38 Facts About Joe Saldana

Joe Saldana was born on November 14,1944 and is an American former open-wheel racing driver.

Joe Saldana moved to Lincoln, Nebraska at an early age where he grew up and started his auto racing career.

Joe's uncle, Orville Hoffman, along with Buck Fallstead, had modified stock cars and Joe was bit by the racing bug before he was old enough to drive.

Joe Saldana won many features, while finishing second in the Knoxville points to Bill Utz.

Joe Saldana set a one-lap record at Knoxville, Iowa, during qualifying at the Knoxville Nationals with a 21.45 second lap.

Everything was going according to plan, with Joe Saldana leading easily, until a wheel came off with six laps left.

Joe Saldana was able to scramble back to a 7th-place finish after replacing the errant rubber.

Joe Saldana got off to a rocky start in 1968, as he crashed his sleek roadster during the second night of racing at Knoxville on May 4.

Joe Saldana injured his wrist in the accident and his Mechanical Rabbit suffered severe front end damage.

At the Knoxville Nationals, Joe Saldana held on for a 6th-place finish with Kenny Gritz winning the race.

Joe Saldana was able to take the Knoxville season point battle down to the last night, but for the third year in a row, had to settle for second behind Bob Williams.

For 1970, Joe Saldana drove the upright Roger Beck house car, which was owned by John Leverenz and Bill Chadborne.

The Terre Haute being especially dramatic, with nine lead changes, and Joe Saldana finally taking to the cushion for the victory.

Joe Saldana wasn't hurt in the mishap, but the Amerling car was out of commission for the rest of the year.

Joe Saldana was able to land a ride in one of Don Siebert's sprinters, and even score his first pavement win in the car at St Paul, Minn.

Joe Saldana ran solidly in the top ten until the 51st lap, when a crash involving several front running cars, caused a red flag.

Joe Saldana had the lead on the restart with Foyt taking the lead on the high side on lap 63.

Joe fought back however, and when Foyt bobbled and caught the first turn fence four laps later, Saldana took his Ron Killman-Lloyd Weaver dirt champ car to the lead for good.

Joe Saldana ran steadily all day and came home 15th, collecting $20,690 for his efforts.

At the first race in Silverstone, England, Joe Saldana dropped out with a burned valve.

One week later, at Brands Hatch "Little Joe Saldana" brought the Hoffman car home 10th.

Joe Saldana was again to be their driver, and he came up with some great efforts in making all the races.

Joe Saldana won a USAC midget event at the Eldora Speedway that year.

Joe Saldana claimed one win, at Terre Haute, and five other top five finishes, while steering the Snell Brothers car to ninth in the season standings.

Joe Saldana ran all the 1980 USAC Dirt Champ shows wheeling the Johnson Sheet Metal Chevy, he finished ninth for the season.

Joe Saldana followed that by practicing one of the Leader Cards machines, but never made a qualifying attempt.

Joe Saldana did make all the USAC dirt champ races in the Johnson Sheet Metal Special with a 5th place at Springfield, Illinois as his best effort.

Joe Saldana crashed heavily on Cleveland's Burke Airport road course, escaping injuries.

In 1983, Joe Saldana won at Eldora again driving in Bert Emick's All Star Circuit of Champions.

In February 1984, Joe Saldana ventured to Florida for the East Bay Nationals, and won the feature on the third night of the All Star action.

Joe Saldana won the Silver Crown 100-lap race at Du Quion, Illinois, on Labor Day driving Mauri Amerling's car after Ron Shuman blew his tire on the last lap.

Joe Saldana then ran 4th at the West Virginia Motor Speedway Silver Crown race after starting 20th.

At Springfield, Joe Saldana set a new one-lap track record of 31.

Joe Saldana lined up 3rd for the Ted Horn 100 at Du Quion, IL, but finished 20th.

Joe Saldana had another fast time at the Hoosier Hundred, but tire and motor problems relegated him to 9th at the end.

In Joe Saldana's last run before hanging up the goggles, he qualified 4th and finished 9th at the 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway, near Rossburg, Ohio, in October 1985.

Joe Saldana finished his USAC career with 8 sprint car, 2 Silver Crown, and 2 Midget wins.

Joe Saldana is married to Susie, who went to the same high school as he did in Lincoln, and they have three children: Laurie, Amy, and current World of Outlaws sprint car driver Joey Saldana.