The “Greatest Show on Dirt,” The World of Outlaws national traveling Sprint car series returns to Sharon Speedway Saturday. Three days of racing in Ohio starting today at Attica Raceway Park, then it’s on to Sharon Speedway Saturday and ending up at Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe Monday.

Sharon gates opens at 4 p.m. with hot laps at 6:30 p.m.

CAN ANYONE STOP WATERTOWN CT. DAVID GRAVEL?

The defending champion has eight wins already and sits atop the point battle. California’s Buddy Kofoid has three wins and sits second. Ohio favorite Sheldon Haudenchild, of Wooster, holds down fifth. Local and regional drivers will join the Outlaws.

WHAT IS A SPRINT CAR?

They are the most powerful and fastest dirt track cars on the planet. Weighing in at about 1,200 pounds and have 900 horsepower. Direct drive no-transmission, no-starters Overhead wing helps to plant them to the ground as the broadside through the turns with open wheels. Most tracks don’t lift going into the corner; they just believe it’s going to stick regardless of what your mind tells you.

WHO HAS DRIVEN SPRINT CARS?

Jeff Gordon was plucked from Sprint cars and went on to win four NASCAR championships and 98 races. Tony Stewart came from Sprint cars and went on to win an Indy car championship along with four NASCAR championships and 62 wins. Kyle Larson, whom many consider the greatest driver today, came from the dirt tracks and still races Sprint cars. Christopher Bell has won three NASCAR races this year alone and continues to race Sprint cars. William Bryon sits third in NASCAR points with one win raced Sprints and Midgets; those three drivers currently sit 1-3 in NASCAR championship points.

Why do these Sprint racers do so well at the top American race series? When they move up to NASCAR they are not intimated. After driving these fire-breathing rockets, stepping into these 3,400-pound “Taxi cabs” with full bodies that respond so much slower to maneuvers, they are not intimated. Drivers from other series that move up to face these well known drivers tend to be more so in awe.

Back In yesteryears the road to Indy came through USAC Sprint cars. Drivers such as A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, the Unser brothers and so many more raced at Indy then the next week they were on the dirt tracks. Then along came road courses and European drivers that brought big money and sponsors and it all changed. The only Sprint car driver in this week’s Indy 500 is Kyle Larson, who after the Indy 500 will take a plane to Charlotte to compete and drive 600 miles to compete in the NASCAR Charlotte 600.

Speaking of the Indy 500, the driver with the fastest time is a rookie who has never driven on an oval before. Only the second rookie to sit on the pole since 1951, a driver most have never heard of is Robert Schartzman, of Israel. Drivers were approaching speeds of 240 miles per hour on the straightaways, open wheels a couple inches off the ground. Very brave and talented drivers. Like the Sprint cars when they go out of bounds they don’t come back.

Keep it between the guardrails and hope to see you at the races.

Ken Marquette’s Words on Wheels column runs periodically in The Vindicator and the Tribune Chronicle.