The finale of the 35th Annual Spring Nationals at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas on Saturday night saw three Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series drivers finish in the top six, led by a runner-up finish for Tony Bruce Jr.
Bruce, who won on the opening night of the event, led 21 total laps and was inched out at the line by veteran Gary Wright on the last lap. The native of Liberal, Kansas, who was locked into the A-Feature on Saturday night by virtue of his win on Friday night, drew the pole position for the 25-lap finale and charged to the lead at the drop of the green flag.
For Bruce, the victory on Friday night was the first of his career with the American Sprint Car Series on Tour, National Tour.
Sides earned his second consecutive third-place finish at the half-mile on Saturday night. Like Bruce, he was locked into the A-Feature by virtue of his finish on Friday night and thus did not have to take part in a heat race.
Sam Hafertepe Jr., who is in his second full season with the Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series this season was sixth on Saturday night, improving on his 10th place run in the opener of the Spring Nationals. The native of Sunnyvale, Texas won the third of six heat races.
Strong Runs for World of Outlaws Drivers in Pennsylvania Daryn Pittman, Tim Shaffer and Lucas Wolfe all turned in strong runs on Saturday afternoon at Lincoln Speedway in Pennsylvania.
Pittman finished fourth in the 25-lap A-Feature, in just his second career visit to the half-mile. Pittman, who has 25 career Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature wins, began the day at Lincoln Speedway with a fourth-place finish in a very strong fourth heat race.
Shaffer, the 1999 Advance Auto Parts World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year, finished ninth aboard a brand new car for Chris Wainwright, after a third-place showing in the third heat race. In his career at the half-mile, the native of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania has 21 Top-10 finishes in 24 starts.
Wolfe, a contender for the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year Award this season with the World of Outlaws finished 11th on Saturday. The native of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, who won three times at Lincoln in 2007, was seventh in the first heat race, which put him in the second B-Main, where he finished third to race his way into the A-Feature.
The Dirt Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway is a semi-banked 0.4-mile oval. The track record of 11.880 seconds was established by Jeff Shepard on October 6, 2001.
2008 Event Winners: Brooke Tatnell on October 31, Donny Schatz on November 1
Pit gates will open at 12:45 p.m. ET, with the grandstand gates opening at 4 p.m. ET with hot laps set for 5:45 p.m. ET.
