By T.J. Buffenbarger
Rossburg, OH — (September 19, 2014) – Rossburg, OH – (September 19, 2014) – Joey Saldana utilized his experience of running the top side of Eldora Speedway to perfection on Saturday night in route to winning the opening night of the 33rd edition of the 4-Crown Nationals with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. Saldana, driving the Motter Motorsports car, held off repeated challenges from Donny Schatz during multiple restarts for his four win in six appearances for the World of Outlaws at the 4-Crown.
“This is amazing because I actually beat Donny Schatz,” said Saldana in victory lane in reference to the current World of Outlaws point leader that has 22 wins with the Outlaws and with other sanctioning groups. “Just to race with (Schatz and beat him, and the World of Outlaws, it’s just an honor to race with these guys. This is not just a big weekend not only for us, but grew up watching my Dad race (the 4-Crown Nationals).”
Saldana took the lead at the start while Madsen and Schatz raced for second with Madsen holding the position using his momentum at the top of the race track. Saldana began to lap slower traffic on lap seven and allowed Madsen and Schatz to close in. Just as the leaders
Saldana held the lead during the restart with Schatz surging into second. Schatz then began using the bottom of the race track to challenge Saldana for the lead. Saldana was able each time to use the momentum at the top of the track to hold the lead. On lap 14 Schatz moved up to the top of the race track to keep pace with Saldana as the leaders entered slower traffic.
During the restart Saldana held the lead with Schatz in second. Behind them Dale Blaney got a run on Madsen for third and took the spot coming off turn four on lap 21. One lap later Rico Abreu backed into the wall and flipped in turns three and four. Lucas Wolfe was also involved in the incident. Abreu was uninjured.
Saldana chose the inside line again for the restart and was able to hold off Schatz for the lead. Then Schatz found himself under fire from Blaney for the second spot. The pair exchanged slide jobs and nearly made contact down the front stretch before Schatz went back into the second position. In the closing laps Schatz started to close in on Saldana, but ran out of time. Blaney held on for third while Madsen and David Gravel rounded out the top five.
Rico Abreu nearly broke Craig Dollansky’s 12 year old track record in route to setting fast time with a lap of 12.733 seconds. Schatz, Gravel, Darrah, and Pittman won heat race events. Craig Dollansky recovered from contact with Pittman during his heat race that eventually forced him pit side to win the B-Main.
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
33rd 4-Crown Nationals
Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH
Friday September 19, 2014
Qualifications: 1. 24 – Rico Abreu, 12.733; 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 12.764; 3. 51 – Paul McMahan, 12.819; 4. 71M – Joey Saldana, 12.840; 5. 2 – Shane Stewart, 12.853; 6. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 12.878; 7. 14K – Dale Blaney, 12.918; 8. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 12.927; 9. 15 – Donny Schatz, 12.930; 10. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 12.937; 11. 4 – Cody Darrah, 12. 938; 12. 10H – Danny Holtgraver, 12.942; 13. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 12.954; 14. 83 – David Gravel, 12.962; 15. W20 – 12.967; 16. 9 – Dayrn Pittman, 13.024; 17. 11 – Steve Kinser, 13.072; 18. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 13.091; 19. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 13.104; 20. 28D – Jac Haudenschild, 13.112; 21. 49 – Brad Sweet, 13.113; 22. 53 – Christopher Bell, 13.138; 23. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 13.159; 24. 9W – Derek Hagar, 13.170; 25. 71MX – Paul May, 13.171; 26. 24H – Brandon Wimmer, 13.188; 27. 19 – Paige Polyak, 13.189; 28. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 13.202; 29. 55F – Taylor Ferns, 13.275; 30. 7S – Jason Sides, 13.350; 31. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 13.601; 32. 1A – Jacob Allen, 13.684; 33. 7C – Caleb Armstrong, 14.074; 34. 33M – Beau Stewart, 14.163; 35. 21 – Travis Philo. NT; 36. 27 – Chad Kemenah, NT.
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 15 – Donny Schatz, 2. 1S – Logan Schuchart 3. 11 – Steve Kinser, 4. 2 – Shane Stewart, 5. 24 – Rico Abreu, 6. 4 – Brad Sweet, 7. 17MX Paul May, 8. 55 – Taylor Ferns. DNS: 7C – Caleb Armstrong. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 83 – David Gravel, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 4. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 5. 53 – Christopher Bell, 6. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 7. 7S – Jason Sides, 8. 24H – Brandon Wimmer, 9. 33M – Beau Stewart. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 4 – Cody Darrah, 2. W20 – Greg Wilson, 3. 14K – Dale Blaney, 4. 51 – Paul McMahan, 5. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 6. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 7. 21 – Travis Philo, 8. 19 – Paige Polyak, 9. Parker Price-Miller. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 2. 10H – Danny Holtgraver, 3. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 4. 71M – Joey Saldana, 5. 28 – Jac Haudenschild, 6. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 7. 9W – Derek Hagar, 8. 1A – Jacob Allen, 9. 7 – Craig Dollansky. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Dash (6 Laps): 1. 71M – Joey Saldana, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 15 – Donny Schatz, 4. 24 – Rico Abreu, 5. 51 – Paul McMahan, 6. 4 – Cody Darrah, 7. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 10. 83 – David Gravel. (Finish determined the first eight starting spots for the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps): 1. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 2. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 3. 49 – Brad Sweet, 4. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 5. 9W – Derek Hagar, 6. 19 – Paige Polyak, 7. 7S – Jason Sides, 8. 71MZ – Paul May, 9. 24H – Brandon Wimmer, 10. 55F – Taylor Ferns, 11. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 12. 21 – Travis Philo, 13. 33M – Beau Stewart, 14. 1A – Jacob Allen. DNS: 7C – Caleb Armstrong.
A-Main (30 laps): 1. 71M – Joey Saldana, 2. 15 – Donny Schatz, 3. 14 – Dale Blaney, 4. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 5. 83 – David Gravel, 6. 2- Shane Stewart, 7. 51 – Paul McMahan, 8. W20 – Greg Wilson, 9. 4 – Cody Darrah, 10. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 11. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 12. 10H – Danny Holtgraver, 13. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 14. 53 – Christopher Bell, 15. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 16. 7S – Jason Sides, 17. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 18. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 19. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 20. 24 – Rico Abreu, 21. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 22. 49 – Brad Sweet, 23. 11 – Steve Kinser, 24. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 25. 28 – Jac Haudenschild.
Lap Leaders: Saldana 1-30
World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
33rd 4-Crown Nationals
Eldora Speedway – Rossburg, OH
Friday September 19, 2014
Qualifications: 1. 24 – Rico Abreu, 12.733; 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 12.764; 3. 51 – Paul McMahan, 12.819; 4. 71M – Joey Saldana, 12.840; 5. 2 – Shane Stewart, 12.853; 6. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 12.878; 7. 14K – Dale Blaney, 12.918; 8. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 12.927; 9. 15 – Donny Schatz, 12.930; 10. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 12.937; 11. 4 – Cody Darrah, 12. 938; 12. 10H – Danny Holtgraver, 12.942; 13. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 12.954; 14. 83 – David Gravel, 12.962; 15. W20 – 12.967; 16. 9 – Dayrn Pittman, 13.024; 17. 11 – Steve Kinser, 13.072; 18. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 13.091; 19. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 13.104; 20. 28D – Jac Haudenschild, 13.112; 21. 49 – Brad Sweet, 13.113; 22. 53 – Christopher Bell, 13.138; 23. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 13.159; 24. 9W – Derek Hagar, 13.170; 25. 71MX – Paul May, 13.171; 26. 24H – Brandon Wimmer, 13.188; 27. 19 – Paige Polyak, 13.189; 28. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 13.202; 29. 55F – Taylor Ferns, 13.275; 30. 7S – Jason Sides, 13.350; 31. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 13.601; 32. 1A – Jacob Allen, 13.684; 33. 7C – Caleb Armstrong, 14.074; 34. 33M – Beau Stewart, 14.163; 35. 21 – Travis Philo. NT; 36. 27 – Chad Kemenah, NT.
Heat Race #1 (8 Laps): 1. 15 – Donny Schatz, 2. 1S – Logan Schuchart 3. 11 – Steve Kinser, 4. 2 – Shane Stewart, 5. 24 – Rico Abreu, 6. 4 – Brad Sweet, 7. 17MX Paul May, 8. 55 – Taylor Ferns. DNS: 7C – Caleb Armstrong. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #2 (8 Laps): 1. 83 – David Gravel, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 4. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 5. 53 – Christopher Bell, 6. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 7. 7S – Jason Sides, 8. 24H – Brandon Wimmer, 9. 33M – Beau Stewart. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #3 (8 Laps): 1. 4 – Cody Darrah, 2. W20 – Greg Wilson, 3. 14K – Dale Blaney, 4. 51 – Paul McMahan, 5. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 6. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 7. 21 – Travis Philo, 8. 19 – Paige Polyak, 9. Parker Price-Miller. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Heat Race #4 (8 Laps): 1. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 2. 10H – Danny Holtgraver, 3. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 4. 71M – Joey Saldana, 5. 28 – Jac Haudenschild, 6. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 7. 9W – Derek Hagar, 8. 1A – Jacob Allen, 9. 7 – Craig Dollansky. (First five finishers transferred to the A-Main)
Dash (6 Laps): 1. 71M – Joey Saldana, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 15 – Donny Schatz, 4. 24 – Rico Abreu, 5. 51 – Paul McMahan, 6. 4 – Cody Darrah, 7. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 10. 83 – David Gravel. (Finish determined the first eight starting spots for the A-Main)
Dash (6 Laps): 1. 71M – Joey Saldana, 2. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 3. 15 – Donny Schatz, 4. 24 – Rico Abreu, 5. 51 – Paul McMahan, 6. 4 – Cody Darrah, 7. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 10. 83 – David Gravel. (Finish determined the first eight starting spots for the A-Main)
B-Main (12 Laps): 1. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 2. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 3. 49 – Brad Sweet, 4. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 5. 9W – Derek Hagar, 6. 19 – Paige Polyak, 7. 7S – Jason Sides, 8. 71MZ – Paul May, 9. 24H – Brandon Wimmer, 10. 55F – Taylor Ferns, 11. 9P – Parker Price-Miller, 12. 21 – Travis Philo, 13. 33M – Beau Stewart, 14. 1A – Jacob Allen. DNS: 7C – Caleb Armstrong.
A-Main (30 laps): 1. 71M – Joey Saldana, 2. 15 – Donny Schatz, 3. 14 – Dale Blaney, 4. 29 – Kerry Madsen, 5. 83 – David Gravel, 6. 2- Shane Stewart, 7. 51 – Paul McMahan, 8. W20 – Greg Wilson, 9. 4 – Cody Darrah, 10. 45 – Tim Shaffer, 11. 9 – Daryn Pittman, 12. 10H – Danny Holtgraver, 13. 1S – Logan Schuchart, 14. 53 – Christopher Bell, 15. 59 – Tim Kaeding, 16. 7S – Jason Sides, 17. 11N – Randy Hannagan, 18. 5W – Lucas Wolfe, 19. 71 – Bryan Clauson, 20. 24 – Rico Abreu, 21. 11K – Kraig Kinser, 22. 49 – Brad Sweet, 23. 11 – Steve Kinser, 24. 7 – Craig Dollansky, 25. 28 – Jac Haudenschild.
Lap Leaders: Saldana 1-30