From J&J Auto Racing
McKENZIE, TN (Jan. 7) – The summer heat of Australia is at its pinnacle and the drivers piloting J&J Auto Racing Sprint cars on the soil Down Under continue to set a blistering pace. Steve Lines, Jamie Maiolo, Glen Saville and Donny Schatz all recently drove J&J’s to victory lane.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN TITLE
Steve Lines continued his dominance in the annual South Australian Sprintcar Title at Murry Bridge Speedway last Saturday night. This year’s third consecutive victory came in a challenging fashion as he charged David Challon’s No. 45 H.A. Young Plumbing / Camden Neon Signs sponsored J&J from the eighth starting spot to victory in the 30-lap contest.
Lines won his first heat race, but then was involved in a crash during his second heat run. This forced Lines to miss the top-six pole shuffle. He quickly worked from the outside of row four in the main event and found himself in second place after 10 laps. He spent the next 15 laps chasing American Outlaw racer Craig Dollansky before taking command of the race with five laps remaining.
The drama wasn’t complete as Lines had to take evasive action with two laps remaining to avoid being involved in another accident. Lines kept his J&J righted and was able to maintain his post position during the final couple of laps.
Lines will return to action on Saturday for the latest round of Speedway City’s track championship.
PERTH MOTORPLEX
Jamie Maiolo proved to be too strong for the rest of competitors this past Saturday night at Perth Motorplex in Western Australia. Maiolo piloted the LJM Racing No. 99 J&J from the pole position to victory making up for some previous runs.
“We gave away a couple last weekend but not tonight,” Maiolo said. “To get the car going on that it was good, especially with the big races coming up.”
Maiolo currently leads the AHG point standings and is being chased by Luch Monte, who pilots the Monte Motorsport No. 17 J&J.
TYREPOWER PARRAMATTA CITY RACEWAY
SCOTT DARLEY $50,000-To-Win EVENTS
Glen Saville picked a great time to capture his first career Sprintcar victory. Saville held off a pair of veteran champions in Robbie Farr and Donny Schatz to pick up the opening night victory of the Scott Darley $50,000-to-win presented by Coca-Cola at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway.
“It’s a pretty good feeling to know I’ve beaten some of the best guys in the
world, even more so when it is the first feature win of my career,” said
Saville.
Saville started the Glen Saville Racing No. 75N Karting World sponsored J&J on the pole and made all the right moves in the 30-lap race while Farr, who started the Eastcoast Pipeline No. 7 J&J eighth, and Schatz, who started the Garry Rush Motorsport No. 2 Pick N Payless J&J tenth, worked their way forward.
The J&J podium sweep was impressive and including Tony Stewart, who had quick time out of 56 cars and raced to a sixth place finish, J&J had four of the top six finishers.
In Tuesday night’s $50,000-to-win finale, Donny Schatz started eighth once again and for the eighth time in his career was the top man standing at the end of the night. Schatz roared the Garry Rush Motorsport No. 2 J&J into the lead with 17 laps remaining en route to his second victory of his Australian tour.
The exciting race included a great run by NASCAR champ Tony Stewart, who along with Schatz passed American star Tim Shaffer by splitting him heading into turn three. Stewart’s run at his first $50,000 Sprintcar triumph ended prematurely when a flat tire slowed his progress and he was credited with an 19th place finish.
Ryan Farrell raced the Monte Motorsport No. 95 J&J to an eighth place finish while Farr came home ninth. Monday’s winner, Glen Saville finished 12th.
SPRINTCAR INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
On December 27, Donny Schatz made his Australian debut by driving the Garry Rush Motorsport No. 2 Pick N Payless sponsored J&J to victory at Tyrepower Parramatta City Raceway. Schatz beat fellow J&J racer Garry Brazier (No. 1au J&J) to the finish line in a race that was called with 27 laps in the book. NASCAR champion Tony Stewart piloted another Garry Rush Motorsport No. 14 J&J from the 25th starting spot to a seventh place finish.
Schatz finished second on December 29 at TPCR while Stewart, who turned in the third fastest time, came home fourth.
OTHER INTERNATIONAL RESULTS
Dean Brindle finished third in a recent race at Springs Speedway, in Auckland, NZ. Brindle raced his J&J while American Ricky Logan led early in the No. 10 J&J before a flat tire ended his night on December 30….Robby Farr placed second in last Friday night’s World Series Sprintcars Round Eight at Sungold Stadium Premier Speedway …He was joined in the top six by Steve Lines (David Challons No. 45 J&J), who finished fifth and Ryan Farrell (Monte Motorsport No. 95 J&J), who finished sixth.