ROAD TO WORLD FINALS: Jacob Allen Aiming to Capitalize on More Opportunities
Shark Racing #1A Driver Records Most Top-10 Finishes in World of Outlaws Career
CONCORD, NC – October 14, 2021 – Jacob Allen’s patient mindset is one of his greatest strengths, but he’ll be the first to admit it’s been challenging this year.
After breaking through for his long-awaited first career World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series victory last year, Allen wanted that winning feeling again in 2021, but he hasn’t found it yet.
It’s been tough without as many of those winning contending nights, but he’s picked up another area of consistency with his most top-10 results (19) in a season with The Greatest Show on Dirt.
“I would say it’s been alright,” Allen noted on his year. “It’s been different more than anything. Overall, it’s like another year on the Outlaw tour: you learn a little bit more and you evolve on different skills.”
With five races remaining, including the season-ending NGK/NTK World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte on Nov. 4-6, the Shark Racing pilot currently sits 10th in the championship standings. It took seven full years on tour for him to finish top-10 in the points, and now he’s done it in back-to-back seasons.
The Hanover, PA native surpassed 400 career starts with the Series this year and enjoyed several significant runs such as his podium finish at Huset’s in August and his hard-charging 24th to ninth bid at Eldora’s Kings Royal in July.
The most obvious difference in Allen’s 2020 and 2021 campaigns is his preliminary performances.
Last year, the Drydene Performance Products #1A averaged a 6.82 qualifying position with five Slick Woody’s QuickTimes. That’s compared to this year with an average qualifying position of 12.59 and only one QuickTime Award.
He also racked up 12 Team Drydene Heat Race wins last year, bumping his DIRTVision Fast Pass Dash appearances compared to only two heat wins this year.
The 27-year-old was on the front row of six NOS Energy Drink Features in 2020, whereas that has only happened twice in 2021.
All of these numbers are aware to Allen, and he’s focused on fixing them.
“I had so many chances to start up front and win races last year, but I’m not capitalizing early in the night anymore,” Allen said. “I haven’t been in those Dashes to put myself in the position I need to be in.”
“I feel better as a driver, though,” he added. “I feel like I make better moves, I’m more adept at changing lines, I’m keeping my momentum up. I feel more skilled in those areas as a driver, but we’ve had motor issues and just different things happen to prevent those feelings from translating to results.”
Racing with The Greatest Show on Dirt is no easy task, though, and Allen knows that. He’s remaining patient and looking forward to his next night out.
“It’s a process,” Allen said. “You’re never where you want to be, but that always gives you something to strive for. I just have to be patient and understand that where I came from in my Sprint Car career it will take me a bit longer to get where I want to be. I just have to stay focused on that path.”
Allen is fresh off a top-five finish at Port Royal Speedway and now heads for Kansas’ Lakeside Speedway next week on Friday, October 22. Then he’s got Oklahoma’s Lawton Speedway on Friday, October 29, and Texas’ Devil’s Bowl Speedway on Saturday, October 30.
Following that, the NGK/NTK World Finals consume The Dirt Track at Charlotte for a season-ending event of epic proportions on November 4-6. Fans can BUY TICKETS HERE.
If you can’t make it to the track, you can watch Allen take on all remaining World of Outlaws events live on DIRTVision – either online or through the DIRTVision App.
The World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink® Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: DIRTVision (Official Live Broadcast Partner), Drydene (Official Motor Oil), Hoosier Racing Tire (Official Tire), iRacing (Official Online Racing Game), Morton Buildings (Official Building), NOS Energy (Official Energy Product), SIS Insurance (Official Insurance Provider) and VP Racing Fuels (Official Racing Fuel); contingency sponsors include ARP (Automotive Racing Products), Cometic Gasket, COMP Cams, KSE Racing Products (Hard Charger Award), MSD and Slick Woody’s (Quick Time Award); manufacturer sponsors include FireAde, Intercomp, K1 Race Gear, and Racing Electronics.
Founded in 1978, the World of Outlaws®, based in Concord, NC, is the premier national touring series for dirt track racing in North America, featuring the most powerful cars on dirt, the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series and the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Model Series. Annually, the two series race nearly 140 times at tracks across the United States and Canada. CBS Sports Network is the official broadcast partner of the World of Outlaws. DIRTVision® also broadcasts all World of Outlaws events over the Internet to fans around the world. Learn more about the World of Outlaws.
Sources: Brian Walker, World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series PR
Photo – Trent Gower