Crockett Hangs On for Dramatic First World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Win After Tire Blows on Last Lap at I-94 Speedway
Limps to checkered flag for first time as Sweet, Madsen bear down
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. – June 21, 2014 – It’s hard enough to win your first World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series race when everything is working perfectly, but when your right rear tire lets go more than half lap from the checkered flag and you still earn your first victory, well, that’s a win you won’t soon forget.
That’s what happened to Roger Crockett on Saturday night at 3/8-mile I-94 Speedway. He grabbed the lead from Brad Sweet on lap eight and started to build his advantage in a caution-free 30-lap feature run under the constant threat of rain.
Crockett slid up to the turn four wall repeatedly during the closing laps as he pushed hard in his Buffalo Wild Wings car to extend his advantage over Sweet and Kerry Madsen. Those knocks on the wall apparently took a toll on his right rear tire because just after the white flag waved, he rolled into turn two and the tire came apart.
“I take the white flag and I come off of turn two and I’m thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, after all these years I’ve finally won an Outlaw race’ and the tire blows right there,” said Crockett, of Medford, Ore., who was making his 66th World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series start since 2002. “I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ So I go into turn three and I see a lapped car I passed eight laps ago go by me and I think, ‘Man, we might have enough of a lead to do this.’ … I’m not one to give up, and there’s a perfect example. You never give up until you cross that line or until she won’t go no more.”
Sweet started the race by jumping out to a quick advantage in the SureTestSupplies.com car and setting the pace early, but in heavy traffic down the front stretch on lap 8 he was held up as Crockett blasted to the top in turns one and two and drove into the lead down the back.
Crockett continued weaving through traffic while Madsen and his American Racing Custom Wheels car charged forward to pressure Sweet. Crockett worked through the traffic to build a straightaway advantage, which he needed on the last lap to get the biggest victory of his career.
“Obviously, winning an Outlaw race, there’s nothing bigger in sprint car racing,” Crockett said. “It’s my first one. I’ve been close, run second, run third.”
It will no doubt be a victory Crockett won’t ever get tired of recounting.
The World of Outlaws STP Sprint Cars invade Iowa and Wisconsin next weekend for events on Friday, June 27 at 34 Raceway in Burlington, Iowa; Saturday, June 28, at Beaver Dam (Wis.) Raceway; and on Sunday, June 29, in the FVP Outlaws at Cedar Lake Speedway in New Richmond, Wis.
Follow the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WorldofOutlaws, like it on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WorldofOutlaws, or check out the latest videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/WorldofOutlaws.
NOTEBOOK: Joey Saldana set quick time during qualifyingfor the series-leading 13th time this season … The Dash draw tonight was a six for the 17th time this season … Donny Schatz was the KSE Hard Charger for a series-leading seventh time this season.
SEASON WINNERS: Daryn Pittman – 7 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 14, Calistoga Speedway on April 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 19, Williams Grove Speedway on May 16 and May 17, Orange County Fair Speedway, May 18 and New Egypt Speedway, May 20); Donny Schatz – 6 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 15, The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 6, Devil’s Bowl Speedway on April 19, Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 27, I-96 Speedway on May 31 and River Cities Speedway on June 20); Joey Saldana – 5 (Perris Auto Speedway on April 12, Salina Highbanks on April 25, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 23, I-80 Speedway on June 6 and Jackson Speedway on June 13); Brad Sweet – 4 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 14, Tucson International Raceway on March 8, Calistoga Speedway on April 5 and Knoxville Raceway on June 14); David Gravel – 3 (Merced Speedway on March 28, Eldora Speedway on May 3, and Wilmot Raceway on May 9); Kerry Madsen – 3 (Stockton Dirt track on March 22, El Paso Speedway Park on April 15 and Lakeside Speedway on June 7); Paul McMahan – 2 (The Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 5, Tri-State Speedway on May 10);Rico Abreu – 1 (Thunderbowl Raceway on March 15); Dale Blaney – 1 (Attica Raceway Park on May 30);Christopher Bell – 1 (Jacksonville Speedway on May 7); Roger Crockett – 1 (I-94 Speedway on June 21);Cody Darrah – 1 (Kings Speedway on April 11); Steve Kinser – 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 16);Stevie Smith – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 14); Shane Stewart – 1 (Eldora Speedway on May 2) ; Sammy Swindell – 1 (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55 on April 26).
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; I-94 Speedway; Fergus Falls, Minn.; June 21, 2014
A-Main – (30 Laps): 1. 82-Roger Crockett [1] [$10,000]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet [2] [$5,500]; 3. 29-Kerry Madsen [5] [$3,200]; 4. 51-Paul McMahan [6] [$2,800]; 5. 4-Cody Darrah [3] [$2,500]; 6. 9-Daryn Pittman [11] [$2,300]; 7. 15-Donny Schatz [15] [$2,200]; 8. 11-Steve Kinser [7] [$2,100]; 9. 59-Tim Kaeding [10] [$2,050]; 10. 83-David Gravel [14] [$2,000]; 11. 7S-Jason Sides [4] [$1,500]; 12. 1-Sammy Swindell [9] [$1,200]; 13. 71M-Joey Saldana [8] [$1,100]; 14. 1K-Chris Shirek [20] [$1,050]; 15. 13-Mark Dobmeier [13] [$1,000]; 16. 11K-Kraig Kinser [12] [$900]; 17. 1s-Logan Schuchart [22] [$800]; 18. 1A-Jacob Allen [16] [$800]; 19. 6N-Greg Nikitenko [23] [$800]; 20. 20A-Jordon Adams [24] [$800]; 21. 19-Jason Tostenson [17] [$800]; 22. 2K-Kevin Ingle [25] [$800]; 23. 5-Dave Glennon [21] [$800]; 24. 9N-Wade Nygaard [19] [$800]; 25. 8-Casey Mack [18] [$800]. Lap Leaders: Brad Sweet 1-7, Roger Crockett 8-30. KSE Hard Charger Award: 15-Donny Schatz [+8]
Qualifying: 1. 71M-Joey Saldana, 13.424; 2. 4-Cody Darrah, 13.658; 3. 29-Kerry Madsen, 13.690; 4. 49-Brad Sweet, 13.760; 5. 7S-Jason Sides, 13.811; 6. 1-Sammy Swindell, 13.826; 7. 59-Tim Kaeding, 13.870; 8. 9-Daryn Pittman, 13.881; 9. 82-Roger Crockett, 13.944; 10. 11-Steve Kinser, 13.947; 11. 51-Paul McMahan, 14.043; 12. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 14.145; 13. 13-Mark Dobmeier, 14.199; 14. 83-David Gravel, 14.204; 15. 15-Donny Schatz, 14.267; 16. 1A-Jacob Allen, 14.453; 17. 19-Jason Tostenson, 14.455; 18. 8-Casey Mack, 14.473; 19. 9N-Wade Nygaard, 14.576; 20. 1K-Chris Shirek, 14.613; 21. 5-Dave Glennon, 14.632; 22. 1s-Logan Schuchart, 14.704; 23. 6N-Greg Nikitenko, 15.500; 24. 20A-Jordon Adams, 15.502; 25. 2K-Kevin Ingle, 15.706
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature): 1. 11-Steve Kinser [1]; 2. 59-Tim Kaeding [2]; 3. 49-Brad Sweet [3]; 4. 71M-Joey Saldana [4]; 5. 13-Mark Dobmeier [5]; 6. 1A-Jacob Allen [6]; 7. 2K-Kevin Ingle [9]; 8. 9N-Wade Nygaard [7]; 9. 1s-Logan Schuchart [8]
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature): 1. 51-Paul McMahan [1]; 2. 4-Cody Darrah [4]; 3. 9-Daryn Pittman [2]; 4. 7S-Jason Sides [3]; 5. 83-David Gravel [5]; 6. 1K-Chris Shirek [7]; 7. 6N-Greg Nikitenko [8]; 8. 19-Jason Tostenson [6]
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature): 1. 82-Roger Crockett [2]; 2. 29-Kerry Madsen [4]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [5]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [1]; 5. 1-Sammy Swindell [3]; 6. 8-Casey Mack [6]; 7. 5-Dave Glennon [7]; 8. 20A-Jordon Adams [8]
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 8 starting positions of A-feature): 1. 82-Roger Crockett [1]; 2. 49-Brad Sweet [3]; 3. 4-Cody Darrah [5]; 4. 7S-Jason Sides [2]; 5. 29-Kerry Madsen [4]; 6. 51-Paul McMahan [8]; 7. 11-Steve Kinser [7]; 8. 71M-Joey Saldana [6]