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2010 Results
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Dobmeier holds off Shaffer for Huset's All Star win |
BRANDON, S.D. (Sunday, Aug. 14, 2011) By Brian Liskai – Mark Dobmeier has been around long enough in sprint car racing to know when things are going well you don’t question it, you just ride it as long as you can. He did just that Sunday at Huset’s Speedway, wrestling the lead away from Justin Henderson at the half-way point and then withstood challenges from Tim Shaffer in traffic over the next eight laps then raced virtually uncontested during the final 7 laps to win the All Star Circuit of Champions event. Coming off a qualifying night feature win during the 51st Annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals and a sixth place run in sprint car racing’s “Super Bowl” the previous night, Dobmeier would record his 41st victory at the track and his first ever All Star victory. He now sits second on Huset’s all-time win list with 41 victories, behind Terry McCarl. It was also his fifth win of the year at the track where he leads the point’s standings as he battles for his fourth track championship.
“This team is as strong as it’s ever been…we’re just going to keep this deal rolling,” said Dobmeier beside his Lunstra/Dobmeier Racing #13. “When I see lapped cars I want it because that’s when we can gain spots. This car is just working so strong. I have to thank my crew, Dave Lunstra and my dad for putting this team together and all my great sponsors.” “I took this race with a whole different approach than I did for the first All Star race here. I was pretty aggressive that first All Star race we had…I think we would have won that one too but I was too aggressive and tapped the wall. I really had to retrain myself on this one. I was being very patient until we got about half-way through the race then we turned our wick up,” continued Dobmeier beside his Senski & Son Transfer/Right Choice Electric/Big Trucks by Jimco machine.
Henderson would grab the lead at the drop of the green with Dobmeier and David Gravel in pursuit. Gravel would get around Dobmeier for second, but would then tag the turn 3 wall, ending his night. On the restart Henderson would rocket away using the top groove and would soon catch the rear of the field. Once in traffic, Henderson’s lead evaporated as Dobmeier quickly closed. Dobmeier would execute a slider in turn four on lap 13 to briefly take the lead but Henderson would drive back into the top spot. On the next lap Dobmeier would drive under Henderson for the lead. Meanwhile, two-time All Star champion Tim Shaffer would make a charge, using traffic to move into the second spot as Henderson began to fade. Dobmeier would struggle with heavy traffic allowing Shaffer to close. But once past the traffic, Dobmeier would rocket away his first career All Star win.
Shaffer – coming off a 19th to fourth run at the Knoxville Nationals – would come home second and build on his point lead in the All Star’s Great Plains Region and its $10,000 payday. He would also pad his point lead for the All Star’s National title. “It’s all about putting a great show on for the fans and this was a fun place tonight,” said Shaffer beside his Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook owned machine.
“Earlier you could run the bottom and the top both and then when lapped traffic comes into play…that’s when it really gets exciting. It works out however it works out…we don’t know, we’re just hanging on to these things,” quipped Shaffer. “I have to thank Kistler Engines, Kistler Racing Products, VRP Shocks and all my crew for their hard work all season long.” Three-time All Star champ Dale Blaney would come home third to stay within striking distance of Shaffer for the All Star’s national title.
“The track was really different than what it was a couple of weeks ago. If we would have gained a row in the dash we might have had a shot. It was a pretty good race there for awhile,” said Blaney beside his George Fisher Racing/Ti22 backed #2. Now it’s on to AMSOIL Speedway in Superior, Wisconsin on Tuesday and Red River Valley Speedway in Fargo, N.D. on Wednesday to close out the All Star Circuit of Champions’ “Thunder Through the Plains.” |
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Sammy Swindell's "loaded weapon" dominates Front Row Challenge |
OSKALOOSA, IA (8-8-11) By Brian Liskai - "I felt like I had been bringing a knife to a gun fight...with this new motor I feel like I'm now bringing a machine gun."
Those words from Sammy Swindell never rang more true after he dominated the 15th Annual Musco Lighting Front Row Challenge Monday night at Southern Iowa Speedway. The win was an unprecedented third in a row for the Germantown, Tenn., resident and the third All Star Circuit of Champions victory of 2011.
Swindell, who earned the pole-starting spot by winning the "King of the Hill" match race, led all 25 laps on route to his 24th career All Star victory. It wasn't easy, however, as he survived a couple of late race restarts and a lapped car exploding a tire and spinning right in front of him.
"I'm just so proud of this Big Game Tree Stand team. We put a new motor in this..probably the best engine I've ever had. Before I felt at times like I had been bringing a knife to a gun fight...with this new motor I feel like I'm now bringing a machine gun," said Swindell. "That was a close call when that tire exploded...it seems there's a tire or two that does that at every race."
Brad Sweet would hound Swindell the entire race and looked poised to pounce on a restart with four laps to go. But, Swindell would show his experience, changing up his restart pattern, giving him a huge advantage to pull away for the win.
"Sammy kind of snookered us on that last restart...he proved why he is one of the best in the business," said Sweet beside his Kasey Kahne Racing/Red Bull #9. "I just wish that last caution wouldn't have come out....I was catching him. He was going to have to make a decision in traffic and I was ready. We had a great car all night and I'm excited about the (Knoxville) Nationals."
While Swindell and Sweet ran nose to tail in traffic, Shane Stewart - coming off the Knoxville 360 Nationals win - thrilled the crowd with his charge from 10th to third.
"It was hard to pass tonight but my Rockstar Energy Drink car was so good I could go any where. I think we might have had something for those guys if this would have stayed green. I can't complain...we've had a great week so far," said Stewart.
Swindell and Sweet would lead the field to the green with Daryn Pittman and Cody Darrah in tow. Swindell would hit lapped traffic by the sixth circuit as Sweet stayed within striking distance. Pittman and Darrah would battle hard for third while Dale Blaney and Sam Hafertepe Jr. ran off their rear bumpers. |
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Kevin Swindell gets 1st All Star win at Knoxville |
Knoxville, IA (8-6-11) By Brian Liskai – Kevin Swindell has grown up watching his father, the legendary Sammy Swindell, experience triumph and heart-break at the world-famous Knoxville Raceway. The younger Swindell has learned from those experiences and used that to dominate the 20-lap All Star Circuit of Champions feature Saturday, leading the entire way for his second win of the season and second of his career at the raceway. It was his first ever All Star victory.
Swindell, driving a team Big Game Tree Stands machine to his father, took the lead from his third starting position from pole-sitter and Kings Royal winner Tyler Walker using the bottom groove on a second attempt to start the race. Kevin had to hold off Walker late in the race as they caught the back of the field.
"Everything was going fine and Bud (Kaeding) and Robby (Wolfgang) were running up top. They got together, and I knew it would be trouble. Bud came down the track and knocked the air out of me. I just hoped no one behind me was close. I was trying not to miss the bottom,l and that time I did," said Swindell in victory lane.
Walker and Daryn Pittman would lead the field to the green, but before a lap could be completed, Brian Brown, returning from a scary crash on Friday night, came together with Jason Johnson, necessitating a complete restart. Kevin Swindell would use the second chance to his advantage, driving into the lead exiting turn four on the ensuing restart.
By lap five, Swindell had a six car length lead over Pittman, who was followed by Knoxville Raceway point leader Danny Lasoski, who also utilized the bottom groove to charge from his ninth starting spot. With six laps in the books, ninth running Sammy Swindell spun on the backstretch with a flat tire, going pitside.
Kevin Swindell would drive away on the restart with Walker and Lasoski battling for second while Pittman had his hands full with multi-time track champion Terry McCarl. McCarl would drive by Pittman on lap eight, but two-time and defending All Star champion Tim Shaffer - the 2010 Knoxville Nationals winner - was on the move, up from his 10th place starting spot, taking fifth on lap nine.
Another hard-charger was Mark Dobmeier, blasting from 20th to enter the top five by busting the cushion on lap 12. Kevin Swindell maintained his lead despite the close call with Kaeding and Wolfgang and went on to the $5,000 win over Walker, Lasoski, Shaffer and Dobmeier.
McCarl, Dale Blaney, Dusty Zomer, Rager Phillips and Davey Heskin (from last) rounded out the top 10.
Shaffer's run - he has only finished out of the top five once in the last month of competition - helped him maintain his slim lead in the All Star's national point standings while padding his lead int he Great Plains Regional points and its $10,000 top prize.
The All Star Circuit of Champions will be back in action Monday at the Front Row Challenge at Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa. |
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Shaffer gets redemption in Fargo |
FARGO, N.D. – Last year when the All Star Circuit of Champions “Thundered Through the Plains” two-time and defending series’ titlest Tim Shaffer was riding a huge hot streak that would see him not only claim 16 All Star wins and the series’ title, but the Knoxville Nationals. Well don’t look now, but “The Steel City Outlaw” is at it again.
Much like the 2011 Ohio Sprint Speedweek when Shaffer never finished out of the top three, he is dominating the All Stars’ Great Plains Region. On Wednesday the Aliquippa, Pennsylvania driver passed four-time World of Outlaws champion Donny Schatz in traffic and went on to capture the feature event at Red River Valley Speedway. Shaffer leads the $10,000-to-win Great Plains Region points with his two wins and a third place run.
The win vaulted Shaffer ahead of three-time series champion Dale Blaney for the national points lead as well. Shaffer now has 41 career All Star victories, moving him into 10th on the all-time win list.
At Red River, it was a bit of redemption for Shaffer. Last year he led the All Star feature only to have Schatz pass him in traffic and go on to win the race. The roles were reversed on Wednesday as Shaffer took advantage of Schatz getting hung up in lapped traffic and grabbed the lead two-thirds of the way through the 30-lap race. Shaffer had to hold off several late challenges by Schatz and took the Aaron Call/Janet Holbrook Motorsports #83 to victory lane for his sixth All Star win of 2011.
"Wow, what a great race," admitted Shaffer beside his Kistler Engines/VRP Shocks/Kistler Racing Products J&J machine. "My hat goes off to (crew chief) Brian (Kemenah) and the guys. This car really came in late in the race and we were able to get another win. Donny kind of got me at the start and was setting a pretty good pace. I just had to be patient and I think I may have found the rubber before him on the bottom and we were able to get by him. It's always good to win races, but this is the time of year when you want things to be going your way. We're pretty excited."
Shaffer qualified fourth in the field of 27 cars and started the feature event on the outside of pole-sitter Dale Blaney. Blaney led the early going driving the Ti22 Performance No. 2 before Schatz raced his No. 15 Big Game Treestands/Fast Lane Car Wash J&J into the lead. Once in front, Schatz weaved his way through traffic for several laps and looked poised to repeat his win from last July, but lapped traffic would ultimately cost him the victory.
With five laps to go, Shaffer, Schatz and Mark Dobmeier were nearly nose to tail with Tyler Walker, Blaney and a charging Tony Stewart closing in. When Austin Wheatly got upside down, it gave Shaffer a clear track but set up a five lap shoot-out. Shaffer would pull away slightly on the restart, but Schatz mounted one more charge. As Shaffer took the white flag, Schatz was just a half a car length back. Another caution would set up a green-white-checkered finish and Shaffer would pull away for the win.
Dobmeier was third in the Lunstra/Dobmeier Motorsports No. 13L J&J. Walker began the evening by setting a new track record in the Keen Motorsports No. 17 Maxim and finished it by coming home fourth. Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart passed Blaney late to earn a top-five finish.
"That was a good race and we just needed a few more laps of lapped traffic there at the end," said Schatz. "I got the lead and felt like I was in pretty good shape, but when it starts taking as long as it did to get by some of those lapped cars, you knew somebody was coming. Great job to Tim and his team for coming up with the win. I'm really happy we had a such a good race for all the people that came out. We've got another big show coming up in two weeks (The $12,000-to-win Champions Challenge on Aug. 17), and hopefully we can have another great race like this."
"We were happy to be on the frontstretch tonight," said Dobmeier, who hails from Grand Forks, N.D. "The car was really good, but I think I killed my tire early in the race trying to get up there and race with Donny and Blaney. I just didn't have anything left there at the end. I want to thank everyone for coming out and all of the people that allow me to do this. We've got a good team and this is a good way for us to head into the weekend and next week at the (Knoxville) Nationals. Maybe we'll be just a bit better in two weeks here."
The All-Stars return to action on Saturday night at Knoxville Raceway. Two nights later, the series moves onto Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa, Iowa, for the annual Front Row Challenge. The Thunder Through the Plains Tour will resume after the 51st annual Knoxville (Iowa) Nationals on Sunday, Aug. 14 at Huset's Speedway in Sioux Falls. A Tuesday night event at Amsoil Speedway in Superior, Wisc., precedes the inaugural Champions Challenge at RRVS, which will pay $12,000 to the winner and be the final race in the All-Stars' Great Plains Region. |
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McCarl gets late race pass for Huset's All Star win |
BRANDON, S.D. (7-31-11) By Brian Liskai- Different car, same results for Terry "TMAC" McCarl Sunday at Huset's Speedway. McCarl, Huset's all-time winningest driver, passed Tim Shaffer and Cap Henry with a lap and a half to go to score the All Star Circuit of Champions victory Sunday.
McCarl jumped into a familiar #24 but different car - he has been piloting the TK Concrete #55 most of the season - and took the machine to victory lane.
"I was kind of trying to move around and I saw Cap up top and Shaffer kept hanging around the bottom and I just made a move. These guys gave me a great race car. They talked me into driving this late today...we kind of just threw stuff together...everything just clicked," said McCarl of his 15th career All Star win aboard Lynton Jeffrey's back-up car. It was McCarl's second win of the season at Huset's and the 87th of his career (first all-time) at the track.
Cap Henry, the 2010 All Star Rookie of the Year, would grab the early lead in his Lucas Oil/FK Rod Ends/Stanton Mopar #04, with Huset's point leader and four time feature winner Mark Dobmeier right on his rear bumper. Two-time and defending All Star champ Tim Shaffer would drive from his fifth place starting spot around McCarl on lap two to grab third. Disaster would strike for Dobmeier on lap 11 when he made contact with the wall, moving Shaffer to second with McCarl and three-time All Star champ Dale Blaney in pursuit.
By the half-way mark, Henry had the big crowd on their feet as he tagged the turn two wall lap after lap, but maintained the lead as traffic came into play. Shaffer would drive by Henry exiting turn two on lap 18, but the Bellevue, Ohio native fought back as they sliced and diced their way through traffic. With 10 laps to go Henry and Shaffer were side by side. Shaffer would lead lap 26, but Henry would rocket around the outside to grab the lead back.
While Henry and Shaffer were slugging it out, McCarl would close quickly. As the trio raced out of turn two on their way to the white flag, McCarl would execute a daring bottom run exiting turn two sling shot past both Henry and Shaffer to grab the lead. McCarl would go on to take the win over Henry, Shaffer, Blaney and Kings Royal winner Tyler Walker.
"With about three to go I had killed the right rear tire...it took rubber around the top. I was just trying to ride around and hang on till the finish. Terry must be a lot better than me at saving his tires," said Henry of his fourth career runner-up finish with the All Stars. "I love this track...we always run good here." |
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