Dollansky Eighth in River Cities Thriller

Craig Dollansky. - T.J. Buffenbarger Photo
Craig Dollansky. - T.J. Buffenbarger Photo
Craig Dollansky. – T.J. Buffenbarger Photo

From Reid Van Eck

The thrilling highbanks of River Cities Speedway was up next for the Eyecon Trail Cameras #7 team as they prepared for another weekend of action in the Upper Midwest.  In eleven previous appearances at the ¼-mile, ‘The Crowd Pleaser’ has captured three victories with eight top-fives and finished in the top-ten on all but one occasion.

With 36 drivers signed in for competition in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Dollansky was fourth fastest in hotlaps and carried the speed into qualifying piloting the MobileStar Maxim to the 4th fastest lap at 10.346 seconds.  Wild heat race action then saw Dollansky start outside row two and drop back at the initial start before chasing down Chad Kemenah for a spot in the dash before a caution with two laps remaining.  On the restart Dollansky went over the banking bringing out the caution but raced up to 5th on the ensuing restart to transfer into the main event.

In the 40-lap A-Main the Eaton’s Aeroquip Performance Products backed sprinter started inside row seven.  After a pair of cautions and a red, the fourth attempt to start the feature went green until lap three when Dollansky ran ninth.  A great double-file restart then saw the #7 power around two cars as the Elk River, Minnesota native worked all areas of the track going high and low advancing to 4th by a lap 18 red flag.

When the main event resumed Dollansky lost a few spots on the restart as a long stretch of green flag racing raged on with action all over the track until a red on lap 34.  Following another red three circuits later and just three laps remaining, ‘The Crowd Pleaser’ continued to rim-ride around the highbanks battling Big Game Treestands teammate Sammy Swindell until taking the checkered flag with a top-ten finish in 8th.

World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series action resumes tonight for the first time ever at I-94 Speedway in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.