Camargo, IL (7-29-09) – By Kelly Brown –Public Relations Director – It only seems fitting that a driver nicknamed “The Hurricane” should win on the first night of Thunder through the Plains. Even though the plains are far from an ocean, it does not change the stormy nature of the two.

The first night of five nights of consecutive O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions racing action took the Green Flag tonight as the series opened their western swing better known as “Thunder through the Plains.”  When the racing action commenced it was Tim Shaffer and Brandon Wimmer starting from the front row. As the two barreled into Turn 1 Shaffer took the lead with Wimmer tucking in behind him. Shaffer set sail pulling out to a sizable lead.

The first delay in racing action would be on Lap 5 when two Australians tangled on the track fighting for position in the top-15. Both the v92 of Matthew Reed and 1au of Gary Brazier touched wheels on the front stretch and sent them spinning and tumbling into Turn 1.

When race action resumed Shaffer retained the lead and put on a clinic as to how to run the high line at US 36 Raceway. The “Steel City Outlaw” was clearly in control as he pulled out to a sizable lead. As Shaffer encountered traffic, he worked through it skillfully picking off one spot after another. A long Green Flag run allowed Shaffer to pull out to a large margin lapping cars left and right.  The real battle on the track was for second place as Randy Hannagan, Greg Wilson and Tony Bruce Jr. traded the position back and forth, with several times the trio going three wide for position.

By Lap 19 Shaffer that put all but the top-six running cars a lap down, but that is when disaster struck. On Lap 20, Shaffer was attempting to put yet another car a lap down, but Shaffer tangled with the traffic. What appeared to be an innocent spin going into Turn 1, quickly took a turn for the worse as Shaffer would see his night end on his wing.

As a result second place running Greg Wilson inherited the lead. When the Green Flag was unfurled Wilson retained the lead, but not for long. Hannagan who had been battling him the whole night tried the top line and then the bottom trying to find a way around Wilson. It did not take long as on Lap 23 Hannagan blew past Wilson and into the top spot then drove as fast and furious as is nickname insinuates.

At the drop of the Checkered Flag it was Hannagan picking up his first All Star Circuit of Champions win of the season and his seventh career All Star win. He was followed to the line by Wilson, Bruce, Brandon Wimmer and the 9x of Gary Wright who was the hard charger of the night after starting the main event in the eighteenth position.

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