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2009 Gold Rush Tour Kicks off at Deer Creek Speedway on August 19

CONCORD, NC (8-12-08) - The 2009 Gold Rush Tour kicks off for the World of Outlaws on Wednesday, August 19 at Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota. The Gold Rush tour will encompass 12 nights of racing at eight different tracks in five states and one Canadian province over a 25-day period with over $150,000 on the line to win those events from a total purse of well over a half a million dollars for the 12 races, with the highlights being the $50,000 to-win Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, California and the $25,000 to-win the finale at Skagit Speedway in Washington.

The Sprint for a Cure Summer Clash at Deer Creek Speedway in Minnesota on August 19 will serve as the series inaugural event at the state-of-the-art high-banked 3/8-mile. The World of Outlaws competed for the first time in the Land of 10,000 Lakes back in 1979 and have contested 19 A-Feature events in the state over the years, with Donny Schatz and Kraig Kinser picking up the two most recent checkered flags in the state last season.

The series then heads north on Friday, August 21 to River Cities Speedway in Grand Forks, North Dakota for their second visit of the season to the high-banked three-tenths-mile bullring. Schatz, who hails from North Dakota, was victorious at the track back in June during the annual Duel in the Dakota. This will be the first time ever that the World of Outlaws have competed twice in the same season at River Cities Speedway.

A trip across the state of North Dakota is in store on Saturday, August 22 as the series will make their second consecutive appearance at Dacotah Speedway in Mandan. Steve Kinser, the 20-time series champion, was victorious last season in the series debut at the high-banked 3/8-mile. The event at Dacotah Speedway will be the series final race of the year in North Dakota.

For the third consecutive season the World of Outlaws will head north of the border to Castrol Raceway in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for the Oil City Cup on Friday, August 28 and Saturday, August 29. Jac Haudenschild and Jason Meyers won at the track last season, while Steve Kinser and Donny Schatz were victorious in the series debut at the 3/8-mile in 2007.

Skagit Speedway in Washington will await the best sprint car drivers in the world the following weekend, with a full night of racing set for Friday, September 4 and Saturday, September 5 with $25,000 awaiting the winner of the finale at the always racy three-tenths-mile bullring. Hometown driver Jason Solwold won the opener last year, with Joey Saldana picking up the big check in the finale.

Grays Harbor Raceway in Elma, Washington will play host to the World of Outlaws on Labor Day, Monday, September 7. Kraig Kinser scored his first win of the season last year at the track which also was his first victory as a member of Tony Stewart Racing.

The series then heads down the coast to Cottage Grove Speedway in Oregon on Tuesday, September 8. The high-banked �-mile saw Donny Schatz pick up a win last season over Craig Dollansky after an early race battle with Jason Meyers.

The 56th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway in California will wrap up the Gold Rush Tour September 10-12 with $50,000 awaiting the winner of the finale. Jac Haudenschild scored the third win of his career in the Gold Cup last season. Steve Kinser leads all drivers with 12 wins in the famed Gold Cup Race of Champions.

Heading into the Gold Rush Tour, three-time and defending World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz, has a 55-point lead over Jason Meyers as he chases his fourth consecutive title. Joey Saldana, who leads the series with 13 wins is currently third in the standings, with 20-time series champion Steve Kinser fourth and Jason Sides fifth.

For more information on the 2009 Gold Rush Tour visit http://www.worldofoutlaws.com/sprint.

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