SAYBROOK - Blake Feese has always dreamed of racing with the Pennzoil World of Outlaws, and on Friday night, the 20 year-old Saybrook, IL-native will have that chance just a few miles from home. Feese has raced with the Outlaws several times in his four-year sprint car career, but this year he's having the kind of season he hoped for.

"We have had a good year, but no matter where you are racing you are at a disadvantage against the Outlaws," said Feese. "We've been running good against the Outlaws on the bigger tracks, but this will be our first race on a smaller track. Maybe we'll do a little better this year than we have in the past."

Experience can be a major factor in auto racing. Last season, Feese was in the midst of a frustrating season that saw him spin in more races than he'd like to remember. It turns out a mechanic failure was causing the car to loop when the brakes were applied and had nothing to do with Feese's driving ability.

The Outlaws visit to the high-banked 1/4-mile oval last July proved Feese was pressing. While running in a transfer spot during his heat race, he got antsy and tried to make a move he shouldn't have and crashed. After his crew, which is led by his father, Dave, a former sprint car driver, worked non-stop to get the car ready for the "B" feature, Feese was involved in an accident that ended his night.

"The race last year was just par for the course in 2001," said Feese. "We had a problem with the car that we finally got fixed, but I wasn't patient. I knew the track was going to take rubber and I should have just stayed in line. Things like that happen when you race close to home. You try just a little harder and sometimes that's when you make mistakes."

Feese is having a career season already winning an All-Star feature event at Eldora Speedway (Rossburg, OH) and a feature at legendary Knoxville Raceway (Knoxville, IA). He has also had top ten runs with the World of Outlaws on several occasions. Feese has also ventured into pavement racing, which he hopes will expand his future opportunities.

"This year we've tried to learn more by racing on pavement," said Feese. "I drove a USAC pavement sprint car for a few races and also tried my hand in a pavement late model. Any time you race you improve and running different types of cars should only make me a better driver down the line."

In Friday's event, Feese is hoping the racetrack will hold up all night and give him a chance to work his way to the front. The two previous WoO events at Farmer City have become a parade on a rubber-down surface.

"The Outlaws can put on some of the best racing in America on short tracks if the track is prepared right," Feese added. "It's just a matter of the people preparing the track getting it right. Hopefully this year they will."