Dollansky Rids Monkey at FVP Clash at the Creek
Schatz records fifth straight top-two finish to maintain World of Outlaws points lead
SPRING VALLEY, Minn. – Sept. 15, 2012 – Don’t tell PETA, but Craig Dollansky just knocked the monkey off his back.
Actually, he body slammed the figurative nuisance, which has riddled the snake bitten team during the past two weeks. On a brisk Saturday evening in his home state, Dollansky led all but one lap to claim the FVP Clash at the Creek at Deer Creek Speedway to earn his first podium finish in the last nine events.
It was Dollansky’s eighth World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win of the season and it helped close the deficit on championship points leader Donny Schatz to 96 points with 10 races remaining.
“To win here tonight in front of one of my hometown crowds, just people that we don’t get to race in front of normally – family, friends and just a lot of great fans in Minnesota – it’s pretty awesome after the heartbreaker last night,” Dollansky said.
Following that last podium, Dollansky held a 54-point advantage over Schatz in the title race as the series was amid a nine-race swing along the West Coast. Entering Saturday, Dollansky trailed by triple digits after a handful of miscues dropped him from potential top-five finishes to an average of 11.4 during that span.
“The last week and a half it’s been rough,” he said. “This team, everybody just keeps digging. It’s good to just overcome some of the stuff we’ve been dealing with the last week and a half. It definitely hurt us in the grand scheme of things, but to get win No. 8 here tonight, I’m encouraged with that.”
It didn’t take long for Dollansky to find the lead in Saturday’s main event. After a pair of cautions bogged the start of the feature, Dollansky, who started third, split the front row as they entered turn one. He slid to the high groove in turn two and used momentum to propel himself down the backstretch and into a slide job on polesitter Chad Kemenah in turn three.
Dollansky reached traffic on lap eight before Cody Darrah caused the third-and-final caution when he hit the wall in turn two on lap nine. By that point Schatz had maneuvered from 17th to 10th and he capitalized on the field being bunched up.
While Dollansky rocketed off the inside lane on the double-file restart, Schatz gained three more positions in the two ensuing laps. Dollansky again entered traffic on lap 17 and Schatz cracked the top five on lap 22.
While Dollansky worked his way through various cars in traffic, Schatz advanced to fourth on lap 25 and into third on the following lap. He then passed Joey Saldana for the runner-up position on lap 31 and set his sights on Dollansky.
“I got by Joey; I didn’t really have a problem,” said Schatz, who earned the KSE Hard Charger Award. “Getting around the leader is always a little bit difficult when he’s out in clean air.”
With Dollansky running the high groove, Schatz gained a lot of ground running a couple of car lengths off the bottom and he closed to the rear bumper of Dollansky with two laps remaining.
Schatz shot to the inside of Dollansky exiting turn four as the drivers headed toward the white flag. While Schatz led that lap, Dollansky had the momentum as they raced through turns one and two side by side – Schatz on the bottom and Dollansky to his outside.
Dollansky’s momentum allowed him to narrowly pull in front of Schatz entering turn three and he hugged the bottom, forcing Schatz to make a last-ditch pass to the outside. The move proved to be enough for Dollansky, who edged Schatz by a couple of car lengths at the finish line.
“I ran down in (turns) one and two and got up next to him and I probably should have taken his line away,” said Schatz, who has nine consecutive top fives and has finished in the top two in five straight races.
“I didn’t want to give him the opportunity to have to hit me or crash me or anything. I played it safe and he went down and got himself squeezed through the bottom there.”
Saldana finished third to earn his 23rd top five of the season. Jac Haudenschild was fourth and Kemenah ended fifth. Kraig Kinser placed sixth, Kerry Madsen seventh, Jason Sides eighth, Sammy Swindell ninth and Lucas Wolfe rounded out the top 10.
FVP Clash at the Creek Notebook
NOTES – Kerry Madsen established quick time in qualifying for the second race this season. … Dusty Zomer claimed his first heat race win, Chad Kemenah his 13 th and Brian Brown his fourth of the year. … Kemenah won his first dash. … Justin Henderson became the 40th different Last Chance Showdown winner. … Bill Rose was transported to a hospital with an injury to his right leg after being involved in a crash during the opening lap of the feature. According to a crew member, Rose’s leg sustained a deep bruise and he plans on competing at the next event.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS – MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Craig Dollansky; Comp Cams ($50 certificate): Craig Dollansky; Armor All (case of product): Jac Haudenschild; STP ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; UNOH ($50 cash): Chad Kemenah; Gravely Tractors ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; VP Racing Fuel ($50 cash): Sammy Swindell; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Lucas Wolfe; JE Pistons (set of rings): Dusty Zomer; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Dusty Zomer; Wix Filters ($50 cash): Mark Dobmeier; Superflow ($50 cash): Mark Dobmeier; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Terry McCarl; JE Pistons (set of rings): Matt Wasmund; MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Bill Rose; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash): Jody Rosenboom.
WINNERS – Sammy Swindell – 11 (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 – Kerry Madsen was the fastest qualifier around the 3/8-mile oval with a time of 11.884 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Joey Saldana (4 points), Kraig Kinser (3), Sammy Swindell (2) and Craig Dollansky (1).
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FVP Clash at the Creek Statistical Report; Deer Creek Speedway; Spring Valley, Minn.; Sept. 15, 2012
A-Main – (35 Laps) – 1. 7-Craig Dollansky [3] [$10,000]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [17] [$5,500]; 3. 9-Joey Saldana [6] [$3,200]; 4. 59-Jac Haudenschild [4] [$2,800]; 5. 63-Chad Kemenah [1] [$2,500]; 6. 11K-Kraig Kinser [9] [$2,300]; 7. 29-Kerry Madsen [5] [$2,200]; 8. 7S-Jason Sides [12] [$2,100]; 9. 1-Sammy Swindell [8] [$2,050]; 10. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [13] [$2,000]; 11. 11-Steve Kinser [15] [$1,500]; 12. 91-Dusty Zomer [2] [$1,200]; 13. 1AU-Brooke Tatnell [14] [$1,100]; 14. 13-Mark Dobmeier [18] [$1,050]; 15. 56-David Heskin [16] [$1,000]; 16. 82-Justin Henderson [19] [$900]; 17. 7K-Ian Madsen [23] [$800]; 18. 24-Terry McCarl [7] [$800]; 19. 97G-Jody Rosenboom [22] [$800]; 20. 35-Skylar Prochaska [21] [$800]; 21. 4W-Matt Wasmund [24] [$800]; 22. 4-Cody Darrah [11] [$800]; 23. 21-Brian Brown [10] [$800]; 24. 6-Bill Rose [20] [$800]. Lap Leaders: Craig Dollansky 1-33, 35; Donny Schatz 34. KSE Hard Charger Award: 15-Donny Schatz [+15].
Qualifying – 1. 29-Kerry Madsen, 11.884; 2. 9-Joey Saldana, 11.920; 3. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 11.920; 4. 1-Sammy Swindell, 11.939; 5. 7-Craig Dollansky, 11.998; 6. 24-Terry McCarl, 12.004; 7. 91-Dusty Zomer, 12.010; 8. 63-Chad Kemenah, 12.040; 9. 21-Brian Brown, 12.062; 10. 59-Jac Haudenschild, 12.065; 11. 4-Cody Darrah, 12.068; 12. 7S-Jason Sides, 12.160; 13. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, 12.183; 14. 1AU-Brooke Tatnell, 12.211; 15. 11-Steve Kinser, 12.271; 16. 56-David Heskin, 12.289; 17. 15-Donny Schatz, 12.304; 18. 13-Mark Dobmeier, 12.319; 19. 82-Justin Henderson, 12.321; 20. 6-Bill Rose, 12.323; 21. 35-Skylar Prochaska, 12.383; 22. 6X-Kaley Gharst, 12.398; 23. 97G-Jody Rosenboom, 12.420; 24. 7K-Ian Madsen, 12.473; 25. 4W-Matt Wasmund, 12.835; 26. 7KO-Rob Kubli, 12.910; 27. 19-Ryan Wilson, 12.954; 28. 71-Robert Bell, 13.113.
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 91-Dusty Zomer [2]; 2. 59-Jac Haudenschild [1]; 3. 29-Kerry Madsen [4]; 4. 1-Sammy Swindell [3]; 5. 56-David Heskin [6]; 6. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [5]; 7. 82-Justin Henderson [7]; 8. 4W-Matt Wasmund [9]; 9. 6X-Kaley Gharst [8]; 10. 71-Robert Bell [10].
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 63-Chad Kemenah [2]; 2. 9-Joey Saldana [4]; 3. 4-Cody Darrah [1]; 4. 15-Donny Schatz [6]; 5. 7-Craig Dollansky [3]; 6. 97G-Jody Rosenboom [8]; 7. 1AU-Brooke Tatnell [5]; 8. 6-Bill Rose [7]; 9. 7KO-Rob Kubli [9].
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 21-Brian Brown [2]; 2. 24-Terry McCarl [3]; 3. 7S-Jason Sides [1]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [4]; 5. 13-Mark Dobmeier [6]; 6. 11-Steve Kinser [5]; 7. 35-Skylar Prochaska [7]; 8. 7K-Ian Madsen [8]; 9. 19-Ryan Wilson [9].
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 63-Chad Kemenah [1]; 2. 91-Dusty Zomer [2]; 3. 7-Craig Dollansky [4]; 4. 59-Jac Haudenschild [10]; 5. 29-Kerry Madsen [8]; 6. 9-Joey Saldana [7]; 7. 24-Terry McCarl [3]; 8. 1-Sammy Swindell [5]; 9. 11K-Kraig Kinser [6]; 10. 21-Brian Brown [9].
B-Main – (10 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 82-Justin Henderson [2] [-]; 2. 1AU-Brooke Tatnell [1] [-]; 3. 35-Skylar Prochaska [4] [-]; 4. 6-Bill Rose [3] [-]; 5. 7K-Ian Madsen [6] [-]; 6. 4W-Matt Wasmund [7] [-]; 7. 7KO-Rob Kubli [8] [$200]; 8. 19-Ryan Wilson [9] [$180]; 9. 6X-Kaley Gharst [5] [$175]; 10. 71-Robert Bell [10] [$160].