Australia news 2007-01-03

McMahan Running Strong in Australia

Concord, NC--Jan. 3, 2007-- Paul McMahan had not planned to race in Australia this off-season, as he and his Tony Stewart Racing team busily prepared for the 2007 World of Outlaws season, but when he received a call from Titan Racing USA owner Reeve Kruck inquiring about his services, that plan quickly changed.

Drew Kruck, son of Reeve Kruck, was injured in a freak accident while running in the World Series Sprintcars (WSS) Round Five Feature at Heartland Raceway on December 2, and he wanted his car to keep racing. McMahan, who has five World of Outlaws A-Feature wins in his career, was chosen to fill in. Drew Kruck has since been making a steady recovery from the injuries sustained.

McMahan's first race was on December 26, Boxing Day in Australia, during the eighth round of the WSS championship at Speedway City, in Supple Road Virginia, South Australia. This was the opening of Speedweek for WSS teams, as they were set to do battle in five events over a seven day period. McMahan set fast time in the Speedweek opener, with a solid field of 35 cars on hand. He finished second in the first dash to earn the third starting position for the Main Event, where he came home a very solid third.

In the ninth round the following night at Murray Bridge Speedway, McMahan finished second in the second dash to earn the fourth starting position in the Feature, where he scored a runner-up finish.

McMahan, set fast time again in the tenth round on December 28 at Borderline Raceway in Mount Gambier, South Australia, with 37 cars signed in. He then won the first dash to earn the pole position for the 35-lap Feature, where he came home in the fourth spot.

The eleventh round found the WSS at Avalon Raceway on December 30, where McMahan would turn the second fastest lap in time trials. After finishing second in the second dash, he lined up fourth in the Feature. In the 35-lap Main Event, the native of California, who now calls Nashville home, finished third, to score his fourth finish in the Top-Four.

The New Year opened with the 12th round at Premier Speedway in Warrnambool, Victoria, where McMahan timed in sixth out of the 43 cars that hit the track.

A fifth-place finish in the second dash lined McMahan up 10th for the Main Event, as he worked his way up to a seventh-place finish.

Despite having competed in only five of the 12 rounds so far in WSS action, McMahan is a very solid 12th in the standings.

The next scheduled race for the series is set for Saturday January 6 at Mildura Speedway in Victoria. McMahan is scheduled to compete in the final three races with the World Series Sprintcars.

Fellow World of Outlaws competitor Brooke Tatnell, a five-time WSS Champion, will rejoin the tour next week for Round 14 at Brisbane International Speedway. Tatnell won two of the first three WSS rounds in November.

The 2007 World of Outlaws season opens for McMahan and Tatnell on February 9 at Volusia Speedway Park with the 36th Annual DIRTcar Nationals Presented by Mopar Speed Shop.

-credit: woo