By Tony Veneziano

CONCORD, N.C. -January 31, 2007- Danny Lasoski had more fun in a race car last year than he had for a number of years. Not only because he won races and a championship, but mainly because he was reunited with a team that will always be near and dear to him.

The native of Dover, Missouri and the 2001 World of Outlaws Champion joined Dennis Roth’s always potent team prior to the 2006 campaign. Lasoski had previously driven for Roth Motorsports from 1998-2000. They embarked on a very ambitious schedule last year that saw them compete nearly 100 times.

When the final checkered flag flew, Lasoski was the National Sprint Tour Champion, on the strength of 10 wins, while finishing outside of the Top-10 just once. In addition to this, he won two World of Outlaws A-Feature events and one preliminary feature.

“We went back to basics,” explained Lasoski of his achievements last season. “We went back to just racing and having fun racing. It made our job a lot easier. Getting back to the basics led to our success.”

Lasoski, who would race every night of the year if he could, opened the 2007 season up by taking part in the 21st Annual Chili Bowl Midgets Nationals at the Tulsa Expo Center in Oklahoma. He followed that up with a three race stint at Parramatta City Raceway in Australia. Upon returning home, he spent a few days at the race shop putting the finishing touches on the cars for this season, and then went to Florida to do some early season racing, as he prepares for the World of Outlaws season opener, the 36th Annual DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Mopar Speedshop at Volusia Speedway Park on February 9-11.

“Any time you can get laps, you get into a rhythm,” said the driver with 74 career World of Outlaws A-Feature wins. “It helps get your body back into shape. You wouldn’t think that after two months off that you were out of shape, but you use muscles in a race car that you only use in a race car. We’re excited here at Roth Motorsports and we’re ready to get after it.”

When sizing up the competition for the upcoming World of Outlaws events at Volusia, Lasoski marvels at the level of competition that will be present this year, and cannot wait to hit the track on February 9.

“Florida is absolutely tough,” said the four-time Knoxville Nationals winner. “It’s kind of like the Mini-Nationals there. You have all the Pennsylvania guys, and the All Star guys, all you’re missing is the California people. I’m sure it will be tougher than we’ve ever imagined at Volusia this year.”

Lasoski likes the look of the nearly 90 race schedule that awaits him and his fellow World of Outlaws competitors this season. With his early season races totaled up, the veteran driver will be right around the century mark for starts made when the final checkered flag of the season flies in November.

“As far as a driver, we want to race every night,” admitted Lasoski. “As a team, if we race around 100 times total that is perfect. That’s where we want to keep it.”

Lasoski, a seven-time Knoxville Raceway Champion and three-time Huset’s Speedway Champion, will get to visit those tracks this season, along with making a couple trips north of the border. The first of those will come on July 25 at Ohsweken Speedway in Ontario, followed up on August 17-18 by events at Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

“I think it’s really important to race in Canada,” he said. “The Canadian fans that I get to hang around with are fantastic. I get to see a bunch of them at Knoxville each year, as well as at Fargo, and when we go to Washington too. They’re great sprint car fans. I think it will be great for the World of Outlaws to go and put on a show in front of the hometown crowds up there.”

Lasoski and the rest of the teams will also receive increased this exposure thanks to eight races being broadcast on ESPN2 as part of the “Summer of Money” beginning on Sunday June 17. For eight consecutive weeks, fans can tune in at 12:30 p.m. Eastern to catch the action. In addition to this, SPEED will air 12 World of Outlaws events over the course of the season.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction for the World of Outlaws,” he commented. “Everything in our sport revolves around sponsorship. If we can put ourselves on television and have a great TV package that helps not only the race teams get sponsors, but also the series itself. That’s the name of the game. If we can put on a good show in front of the fans at home, it’s going to be a win-win for everyone.”

With nearly 30 teams starting the World of Outlaws season full-time this year, the off-season preparation that his team has been putting in the shop will be vital to Lasoski’s success. The always spirited driver welcomes the competition on the track and thrives on it.

“This is probably going to be the toughest season we have ever had with the World of Outlaws,” he said. “You’re going to have to be on your game, and be on your game early.”

With the quality and quantity of cars that will be on hand each and every night, Lasoski knows that it will be vital for his team to be fast each time they take to the track, whether for hot laps, time trials, heat races, or the A-Feature event.

“It’s going to be important no matter what you do,” explained Lasoski. “You have to really be prepared when you get there. You have to be on your game for qualifying and the heat races. It’s going to be tough. It will be that way all year, and I look forward to it.”

After the success he had last year in his first year back with Roth’s team, Lasoski expects to perform at just as high of a level this season, as he look for his second World of Outlaws title, and to add to his 74 career wins.

“We set goals every year, and one of our goals is to win the World of Outlaws title,” he said. “The other is to win the Knoxville Nationals. If we do that, it will be a pretty successful year.”



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