9/16/2018
Cam Schafer Puts An Exclamation Mark on Season With Deer Creek Victory
The 2018 season champion was crowned at the final points event for the POWRi Lucas Oil UMSS Traditional Sprint Car Series when the series invaded the Deer Creek Speedway as part of the inaugural Open Wheel Nationals along with the Bumper-to-Bumper IRA Sprints and UMSS 360 winged sprints. After his car was destroyed in racing action the previous weekend at the Richert Memorial, season-long points leader Cam Schafer of St. Paul, MN only needed to register for the final event to amass enough points to garner his second career title. Unable to repair his own venerable #14 Rathpack Racing hot rod, Schafer relied on the generosity of his fellow competitor Jon Lewerer, who graciously loaned out his #69s for the evening. Despite the loaner wheels, Schafer looked as comfortable and fast as he had all season with an impressive clean sweep to book end the season.
As they so often do, the UMSS Traditional Sprint Car series racers clicked off a pair of crisp, caution free qualifiers. Scott Brandt claimed the Pirtek Fluid Transfer Solutions opening heat from the pole, chased to the line by a strong running Neal Matuska who came up from his outside second row starting spot. Blake Anderson was strong as well, charging up from seventh to third in the all-green affair. Cam Schafer wowed the crowd with a preview of things to come in the Rock Auto second heat race with a late-race pass of Harry Hanson. Rounding out the top three was Schafer's third row starting mate, Johnny Parsons III.
The Deer Creek Open Wheel Nationals feature saw Blake Anderson redrawing the pole along side of Parsons. Anderson paced the field early, but it wasn't long before Schafer found the point again. Action slowed for cautions on laps 10 and 20, but under green, it was clear this was Schafer's night as he was able to stretch his advantage while the race was green. Behind Schafer, Harry Hanson and Scott Brandt staged a spirited duel all race long. Coming to the white flag, Brandt and Hanson touched wheels sending the Brandt scrambling to tame his mount and maintain his grip on the final podium position. At the final checkers, a grinning Cam Schafer stood in Rock Auto victory lane for a series record ninth time this season and for the 21st time in his TSCS career. Following Schafer to checkers were Hanson, Brandt, Brad Peterson and 2017 champion Mike Mueller. Schafer sits second on the all-time TSCS win list behind only three-time series champion Rob Caho, Jr. Schafer now has championship titles in 2014 and 2018.
The series wraps up its 2018 campaign with a pair of non-point shows at the Jackson Motorplex in Jackson, MN on Friday and Saturday, September 21 and 22. Prospective drivers are also invited to test drive a Traditional sprint car at the arrive-and-drive event hosted by Cedar Lake Speedway on Saturday, September 29. More information can be found on the www.umsprints.com website as well as the series Facebook page.
TSCS Race Results - Deer Creek Speedway September 15, 2018 (Race #18)
Deer Creek Open Wheel Nationals
POWRi Lucas Oil A Feature 1 (25 Laps): 1. 69S-Cam Schafer, [4]; 2. 7H-Harry Hanson, [6]; 3. 7-Scott Brandt, [3]; 4. 93-Brad Peterson, [7]; 5. 87-Mike Mueller, [8]; 6. 12X-Blake Anderson, [1]; 7. 99-Bryan Roach, [11]; 8. 48-Neal Matuska, [5]; 9. 19B-Jack Berger, [12]; 10. 34-Denny Stordahl, [17]; 11. 38S-Allen Stettner, [10]; 12. 19-Gary Mueller, [9]; 13. 33C-Cody Emmans, [14]; 14. 00-Ryan Buck, [13]; 15. 2J-John Lowe, [15]; 16. 36-Tyler Wass, [16]; 17. (DNF) 12-Johnny Parsons III, [2]
Lap Leaders: Anderson 1, Schafer 2-25. (2) cautions. Yellow with 9 laps scored for 12 & 12x spins after contact in turn 3 (12 out, 12x to tail). Yellow with 20 laps scored for 19 spin turn 2. Ninth win for Schafer on season driving 69s for first time.
PIRTEK Fluid Transfer Solutions Heat 1 (10 Laps): 1. 7-Scott Brandt, [1]; 2. 48-Neal Matuska, [4]; 3. 12X-Blake Anderson, [7]; 4. 93-Brad Peterson, [5]; 5. 19B-Jack Berger, [2]; 6. 19-Gary Mueller, [8]; 7. 00-Ryan Buck, [3]; 8. 2J-John Lowe, [9]; 9. (DNF) 34-Denny Stordahl, [6]
Lap Leader: Brandt 1-10. No cautions.
Rock Auto Heat 2 (10 Laps): 1. 69S-Cam Schafer, [5]; 2. 7H-Harry Hanson, [1]; 3. 12-Johnny Parsons III, [6]; 4. 87-Mike Mueller, [2]; 5. 99-Bryan Roach, [3]; 6. 38S-Allen Stettner, [8]; 7. 33C-Cody Emmans, [7]; 8. 36-Tyler Wass, [4]
Lap Leaders: Hanson 1-7, Schafer 8-10. No cautions.
Victory Lane photo courtesy of Scott Swenson.
Article Credit: Terry Lehnertz
