By Shawn Miller
CALISTOGA, Calif. – Sept. 9, 2012 – It shouldn’t be a surprise that Donny Schatz parked in Victory Lane on Sunday at Calistoga Speedway.
Schatz continued his recent tear in dominating fashion, leading all 25 laps to record his ninth World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series win of the season and his second at the scenic half mile.
The victory was the latest highlight in a hot streak that dates back to late July. Schatz has recorded six wins and 15 top fives in the last 17 points races, including a current streak of six consecutive top-five finishes.
The success has also built a 50-point advantage in the championship standings, which is the largest difference between first place and second all season.
“We’re on attack mode,” Schatz said. “These guys definitely got their game face on. They’ve got an awesome machine behind me and we’ve got our motors running really good, so we’re happy.”
Schatz drove around polesitter Kerry Madsen as the duo exited turn two on the opening lap only to see a caution for Chad Kemenah, who came to a stop in turn two. As the caution flag was waved, Jonathan Allard flipped in turn four to cause a red flag.
Schatz left little room for error on the complete restart. He rocketed to the lead by the time the drivers reached the flag stand and began to pull away.
“It was very critical,” Madsen said. “I’m not saying we would have won the race if we got the (lead on the) start, but it would have helped.”
Traffic came into play on lap four, but it didn’t help Madsen close the gap. On lap 13, something on the right front of Cody Lamar’s car broke and it sent him into the exit gate between turn four and the frontstretch. The impact shot his car back across the track in front of Schatz and Madsen, who were able to avoid the melee.
“Man, that was close,” Madsen said. “He sped across there like a NASCAR wreck. I’m just glad he’s alright. That was a hard hit.”
The gate was badly damaged and required more than a half hour of maintenance before the feature resumed. However, once it did, Schatz was hardly challenged as he cruised to his second win in the last four races.
Madsen held off fast qualifier Sammy Swindell for the runner-up position.
“Every time I’d try to get close down there I’d kind of lose the front and get up on that curb, and I’d lose way more than I’d ever gained,” Swindell said. “I think I could run faster out there by myself because I could back up and catch them. So I know the car was fast, but (the track was) just one lane and nothing else to do.”
Tim Kaeding ended fourth and Joey Saldana placed fifth. Craig Dollansky was sixth, Steve Kinser seventh, Shane Stewart eighth, Kraig Kinser ninth and Cody Darrah rounded out the top 10.
Kyle Hirst drove from 19th to 12th to earn his second consecutive KSE Hard Charger Award.
Calistoga Speedway Notebook
NOTES – Sammy Swindell recorded his series-leading 13th quick time of the season. … Steve Kinser claimed his 16th heat race win, Shane Stewart his second and Craig Dollansky his 13th. … Kerry Madsen won his series-leading sixth dash.
CONTINGENCY WINNERS – Penske Shocks ($100 certificate): Travis Jacobson; MSD Ignitions ($50 cash): Donny Schatz; Comp Cams ($50 certificate): Kerry Madsen; Armor All (case of product): Tim Kaeding; STP ($50 cash): Kerry Madsen; UNOH ($50 cash): Joey Saldana; Gravely Tractors ($50 cash): Travis Jacobson; VP Racing Fuel ($50 cash): Kraig Kinser; Comp Cams ($50 cash): Travis Jacobson; JE Pistons (set of rings): Travis Jacobson; Cometic Gasket ($50 cash): Kyle Hirst; Wix Filters ($50 cash): Lucas Wolfe; Superflow ($50 cash): Chad Kemenah; JE Pistons ($50 cash): Cody Lamar; JE Pistons (set of rings): Bill Rose; MSD Ignitions ($25 cash): Bill Rose; Klotz Synthetic Lubricants ($50 cash): Jonathan Allard.
WINNERS – Sammy Swindell – 11 (Grays Harbor Raceway on Aug. 29, Castrol Raceway on Aug. 25, River Cities Speedway on Aug. 17, Autodrome Granby on July 27, Eldora Speedway on July 14, Lakeside Speedway on June 30, Red River Valley Speedway on June 16, Eldora Speedway on May 5, Knoxville Raceway on April 28, Missouri State Fair Speedway on April 20 and Merced Speedway on March 30); Donny Schatz – 9 (Calistoga Speedway on Sept. 9, Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 6, Nodak Speedway on Aug. 19, Junction Motor Speedway on Aug. 14, Knoxville Raceway on Aug. 11, Cornwall Motor Speedway on July 29, Farmer City Raceway on April 25, Silver Dollar Speedway on March 23 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Craig Dollansky – 7 (Castrol Raceway on Aug. 24, Lebanon Valley Speedway on July 22, Lernerville Speedway on July 17, I-96 Speedway on June 2, Hagerstown Speedway on May 20, Tri-State Speedway on April 21 and Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 19); Kerry Madsen – 5 (Willamette Speedway on Sept. 3, Skagit Speedway on Aug. 31, Limaland Motorsports Park on July 11, Belleville High Banks on June 29 and Knoxville Raceway on June 9); Joey Saldana – 5 (Autodrome Drummond on July 28, Eldora Speedway on July 13, The Dirt Track at Charlotte on May 25, Paducah International Raceway on April 13 and Perris Auto Speedway on March 10); Kraig Kinser – 4 (Beaver Dam Raceway on July 7, Dodge City Raceway Park on June 23, River Cities Speedway on June 15 and Kokomo Speedway on June 5); Tim Kaeding – 3 (Cedar Lake Speedway on July 6, Thunderbowl Raceway on March 16 and The Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 8); Steve Kinser – 3 (Dodge City Raceway Park on June 22, Orange County Fair Speedway on May 19 and Williams Grove Speedway on May 12); Chad Kemenah – 2 (Lawrenceburg Speedway on May 28 and Eldora Speedway on May 4); Tony Stewart – 2 (Ohsweken Speedway on July 31 and Lernerville Speedway on July 17); Sean Becker – 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 7); Cody Darrah – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on July 21); Danny Dietrich – 1 (Lincoln Speedway on May 10); Mark Dobmeier – 1 (Huset’s Speedway on July 3); Travis Jacobson – 1 (Skagit Speedway on Sept. 1); Kyle Larson – 1 (Silver Dollar Speedway on Sept. 8); Danny Lasoski – 1 (Volusia Speedway Park on Feb. 18); Paul McMahan – 1 (Rolling Wheels Raceway Park on May 16); Fred Rahmer – 1 (Williams Grove Speedway on May 11); Brad Sweet – 1 (Clay County Fairgrounds on June 8) and Lucas Wolfe – 1 (Bloomington Speedway on Aug. 3).
TIME TRIALS – Sammy Swindell was the fastest qualifier around the half-mile oval with a time of 16.755 seconds to earn five championship points. Also earning points were Joey Saldana (4 points), Donny Schatz (3), Kerry Madsen (2) and Cody Darrah (1).
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Calistoga Speedway Statistical Report; Calistoga, Calif.; Sept. 9, 2012
A-Main – (25 Laps) – 1. 15-Donny Schatz [2] [$10,000]; 2. 29-Kerry Madsen [1] [$5,500]; 3. 1-Sammy Swindell [3] [$3,200]; 4. 83-Tim Kaeding [6] [$2,800]; 5. 9-Joey Saldana [4] [$2,500]; 6. 7-Craig Dollansky [7] [$2,300]; 7. 11-Steve Kinser [8] [$2,200]; 8. 77-Shane Stewart [5] [$2,100]; 9. 11K-Kraig Kinser [12] [$2,050]; 10. 4-Cody Darrah [11] [$2,000]; 11. 18-Travis Jacobson [9] [$1,500]; 12. 83JR-Kyle Hirst [19] [$1,200]; 13. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [15] [$1,100]; 14. 63-Chad Kemenah [13] [$1,050]; 15. 7SS-Paul Sides [22] [$1,000]; 16. 3C-Cody Lamar [16] [$900]; 17. 89-Rico Abreu [17] [$800]; 18. 50M-Jeff Griffin [21] [$800]; 19. 57-Kyle Larson [10] [$800]; 20. O-Jonathan Allard [14] [$800]; 21. 18H-Jac Haudenschild [18] [$800]; 22. 6-Bill Rose [20] [$800]. Lap Leaders: Donny Schatz 1-25. KSE Hard Charger Award: 83JR-Kyle Hirst [+7].
Qualifying – 1. 1-Sammy Swindell, 16.755; 2. 9-Joey Saldana, 16.791; 3. 15-Donny Schatz, 16.846; 4. 29-Kerry Madsen, 16.892; 5. 4-Cody Darrah, 16.937; 6. 11K-Kraig Kinser, 16.962; 7. 83-Tim Kaeding, 17.019; 8. 77-Shane Stewart, 17.024; 9. 18-Travis Jacobson, 17.028; 10. 11-Steve Kinser, 17.031; 11. 57-Kyle Larson, 17.058; 12. 7-Craig Dollansky, 17.072; 13. 63-Chad Kemenah, 17.158; 14. O-Jonathan Allard, 17.195; 15. 5W-Lucas Wolfe, 17.218; 16. 3C-Cody Lamar, 17.235; 17. 89-Rico Abreu, 17.252; 18. 18H-Jac Haudenschild, 17.401; 19. 83JR-Kyle Hirst, 17.479; 20. 6-Bill Rose, 17.492; 21. 50M-Jeff Griffin, 19.275; 22. 7SS-Paul Sides, No Time.
Heat 1 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 11-Steve Kinser [1]; 2. 83-Tim Kaeding [2]; 3. 1-Sammy Swindell [4]; 4. 29-Kerry Madsen [3]; 5. 63-Chad Kemenah [5]; 6. 83JR-Kyle Hirst [7]; 7. 3C-Cody Lamar [6]; 8. 7SS-Paul Sides [8].
Heat 2 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 77-Shane Stewart [2]; 2. 57-Kyle Larson [1]; 3. 9-Joey Saldana [4]; 4. 4-Cody Darrah [3]; 5. O-Jonathan Allard [5]; 6. 89-Rico Abreu [6]; 7. 6-Bill Rose [7].
Heat 3 – (8 Laps – Top 6 finishers transfer to the A-feature) – 1. 7-Craig Dollansky [1]; 2. 18-Travis Jacobson [2]; 3. 15-Donny Schatz [4]; 4. 11K-Kraig Kinser [3]; 5. 5W-Lucas Wolfe [5]; 6. 18H-Jac Haudenschild [6]; 7. 50M-Jeff Griffin [7].
Dash – (6 Laps, finishing order determined first 10 starting positions of A-feature) – 1. 29-Kerry Madsen [1]; 2. 15-Donny Schatz [2]; 3. 1-Sammy Swindell [4]; 4. 9-Joey Saldana [3]; 5. 77-Shane Stewart [6]; 6. 83-Tim Kaeding [5]; 7. 7-Craig Dollansky [10]; 8. 11-Steve Kinser [8]; 9. 18-Travis Jacobson [7]; 10. 57-Kyle Larson [9].
World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series Top 20 Championship Standings
Pos.
Driver
Total
Diff
Wins
T5
T10
QT
1
Donny Schatz
8210
0
9
30
50
3
2
Craig Dollansky
8160
-50
7
31
46
8
3
Sammy Swindell
8128
-82
11
28
41
13
4
Joey Saldana
8102
-108
5
22
46
9
5
Steve Kinser
8043
-167
3
24
42
0
6
Kraig Kinser
7836
-374
4
18
37
5
7
Cody Darrah
7625
-585
1
18
31
2
8
Kerry Madsen
7596
-614
5
13
32
1
9
Chad Kemenah
7449
-761
2
9
28
2
10
Lucas Wolfe
7206
-1004
1
7
21
1
11
Bill Rose
6585
-1625
0
0
10
0
12
Jason Sides
5104
-3106
0
15
25
1
13
Tim Kaeding
3370
-4840
3
9
16
0
14
Jac Haudenschild
3341
-4869
0
2
8
0
15
Daryn Pittman
2537
-5673
0
6
13
1
16
Sam Hafertepe Jr.
2454
-5756
0
3
7
0
17
Danny Lasoski
2431
-5779
1
5
8
0
18
David Gravel
2385
-5825
0
7
9
4
19
Paul McMahan
2296
-5914
1
2
3
0
20
Stevie Smith
2276
-5934
0
3
11
1
The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series is brought to fans across the country by many important sponsors and partners, including: Armor All (Official Car Care Products), STP (Official Fuel Treatment), Goodyear Tires (Official Tire), Gravely Tractors (Official Lawn Equipment), University of Northwestern Ohio, VP Racing Fuel (Official Racing Fuel), Vicci (Official Apparel); in addition to contingency sponsors, including: Cometic Gasket, Comp Cams, JE Pistons, Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, KSE Racing Products, MSD Ignitions, Penske Shocks, Superflow Dynos and Wix Filters; along with manufacturer sponsors, including: Astro Titanium, ButlerBuilt, Fuel Safe, Intercomp, J&J Auto Racing, Jake’s Carts, Racing Electronics, S&S Volvo and TNT Rescue.