TodaySchatz favored to win WoO finale
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Article RatingThe World of Outlaws will end its long, grueling season with this weekend’s VAULT World Finals at the Dirt Track at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
After starting the season early February in Florida, the Outlaws will host the big, season-ending event as many top drivers from the east coast have pre-entered for the weekend.
Donny Schatz will put the final touches on his third straight WoO championship this weekend, his first driving for car owner Tony Stewart. Schatz has been the top Outlaw driver for the past three seasons and should prove to be the top contender again this weekend.
The Outlaw Sprint cars will share the spotlight with the World of Outlaws late models at the Concord, N.C. facility this weekend.
Saturday night’s events will be aired live on SPEED from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. while SPEED cameras will be on hand Friday to tape the action for a Nov. 8 airdate at 9 p.m.
Thursday night will feature time trials for both nights of action along with the “Breaking the Vault” dashes, a series of matches that will set the stage for the two remaining nights of racing on Friday and Saturday.
The top five drivers in both series plus the top five qualifiers from time trials will take the track. The points leaders will call out a driver to race one-on-one. The driver who wins the lap-and-a-half dash will call out the next driver, and so on until only one driver remains. A $1,000 bonus will be on the line for the final dash.
Along with the World of Outlaws regulars, several Pa. drivers will be heading to Charlotte, including leading winner Fred Rahmer, Lance Dewease, Greg Hodnett, Brian Leppo, Niki Young, Mark Smith, Cody Darrah and more. Danny Lasoski will drive the Jim Nace-owned sprinter as well.
JOHN WESTBROOK UPDATE
John Westbrook continues to spend time in Philadelphia’s Magee Rehabilitation Center for injuries sustained in a sprint car crash at Williams Grove Speedway.
The Dillsburg resident had some ups and downs last week but continues to eat well and has been spending more time each day in a wheelchair.
“He’s had rough times and some good times and at times, it’s been a rough go and it gets him down,” John’s father Jim Westbrook said this week. “He is still eating good when he feels well.”
Jim spent last week at the rehab center with his son and says it was very informative.
“He’s had a fever and some respiratory problems and that really gets him down,” he said. “They did some more x-rays and are really unsure why he has been having more fevers but he’s been in the wheelchair about four and a half hours per day and they are increasing that by 15 minutes each day.”
Westbrook said that he, John’s girlfriend Rachel and John’s mother Camille will meet with social workers, doctors and therapists soon for an update on John’s stay so far and where he’s headed.
“I guess they will tell me what kind of things we might need to do to the house for when John comes home and stuff like that,” he added.
John’s condition is still considered “gross motor movement.”
Cards can reach him at 15 W. Greenhouse Rd, Dillsburg, PA 17019.
PIT STOPS
Rain forced Hagerstown Speedway to postpone the 21st annual Octoberfest 350 until November 8 and 9. The lineups for the events have changed from what they were scheduled to be last weekend.
Jimmy Brookens won Sunday night’s Candy Bowl for 600 Micro Sprints at Susquehanna Speedway Park over Brent Marks, Tim Buckwalter, Mike Freed and Tim Glatfelter. Randy Monroe, Jr. won the ARDC feature as well as the ARDC championship and the SSP championship.
Path Valley Speedway winners during Sunday night’s wingless special included Colby Dice (270 Micros), Tim Fedder (358 late models), Bill Unglert (600 Micros), Von McGee (305 Sprints) and Jeremy Ott (4-cylinders).
