MESQUITE, Texas (April 21, 2015)—Following his second place finish at Perris, Calif., Joey Saldana, along with all the members of the Motter Equipment HE&M Saw Beltline Body Shop team, spent the next two days in San Diego with Workshops for Warriors personnel, along with HEMsaw’s Bob Foster.
“We were very impressed by the skills and the level of machining and welding precision taught at Workshops for Warriors,” said Saldana. “It was a great learning experience for all of us. We salute the vision and initiatives of founder Hernan Luis y Prado. He provides valuable education for veterans and active duty personnel and then facilitates job placement for each graduate.”
The team left San Diego Tuesday morning, April 21, Texas bound as the World of Outlaws returns to its roots for a doubleheader Friday and Saturday, April 24-25.
In March of 1978 Ted Johnson gathered a group of racers from around the country and got them to buy into a vision he had. The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series was born that weekend. The Outlaws raced at Devil’s Bowl through 2003 and then more than a decade later, 2014, returned to their birthplace.
Saldana, a two-time winner at Devil’s Bowl (2001, 2002), had a good showing last year, but wants to take some of the momentum from his strong run at Perris into Mesquite and parlay that into a victory. Last year on Friday, Saldana drove the Motter 71M to the No. 1 qualifying position and finished fourth in the feature. The next night he led nine laps and finished second.
“I enjoy the two-night shows,” said Saldana. “Devil’s Bowl was a fixture on the Outlaws schedule forever. Then we didn’t go there for a decade, but we had a huge crowd last year when we returned.
“There’s a difference in the California and Texas dirt. Every track has its own characteristics. The trick is trying to find grip on the track and it’s always moving. It could be on the top one lap, in the middle the next, or on the bottom.
“The Devil’s Bowl half-mile races like a short track. You have to move around on the track a lot, but I enjoy it.
“Right now we are fifth in point standings and that’s respectable, but I know I have to get better and I will. I’m going for the victory this weekend to redeem my second place finish at Perris after leading 26 laps. We’ll have the game face on.”
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