From J&J
McKENZIE, TN – (June 22) The winner’s list from Sprint car races around the country last weekend was filled with a number of J&J racers. Defending Knoxville Nationals champion Tim Shaffer kicked off the All-Stars Ohio Speedweek with a win, and Dusty Zomer raced to another win at Knoxville. Youth was served as well as young standouts Aaron Ott, who won at Lincoln, and Morgan Turpen, a first-time USCS winner, raced J&J’s to victory. Dale Howard and Mark Dobmeier also were victorious with wins at Riverside International Speedway and Huset’s Speedway.
ALL-STARS SPEEDWEEK
ATTICA RACEWAY PARK
Two-time defending All-Star series champion Tim Shaffer kicked off the 29th annual Ohio Speedweek in winning style by leading the final 10 laps of the 40-lap main event at Attica (Ohio) Raceway Park. Shaffer raced the CH Motorsports No. 83 Kistler Racing Products, Kistler powered J&J to his 39th career All-Star win and ninth triumph at the 1/3-mile track.
“Hats off to my guys…this is such a great track to race on,” said Shaffer. “Brian (crew chief, Kemenah) and James and Five-O and Rob and everybody that works on this thing. They give me such a great race car…it’s a lot of fun.”
David Gravel (No. 89g J&J) was second fastest in qualifying, Brad Haudenschild (No. 10 J&J) finished sixth in the main event, just ahead of Phil Gressman (No. 53 J&J).
K-C Raceway
Gravel (No. 89g J&J) was the fastest qualifier and finished fifth in the main event. Shaffer (No. 83 J&J) finished second in the feature and Tony Stewart drove his No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 J&J from 24th to seventh in the main event.
KNOXVILLE RACEWAY
Dusty Zomer won the Farm Bureau Mid-Season championship at Knoxville Raceway on Saturday night. Zomer, who started ninth in the No. 91 J&J, led the final four laps to score his second feature triumph of the year at Knoxville and seventh of his career.
It was fellow J&J runner, Josh Schneiderman in the No. 49 J&J, who led the field to the green flag from the pole position. He held second early and later had company with Zomer, who charged to the front. On lap 20, Zomer worked his way past Danny Lasoski and then assumed the top spot when leader Wayne Johnson’s night ended early. He dominated the final four laps to earn the win, but he didn’t have much fuel and was fortunate the race was only 25 laps.
“I heard it blubber the last lap,” Zomer said. “I just wanted to make it one more corner. We were eight pounds over (the minimum 1400 pounds), and I’m just a little guy. This is the best the racetrack has been all year. It allowed us to get here from the fifth row, and it put on a great show for the fans.”
Schneiderman finished a solid third in the program to give J&J a pair of finishers on the podium.
RIVERSIDE INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Dale Howard picked up his second win of the season running Josh Howard’s No. 47 J&J. He led every lap in Saturday’s A-main at Riverside International Speedway. Howard has raced there three times this season and has finished third, first and first.
LINCOLN SPEEDWAY
Aaron Ott earned a popular victory on Saturday night at Lincoln Speedway racing the No. 77 J&J to victory in the annual Glenn Gohn, Sr./Darryl Gohn Memorial. Ott charged from 10th. He used a lap 17 restart to move from third to second and made is winning move three laps later. The victory was his second career win at Lincoln and he earned $4,500.
“I really have to thank my crew,” admitted Ott, following the win. “The car was absolutely amazing tonight, and I want to also thank my sponsors…Al (Hamilton) for coming aboard this year, and my dad for building the great motors that he’s established a reputation for.”
USCS – EAST ALABAMA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Morgan Turpen, the 2010 United Sprint Car Series presented by Goodyear Rookie of the Year, became only the second female sprint car driver to win a USCS main event on Saturday night. Turpen wheeled the No. 80 J&J into the lead on lap 16 and went on to capture the 4th annual Randy Helton Memorial Race at East Alabama Motor Speedway. The win was her first career USCS triumph.
Defending USCS champion Terry Gray finished second in his No. 10 J&J.
HUSET’S SPEEDWAY
Mark Dobmeier made up for a rough Sunday night last week at Huset’s Speedway by winning Sunday night’s 25-lap main event. Dobmeier started the Lunstra/Dobmeier No. 13L J&J seventh, took control midway through the race and never looked back.
“This is for my crew, especially after all the work they went through last week,” said Dobmeier, who crashed in both his heat race and the main event at Huset’s last Sunday. “We feel really good about our program right now and this comes at a good time with the World of Outlaws coming here next Sunday. We’re really looking forward to running with them.”