Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart Have Tough Weekend With Outlaws

Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart Have Tough Weekend With Outlaws

Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart had rough outings in their Easter weekend World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series outings.

Apr 17, 2017 by Dan Beaver
Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart Have Tough Weekend With Outlaws
Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart found the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series regulars less than welcoming--on the track, at least--as they tried to invade unfamiliar territory during the Easter weekend in Texas.

Having climbed to the NASCAR ranks, they have achieved a status for which no one questions their credentials. Both give back to the sport in countless ways, including fielding teams in multiple sprint car series. And both love returning to their grassroots as often as possible.

But that does not mean the sprint car regulars will give them any extra real estate on the track. In fact, they might even make their cars a little wider when the visiting superstars come up behind them.

With the addition of a makeup date at Gator Motorplex in Willis, the World of Outlaws had a three-day show in Texas beginning Thursday, April 13, and culminating Saturday, April 15.

Kahne got off to a strong start. He set the sixth-fastest time in time trials for the Gator Bash and finished second in his heat. Kahne lined up fourth in the A-Main and fell back as the regulars found their rhythm around the quarter-mile dirt track much quicker.

When Kahne spun in sight of the checkers and finished 20th, it set the tone for the remainder of his campaign.

In night one of the two-day Texas Outlaws Nationals at Devils Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas, he slipped to 11th after starting ninth. The next night, he was 16th in the finale.

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With one win under his belt in the United Sprint Car Series at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, FL, more was expected of Stewart at Devil's Bowl.

One could not accuse him of lacking consistency. They could, however, complain about his lack of speed. Stewart finished 22nd both nights after starting 20th.

Stewart's highlight of the weekend was a second-place finish in the B-Main of night one's festivities.

Christopher Bell was the best invader during the weekend. His grassroots career is neither far distant nor completely over. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver regularly returns to sprint cars, and it showed during the three-day show.

Bell was the highest-finishing interloper for the three-day show. Like Kahne and Stewart, Bell got off to a slow start the first two nights, but he found the groove in the Texas Outlaw Nationals finale. Bell finished fourth after starting the A-Main in third.

Of course, the NASCAR veterans have more than one way to win. Despite finishing 16th in the finale, Kahne visited Victory Lane as the winning car owner for Brad Sweet.

Stewart's driver Donny Schatz currently leads the points standings.

Gator Bash Results 
Texas Outlaw Nationals Night 1 Results 
Texas Outlaw Nationals Finale Results