By John Sleeper
Herald Writer
The world’s leading sprint-car series is returning to Skagit Speedway this year.
The World of Outlaws, a national touring series featuring such drivers as Steve Kinser, Mark Kinser, Sammy Swindell and Danny Lasoski, has agreed to return to Skagit Aug. 23 after a five-year stint away from the Bow track.
The Outlaws, along with Snohomish-based Brownfield Promotions and new Skagit Speedway owners Steve Beitler and Jim Cress, spearheaded the effort to bring back the WoO as part of their Wild, Wild Northwest Tour. Beitler, a former WoO Rookie of the Year, competed at Skagit in the ’80s and ’90s.
The Outlaws will open the Northwest Tour in Billings, Mont., on Aug. 13, then race at Elma Aug. 16 and 17, Skagit Aug. 23, Yakima Aug. 24 and Cottage Grove, Ore., Aug. 27.
From there, the tour will move on to Northern California for seven dates.
Last season, Lasoski shaded Mark Kinser in the points standings, 9,875 to 9,845, despite Kinser capturing 16 A main victories to Lasoski’s four. Kinser also had three more top-five finishes and led more than twice as many main-event laps, but Lasoski came away with the points title on the strength of his consistency in preliminary programs.
Lasoski finished in the top 12 in all but one preliminary feature. Mark Kinser, the series champion in 1996 and 1999, finished 13th or worse 14 times.
It was the closest points race in the series’ 24 seasons.
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