Joey Saldana gets new ride

Saldana Takes Reins of Volcano Joe's Coffee Maxim

ROSSBURG, OH (April 6) -- Joey Saldana is the new driver of the #2 Volcano Joe's Coffee Maxim that races with the World of Outlaws Sprint Series, the 1996 Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year announced Tuesday.

Saldana, who replaces Dean Jacobs as team owner Larry Woodward's new driver, ranks 14th in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series point standings. Joey drove his family's #17 Maxim and Full-Throttle Racing's #50D Cox Design and Metal Fabricating Maxim during the first six events of the season. "The Brownsburg Bullet," who has won 12 "A" Features in his World of Outlaws Sprint Series career, finished 10th in Saturday's NGK Spark Plugs Shootout at the Texas Motor Speedway Dirt Track and paced the qualifying session in the Texas Shootout at Houston Raceway Park a week before.

"I don't really like telling somebody I'm going to do something and change, but I'm glad for the opportunity to race with the World of Outlaws full-time again," Saldana said. "I've tried to run with the World of Outlaws for the last four years and the #50D car is going to run for the Knoxville Raceway championship. It's tough to find a ride out there. You never like to quit anybody or tell somebody you're going to do something and not do it, but I have to look out for myself and running with the World of Outlaws is what I want to do. Any time a full-time World of Outlaws ride is open, I'm interested.

"I had heard they were going to do something different through people who are involved with the team and they were looking to make a change. I got a call last night at 6 o'clock and at 8:30 Dave Razowsky, the team manager for Larry Woodward, met with me at my parents' house, and by 9:30 the deal was done. The team uses pretty much what I'm used to -- Charlie Fisher Motors, Maxim Chassis, Hoosier Tires and Mox Trucking. I've used a lot of that equipment for the last six years. It's going to be good to be back with Charlie and Steve Mox. I just feel like this is going to be a better deal for my family and me in the long run. We're going to race at Eldora Speedway this weekend and, hopefully, we can do well for him. I'm definitely going to give 100 percent."

Jacobs ranks 13th in the World of Outlaws Sprint Series point standings through six events. He has recorded a pair of top-10 finishes in Preliminary Features, but has not finished higher than 12th in a main event.

Saldana, who finished in the top 13 in four of five World of Outlaws Sprint Series main events at Eldora Speedway last season, claimed the $50,000 first prize in the 2002 Kings Royal. He enjoyed his best season with the series a year ago, finishing third in the point standings.

-WoO-