MTRN

BULLS GAP, Tenn. — With race fans visiting the East Tennessee region from all across the country and also from several foregin countries for the NASCAR action at nearby Bristol Motor Speedway, much excitement is building for one of the biggest events in the storied history of Volunteer Speedway. Wild Wilma’s Fireworks proudly presents the first-ever appearance at the track of “The Greatest Show On Dirt” when the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series invades the ultra-fast, high-banks at “The Gap” on Saturday, March 24 for a one night show.

A stellar field of the best sprint car competitors’ in the country is expected, and leading the way is defending series champion Donny Schatz of Fargo, N.D. En route to least year’s title, Schatz etched his name forever in the record books by winning the prestigious Knoxville Raceway Nationals, held at the mecca of sprint car racing in Knoxville, Iowa. Schatz currently stands atop the World of Out laws point leader-board entering the event at Volunteer Speedway.

Also in action will be 20-time World of Outlaws champion Steve Kinser. The Bloomington, Ind., racer has 534 career A-feature wins with the series, and “The King of the Outlaws” will be looking to add to his impressive resume by winning at tracks he visits for the first time. He has accomplished that feat 54 times in his illustrious career.

Danny “The Dude” Lasoski of Dover, Mo., the 2001 series champion will also be in attendance. Lasoski has 74 career wins, which is fifth best all-time.

Two World of Outlaws championship contending teams owned by NASCAR Nextel Cup Series stars will be in action. Joey Saldana of Brownsburg, Ind., drives for Kasey Kahne, and Paul McMahan, a California native who now calls Nashville, Tenn. home, chauffeurs an entry fielded by two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart.

Daryn Pittman of Owasso, Okla., Terry McCarl of Altoona, Iowa, Craig Dollans ky of Elk River, Minn., Tim Kaeding of San Jose, Calif., Jac “The Wild Child” Haudenschild of Wooster, Ohio, Jason Meyers of Clovis, Calif., Tim Shaffer of Aliquippa, Pa., and the only female racer competing with the World of Outlaws, Becca Anderson of Houston, Del., are expected. And adding an international flavor to the field will be Brooke Tatnell and rookie Kerry Madsen, who both hail from Australia. Plus many, many more drivers will be in attendance.

The series is coming off a pair of races this past weekend that saw Schatz return to victory lane for the third time this season, when he led wire to wire at Houston (Texas) Raceway Park on Friday night. Also, Saldana made a trip to the winner’s circle on Saturday night at Pike County (Magnolia, Miss.) Speedway for his second A-main win in 2007.

Racing is also scheduled for Friday, March 23 ... with the "Gateway Ford" ASA Super Late Models competing in a 40-lap $2,000-to-win feature, along with events for the "Lawson Chevrolet" Open Wheel Modified, "Rusty Wallace Toyota" Hobby Stock, and "Century 21 Masengill-McCrary Realtors" Mini Stocks.

Adult grandstand (general) admission on Friday, March 23 is $10, children 6-12 $2, with 5-a nd-under admitted free. Pit passes and backside tier-parking is $25 for anyone entering the back pit gate.

Highlighting the Saturday, March 24 racing program will be the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series, along with the "Ramey Ford" Crate Late Models. The WoO sprint cars will qualify, run heat races, dash, (possibly C-main), B-main and A-main feature, while the Ramey Ford" Crate Late Models will compete in a 25-lap feature.

Adult grandstand (general) admission on Saturday, March 24 is $25, children 6-12 $5, with 5-and-under admitted free. Pit passes and backside tier-parking is $35 for anyone entering the back pit gate.

The pit gate will open each day at 3 p.m., with the grandstands opening at 4:30 p.m. Hotlaps are tentatively scheduled to begin around 6:45 p.m. each evening, to be followed by qualifying and then racing action.