From Kyle Ludders
PEVELY, Mo. — Aug. 6, 2011 — Craig Dollansky was breathless in victory lane on Saturday night after capturing the Ironman 55 at hot and humid I-55 Raceway, but he still managed to crack a smile as he celebrated his seventh World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win of the season.
“I am absolutely spent,” said Dollansky, of Elk River, Minn., as he tried to lift the 55-pound trophy. “Fifty-five laps is a long time out there and the track was just so fast all night long since they had about 3 inches of rain here the day before. It also was about 95 degrees plus the humidity just made this a tough one. I can’t thank my team and everyone behind this car enough. Jason (Sides) got around us on a restart when I chose the top line but I thought I could cross over and get back by him down the backstretch. Luckily for us, we had a caution come out before the lap was completed and allowed us to get back out front. Then we had to hold off Brad Sweet and Jason Meyers, too. Meyers is one of the best in the business and won this race last year.”
(Click here to watch a post race interview with Dollansky)
Meyers tried feverishly in the closing laps to catch Dollansky’s Big Game Treestands Maxim to duplicate his spectacular last-lap pass for the second year in a row. Dollansky proved to be too strong for the 2010 World of Outlaws champion, but Meyers was relieved of one small thing in victory lane.
“It would have been nice to win but at least I don’t have to hoist that 55 pound dumbbell over my head,” Meyers said with a chuckle. “We had a great car here tonight and man was that a workout. By far the toughest one I have ever had in the gym or a race car. We’ll take the second and gear up for Knoxville. Thanks to all the fans that came out tonight, too. It was a workout for them as well just sitting in this heat.”
In what seemed to be déjà vu from last year, Meyers and Lucas Wolfe had a spirited battle in the closing laps. Instead of going for the checkers, the two drivers were fighting for the runner-up spot. As in 2010, Wolfe watched Meyers’ DDNi/GLR Investments/Allstar Performance KPC cross the line ahead of him.
“It was another great run for this team tonight,” said Wolfe, who finished in the top three in the Allebach Maxim for the third consecutive race. “We’re getting really close to that first win. If you keep running up front, eventually you’ll find yourself in position to win one of these things. We just have to keep being there.”
Rounding out the Top 5 in the long and grueling race were Kerry Madsen and Donny Schatz.
With the Ironman 55 in their rearview mirrors, the Outlaws now head to Knoxville, Iowa, for the 51st Goodyear Knoxville Nationals, which begins on Wednesday.
I-55 RACEWAY NOTEBOOK
QUICK TIME – Paul McMahan was the night’s fastest qualifier with a lap around the one-third mile oval in 10.216 seconds, earning five championship points. Kerry Madsen, Craig Dollansky, Jason Meyers and Jason Sides also earned qualifying points. It marked McMahan’s ninth Quick Time of the season.
TO THE POINT — After the Ironman, 300 drivers have earned points in World of Outlaws events this season, led by defending series champion Jason Meyers.
WINNERS – There have been 41 World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series A-Feature events in 2011. The winners include: Craig Dollansky – 7 (Silver Dollar Speedway on March 12, Salina Highbanks Speedway on May 3, River Cities Speedway on June 17 and 18, Dodge City Raceway Park on July 1, Lebanon Valley Speedway on July 24, I-55 Raceway on August 5); Steve Kinser – 5 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 11 and 12, Pike County Raceway on Feb. 25, the Dirt Track at Las Vegas on March 4, Lakeside Speedway on June 4); Sammy Swindell – 4 (Royal Purple Raceway on Feb. 26, Merced Speedway on April 1, Tri-State Speedway on April 30, Knoxville Raceway on June 11); Joey Saldana – 4 (Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 3, Thunderbowl Raceway on March 19, Eldora Speedway on May 6, Beaver Dam Raceway on July 9); Donny Schatz – 4 (Attica Raceway Park on May 20, Princeton Speedway on June 25, Limaland Motorsports Park on July 13, Bloomington Speedway on August 5); Jason Sides – 4 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 13, Calistoga Speedway on April 2, I-96 Speedway on May 30, Dodge City Raceway Park on July 2); Paul McMahan – 3 (the Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 28, Belleville Highbanks on June 3, Brockville-Ontario Speedway on July 29); Jason Meyers – 3 (Cedar Lake Speedway on July 8, Williams Grove Speedway on July 23, Autodrome Drummond on July 30); Tim Shaffer – 2 (Eldora Speedway on July 15, Lernerville Speedway on July 19); Dale Blaney – 1 (Lernerville Speedway on July 19); Greg Hodnett – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 22); Daryn Pittman – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 13); Tony Stewart – 1 (Oshweken Speedway on July 27); Tyler Walker – 1 (Eldora Speedway on July 16.)
WE’RE ONLINE – Make sure to check out the all-new WorldofOutlaws.com for the latest news and results, plus exclusive driver interviews, video and pictures. Also listen to every event live at DIRTVision.com .
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Statistical Report; Ironman 55; I-55 Raceway; Pevely, Mo.; Aug. 6, 2011
A-Main — (50 Laps) — 1. 7-Craig Dollansky [2] [$20,000]; 2. 14-Jason Meyers [4] [$6,000]; 3. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [3] [$3,750]; 4. 92-Kerry Madsen [5] [$3,250]; 5. 15-Donny Schatz [8] [$2,750]; 6. 6-Kraig Kinser [9] [$2,500]; 7. 83-Paul McMahan [7] [$2,400]; 8. 11-Steve Kinser [11] [$2,300]; 9. 9-Brad Sweet [6] [$2,200]; 10. 7S-Jason Sides [1] [$2,100]; 11. 63-Chad Kemenah [10] [$1,700]; 12. 91-Cody Darrah [12] [$1,400]; 13. 3-Mark Shirshekan [16] [$1,300]; 14. 44W-Austen Wheatley [19] [$1,200]; 15. 6R-Bill Rose [20] [$1,100]; 16. 44-A.J. Bruns [21] [$1,000]; 17. 4-Danny Smith [15] [$1,000]; 18. 14X-Joey Moughan [18] [$1,000]; 19. 4K-Kody Kinser [14] [$1,000]; 20. 71M-Paul May [22] [$1,000]; 21. 65-Jordan Goldsberry [17] [$1,000]; 22. 66-Tommy Worley Jr [24] [$1,000]; 23. 3B-Brad Greer [13] [$1,000]; 24. 1M-Jim Moughan [23] [$1,000]. Lap Leaders: Jason Sides 1-3, Craig Dollansky 4-55. KSE Hard Charger Award: 44W-Austen Wheatley [+5]
Qualifying — 1. 83-Paul McMahan, 10.216; 2. 92-Kerry Madsen, 10.223; 3. 7-Craig Dollansky, 10.238; 4. 14-Jason Meyers, 10.243; 5. 7S-Jason Sides, 10.271; 6. 11-Steve Kinser, 10.274; 7. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, 10.306; 8. 91-Cody Darrah, 10.311; 9. 15-Donny Schatz, 10.318; 10. 9-Brad Sweet, 10.321; 11. 6-Kraig Kinser, 10.402; 12. 63-Chad Kemenah, 10.439; 13. 3B-Brad Greer, 10.472; 14. 4K-Kody Kinser, 10.498; 15. 4-Danny Smith, 10.507; 16. 3-Mark Shirshekan, 10.508; 17. 44W-Austen Wheatley, 10.527; 18. 14X-Joey Moughan, 10.611; 19. 44-A.J. Bruns, 10.635; 20. 71M-Paul May, 10.648; 21. 65-Jordan Goldsberry, 10.657; 22. 1M-Jim Moughan, 10.700; 23. 6R-Bill Rose, 10.725; 24. 66-Tommy Worley Jr, 10.778; 25. 84-Ben Wagoner, 10.779; 26. 2K-Ryan Kempin, 10.963; 27. 83N-Korey Weyant, 11.108
Heat 1 — (10 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) — 1. 9-Brad Sweet [1]; 2. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [2]; 3. 14-Jason Meyers [3]; 4. 83-Paul McMahan [4]; 5. 3-Mark Shirshekan [6]; 6. 44-A.J. Bruns [7]; 7. 3B-Brad Greer [5]; 8. 1M-Jim Moughan [8]; 9. 84-Ben Wagoner [9]
Heat 2 — (10 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) — 1. 6-Kraig Kinser [1]; 2. 7S-Jason Sides [3]; 3. 91-Cody Darrah [2]; 4. 92-Kerry Madsen [4]; 5. 44W-Austen Wheatley [6]; 6. 4K-Kody Kinser [5]; 7. 6R-Bill Rose [8]; 8. 71M-Paul May [7]; 9. 2K-Ryan Kempin [9]
Heat 3 — (10 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) — 1. 15-Donny Schatz [2]; 2. 63-Chad Kemenah [1]; 3. 7-Craig Dollansky [4]; 4. 11-Steve Kinser [3]; 5. 4-Danny Smith [5]; 6. 14X-Joey Moughan [6]; 7. 66-Tommy Worley Jr [8]; 8. 65-Jordan Goldsberry [7]; 9. 83N-Korey Weyant [9]
Dash — (8 Laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature) — 1. 7S-Jason Sides [2]; 2. 7-Craig Dollansky [4]; 3. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [1]; 4. 14-Jason Meyers [3]; 5. 92-Kerry Madsen [5]; 6. 9-Brad Sweet [8]; 7. 83-Paul McMahan [6]; 8. 15-Donny Schatz [7]; 9. 6-Kraig Kinser [9]; 10. 63-Chad Kemenah [10]
Last Chance Showdown (B-Main) — (12 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) — 1. 71M-Paul May [2] [-]; 2. 3B-Brad Greer [1] [-]; 3. 6R-Bill Rose [5] [-]; 4. 65-Jordan Goldsberry [3] [-]; 5. 1M-Jim Moughan [4] [-]; 6. 66-Tommy Worley Jr [6] [-]; 7. 84-Ben Wagoner [7] [$200]; 8. 2K-Ryan Kempin [8] [$180]; 9. 83N-Korey Weyant [9] [$175].
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Championship Standings through I-55 Raceway on Aug. 6, 2011
| Pos. | Driver |
Total |
Diff |
Wins |
Top 5 |
Top 10 |
QT |
| 1. | Jason Meyers |
5525 |
3 |
25 |
34 |
6 |
|
| 2. | Donny Schatz |
5473 |
-52 |
4 |
18 |
33 |
2 |
| 3. | Steve Kinser |
5420 |
-105 |
5 |
18 |
32 |
1 |
| 4. | Craig Dollansky |
5318 |
-207 |
7 |
18 |
28 |
1 |
| 5. | Paul McMahan |
5285 |
-240 |
3 |
12 |
27 |
9 |
| 6. | Jason Sides |
5250 |
-275 |
4 |
14 |
27 |
3 |
| 7. | Cody Darrah |
4915 |
-610 |
0 |
5 |
14 |
0 |
| 8. | Lucas Wolfe |
4909 |
-616 |
0 |
5 |
15 |
0 |
| 9. | Joey Saldana |
4878 |
-647 |
4 |
16 |
23 |
5 |
| 10. | Chad Kemenah |
4861 |
-664 |
0 |
3 |
10 |
4 |
| 11. | Kraig Kinser |
4797 |
-728 |
0 |
2 |
13 |
0 |
| 12. | Sammy Swindell |
4725 |
-800 |
4 |
15 |
22 |
4 |
| 13. | Bill Rose |
4451 |
-1074 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
| 14. | Kerry Madsen |
3242 |
-2283 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
0 |
| 15. | Brad Sweet |
2948 |
-2577 |
0 |
5 |
13 |
2 |
| 16. | Ben Gregg |
2648 |
-2877 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| 17. | Sam Hafertepe Jr. |
1876 |
-3649 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
0 |
| 18. | Daryn Pittman |
1597 |
-3928 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
| 19. | Lance Dewease |
1367 |
-4158 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| 20. | Jessica Zemken |
1325 |
-4200 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |