ROSSBURG, OH (4-8-06) –  Night #2 of the first co-sanctioned weekend with the World of Outlaws looked a lot like the preliminary night.  Once again, it was a veritable “Who’s who?” in the world of sprint car racing.  All the top contenders from the World of Outlaws, the National Sprint Tour, and the All Star Circuit of Champions were on hand to do battle, but it was the guy not aligned with any sanctioning body that came out on top once again.

Sammy Swindell completed the sweep on the weekend by dominating from his front row starting position.  By lap three he had begun to catch the back of the field.  He had the right rear up on the outside wall indicating that his years of experience and countless laps at the famed half mile showed him the fastest way around the race track. “I think a lot of guys get intimidated by running up close to the wall but I’ve got a lot of laps in here and I’m more comfortable running right up next to the wall than being away from it. I figure if something breaks then I won’t hit it very hard. I’d rather be right up next to it rather than be down a ways. Definitely if it’s fast, I’ll be the first one up there,” said Swindell.

Tim Kaeding came home 2nd and could not get through lapped traffic to make a challenge for the lead.  Danny Lasoski finished 3rd and stated, “Any time that we can come out of Eldora and roll this Dennis Roth Motorsports Eagle into the trailer, it’s a pretty good weekend. To run good here, you have to run like Sammy Swindell did. You have got to be able to attack the wall and just run it, run it, run it. That’s what he did. They had the best car all weekend and they did the best job. He did the best job driving so my hat’s off to him.”

During the hotlap sessions the temperature was still mild, but the threat of rain was looming and dark clouds could be seen all around the speedway.  With just two cars left to go in qualifying, those skies finally opened up and the rain came down.  Thankfully it was only a small amount and a half hour later we were ready to roll again.

With the track conditions now changed, fairness had to come into play and the entire field had to be re-qualified.  By the time another hot lap session was run for the 46 cars in the pits, the temperature was dropping…fast.  The wind was beginning to shift from the North and there was still plenty of moisture in the air.  This would take its toll on many motors.  The field would take just one lap this time to determine their heat starting positions, and for some this would be the end of their evening.

Volusia Speedway Park (Barberville, FL) – 2-12-06  On an unseasonably cold night at Volusia Speedway Park, the All Star Circuit of Champions WinterNationals saw 6 cars locked into the A-main for the $10,000 finale.  Chad Kemenah, Jason Solwold, Danny Lasoski, Terry McCarl, Joey Saldana, and Craig Dollansky were the Top 6 in WinterNationals points after two nights of racing on February 7 and 8.  The February 11^th show was cancelled due to heavy rains that fell over most of Northern Florida.  Danny Lasoski took the checkers in the first night of All Star action in 2006.  Donny Schatz picked up his first All Star win on night #2.

On the final night of Florida action, only 29 cars were signed into the pits as some teams had to head out to make their way back home after a long week of racing.  The heat races were won by Greg Hodnett, Jeff Shepard, and Shane Stewart with the Top 4 from each heat transferring to the A-main.

     On night #2 of the 35^th Annual WinterNationals at Volusia Speedway Park, 37 cars signed into the pits with the All Star Circuit of Champions. With Jac Haudenschild, Donny Schatz, and Brooke Tatnell joining the talent already present at the Volusia County Speedway, making the 24 car starting field would again prove to be a tall order. Greg Hodnett would get the night started by setting quick time in qualifying, and backed that up with a run to the front to win the first heat race. The other three heats were won by Bob Felmlee, Donny Schatz, and Jeff Shepard. The Al Hamilton owned #77 again showed they would be the team to beat as Hodnett took the All Star dash. For the second straight night Brock Mayes led the B feature to the checkers.

     New track record holder Chad Kemenah and night one’s hard charger Joey Saldana would lead the 24 car starting field to the green. The duo would battle side by side for the first five laps with Kemenah running the bottom line and Saldana running the same top groove that proved so effective the night before. A lap 6 spin by Lance Dewease would bring Donny Schatz into the fold. When the green fell for the restart, Schatz was too much for Saldana to hold off. A caution for Daryn Pittman’s motor expiring on a lap 11 would set up an exciting duel to the finish between early race leader Kemenah and the hard charging Schatz. With the two encountering lapped traffic, Kemenah was forced to move the #15K off the bottom groove where he had been so fast, and as Schatz searched the track for a faster line the gap between them quickly closed. As the laps wound down Schatz was able to work the higher line around Kemenah and hang on for his first career All Star Circuit of Champions victory.