From J&J
McKENZIE, TN (Aug. 23) – Six J&J Auto Racing teams were victorious last week competing on dirt tracks across the country. Donny Schatz defeated the All-Stars in his hometown of Fargo, while Ed Lynch, Jr., Tommy Worley, Jr., Andre Layfield, Joe Ramaker, and Patrick Bourke were also winners.
ALL-STARS – RED RIVER VALLEY SPEEDWAY
Donny Schatz out-dueled fellow J&J Auto Racing driver David Gravel to capture the inaugural Champions Challenge $12,000-to-win All-Stars main event last Wednesday night at Red River Valley Speedway in W. Fargo, N.D. Schatz began the evening by establishing a new track record in the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) No. 15 STP/Armor All/J&J. The Fargo resident started fifth and raced past Gravel in the DDR No. 89g J&J on lap 17 of the 30-lap race to score his second All-Star triumph in Fargo in two years.
“This is one bad machine. But one better than that is the guys that work on it every day…I’m just lucky I get to drive it. ,” said Schatz, who drove the same J&J four nights earlier to claim his fifth Knoxville Nationals crown. “The race track was fun. We were able to move around. I just had a little bit better car than (Gravel) as the race went on.”
Gravel would ultimately finish third. Defending All-Star champion Tim Shaffer raced the CH Motorsports No. 83 Kistler-powered J&J from 12th to finish fifth. Two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart qualified the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1/ Chevrolet J&J fourth in the field and finished the main event ninth.
PITTSBURGH MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Ed Lynch, Jr. picked up his first win of the season in the 21-lap Red Miley Rumble at Pittsburgh (PA) Motor Speedway (PPMS). The $2,100 victory didn’t come easy for Lynch in his No. 2L J&J. Carl Bowser (No. 10 J&J) led the feature during laps nine and 10 before three-time winner Danny Holtgraver (No. D4 J&J) took over the top spot. Lynch, who started 10th, worked his way into second after Holtgraver gave up the lead because of a flat tire on lap 14. Bowser returned to the lead and looked to be on his way to his first career PPMS victory, but the veteran Lynch had other ideas….taking the lead on the final lap to score his 13th career victory at the track.
ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY SPEEDWAY
Tommy Worley, Jr., continued his 2011 dominance of St. Francois County Speedway on Saturday night in Farmington, Mo. Worley raced the Alan Barton Motorsports No. 7AB J&J to victory for the sixth time this season at the 3/8-mile dirt track.
SKYLINE SPEEDWAY
West Virginia native Andre Layfield enjoys his trips to Skyline Speedway in Stewart, Ohio. On Saturday night, Layfied wheeled his No. 21 J&J to an Ohio Valley Sprint Car Association victory at the facility. Layfield made quick work of the field as he raced out front early from his front row starting position and lapped up to seventh-place in a race that took just over six minutes to complete as it stayed green throughout.
NSA SHOOTOUT – ELECTRIC CITY SPEEDWAY
Joe Ramaker wanted to make sure he put on a show in Saturday’s finale of the NSA Shootout and Big Sky Country series at Electric Speedway in Great Falls, Mont. Ramaker led every lap around Electric City Speedway in his No. 98 J&J and fended off a stout field of competitors including former World of Outlaws racer, Jason Solwold, who started on the front row. While Ramaker raced away using the bottom groove, the rest of the top-five searched the track looking for a faster way around. In the end it was Ramaker, and he was joined in the top-five by fellow J&J runner, David Hoiness (No. 27DD J&J), who finished fifth.
“I’m kind of in tears at this moment because I’ve raced a lot of big races here and lead some big races here and have taken myself out repeatedly but once I got out in the front I saw Jason take too much steam in the corner and I ducked down and hoped the bottom was and it was and I hoped I wouldn’t make a mistake,” admitted Ramaker following the popular win. “I can’t thank my crew enough.”
UNITED REBEL SPRINT SERIES
Patrick Bourke won his third United Rebel Sprint Series (URSS) feature of 2011 on Saturday night at El Paso County Speedway in Calhan, Colo. Bourke raced his No. 27 J&J from the 10th starting position all the way to front of the field and drove away to win on the quarter-mile dirt oval.