park on June 13. Saldana was out front when the rains hit and he and his team overcame a blown engine during hot laps leading up to the resumption of the race, to lead the remaining laps to sweep the Boot Hill Showdown.
Saldana has four career wins at Dodge City to lead all drivers and also leads the series this season with 10 A-Feature wins in 2009. He used the victory in the finale of the Boot Hill Showdown to move into the second spot in the World of Outlaws championship standings as he chases his first career title aboard the Mopar-powered Kasey Kahne Racing Budweiser Maxim.
"My guys did an awesome job," said Saldana. "We blew up in hot laps and made a pretty quick motor change. We didn't get to work on our car and definitely didn't have the best car. I guess we led the lap that mattered most. My guys did a tremendous job tonight."
A standing room only crowd was on hand for the event, with a hearty bunch waiting out the rain delay to see Saldana pick up the 49th win of his World of Outlaws career. He is now just two behind Jac Haudenschild for eighth on the all-time list.
On Friday, June 12, Saldana took the lead from Jason Meyers on a restart on the eighth lap at the pristine 3/8-mile Dodge City track, and paced the field the rest of the way to claim the win.