PITTMAN, SCHATZ, WALSH & WHITE enter World Challenge
Friday, July 13, 2007
The fourteenth annual Factory Value Parts World Challenge just got more interesting as entries have been received from 2004-2005 winner Daryn Pittman of Oklahoma, 2001-2002 winner Donny Schatz of North Dakota, and event rookies Bruce White and Sammy Walsh of New South Wales, Australia. The $10,000-to-win international invitational will be held on Friday, August 10, during the 47th annual SuperClean Knoxville Nationals at the Knoxville Raceway.
World of Outlaws (WoO) fans are very familiar with Daryn Pittman and Donny Schatz, both of whom qualified for the Factory Value Parts World Challenge by competing in the Grand Annual Sprintcar Classic in January at the Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. Parker Stores-sponsored Schatz is the defending Knoxville Nationals winner and the defending WoO point champion. According to Donny, “The World Challenge is a race based on putting on a show with an international feel for the fans. Having a chance to race from the back is always a good challenge.”
On the other end of the spectrum are both veteran Bruce White and youngster Sammy Walsh of Australia. Both are Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway regulars in the suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, and both will be rookies at this year’s SuperClean Knoxville Nationals. Because they did not compete at the GASC at Warrnambool, both will start behind those drivers that are ‘inversion-eligible’ in the Friday night invitational. According to White, he likes the World Challenge concept because of “the fact that competitors from different countries can compete and represent their home countries.”
The entrants for the Factory Value Parts World Challenge to date are (car number, name, original hometown/state/country, engine/chassis):
1, Shane Stewart, Bixby, OK, USA, Shaver/Maxim
1AU, Sammy Walsh, Lansvale, NSW, AUS, Moyle/Maxim
2, A.J. “Skip” Jackson, Sydney, NSW, AUS, Shaver/J&J
7, Craig Dollansky, Elk River, MN, USA, Fisher/Maxim
10, Ricky Logan, Little Rock, AR, USA, Ott/J&J
15, Donny Schatz, Minot, ND, USA, Shaver/J&J
20 Paul McMahan, Elk Grove, CA, USA, Kistler/Eagle
21, Brian Brown, Higginsville, MO, USA, Kistler/Maxim
21P, Daryn Pittman, Owasso, OK, USA, Ott/Maxim
96AU, Bruce White, Merrylands West, NSW, AUS, TBA/J&J
Several more Australians are expected to enter, as are at least one Canadian and one more American. The 16-lap race is expected to start 16 teams from Australia, Canada, and the United States. For more information on the Factory Value Parts World Challenge, fans are encouraged to visit www.knoxvilleraceway.com
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