It took just over a full season of experience, but the dice finally rolled the right way.
2019 World of Outlaws Rookie of the Year Ricky Weiss won his first career race in the series on Saturday night at the Battle At The Border in Vado, New Mexico.
Weiss had logged over 60 starts in a Scott Bloomquist Racing chassis without a ‘W’ last season, but after he moved to SBR for a full-time year of support in 2020, the team is off to a hot start.
Chris Madden earned the win on Friday and Weiss captured it today, setting up a chance at an opening weekend sweep for Team Zero.
Madden started off Saturday’s race out front, too. It wasn’t until lap 10 that Weiss would start making his drive to the front.
He trailed Madden and Brandon Sheppard off of a restart when he made his first move to the inside of the Sheppard’s No. 1 car.
Once he got by Sheppard after a pair of laps battling, Weiss took no time to get up to Madden in first place.
He’d go by his SBR teammate at the halfway mark of the race, and despite not having a win under his belt, he’d hold that lead throughout, and go to victory lane for the first time.
Sweet victory!! Out of the car as a first time @WoOLateModels winner tonight @VadoSpeedway. Thank you @TeamDrydene @Team0RaceCars and everyone else who makes this possible! pic.twitter.com/RyPOpxtYOQ
— Ricky Weiss Racing (@weissracing7) January 5, 2020
With the win Weiss sits atop the series points standings in a tie with Madden and two points ahead of Sheppard – who has started the 2020 season off with back-to-back runner up finishes.
Mike Marlar has established himself, so far, as the ‘best of the rest earning top five finishes on both nights and sitting just outside the top three.
The series will race once more on Sunday afternoon at Vado Speedway Park for the Battle At The Border Finale, and this one has a little bit more riding on it.
Instead of the usual $5,000-to-win on the first two nights, Sunday will pay out $15,000 to the victor, and it might give them a little something extra ahead of a month-long break. 2
| 2020 World of Outlaws Late Model Standings | ||||
| Position | Driver | Points | Behind | |
| 1 | Ricky Weiss | 294 | -0 | |
| 2 | Chris Madden | 294 | -0 | |
| 3 | Brandon Sheppard | 292 | -2 | |
| 4 | Mike Marlar | 280 | -14 | |
| 5 | Cade Dillard | 272 | -22 | |
| 6 | Darrell Lanigan | 268 | -26 | |
| 7 | Brian Shirley | 264 | -30 | |
| 8 | Scott Bloomquist | 258 | -36 | |
| 9 | Dennis Erb Jr. | 256 | -38 | |
| 10 | Stormy Scott | 254 | -40 | |
| 11 | Chase Junghans | 254 | -40 | |
| 12 | Ashton Winger | 254 | -40 | |
