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Tim Shaffer takes sprint car racings biggest prize - the Knoxville Nationals |
KNOXVILLE, Iowa - By Brian Liskai -(8-15-10) Defending O'Reilly Auto Parts All Star Circuit of Ch ampions titlest Tim Shaffer is arguably the hottest sprint car driver in the country. He proved that Saturday, becoming the first driver in nearly 20 years who is not a regular with the World of Outlaws to win the world's biggest sprint car race, the 50th Annual Goodyear Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil.
Shaffer, who set quick time during qualifications on Wednesday night at the famed Knoxville Raceway, ran in the top five most of the 50-lap championship race Saturday, biding his time while Sammy Swindell and Donny Schatz, who had won the last four straight Knoxville Nationals, battled up front. When Swindell popped a tire and got upside down with less than five laps remaining, Shaffer was not sitting in second. The Aliquippa, Pennsylvania driver known as "The Steel City Outlaw," then traded slide jobs several times with Schatz as the over 23,000 fans were on their feet roaring their approval. Shaffer would drive to the win and the $150,000 prize with his fist pumping in the air as the huge fireworks display went off.
Shaffer, who won the feature on his qualifying night last year at Knoxville, has won 10 All Star features this season, including a string of five straight during the annual Thunder Through the Plains, which included a victory over the World of Outlaws at I-55 Raceway the weekend prior to the Knoxville Nationals. That was his 30th career All Star victory as he is pulling away for a second consecutive All Star title and the $50,000 top prize.
Shaffer was quick to point out his success is due to his team, which includes owners Janet Holbrook and Aaron Call and veteran crew chief Brian Kemenah and a host of other crew members who attend the races when their work schedules allow. The car is sponsored by Kistler Engines, Kistler Racing Productrs, Technique Roofing, VRP Shocks and J&J Racing.
"We are so proud of what the Tim and the CH Motorsports team accomplished at Knoxville. It shows the All Stars have some of the best talent in the country and Tim's victory at the world's biggest sprint car event proves that," said All Star President Guy Webb.
Also, Watertown, Connecticut's David Gravel, who currently sits third in the All Star point standings and who snagged the prestigious Ohio Sprint Speedweek title, was named the Rookie of the Year for the Goodyear Knoxville Nationals presented by Lucas Oil.
"David had a wonderful Thunder Through the Plains and ran his heart out on the biggest stage of sprint car racing," said Webb of the driver of the DDR Motorsports #89G. "This young man is starting to attract the attention he deserves...he is one of the most talented young (18-years-old) drivers in the country."
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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.