OUTLAW SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF 360 SPRINTS PRESENTED BY LANES YAMAHA TO THE WEEKLY RACE PROGRAM BEGINNING IN 2021.
Also, the all new Outlaw TV, additional pit towers and seating along with the Outlaw Saloon to be introduced beginning in April of 2021.
Story by Kenny Shupp Jr.
(Dundee, NY) In a major announcement, Outlaw Speedway owner/promoter, Tyler Siri has added the high profile 360 Sprints to the weekly race program at the Yates County oval.
“I am pleased to announce that we are including the winged Lanes Yamaha 360 Sprint Cars to our weekly show at Outlaw Speedway stated Siri in a recent interview.  Historically this track has always been receptive to great sprint car racing because of its configuration with fast/wide sweeping corners with just the right amount of banking. In addition, whenever we run a 360 Sprint Special, we have packed grandstands. Sprint cars at Outlaw Speedway have the “Wow Factor” that fans love.  This is still Modified country, but people in this region love sprint cars at Outlaw Speedway and they turn out in droves every time we have them.”
The 360 Sprints will run for the same exact purse as do the Friendly Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, Ram Modifieds with the winner receiving $2,000 to win and $200 to take the green flag.  The inaugural 2021 Lanes Yamaha 360 Sprint Car Track Champion at Outlaw Speedway will take home a $5,000 check.
“Malcolm Lane and his family have been huge supporters of this track for the last 50 years stated Siri.  Malcolm had a Hall of Fame career before his retirement from 360 Sprint Car racing and many of his accomplishments in the sport have him ranked as one of the all-time greats.  Having Lane’s Yamaha onboard as the class sponsor of the 360 Sprint Car Class at Outlaw Speedway is a perfect fit.”
In addition, Malcolm Lane will field his own 360 Sprint Car Team with son Craig handling the driving chores and other son, Keith assisting father Mal in the crew chief duties.
Outlaw Speedway currently runs a weekly seven division show with many times at or near full fields of cars in the Modified and two Crate Sportsman Divisions.  When asked about his plans to keep the show limited on time and if any classes would be dropped or run on a limited basis or rotating schedule Siri’s response was this.
“The IMCA Modifieds will be dropped off the weekly schedule along with the Youth Bandit Division. Car counts in both classes continue to dwindle prompting the change”, stated Siri
“We will continue to stay with our 2020 gate and start times with gates opening at 5:30 and racing at 7:30 pm.  We are going stick with the 7:30 start time simply because a lot of our racers and fans find it hard to get here sooner due to their work commitments.”
Siri went on to exclaim that adding the 360 Sprints to the card was not totally a knee jerk reaction to the fact that with the COVID-19 19 Pandemic coupled with New York State’s stringent executive orders not allowing fans into the grandstands during the 2020 season.
“It is still very unclear as to whether anything will be different in 2021 as far as fans in the stands stated Siri.  Groups like ESS and PST barely ran a show in 2020.  These organizations run primarily at tracks as a special event and not a weekly attraction.  With the shutdown promoters like myself stuck to a basic regular weekly show during the 2020 season as with no fans we simply could not afford any outside touring groups.  With all the uncertainty going into 2021 coupled with the fact that I do not for see New York lightening up on any regulations heading into the new race season we could very well be looking at the same type of deal we had in 2020.”
Tyler Siri is currently putting the finishing touches on what he promises will be another aggressive schedule of events for the 2021 season as he has done in the past including the return of the Short Track Super Series. The Rush Crate Late Model Touring Series will return to Outlaw Speedway in “21”. Also, something new for the upcoming season will be the first ever appearance for the ULMS Super Late Model Series.  It is likely the complete Outlaw Speedway 2021 schedule of events will be posted within a week.
Drivers and car owners will be able to show off their 2021 creations at the Annual Outlaw Speedway Arnot Mall Car Show set for March 27-28. The Lucas Oil Nationals will open the regular season on Saturday, April 10. This event will be followed by the Cindy Lane Memorial Spring Nationals on April 16.   As far as the Lanes Yamaha 360 Sprints on a weekly basis Outlaw will go with the standard ESS/PST rules package, but will run 8 lap heats, a B-Main if necessary, along with a 25-lap feature.   
It should be noted that a complete list of the rules will be posted as they become available on the track web site at www.outlawspeedwayllc.com. 
Siri is proud to announce that in addition to the inclusion of the  Lanes Yamaha 360 Sprint Car Division at Outlaw Speedway he potentially will also field his own 360 Sprint Car which he will include into his arsenal of high powered modifieds fielded by the Bossman Tyler Siri himself, son Jordan Siri along with the Doctor Danny Johnson.  Siri did go onto say that “I would really like to have one to try out, but my crew is pretty well stretched to the limit with handling everything that goes along with three modifieds.  I will probably wind up having a 360 Sprint, but how much I will race it is another story.”
Siri enjoys a challenge and knows full well that the 360 Sprints were tried at what was then called Black Rock Speedway by then promoters Lin Hough and Sam Kelly with the outcome not exactly what was expected.
“Back then Lin and Sam did what they had to do, and it was something that they thought was the right direction for the track at that particular time.  However, that was fifteen years or more ago and a lot of the racing climate has changed during that time.  The 360 Sprint Cars in the northeast have grown in popularity dramatically and these teams have lots of partners and resources and there are a lot more teams out there as well.  Both PST and ESS have done a remarkable job in promotion and have brought a lot to the industry.”
Currently there are approximately 50 plus 360 Sprint Car teams in the greater New York State Region. Add in 360 Sprints from Central Pennsylvania and local 305 racers and it promises to be an exciting show.
As part of Outlaw Speedway’s block buster announcements made recently, Tyler Siri also went into depth on the all new Outlaw Speedway TV which he says will be available to viewers when he swings open the gates for his sixth season as the owner of the Yates County Facility.
“Having our own Pay Per View TV is something that I have wanted to do.  The track has had a wonderful working relationship with DirttrackDigest.TV over the past year, but this is strictly a business decision and I want to take Outlaw Speedway TV to a whole new level.  So, I will be purchasing my own tv cameras and hire full time people to handle all the camera work and production including two in car cameras and a drone incorporated into speed shot cameras as well as other stationary cameras.  Part of my plan is to have driver interviews in the pit area after qualifying heat wins and with all this, I will be able to sell marketing packages.”
Siri did go onto say that, “This is something I want to try on my own and incorporate some ideas that I have into the program.  In addition, with a very distinct possibility we will not have fans in the stands in NY again in 2021 we will have a huge viewing audience for those that choose not to enter the pit area and see the action first hand.”
Pay per view will be available on a nightly basis at the same coast as last year at $19.95.
To round out the list of other additions at the speedway, Siri announced that eight new pit towers will be constructed during the off season along with an all new Outlaw Speedway Saloon which will also be located pit side.
“We currently have seven towers in the pit area that are rented yearly.  Drivers, car owners and sponsors are always pressuring me about added tower space in the pit area where they can relax and bring their wives, kids and friends.  With that we will add an additional eight all of which will have a fabulous view of the track.”
It should be noted that within six hours of the word being posted on Facebook about the new towers, they were all sold out.
Siri and his crew are also building a pit area Saloon which will be for the luxury of those in towers along with viewers in the pit area grandstand seating area.
“We have adjusted the existing pit bleachers along the back straight.  Moved them down towards turn three, raised them up and incorporated another section of bleachers that we transported from the turn one area along the front straight.  This will allow much more seating area in the pit area with an awesome view of the track. We are also constructing a 32’ x 36’ Outlaw Speedway Saloon right next to the pit bleachers.  This will also have a beautiful view of the track and will include an observation platform on the roof. This is a tough business.  We only get to do this about twenty days or so a year.  Throw in a few rainouts and it becomes even less.  We need to make every race count as it is a short season”.
In his closing remarks Siri summed it up like this.
“I have spent a lot of time figuring out how 2021 can be our best season yet.  On average a regular sprint feature at this track runs off in as little as eight to ten minutes and that has been accomplished on numerous occasions over the years.  Those guys do not mess around! No doubt adding the sprints to our existing program will make it an awesome year at the track when you include them in with all our other great classes. I’m in high hopes of a fabulous year in 2021”.
Siri is confident his experienced staff will make it an exciting night for everyone, and he is more than ready to get the season underway.  Also, Outlaw Speedway has what many consider one of the best Fire and Rescue Teams in the region.  These men and women are top notch and the tracks fire apparatus is geared up for just about any situation.  Gasoline or Methanol. 
As mentioned earlier the complete 2021 Outlaw Speedway Schedule of Events is nearly completed and will be available online within the coming week.  The Annual Spring, Summer and Fall Nationals will be a part of the schedule as well as the Annual Dutch Hoag Triple 7’s Weekend to wrap up 2021.  Sandwiched in between will be the traditional Fireworks Extravaganza along with NASCAR Night at the track.
Siri did mention that the Tony Stewart All Star Circuit of Champions 410 Sprints and the World of Outlaw Late Model Series will not be racing at any New York State race venues in 2021, however he anticipates them both incorporated in the Outlaw 2022 schedule.
For more information on the track including continual updates and pictures of the progress in the pit area simply go to www.Facebook.com/OutlawSpeedwayLLC/ or log on at www.outlawwpedwayllc.com.