Runner-Up in Mediacom Shootout at Knoxville

For the first time since recording a podium finish at the 52nd Annual Knoxville Nationals last August, the Eyecon Trail Cameras #7 team returned to Knoxville Raceway on Saturday for their first stop of the season at the historic half-mile as part of the Mediacom Shootout.

Set to go in the Sprint Car Capital of the World, a stout field of 51 drivers signed into the pit area as the racing program got underway in qualifying where Dollansky powered the Aggressive Hydraulics Maxim to the 5th fastest lap at 14.890 seconds.  Starting outside row two for heat five, ‘The Crowd Pleaser’ took third at the green flag and tracked down Rager Phillips in the waning laps to claim 2nd and secure a spot in the dash.  A six car inversion draw based off qualifying times then put Dollansky third on the grid for the dash where the Eaton’s Aeroquip Performance Products sponsored sprinter finished 4th.

With only the 25-lap main event remaining, the MobileStar #7 started outside row two and motored past Cody Darrah and Tim Kaeding in the opening laps to run second before a caution on lap 5.  When the feature resumed Dollansky worked the middle in turns 1 & 2 and low in 3 & 4 narrowing the gap on Brian Brown until the Eyecon Trail Cameras backed sprinter took the top spot in turn 4 to lead lap 9.  ‘The Crowd Pleaser’ then opened up a bit of a lead and began encountering lapped traffic until Donny Schatz worked past Dollansky just prior to a red flag on lap 18.  Another accident on the ensuing restart then prompted a single-file restart and with just seven circuits remaining, Dollansky did his best to track down the #15 but took the checkered flag with a solid runner-up performance.

“We were working real well at the beginning of the race and gaining on Brian Brown and got by him on lap 9,” commented Dollansky who moved into 5th in the championship standings.  “It was a hard fought battle with the Eyecon Trail Cameras car and came up one spot short.  We’ll keep working hard at things.  DJ, Sean, and Chevy are doing a great job and work hard.”

The Eyecon Trail Cameras #7 team will now travel East where STP World of Outlaws action continues this coming Wednesday at Lincoln Speedway in Abbottstown, Pennsylvania.