By TONY VENEZIANO

World of Outlaws

Las Vegas, NV--February 24, 2010--The 2010 season begins to shift into high gear for the World of Outlaws beginning this week as the series heads west for the Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Friday, February 26.

Donny Schatz, the four-time and defending series champion, was victorious in the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic last season and has won two in a row at the track to bring his career win tally at the half-mile to six. Schatz won the World of Outlaws season opener on February 6 and finished fourth the following night and heads to Las Vegas as the series point leader.

Steve Kinser, the 20-time World of Outlaws champion, also won during the World of Outlaws season opening weekend in Florida and is just three markers behind Schatz in the standings, as the pair continues their first season as teammates at Tony Stewart Racing. Kinser also has won six times in his career at Las Vegas.

Danny Lasoski, who claimed the 2001 World of Outlaws title, is also perched atop the win list at Las Vegas with Kinser and Schatz, having six triumphs in his career at the half-mile.

Jac Haudenschild and Kraig Kinser have also visited Victory Lane in "Sin City" with the series.

The World of Outlaws made their debut at the state-of-the-art half-mile in the desert in 1996 and have competed a total of 45 times over the years at the facility, with Donny Schatz being the only driver that has raced in each and every event for the series at the track.

The Buzz-

The Tony Stewart Racing duo of Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz looks to stay unbeaten after winning the opening two nights of the season in Florida

Schatz and Kinser each have six career wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with the former having won two in a row and three of his last five starts at the track

Joey Saldana is chasing his first win of the season after two runner-up finishes and is also chasing his first checkered flag at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Paul McMahan will be filling in for the injured Cody Darrah in the No 91 machine for Kasey Kahne Racing as a teammate to Saldana

Jason Meyers will be chasing his first career win at Las Vegas this week, after a solid start to the season in Florida

Danny Lasoski, who has six career wins at Las Vegas, heads west with the momentum of a podium finish to end the DIRTcar Nationals at Volusia after lining up 14th on the grid

Daryn Pittman and Fred Rahmer will make the long tow from Central Pennsylvania to compete in the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic

Terry McCarl will also head west for the second consecutive year to take part in the event

Over the years

World of Outlaws Previous A-Feature winners at The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

2009-Donny Schatz on February 26

2006-Donny Schatz on March 9, Sammy Swindell on March 10, Donny Schatz on October 28

2005-Donny Schatz on March 11, Tim Shaffer on Oct. 22

2004-Steve Kinser on March 5, Donny Schatz on Nov. 6

2003-Tim Shaffer on March 1, Danny Lasoski on Nov.1

2002 - Steve Kinser on March 2, Steve Kinser on November 9

2001 - Danny Lasoski on March 4, Andy Hillenburg on November 3

2000 - Jac Haudenschild on March 4, Sammy Swindell on November 1

1999 - Danny Lasoski on March 6, Donny Schatz on November 3

1998 - Mark Kinser on February 28, Mark Kinser on November 5

1997 - Jeff Swindell on February 7, Jeff Swindell on November 5

1996 - Mark Kinser on November 6

One year ago

The World of Outlaws returned to Las Vegas for the first time since 2006 as part of the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic. Donny Schatz, who capped his first World of Outlaws title in 2006 in Las Vegas, set quick time to open the night. Craig Dollansky was victorious in the dash to earn the pole for the 30-lap A-Feature and paced the field for the first seven laps, when three-time series champion Sammy Swindell took the top spot. Schatz, who started third, used heavy lapped traffic to his advantage to charge into the lead on the 16th lap and would lead the remainder of the distance to score his sixth career win at Las Vegas, with Swindell and Dollansky following.

Sound Bites

Danny Lasoski

"I can't wait to head to Las Vegas. Chris Powell and his people always do a great job out there. It's an amazing facility and should be a great event. With the strong run we had to close out Florida, I am ready to head to the track."

Donny Schatz

"It's a big track, where speed and driver finesse matters. Some guys go out there and just mash the gas pedal and roll the cushion, but you have to be able to move around. The track gets slick and I think I won the race last year by making a couple of perfect corners on the low side in (turns) three and four. I've got an outstanding crew and they give me a great car to get into. We're excited about getting back out there and racing again."

Steve Kinser

"We've always run well at Las Vegas. That's something that makes you look forward to going back. It's a big, fast half-mile and we've been pretty good on the bigger tracks. We just spent a week racing in Florida on a fast track, where our results were pretty good every night. My crew works hard to try and continue finding ways to get me faster. We tried a car in Florida that worked really well, and we feel like it should be pretty stout in Las Vegas. You never know what the track will be like, so we'll just see what happens."

Jason Meyers

"The next couple of weeks should be fun with the series headed west to Las Vegas and then to my home track in Tulare, (California). I have come very close to winning at Vegas twice, but had engine failure both times. It would be nice to get one there."Jason Sides

"We've had some good runs there and it's a track I really like and I like 'Sin City.' It doesn't hurt to run along of NASCAR there. You get new people and new spectators there and it opens a lot of people's eye to a new sport."

Paul McMahan

"I want to thank KKR (Kasey Kahne Racing) for giving me an opportunity to compete in first-class equipment. I've always admired what Kasey (Kahne) has done with his World of Outlaws program and I'm looking forward to racing with them until Cody (Darrah) is able to compete again."

By the numbers- Second Annual Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic

0.5- Miles around The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

1- Driver that has competed in every World of Outlaws event at Las Vegas- Donny Schatz

2- Drivers that have won the dash this season to earn a pole position

3- Drivers that led laps in the A-Feature at the track last season; Drivers that have finished in the Top-Five in both events so far in 2009; Points that separate Donny Schatz, Steve Kinser and Joey Saldana in the championship standings

4- Drivers that have led laps in feature racing competition in 2010

5- Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws in 2009 that have won at Las Vegas; Drivers that have finished in the Top-10 in both World of Outlaws events this season

6- Wins for Steve Kinser, Danny Lasoski and Donny Schatz at Las Vegas to lead all drivers

6.8- Average finish for Steve Kinser in his career at the half-mile to lead all drivers competing full-time with the series

13.719- Track record set by Danny Lasoski at the half-mile in 2004

15- Laps led by Donny Schatz en route to winning at the half-mile last season

16- Drivers competing full-time with the World of Outlaws this season that raced with the series at Las Vegas last year

20- Laps led by Donny Schatz this season to lead all drivers

24- Top-Five finishes for Steve Kinser at Las Vegas dating back to 1996 to lead all drivers

27- Drivers that competed in the Super Sprint Classic last year

32- Top-10 finishes for Steve Kinser at the track in his career to lead all drivers

45- Career starts for Donny Schatz at Las Vegas to lead all drivers; Events contested by the World of Outlaws at the track dating back to 1996

2296- Miles from Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida where the World of Outlaws opened the season to The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

10,000- Dollars the winner will receive on Friday, February 26

Tickets

On Friday, February 26, adult tickets will be $35 with tickets for children (ages 6-12) $8. A special two-night ticket is available for $49 for adults and $12 for children (ages 6-12), which includes admission to the World of Outlaws event, as well as the opener of the Las Vegas Super Sprint Classic which features the USAC Sprint Cars and Midgets. For tickets visit http://www.lvms.com or call the track at 1-800-644-4444.

The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Armor All (Official Car Care Products), Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), SuperClean (Official Cleaner-Degreaser), VP Racing (Official Racing Fuel); in addition to contingency sponsors, Jake's Custom Golf Carts, KSE Race Products, Penske Shocks, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo; Engine Builder's Challenge participants Don Ott Racing Engines, Kistler Engines, Shaver Specialties and Speedway Engines; and Chassis Builder's Challenge participants J&J Auto Racing, Maxim Racing and XXX Race Company.