Kulhanek Preps For Fifth Outlaw Start
DANBURY, Texas – Ray Allen Kulhanek will kick off his first season as a car owner and driver this weekend, when the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series visits his home state of Texas.
Kulhanek is set to compete on Friday at Cotton Bowl Speedway in Paige for the ATX Rentals Outlaw Shootout andSaturday at Royal Purple Raceway in Baytown for the O’Reilly Auto Parts presents the World of Outlaws hosted by Kasey Kahne.
“I’ve ran Baytown with a 410 (engine) in the sprint bandit non-wing deal and with the Outlaws,” he said.
“The time I went with the Outlaws it was with a really old motor so it wasn’t much better than the 360 motors. This will be my first time getting to go and race at Baytown with a good motor and good equipment. I’m looking forward to it and I’m looking to have a pretty decent weekend. I feel like I’m capable of it.”
Kulhanek has won sprint car features at both tracks. He scored a triumph in 2012 at Cotton Bowl Speedway and capped last season with two wins at Royal Purple Raceway. Additionally, Kulhanek has three wins and eight podium finishes in his last 10 races at Royal Purple Raceway.
“I get around both tracks well, but I don’t get to time trial too often and I’m not too familiar with the 410 so we’ll see how it plays out,” he said.
Kulhanek took over the reins of his program at the end of last season and it’s been a work in progress getting everything prepared heading into the campaign, which he said will consist of a pick-and-choose schedule.
“It’s going to be a little more relaxed because I don’t have to worry about getting fired,” he joked. “I’m definitely not going to fire myself. At the same time I have added pressures in other areas I’m not used to having. Taking over the whole financial part of it has been rather stressful.
“All in all it’s been pretty enjoyable so far. The biggest deal is trying to figure out how to come up with a truck and trailer. I’m fortunate that one of my sponsors, Alcon Construction, will tow me out there in their trailer this weekend.”
Friday will mark only the fifth World of Outlaws race ever for Kulhanek, who qualified for his first Outlaws feature last year at Devil’s Bowl Speedway in Mesquite, Texas.
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