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 CHICO,
CA (September 9-11) -- Donny Schatz had a weekend to remember in the
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series winning the three-day Gold Cup Race
of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway. The 27-year-old driver
from Fargo, ND won the opening 25-lap race on Thursday night and went
on to win the 40-lap A-main race on Saturday to claim his first career
Gold Cup crown. The two victories were worth a total of $30,000 to the
driver of the Parker Store J&J #15 sprint car. A huge 87-car field
was on hand with half racing on Thursday night and the remainder on Friday
before Saturday's main event. Amazingly, all 87 cars elected to ride
on Hoosier tires in their attempt to claim the Gold Cup title.
THURSDAY NIGHT'S OPENER
CHICO, CA (September 9) -- Forty-five cars were listed in qualifying
in the opening night of the Gold Cup Race of Champions on the 1/4-mile
Silver Dollar Speedway. Craig Dollansky set a new single-lap record
time of 11.423 seconds using a Hoosier D10 as his right-rear compound
choice. Dollansky was followed by Mark Kinser, Jason Meyers, Joey
Saldana and Brad Sweet on the qualifying leader board.
In heat race action, Brent Kaeding, Donny Schatz, Mike
Henry and Dennis Moore, Jr. each claimed victory in their respective
8-lap heats. In the two Dash races which set the first eight rows for
the night's feature race, Sean Becker won the first Dash, while Donny
Schatz captured the final Dash with the pair earning the right to
start the night's 25-lap feature on the front row.
In the feature, Donny Schatz got the jump at the drop
of the green flag using a 94" D12/D15 (LR/RR) combination. Schatz
led flag-to-flag taking the win by ten car lengths over Mark Kinser
who had started sixth. Kinser opted to run the feature using a softer
94" RD12/D12 set up. Joey Saldana finished in third place after
starting eighth using a 94" D12/RD15 rear-drive combination.
Sean Becker finished in fourth place followed by Craig
Dollansky, Kevin Pylant, Roger Crockett, Jason Meyers, Blake Robertson
and Daryn Pittman in fifth through tenth, respectively.
FRIDAY'S RACE
CHICO, CA (September 10) -- Drivers not competing on Thursday got
their turn on the track Friday with 42 cars entered in qualifying.
Danny Lasoski set fast time of the night using Hoosier's softest dirt
compound--a D10. Lasoski was followed by Andy Forsberg, Brandon
Wimmer, Brian Paulus and Brad Furr.
Erin Crocker won the first heat, while Johnny
Rodriguez, Tim Kaeding and Steve Kinser were winners in the three
other heat races. Tim Kaeding and Tim Shaffer were winners in the two
Dash races with Kaeding earning the pole and Shaffer joining him in
the front row for the night's 25-lap feature.
In the feature, Tim Shaffer got the jump over Tim
Kaeding as the green flag waved to lead the race's first lap. Shaffer,
using a 90" D10/RD12 combination, led the next nine laps before
giving way to fellow front row starter Tim Kaeding on the 11th lap.
Kaeding, using a 92" D10/RD12, led the remaining 20 laps to claim
the win. The California native collected $5,000 for the win. Tim
Shaffer settled for second place, while Jason Sides captured third
after starting sixth. Sides took a chance using a pair of Hoosier
D10's for the 40-lap marathon and was rewarded with a third place
finish.
Stephen Allard finished in fourth followed by Brian
Paulus, Andy Forsberg, Brad Furr, Steve Kent, Randy Hannagan and Danny
Lasoski.
SATURDAY'S FINALE
CHICO, CA (September 11) -- Saturday's competition had no
qualifying as the top finishers in Thursday and Friday's races were
awarded a spot in the A-main race with the remaining drivers having to
compete in a series of qualifying races for their shot at the Gold Cup
crown. The top finishers in the qualifiers advanced to the next qualifier
starting with an E-main, then a D-main, a C-main and ultimately a
B-main which transferred just four drivers to the A-main. The B-main
finish ended with Daryn Pittman taking the win followed by Kraig
Kinser, Blake Robertson and Steve Kinser.
After the four preliminary races had been completed,
it was time for the night's 40-lap feature race. Donny Schatz took the
lead from the outset and led wire-to-wire to claim his first-ever Gold
Cup crown. The win was worth $25,000 and brought his weekend total to
$30,000. Schatz was followed by Joey Saldana in second and Craig
Dollansky in third. Brian Paulus finished in fourth place followed by
Blake Robertson, Tim Shaffer, Jason Sides, Sean Becker, Jason Meyers
and Steve Kinser in fifth through tenth, respectively.
With Schatz's win, Team Hoosier has now won 69
consecutive races in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series compiling
an overall record of 72-1 in World of Outlaws sanctioned events this
year.
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