PETERSEN MEDIA
Shane Stewart had one of those weekends that sprint car drivers hate, a weekend that included two-dnf’s at the Skagit Speedway against the World of Outlaws.
Heading to a track that he has performed well at in his past, Stewart started his weekend out by timing the Kick-it/Jeff Gordon Children’s foundation machine in seventh fastest.
A second place finish in his heat, put Stewart and his A.R.T./Lucas Oil/Pro Bilt Construction machine on the front row of the dash, where he would end up third, and in the second row for the feature event.
With action getting underway, Stewart held the third spot as he chased down the lead duo of Kerry Madsen and Donny Schatz. The trio had broken away from the rest of the field during the first 11-laps until a caution slowed them.
Back underway, close racing between the leaders flattened Schatz’s right-rear tire and allowed Stewart to take over the second spot and pressure Madsen for three-laps until the caution waved again.
On the lap-13 restart, Stewart and his Palmero Properties/Car and Fleet/Finley Farms machine were all over Madsen, and they raced side-by-side for the lead until the 16th lap, when Stewart’s rear-end let go, and he was forced to the infield with a DNF.
“It’s odd when something like this goes haywire on one of Paul Silva’s cars,” Stewart said of his mechanical issues. “Unfortunately it’s part of it, and it stings because this Kick-it/Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation was dialed in, and we had a great shot to win tonight (Friday).”
Timing in 13th quick on Saturday night, Stewart secured a third place finish in his heat to earn a spot in the feature event.
Lining up in the 12th spot during the feature, Stewart wrestled a tight car around the ultra fast Skagit Speedway, as he battled to get inside the top-ten.
While running the high-side of the speedway, Stewart got into the wall, damaging his car bad enough where his night was finished and he would be scored in the 20th spot.
“Saturday night was just the icing-on-the-cake, for our weekend,” he said. “We were a little snug early in the feature, and I got up in the cushion and it sucked the car into the wall, and that was all she wrote.”
The Silva Motorsports team thanks Kick-It For Children’s Cancer, The Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, Lucas Oil Products, A.R.T. Speed Equipment, Pro Bilt Construction, Palmero Properties, Finley Farms, Car and Fleet, Stepping Stone Genetics, FK Rod Ends, OMP Racing, Wesmar Racing Engines, , Shift Creative, Amerikote, XYZ, Hoosier Tire, Pro, Banshee Graphics, Dan Olson Products, K&N Filters, RE Technologies, Weld, Schoenfeld Headers, Butlerbuilt Seats, Vortex Wings, CP Pistons, Cometic Gaskets, Huggins Cams BR Ignitioneering, Blackwell Consolidation, and Petersen Media for their partnership in 2012.
ON TAP: Shane will now bolt his seat into the Finley Farms No.77f for the 59th Annual Gold Cup Race of Champions September 6th-8th at the Silver Dollar Speedway in Chico, CA.
STAY CONNECTED: For all of the latest news on Shane Stewart visit his website at www.shanestewart.com or become a fan of his on facebook at www.facebook.com/ShaneStewartRacing. We also encourage you to visit www.kick-it.org for all the happening with the Kick-It For Children’s Cancer program and www.jeffgordonfoundation.com for all the happening with the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation.