Archive for Short Track
CARBER BROTHERS ENTER INDOOR DIRT AUTO RACING EVENTS IN TRENTON, NJ DECEMBER 1-2
Posted by: | CommentsNEWS FROM LEN SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS
2018 INDOOR AUTO RACING CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES FUELED BY VP RACING FUELS
INDOOR AUTO RACING EVENTS AT TRENTON, ALLENTOWN, ATLANTIC CITY AND ALBANY
PROMOTER: Len Sammons (609)888-3618 - MEDIA CONTACT: Ernie Saxton Communications, Inc.
Esaxton144@aol.com – EMAIL ---- 267.934.7286 – Ernie’s CELL PHONE
Release created by Steve Barrick
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLEASE WITH OUR THANKS
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-Inaugural Trenton Race On Clay Set For Dec. 1-2-
BROTHERS MICHAEL AND BRIAN CARBER ENTER INAUGURAL EAST COAST INDOOR DIRT NATIONALS WEEKEND
TRENTON, NJ November 7, 2017 . . . A pair of dirt track racing brothers, Michael and Brian Carber have each filed entries for the inaugural East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals Fueled By VP Racing Fuels which will be held at CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton, N.J., on Friday and Saturday, December 1st and 2nd.
Get your tickets now, don’t risk standing in line. This one is going to be huge!
The event, the only indoor dirt oval track race in the northeast, has drawn tremendous competitor and race fan interest.
Rich black clay has been ordered and the track crew is preparing to make it banked, smooth, tacky and fast. Race teams have responded by entering their 600cc Micro Sprints for top drivers in big numbers making this a must see event.
The Carber brothers, Michael, 30 and Brian, 23, come into the event with considerable Dirt Track Micro Sprint racing on their side, an advantage that could be huge. The Carbers are natives of the Pipersville, PA area.
Michael Carber will be driving a car owned by Jason Higdalski.
“This actually started out as kind of a gag between me and Ryan Flores,” Carber said. “He said he was trying to hook up a Micro ride so I decided to find one too. I got mine, he had to back out on his, but I'm going ahead with it.”
Flores has entered the three TQ Midget Indoor Auto Racing Series events held on the concrete floors at Allentown (PA), Atlantic City (NJ) and Albany (NY). Flores is the defending Series champion in those events.
Both Carber and Flores are involved as crewmen on NASCAR's top tier series teams owned by Roger Penske and live near one another in Mooresville, N.C.
Carber has won races in every type of racing he has competed in, including Quarter Midgets, Micro Sprints, and 305, 360 and 410 Sprint Cars.
When Brian Carber learned of his older brother's intentions, the Micro Sprint and URC Sprint ace decided to put together a deal for himself too. The younger Carber will strap into a Hyper Chassis owned by Eric Gable. The younger Carber has been racing Micros and Sprint Cars.
Ability and experience aside, the Carber brothers will be facing some formidable competition at the inaugural East Coast Indoor Dirt Nationals Weekend.
Four ARDC Midget car driving champions, Alex Bright, Trevor Kobylarz, and the Buckwalter cousins, Steve and Tim, all have eyes on contending for the $5,000 first place prize. Each could be expected to have an edge over the competitors who do not have their background.
Entries have already been received from competitors in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Colorado, Connecticut, North Carolina, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
The field includes the best of Micro Sprint racing, plus top drivers from many other forms or racing that have landed rides for the event. The list includes three top Sprint Car drivers.
Ryan Smith of Kunkletown, Pa., who finished second in Tony Stewart’s All Star 410 Sprint Car series this year, has announced his attentions to compete. So has New York state 360 Sprint car drivers Scott Kreutter and Joe Trenca.
In response to the all-new nature of the event and the wide array of drivers who have entered, Sammons has added a Thursday night practice session to the schedule. The session will take place on Thursday, November 30.
Though the East Coast Indoor Nationals is a brand new event, the CURE Insurance Arena (formerly Sun National Bank Center), has hosted TQ Midget racing for the past four years on the arena’s concrete floor.
The racing schedule will tentatively call for heat races with passing points and four A-qualifier feature races on Friday night. On Saturday it will be “alphabet mains,” with racers having the opportunity to advance from F, E, D, C and B-mains to the 40 lap “A” feature.
The agenda calls for racing to start at 7 p.m. on Friday and 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Oliver Communication Group (OCG) of Bordentown, N.J. has signed on as an associate sponsor of the event. Other sponsorship packages remain.
Tickets for both days of the event are available at the CURE Insurance Arena Box Office or by phone at 800-298-4200. Further information is available at www.indoorautoracing.com, email to motorsports@aarn.com or by calling 609-888-3618.
For more information visit www.indoorautoracing.com, e-mail motorsports@aarn.com or call 609-888-3618 during normal business hours.
World Finals Day Three
Posted by: | CommentsSchatz Outruns Sweet’s Consistency, Gravel’s Explosiveness to Capture 2017 Title
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World of Outlaws
Contact: Anthony Corini
World of Outlaws PR
408-825-3360 | acorini@dirtcar.com
Please click here for the original World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series article
Schatz Outruns Sweet's Consistency, Gravel's Explosiveness to Capture 2017 Title
Looking Ahead, Some Predictions for 2018
CONCORD, NC - Nov. 5, 2017 - The 2017 World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series season saw Donny Schatz claim his ninth Series title. Schatz, who turned 40 in August, has now won five of the last six Championships and will chase his tenth title in 2018, but not without heavy resistance from David Gravel, Brad Sweet and the rest of the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series regulars.
Gravel, 25, capped off a career season with a thrilling victory in the Season Finale at The Dirt Track at Charlotte. The win doubled his and CJB Motorsports' win total from last season and left them even hungrier heading into the offseason. "It's been a lot of fun. I'm glad I was able to give Barry Jackson a career year. He deserves it; he is the heart and soul of this team. We are very excited for next year," Gravel said.
Despite Gravel scoring 12 more wins than Brad Sweet, the latter took the runner-up position in the point standings. If Gravel wants to challenge Schatz for a Series Title next season, he will need to find more consistency on a nightly basis.
Then again, Sweet's always the bridesmaid, never the bride model was unprecedented. In comparison to his five wins, the Grass Valley, California native scored 14 runner-up finishes and 18 additional third-place finishes this year. While that is nothing to hang your head over, being so close to victory that many times has to leave a bittersweet feeling heading into the 2018 campaign. "It's always easy to look at the negatives, but we had a ton of positives this year. It took a lot of teamwork to stand up here. It's not easy to be second in points. We'll keep trying and will be better next year," Sweet said at the Banquet.
As for Schatz, what else can be said. 2017 saw the Fargo, North Dakota native score his tenth career 5-Hour ENERGY Knoxville Nationals title as well as becoming the first driver to score back-to-back Kings Royal victories. Those two wins alone garnered Schatz $200,000 in winnings. "It's been a hell of a ride. See you all next year," Schatz said amidst a handful of jokes and stories at the Banquet.
While Schatz is without a doubt the man to beat, it wasn't always that way. At age 25 (Gravel's age now), Schatz scored just two wins in World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series competition and finished seventh in the point standings. It wasn't until 2006, at age 29, when Schatz scored his first career Championship Title.
While Gravel is not quite at the Donny Schatz measuring stick right now, Schatz himself was not at the Donny Schatz level at Gravel's age and experience level.
Having said that, all the pieces are in place for the Watertown, Connecticut native to challenge Schatz. Gravel and CJB Motorsports are bringing back the entire crew next year and will be poised to prevent Schatz from scoring his tenth Championship.
Sheldon Haudenschild was awarded the Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year as both he and fellow rookie contender Brent Marks vastly improved throughout the season. Haudenschild leaned on the experience of veteran crew chief Bonzai Bruns and his father Jac for guidance on new tracks. Meanwhile, Marks had only one full-time crew guy all year, and neither of them had seen any tracks west of Knoxville. Expect both young guns to be ready to go in 2018.
Looking ahead to next season, the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series appears to be stronger than ever in what will be the Series' 40th Anniversary of existence. With all the big names returning and a cast of new drivers expected, here are a few things to look for in 2018.
Count on it:
A pair of multiple-time World of Outlaws winners will join the tour full-time.
o Stay tuned to our social media channels for official announcements.
Shane Stewart and Larson Marks Racing will score double-digit wins.
o Since the arrival of Crew Chief Lee Stauffer, the LMR No. 2 has been lethal, scoring six wins since Stauffer was hired in late June. Look for Stewart and company to be red hot right out of the box in 2018.
Sheldon Haudenschild will score his first career World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series win
o The young Wooster, Ohio native was painfully close on several occasions in 2017. Another year of experience under his belt will only help the young throttle stomper.
Daryn Pittman will have a bounce back season.
o Three wins and 28 top-fives may not sound like an "off" season for many, but for the 2013 World of Outlaws Champion, it was. It took Pittman until August to score his first win of the season. That will not happen in 2018.
Don't be shocked if:
Brent Marks scores his first career World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series win.
Marks and his one-man crew team caught fire at the end of the season and surged up the point standings to a top-ten finish.
Logan Schuchart doubles his season-best win total (again)
In 2016, Schuchart scored his first World of Outlaws win and added another later in the campaign. In 2017, Schuchart doubled his season-best with four wins. The once 'little team that could,' Shark Racing has now become a force on the World of Outlaws tour, at times showing flashes of dominance. Schuchart will be a force in 2018 and for years to come.
Kraig Kinser and Jason Sides score multiple wins
The pair of veterans showed flashes of brilliance, but only scored one win between the two of them (Kinser on 7/6). Frequent visitors to the top-ten, look for Kinser and Sides to land in victory lane more often in 2018.
Believe it or not:
There will be a new World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Champion in 2018.
Until proven otherwise, Schatz is the man to beat. But the likes of Sweet, Gravel and Stewart are chomping at the bit to secure their first championship. The 2018 season will see Gravel and Stewart, specifically, return their entire operation, coming off of career-best seasons. At the very least, Schatz will be challenged significantly in his quest for his tenth Championship.
2017 World of Outlaws Awards
Chassis Builder of the Year: J&J Auto Racing
Engine Builder of the Year: Shaver Engines
Crew Chief of the Year: Barry Jackson, CJB Motorsports
Ted Johnson Outstanding Contribution to Sprint Car Racing: Carlton Reimers
VP Racing Fuels Award: Donny Schatz
KSE Hard Charger Award: Logan Schuchart
Kevin Gobrecht Rookie of the Year: Sheldon Haudenschild
STOCKON BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST WIN OF THE YEAR AT “WESTERN WORLD”
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The United States Auto Club.
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Contact: Richie Murray - USAC Media / richie@usacracing.com
STOCKON BREAKS THROUGH FOR FIRST WIN OF THE YEAR AT "WESTERN WORLD"
By: Richie Murray - USAC Media
San Tan Valley, Arizona.....November 4, 2017 - It's been a while since Chase Stockon has tasted victory with the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars.
It's been even longer since he's gotten the chance to perform a series of celebratory victory donuts following a triumph in a USAC feature win.
These past 16 months have been trying on the Fort Branch, Indiana native, but the hungry Stockon had an appetite to devour that drought and earn his first series win of 2017 by leading the final 18 laps to capture the crown in the 50th Annual Torco Racing Fuels "Western World Championships" Saturday night at Arizona Speedway.
Chase Stockon won his first USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature in 16 months Saturday night in the 50th Annual 'Western World Championships' at Arizona Speedway. (Rich Forman Photo)
"We started off the season pretty good," Stockon recalls. "We won a couple local shows, but as far as the USAC side of things, we really haven't been performing that great. But everybody stuck with us all year. We've tried different things to get back on track to where we should be and where we are now. I don't typically show that much emotion, but to do those donuts and hold everybody off tonight felt great."
Stockon's first series win since the July 2016 "Indiana Sprint Week" finale at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track came on a type of racetrack that he admits isn't one he usually shines on. Yet, Stockon had to earn his keep by getting past both the previous night's winner in Thomas Meseraull, but also the track's winningest sprint car driver, R.J. Johnson, in order to return to victory lane.
"It's been a long time," Stockon said with a sense of relief. "A cushion kind of racetrack, especially when it's that tall, is not my forte. Believe it or not, before the track started taking rubber, I think we were better on the cushion than everybody else. To be able to move around to get by guys like Meseraull and R.J. when the track's in that kind of condition felt so good."
Stockon started the 30-lapper from the fifth spot as pole starter Meseraull slid his way to the lead on the first turn of the first lap after he and outside front row starter Brody Roa banged wheels. Roa got the short end of the stick on the deal and dropped back as he fought to maintain control on the cushion while Johnson and Stockon scooted past Roa to move into second and third.
Just less than a third of the way through the race, Stockon carved his way to second past Johnson and began his ascent on Meseraull. Off turn four on the 12th lap, Stockon lined his front bumper right behind Meseraull's tail tank and set up a picture-perfect turn one slider that stuck.
You wouldn't expect Meseraull to go away quietly and that was the case when, four laps later, he returned the favor, sliding past Stockon in turn three to momentarily retake the top spot on the 17th lap. Stockon, however, countered Meseraull's move and ducked underneath to exit off four and maintain the lead.
From there, Stockon's main competition was the racetrack itself, which Stockon refused to let defeat him on this night.
"After Meseraull slid me down in (turns) three and four and I was able to cross over, I really started paying attention to the racetrack," Stockon said. "I noticed a few lapped cars a straightaway ahead of me that were smoking their tires. That's when I started moving down on entry trying to find something. A lot of times when you're out front like that and it starts taking rubber, you're pretty much just a sitting duck. We've lost races in the past that way and I've seen a lot of other guys lose them that way too. As trying as this year's been on us, I was going to do everything in my power not to let that happen."
'We started off the season pretty good. We won a couple local shows, but as far as the USAC side of things, we really haven't been performing that great. But everybody stuck with us all year. We've tried different things to get back on track to where we should be and where we are now. I don't typically show that much emotion, but to do those donuts and hold everybody off tonight felt great.' - Chase Stockon (Rich Forman Photo)
Toward the end, Stockon anticipated the changing condition of the surface, which led him to move around a little earlier than did everybody else. When he eyed the flagman hold up five fingers indicating five laps to go, Stockon muscled his 32 TBI Racing/Superior Tank & Trailer - Crescent Electric Supply/DRC/Fisher for all it was worth, burning the tires off it as he worked his way through lapped traffic with his top-five cohorts bearing down on him on a rail at the top.
Stockon split his way past the lapped cars of Logan Williams and Danny Faria, Jr. exiting turn two to escape any possible jab Meseraull had left to throw at him. With smoke pouring off the rear tires and nearly missing the rubber between turns three and four on the final lap, Stockon put his personal USAC drought to bed with his ninth career USAC National Sprint Car win, and second in the state of Arizona, following a 2013 Canyon Speedway score. He was followed to the line by Meseraull, Johnson, Robert Ballou and Tyler Courtney.
Stockon's sixth consecutive year with a USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car win ties him for the second longest active win streak with Brady Bacon and trails Darland's incomparable run of 24 consecutive years with at least one win. But, this particular win was well worth the wait. After a meeting of the minds, Stockon and crew chief D.J. Ott reached into their bag of past successes to pull out their formula that had served them so well in the past.
"We changed around a lot of things on the car," Stockon explained. "D.J. and I went back to our old notes and found some things there that we were kind of stagnant on and we've been really good since then. Last night, we had a pretty decent car, but I let a few other drivers around me dictate the line I was running. Today, we got together and discussed what went wrong last night. I knew it wasn't the car's fault. D.J. hit the setup last night and was perfect tonight. I had to run my own race and not let anybody else get inside my head to dictate what I was going to do and try and keep my nose clean."
One night after winning the opening night of "Western World," Meseraull's encore performance was impressive in its own right as he drove the Reinbold-Underwood Motorsports/AME Electrical - Beaver Stripes/Spike/Wesmar to its second-straight top-two finish in as many nights.
"The car was awesome both nights," Meseraull exclaimed. "I felt like I could've gotten back by Chase, but I ended up losing my brakes at the end. At that point, it's really hard bombing a slider on a guy out of the rubber. And if you end up across it, with that big of a curb, I'm upside down. I'm good at overdriving the car, though. Every time I had a run on Chase, we got to lapped traffic. I kind of wish it was a 40-lapper tonight. I kept telling everyone I hope it's not a 40-lapper because it's going to lay rubber at the end. Now I'm kind of wishing it was."
On the very same night he locked up his fifth-straight USAC Southwest Sprint Car title, Phoenix, Arizona's R.J. Johnson showcased his abilities against the National guys by finishing a career-best third in his Bobby Martin/Martin Family Auto Museum - Pecon Builders/Sherman/Pro Flyer.
"I was honestly waiting for five (laps) to go to try to do something crazy," Johnson admitted. "I never saw the five to go sign, so I guess I wasn't paying attention. When the white flag came out, I threw a slide job on Meseraull, but on the same token, I didn't want to crash us because my best past finish in the 'Western World' isn't even in the top-ten."
"Everybody's been on me about how I need to go back east and go racing, though I've never had the opportunity to go do it," Johnson continued. "For us to be able to run with them is huge. Maybe next year we can get some stuff rolling and get back there."
Contingency award winners Saturday night at Arizona Speedway included Kevin Thomas, Jr. (ProSource/Woodland Auto Display Fast Qualifier), Thomas Meseraull (Simpson Race Products/Extreme Mufflers 1st Heat Winner), Cody Williams (Competition Suspension, Inc./Brown & Miller Racing Solutions 2nd Heat Winner), Stevie Sussex (Chalk Stix/Circle Track Performance 3rd Heat Winner), Chris Windom (Indy Race Parts/Keizer Aluminum Wheels 4th Heat Winner), Josh Hodges (KSE Racing Products/Saldana Racing Products/Rod End Supply Hard Charger) and Brady Bacon (Wilwood Brakes 13th Place Finisher).
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USAC AMSOIL NATIONAL & CRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP RACE RESULTS: November 4, 2017 - Arizona Speedway - San Tan Valley, Arizona - 50th Torco Racing Fuels "Western World Championships"
PROSOURCE/WOODLAND AUTO DISPLAY QUALIFYING: 1. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 9K, KT-15.104; 2. Chase Stockon, 32, 32 TBI-15.175; 3. R.J. Johnson, 51, Martin-15.312; 4. Damion Gardner, 4, Alexander-15.392; 5. Chad Boespflug, 69, Dynamics-15.406; 6. Landon Cling, 34, Cling-15.422; 7. Robert Ballou, 12, Ballou-15.423; 8. Dave Darland, 73, Ford-15.435; 9. Brody Roa, 91R, BR-15.441; 10. Thomas Meseraull, 19AZ, Reinbold/Underwood-15.446; 11. Tyler Courtney, 23c, TOPP-15.470; 12. Danny Faria, Jr., 17GP, Dutcher-15.474; 13. Brady Bacon, 63, Dooling/Hayward-15.497; 14. Justin Grant, 11, McGhee-15.511; 15. Charles Davis, Jr., 50, Massey-15.528; 16. Mike Spencer, 4s, Gansen-15.548; 17. Chris Windom, 5, Baldwin-15.551; 18. Logan Williams, 5J, Jory-15.595; 19. Cody Williams, 44, Jory-15.602; 20. Tye Mihocko, 5m, TMR-15.604; 21. Austin Williams, 2, Jory-15.737; 22. Jake Swanson, 92, Sertich-15.756; 23. Josh Hodges, 74x, Hodges-15.797; 24. Stevie Sussex, 42, Cheney-15.844; 25. Mike Martin, 16, Martin-15.957; 26. Isaac Chapple, 52, LNR/Chapple-15.971; 27. Chris Gansen, 4G, Gansen-16.125; 28. Jeremy Ellertson, 98, Ellertson-16.202; 29. Matt McCarthy, 28m, McCarthy-16.221; 30. C.J. Leary, 30, Leary-NT; 31. Hunter Schuerenberg, 19s, Reinbold/Underwood-NT.
SIMPSON RACE PRODUCTS/EXTREME MUFFLERS FIRST HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Meseraull, 2. Boespflug, 3. Grant, 4. Thomas, 5. Chapple, 6. Swanson, 7. L. Williams. 2:10.97
COMPETITION SUSPENSION (CSI)/BROWN & MILLER RACING SOLUTIONS SECOND HEAT: (8 laps) 1. C. Williams, 2. Hodges, 3. Courtney, 4. Stockon, 5. Davis, 6. Gansen, 7. Ballou. NT
CHALK STIX/CIRCLE TRACK PERFORMANCE/KEIZER ALUMINUM WHEELS THIRD HEAT (8 laps) 1. Sussex, 2. Faria, 3. Spencer, 4. Johnson, 5. Mihocko, 6. Darland, 7. Ellertson. 2:11.10
INDY RACE PARTS/PYROTECT RACING CELLS FOURTH HEAT: (8 laps) 1. Windom, 2. Bacon, 3. A. Williams, 4. Roa, 5. Martin, 6. Gardner, 7. McCarthy. 2:06.48
COMPETITION SUSPENSION (CSI) SEMI: (12 laps) 1. Ballou, 2. Gardner, 3. Darland, 4. Davis, 5. Chapple, 6. L. Williams, 7. Ellertson, 8. Leary, 9. Swanson, 10. Martin, 11. Mihocko, 12. Gansen, 13. McCarthy. 3:13.65 (New Track Record)
FEATURE: (30 laps) 1. Chase Stockon, 2. Thomas Meseraull, 3. R.J. Johnson, 4. Robert Ballou, 5. Tyler Courtney, 6. Brody Roa, 7. Chad Boespflug, 8. Justin Grant, 9. Kevin Thomas, Jr., 10. Chris Windom, 11. Damion Gardner, 12. Josh Hodges, 13. Brady Bacon, 14. Dave Darland, 15. Stevie Sussex, 16. Jake Swanson, 17. Charles Davis, Jr., 18. Danny Faria, Jr., 19. Mike Spencer, 20. Austin Williams, 21. Isaac Chapple, 22. Logan Williams, 23. Chris Gansen, 24. Cody Williams. NT
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**Cling flipped during qualifying.
FEATURE LAP LEADERS: Laps 1-12 Meseraull, Laps 13-30 Stockon.
KSE RACING PRODUCTS/SALDANA RACING PRODUCTS/ROD END SUPPLY HARD CHARGER: Josh Hodges (20th to 12th)
WILWOOD BRAKES 13TH PLACE FINISHER: Brady Bacon
NEW USAC AMSOIL SPRINT CAR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS: 1-Windom-2096, 2-Grant-2093, 3-Thomas-2011; 4-Courtney-1994, 5-Stockon-1875, 6-Boespflug-1843, 7-Leary-1714; 8-Bacon-1663, 9-Ballou-1638, 10-Darland-1447.
NEW USAC AMSOIL CRA SPRINT CAR POINTS: 1-Gardner-1405, 2-Roa-1273, 2-Swanson-1254, 4-Spencer-1081, 5-A. Williams-960, 6-C. Williams-870, 7-L. Williams-769, 8-Gansen-723, 9-Max Adams-702, 10-McCarthy-618.
NEXT USAC AMSOIL NATIONAL & CRA SPRINT CAR CHAMPIONSHIP RACE: November 9-10-11 - Perris Auto Speedway - Perris, California - 22nd Budweiser "Oval Nationals" presented by All Coast Construction
Mandee Pauch Vlogs : World Finals Day Two
Posted by: | CommentsSheppard Picks Up 12th Win at Textron Off Road World Finals
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Super DIRTcar Series
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Contact: Colby Gorniewicz
DIRTcar Racing PR
704-707-0229 | cgorniewicz@dirtcar.com
Sheppard Seals the Championship in Grand Fashion with a Win at Textron Off Road World Finals
Matt Sheppard caps off comeback en route to sixth Super DIRTcar Series Title
CONCORD, NC - Nov. 4, 2017 - During the final night of competition at the Textron Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals, Matt Sheppard capped off one of the greatest comebacks in Super DIRTcar Series history. The Waterloo, NY driver who was looking down and out after serving a suspension halfway through the season, clawed his way back to the top. In true champion fashion, Sheppard went out by visiting Victory Lane for the 12th time this year and secured his third straight and sixth overall Super DIRTcar Series championship.
After the re-draw to determine the top-five starting positions, Matt Sheppard drew the pole and would lead the field to the green flag for the 40-lap Feature event. Looking determined as ever to pick up that 12th victory to tie his own record of most wins in a single-season, Sheppard rocketed out to a commanding lead over Ravena, NY's Keith Flach.
Early in the 40-lap event, Sheppard's closest championship competitor Billy Decker made his way up inside the top-five after starting eighth on the grid.
Setting a blistering pace, the leaders started to make their way through lap traffic. Sheppard took some risky-chances as he was maneuvering his way through and was able to expand his lead over Flach to over two seconds.
As the race went on, the pressure on Sheppard started to lift as Decker started to fade through the field.
"We were moving up but then we had that long caution and a tire just quit after that and had a bottom restart and couldn't get going," said Billy Decker.
Much like the hot summer months, Matt Sheppard just proved to be too strong as Super Sheppard would drive the Dendis Companies/West Moreland Golf Club/Extreme Lubricants No. 9s to the 12th victory of 2017 Super DIRTcar Series season.
"What a crowd here tonight, wow this is unreal," said Matt Sheppard. 'You can't take a lap off here; you have to be on the gas running as hard as you can every single lap. It's awesome to be able to put on a show like that in front of a crowd like this, this makes our season."
Flach showed speed all weekend at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway picking up two heat race wins and was rewarded with his first ever Super DIRTcar Series podium finish in the feature.
"It's been a great weekend, great way to end the year," said Keith Flach. "To finish second to guy like Matt [Sheppard] a multi-time champion is just phenomenal. We definitely had our struggles this year but we're still relatively new and this is our first podium since we started with the Series. Just very thankful."
It was when the Series visited Utica-Rome Speedway in early-July that things flipped upside down in the championship point standings.
Super Matt Sheppard and Lightning Larry Wight in a closely-contested battle made contact after running inches away from each other for several laps. The contact sent Wight flipping end-over-end. The ensuing result: an on-track scuffle that all but closed the door on the championship for Sheppard.
Before the on-track incident at Utica-Rome, it was looking like Sheppard had the team pointed towards a sixth Super DIRTcar Series title, holding a 58-point lead over second place Decker. Following the incident at Utica-Rome, the 35-year-old driver was hit with a two-race suspension and lost all money and points from the race. Wight was placed on probation for 90 days.
"It kind of took all the pressure off," added Sheppard. "When you're leading the points all season you're worried every race about finishing good and it kind of took the pressure off and we just went out and said we want to win as many races as we can and that's what we did."
With the point standings scrambled from the penalties after Utica-Rome Speedway, Sheppard had a BIG hole to climb out of in order to repeat a Series championship. Following the event at Sharon Speedway on July 20, Sheppard was as low as ninth in the championship point standings, and a whopping 185 points behind the leader. Sheppard's hard work during hot summer months paid off with a victory at NAPA Super DIRT Week that finally put him back in the points lead over three-time Super DIRTcar Series Champion Decker, who finished a dismal 16th-place in the Billy Whittaker Cars 200,
Exiting NAPA Super DIRT Week, Decker was behind Sheppard by 46 points, but the Unadilla, NY driver wasn't going down without a fight. The following week at Brockville Ontario Speedway, Decker made a late-race pass en route to his fourth victory of the 2017 season, closing the points gap to just 30 points as the Series enters the final weekend of competition at the Textron Off Road World Finals in North Carolina.
That points gap grew ever so slightly over the course of the three-day mega-event at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Through the qualifying events and Friday Night's Feature, Sheppard increased the points lead to 37 points before the Series Finale.
At the end, since July 25 Sheppard averaged a third-place finish and capped off a dream season in thrilling fashion with a trip down victory lane and his third consecutive championship by 71 points over Billy Decker.
While it may not have been Billy Decker's time to climb back to the top of the standings, the three-time championship still had a stellar season. The Unadilla, NY driver was able to visit victory lane four times with wins coming at Fulton Speedway, Outlaw Speedway, Eldora Speedway and Brockville Speedway.
"I'm so proud of this whole team, they worked really hard to overcome some obstacles," said Billy Decker. "We dug and clawed and fought. I'm disappointed we didn't get the championship but I don't want to take anything away from their efforts and second place in points."
With the conclusion of the 2017 Super DIRTcar Series season, the Big-Block Modifieds will returns to action at Volusia Speedway Park in February during DIRTcar Nationals. New for the 2018 will be an expanded schedule for the Super DIRTcar Series showcasing the 800 horsepower machines for five nights. DIRTcar Nationals begins Feb. 6 and runs 12 straight nights to Saturday, February 17, 2018. For ticket visit DIRTcarNationals.com.
Textron Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals Night Three Results:
Feature (40 Laps): 1. 9s - Matt Sheppard, 2. 43 - Keith Flach, 3. 88 - Mike Mahaney, 4. 27J - Danny Johnson, 5. 19 - Tim Fuller, 6. 21a - Peter Britten, 7. 91 - Billy Decker, 8. 66 - Ryan Godown, 9. 42p - Pat Ward, 10. 25R - Erick Rudolph, 11. 3 - Justin Haers, 12. 98H - Jimmy Phelps, 13. 1 - Tyler Dippel, 14. 7m - Mike Maresca, 15. 99L - Larry Wight, 16. 20 - Brett Hearn,17. 66x - Carey Terrence, 18. 84 - Gary Tomkins, 19. 6h - Max McLaughlin, 20. 6m - Mat Williamson, 21. 111 - Demetrios Drellos, 22. 5* - Tyler Siri, 23. 5H - Chris Hile, 24. 109 - Billy Whittaker, 25. 25 - Chad Jeseo, 26. 22 - Brandon Walters, 27. 83 - Brian Swatzlander, 28. 19W - Justin Wright, 29. 18b - Dave Blaney,
Gravel Thrills Sellout World Finals Crowd with Last Lap Pass of Schatz
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Contact: Anthony Corini
World of Outlaws PR
408-825-3360 | acorini@dirtcar.com
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Gravel Thrills Sellout World Finals Crowd with Last Lap Pass of Schatz
Schatz wins the war; Crowned 9-time Series Champion
Charlotte, NC - November 4, 2017 - David Gravel couldn't clear Donny Schatz with seven to go, but would not be denied, scoring the victory in a thriller with a last-lap pass of Schatz. It was Gravel and CJB Motorsports 18th World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series win of the season, doubling their total from last season. Schatz and Brian Brown completed the podium on the final night of the Textron Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Ryan Smith led the opening lap of the 30-lap Feature, before Brian Brown took control on lap two with a slide job. Brad Sweet brought out the first of a handful of cautions on lap two, as he faced backwards in turn two.
Schatz worked by Smith for second on the ensuing restart before another caution on lap four halted competition. Schatz was strong on the restart once again, this time sliding Brown for the top spot to lead lap five.
Lap five saw a scary incident in turn two with Jason Johnson, Shane Stewart, Greg Hodnett, Sheldon and Jac Haudenschild creating a pileup and bringing out an #OpenRed with 25 to go. All drivers were okay.
On the restart, Brown kept pace with Schatz as the duo reached traffic before the final caution of the event flew; this time for Kraig Kinser with 14 laps to go. Gravel pounced on the restart, with a big slider on Brown to claim second as he begun to chase down Schatz with 10 laps remaining.
With seven to go, Gravel and Schatz exchanged sliders with the latter maintaining the advantage at the line. With five to go, Gravel pounded the cushion to try and get one more shot at the Series Champion. He got his shot and he took advantage of it. The Watertown, Connecticut driver brought the sold-out Textron Off Road World of Outlaws World Finals crowd to their feet with a thrilling last-lap pass to score the victory.
"That was a blast. I hope this crowd enjoyed it," an elated Gravel said in Victory Lane. "Barry Jackson, Derek and Zach give me an awesome car every night. It's been a badass year," Gravel, who will return to CJB Motorsports in 2018, added.
While Gravel may have won the battle, Schatz won the war - again. "It's been a great year. This race team is phenomenal. We are top three seemingly every night and the car does not drop out of races," Schatz said after the race. After being awarded the Championship hardware for the ninth time in his career and asked about how long he can enjoy this title he said, "You enjoy it. But as long as you're an active race car driver, you continue to put it in the back of your mind."
Brian Brown completed the podium and put it simply, "We got beat by two of the best drivers in the world."
Kerry Madsen, a five-time World of Outlaws winner this season, finished fourth with 2017 IRA Champion, Bill Balog completing the top five.
Logan Schuchart started 22nd and made it to sixth to earn KSE Hard Charger honors. Daryn Pittman, Cole Duncan, Brent Marks and Smith completed the top ten.
The World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series Banquet is Sunday, November 5 and puts the bowtie on the end of what was a fantastic 2017 season. The offseason is much needed but soon enough, it will be time to go racing once again in Florida. Stay tuned to all World of Outlaws social media channels for breaking news on 2018 drivers, the schedule and much more.
Results from The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway - November 4, 2017
Feature (30 Laps) 1. 5-David Gravel [5][$12,000]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [3][$5,500]; 3. 21-Brian Brown [1][$3,200]; 4. 2M-Kerry Madsen [7][$2,800]; 5. 17B-Bill Balog [6][$2,500]; 6. 1S-Logan Schuchart [22][$2,300]; 7. 9-Daryn Pittman [4][$2,200]; 8. 12N-Cole Duncan [9][$2,100]; 9. 19-Brent Marks [14][$2,050]; 10. 59-Ryan Smith [2][$2,000]; 11. 49-Brad Sweet [17][$1,500]; 12. 44-Trey Starks [12][$1,200]; 13. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [21][$1,100]; 14. 2-Shane Stewart [19][$1,050]; 15. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [23][$1,000]; 16. W20-Greg Wilson [28][$]; 17. 7S-Jason Sides [26][$]; 18. 19P-Paige Polyak [15][$1,000]; 19. 13M-Paul McMahan [8][$1,000]; 20. 18-Ian Madsen [11][$1,000]; 21. 4-Parker Price-Miller [27][$]; 22. 11K-Kraig Kinser [25][$]; 23. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [16][$1,000]; 24. 71-Joey Saldana [10][$1,000]; 25. 41-Jason Johnson [18][$1,000]; 26. 27-Greg Hodnett [13][$1,000]; 27. 71M-Dave Blaney [24][$1,000]; 28. 17-Jac Haudenschild [20][$1,000]; Lap Leaders: Ryan Smith 1, Brian Brown 2-4, Donny Schatz 5-29, David Gravel 30; KSE Hard Charger Award: 1S-Logan Schuchart[+16]
Qualifying Flight-A: 1. 2M-Kerry Madsen, 12.647; 2. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.687; 3. 5-David Gravel, 12.695; 4. 12N-Cole Duncan, 12.703; 5. 18-Ian Madsen, 12.742; 6. 21-Brian Brown, 12.744; 7. 2-Shane Stewart, 12.746; 8. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss, 12.759; 9. W20-Greg Wilson, 12.762; 10. 1S-Logan Schuchart, 12.768; 11. 19P-Paige Polyak, 12.772; 12. 49-Brad Sweet, 12.782; 13. 1A-Jacob Allen, 12.793; 14. 7K-Cale Conley, 12.808; 15. 4-Parker Price-Miller, 12.812; 16. 49X-Tim Shaffer, 12.814; 17. 27-Greg Hodnett, 12.826; 18. 17X-Josh Baughman, 12.872; 19. 13D-Danny Dietrich, 12.875; 20. 14-Tony Stewart, 12.919; 21. 39-Spencer Bayston, 12.94; 22. 3G-Carson Macedo, 12.968; 23. 9X-Paul Nienhiser, 13.054; 24. 49D-Shawn Dancer, 13.101; 25. 5B-Justin Barger, 13.445; 26. 12W-Troy Fraker, 14.063
Qualifying Flight-B: 1. 44-Trey Starks, 12.606; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman, 12.649; 3. 17B-Bill Balog, 12.687; 4. 13M-Paul McMahan, 12.694; 5. 71-Joey Saldana, 12.729; 6. 59-Ryan Smith, 12.774; 7. 17-Jac Haudenschild, 12.79; 8. 3-Sammy Swindell, 12.823; 9. 41-Jason Johnson, 12.828; 10. 15H-Sam Hafertepe, 12.846; 11. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild, 12.861; 12. 71M-Dave Blaney, 12.871; 13. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 12.909; 14. 7S-Jason Sides, 12.912; 15. 7J-Chad Kemenah, 12.918; 16. 19-Brent Marks, 12.926; 17. 24-Terry McCarl, 13.016; 18. 13-Clyde Knipp, 13.024; 19. OO-Dane Lorenc, 13.028; 20. 49K-Scott Kreutter, 13.045; 21. 17C-Caleb Helms, 13.066; 22. 7KX-Dan Shetler, 13.326; 23. 27G-Jay Galloway, 13.418; 24. 91-Sadie Siegel, 14.165; 25. 47-Eric Riggins, 15.482; 26. 14X-Coleman Gulick, 13.279; 27. 822-John Price, NT
Heat #1 - Flight (A) (8 Laps) - Top 3 Transfer: 1. 12N-Cole Duncan [2]; 2. 2M-Kerry Madsen [1]; 3. 27-Greg Hodnett [6]; 4. 2-Shane Stewart [3]; 5. 1S-Logan Schuchart [4]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [5]; 7. 49D-Shawn Dancer [8]; 8. 14-Tony Stewart [7]
Heat #2 - Flight (A) - (8 Laps) - Top 3 Transfer: 1. 18-Ian Madsen [2]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [1]; 3. 19P-Paige Polyak [4]; 4. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [3]; 5. 4-Parker Price-Miller [5]; 6. 17X-Josh Baughman [6]; 7. 39-Spencer Bayston [7]; 8. 5B-Justin Barger [8]
Heat #3 - Flight (A) (8 Laps) - Top 3 Transfer: 1. 5-David Gravel [1]; 2. 21-Brian Brown [2]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet [4]; 4. 13D-Danny Dietrich [6]; 5. 49X-Tim Shaffer [5]; 6. 3G-Carson Macedo [7]; 7. W20-Greg Wilson [3]; 8. 12W-Troy Fraker [8]
Heat #4 - Flight (B) (8 Laps) - Top 3 Transfer: 1. 44-Trey Starks [1]; 2. 13M-Paul McMahan [2]; 3. 19-Brent Marks [6]; 4. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [4]; 5. 17-Jac Haudenschild [3]; 6. 11K-Kraig Kinser [5]; 7. 7KX-Dan Shetler [8]; 8. 14X-Coleman Gulick [9]; 9. OO-Dane Lorenc [7]
Heat #5 - Flight (B) (8 Laps) - Top 3 Transfer: 1. 71-Joey Saldana [2]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [1]; 3. 93-Sheldon Haudenschild [4]; 4. 7S-Jason Sides [5]; 5. 24-Terry McCarl [6]; 6. 49K-Scott Kreutter [7]; 7. 822-John Price [9]; 8. 27G-Jay Galloway [8]; 9. 3-Sammy Swindell [3]
Heat #6 - Flight (B) (8 Laps) - Top 3 Transfer: 1. 17B-Bill Balog [1]; 2. 59-Ryan Smith [2]; 3. 41-Jason Johnson [3]; 4. 7J-Chad Kemenah [5]; 5. 71M-Dave Blaney [4]; 6. 13-Clyde Knipp [6]; 7. 17C-Caleb Helms [7]; 8. 47-Eric Riggins [8]
Craftsman Club Dash (6 Laps): 1. 21-Brian Brown [1]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [2]; 3. 5-David Gravel [4]; 4. 2M-Kerry Madsen [3]; 5. 12N-Cole Duncan [6]; 6. 18-Ian Madsen [5]
Craftsman Club Dash #2 (6 Laps): 1. 59-Ryan Smith [1]; 2. 9-Daryn Pittman [2]; 3. 17B-Bill Balog [4]; 4. 13M-Paul McMahan [3]; 5. 71-Joey Saldana [5]; 6. 44-Trey Starks [6]
C-Main (10 Laps) - Top 2 Transfer: 1. 14-Tony Stewart [3][-]; 2. 3G-Carson Macedo [7][-]; 3. 39-Spencer Bayston [5][$150]; 4. OO-Dane Lorenc [4][$150]; 5. 14X-Coleman Gulick [15][$150]; 6. 49D-Shawn Dancer [9][$125]; 7. 17C-Caleb Helms [8][$125]; 8. 49K-Scott Kreutter [6][$125]; 9. 47-Eric Riggins [14][$125]; 10. 5B-Justin Barger [11][$125]; 11. 7KX-Dan Shetler [10][$125]; 12. 27G-Jay Galloway [12][$125]; 13. 822-John Price [16][$125]; 14. 12W-Troy Fraker [13][$125]; 15. 13-Clyde Knipp [2][$125]; 16. 13D-Danny Dietrich [1][$125]
Last Chance Showdown (12 Laps) - Top 6 Transfer: 1. 2-Shane Stewart [1][-]; 2. 17-Jac Haudenschild [2][-]; 3. 3Z-Brock Zearfoss [3][-]; 4. 1S-Logan Schuchart [7][-]; 5. 15H-Sam Hafertepe [6][-]; 6. 71M-Dave Blaney [8][-]; 7. W20-Greg Wilson [5][$300]; 8. 4-Parker Price-Miller [11][$250]; 9. 49X-Tim Shaffer [13][$225]; 10. 11K-Kraig Kinser [10][$200]; 11. 7J-Chad Kemenah [14][$200]; 12. 3G-Carson Macedo [18][$200]; 13. 14-Tony Stewart [17][$200]; 14. 7S-Jason Sides [12][$200]; 15. 17X-Josh Baughman [15][$200]; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen [9][$200]; 17. 24-Terry McCarl [16][$200]; 18. 3-Sammy Swindell [4][$200]
CONTINGENCY WINNERS: MSD Ignition ($25 cash): Jason Johnson; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): David Gravel; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Logan Schuchart; VP Racing Fuels ($50 cash): Brent Marks; Edelbrock ($50 cash): Brent Marks; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Ryan Smith; Extended Stay America ($50 cash): Brad Sweet; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Super Flow ($50 cash): Shane Stewart; Craftsman Club ($100 cash): David Gravel, Daryn Pittman; Sears ($100): Brian Brown; KSE Hard Charger: Logan Schuchart; Comp Cams ($50 product certificate: David Gravel; JE Pistons (Set of Rings): Greg Wilson and Parker Price-Miller
Season Winners:
Donny Schatz - 20 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19, Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19, LoneStar Speedway on March 3, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 9, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 10, Thunderbowl Raceway on March 18, Missouri State Fair Speedway on May 5, 81 Speedway on May 6, Eldora Speedway May 13, Knoxville Raceway on June 10, Granite City on June 20, Dirt Oval at Route 66 on June 27, Dakota State Fair Speedway on July 1, Eldora Speedway on July 15, Lernerville Speedway on July 18, Knoxville Raceway on August 12 (NP), River Cities Speedway on August 18, Calistoga Speedway on September 16, Port Royal Speedway on October 14, The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on November 3)
David Gravel - 18 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 17, Placerville Speedway on March 29, Perris Auto Speedway on April 1, Gator Motorplex on April 13, Plymouth Speedway on April 28, Lincoln Speedway on May 17, Williams Grove on May 19, New Egypt Speedway on May 24, River Cities Speedway on June 16, Attica Raceway Park on July 11, Hartford Speedway on July 28, Wilmot Raceway on July 29, August 20 at Nodak Speedway, Lernerville Speedway on September 23, Williams Grove Speedway on September 28, Williams Grove Speedway on September 30, Fulton Speedway on October 8, The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway on November 4)
Shane Stewart - 8 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 20, Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 29, West Liberty Raceway on June 23, Beaver Dam Raceway on June 24, Black Hills Speedway on August 25, Skagit Speedway on September 1, Grays Harbor on September 4, Silver Dollar Speedway on September 9)
Brad Sweet - 5 (Stockton Dirt Track on March 25, Devil's Bowl on April 15, Jackson Motorplex on June 3, Knoxville Raceway on June 9, Calistoga Speedway on September 15)
Kerry Madsen - 5 (Jackson Motorplex on June 2, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 7, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 8, Eldora Speedway on July 13, Salina Highbanks on October 21)
Logan Schuchart - 4 (Keller Auto Speedway on March 31, Eldora Speedway on May 12, Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, Ohsweken Speedway on July 25)
Jason Johnson - 4 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 17, Devil's Bowl on April 14, Red River Valley Speedway on August 19, Willamette Speedway on September 6)
Daryn Pittman – 3 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on August 4, Billings Motorsports Park on August 26, Skagit Speedway on September 2nd)
Tim Shaffer – 2 (Eldora Speedway on September 22, Ransomville Speedway on October 16)
Brian Brown - 2 (Cocopah Speedway on April 7, Lakeside Speedway on October 20)
Rico Abreu - 1 (Arizona Speedway on April 8)
Parker Price-Miller - 1 (Tri-State Speedway on May 14)
Ian Madsen - 1 (Jackson Motorplex on June 1)
Kyle Larson - 1 (Eagle Raceway on June 13)
Kraig Kinser - 1 (Deer Creek Speedway on July 6)
Christopher Bell - 1 (Eldora Speedway on July 14)
Brock Zearfoss - 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 21)
Kyle Hirst - 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway on September 8)
Greg Hodnett – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on September 28 – makeup from 7/22)
James McFadden – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on September 29, 2017)
