McMahan Preparez for Second Round of Canadian WoO Sprint Series Action
by Misha Geisert
INDIANAPOLIS — With the grueling heat and high-stakes drama of the Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals behind them, the competitors of the World of Outlaws (WoO) Sprint Series are already marching on as they prepare to begin the championship countdown. For Paul McMahan and the No. 20 Tony Stewart Racing (TSR)/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team, this week’s three-race schedule will provide a chance to not only recover but concentrate on their next move.
First on the docket is today’s single-day event at Nodak Speedway in Minot, N.D. McMahan did not compete at the 3/8-mile facility in 2006 due to a scheduling conflict with the No. 20 team’s commitment to the National Sprint Tour (NST) Series.
Wrapping up the three-race stretch, the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle team will make a two-day stop at Castrol Raceway in Alberta, Canada, on Friday and Saturday. McMahan and the WoO Sprint Series will make their first-ever appearance at the 3/8-mile facility this week.
In 51 WoO starts this season, McMahan has earned two wins, 11 top-five finishes, 28 top-10s and six quick time awards. He enters this week’s events ranked seventh in the WoO Sprint Series championship standings with 6,666 points. McMahan trails series leader Donny Schatz by 662 points and is only 193 points out of fifth place.
Grandstand gates will open at Nodak Speedway today at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Hot laps are set to begin at 5:30 p.m. The official Web site of Nodak Speedway.
On Friday and Saturday, pit gates at Castrol Raceway will open at 2 p.m. MDT. The grandstands will open at 4 p.m., with hot laps set to begin at 6 p.m. The official track Web site for Castrol Raceway.
The WoO Sprint Series also returned to television this year, with the series’ next broadcast scheduled for September 2 on SPEED. A total of 20 races will be televised either on SPEED or ESPN2, including the Race to the Championships on SPEED. For a complete television schedule, log on to the World of Outlaws website.
Quotes from Paul McMahan, driver of the No. 20 TSR/Bass Pro Shops/Eagle:
Are you excited about the WoO expansion into Canada?
“It’s really cool that we’re heading up to Canada again this week. It really says a lot for the series that we’re able to expand into different markets and we had a great time with the crowd at Ohsweken Speedway in July. I’m also pretty excited to head to Castrol Raceway for the first time. It’s always fun to go to a new track and I especially like 3/8-mile tracks. We won on that size of track in early July and I have always liked a 3/8-mile facility. This one will be even more fun from what I hear, as it’s a high-banked track that carries a lot of speed.”
You had to miss some tracks last year due to the No. 20 team’s commitment to the NST Series. Nodak Speedway was one of those facilities you didn’t visit. Is it hard to get back in the swing of things after being away from a track for a while?
“Racing is kind of like riding a bike. Once you figure a place out, you don’t really forget what it’s all about. Some tracks are tricky depending on set-up. You really have to stay on top of them. Some are the same thing year after year in terms of anticipation. The one thing you have to always keep in mind is that there are so many variables that can affect how a facility changes over the night. The best thing to remember is that you always need to take what you already know, apply it to what you’re dealing with that night and work to prepare the best car possible to be ready for whatever comes at you. Nodak Speedway is another 3/8-mile. We like those type of tracks and we’re going to be ready for it.”
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