Dates: Friday and Saturday, April 27-28
Event: Sprint Car World Championship
Series: Open Event
Track: Mansfield Motor Speedway (Mansfield, Ohio)
Rico Abreu A-Main Finish (Start):
Friday: 14th (6th)
Saturday: 9th (17th)

MANSFIELD, Ohio (April 30, 2018) - Although plagued with tire issues, suffering from a pair of flat tires during preliminary competition, as well as a flat tire during the 50-lap finale, Rico Abreu’s weekend during the inaugural Sprint Car World Championship at Mansfield (Ohio) Motor Speedway ended on a high note, ultimately charging from 17th to finish ninth during the 50-lap, $100,000-to-win showstopper on Saturday, April 28.

Joining over 70 entries from the around the world, Rico Abreu’s Sprint Car World Championship campaign ignited on Friday, April 27, with preliminary competition featuring a pair of 30-lap programs. Separated into two groups after qualifying time trials, even and odd, the pilot of the Rico Abreu Racing/Abreu Vineyards/Lucas Oil/Alpinestars/Rhino Wipe/Priority Aviation/No. 24 sprint car qualified for the evening’s even main event by charging ahead from fourth to win his respective heat race. Although granted the sixth-starting position by way of feature redraw, Abreu’s potential was cut short due to a pair of flat tires. The St. Helena, Calif., native was scored 14th at the end of the 30-lap program.

With only the top-four finishers from the even and odd preliminary features locked into the $100,000-to-win finale, Abreu was forced to compete in one of six heat races on Saturday as a second attempt to qualify for the Sprint Car World Championship main event. Abreu’s second place finish during Saturday’s heat race was still not enough to lock the California native into the 50-lap finale, so Abreu was forced to race again, this time during one of four B-mains. Abreu drove on to score a win during the third of four B-mains, ultimately lining up 17th on $100,000 feature grid.

Abreu’s Sprint Car World Championship top-ten charge started from the drop of the initial green. Although showing progress early, Abreu’s advancement was eventually negated at halfway, forced to change a right-rear tire due to damage discovered during the scheduled, competition yellow flag. Forced to go to the tail of the field, Abreu once again commenced a charge from the near-back of the pack, soon pressuring for a top-ten spot before crossing under the final checkers ninth in the running order. The result was Abreu’s fifth top-ten performance of the 2018 season.

“We kinda had to do things the hard way this weekend, but it was all worth it in the end,” Rico Abreu explained. “We were plagued with some tire troubles on Friday night, so that put us in a hole early. If that wouldn’t have happened, I see us possibly making the big show without having to race in one of Saturday’s heat races. Regardless, it was a great effort by everyone involved. Hats off to the track crew, and a big thanks to all of the fans for coming out and braving the weather on both nights. I’m already looking forward to returning to Mansfield.”

Rico Abreu will continue his 2018 campaign with a pair of Arctic Cat All Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 starts, this time joining America’s Series at Lernerville (Pa.) Speedway and Sharon (Ohio) Speedway on Friday and Saturday, May 4-5, respectively. In addition, the Rico Abreu Racing merchandise van will also be on the Lernerville Speedway and Sharon Speedway grounds.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Fans are encouraged to follow Rico Abreu online, as well as on all of the available social media networks.

Rico Abreu: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RicoAbreuRacing, Twitter at https://twitter.com/Rico_Abreu, or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/rico_abreu/

Rico Abreu Racing: http://www.ricoabreu.com/

2018 Rico Abreu Statistics: (thru April 30, 2018)
Total Races: 20
Total Wins: 0
Total Top-5s: 1
Total Top-10s: 5
 
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CONTACT:
Tyler Altmeyer
Rico Abreu Racing
(724) 954-4915, altmeyer119@gmail.com

Date: Thursday, April 26th
Event: Outlaws at Cotton Bowl Speedway
Series: World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
Track: Cotton Bowl Speedway (Paige, Texas)
Donny Schatz A-Main Finish (Start): 9th (4th)

Dates: Friday and Saturday, April 27th-28th
Event: Texas Outlaw Nationals
Series: World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series
Track: Devil’s Bowl Speedway (Mesquite, Texas)
Donny Schatz A-Main Finish (Start):
Friday: 4th (3rd)
Saturday: 1st (5th)

World of Outlaws Championship Standings (as of 4/30): 1st - 1996 points (72-point margin over second place, Brad Sweet)

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 30, 2018) - Turning into three starts in three days during his visit to the Lone Star State, Fargo, North, Dakota’s Donny Schatz scored three consecutive top-ten finishes during his recent stretch of World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series competition, ending the weekend with a $20,000 payday at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas. For Schatz, the Texas Outlaw Nationals finale victory increased his World of Outlaws win total to five on the season, seven victories overall in 2018, still maintaining the top spot in the World of Outlaws championship standings.

“We were faced with a little bit of everything this weekend. To close-out Saturday with a win at Devil’s Bowl Speedway, where it all started for the World of Outlaws, is really special,” Donny Schatz, driver of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Textron Off Road/Ford Performance/Curb Records/Sage Fruit/No. 15 sprint car, explained. “It feels good to have this level of consistency, but it feels better to win races. We’ll work as hard as we can to keep this No. 15 up front.”

A start that was pushed back one day due to Mother Nature, Schatz kicked-off his Texas visit with a ninth place finish at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige on Thursday, April 26. Starting fourth on the feature grid, the nine-time and defending World of Outlaws champion suffered from mechanical woes early in the form of a broken suspension component. Although forced to manhandle an ill-handling car, Schatz fought hard to finish ninth, automatically qualifying for the evening’s dash and main event by finishing second during his respective heat race.

Following his visit to Paige, Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart Racing visited Devil’s Bowl Speedway for the two-day Texas Outlaw Nationals on Friday and Saturday, April 27-28. Two starts resulted in two top-five finishes for Schatz, kicking-off the weekend with a fourth place finish on Friday after starting third. Schatz qualified for the Texas Outlaw Nationals preliminary by finishing second during his respective heat race, eventually finishing third during the evening’s Craftsman Club Dash.

In dramatic fashion, Schatz ended his Texas Outlaw Nationals campaign by capturing the weekend’s finale worth $20,000, also solidifying ownership of the Ted Johnson Memorial Trophy. A result that started on the inside of row three, Schatz stole the show on lap 26, working around race leader, Brad Sweet, for the biggest payday of the season thus far. Schatz qualified for the Texas Outlaw Nationals finale by finishing second during his respective heat race.

“Ted [Johnson] looked after his people and he had great relationships with his guys. He had a serious passion, not only for his guys, but for putting on a great race. I remember watching him bounce up and down because Steve [Kinser] and Sammy [Swindell] were putting on a show,” Schatz reminisced about the late, great Ted Johnson. “He was a race fan.”

Donny Schatz will continue his 2018 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series campaign with a pair of starts in Missouri and Oklahoma, first visiting Lake Ozark Speedway in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo., on Friday, May 4. The Greatest Show On Dirt will invade the Salina Highbanks Speedway in Salina, Okla., for the Twister Showdown on Saturday, May 5.

Although making a visit to Salina Highbanks Speedway in 2017 where Schatz finished second to the “Madman” Kerry Madsen, it has been 11 years since the World of Outlaws visited Lake Ozark Speedway.

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Fans are encouraged to follow the progress of Donny Schatz, Tony Stewart Racing and the No. 15 Textron Off Road/Ford Performance/Curb Records/Sage Fruit/J&J Auto Racing motorsports team on the Web and on social media. More information can be found at www.tonystewartracing.com, as well as at www.donnyschatzmotorsports.com.

Tony Stewart Racing: Facebook at www.facebook.com/TonyStewartRacing or on Twitter and Instagram @TonyStewart_Rcg.

Donny Schatz: Facebook at www.facebook.com/DonnySchatz or on Twitter and Instagram @DonnySchatz.

Watch Donny Schatz and Tony Stewart Racing live on www.dirtvision.com during each and every World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series event of 2018.

2018 Donny Schatz / Tony Stewart Racing Statistics: (thru April 30, 2018)
Total Races: 16
Total Wins: 7
Total Top-5s: 12
Total Top-10s: 15

World of Outlaws Races: 14
World of Outlaws Wins: 5
World of Outlaws Top-5s: 10
World of Outlaws Top-10s: 13
 
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CONTACT:
Tyler Altmeyer
Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises
(724) 954-4915, pr@tonystewart.com

Date: Friday, April 27th
Event: ASCS Debut at Paducah International Raceway
Series: ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series - National Tour (ASCS)
Track: Paducah International Raceway (Paducah, Ky.)
Tony Stewart A-Main Finish (Start): 2nd (6th)

Date: Saturday, April 28th
Event: Tennessee Tangle Speed Spectacular
Series: United Sprint Car Series (USCS) Outlaw Thunder Tour
Track: Lexington 104 Speedway (Lexington, Tenn.)
Tony Stewart A-Main Finish (Start): 2nd (3rd)

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (April 30, 2018) - Increasing his overall top-five count to eight in 2018, three of which occurring during his last three starts, Smoke Tony Stewart made the most of his recent weekend of competition by joining the ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series, as well as the USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour, for a pair of 360c.i. sprint car events in Kentucky and Tennessee. The pilot of the Tony Stewart/Curb-Agajanian Racing/Rush Truck Centers/Textron Off Road/Ford Performance/Curb Records/Sage Fruit/No. 14 sprint car finished second during each of his weekend starts, nearly outperforming some of the best 360c.i. racers in the country.

Tony Stewart kicked-off his recent weekend with a runner-up finish during ASCS Sprint Car Dirt Series competition at Paducah (Ky.) International Raceway on Friday, April 27. A charge from fourth to win his respective heat race set the tone for the entire evening, eventually lining up sixth on the main event grid.

Making moves right from the drop of the green flag, Stewart quickly battled his way forward to third, soon taking the runner-up spot from Pennsylvania native, Mark Smith, with a move in traffic on lap 16. Although displaying strength, race leader, Matt Covington, was stronger, utilizing clean air to run away from Stewart during the closing laps.

A USCS Outlaw Thunder Tour start at Lexington (Tenn.) 104 Speedway capped off Stewart’s weekend on Saturday, April 28. Stewart, who owns one victory during USCS action in 2018, finished third during his respective heat race to transfer into the evening’s Tennessee Tangle Speed Spectacular main event. Smoke cruised on to finish second after starting third.

“The consistency is important. It just shows that our team is capable of being competitive anywhere in the country,” Tony Stewart explained, who started his podium streak with a runner-up finish during MOWA action in Jacksonville, Illinois. “I’m very proud of this team. Our schedule has been all over the place the last few weeks. The team’s ability to adapt and be ready on the spot is impressive. We are due for another win here soon. I think we’ll get one sooner than later.”

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Fans are encouraged to follow the progress of Tony Stewart, Tony Stewart Racing and the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Textron Off Road/Ford Performance/Curb Records/Sage Fruit/J&J Auto Racing motorsports team on the Web and on social media. More information can be found at www.tonystewartracing.com, as well as at www.tonystewart.com.

Tony Stewart: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TonyStewart/ or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TonyStewart

Tony Stewart Racing: Facebook at www.facebook.com/TonyStewartRacing or on Twitter and Instagram @TonyStewart_Rcg.

2018 Tony Stewart/Tony Stewart Racing Statistics: (thru April 30, 2018)
Total Races: 19
Total Wins: 1
Total Top-5s: 8
Total Top-10s: 11

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CONTACT:
Tyler Altmeyer
Tony Stewart Racing Enterprises
(724) 954-4915, pr@tonystewart.com