PETERSEN MEDIA-
Shane Stewart headed out west to team up with the Jason and Scott Finley owned No.77f for ASCS Northwest Speedweek, and he put on a show as he racked up three wins, including one in Elma, WA against the Lucas Oil ASCS National Tour.
After a disappointing weekend at the Kings Royal, Stewart headed out west and quickly put his troubles behind him as he made his first stop of the week at the Southern Oregon Speedway in Medford on Monday night.
Putting himself in the top-eight pill draw, Stewart pulled the one pill and put the Finley Farms/Blackwell Consolidation/CLT Logging entry on the front row.
Stewart was dominant as he simply left the pack as the race got underway.
The only thing that slowed Stewart was a few red flags, but the Bixby, OK native was able to power his way to the win.
“I can’t say enough about the Finley’s,” said Stewart. “They always have a fast racecar when I drive for them, and it was a pleasure to drive tonight.”
Tuesday saw the team head toward the coast at compete in Coos Bay, OR, and Stewart drew a high pill and started in the back of his heat race.
After starting in the seventh spot, Shane was able to work up a couple spots and transfer to the feature where he would start in the 15th spot.
On a very narrow track, Stewart was able to tip-toe through the field as he picked off cars at will and quickly cracked the top-ten.
Stewart continued to show speed as he worked his way all the way up to the sixth spot at the finish.
“It was a tight, narrow track that was tough to pass on,” Stewart explained. “Our car was good and we kept our nose clean and wound up with a sixth place finish.”
Wednesday the scene was the Cottage Grove Speedway, a track that Shane has always had success at.
The success continued, as Stewart utilized the high-scary side of the speedway and lapped traffic to his advantage as he grabbed the lead at the halfway point of the feature event and never looked back, as he recorded his second win of ASCS Northwest Speedweek.
“I was just waiting for the checkered flag to fly at Cottage Grove because my right rear tire was going down,” said Stewart. “I love this place and always seem to run really well here, and I had a great car again and was able to really make speed on the cushion.”
Thursday night the team headed to Banks, Oregon to take on the ASCS National Tour, and after heat races the skies opened and the event was cancelled as Stewart was scheduled to start in the third spot.
Friday they headed up north to Elma, Washington for two nights of action against the stars of the Lucas Oil ASCS National Series to close out speedweek.
Starting on the pole of his heat, Stewart took advantage of it, and picked up the win and put himself in the top-eight redraw where he pulled the two pill.
As cars were getting ready for the feature, the skies opened up again for the second night in a row, and the feature event was postponed until Saturday.
Starting on the front row of the feature, Stewart would shoot out to an early lead, as he set a torrid pace.
As he reached lapped traffic by the sixth lap, he had his hands full as he tried to maneuver through it, and battle Wayne Johnson.
Falling back into the second spot in traffic, a timely caution flew clearing the track for the leaders.
Getting past a lapped car that separated him and Johnson, Stewart applied heavy pressure as laps clicked off.
On the 24th lap, Stewart was able to get back by Johnson and lead the final lap and a half to record his third win of the week, and his first with the national tour in 2012.
The Saturday night feature had the same battle as the Friday feature had, as Johnson and Stewart again hooked up in an entertaining battle.
With much of the field using the high-side of the speedway, Stewart found the bottom to his liking as he gained serious ground on Johnson during the last two laps.
Pulling alongside Johnson on the white flag lap, the duo raced side by side out of turn four only to see the caution flag waving.
On the restart, Johnson went to the bottom, and was able to narrowly hold Stewart off, and Shane settled for second.
“Overall it was a great week with the Finley’s,” Shane explained. “Our worst finish was sixth, and we were able to pick up three wins, and nearly had our fourth on Saturday night.”
ON TAP: The Finley Farms team will now head to Skagit Speedway for the Bob’s Burgers and Brew 360 Nationals on Friday and Saturday.
STAY CONNECTED: For all of the latest news on Shane Stewart visit his website at www.shanestewart.com,become a fan of his on facebook at www.facebook.com/ShaneStewartRacing, or follow him on twitter @ShaneStewart57.