9/19/2012
Sprint Source
Swindell Commands NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown at Eagle
Schatz continues World of Outlaws championship lead with 10th straight top five
EAGLE, Neb. - Sept. 19, 2012 - Sammy Swindell leads the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series in feature victories. He leads in heat race wins and in bonus points via qualifying.
Unfortunately for the three-time champion, he has faced a myriad of issues throughout the season and has come up against a hot streak by Donny Schatz as the campaign winds down.
On Wednesday, Swindell did everything he could to cut into the championship points deficit by earning qualifying points, winning his heat and leading all 40 laps to claim the NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown in the Outlaws first event at Eagle Raceway since 2009.
"After Knoxville we just kinda put an effort into just going for it and that's what we were doing," he said. "We've had a few problems that we've had to work around with some stuff, some pieces. We're back on track here now. Hopefully we can get through the rest of the year clean and we'll just see where the points lay."
It was Swindell's 12th feature win of the season - his most since 1997, which is the last time he claimed the World of Outlaws championship.
Yet Schatz wasn't far behind. While his streak of five consecutive top-two finishes was snapped, Schatz's third-place result marked his 10th straight top five and 19th in the last 21 points races. He maintains a 94-point advantage over Craig Dollansky and a 117-point edge over Swindell with nine features remaining this season.
"I just could never get rolling right; Sammy rolled best," Schatz said. "To start sixth and run third, no one is complaining here. You're not going to win every night."
Cody Darrah was the only driver who gave Swindell a challenge and that was short lived. Swindell, who started on the pole, rocketed to the early lead with Darrah maneuvering from fifth to second on the opening lap.
With Schatz advancing to third by lap six, Darrah began to reel in Swindell. The duo entered traffic on lap seven and Darrah closed to the rear bumper before the first caution came out for Joey Saldana, who stopped in turn two on lap 13.
Swindell chose the inside line on the double-file restart and edged Darrah until the second - and final - caution came out for Terry McCarl stopping on the backstretch on lap 17.
"That last restart I kinda got through (turns) one and two not as well as I did the last two starts and he got away from me," Darrah said. "We got into lapped traffic and I couldn't really move around as we could earlier in the race. Our car was pretty tight and as the track progressed it slicked off in spots, which didn't allow me to overcome and throw my car like it was in the beginning of the race. Definitely hard fought for second place."
Swindell capitalized and as the final 24 laps were caution-free, he picked his way through traffic to perfection en route to his third career win at Eagle Raceway. He won the first career World of Outlaws event in 1981 and also in 1992.
"It was a hard race; it was tough," Swindell said. "We've got a new car and everything is going great here tonight. Hopefully we can keep going with this momentum here."
Dollansky finished fourth and Kerry Madsen earned the KSE Hard Charger Award after driving from 11th to fifth. Kraig Kinser ended sixth, Danny Lasoski seventh, Mark Dobmeier eighth, Ian Madsen ninth and Steve Kinser rounded out the top 10.
NAPA Auto Parts Outlaw Showdown Notebook
NOTES - Kraig Kinser established quick time for the sixth race this season. … Sammy Swindell claimed his series-leading 18th heat race win, Ian Madsen his third and Danny Lasoski his eighth. … Swindell won his fifth dash. … Swindell has been victorious in two of the five features on a third-mile track this season.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS - Penske Shocks ($100 certificate): Mark Dobmeier; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Comp Cams ($50 certificate): Sammy Swindell; Armor All (case of product): Mark Dobmeier; STP ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; UNOH ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; Gravely Tractors ($50 cash): Mark Dobmeier; VP Racing Fuel ($50 cash): Steve Kinser; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Steve Kinser; JE Pistons (set of rings): Lucas Wolfe; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Lucas Wolfe; Wix Filters ($50 cash): Lucas Wolfe; Superflow ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Bill Rose; JE Pistons (set of rings): Terry McCarl; MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Terry McCarl; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash): Chad Kemenah.
WINNERS - Sammy Swindell - 12 (Eagle Raceway on Sept. 19, Grays Harbor Raceway on Aug. 29, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 25, River Cities Speedway on Aug. 17, Autodrome Granby on July 27, Eldora Speedway on July 14, Lakeside Speedway on June 30, Red River Valley Speedway on June 16, Eldora Speedway on May 5, Knoxville Raceway on April 28, Missouri State Fair Speedway on April 20 and Merced Speedway on March 30); Donny Schatz - 10 (Clay County Fair Speedway on Sept. 14, Calistoga Speedway on Sept. 9, Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 6, Nodak Speedway on Aug. 19, Junction Motor Speedway on Aug. 14, Knoxville Raceway on Aug. 11, Cornwall Motor Speedway on July 29, Farmer City Raceway on April 25, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 23 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Craig Dollansky - 8 (Deer Creek Speedway on Sept. 15, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 24, Lebanon Valley Speedway on July 22, Lernerville Speedway on July 17, I-96 Speedway on June 2, Hagerstown Speedway on May 20, Tri-State Speedway on April 21 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Kerry Madsen - 5 (Willamette Speedway on Sept. 3, Skagit Speedway on Aug. 31, Limaland Motorsports Park on July 11, Belleville High Banks on June 29 and Knoxville Raceway on June 9); Joey Saldana - 5 (Autodrome Drummond on July 28, Eldora Speedway on July 13, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 25, Paducah International Raceway on April 13 and Perris Auto Speedway on March 10); Tim Kaeding - 4 (Antioch Speedway on Sept. 10, Cedar Lake Speedway on July 6, Thunderbowl Raceway on March 16 and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8); Kraig Kinser - 4 (Beaver Dam Raceway on July 7, Dodge City Raceway Park on June 23, River Cities Speedway on June 15 and Kokomo Speedway on June 5); Steve Kinser - 3 (Dodge City Raceway Park on June 22, Orange County Fair Speedway on May 19 and Williams Grove Speedway on May 12); Chad Kemenah - 2 (Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 28 and Eldora Speedway on May 4); Tony Stewart - 2 (Ohsweken Speedway on July 31 and Lernerville Speedway on July 17); Sean Becker - 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 7); Cody Darrah - 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 21); Danny Dietrich - 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 10); Mark Dobmeier - 1 (Huset's Speedway on July 3); Travis Jacobson - 1 (Skagit Speedway on Sept. 1); Kyle Larson - 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 8); Danny Lasoski - 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 18); Paul McMahan - 1 (Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on May 16); Fred Rahmer - 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 11); Brad Sweet - 1 (Clay County Fair Speedway on June 8) and Lucas Wolfe - 1 (Bloomington Speedway on Aug. 3).
TIME TRIALS - Kraig Kinser was the fastest qualifier around the third-mile oval with a time of 11.337 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Craig Dollansky (4 points), Jason Johnson (3), Sammy Swindell (2) and Cody Darrah (1).
WE'RE ONLINE - Make sure to check out WorldofOutlaws.com for the latest news and results, plus exclusive driver interviews, video and pictures. Also listen to every event live at DIRTVision.com .
Article Credit: Shawn Miller - World of Outlaws
Submitted By: Admin Account
