Camargo, IL (6-27-09) – Some people may see aging as a negative, but to others age is nothing but a number. While some believe you get better with age like a fine bottle of wine. Tonight Tim Shaffer proved just that as he overcame his 14th position starting spot, methodically passing cars almost every circuit of the track in the 40 lap A main to take the victory at Fremont Speedway and the $10,000 pay day that went along with it. Shaffer may have turned 42 yesterday, but there is no doubt the real celebration happened tonight.

Shaffer, who won the B main to make his way into tonight’s main event, put on a clinic on how to execute passes on the 1/3-mile semi-banked oval from the beginning of the event. Chad Blonde started from the pole of the feature with Brock Mayes by his side. As the Green Flag was unfurled Blonde had the edge rocketing towards Turn 1. Mayes, Duane Zablocki, and Craig Mintz would quickly fall in line.

While Blonde was setting a fast and furious pace at the front of the pack, Shaffer was on the move picking up seven spots in just four laps. As the field began to encounter lapped traffic on Lap 9, Blonde began to fall into the clutches of Mayes and Mintz who were able to pull up on him. Mayes was right on Blonde’s tail allowing Mintz to join the fight. Mintz, who was the only driver who was hooked up on the high side made his move on Lap 13 to take the second position. Once he got into the second spot, he set his sights on the lead waging a battle with Blonde which would see the duo race side-by-side for four laps straight.

While the cars up front were battling, Shaffer kept picking off cars and had moved up to four by the 14th circuit of the course. On Lap 18 Mayes a daring move diving between Blonde and Mintz to take the lead. It was short lived though as Mintz muscled his way back on the following lap. 

The first caution of the night came out of Lap 20 when Daron Clayton spun. On the restart Mintz would get the jump leaving Mayes and Blonde in the clutches of Shaffer and a closing Stevie Smith. The pack would catch up to the tail of the field again on Lap 25 allowing Mayes, Shaffer, and Smith to close. Mayes would take his turn up front, when he used a lapped car as a pick to drive around Mintz into the lead on Lap 27. Mayes would jet out to a slight lead as second was up for the taking and three cars wanted it. Mintz, Shaffer and Smith staged quite a battle as Smith drove under the 20x car. Mintz would fight back in the outside line trying to retake the spot.

The same lapped traffic that had given Mayes the opportunity to take the lead became his enemy as Shaffer caught up to him. On Lap 36, Shaffer would make his move diving to the low side to take the lead. The final caution flag flew on Lap 37 as David Harrison and Dale Blaney tangled. As the cars idled around the track there was something amiss on Mintz’s 20x car. While running fourth an oil fire would erupt bringing out the Red Flag. 

When the Green Flag flew for the final time Shaffer drove out to a sizable lead, with a clear track in his sight. At the line it was Shaffer taking the Checkered Flag first with Mayes, Smith, Blonde, and Brad Sweet rounding out the top-five. 

This was Shaffer’s second victory during Ohio Speedweek as he also won the feature last Sunday at Millstream Speedway. Shaffer has 16 O’Reilly Circuit of Champions career wins, with five coming so far this season.  

With his third place finish Stevie Smith would win the Ohio Speedweek Championship tonight. The point standings will be finalized tomorrow. For updates visit www.ohiospeeedweek.com or www.allstarsprint.com

With a grueling Ohio Speedweek in the books, the drivers and teams of the O’Reilly All Star Circuit of Champions just have six day to recuperate before traveling back to Ohio for a Friday night race at KC Speedway on July 3rd and the series will be celebrating independence day at the historic Terre Haute Action Track on the following night July 4th. For more information visit www.allstarsprint.com. 

First Place Tim Shaffer “This place always puts a great race on. I'm so happy to be a part of this team. Brian (Kemenah, crew chief), Janet (Holbrook, owner) and Aaron (Call, owner)...this whole team...they did a great job all week...it's a tough week. I let them down last night and I was determined not to do that tonight.  You had to be aggressive but patient tonight. I never thought we'd get up through there. We got a great start and the lapped cars helped me tonight...they hurt me last night so that's part of racing. We're building a great team"

Second Place Brock Mayes "I'm just upset...three years in a row I've run second at this $10,000 to
 win Speedweek show. If I had a few more cars in my shop a couple of those guys would have been helped off the track. There's no sense for lapped cars to be shown my wing three or four times. I get as many cars as Shaffer has in the shop I'll be pushing around like he does sometimes. Daniel, Keith and Davey and my dad are behind us. What you see is what we got. Every now and then we pick up a little something. Just a little heart broken, a little disgusted, a little upset right now. We've been running good here all year. I thought we had 'em. I didn't make the right decision I guess.”

Third Place Stevie Smith "Tim Shaffer did a nice job and he earned it...he started back there too.  I just didn't get the job done. I'm real proud of these guys. We won the points... it's a shame they couldn't have had a little purse for that. After seeing all these cars this week, I was pretty amazed. The fans were really a big support for the Ohio Sprint Speedweek and they had a lot of race cars. I think it's something that could really be built up and I'd like to still be a part of it.

Kistler Engines Qualifying Car-Driver-Time

Heat Finishes (Started)MSD Ignition Heat 1 –10 Laps

Kears Speed Shop Heat 2 – 10 Laps

 All Pro Heads Heat 3 – 10 Laps

 Outerwears Performance Products Heat 4 – 10 Laps

 Rubbin Repair Dash – 6 Laps

 University of Northwestern Ohio B Main – 12 Laps

 O’Reilly Auto Parts A Main – 30 Laps