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2010 Results
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Shaffer wraps up All Star season with Lawrenceburg win |
 LAWRENCEBURG, IN (10-9-10) By Brian Liskai – Tim Shaffer put an exclamation point on his unbelievable 2010 season, winning the Hoosier Fall Classic at Lawrenceburg Speedway Saturday, Oct. 9. Shaffer, who had already wrapped up his second straight O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions title, took the lead on lap 24 and went on to score his 16th series feature and 21st overall victory of 2010.
“This year has just been a fantastic year, it seems like everything is going right. But tonight…I’ll tell you they made me earn it tonight,” said Shaffer beside his Aaron Call, Janet Holbrook owned machine.
“We just kept getting better and better…we were a little too tight early which is we wanted to be. Brian (Kemenah, crew chief) and the guys did a great job with this car…it just kept getting faster through the night,” continued Shaffer beside his VRP Shocks, Kistler Engines, J&J Racing, Kistler Racing Products backed #83.
“This is the best year I’ve ever had…it’s been so much fun It’s just amazing when you put a great team together what you can do,” concluded Shaffer. “I hate to see this year coming to an end.”
Bill Balog and Cale Conley paced the field to the green in the 30-lap feature, with Conley grabbing the lead. The action would grind to a half after one lap when David Gravel and Shaffer banged wheels on the back stretch resulting in Gravel getting upside down. On the restart Conley would continue to lead over Balog, Shaffer, Kyle Sauder and Cole Duncan.
The leaders would find the back of the field by lap eight on the fast 3/8th mile and it became a three car battle between Conley, Balog and Shaffer. Balog would duck under Conley for the lead on lap 9 as Sauder drove to the outside of Shaffer for third and would take second a lap later. The caution would fly on lap 11 for a stalled Brandon Wimmer. Balog had a lapped machine between himself and Sauder with Shaffer third, Conley and Dale Blaney rounding out the top five.
On the restart Ronnie Blair made contact with another car and stopped with a broken front end. That brought out a red flag fuel stop with the running order Balog, Sauder, Shaffer, Conley, Blaney and Duncan. On the ensuing restart, Sauder would blast to the outside of Balog to take the lead, with Shaffer stalking in third and Blaney grabbing fourth.
The final caution would fly on lap 17 for a Caleb Helms spin. On the restart, Shaffer began to make his move, driving under Balog for second. Sauder continued to drive against the cushion as Shaffer held steady around the bottom and slowly began to reel the leader in as Balog ran third and Blaney in fourth. The car on the move was Dean Jacobs, as the Seeling team had put together a new J&J chassis and he had worked his way from his 20th starting spot to fifth with 10 laps to go.
As the Sauder raced into heavy lapped traffic, Shaffer continued to make up ground. Shaffer shot under Sauder exiting turn two on lap 24 for the lead. Shaffer would continue to pick his way through traffic while Sauder road comfortably in second and Balog third. Meanwhile Blaney and Jacobs waged a tremendous battle for fourth with Jacobs gaining the position on lap 26.
Shaffer would go on to the victory over Sauder, Balog, Jacobs and Blaney. However, Balog failed to go to the scales after the feature and was disqualified, giving Jacobs third.
For Sauder, who had taken several years off of racing and came back in June, it continued a strong comeback.
“If it was a 25 lap race I think we might have had it. Hats off to Tim, he’s had a great year. To run second to him is nothing to hang my head about,” said Sauder beside his Dave Jessup racing machine.
“I’ve got to thank Dave Jessup, Rick Comer, Triple A, Bob Someral Tire, Brookville Auto Parts…everybody on the car for giving me a chance to come back to racing and the good Lord for giving me the talent to run up front as much as I do and to come back the way I did,” continued Sauder.
For Jacobs the race from the back to the front was something he has become accustomed to this summer.
“We’re not happy with our early effort tonight…it’s been that way a lot this year. It’s not the fault of the race car…we got a new car and it’s really nice. I just didn’t race it qualifying where it needed to be and the result was a bad qualifying time. But, we got it good when it counted so we’re happy with third,” said Jacobs beside his Midwest Towing and Recovery, NAPA Truck and Auto Center backed #97.
“With this new J&J and Paul Kistler working on the engines and with Joe and Matt working on the thing and getting what we need I think the wins are going to come,” added Jacobs. “This really gives us a good incentive to start over again next year. It just keeps getting better and better with this deal. I’m really looking forward to next year and getting out and winning some races. |
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Shaffer holds off Martin for $10,000 Fremont payday |
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 FREMONT, Ohio (9-18-10) By Brian Liskai– Tim Shaffer won another 410 sprint car race.
That in itself wasn’t a big surprise at Fremont Speedway on Saturday, Sept. 18 during the second night of the Jim Ford Classic presented by Ludwig Propane.
But, what will have race fans talking for many years to come was the charge by 27-year-old Brandon Martin. The Attica, Ohio driver, who started the night upside down during his qualification run, stormed from 24th starting spot – dead last – to challenge Shaffer the final five laps for the $10,000 payday.
Shaffer took the lead from Craig Mintz on the 27th circuit of the 50-lap affair and went on to score his 15 victory of the year with the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions. Shaffer, who has scored 20 overall victories in 2010, remains unbeaten since claiming the Knoxville Nationals crown, scoring four wins in a row. He moved into a tie for 13th on the series’ all-time win list with Rickey Hood with 34 victories. Meanwhile, Martin, left fans shaking their heads in amazement. His incredible story began in Kistler Engines qualifications. He slipped off the ledge of turn two and smashed into the track’s softwalls, flipping violently. His crew, including Guy Meyers and Jim Havens, rolled up their sleeves and repaired his machine in time to come out last in time trials where he posted the 31st quickest time of the 35 cars signed in.
Martin then proceeded to drive from eighth starting spot in his heat to a fourth place finish, earning the 24th starting spot in the A-main. He would use the entire width of the one-third mile track to steadily work his way to the front, and when he drove around Greg Wilson for third on lap 39, he had everyone’s attention. Martin would take second from Mintz on lap 46 and quickly closed on Shaffer in lapped traffic. Just as Martin pulled in on the rear bumper of Shaffer, Dean Jacobs and Kyle Sauder would tangle exiting turn four on the 47th circuit, bringing out the caution.
On the restart Shaffer, who wrapped up his second straight $50,000 All Star championship the previous night at “The Track That Action Built,” would have two lapped machines between himself and Martin. On the restart, All Star officials called the field back, warning one of the lapped machines to maintain his speed. On the second attempt on the restart, the field was again called back and one of the back-markers was moved to the tail, leaving only one lapped car between Shaffer and Martin. It didn’t matter, as Shaffer continued his phenomenal summer, driving away to the win while Martin finished second and Mintz third.
“I saw on that last yellow that he (Martin) was in second and I knew he started in the back so I figured I’d better get with it,” said Shaffer beside his Aaron Call, Janet Holbrook owned machine. “We earned that one. It was one of those deals where I didn’t feel that good. I was probably trying too hard at times and too easy at times. Just to be up her for #20…it’s just incredible.”
“I don’t know what it is…but it’s so fun running up front. This is a dream come true. I couldn’t have ever imagined winning 20 races in one year,” continued Shaffer beside his Kistler Engines, Kistler Racing Products, J&J Auto Racing, JRC Transportation back #83. “We are having all the lucks and breaks and we’re taking advantage of it.”
“I don’t know what to say. We tried our best tonight. I wanted desperately to race Tim…he’s damn good right now. We kept it on the track most of the night in the feature…that sure beats qualifying,” said Martin in the Engine Pro Victory Lane.
“We’ve been struggling with this car all year…it’s just so hard to get it going early on. I tried running it like I did last night and it obviously didn’t work. I was frustrated…we’ve struggled all year qualifying no matter where we go with this thing. But once again Guy and all my guys got this thing going pretty good towards the end of the night so I knew it was going to be good in the feature. I’m extremely happy right now,” explained Martin beside his Burns Electric, Martin Trucking and Excavating, Oak Ridge Festival, Sacsteder and Worland Insurance backed #11.
“I knew the first lap I had a pretty good hot rod. We weren’t terrible in the heat race…you just have to keep your head up and watch for other cars and go where they’re not and I’m not going to follow anybody,” continued Martin. “I looked at scoreboard and I saw there were 18 laps to go…I just wanted to race Tim so bad. Last night we had a real good car with Stan (Cortad, owner of the #9x Martin drove on Friday). We were going to run second or third last night but we lost brakes on the first lap so I couldn’t slow down then the driveline broke. We were going to have a really good weekend, but after tonight it still turned out alright. I love passing cars.”
For Mintz, Fremont Speedway’s 2010 track champion, who led from lap 8 to lap 26, his third place run was still rewarding.
“This is nothing new for me for this race. We lead 45 laps about three years ago and lost it. Tim and that team are great…they’re just in a whole other league at the moment. I got a lesson in lapped traffic. You just have to run them in there and make them get out of the way. I tried showing them noses and it just didn’t work. I saw Tim do it and after he got by I learned how to do it but it was way too late,” said Mintz beside his Design Graphics Group, KS Sales and Service, Erie Shore Propane, Real Geese, Bobby’s Truck and Bus Repair backed #20x.
“We’ll take an eighth and a third for the weekend and be happy. Any time you can run in the top 10 with the All Stars at Fremont it good,” added Mintz.
At the start of the 50-lap 410 feature, pole-sitter Dale Blaney grabbed the lead but the caution would fly for Bob Felmlee who nearly caused a pile-up on the back stretch when his car suffered a flat tire. On the second attempt for the start, outside front row starter David Gravel spun in turn two. On the third attempt, Blaney would again take the lead with Brandon Wimmer, Kevin Lee, Mintz, Shaffer and Mark Keegan giving chase.
Mintz would drive into second on lap three while Shaffer moved into fourth behind Wimmer. Disaster struck for Blaney after completing lap 7, as his car would lose power, bringing out another caution and handing the lead to Mintz. With a clear track ahead, Mintz would pull away slightly from Wimmer, who had his hands full with Shaffer. By lap 12, all eyes were on Martin, who had marched his way from the tail up to eighth.
With 14 laps in, the caution would fly when Sheldon Haudenschild and Bryan Sebetto would tangle. That would necessitate a red flag fuel stop with the running order Mintz, Wimmer, Shaffer, Kyle Sauder, Greg Wilson, Keegan and Martin.
On the ensuing restart, Shaffer would blast around Wimmer and seemed content to follow Mintz for the time being. Meanwhile, Wimmer, who suffered a broken right rear shock, was in a heated battle for third with Sauder, Wilson, Keegan and Martin. At the half-way point, Shaffer began to pick up his pace, closing on Mintz as they raced into lapped traffic. Shaffer would dive low in turn two and drive around a lapped machine and Mintz for the lead a lap later. Wimmer, Wilson, Martin and 17th place starter Byron Reed were locked in a great battle for third.
With 19 laps to go, Mintz had worked his way through traffic and closed on Shaffer while Wilson took third from Wimmer. The caution would again fly on lap 34 for a Haudenschild spin with Shaffer leading Mintz followed by a lapped car, then Wilson, Martin, Wimmer and Reed. With a clear track ahead, Shaffer would pull away slightly on the restart with Mintz comfortably in second while Wilson and Martin were locked in a heated debate for third.
Martin would bring the capacity crowd to their feet on lap 39 as he drive around Wilson for third and closed on Mintz and Shaffer. With four laps to go, Martin would take second and moved right on the rear bumper of Shaffer. Just as Martin appeared to be ready to race side-by-side for the lead, Dean Jacobs and Sauder would tangle exiting turn four, bringing out the caution. With two lapped machines between himself and Martin, Shaffer would drive away on the restart. Martin ran out of laps and would settle for second followed by Mintz, Wilson and Reed.
The O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions will wrap up their 2010 season on Oct. 9 at Lawrenceburg Speedway. For more information go to www.allstarsprint.com. |
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Can anyone beat Tim Shaffer? (Fremont Speedway 9-17-10) |
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 FREMONT, OH (9-17-10) By Brian Liskai- Can anyone beat Tim Shaffer?
That is the question the sprint car world is asking. Since July 31, the Aliquippa, Pa. driver has won every race he has competed in except a two – a third with the World of Outlaws in Missouri and a DNF at the Front Row Challenge. Friday on All Pro Cylinder Heads night, the opening night of the two-day Jim Ford Classic at Fremont Speedway, “The Steel City Outlaw” scored his 14th victory of 2010 with the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions and his 19th win overall of the season. Since winning the Knoxville Nationals, Shaffer has remained unbeaten, winning his last three features in a row. Shaffer, who now has 33 career All Star wins to move into 14th on the series’ all-time victory list, just one win behind Rickey Hood and four away from Steve Kinser, took the lead on lap 19 and never looked back. The victory locks up the 2010 All Star championship, Shaffer’s second in a row.
“It’s just been a great couple of months. We’ve got an incredible team. The CH Motorsports, J&J, Kistler Engines, VRP Shocks…everybody that works on this team at home and on the road…it’s just been a blast,” said Shaffer beside his Aaron Call, Janet Holbrook owned machine. “It’s amazing…when you can have a group of people come together like we have here…it’s everybody doing their job and giving me a great car to drive and I’m having a lot of fun doing it,” continued Shaffer beside his JRC Transportation, Technique Roofing, Kistler Racing Products backed #83. “We’re running with confidence…we’ve got a great car and great people behind us.”
To give some incentive for someone to defeat Shaffer, Fremont Speedway Promoter Rich Farmer with help from John Horn of JLH General Contractor has put up a $2,500 bounty on Shaffer if one of the drivers who finished in the top 20 in points at Fremont Speedway can win Saturday’s $10,000 to win feature event. In the 30-lap 410 sprint feature, pole sitter Kyle Sauder jumped into the lead at the drop of the green with Brandon Martin, Phil Gressman, Shaffer and Bill Rose in tow. Sauder would pull away slightly, but a caution for a Brad Haudenschild spin on lap seven would bunch up the field. On the restart, Shaffer would move around Gressman and challenge Martin for second as Sauder again pulled away. The car on the move was Byron Reed who had moved from his 16thstarting spot to sixth. But, a flat left front tire would stop his charge on lap 10, as he stopped on the front stretch to bring out the caution.
Again on the restart Sauder would pull away with Martin battling with Shaffer for second while Kevin Lee made a great move to blast from eighth to fourth in one lap. Sauder stayed about four car lengths ahead of Martin and Shaffer until lap 16 when Shaffer would take second. Sauder would hit lapped traffic on lap 18, allowing Shaffer to close. Shaffer made a daring move in turn three as Sauder got caught up in lapped traffic. Shaffer dove to the bottom and passed two lapped machines and Sauder for the lead exiting turn four. Shaffer would pull away as Sauder ran comfortably in second with Martin battling Gressman, Lee and Bill Rose for third. With eight laps remaining, Gressman would take third. The car on the move now was Dale Blaney who started 18th and had moved into sixth with three laps remaining. The running order with three to go was Shaffer, Sauder, Gressman, Rose, David Gravel and Blaney. Shaffer would cruise to his 7th career Fremont win over Sauder, Gressman, Rose and Blaney. “It doesn’t matter if it pays $150,000 or $20 we come to win every night and we know everyone is going to give us their best shot,” said Shaffer.
Sauder was excited about his runner-up finish. |
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Shaffer puts lights out at Attica |
 ATTICA, Ohio (9-4-10)By Brian Liskai – Tim Shaffer put the lights out on the O”Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions and AtticaRacewayPark Saturday, Sept. 4…figuratively and literally.
The Aliquippa, Pa. driver continues to be the hottest sprint car driver in the nation as he recorded his second straight All Star win in as many nights - he won Friday at Lernerville Speedway – taking the Baumann Auto Group/WNWO NBC Channel 24 Night Attica Ambush to wrap up the 2010 season at “Ohio’s Finest Racing” speedplant.
It wasn’t easy for “The Steel City Outlaw,” as a blown fuse doused the track’s front stretch lights with five laps to go. However, Shaffer would drive his Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook Motorsports machine away from the field on the restart for his 13th All Star victory of 2010. While the win was Shaffer’s 18th overall for the season, it was his first career All Star victory. Shaffer has won three features this season at Attica and eight over his career at the track.
“This is just a blast to drive. Hats off to my guys they just do a great, great job. It’s been an awesome month,” said Shaffer the Knoxville Nationals champion beside his Technique Roofing, JRC Transportation, J&J Auto Racing, Kistler Engines backed machine. “To have a month like we’ve had…the wins and the fun… the communication…it’s just been a blast.”
When the track’s lights went out with five to go, Shaffer said it reminded him of a race in Tulare, California. “I was leading the race then and I’ll tell you it gets your attention in a hurry,” added Shaffer. “When it goes out like that it’s black.”
When the green fell for the 40-lap feature, last week’s Attica victor Lee Jacobs would grab the early lead over track champion Byron Reed, Dale Blaney, Greg Wilson Craig Mintz and Shaffer. Reed, who picked up two All Star wins at Attica in 2010, would drive into the lead exiting turn four on lap 7 while Jacobs battled Blaney and Shaffer for second.
The first caution would fly on lap 9 for a Brandon Wimmer spin with the running order Reed, Jacobs, Blaney, Shaffer, Mintz, Greg Wilson and Cap Henry. A lap later, Sheldon Haudenschild would spin, and Mark Keegan and Brandon Martin would tangle trying to avoid Haudenschild with Martin getting upside down.
On the restart Reed would drive back into a commanding lead with Jacobs in tow while Shaffer would drive around Blaney into third. Reed would hit lapped traffic by lap 15 with Shaffer moving into second with Jacobs, Blaney and Wilson rounding out the top five. It would remain that way until the half-way mark when Blaney would grab third. Shaffer was reeling in Reed and the duo would race side-by-side for two laps until Shaffer would drive to the outside of Reed, utilizing a lapped machine as a pick to take the lead on lap 25 with Blaney, Jacobs and David Gravel rounding out the top five.
On lap 35, the field was bunched up when the front stretch lights went out. Shaffer had six lapped machines between himself and Reed, with Blaney, Jacobs and Dewease rounding out the top five. Once the lights came back on, Shaffer would put the lights out on the rest of the field. The win is Shaffer’s 32nd career All Star victory, moving him into a tie with Danny Lasoski for 14th on the series’ all-time win list.
The win came aboard a car Shaffer is very fond of – it carried him to a streak of five consecutive victories during the All Star’s Thunder Through the Plains. However, he crashed the car at Huset’s Speedway, though repairs would net him a win that night.
“We bent the car a little so we put a new car together for Knoxville. Brian (Kemenah, crew chief) brought it home and took it to Mark Keegan for repairs. After Knoxville the guys put it back together and it’s still fast,” said Shaffer. “This year has been by far the best year and the most fun of my career and I’ve been home about every weekend.”
For Reed, who scored the only other two All Star victories at Attica in 2010, the second place finish was a great way to end the year.
“What can you say…the guy’s the best in the country right now. I actually did slow down as the race went on, but when he passed me I thought I was still going as good as I was when I thought I was unbeatable. But you have to be perfect to beat those guys…I was lucky to finish second,” said Reed beside his Reebar Diecasting, Schoenfeld Headers backed machine.
For more information log onto www.allstarsprint.com
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Shaffer continues to win...takes 2nd Annual Duel in the Dirt at Lernerville |
SARVER, PA (9-3-10) By Brian Liskai – Tim Shaffer picked right up where he left off…winning sprint car races. - copy.jpg)
After having won sprint car racing’s biggest jewel – the Knoxville Nationals – the Aliquippa, Pa. resident took a few weeks off from racing. But it didn’t show Friday, Sept. 3, as he put on a dominating performance at Lernerville Speedway to take his 12th win of the year with the O’Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Champions
Shaffer’s win in the Second Annual Duel in the Dirt is his 17th overall feature victory of 2010 as the defending All Star champion continues his march to the $50,000 series championship. Friday’s win is Shaffer’s 31st career All Star victory, moving him into 15th on the all-time win list.
“Winning the Knoxville Nationals sure puts the pressure on me. Every body at home is like ‘you should be able to go up there and win,’ but it’s a different night and in dirt track racing anything can happen. But the guys had the car great,” said Shaffer beside his VRP Shocks, Kistler Engines, J&J Auto Racing, sponsored machine.
It took five tries to finally get a lap in for the feature with Carl Bowser looping it out on the initial start followed by Dean Jacobs getting crossed up on the second attempt and Eric Williams getting upside down on the third. Bowser again spun on the fourth try at the start. The fifth time was the charm and Dale Blaney, who won the last time the All Stars visited the historic Lernerville Speedway, grabbed the early lead. But a caution on the second circuit for track champion Danny Holtgraver who spun, would again bunch up the field.
On the ensuing restart Blaney would drive the George Fisher Racing, Ti22 Performance machine back into the lead with Lance Dewease, Greg Wilson and Shaffer in tow. Shaffer would drive his Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook owned machine under both Wilson and Dewease with a perfect slide job coming out of turn two on lap five to grab second. Shaffer, a former Lernerville track champion, began to reel Blaney in and two laps later, took the top spot as they raced into lapped traffic. By lap 18, Shaffer had seven lapped machines between himself and Blaney.
Jacobs would spin on lap 24, but Shaffer had seven lapped cars separating him from Blaney and would set sail to victory lane. However, the crowd was treated to a great battle for third as Dewease and Lernerville legend Ed Lynch Jr. would swap the position each lap over the last four circuits before Lynch would take it at the checkers.
“In sprint car racing you can never give up and run it hard all the time. I didn’t know how many lapped cars were between us on that last yellow…I just knew I had to run hard,” said the driver known as the “Steel City Outlaw.”
For Blaney, a three-time All Star champion, it’s hard to be upset finishing behind the hottest sprint car driver in the country.
“The track was great…if you were really hooked up like he (Shaffer’s) was. That was just kind of an old-fashioned whippin’ they gave us right there…they’ve been going awful great,” said Blaney. “Someone is going to have to beat this guy one of these days…he’s doing a heck of a job.”
Lynch, a multi-time Lernerville champion, was excited about his third place finish.
“We had a heck of a race going on…inside, outside just trying to get a podium finish. Lance is a good clean, hard racer,” said Lynch beside his Howard Concrete, J&J Racing, Kistler Engines, Ultralight Brakes backed machine.
For more information go to www.allstarsprint.com |
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O'Reilly Auto Parts is excited to be affliated with the All Star Circuit of Champions and so many other great racing associations throughout all of our market areas. All of these sanctioning bodies celebrate the racers and put O'Reilly Auto Parts deep in the grass roots of racing. These racers and fans are our customers and we are pleased to serve them in our stores. From our roots as a single store in 1957 to our current size of over 3,337 locations and still growing. Stop by on your way to the track. 
The All Stars are one of the premier sprint car sanctioning bodies in the USA. It is owned by Illinois businessman, and now in their 30th year of operation, the All Stars take pride in their reputation of providing highly competitive, fair, exciting racing for outlaw sprint cars with many different winners in a year. About 400 drivers participate in All Star races yearly in front of an average of 5,000 spectators per event. Currently 40+ races are scheduled in numerous states, such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan, Tennessee, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Kansas. 
Ohio Sprint Speedweek proves to be one of the most competitive weeks in racing during the 2010 All Star season. Tough battles happened in the 2010 Ohio Sprint Speedweek season, as it included nine straight nights of racing action in the buckeye state, it challenged the best of the best, but young David Gravel- DDR Motorsports was crowned the 2010 champion.