The World of Outlaws are on the rise in the racing world as each of its top tours take to Cedar Lake for a unique three-day event on 4th of July Weekend scheduled to be televised on CBSSN on Saturday.
While the series climbs in popularity, Jacob Allen is climbing through the field on the track.
The Pennsylvania native has highlighted his season with quick runs this season, including the Quick Time he set at Jackson a week ago.
“It’s been good,” Allen said. “It always feels good when you can go fast against the competition that you race against. It’s about just staying focused and taking it race by race, really. I think the hard work and the focus has been a good thing for me this year.”
In a normal race weekend, Allen’s quick time would have earned him the top starting spot in the first heat race of the evening. However, because of the last minute change to the format at Jackson, he didn’t make it through his heat race.
In fact, drivers found out about the format change at the same time the general public did, when the World of Outlaws published their press release shortly before the start of the 42nd annual Jackson Nationals.
“What it is, is, you go to this race that all three nights were World of Outlaws points races last year,” Allen said. “You come in with that mindset that its going to be a certain way and (we) had no notice that it was going to be a different way. It was like a ‘If you’re going to treat us like that, then why are we here,’ kind of thing.”
Different drivers had more to say on the format changes, but this week the series had the format set early on.
Both the World of Outlaws Sprint Cars and Late Models will tackle Cedar Lake Speedway this weekend for a three-day show that somewhat resembles the World Finals format.
Drivers will use Thursday to qualify for the Friday and Saturday show first.
Then, they’ll be placed in elimination races for a chance to win some extra cash in Thursday’s show.
“I think that will be fun and you know going into the races what it’s going to be,” Allen said. “And that’s even just one night. One night of it is alright.”
The event will see the debut of new COVID-19 testing scanners that resemble metal detectors seen at airports.
There are no restrictions on how many fans are allowed to attend.
“I don’t know what to think about all of this COVID stuff,” Allen said. “You hear about people going to the hospital and dying. I don’t even know anyone who has it. I just don’t want anyone to get sick or have the races turn into this place where everyone is getting sick around each other.”
Not only will the racing this weekend be monumental for a 2020 season that has seen two its biggest events canceled in the past week, but the Outlaws will also appear on CBS Sports Network on Saturday.
The last time they were nationally televised, Allen knotched a starting spot on the front row.
“That was pretty cool,” Allen said. “That’s a track that I’ve always struggled at. For me to be on the front row at that track – that was a lot of fun. The TV deal was an extra bonus.”
Due to the TV broadcast, there was a long delay in between the B-Main and the feature event. It stretched up to 45 minutes, and its reasonable to anticipate that happening again on Saturday.
Allen said that, usually, he might get in his head too much.
“Normally, I probably would have, but that track doesn’t have nothing on it that changes a lot,” Allen said. “I never messed with anything on my car that night. I was just going out there and sending it.”
Whether that break in between the action stretches 15 minutes or an hour, Allen just wants to see a track that is ready to race on.
“I don’t really care either way,” Allen said. “I just don’t want to see rubber. As long as there’s no rubber and the track is the same for everybody – that’s my biggest thing.”
He’ll go out to Cedar Lake for the next three days and just try to keep sending it, like he has done this season.