World of Outlaws Sprint Cars To Kick Off Calistoga Racing Season

Last California Stop for "March Madness" Horsepower Tour

The World of Outlaws sprint cars will kick off the Calistoga Speedway racing season on March 31, 2012, capping a seven race spring-time tour through California for the national touring series and its high horse-powered version of March Madness.

Leading the contingent of the nation's best sprint car drivers will be two time and defending national champion Jason Meyers of Fresno, who began his sprint car career racing on the high speed half mile oval located on the Napa County Fairgrounds, where he is a three time winner.

Meyers scored nine main event wins, tying him with 20 time champion Steve Kinser and Craig Dollansky for a series best, in claiming his second consecutive World of Outlaws national championship in 2011.  Meyers, winner of 65 career World of Outlaw main events, also placed in the top five a series leading 41 times last year, a show of consistency that made the difference in the title run.

At Calistoga, Meyers is looking to jump start a three-peat.  "It was really neat to win one World of Outlaws championship," said Meyers.  "But somebody told me a champion is measured by what they do the following year, not the year that they win the championship.  To come back and repeat really solidified Elite Racing as a championship team," he said.  "We're really proud of what the team accomplished. Now we need to raise the bar and go for three."

But one of the drivers looking to keep Meyers at bay is another former Calistoga Speedway veteran Paul McMahon, now a WoO veteran driving a car owned by NASCAR driver Casey Kahne.  McMahon claimed four race wins last year, finishing fourth in national World of Outlaws points and is looking to move up a notch.

In all, more than 30 of the nation's top sprint car teams and some of Northern California's top sprint car racers are expected at Calistoga for a full race program that begins with qualifying at 6:30 pm.  Cick here for ticket information.